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Seasons

Spring

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The highlight of spring is the carpet of wild flowers in the woodland.

  • Wood anemone - March and April.

  • Marsh marigold - March and April.

  • Bluebells and wild garlic - April and May.

  • Yellow archangel - May and June.

 

Birds are very active and breeding; summer visitors arrive; males maintain territories by singing so this is a good time to enjoy the dawn chorus and learn your birdsongs.

 

  • Great Spotted Woodpecker - drumming in March and April.

  • Linnet - a musical twitter of fluty and twangy notes in spring.

  • Chiff-chaff - usually arrive mid March, ‘chiff-chaff’ song in the woods.

  • Whitethroat - usually arrive mid April, short, scratchy warble from hedge tops.

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Look out for butterflies in their spring broods.

  • Small, large and green-veined white - April to June.

  • Speckled wood - April and early May.

  • Peacocks, red admirals and commas can emerge on warm days very early in spring. 

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Summer

 

The meadow comes into its own, with many species in flower.

  • Ragged-robin - May to September.

  • Meadowsweet - June to September.

  • Fen bedstraw - June to August.

  • Lady’s bedstraw - August to September

 

Many butterflies are on the wing.

  • Meadow brown - June to Sept.

  • Large skipper - June to August

  • Ragged-robin Small copper - July and August

 

Other insects are most active. Dragonflies and damselflies can be seen through spring and summer but July and August are the best months; grasshoppers and crickets peak in late summer.

 

Summer is a good time to see aquatic plants in flower along the streams.

  • Watercress - May to October

  • Fool’s watercress - August to September

  • Brooklime - May to September Autumn

  • Water mint - July to October

 

Autumn

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Autumn before leaves fall is a good time to learn your trees, as they are in fruit.

  • Spindle - bright pink berries September to October

  • Ash - ‘keys’ October to November

  • Hazel nuts and acorns from oak - September to October.

 

Berries galore: blackberry, wild raspberry, wild redcurrant, wild gooseberry and elder

 

Early autumn is when the site is buzzing with craneflies.

 

Watch out for fungi, particularly in the woodland, after rainy periods.

 

Winter

 

Woodland birds active through winter are easily seen as there are no leaves on trees. After snow, look for animal tracks in the meadow. The main streams are full and may flood; small seasonal streams start to flow

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