Wildlife

Monthly guide to woodland wildlife

October

With wild wet conditions fungi can flourish. The Community Woodland is not noted for many species of fungi but the black blobs of King Alfred’s cakes can easily be seen on branches of old ash trees.

This month leaves normally turn yellow, orange or brown in response to the colder, darker conditions.

November

Fieldfares and redwings arrive from Scandinavia this month. These winter thrushes come to feed on berries in the milder conditions of Western Europe. Fieldfares chatter and chuckle as they fly overhead, while redwings hurtle along the hedgerows calling "seep" " seep".

Listen out for tawny owls hooting at night. They nest in February, so November is when courtship and territorial battles are at their height.

Guide for September

Wildlife sightings - August 2008

02.08.08

Southern hawker dragonfly catching a meadow brown butterfly, mid-air

Mammal tracks: summer and spring 2006

Species List 2003