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if anyone wants to take part in the RSPB Big garden birdwatch this weekend you can download the forms here -
www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/biggardenbirdwatch/2020/bird-id-and-counting-chart.pdf
and here
www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/biggardenbirdwatch/2020/participation-form.pdf
It was a cold and frosty January morning but things were hotting up on North Pool Island. The swans were kicking up a ruckus. Lots of chasing, wing flapping, trampling, clinches and biting.
BTW look out for the pochard, the duck with a dark chestnut head and black breast, we do not get too many of these here. . . . and the little lapwing which had to get out of the way of these colossal birds.
Look at this POSER!
Anyone who's been to the reserve will have seen the resident pair of Mute Swans, who are definitely bold enough to stand for a close up photo-shoot!
What stunning birds 😍😍😍
#swan #muteswan #birds #wildlife #resident #poser #closeup #photohraphy #wildlifephotography #portburywharfnr
#portburywharf #portishead #bristol #beauty #elegant
A Redshank 😍
These charismatic little waders aren't uncommon sights here in the winter out on the mud, but with their bright red legs I think they make great models!
#redshank #wader #bird #birdwatch #estuary #photography #wildlifephotography #portburywharf #naturereserve #naturelovers
Morning Flight
Proof our gorgeous nature reserve inspires artists and photographers as well as naturalists,
Thankyou to @bristolcrystalreiki for the beautiful image ❤️
#portburywharfnr #morningflight #roost #dawnchorus #bristolcrystalreiki #art #photography #local #nature #wildlifephotography
By January the hedgerows are a bit thin on berries. However the Sea-buckthorn still has a few left and this blackbird is making the most of them. Such colourful berries and so well co-ordinated with his beak and eye liner!
Sea-buckthorn is a fascinating plant known for its healing properties dating back 12 centuries. Its scientific name is Hippophae which is derived from the Greek for shiny horse. Apparently the Greeks prized their horses and Sea-buckthorn oil must have kept them in tip top condition.
Check us out on Instagram!
@friendsofportburywharfnr
If you have photos from the reserve you'd like to feature send them our way and we'll tag you when we post them!
Flock of Dunlin on the estuary 🐦🌊
Stay posted for more activity on this page 👀
#Dunlin #waders #birds #wildlifephotography #flock #portishead #portburywharfnr
this spectacle took place at the Reserve just before the new year. We hope that you enjoy watching it and share it on facebook for the wider Portishead Community to see what they are missing out on.
Portbury Wharf Plants
Wild Flowers, Plants and Trees
Portbury Wharf plants can be stunningly beautiful. They are also vital to the ecosystem being an important source of food and shelter for all sorts of wildlife.
At Portbury Wharf wild flowers grow around the ponds and along the banks of the rhynes and there is a flower meadow in the Sanctuary. As it is a predominantly wetland habitat, plants that prefer this sort of environment thrive here. Though don’t overlook the hedgerows which are home to many pollen and berry producing trees and plants. Where you see flowers and berries you may also see wildlife, so look closely.
This is just the beginning of a list of Portbury Wharf Plants. So we will keep adding to this page to build up a comprehensive list of the plants here.Page updated 4 October 2019
Berries Nov-Apr
Ivy (Hedera Helix) an evergreen ecosystem
This is a very important plant for wildlife providing shelter and food in autumn and winter!
Ivy is so important it has its own page . . .read more
Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Ox-eye daisy or Moon Daisy is a familiar and attractive grassland perennial. It grows up to 60 cm and has large white flowers from June. It is our largest native member of the daisy family and thought to be the origin of the children’s petal-pulling game “loves me, loves me not”.
A mature plant can produce up to 26,000 seeds which can remain viable for many years. So it has the ability to spread relatively easily and as a result is considered invasive in more than 40 countries.
Reference and further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leucanthemum_vulgare
Dog Rose (Rosa canina)
Look out for the bright red rose hips in the autumn hedgerows. They are the seed pods of the wild Dog-rose. It has sweetly scented pink or white flowers that appear in June and July with rose hips ripening in autumn.
Reference and further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_canina
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Height 20cm to 1m. Flowers have strong sweet scent. Food source for many beneficial insects. Attracts predatory insects such as ladybirds and hover flies which eat pests, so used as a companion plant. Birds such as starlings line their nests with yarrow. So all in all a great plant for wildlife.
Reference and further reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achillea_millefolium