Garston Wood RSPB Reserve

Saturday 18th April - Garston Wood

While waiting in the car park Joe spotted a pair of Marsh Tit, a delightful little bird that gave us excellent views now and at the end of our walk.  There was a lot of bird song with Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Wren, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Great and Blue Tit.  As we walked out into the farmland we had several pairs of Yellowhammers as we walked along.  Over the fields we had Raven, Buzzard, Grey Heron and Jay.  A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen and Mistle Thrush heard.  Walking the footpath through Mistleberry Woods we spied a hovering Kestrel and a speeding Sparrowhawk moved through the tree tops was missed by a few.  Nick herd a a Tree Pipit singing along the woods edge, though heard by all only a few managed to see it.  

Nick and Andy did an act of a good samaritan when they heard fluttering coming from a clump of Butchers Broom.  On investigation it was found that a male Blackcap was hanging by the toes which had caught between the cladode of the broom and the stem of the Butcher Broom and between the two of them they were able to release it to live another day.

Other birds seen as we walked backed into Garston Wood were Skylark and Swallows over the nearby field.  In the wood Bullfinch, a couple of Coal Tits and a pair of Long-tailed Tits.

We were also noting the Spring flowers, the Bluebells were not all out and the Wild Garlic were not in full bloom but the carpet of Wood Anemones made up for this.  A full list of flowers seen is set out below.  We also had Orange Tip butterflies on the wing.

Bluebell                  Wood Anemone               Dogs Mercury               Wood Spurge
Toothwort               Ground-leaf Ivy               Yellow Archangel         Greater Stitchwort
Butchers Broom     Lesser Celandine              White Deadnettle          Red Deadnettle
Wood Sorrel           Wild Strawberry               Solomon's Seal             Moschatel (Town Hall Clock)

We also noted a couple of Twayblade and Early Purple Orchid spikes though they would be in flower in the coming days.

Orange Tip butterfly © Nick Hull