WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS FOR HOLMEBROOK VALLEY PARK FOR JULY- AUGUST 2010

A few species nested around the Angling Pond this year these included the Mute Swans which are doing well and still on the pond, Moorhen and Coot and a couple of pairs of Mallard.

Other species seen around the pond included Cormorant, Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebes, Little Grebe, Canada Geese, Ruddy Duck and one male Gadwall, a few Gulls were also seen on the pond along with the odd Common Tern.

The breeding Warblers were still singing in the bushes and Trees these included Willow and Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Whitethroats, other birds seen during this period included Sparrowhawk, Red Legged Partridge, Pheasant, Wood Pigeon, Collard Dove, Green Woodpecker, Swallows and House Martins, Pied and Grey Wagtails, Mistle and Song Thrushes, a variety of Tits, Jackdaw, Rooks and Crows, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Lapwing, Skylark, Starlings, Sparrows and Yellowhammer.

This time of the year is always good for insects these included Butterflies such has Small Skipper, Large and Small Whites, Green Veined White, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Comma, Common Blue, Small Copper, Meadow and Wall Brown, Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Wall Brown, Ringlet and Speckled.

Several common day flying Moths were seen these include Six Spotted Burney and Cinnabar Moths but I am sure there must be hundreds of species flying around after dark.

There were good numbers of Dragonflies and Damselflies in the area these included Four Spotted Chaser, Broad Bodied Chaser, Black Tailed Skimmer, Common and Brown Hawkers, Common Blue and Blue Tailed Damsel Flies, Banded Demoiselle, Common Darter and Emerald Damselfly.

There were also thousands of other insects around the park here are just a few several species of Grasshopper, several Ground and Soldier Beetles, a wide variety of Spiders and Hoverflies, Ladybirds, Horse Flies, Shield Bugs, Centipedes and Millipedes, Ants, Bugs, Wasps and Bees.

There were a few sightings of Mammals and lots of evidence of others these included a couple of families of Fox, several Moles, Water and Field Vole, Rabbits and Hare, Grey Squirrel, Pipestrelle Bats, Stoats, Shrew, Mice, Hedgehog and Badger.

This is an excellent time for plants and flowers and the park was full of a wide variety, there are two many to mention them all so here is just a few, Purple Loostrife, Yellow Flag, several Vetches which include grass vetchling, Mouse Ear, Valerian, Cow Parsley, Hogweed, Weld, Self Heal, Forget-Me-not, Mint, Lady’s Mantle, Birds Foot Trefoil, Ivy, Bindweed, Honeysuckle, Knapweed, Field Scabious, Hedge Woundwort, Yarrow, the odd Orchid, Thistles, Marsh Bedstraw, Daisies, Buttercups, Blue Eyed Grass, Yorkshire Fog, Timothy, Meadow Grass, Fescue, Foxtail and Bent.

The Trees and Shrubs are starting to produce Fruit and Nuts, these include Acorns, Hazel Nuts, Horse and Sweet Chestnuts, a wide variety of Berries which include Blackberry and Elder Berries, Crab and Eating Apples.

I am trying to collect as much wildlife information as I can so if you have any sightings or records from the area especially before the park was created please e-mail mahulett@talktalk.net