Wildlife Report  Monday 27 April 2015

Our wildlife recorder Brian Perry walks around the gardens, usually every Monday, observing wildlife happenings. Here is today’s report, just in:

Spring flowers: in the woodland (and elsewhere), the Bluebells are out; shade growing hedge garlic (look for the white flower and the garlic-scented leaves), a patch of dog violets and the yellow petalled celandine. More unusual species include the marsh marigold (by the pond), resembling  a giant bright yellow buttercup. Purple toothwort can be seen growing by the twisted hazel (near to the sundial lawn) and under the hazel by the Pavilion, there is a white wood anemone (the only place we have spotted this).

Birds: some summer visitors have started to arrive including blackcap and chiff chaff (they are both warblers).

Insects: a speckled wood butterfly was spotted, surprising because it is a little cool today (it is brown with cream spots).