Bracket Fungus                                                                Snowberries 

This month in the Valley

Wildlife happenings taking place in November

• By the end of the month the trees will be bare and there will be little sign of insect life, although there are still plenty around. In particular look on late-flowering Ivy to see what insects are feeding on it.
• Many insects will be in their larvae or pupae forms sheltering from the weather - as well as hungry birds - look in nooks and crannies of walls, in hollow stems, under tree bark and stones and even underground.
• If you look in the dry crevices of tree bark and walls you may spot hibernating Ladybirds.
• Clusters of white Snowberries are at their best now.They are left by the birds until their other food sources are gone.
• Jays and Grey Squirrels will be busy both searching and burying acorns among grass roots and leaf litter for their winter larders… 
• Razor Strop fungus Piptoporous betulinus, is one of the most common large bracket fungi and can be seen on the trunks of dying birch trees (pictured right).
• Another fungus to look for when you walk through woodlands is Common Bird’s Nest Crucibulum leave, which grows  on damp plant debris.
• It’s the time of year when the large Tegenaria gigantea spiders are driven into our homes on cold nights. Watch out for them - you have been warned!
• Increasing numbers of wildfowl, such as Widgeon, Goosander and Gadwall, will be migrating south to overwinter in the Valley, get out and go and look for them at one of the Valley’s many lakes

More about November in the Valley  >>>

Things to do this month ....

• From walks to workshops have a look at our November diary of events to see what you can do this month. More details   >>>

Your sightings

• What have you seen in the Valley this month? Details of all your sightings   >>>

 
  Tell Us...
  ...about your wildlife sightings or anything else of interest that you see in the Valley.
  Submissions will be included on these pages so we can build up our own monthly wildlife 
  diary for the Valley. We would also love to receive any pictures.
  Please Email us with brief details, not forgetting to tell us where and when you made your
  sighting. Thank you to everyone who has sent us sighting details and pictures. Please
  continue sending them in.