Popes Meadow

Pope’s Meadow has seen further work this year led by the Oscar our local ranger with some help from BEG to enhance the biodiversity of the park. These include:

• Opening up of the copses by pruning back the holly and coppicing the hazel.

• Planting a wildflower meadow.

• Fencing in the Pond to help keep out dogs.

• Additional tree and hedgerow planting.

40 species of bird were positively identified this year. The pond provided most interest with Mallards, Coot and Moorhen breeding successfully and Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Little Grebe and Canada Goose turning up occasionally. Ring necked Parakeet, Woodpigeon and Red Kite are nearly always seen flying over. The usual Corvids – Magpie, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw are ever-present and we have occasional visits from their close relatives the Jay and the Raven. Most of our regular garden birds can be seen but not as easily as on the garden bird feeders. Spring visitors include the Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler and the Redwing visits us during the colder months. Others worthy of a mention include Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Wren (nearly always heard but not seen) and Greenfinch (present through the breeding season but hardly ever shows up in my garden).
A regular year-long survey of butterflies has not been done; however, 6 species of butterfly were noted during the Big Butterfly count with Gatekeeper being most numerous. 2 other species were also noted on the new wildflower meadow later in the season.