Nature Notes - May 2025
Sickleholme Nature Notes
We saw many days of bright sunshine during May, which prompted a chat with one member about the palette of colours created around the course. Early Spring flora is dominated by yellow colours but between us, we listed what May had added. More Yellow came via Broom, Welsh Poppy and Yellow Iris; the latter in the practise ground pond. Blue from the Bluebells and Germander Speedwell, white from the expanses of Hawthorn, Ox-eye Daisy and Greater Stitchwort, and Red from an area of Prickly Poppy and the year’s first Red Campion flowers. All so much better when seen in sunlight, and under blue skies which were well illustrated in Ewen MacKinnon’s photo image taken when looking westwards whilst approaching the 12th green.
A little further back on the 12th, Michael Allen found a hen Pheasant with a number of very young chicks close to the fairway. and watched as the youngsters scuttled under their parent. A number of golfers reported a Cuckoo calling towards the top of the course and a quick check on singings warblers produced at least 6 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warblers.
We also received a preliminary report from Alan Kydd who has been doing a splendid job in looking after and monitoring our bird boxes for more than ten years now. We lost three boxes during the winter due to damage, or in one case a falling tree, but 28 of the wooden boxes remain and around 70% are occupied by Blue Tits, Great Tits or in one case a pair of Coal Tits who are feeding ten young. Nestlings are in a number of the boxes and Alan’s next examination will no doubt indicate more. There are other boxes fitted by the railway contractors, but most are too high, and Alan has offered to relocate them at the end of the breeding season. Many thanks to Alan for all of his efforts on our behalf.
There is always something new to add to our recording and early in the month there were a number of ominous looking flies that appeared to be dangling what looked like a fishing hook underneath them. These would have been a species known as St Mark’s Fly (aka Hawthorn Fly) which are long and black but drift around with the legs dangling. Far from being unwelcome, they are harmless and feed on nectar so are valuable pollinators.
As usual a mix of reports, all of which are appreciated and gratefully received.
Bryan Barnacle
Per Ewen