Monthly guide to woodland wildlife

May

Birds to be seen and mostly heard this month include blackcaps and whitethroat especially in and around the hazel coppice. A blackcap’s song is flutey and sweet, that of the whitethroat, short and scratchy.

Red admirals, orange-tip and holly blue butterflies can be seen. Only the male orange-tip has wings tipped with orange.

Buttercups are in flower, the hawthorn is in blossom and overhead you may see newly arrived swifts screaming as they chase across the sky in large gangs.