A Natural Hstory

 

The Natural History of

The Hermitage.

 

January

The snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) emerge from the woodland floor with the promise of their pristine white flowers. Like a natural antidepressant they cheer us up, making us think warmer weather is on the way. This is an illusion most years, as the coldest weather is often at the end of January and beginning of February. However cold, a carpet of snowdrops in bud (and often open by the end of January) is a wonderful sight and there is always a warm welcome at The Hermitage.

High on the wing you may notice large birds and hear mewing sounds. These are the buzzards (Buteo buteo) searching out small rodents for snacks.  They are magnificent birds and have made nests nearby.

February

The snowdrops are now fully open, revealing that some are single but most are double flowers. The (Narcissus) daffodils are in bud and a few early ones are brave enough to open. The primroses (primula vulgaris) are starting to flower.

You can still hear the buzzards calling and sometimes hear the fieldfares (Turdus pilaris) when they have one of their gatherings. They look similar to a thrush at first glance. They are partial migrants and maybe their noisy tree top discussions are a celebration of their arrival. Huge numbers settle in the mornings, in the top of the trees at the bottom of the woods for what sounds like a heated debate. The noise is deafening for half an hour or so and then they disperse and all goes quiet.

In February you may be privileged to see an owl or even a sparrow hawk, sheltering on a windowsill.

March

The primroses (Primula vulgaris) are flowering and when combined with the blue/purple flowers of the lesser periwinkle  (Vinca minus) are an excellent colour combination. The daffodils (narcissus) start to open by the end of March. The weather can be changeable and the sunny days a joy after the shorter winter days. The jays (Garrulus glandarius) sometimes appear at the end of this month, usually as a pair. They are about the same size as pigeons with a shimmering blue on their wings. The birds are starting to pair up this month and you are sure to notice the hungry young rabbits eating their way across the garden.

April

Early in this month, the daffodils are out in force and the horse chestnut tree is bursting with its large upright buds, which look like candles. These are the first buds to unfurl after some warmer days and their massive leaves emerge followed closely by the  sycamore, ash and beech. The Island hedgerows are lit up with the white flowers of the blackthorn and the yellow gorse flowers shine from the downs and nearby fields. The golden yellow celandines (Ranunculus ficaria) are opening and the red camellia is in full flower in The Hermitage garden. In the woodland you may hear the alarm call of the great tits (Parus major) and the blackbirds (Turdus merula), telling of your presence. The pheasant runs past you in a panic when finally noticing you from its wanderings on the woodland floor, making its alarm call.

The ladybirds are now awake and the broad arrow shaped leaves of the wild arum  (Arum maculatum) will flower later this month or next.

As the days lengthen and the temperatures rise  the plants burst into life, the birds are starting to nest and many insects and small mammals are becoming more active with the warmth. 

Towards the end of this month the cuckoo can be heard calling. Most of our resident birds have  already been busy making their nests.

May

The bluebells are out and make a beautiful woodland carpet, interwoven with pink campions and the dainty white stitchwort.

This is a month of massive growth as the weather warms up.

The birds are nesting and the pheasants and partridges can often be seen walking along the lane. On your evening return to The Hermitage you may see a badger as they are often seen in the evenings.

The rhododendron flowers make an impact in the garden and at the end of the month the unclipped maytrees, or hawthorn flower, with a profusion of white flowers, lighting up the hedgerows.

June

Temperatures start to rise as we wait for the summer to begin. The dragonflies and damsel flies can be seen in large numbers over the pond.

Many butterflies can be seen this month including the Red admiral and  Meadow brown.

The hedgerows are laden with the fragrant flowers of the honeysuckle  and the dog roses also start to appear hanging out of the hedges.

In the early morning light and just before sunset you may see a ghostly white bird flying low. This is the barn owl hunting for food.

This little owl can also be seen sometimes in daytime, often perched on a fence post bobbing its head,  this owl is a more recently introduced bird.

July

This is usually a hot month in which you can listen to the buzzing of the busy bees and many other insects. The lights in the evening attract the insects and the bats fly in for their meal.

Longer evenings mean sightings of the badgers are more likely.

Meadow Brown , Large White, Small White and Red Admiral butterflies can be seen. The Meadow Browns appear in the garden after the grass has been cut for hay.

August

This is the month for many butterflies. Peacocks, Meadow Browns, Red Admirals , Wall Brown , Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell and usually Painted Ladies can be seen . Occasionally the Brimstone butterfly can be spotted in August.

The Buzzard  family have a youngster which is now fending for itself, it calls out often and has a higher pitched mew than its parents. Maybe its call will change as it matures.

The Kestrel seems to sit on the wind, then hovers, before an elegant dive to the ground for its prey. They are often over the nearby fields.

The abundant rabbit population usually results in an occasional visit from the fox. When the apples are ripe the fox is much more interested in the apples than rabbits.

The badger and family are great lovers of plums and if there is a local tree laden with plums and the fruit drops to the ground, there will  be no plums left to see in the morning.

The pheasant has a second brood of chicks and keeps a watchful eye on them. The partridges can often be seen on the lane and as you near them ,they run. When really threatened they make it into flight at the last moment. They must be eating well as they look too fat for takeoff.

September

Early morning mists in the valley are worth a look before they are burnt off by the sun.  A walk up on the nearby St. Catherine's Down is not to be missed and one couple who visited The Hermitage made a list of the birds and butterflies they had sighted. I am much indebted to Mike and Rona Hodges for their observations. The birds they listed were : Honey Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby and Sparrow Hawk and they saw a Barn Owl near Chale.

Also seen on their walk  were  a Raven, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Wheatear, Yellow Hammer, Meadow Pipit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Jay, Wood Pigeon, Gold crest, Tree Creeper, Swallow, House Martin, Robin and a  Wren.

October

House Martins appear like a cloud and feast on insects before their long flight to South Africa.

In a mild October you may encounter a Toad who will crawl along, unlike the frog which is well known for hopping, so it easy to identify. You may also be lucky enough to see a dormouse before they have found a comfy place to hibernate during the colder winter months.

Colonies of Long Tailed tits, made up of large extended families, can be seen darting swiftly through the air and calling to each other.

A late sighting of the beautiful Comma butterfly with its distinctive jagged wing shape reminds us that summer has gone the leaves are going and that we won't see another butterfly until next year.

November

The clocks may have gone back, but getting up to view the sunrise is still worthwhile. The cold air in the valley makes the shape of the downs show up more clearly. The tower on  Godshill  church  rises out of the mist making us realise  it sits on a hill.

The unclipped  hedgerows have a red hue to them from a distance, but as you near them you see that they are laden with haws , (red berries).

If you are really lucky you may see a red squirrel, or even hear it chattering away as the trees here are at the edge of their territory. They sometimes appear hoping to find a bird feeder containing peanuts, as they don't hibernate, and they do seem to have an excellent memory for the location of gardens with peanut feeders. The Isle of Wight is a safe haven for red squirrels which is important for their conservation. If you wish to know more about red squirrels there is a web site: www.wightsquirrels.co.uk

December

Shorter daylight hours mean you are more likely to see the badger on their nightly travels in your car headlights. You may be lucky and see the beautiful barn owl flying quietly by on its nightly hunt for food. If flying towards you the barn owl is white underneath and looks particularly ghostly when lit up by your car lights as you travel up or down the lane. It is reminiscent of a large white moth often flying  quite low when looking for prey.

(C) Jan Wyers 2007