Walborough

Features from Wildlife magazine Wildlife articles 2008 -- Spring 2008 -- ::Severn Barrage ::The Variety of life ::A year at Willsbridge ::Willsbridge comes of age ::Reaching out - Willsbridge ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2007 -- Autumn 2007 -- ::Thinking BIG ::Watery webs:the pond network ::Wildlife in the landscape ::Variety of life ::How to be a climate friend ::Seasonal stroll - Walborough ::Round the reserves -- Summer 2007 -- ::The Folly Farm appeal ::Weston Big Wood-biodiversity at its best ::The variety of life ::How to capture a butterfly ::How to get to know an orchid ::Seasonal stroll - WestonBigWood ::Reserves update -- Spring 2007 -- ::Folly Farm - a very special place ::Making a difference at Folly Farm ::How find the magic at Folly Farm ::Seasonal stroll at Folly Farm ::Magic spots at Folly Farm ::Batscapes ::Climate challenge ::Variety of Life - the Ponways project ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2006 -- Autumn 2006 -- ::The Severn Estuary ::Bird Watch results ::How to identify garden birds ::Making space for wildlife ::How does your garden grow? ::Round the reserves -- Summer 2006 -- ::Going for green ::Stand up and be counted ::Happy birthday NSLMP ::Holi day - a riot of spring colour ::Avon's species-rich grassland ::How to photograph dragonflies ::The Big Switch ::Round the reserves -- Spring 2006 -- ::How to identify winter water birds ::Make 2006 the year you... ::Invasive invasion ::Sowing the seeds: Willsbridge Mill ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2005 -- Autumn 2005 -- ::Indentify common funghi ::Build a hedgehog hideaway ::Big Bird Watch ::Champions for wildlife ::Round the reserves ::Seeds of the futre: Willsbridge Mill -- Summer 2005 -- ::Restoring Folly Farm ::How to become bee-friendly ::How to identify the butterflies of spring ::Save our seas ::The variety of life: hedgerows ::Round the reserves ::25 Ways to make a difference -- Spring 2005 -- ::The variety of life: water voles ::The Avon Biodiversity Action Plan ::How to take really good wildlife photos ::How to help your garden grow ::Round the reserves ::Seasonal strolls: Browns Folly ::Sowing the seeds: for wildlife for people ::Sowing the seeds: looking back

Round the reserves

Month by month, what to look out for...

January
Look closely at those winter flocks of small birds as the weather gets a little colder. Blue, great, long tailed tits and goldcrests will mix together in loose flocks as they roam around searching for food to eat. Whether at Burledge Hill or on Hellenge Hill these flocks will often contain more uncommon species such as firecrest or even the continental form of coal tit, distinguisged from its UK cousin by its slate grey body plumage. A lucky visitor to Folly Farm may encounter a roosting woodcock as they hide in the grassland waiting for night to return when they’ll feed in the wet grass. These unusual waders rely on their complex plumage of blacks and browns to conceal them from any unsuspecting predator.

February
Down on the coast the bleak openness of the Severn Estuary can be quite daunting. However, on a late afternoon the thrill of seeing a short-eared owl quartering the saltmarsh at Walborough or at Blake’s Pool will make the day worthwhile. Flocks of meadow pipit can be encountered as they move in and out with the tide and at Clapton Moor these birds can be seen alongside stonechats as they feed on invertebrates in the grass.

March
The first signs of spring, and warblers such as blackcaps and chiffchaffs will be beginning to sing. At Weston Big Wood these birds will sing from the sides of the ride as brimstone butterflies drift along in the warming sun. At Pill Paddock or Brandon Hill the pond will be full of frogs and maybe even toads as the frost free nights encourage them to breed. Common buzzards can also be seen circling over our woodland sites and at Dolebury Warren they seem to circle out of sight as spring thermals take them higher and higher into the air.

Reserves update

Along the rhyne sides at Lawrence Weston Moor water voles will be active, seeking out mates and searching for safe areas to have their litters. The warming temperature and longer daylight will draw dormice out of their dormancy and at Goblin Combe and Tickenham Ridge these small mammals will begin the year in search of food. At Willsbridge Valley dippers will be returning to breed along the Siston Brook, oblivious to the throngs of children going about the educational activities that make this reserve a very special place.

Working wonders this winter
The onset of winter marks the start of a busy season for us, especially in woodlands. As nature slows down and wildlife hides away, work can be done that would cause too much disruption during the main growth seasons of spring and summer. At that time of year tree felling can be disastrous for nesting birds, and also for woodland ground flora. Bluebells and wood anemone burst into life for a short period early in the spring and carpet the woodland floor before the trees sprout leaves and shut out the light. Obviously we want to avoid disruption at these sensitive times. However during the winter what initially can look like quite drastic measures in our woodlands will, in the spring, benefit many of these species we seek to protect.

At Weston Big Wood we’ve been doing just this by establishing our second coppiced coupe. This means that we’ve cut down all the trees in a small area of under a half acre. Initially this will let in lots of light so that during the spring there’ll be an explosion of woodland ground flora. Plants or seeds that have lain dormant for years will take this rare opportunity to flower and set seed. In subsequent years this little area will go through different stages, young shoots will grow from the cut stumps and bramble will start to move in. Eventually the shoots will grow taller and create a shrubby layer that will shade out the bramble. Each of these stages creates a unique set of conditions that will benefit different species.

The aim at Weston Big Wood is to establish a “coppice rotation”. This is a number of coupes, all next to each other, of which only the most mature would be cut down or “coppiced”. This means that the full range of coppice habitats will be present at any one time, from the recently coppiced open ground rich with wildflowers to the mature coppice that can be a home to dormice.

All this tree felling certainly produces a lot of wood, which is the reason that coppicing used to be so widespread in England. Not so long ago, a regular and reliable crop of timber was essential as a source of fuel, either as firewood or as charcoal. The mature coppice coupes provided this. Every year there would be a crop of conveniently sized timber, easily cut down and removed. On top of this it was all from a sustainable source, and coppicing in fact actually prolongs the life of the individual tree.

We plan to produce some charcoal from this coppice which people can use next summer. If demand is good then we would like to produce enough each year to support the cost of doing the coppicing. Look for further further details on our website in early summer www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/services

How to get there
From B3124 Clevedon-Portishead road, turn into Valley Road. Park in the lay-by approx 300 yards on right, and walk up the hill. Steps lead into the wood from the road.
Grid ref: 456 750
Access Paths can be muddy, slippery and steep-sided. Keep well away from the quarry sides.