Nature Notes March 2022

Nature Notes March 2022

In these uncertain times, even the smallest sign of the changing season seems important. On a potter along the stream at Booton Common, the Siskins were still busy working the alder cones as they had been for most of the winter and we were still able to find Scarlet Elf Cups amongst the moss. At  Buxton Heath, a large Violet Ground Beetle was hibernating in a rotten log; the edges of its wing cases and thorax were an iridescent purple. But spring was on the way as the Linnets were back, with a red chested male singing from a flowering Gorse bush.

Then, when working in the garden, I heard the first frog croaking in the pond. This soon become a chorus of up to thirty males singing to attract females to come to this particular pond to lay their spawn. After a few days the mating frenzy was over and a third of the pond’s surface was covered with new life.

Next, a Starling was vandalising one of the lavender bush and carrying away a sprig of leaves to line its nest hole in our neighbour’s gable. Starling nests tend to become very messy once the chicks hatch, so the adults often bring in sweet smelling herbage to counter the faecal odour. However it wasn’t until we walked to Whitwell Common along back lanes and footpaths that it became apparent that all the local birds had decided that spring was already here. Robins and Blackbirds were singing from every suitable hedge; Rooks and Jackdaws were calling from rookery and hollow tree and Skylarks poured out their uplifting song over the fields. There was even a little Cow Parsley in a sheltered spot; Golden Saxifrage was flowering on the stream bank by the Whitwell Common road bridge and deep purple Sweet Violet flowers nestled among their heart shaped leaves on the edge of a footpath. On the Common itself, Great Tits were still tuning up, but the Wrens were singing at full throttle. It is amazing that a bird so small can make so much noise! Coming back by Eade’s Mill, we could see that the sap was rising in the Willow trees across the valley, as they glowed a bright orange in the sunlight. We were delighted to find a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding on the stony shallows of the mill pond. These stunningly beautiful birds have pale grey backs, bright lemon yellow breasts and more yellow under their very long tails. It is many years since we have seen them there and hope that they will stay to nest.

Do let me know if you see anything of interest rachel.42rr@btinternet.com