Open Nest Monitoring
Sunday, June 7th 2020
There are many species of birds that don't use nest boxes and monitoring their success for conservation is a much more time consuming task. One of the ringers devotes a great deal of effort to this and is an expert at finding and identifying their nests. Here are some of his photographs from this year's breeding season. First a Blackcap nest. They are one of a group of birds known as scrub warblers, due to their preference for nesting in scrubby bushes. Brambles are a common place for Blackcaps to nest.
Linnets build neat, bowl-shaped nests, often in gorse bushes or in hedgerows.
Reedbuntings nest in amongst the reeds and build their homes from grasses.
Below is the same nest but once the chicks have hatched and are old enough to be ringed.
Whitethroats construct a nest cup of fine twigs and grass, lined with finer grass and roots, and hair is built low down in a shrub by both birds. The eggs are white or creamy-white with sparse blotches of grey or olive, smooth and glossy, and about 17 mm by 13 mm. The male and female take turns incubating the eggs, and both adults feed the young.
The Yellowhammer typically builds its nest on or very near the ground, and in a tuft of vegetation or close to, or just in, a bush or hedgerow. The nest is a cup of grass, plant stems, then lined with fine plant material or hair.
Out thanks to Jack for sharing his photos. All of the information collected is submitted to the BTO for their Nest Record Scheme. Their data are used to assess the impacts that changes in the environment, such as habitat loss and global warming, have on the number of fledglings that birds can rear.
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Butterflies and Moths Treasure Trail
Friday 22nd July 2022 | During Reserve Opening Times
Enjoy a walk around the red route (easy access trail) and find the clues to learn all about these wonderful insects.
Pick up a clue sheet from the Field Centre for only £1 and check your answers at the end.
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Please call the Reserve Managers on 07754 270980 to book your allocated slot. You are advised to arrive 15 minutes before your allocated time.
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Undergrowth Newsletter
Undergrowth Newsletter Winter 2020/21 Issue 54

Find out what has been going on at the reserve during the lockdown!
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Recent Blog Posts
- Trinity Academy Richmond
- Butterflies and Moths
- Foxglove 30th Anniversary Raffle
- Nature Roundup
- Moths
- The Beginning of Summer
- Royal Garden Party
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- Tread Quietly, Tread Gently
- Plenty To See
- No Snow, No Hail
- Tawny Owls and Grey Herons
- More Flowers
- Nature
- Moving Slowly Through Spring
- Nesting Time
- Winter Spring
- Warm Days
- Biscoff Cheesecake, Brownies and Bakewell Tarts!
- A Busy Day for Some
- Volunteers at Work
- Around the Reserve
- A Ringing Day
- Flowers at Last!
- More Spring Photos
- Moths!
- A Special Visit
- Spring Has Sprung!
- Reducing, Reusing and Recycling!
- Almost Spring
- Thank you!
- Ringing Resumes!
- Arrival of Spring
- Strong Support
- Back To Work!
- We Are Open!
- Update
- Temporary Closure
- Large, Little and In Between
- The Weather
- A Wild Worky Day!
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- Forest School Fun
- Winter Work
- Preventing The Spread of Bird Flu
- Thank You and Congratulations!
- Job Jobbed!
- Hazel, a Hedge and more High Vis!
- Moths
- Many Happy Returns!
- Winter Scenes at Foxglove
- Sheer Dedication!
- Back to Work
- Happy New Year!
- All Kinds of Weather
- Last Volunteer Day 2021
- Pillwort
- Volunteers at Work
- Winter Work Continues
- Edward the Elf Returns!
- Sunshine and Blue Skies
- More Clearing Up
- December Winter Worky Day
- Dangerous Trees
- Tidying Up After Storm Arwen
- Storm Damage
- Willow Weaving
- Considerate Contributions
- Storm Arwen
- Look Both Ways
- Never Work With Wildlife
- Traditional Woodland Skills
- Technicolour Nature!
- November Worky Day
- Woodland Work
- All About Fungi
- Look North
- Autumn Views at Foxglove
- Happy Halloween
- Bat Monitoring
- Forest Fun
- Hazel Coppice
- Wildlife Activity Day
- Winter Visitors
- Fungi Walk
- Happy Holidays!
- Bakewells, Banana Cake and Brushcutting!
- A Busy ‘Typical’ Day?
- Wet and Wild!
- Autumn Bird Ringing
- Changing Seasons
- Moths
- Extra Help
- Redwing
- Lively Livestock!
- Meadow Management
- Half Term Plans
- Autumn Worky Day
- QAVS Award on Display
- The Beginnings of Autumn
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