With the shortest day thankfully behind us, spring isn’t far away. Spring is signalled in the form of birdsong. The usual communication calls of birds are joined by the songs of territorial birds claiming their space and advertising for mates. … Continue reading
Newsletters
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December Newsletter 2022
Stover’s autumnal gold’s and red’s, which have been arrived later this year due to the mild weather, are finally fading and falling now that winter has descended. The woodland birds will now have fewer daylight hours in which to feed. … Continue reading
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November Newsletter 2022
November is the month when old man’s beard covers the trees and hedgerows. Late-flowering ivy, scabious and michaelmas daisy provides nectar for many insects before they hibernate for the winter. During October the weather stayed unseasonably mild with butterflies still … Continue reading
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October Newsletter 2022
October is the month when the trees are in their full autumn colours. With the shorter days and less powerful sun, the trees are no longer running efficiently and are reabsorbing the green chemical chlorophyll, leaving the brown, russet and … Continue reading
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September Newsletter 2022
The leaves on the elder trees are just starting to turn yellow indicating that autumn has finally caught up with Stover. Horse chestnut and beech are usually the next trees to don their autumn colours, although due to the second … Continue reading
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August Newsletter 2022
The quiet month of August, with the bird song all but over, heralds the start of the bird migration. Stover’s migrants will start to put on weight in the next few weeks in preparation for their long journey south. They … Continue reading
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July Newsletter 2022
The longest day is now behind us and summer is in full swing! On the heath the heather will soon start to flower along with heath speedwell and eyebright. A characteristic sound of the heath in mid-summer is the crackle … Continue reading
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June Newsletter 2022
The rhododendron is pretty spectacular at this time of year along with the yellow azaleas which flower along the lake path. The flag iris is turning the marsh from green to gold. Summer flowers are at their best this month. … Continue reading
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May Newsletter 2022
May is the month when the rhododendron, azalea, and yellow flag start to flower; the trees come into leaf; the last of the summer migrants return and when the dawn chorus is at its peak. Nightjars usually start arriving from … Continue reading
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April 2022 Newsletter
April is the month that the woodlands’ plants have been waiting for all through the winter. Bluebell leaves are emerging along with ramson leaves; and violets, primroses, dog’s mercury, wood anemone and celandine are all in flower. All these plants … Continue reading