Birds and Birders

Friday, May 18th 2018

Picking up from Wednesday's blog, we were waiting for the group of Guides from Leyburn to visit the reserve that evening. Ten Guides and two helpers spent two hours pond-dipping and looking at how bird ringing is carried out in the Field Centre. All were very pleased with their visit, and there was an impressive number of Sticklebacks caught, as well as tadpoles, Whirligig Beetles and a Water Scorpion.

Today we have had visitors from slightly further afield with 26 members of the South Leicester Birdwatchers group calling in as part of their weekend trip to Yorkshire and the North East. They spent 5 hours and managed to see a wide range of birds, butterflies and flowers while they were here. These included Swallows, Lapwing, Sand Martin, and they were all taken with the Little Grebe and their two chicks on the lake. They have now headed off to stay overnight in Northumberland before sailing over to the Farne Islands tomorrow morning and then to the RSPB's Saltholme reserve on their return leg.

They started with a short talk on the history of Foxglove, but it's fair to say that their attention did wander every time any birds arrived on the feeders outside the Field Centre.

Colin has again been in filling the feeders and the hoppers so that they are ready for the weekend which will include both ringing and the Bird Song Breakfast event. This will mean an early start for all involved.

Whereas Ian and Tony headed out in the late afternoon in search of an ever elusive Kestrel in nearby Stonecutters' Wood. She was not at home, leaving her clutch of five eggs for us to find in the nest box.

These birds really do have a tremendous sense of hearing, picking up the slightest rustle of leaves as you brush past in the undergrowth; one snap of a twig and you've had it!

(0) Comments:

There are no comments for this blog post yet. Why not start the discussion? - use the form below:

Back to Top

Help Support Foxglove

Friends of Foxglove

The Friends of Foxglove Covert is for those individuals, families and organisations who would like to support the reserve through an annual membership subscription. Friends receive a regular newsletter and invitations to attend our various activities and social events.

More Details

Upcoming Events

Access to the Reserve: OPEN with limited access

Monday 18th March 2024 |

The reserve is now open, although again with limited access.

Visitors will be able to access the reserve with the use of key fobs provided at the pass office upon entrance to the camp, or will be provided entrance and exit through the access gate by an officer from the camp Guard Room. In this case visitors will need a mobile phone to call the Guard Room when they wish to exit the reserve.

Please be aware that due to these circumstances, entering and leaving the reserve might take a little longer than usual.