Weekly Wildlife
A week of yellow, green and a very secretive night time bird in Sherwood and Budby this week.
We’ll kick off with an absolutely stunning bird – the yellowhammer. At the beginning of the week l saw four birds feeding along one of the main tracks close to the north of the reserve.
They were very vocal with their single note call. They are occasionally seen around the entrance to the reserve feeding with the chaffinches. Keep and eye on the tops of trees for this incredibly vibrant coloured bird.
Yellowhammer by Indy Kiemel Greene
Sticking with vibrant colours, introducing the green woodpecker! They are a ground-feeding specialist and tend to feed on ants or any other insects they find while searching among the grass and the sand.
They have a call that’s often described as laughing and can often be seen on the grassy paths virtually anywhere on the reserve. Often you can spot them flying below the tree line with their typical ‘flap- flap glide, flap-flap glide’ flight pattern.
Green woodpecker by Indy Kiemel Greene
Last but probably best of all, the tanwy owl. A species that is very rarely seen out in daylight. I’m sure we’ve all heard them calling in the dark forest or in parks and gardens but I certainly was truly amazed when I saw the night time screecher in the flesh.
It has been seen roosting in multiple different trees close to the Major Oak. Often appearing very early morning before dropping down the tree to get some real peaceful shut eye. If you are ever able to track it down l am sure it will have you hooked.
Tawny Owl by Indy Kiemel Greene
Big Garden Birdwatch
Don’t forget to get involved in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend on the 25th, 26th & 27th of January. All the data collected is extremely important as it helps the RSPB get a better understanding of the birds and wildlife around the UK.
Take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch
Let us know what you see!
Remember to fill in the recent sightings book in the Visitor Centre. Leave your comments on our Facebook page and tag us in your Tweets on Twitter if you have any wildlife sightings or identification queries.