FIRST QUARTER 2024

This Journal covers the last quarter of 2024 from January to March.

Ring-necked Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Britain's only naturalised parrot. They are especially common in the Roe's Well area of the forest.

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Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

By far the most common type of finch seen in Hainault Forest usually appearing in large groups. They feed on seeds of thistle, teasel and other plants. Their fine beaks allow them to extract otherwise inaccessible seeds from plants. In the past the species was also called the 'Thistle Finch' due to its liking for thistle seed.

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Grey Heron

Ardea cinerea

Britain's largest long-legged wading bird. They often visit Hainault Lake to feed on fish. When a fish is caught it is usually tossed into the air and swallowed head-first so that the scales and fins don’t catch in the throat. Herons also stand in meadows waiting to spear small mammals and amphibians with their long bills. Remains left on the ground from a Heron's hunting trip may include such items as frog innards and black egg masses. 

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Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Cormorants visit Hainault Lake all year round appearing in greater numbers during winter. Their bills are usually in a raised position. They have dark bodies with white and yellow face patches. In the breeding season they also have white thigh patches. It is easy to assume that the male is the one with the white head and neck feathers, but that may not be the case. Male and females are similar in appearance and any difference may be due to differing stages of moult and one bird acquiring breeding plumage earlier than the other. Bird age may affect when the moult occurs. Juveniles are whitish underneath. 

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Red Kite

Milvus milvus

Red Kites were saved from extinction in the UK and have now been successfully re-introduced. They are reddish-brown with a forked tail that distinguishes them from buzzards. Their diet consists of carrion, small mammals and worms.

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Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

The Mallard is a type of dabbling duck feeding mainly on the surface rather than by diving. Dabbling ducks have feet centred on their body which makes it easy to walk on land. Males known as 'drakes' have glossy bluish-green heads. Females have brown heads. Both sexes have distinct white-bordered blue patches on their wings which become more noticeable in flight. The patches are known as 'speculum'. Early autumn drakes lose colour when moulting flight feathers to grow replacements. This process is known as the 'eclipse'. Mallards typically live 5-10 years spending time in and out of water. Mallards eat vegetation, seeds, berries, insects and shellfish.

Mallards courting at Roe's well. The female acknowledged a head bobbing display by the drake by lowering her neck which he grabbed with his bill to pull himself onto her back. A female can suffer neck injury and lose feathers if a male gets too rough, however in this case the coupling was over in a minute with no apparent bad consequences.

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Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus Fuscus

The back of a Lesser Black-backed Gull may range from pale to very dark. Mature adults have yellow bills and legs. It takes four years for them to reach maturity.

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Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus

The Kestrel is a small bird of prey known for its distinctive hovering flight when searching for prey in the meadows. They mainly consume small mammals such as voles and mice, but will also feed on small birds and insects.

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Carrion Crow

Corvus corone

Crows are opportunists and usually go for easy food. Their natural diet mainly consists of nuts, seeds, fruit, grains, insects and rubbish left behind by humans. They also feed on roadkill which is why they are referred to as 'Carrion' Crows.

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Stonechat

Saxicola torquata

The call of this species sounds like two stones being knocked together. Males have black heads, white at the neck, orange-buff breasts and brown backs. Females do not have black heads. They are winter visitors that consume Insects, fruits and seeds.

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Redwing

Turdus iliacus

Redwings are thrush-like in appearance, but have a white stripe over the eye and a red underwing. Large flocks of these shy winter visitors sometimes appear in Hainault Forest when there are huge quantities of berries available for them to feed on.

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Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

The Goldeneye is a medium-sized diving duck rarely seen on Hainault Lake. Males have black and white bodies. The greenish-black heads of males have circular white patches in front of their yellow eyes. Females are mottled grey with chocolate brown heads, they are smaller than the males. This species feeds on mussels, insect larvae, small fish and vegetation.

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Mandarin Duck

Aix galericulata

Males have colourful plumage, females are dull by comparison. Introduced to Britain from Asia the worldwide population is believed to be about 65,000 with a downward trend in recent years. Mandarins feed on plants, seeds and insects. In their native country China, they were regarded as symbols of fidelity so were given to brides as wedding presents. However, in reality, Mandarins often pair for the mating season and then seek different partners the following autumn. 

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Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris 

The only British land bird with a curved beak. It is normally seen climbing up the side of tree trunks searching for food. Treecreepers feed on Insects, arachnids and seeds.

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Nuthatch

Sitta europaea

During winter Nuthatches supplement their diet with seeds. In warmer months when insects and arachnids become abundant they usually switch to feeding on those instead.

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Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinerea

Grey Wagtails are resident throughout the year. Grey Wagtails usually frequent streams and can be distinguished from Yellow Wagtails by the grey back and longer tail. They feed on insects.

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Blackbird

Turdus merula

The Blackbird is a member of the Thrush Family that feeds on worms, insects and berries. Males are black with a yellow bill and yellow ring around the eye. Females are dark brown. Blackbirds are often seen turning leaf litter or running across grass in their hunt for food. Males sing to establish territories and are usually heard from March until June. Their melodies start the dawn chorus when other birds are still quiet and continue until dusk.

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Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

As far back as 3100 B.C. the Ancient Egyptians kept Egyptian Geese as pets making them one of the oldest domesticated species. They are now the most widespread African waterfowl appearing in many countries around the world after being introduced. They are often breed early in the year, having a preference for open grassland near freshwater where they can nest in tree cavities. They have been known to move into old crow and raptor nests.

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Skylark

Alauda arvensis

The Skylark is larger than a sparrow and smaller than a starling. It has a small crest on the head which is raised when the bird gets excited or alarmed. It flies vertically up in the air and can often be heard singing while on the wing. The phrase "All aboard the Skylark" has been used in films, children's cartoons and as the title of a music album, but where did it originate? It is a humorous reference for going on a pleasure boat at some seaside resorts - the boat being the proverbial 'Skylark'.

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Moorhen

Gallinula chloropus

The Moorhen has a red and yellow beak, dark brown back and wings and a blackish belly with white stripes on the flanks. They are licentious and often swap partners during the breeding season. Females seem to prefer small fat mates. Nests are built with dead vegetation positioned among floating plants or next to the water. Eggs are sometimes put in nests of other birds which allows a female to increase her egg output. Moorhens feed on plants, seeds, worms, insects, molluscs and fish.

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Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligula

Tufted Ducks have their legs located towards the back of their bodies. They appear awkward when walking and are better suited for an aquatic lifestyle. They normally like to stay on the water and are seldom seen leaving it. Females are brown.

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Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

The male Pheasant is a handsome long-tailed bird with bright-coloured plumage. Females are dull brown by comparison.

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Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

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Fox

Vulpes vulpes

Foxes are often described as wily and cunning. They are clever animals able to find food and escape danger, also excellent at surviving in extreme weather, outwitting predators and looking after their young. Fox cubs learn hunting skills and become more independent during summer. They are ready to find their own territories by autumn or winter.

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Two-spot Ladybird

Adalia bipunctata

The 2-spot Ladybird is normally red with two black spots on the elytra, but comes in other colour forms too, including black with two red spots. Sometimes they have multiple spots. The legs are black, a useful characteristic to tell it apart from the 10-spot Ladybird which has brown legs. Hibernation occurs during winter and these ladybirds usually become active late February or during March. Aphids, small insects, insect eggs, and mites form their diet.

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Comma

Polygonia c-album

The Comma has jagged orange-brown upper wings with black and yellowish-brown markings. At rest the Comma resembles a withered leaf. Comma butterflies seek sanctuary on hedgerows located in sunny positions. Their name is derived from a little 'comma' mark on the underside of the wings. Its caterpillars feed on plants such as Common Nettle and Hop.

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Streamer

Anticlea derivata

The Streamer is an attractive springtime moth. It inhabits woodland, scrub and hedgerows. Its larvae feed on dog-rose and other wild roses.

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Spring Usher

Agriopis leucophaearia

Common species that flies from January until March. It has variable colouration ranging from almost black-and-white to a drab grey. The females are wingless. Its larvae feed on English and Sessile Oak.

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Double-striped Pug

Gymnoscelis rufifasciata

Seen from March to September, this moth flies mainly at dusk and in hot sunshine. Found in a variety of habitats and its larvae feed on a wide range of plants.

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Common Plume

Emmelina monodactyla

Widespread species that appears all through the year. The outer third of each wing is split into plumes, but with the wings so tightly rolled at rest that they look solid. Its larvae feed on bindweed.

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Hemlock Moth

Agonopterix alstromeriana

Previously known as the 'Brown-spot Flat-body', but renamed as the 'Hemlock Moth'. As the new name implies it is usually found around hemlock which is the larval foodplant.

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Vapourer

Orgyia antiqua

Eggs of the Vapourer Moth. Strands of silk from a female's cocoon can often be seen underneath the eggs.

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Green Cellar Slug

Limacus maculatus

This species originates from the Caucasus and Black Sea Coast and has now spread across Europe. It feeds on decaying plant material and is not considered a pest because it does not feed on live plants. There is a fingerprint pattern on its mantle, greyish tentacles and a short yellow stripe at tail end. It is similar in appearance to Yellow Cellar Slug L. flavus, however that species seems to be in decline. Both species produce clear yellow slime. The Yellow Cellar Slug has a long yellow stripe running along the centre of the tail that is absent on the Green Cellar Slug.

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Blistered Cup

Peziza vesiculosa

Blistered Cup is seen throughout the year. It is a fungus favouring habitats containing rotting straw and dung heaps. The fleshy cups up to 10cm across are white before turning yellowish-brown. The outer surfaces are rough to the touch while the insides are smooth. It belongs to a group known as 'Spore Shooters' which tend to produce cup-shaped mushrooms. Spores develop on the inner surface of the fruit body and the cup shape assists rain to splash spores out of the cups.

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Fungus

Laetisaria lichenicola

Laetisaria lichenicola is a pink-coloured fungus that grows on the lichen Physcia tenella. The first British identification of it was made by Brian Ecott on 3rd January 2016 after discovering it in Hainault Forest.

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Slime Mould

Arcyria ferruginea

Members of the Arcyria Family generally produce stalked or sessile, brightly coloured sporangia. Arcyria ferruginea is a winter species with fruitbodies that develop from a rose-red or creamy white plasmodium. It grows in crowded colonies 1-2 millimetres tall on rotten trunks and stumps. 'Ferru' means iron and is a reference to rusty colouration seen in the latter stages. The colour changes to brick red and brown prior to sporing. It was found in Hainault Forest on a fallen decorticated Scots pine. It is not common. Thank you to Professor Bruce Ing for verifying this sighting.

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Slime Mould

Trichia decipiens

Bright orange fruiting bodies of slime mould Trichia decipiens.

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Slime Mould

Stemonitis

Stemonitis is a distinctive genus of slime moulds. They are characterised by developing tall brown sporangia when mature.

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Blackthorn

Prunus spinosa

Blackthorn is a thorny shrub known for its early white spring flowers and dark, plum-like autumn fruits called sloes.

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Wood Anemone

Anemone nemorosa

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Snowdrop

Galanthus nivalis

One of the earliest flowers to appear in spring. Not common in Hainault Forest.

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Cowslip

Primula veris

Cowslip is a herbaceous perennial found in the meadows during spring. It grows to a height of 25cm and has a rosette of basal leaves. The yellow flowers appear in clusters of 10–30 blooms together on a single stem. It is closely related to the primrose which is also a spring flower. Once common in meadows, but with loss of habitats it is now falling into decline and the bright yellow nodding flowers are becoming a harder to find.

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Lesser Celandine

Ranunculus ficaria

Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria is an actinomorphic flower characterised by radial symmetry (i.e. similar parts facing each other around an axis). This member of the Buttercup family is a low-growing plant with glossy green, heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers about 30mm across. It is one of the first spring flowers to appear providing a rich source of nectar for insects that emerge early.

Some plants such as Lesser Celandine use lined patterns and ultraviolet light to guide pollinators towards the middle of the flowerhead. Flowerheads can be thought of as miniature landing pads for flying insects. Flowers produce a sugary liquid called nectar which many insects consume. Nectar is made in glands known as nectaries usually located at the base of the stamens. A visiting insect brushing against the anthers will have pollen deposited on its body. As the insect travels from plant to plant it spreads the pollen and pollination occurs. Pollination is the process of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to a female stigma. Once a plant is pollinated it makes seeds that will produce the next generation. Pollination by insects is called Entomophily.

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Thank you to everyone that have contributed to this Journal.

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