Nature Notes February 2025
Nature Notes
On a grey day in early February, we decided that a brisk walk to Whitwell Common would be good. We were not expecting to see much wildlife but were pleasantly surprised to find various things of interest along the way. From the footpath between New Road and Norwich Road we could hear a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling from the trees of Moor House, and then found a glowing, jewel-like yellow Brain Fungus on a fallen branch. A Blue Tit was singing from bushes along Bar Lane. As we walked along Back Lane, we heard a Green Woodpecker ‘yaffling’ but could not see it. We took a photo of the massive ancient oak tree at the further end of the old track. It must be the oldest tree for miles around and probably dating from at least the 1400s. The Hazel catkins were blowing in the breeze as we passed Whitwell Station and we even found a few minute, red, starfish-like female flowers; these are the ones that turn into nuts. The fresh green leaves of Dog’s Mercury were also thrusting through the leaf litter: a sign that spring is on its way. Walking up the footpath to Nowhere Lane, we were delighted to hear our first Skylark singing over the fields, and where there was an animal trod across the path, there was also the faint, unmistakable, whiff of Fox. When we reached the common, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was ‘drumming’ from the Alder Carr: proclaiming his territory and hoping to attract a mate, but there were few other birds. Once inside the woodland, there was more to see. A patch of bright red beside the route was not a piece of plastic but a beautiful Scarlet Elfcup, and fallen branches were adorned with grey, green and yellow lichens. The Wild Arums were also unfurling their glossy, pointed leaves. Looking under rotting logs in wet woodland is always interesting: there were different species of woodlice, centipedes and even a small black beetle with orange spots on its wingcase – a 4 Spotted Rove Beetle. A tall but diseased tree trunk was plastered with black, rounded and hard, fungal bodies which were the so-called King Alfred’s Cakes. On our way home we found our first flowering Primroses of the year! The seasons are slowly turning despite the greyness, spring is on its way.
Do let me know if you see any interesting wildlife (rachel.42rr@btinternet.com)