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Nature Notes - February 2023

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Sickleholme Nature Notes

There were a few signs of an early Spring during February with birdsong particularly noticeable and involving at least a dozen species. These included three of our resident thrushes (Blackbird, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush), which were noticeably vocal during early morning and at pre-dusk. Interestingly, the contributions from members featured a number of birds flying over the course and heading purposely in one direction or another. We get used to seeing small numbers of non-native Canada Geese, which are often signalled by their nasal honking calls, and we are happy for them to pass by, as where they do occur on courses (Kedleston Park GC comes to mind) they can make much mess. Much more welcome were several skeins of Pink-footed Geese heading north-west. These genuinely wild birds will have wintered in north Norfolk and will be heading for the Lancashire Mosses where they will feed up again before heading to Iceland or northern Scandinavia to breed. One skein involved at least 250 birds (that isn’t unusual) and groups like this can be very impressive flying in a “V” formation and calling as they take turns in heading the “V”. This saves energy on long distance journeys, as those further back benefit by the aerodynamics.   

Another regular species overhead is the Cormorant (see this month’s photo which might have been better had I not cropped the image so much). Correctly categorised as a seabird, but more and more are now breeding well inland. They use the local reservoirs for nest sites but will also fish the river systems (so are not much loved by our anglers) and will commute quite widely during the course of a day.

More evidence of Spring came when several members reported the first Curlews in the field above the 9th tee on the 14th of the month and Ewen MacKinnon found the first Lesser Celandine in flower on the 21st. I have often mentioned that Spring has a predominance of yellow-coloured wildflowers and we should see more of these during March.

Bryan Barnacle