Welcome Student Members!
2025 is here! It’s hard to believe a new year is already upon us but it is a great opportunity to look forward to all the great adventures and new wildlife 2025 may bring. Have you got any new year’s resolutions?
I prefer to think of targets for myself, what kinds of nature focused targets could you have for this year? Are there any species of bird, mammal, insect, or plant you would like to find? Maybe you want to learn how to identify 10 more species or help improve your local habitat for your favourite wildlife. Maybe you want to come on at least 3 Salisbury and District Natural History society events this year.
Laverstock water meadows community farm is hosting another pop-up natural history museum run by Salisbury Watch. This is a great chance to hit the ground running is 2025 and have a chance to get curious with different mammal bones, nests and owl pellets and much more! Why not bring along you own specimen you want to study and use the microscopes to get a closer look (more information in field events and by contacting Penny Fleet).
There is still lots to see in January, reduced foliage on trees and across fields makes lots of wildlife easier to spot, from bunches of mistletoe or trees to deer and hares running across open fields. Keep one eye on the sky for birds of prey such as large buzzards, red-kites with their forked tails or maybe even a kestrel. Hardy buff-tailed bumblebees and even some hoverflies such as Eristalis drone flies will still be active during this time of year so keep your eyes peeled for their low hum as they fly around on warmer winter days.
With the strong winds recently, our local trees have been tackling a lot, some may have fallen but remember that this fallen wood is an incredibly important habitat. Lots of beetle larvae grow inside fallen logs, sometimes for as long as 10 years! Various mushrooms and fungus will also grow from this dead wood so wherever possible leave it alone or pile it up in a safe corner. For the trees that are still standing, did you know that older trees will often let some of their lower branches lean down to the ground? Sometimes these branches are cut off by humans, but these older trees need these branches. These branches help the tree stand up against our strong winds, acting like a walking stick, supporting them as they grow tall and broad.
Outdoor Activities
