Contact us at
info@fpwnr.org
Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve
The lovely Boat Folk at Portishead Marina have put up some of our salt marsh information display boards around the marina. We are working together to spread the word about our great salt marshes and wildlife.
The ‘SPLASH’ has landed in Swan Lake.![]()
![]()
This eye-catching artwork, designed and sculpted by Cod Steaks in Bristol was originally installed in one of the North Pools. Now it has been moved to a much more prominent position on Swan Lake just down from Robin Place.![]()
![]()
It is moulded and cast in clear resin and designed to enhance the environment without disturbing the surrounding wildlife and nesting birds.![]()
![]()
A special thanks to Mags (@mags_mega_pix) for letting us share her lovely photo of this cygnet crowned with the splash. Perfect timing Mags! Swans are royal birds owned by the Queen and this youngster certainly looks good wearing a crown!
September Wildlife - Post 3![]()
![]()
Have you spotted either of the darter dragonflies yet? Well here is another one for you to watch out for this weekend . . .![]()
![]()
It is the Migrant Hawker. You might see it whizzing past as it "hawks" for insects along the hedgerows. When it is not hawking it likes to rest on low vegetation.![]()
![]()
The photos are of a male which is dark with blue spots and yellow flecks along the abdomen. It also has blue eyes! The brown-eyed female has a brown abdomen with yellow spots though can occasionally have blue spots too.
September wildlife - Post 2![]()
![]()
The second dragonfly to look out for in the autumn is the Ruddy Darter. It is slightly smaller than the Common Darter with a 'waisted' abdomen. Males are bright red. Females are very similar to female Common Darters but have all black legs.
September Wildlife - Post 1 ![]()
![]()
Although dragonflies are beginning to die off now their larvae, or nymphs, are still very much alive in the ponds and rhynes. ![]()
![]()
However, there are three species that you can still look out for in September. The first is the Common Darter . . . ![]()
![]()
You will often see them perched on the tip of a prominent twig or fencepost. From here they will dart out to catch flies before returning to the same perch – hence their name!![]()
![]()
If you ever get close enough you might notice the cream or yellow stripe on their black legs! The females have a light yellow thorax and abdomen turning darker brown with age while the males turn a red colour as they mature. ![]()
![]()
Still to come Ruddy Darter and Migrant Hawker . . .
By the meteorological calendar, the first day of autumn begins on 1 September and ends on 30 November. So autumn is officially here. ![]()
![]()
While we still hope for some sunny and warm days, nature is already preparing for the hardships to come. Fruits and nuts are ripening, many animals are fattening up for hibernation or migration - some have gone already!
Thank you to everyone who came along to the very first Portishead Salt Marshes Day on Saturday.![]()
![]()
There was such a lovely atmosphere and plenty of information to be shared about our amazing salt marches.😀
Today is Portishead Salt Marshes Day!![]()
![]()
Come and say hello.![]()
![]()
We will be by the path between the Marina and Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve between 11.00 am and 5.00 pm. The What3Word location is w3w.co/wonderfully.forwarded.balconies
A week to go before the first ever Portishead Salt Marshes Day!![]()
![]()
We hope you can come and say hello next Saturday 14th between 11.00 am - 5.00 pm. ![]()
![]()
We will have lots of fascinating information plus hands-on art and science. See www.portburywharfnaturereserve.co.uk/salt.../ for more . . .
We are counting down to the first ever Portishead Salt Marshes Day in just over 2 weeks (Saturday 14 August). ![]()
![]()
We have been working hard behind the scenes creating graphics to tell the fascinating story of salt marshes. ![]()
![]()
Portbury Wharf salt marsh is crucial to the success of the nature reserve as wildlife moves freely between the two habitats.![]()
![]()
We hope to see you there.
Leave a Comment
Last Updated: February 2, 2021 by fpwnr
February – What to look out for
Look out for FROGS and TOADS!
This is their mating time and they are on the move. February and March is the time when we are most likely to see them as large numbers converge on their breeding ponds. As Portbury Wharf is a wetland area with plenty of lovely watery places many frogs, toads and newts will be heading our way.
They have spent the winter in hedges, muddy ditches, under stones, plant pots or hunkered down under compost heaps. The rising temperature triggers the breeding season.
Frogs become increasingly active in garden ponds just before the migration begins, a sure sign that movement is imminent. I can hear frogs croaking and frolicking in my pond as I type this! If weather conditions are favourable (mild, damp evenings) the onset of migration is sudden. They will begin, en masse, to head to their breeding ponds.
They take the quickest route along ancestral pathways to the pond were they spawned. This often brings them into conflict with cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
Usually you can join Portishead Toad Patrol to help them cross the Village Quarter and The Vale safely. However this year, unfortunately COVID-19 has put paid to that but hopefully with less traffic during the lockdown they will be okay.
Winter birds are still here
The winter birds are still around so take a look at what you might expect to see on our Winter Birds page. They will be going back north to nest soon so see them while you still can!
See if you can spot Dunlin and Wigeon on the North Pool or out on the estuary . . .
. . . or maybe you will hear the beautiful warbling call of a curlew or two.
Category: what to look for
Recent Posts
Be safe, keep our wildlife safe and follow the Countryside Code