Brockholes Nature Reserve

Treecreeper

Passionate photographer Ilse visits Brockholes and shares her wonderful imagery with us. This month she captured a photo of a treecreeper going about it's business. She commented that they are 'such a beautiful and resourceful bird.'

A slim, tit-sized bird, the treecreeper has a long, pointed tail and a fine, downwards-curved bill. Treecreepers climb up trees in a spiral around the trunk, feeding on insects and spiders that they find in crevices in the bark. They have long, curved toes that help them cling to the bark, and really stiff tail feathers that they can push against the tree for extra support.

Long-tailed tit

Brian took this photo of a long-tailed tit on his visit to Brockholes this January. Brian has caught the moment where the tit spots him and poses, displaying it's broad white stripe beautifully. Long-tailed tits have tiny bodies in comparison to their long elegant tail. It is a joyous bird to sit and watch because of their bouncing flight. They are noisy and sociable birds, often visiting bird feeders in gangs and taking over from the other birds!

Brindled beauty moth

This brindled beauty moth was spotted in Boilton Wood at Brockholes by Jeff. They love woodland areas and are experts at camouflage, showing that when you slow down to appreciate your surroundings, you notice more. With a large furry body and comb-like antenna, they rest on tree trunks in the daytime, feeding on deciduous tree leaves. This particular moth is an early spring visitor, as they are usually seen from March onwards.

Bullfinch

This is one of many bullfinches spotted across our reserves this month. They are an distinctive finch with their rosy red breast and unusual call. Steve Brayne shared this photo of one perched atop a tree at Brockholes this month. 

The bullfinch feeds on buds and fruit in woodlands, hedgerows, parklands, gardens and orchards. They can be shy and elusive, so you may hear its melancholy call before you see it.

Bullfinches usually nest in shrubs, such as hawthorn and blackthorn, making a flimsy nest out of twigs and moss.

Glistening Inkcap (Coprinellus micaceous)

Another early arrival sighted at Brockholes is the glistening inkcap. Previously known as the mica cap, these mushrooms don't usually appear until March, but Pam spotted some on her last visit to Brockholes' woodland areas. Common in Britain and Ireland, the glistening inkcap can also be found across Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.

Learn more about the secret world of fungi from our wildlife pages, and from our blog.

Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve

Bittern

The shy and retiring bittern is a master of blending in and can be very difficult to spot in its reedbed home. Although it does sound like a booming foghorn! When it calls, you'll hear it before you spot it.

Kelvin shared a photo of this bittern 'showing well' at Lunt Meadows this January.

Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021), they prefer  freshwater and wetlands, making Lunt Meadows a perfect habitat for it. Read our news story from 2021 when bitterns successfully bred at Lunt Meadows in Sefton for the first time in it's 10 year history.

Male kestrel with mouse

Regular visitor and sightings sharer Kevin Hall usually seems to be in the right place at the right time! He expertly captured a series of photos of this male kestrel catching an unsuspecting mouse for lunch at Lunt Meadows. It's feathers are puffed up against the cold and it looks pleased with it's catch in the winter sunlight. 

Fieldfare

Fieldfares are a gorgeous winter visitor to the UK. They prefer grassland, farmland and woodland habitats, but will venture into towns and gardens if the weather is severe. Kevin shared his sighting of this one enjoying a clear day in the tree branches.

They nest in small colonies, providing protection against predators and ensuring breeding success. They are feisty little things and will aggressively defend the nest, pelting intruders with droppings!

Unfortunately, they are classified in the UK as Red under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021), making the need for it's preferred habitats like Lunt Meadows ever more important.