Birds
At 8am in April 2023, a bird survey uncovered the following:
5 Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
1 Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
1 Magpie (Pica pica)
1 Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
1 Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
5 Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
4 Great Tit (Parus major)
2 Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
1 Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
3 Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
2 Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)
2 Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
4 Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
2 Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
1 Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
2 Blackbird (Turdus merula)
3 Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
5 Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
4 Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Bats
A survey in June 2022 revealed a handful of noctules, numerous common pipistrelles, and (heard but not seen) a serotine and a soprano pipistrelle.
Wildflowers and flowering shrubs/trees
In 2016 former member John Rees compiled a list of trees, shrubs, plants and grasses that grow in Folly Wood.
During 2022 and 2023 members conducted monthly surveys of the flowering plants and trees that feature in the wood, and we have updated John’s list.
Below are the 2022 findings:
April: hawthorn, wayfaring tree, germander speedwell, ground-ivy, dandelion, buttercup, herb robert, jack-by-the-hedge, spurge-laurel, cow parsley, dog’s mercury, sanicle, sweet woodruff, dog violet, cranesbill (small pink flower), wild strawberry, grape hyacinth, wood anemone.
May: hawthorn, whitebeam, bird’s nest orchid, germander speedwell, bird’s foot trefoil, black bryony, black medick, bladder campion, buttercup (bulbous and meadow), cleavers, red clover, common cat’s ear, cow parsley, creeping thistle, dock, dog rose, garlic mustard, goat’s beard and lesser goat’s beard, ground ivy, herb robert, rock rose, salad burnet, sanicle, sweet woodruff, common vetch, wood avens, wood cranesbill.
June: bramble, elder, wild privet, bird’s foot trefoil, black medick, buttercup, red clover, white clover, enchanter’s nightshade, hedge woundwort, herb bennet, herb robert, hogweed, lady’s bedstraw, nipplewort, pyramidal orchid, rock rose, field rose, dog rose, rough chervil, wood cranesbill (pink).
July: bramble, old man’s beard (clematis vitalba), bird’s foot trefoil, common ragwort, enchanter’s nightshade, field scabious, herb robert, hogweed, horseshoe vetch, knapweed, dead-nettle, caraway, ploughman’s spikenard.
August: field scabious, herb robert, ploughman’s spikenard.
Sept/Oct: herb robert, ivy.
Here are the 2023 findings:
March: blackthorn, hazel, spurge-laurel, cow parsley, dandelion, dog’s mercury, grape hyacinth, herb robert, violet (sweet).
April: blackthorn, wild cherry, hawthorn, holly, whitebeam, germander speedwell, buttercup (bulbous & meadow), cow parsley dandelion, dog’s mercury, garlic mustard, ground ivy, hedge-mustard, herb robert, hogweed, ribwort plantain, sanicle, sweet woodruff, violet (dog & sweet), wood anemone.
May: dog rose, hawthorn, holly, old man’s beard, whitebeam, dovesfoot cranesbill, bluebell (Spanish), beaked hawk’s-beard, germander speedwell, bird’s foot trefoil, black bryony, black medick, buttercup (bulbous & meadow), cleavers, cow parsley, garlic mustard, hedge woundwort, hedge-mustard, herb robert, ribwort plantain, rock-rose, salad burnet, sanicle, sweet woodruff, vetch (common), violet (dog), herb bennet.
June: bramble, dog rose, privet, old man’s beard, bird’s foot trefoil, black bryony, black medick, buttercup (bulbous), cleavers, clover (red & white), common ragwort, dock (broad-leaved & curled), field scabious, garlic mustard, glaucous sedge, herb robert, hogweed, lady’s bedstraw, nipplewort, pyramidal orchid, ribwort plantain, rock-rose, salad burnet, sanicle, herb bennet.
July: bramble, bird’s foot trefoil, black medick, clover (red & white), common cat’s ear, common ragwort, enchanter’s nightshade, field scabious, helleborine (broad-leaved), herb robert, hogweed, knapweed (lesser & greater), lady’s bedstraw, smooth hawks-beard, white campion, wild basil, wild carrot, herb bennet, yarrow.
August: bramble, black medick, bladder campion, clover (red), common ragwort, cow parsley, dock (broad-leaved), enchanter’s nightshade, field scabious, hairy chickweed, herb robert, knapweed (lesser), lesser willowherb, mouse-ear chickweed, nipplewort, red bartsia, ribwort plantain, smooth hawks-beard, sowthistle, white campion, white deadnettle, wild basil, wild carrot, herb bennet, yarrow.
