Nature Notes February 2020

Winter has been very mild and wet, resulting in large pools of water in fields attracting Little Egrets. Up to four have regularly been seen in the Parklands and the fields in front of the Coore Arms. Ten years ago this would have been a very rare sight!  Already spring flowers are to be seen on the village green; snow drops and aconites are plentiful, and will be closely followed by daffodils and crocuses. The rooks have started to sit in pairs in the lime trees, trying to establish their nesting sites, resulting in considerable squabbling and cawing. On one of the lime trees beside the lychgate, a great spotted woodpecker (shown in photo) is using a hollow branch as a sounding board, which can clearly be heard over a considerable distance!! Song birds, especially thrushes and robins, are beginning to sing as the days grow longer.