Click on any picture to see a larger image

04/02/12 With the temperature even lower this morning I could have been forgiven for staying in bed, however fourtune favours the brave. The female Brambling was again hanging around the feeding station in Area 5 along with all the usual suspects. In last years cold snap Snipe unable to feed on their nearby frozen lakes turned up on the Balancing pond channel. This year proved the same as this one was feeding at 08:30. A female Bullfinch was seen drinking fom the brook by Kingfisher Bridge in Area 4 . In all a total of 25 species of birds were seen in about an hour.

03/02/12 A brisk walk to work this morning through Areas 5 & 4 with the thermometer registering -6.4 C. A female Brambling was gratefully feeding on the Black Sunflower seeds at the feeding station before I refilled them. 3 Dunnocks were foraging on the spilt seed on the floor and the Great spotted Woodpecker was again on the fat feeders. A Nuthatch was calling from a nearby tree before visiting the bird table. A party of 10 Herring Gulls flew over calling heading S. Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush & Redwing were all looking for food in the softer areas close to the bottom of the hedges. At the balancing pond by Smiths Walk several birds were drinking and bathing in the concrete channel that runs through the middle. On cold days such as this it is always flowing and this provides a frost free supply of water.

02/02/12 A chilly start to the month in Area 5 did not deter the birds this morning. At the feeders Blue Tit, Great Tit & Long tailed Tit were all busily feeding. A Green Woodpecker was yaffling in the distance and a male Great spotted Woodpecker was drumming away on a nearby tree. In Area 10 a Little Egret was seen by Paul Bright Thomas flying over Lavells Lake an then dropped into the Emm Brook

01/02/12 At the roost this morning near the feeders in Area 5 at 07:30 approx 30 Redwing flew off in all directions.

Click on any picture to see a larger image

Plants/Trees

03/02/12 Wokingham Borough Council have today planted a Crimean Lime Tilia x euchlora in Riverside Walk.

Click on any picture to see a larger image

Fungi

Mammals

02/02/ 12 As I walked along the Brook this morning I could not fail to notice the Squirrels that were chasing each other around one of the brook side Oaks. Squirrels do not hibernate and their breeding season can start as early as January. These courtship chases are fast and furious. The female develops an irresistible perfume which attracts the male . It is the female that leads the chase. Whist males can mate all year females are only able to mate in Spring and Autumn.

Amphibians

Coarse Fish

03/02/ 12 In Area 6 Paul Goulbourne caught a 14oz Roach and a 2lb 8ozChub. .