Nature Notes - May 2026

Sickleholme Nature Notes

The headline news for May is that we have Pied Flycatchers nesting at Sickleholme. It was first suspected early in the month when Alan Kydd and Steve Clarke checked the nest boxes and found a set of eggs that they decided was this species, or one other possible alternative. When the second check was carried out on the 24th, there were seven eggs with both male and female birds in the vicinity. If you have never seen a male Pied Flycatcher then do look one up, it’s a black and white wonder!

We had 32 nest boxes available this year but one had suffered squirrel damage and another had been wrecked by a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The early survey showed at least 22 in use, three more that had evidence of early nest building, one predated, one with a Hornet in it, and one in which a Wren had prepared a nest. Male Wrens build several nests before the (fussy!) female decides which one she will lay eggs in. The second survey showed some successes, including birds already fledged, but a final examination is planned to take place during the first half of June.

Several members have mentioned that they have the Merlin app on their mobile phones. This allows bird calls/song to be recorded and identified. One record produced in this period came from Paul Ince and Mike Elsworth who heard a bird singing that Merlin identified as a Garden Warbler. Since the song is very close to that of our Blackcaps, that is a good record to have. Later in the month, Paul watched a Treecreeper at a nest site near the 4th tee and a four-ball that included myself saw what was almost certainly the same bird, or its partner, a few days later.

A few mammals were reported, mainly Rabbits, but Trevor Hoyland also had a Stoat which crossed the car park one morning.
I always appreciate photo images from contributors, as it saves me from using only those that I have taken myself or borrowed from friends. The attachments for this month, therefore, are the woodpecker damaged nest box, taken by Alan Kydd, and a moment when the course was covered in hailstones which was captured by Dave Sahman. I assume that to be Dave’s ball at the bottom of the picture!

Many thanks, as ever, to all who let me know of their sightings.

Bryan Barnacle