Wildlife Report just in!

Our  volunteer wildlife recorder Brian Perry has just popped in with  his latest wildlife report. Once a week he records sightings as he walks around the Gardens. The data is logged at Eco Record . Today, the lunchtime sunshine encouraged the butterflies. He spotted a peacock, a small tortoiseshell and a small white. Insects included a shieldbug and a St Mark’s fly. Birds included the tree warbler and summer visitors, the warblers chiff-chaff and blackcap. New flowers this week include the blue bell, the white flowering garlic mustard, red campion and cow parsely. Within the last fortnight one of our younger visitors, spotted a newt under a stone by the pond. We’ve also seen newts hibernating in the compost heap. Now is the time when they return to water to breed. If you like to know more about newts and their lifecycle – there’s a good introduction here on www.marinebiology.co.uk/freshwater-life/newts