Wildlife
The Heath is an important and designated County wildlife site, where a wide variety of plants, trees, animals and birds can be found. It is managed to maintain the delicate balance between the needs of wildlife and the pressures of human use in the city.
What have you seen on the Heath?
If you have seen a bird, a tree, a plant or any other wildlife on the Heath, and you’d like to know more about it, or to tell us about it, please click on the appropriate button in the menu below.
The Friends are aiming to compile lists of all the species that thrive on the Heath and we invite all members to submit sightings, if possible with photographs, dates and any interesting details. Please email information about your sightings to the editor If you have a photograph, you can attach it to your email.
For a wide-ranging introduction to identifying wildlife, try www.first-nature.com
Birds
If you’ve seen a bird but you don’t know its name, click here
The following species are seen regularly on the Heath, and many of them nest. To find out more about a particular bird, click here and then on the first letter of the name of the bird you have seen.
Blackbird
Blackcap
Black-headed Gull
Blue Tit
Bullfinch
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Coal Tit
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Fieldfare
Garden Warbler
Goldfinch
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Greenfinch
Green Woodpecker
Herring gull
House Martin
House Sparrow
Jackdaw
Jay
Long-Tailed Tit
Magpie
Mistle Thrush
Nuthatch
Pied Wagtail
Pigeon (Rock dove/Feral pigeon)
Redwing
Robin
Rook
Song Thrush
Sparrowhawk
Starling
Swallow
Swift
Tawny Owl
Willow Warbler
Wood Pigeon
Wren
Also seen (including flying over):
Buzzard
Heron
Kestrel
Mallard
Mute Swan
Red Kite
The Friends have installed nest-boxes at various locations on the Heath, many of which have been successful.
Have you seen any other birds on the Heath? Please email the Editor.
Trees
These are just a few of the trees that grow on the Heath. Why not help us to identify some more? Please email the Editor.
Ash
Beech
Cherry
Elder
Hawthorn
Hazel
Holly
Hornbeam
Horse Chestnut
Lime
Oak
Silver Birch
Sycamore
To check your identification, go to www.woodlands.co.uk
You may also like to have a look at:
www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/trees
apps.kew.org/trees
www.british-trees.com/treeguide
The Friends have a programme of replanting to replace dead or diseased trees. Keep an eye on ‘Events and meetings’ for the date of the next Action Day.
Plants and flowers
We have barely started to identify and list the plants and flowers that flourish on the Heath, such as:
Bindweed
Bluebell
Bramble (blackberry and raspberry)
Cow parsley
Daffodil
Dock
Japanese knotweed
Nettle (several varieties)
Snowdrop
Much more work is needed on this list. Can you help? Please email the Editor.
Try this link www.botanicalkeys.co.uk/flora for some advice on identifying wild flowers.
Mammals
Muntjac deer (www.bds.org.uk/muntjac) are seen on the Heath, and squirrels abound, but what other wild mammals live there or visit? Mice? voles? bats? foxes? moles? hedgehogs? rabbits? badgers?
Would you like to make a list of the animals that can be seen on the Heath? Please email the Editor.
Butterflies and other insects
Would you like to make a list of the butterflies that are seen on the Heath? Please email the Editor.
If you’re not sure of your identification skills, try:
www.butterfly-conservation.org/butterfly_identifier/17/identify_a_butterfly
For insects and bugs in general, try::
www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/insects-spiders/bug-forum/?q=gallery
Fungi
Please let us know if you would like to list the fungi, mushrooms and toadstools that can be found on the Heath. Please email the Editor.
Have a look at www.first-nature.com/fungi
Grasses
We haven’t even started listing the grasses that can be found on the Heath. If you would like to have a go at this, please email the Editor.
To help with identification, try
www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/grass_id
www.kew.org/data/grasses-db