Contact us at
info@fpwnr.org
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.
***WHARF LANE update***![]()
![]()
The Hinkley Connection Team have now finished the work in Wharf Lane and it has now been reopened.
Save the date for the first ever Portishead Salt Marshes Day!![]()
![]()
We are celebrating our two salt marshes at Portbury Wharf and Battery Point.![]()
![]()
The Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve are organising this event in collaboration with Plover Rovers - Talking the Coast. ![]()
![]()
Plover Rovers are a science communication charity focusing on bringing marine science and coastal communities together. ![]()
![]()
We are also delighted that Curlew Action will be coming to talk about Saving the Curlew. Curlew Action are dedicated to raising the awareness of the decline of the Eurasian Curlew across the UK and Europe.On Saturday 14th August we will be celebrating our Salt Marshes with Portishead Salt Marshes Day. ![]()
![]()
The event will take place alongside the path between Portishead Marina and Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve between 11.00am – 5.00pm.
You can find out more at www.portburywharfnaturereserve.co.uk/salt-marshes-day/![]()
![]()
So put the date in your diary and come along and say hello.
Winter Trail
Winter can be a good time to go out for a walk and see what nature is up to.
So here is a Winter Trail that you can try out at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve. So wrap up warm and take a walk along the surfaced paths to see which of these seasonal sights you can spot. Some will be easier to find than others. The ones that fly or run will be the hardest to see but you never know your luck!
You can download the winter trail as a one page picture trail or as 6 separate pages with more about each species and a tick column. If you do not find everything on the first outing you can keep trying throughout the winter.
Winter Trail – picture version
Winter Trail 6 page leaflet:
