First signs of Spring. Crocuses and Bluebells beginning to peep through the leaves. Hopefully we will not get a really big freeze that kills their young shoots. Some of our birds are also beginning to show interest, with lots of territorial singing - great tits especially with their ‘teacher teacher’ refrain. In my garden we have two lovely dead chestnut trees that reverberate like drums, and our spotted woodpecker can be found drumming away every morning. For some reason whilst they are drumming, they try to hide by creeping round to the back of the tree, presumably thinking we can’t link the noise with the bird.

Sad to say I will not see much of February myself, as I am off to visit my son in the West Indies, where there should be birds, butterflies and marine life in abundance.

Not much happening locally, but RSPB (Arne) and Durlston have a few events, and the next Bird Boat is round the harbour on 19th Feb (01929 462383 for details).

Useful Numbers of organisations running tasks or walks:-

Other useful wildlife web sites for wildlife news in this area are:

• http://www.greenlink.co.uk/
• http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/dorset
• http://www.dorsetbutterflies.com

Prepared for Broadstone.net by
dudley.hull

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