Highnam Woods

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• Seasonal highlights

Seasonal highlights

Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.

Spring

Nightingales can be expected to be heard between the last week of April until early June, though the birds are much less vocal from the end of May onwards. There is a wide variety of other woodland birds to be seen and heard that include tits, warblers and all three species of woodpecker. Wildflowers are impressive on this ancient woodland site and, depending on timing it is possible to see cuckoo flowers, wood anenomes, bluebells and ragged robins.

Blackcap	Chiffchaff	Lesser spotted woodpecker	Nightingale

Summer

This is a quieter time for birds. There is much insect activity, including butterflies that are feeding on wild flowers growing on the open rides. A rare plant, the Tintern spurge, can easily be viewed growing on bare ground along pathways. Highnam may have the largest concentration of this plant in the UK.

Green woodpecker	Long-tailed tit	Song thrush	Treecreeper

Autumn

The bird feeding station is maintained during this period and forms the centre of bird activity on the reserve. Many species of tits, including regular sightings of marsh tits, can be seen amongst a variety of familar garden birds that include greenfinches, chaffinches, great spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches. The site is particularly good for fungi at this time.

Greenfinch	Marsh tit	Nuthatch	Redwing

Winter

The bird feeding station is maintained during this period and forms the centre of bird activity on the reserve. Many species of tits, including regular sightings of marsh tits, can be seen amongst a variety of familar garden birds that include greenfinches, chaffinches, great spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches. The site is particularly good for fungi at this time.

Bullfinch	Chaffinch	Fieldfare	Great spotted woodpecker