Leverton Nature Watch
Articles about nature in and around Leverton
Leverton Nature Watch August and September 2010 Thursday, 01 July 2010 17:04 |   
Leverton Nature Watch with Maureen Humberstone
The first week of May saw at last the Hawthorn begin to blossom filling the hedgerows with its fragrant scent and Meadow Buttercup adorned the roadsides. A real sign of old fashioned summers, remembering as a child meadows full of them. In my pond in the garden, Marsh Marigold came into flower and the tiny white flowers of wild strawberry appearing around the sides. The Moorhen that has been in the garden for over a year now came proudly presenting 8 tiny fluffy chicks, now down to 6, and nearly as big as mum. I saw my first tiny baby Mallard ducklings on the 2nd May swimming with mum on the Dovecote drain. May 1st saw the first arrival of the Swift all the way from Africa. A bird that does everything on the wing; feeding and mating in the air, and only ever settling when on its nest, never on the ground like Swallow or House Martin. Wheatear were seen on a field just past my house. A bird that seems to be in short numbers this year for some reason. May also saw the arrival of the Chiff Chaff, a small brown little bird with its familiar chiff chaff song, singing its heart out along the hedgerow of the Roman bank. Last Updated (Thursday, 01 July 2010 17:22) |
Leverton Nature Watch June/July 2010Thursday, 29 April 2010 17:03 |
Leverton Nature Watch with Maureen Humberstone On the 2nd March I was down on the marshlands to see the early morning high tide, and on the corner of the sea bank stood 14 Barnacle Geese. A very unusual sight in this area as most are seen in Scotland and Ireland where they spend the winter. They were probably driven down by the very bad weather that Scotland was getting at the beginning of March. It was magical to hear on the bright, sunny, frosty mornings during the first week of March a Skylark high in the sky singing; a bird very much in decline. Talking of mornings, at 7 o’clock until 8.30 on the morning of the 16th March several beautiful sun dogs appeared in the sky. At one time there was one each side of the sun. Very, very beautiful to see; they are caused by ice crystals reflected by the sun. On the same day I saw the first bumble bee of the year along with the odd ladybird, and I also found another queen Wasp asleep in my glasshouse as I moved my plants around. Three days later I saw my first peacock butterfly flitting about the garden amongst the daffodils and jonquils that had now, at last, started to flower. Last Updated (Monday, 24 May 2010 18:46) Leverton Nature Watch for April and May 2010 with Maureen HumberstoneFriday, 26 February 2010 18:24 |
Leverton Nature Watch with Maureen Humberstone The early frosty mornings of January made for some beautiful sunrises across The Wash, shimmering on the sea and wet sands with the dark Brent Geese making a spectacular back drop. Another beautiful sight on these cold frosty mornings was that of the majestic Barn Owl hunting silently down the drain and dyke sides. The gaggle of Pink Footed Geese filled the early morning air as more of them headed from the Wash northwards to the Solway and Scotland in readiness to migrate back to Russia, Iceland and the Arctic regions. Flocks of Redwing could be seen homing in on the hedgerows in search of the various berries. January saw the black ivy berries begin to ripen along the hedgerows along the roman bank. The Buzzard was still around, mainly hunting the hedgerows and tree tops. As I walked down the Dovecote Road one early frosty morning a Weasel ran, or should I say skated, across the road in front of me, a very amusing sight. The heather in my garden began to bloom brightening up the cold winter days and by the end of January the delicate snowdrops began to bloom, a really welcome winter sight. Last Updated (Friday, 26 February 2010 18:47) |
Leverton Nature Watch February and March 2010Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:30 |
Leverton Nature Watch with Maureen Humberstone Last Updated (Friday, 26 February 2010 18:43) Leverton Nature Watch Dec 2009 and Jan 2010Thursday, 05 November 2009 17:22 |
Leverton Nature Watch with Maureen Humberstone Dec 2009 and Jan 2010
September saw Swallows collecting together along the electric wires in readiness for their long migration back to Africa. Trees began to change into their autumn colours and the first of the Greylag Geese began to arrive, migrating from Eastern Europe and Iraq. The pair of Kingfisher returned to fish in the Dovecote Drain and the Leverton Pump outlet, especially at very high tide times. Wheatear and Whinchat could be seen for a few weeks flitting about on the Calabrese tops near to the old sea bank in the Dovecote road area. Out across the marsh Wigeon began to arrive after breeding on inland waters. Whimbrel could sometimes be heard and seen, a smaller version of the Curlew and less seen in this area. Last Updated (Friday, 26 February 2010 18:44) |