Volunteers from Sentec, a local company, came for a few hours after work and helped create a fantastic hibernaculum for amphibians and reptiles at Logan’s Meadow reserve. The technique was very simple just piling up some fly tipped paving slabs and covering them with the removed turf but the result was slightly hobbit-esque but extremely valuable for these species.

These Colt’s-foot ( Tussilago farfara) were photographed at Barnwell West reserve. A beautiful reminder that we’ve done it! Spring is here! This plant’s habit of flowering before the leaves appear has given it the folk-name of ‘Son-before-father’. It can be found on waste land or dry banks with loose soil. It strongly prefers clay. Other pleasing signs have been the Butterbur flowers emerging at Paradise nature reserve, another plant which flowers before the leaves show. Also spotting the first Bumble bees emerging and  Brimstone butterflies at Bramblefields reserve….