Some interesting sightings on the riverside by Mercers Wood this month. A Little Egret flew overhead on the 9th (heading in the direction of Beckingham Marsh). 12 Redwings (first of the winter thrushes) were on the riverside on the 19th. Our local Peregrine was seen again on the 21st, while on the same day thereRead more about Sightings by Mercers Wood in October[…]
A huge amount of hawthorn and other berries is making Mercers Wood look very autumnal now. There was a large group (a dozen or more) of Long-tailed Tits in the wood this morning. A male Merlin was seen hunting on the riverside not far from the wood. A female has spent the winter in thisRead more about Autumnal in the Wood[…]
Lots of dragonflies are now appearing on the riverside – blue and black bodied male Hawkers, green and black bodied female Hawkers, bright red bodied Common Darters.
We’re well into August now and birds are starting to become active again. Lots of activity going on in Mercers Wood, with plenty of birds, butterflies and other insects. Just outside the wood, on the riverside, I caught a brief glimpse of a dragonfly. Too brief to tell which species it was (brown body, soRead more about Bird Blitz on Field Lane[…]
Yesterday afternoon, around 3 pm, I was on the riverside, sitting on the bench by Roses sports field. All was quiet. Suddenly there was a loud bird-of-prey like screeching noise. Woodpigeons, lots and lots of them, flew up from the bushes on the opposite bank, flying in all directions. And in amongst them trying toRead more about Peregrine Falcon[…]
Lots of butterflies, bees and hoverflies to be seen in Mercers Wood right now. Butterflies seen in the wood recently include Small White, Large White, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady, Ringlet and Small Skipper. And today, a very photogenic Red Admiral was flitting about just inside the Mercer Street entrance to the wood.Read more about Red Admiral & Bullfinches[…]
We appear to have a Peregrine Falcon in the area. On June 18th I reported seeing one at the Morton end of Ropery Road. This morning a Peregrine Falcon (perhaps the same bird) flew over Mercers Wood. Other birds seen in or by the wood this morning — Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff,Read more about Peregrine Falcon Over Mercers Wood[…]
I came across a Giant Wood Wasp in Mercers Wood this morning. Despite its name it is not really a wasp, but a sawfly, and its completely harmless. Find a photo of it in our gallery.
This morning an Oystercatcher flew upriver at Gainsborough, with its piping call ringing out. It flew past Mercers Wood, heading towards the Bowling Green Road end of the riverside before veering off in the direction of Beckingham. Plenty of birds still singing in Mercers Wood – Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Wren, Dunnock.Read more about Oystercatcher on the Riverside[…]
Volunteers were busy yesterday working in the wild flower area, getting it ready for Gainsborough in Bloom. While walking around the wood I found a Common Shrew. Sadly it was dead, but it shows the species is present here.