The weather is set fair for our 'All Nature Bio Blitz Day' tomorrow, it sounds like it will be sunny, warm and dry...a rare thing this summer! We've got experts from various fields coming along to show us what's around on the reserve, last year The Lodge was the third highest species rich RSPB reserve in the whole of the UK!
Here is the schedule of the day's events.
Welcome to the All Nature Bioblitz Day at The Lodge!
Schedule of events:
Free Guided walks
11-12 birds – find out which birds can be seen and heard on the heath. Meet at the welcome kiosk in the car-park near the shop.
12-1 moths and butterflies – see what flaps and flutters at The Lodge during the day. Meet at the gardens by the old swimming pool.
1-2 mosses and liverworts – they may be small, they may be green, but the wonder of mosses just has to be seen! Meet at the welcome kiosk in the carpark near the shop.
2-3 moths and butterflies – see what flaps and flutters at The Lodge during the day. Meet at the gardens by the old swimming pool.
3-4 birds – find out which birds can be seen and heard on the heath. Meet at the welcome kiosk in the car-park near the shop.
Drop in at The Lodge Gardens
10-12 insect photography
10-2 hoverflies
11-4 dragonflies and damselflies
11.30 – 12.30 bumblebees (with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust)
Visit the gardens between 10am and 4pm to find our insect experts. Learn about these fascinating creatures and between 10 and 12 learn how to photograph them with our insect photography expert! The Bumblebee Conservation Trust will show you all about the different bumblebees found in the UK and how you can help them by becoming a bumblebee volunteer.
All walks and drop in sessions are free. Donations are welcome.
Wildlife news.
The spotted flycatcher parents that recently raised four young are revisiting the nest box on the side of the Gatehouse outbuildings, and have been seen with fresh nesting material, so it looks as though they will attempt to raise a second brood.Time is tight though, as the young will have to fledge and feed up before the long journey back to their wintering grounds in Africa by the end of summer.Lots of family parties of great and blue tits are visiting the feeders at the moment,along with nuthatch, great spotted woodpeckers and lots of common finches.Several visitors have reported seeing siskins, usually a winter bird here. I still haven't managed to see one, I'll need to keep checking the feeders while I'm in over the weekend.