Little Owls were being harassed by Carrion Crows close to a nest box that we’d put out for the Tawny Owls that often roost in the meadow. All went quiet subsequently but one was later seen close to a natural tree hole so maybe they relocated. Howard Broughton of the Rushcliffe Barn Owl Project has told me that there are now two pairs of Barn Owls in the village and the species can be seen gracefully quartering the meadow on frequent occasions. If you’d like a copy of Howard’s book, The Barn Owl Diaries, which documents the highs and lows of this fantastically successful conservation work, give me a ring on 0115 9144896. Price is £5 (plus £1 postage if you’re outside Keyworth) and all the funds go straight back into running costs.

Two Turtle Doves, Tree Sparrows and a Cuckoo were present during May; these are all species that have suffered dramatic declines in their populations nationally.

There is a patch of grassland that has lots of Pignut (a little umbellifer) and its associated, day-flying, moth, the Chimney Sweeper, that is being colonised by the undesirable Meadowsweet and which will need some control soon. The rest of the meadow has become dominated by Cow Parsley because of the lack of resources in managing the site as we would wish, but the brook mostly maintains its tranquil character. A new addition to the reserve list is Muntjac, a diminutive introduced deer, which was heard amongst the Greater Pond Sedge whilst moth trapping around midnight and then seen skipping away, its distinctive rear end illuminated in the mercury vapour light. The same excursion also resulted in several new moth species including Eyed and Poplar Hawk-moth.

Neil Pinder