Helen Bovill

Cemetery Wildlife – August 2024

August 31, 2024 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife4 Comments

August has been the driest month of the year so far. Our part of the country had only around 20% of its expected rainfall, leaving the footpaths dry all month. This meant less available water for the cemetery wildlife, as there is no water supply on site. In the absence of puddles, I’ve been maintaining a small shallow dish of water in the Quaker Burial Ground. As the cemetery has several houses that back onto it, I hope they contain bird baths and other water features to supplement this. There were plenty of warm sunny days in August, but no heatwave.

Insects

I had a few brief glimpses of dragonflies in the first part of the month. I finally managed to photograph them one sunny afternoon later in the month. I was delighted to see two different species – firstly a Common Darter, pictured above. At the same time and in the same part of the cemetery I also saw some Migrant Hawkers. I saw one land on a high, dead branch, then noticed some more on that same branch. At one point I counted a total of five of them, wings open, catching the sun, together with a second Common Darter.

It’s great to be able to add these to the insect branch of the cemetery wildlife. For more information about dragonflies, please see the link at the end of this report.

I saw another butterfly species this month – the Gatekeeper. I actually saw two, both female, on Ragwort on the grass verge alongside the cemetery. This is the second year I’ve seen them here, and it brings the yearly butterfly species total to twelve.

Two photos of an orange and brown female Gatekeeper butterfly, one showing the wings open and the other showing the wings closed — **Gatekeeper (female) – one of two I saw on the grass verge one morning**

The only other butterflies I saw this month were Holly Blue, Large White and Speckled Wood. The Speckled Woods were the most abundant, but it shows what a quiet summer it’s been for butterflies when seeing four of them at once counts as a high amount.

Holly Blue butterfly on yellow Ragwort flowers — **Holly Blue butterfly on Ragwort (above)**

A Large White Butterfly on a leaf — **Large White (male) (above)**

A Speckled Wood butterfly on a leaf in the Quaker Burial Ground part of the cemetery — **Speckled Wood, one of four I saw in the Quaker Burial Ground**

I saw plenty of small bees and other tiny insects this month (several of which bit me during my days working in the cemetery!). I didn’t see many hoverflies or ladybirds this month.

A 7-spot Ladybird on a leaf in the cemetery — **7-Spot Ladybird with irregular markings**

Birds

Many of the birds have been busy raising their young, and I saw a number of fresh eggshells on the ground in the cemetery.

Whilst I can’t say for definite which bird laid this particular egg, the colour and size would suggest a Wood Pigeon or possibly a Stock Dove. Both species live in the cemetery.

I also found a feather on the ground.

I’ve been unable to find out which bird it belonged to. My guess is possibly either a Tawny Owl or a Sparrowhawk, both of which have been seen in the cemetery. However, it could also be from a Buzzard – this species was a spectacular visitor to the cemetery a few years ago. I hope this is just the result of preening rather than an attack of some sort.

The smallest avian branch of the cemetery wildlife has proved rather difficult to photograph this month. There have been plenty of Chaffinches, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Robins around, but I did manage this quick snap of a Coal Tit.

I also saw Wrens, Goldfinches and Blackbirds but I didn’t see any Bullfinches in August. It’s the first month this year when I haven’t seen any.

Plants

I didn’t find many plants in flower this month and the dry weather hasn’t helped them.

There is a lot of dry and dead vegetation in and around the cemetery. However, the Tansy and Musk Mallow growing on the grass verge is still in flower.

The pink flowers of Musk Mallow — **Musk Mallow**

I also found this small yellow flower growing on the verge. It is possibly Smooth Hawksbeard, although there are so many very similar looking plants that it is difficult to say for certain.

There was not therefore much pollen and nectar for the cemetery wildlife that relies on it for food. But for the other cemetery wildlife there is plenty of fruit available in the form of brambles and elderberries.

There have been a few windy days this month, and some of the horse chestnut trees have lost their fruit prematurely.

A spider's web, shining in the sun, on a Horse Chestnut Tree — **Mature Horse Chestnut tree (above) and fallen fruit (below). Note that most of the seed, commonly known as a conker, is yet to ripen.**

Conclusion

August was a typical summer month, with lots of dry and fine weather. But dare I say that the cemetery is already starting to look rather autumnal, with light falls of brown and orange leaves now carpeting the floor? Plus of course the fruits I mentioned earlier, but I’ll say more about them next month.

A Squirrel high up in a tree in the cemetery — Your Squirrel of the month. See you next time!

Link to more information about dragonflies :-

British Dragonflies: Larvae, Wings and Lifecycle – Woodland Trust

Helen Bovill

Helen is a keen photographer and nature lover. She spent a large part of her working life at the Land Registry. She is a member of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and various other similar organisations. Living close to the Cemetery for over 30 years she has seen the fortunes of the site fluctuate and has joined the FOHGC to make a positive difference.

Cemetery Wildlife – July 2024

July 25, 2024 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife1 Comment

Considering July is in the middle of summer, the weather has not fully reflected that. There have been several cool, dull and rainy days, especially at the start of the month. So we still had some muddy footpaths, even in July. Only a few odd days here and there were hot and sunny, and the insect branch of the cemetery wildlife has not been as abundant as expected.

Insects

Butterflies

I saw worryingly few butterflies this month, so I was very happy to see a Comma (pictured above) on one of those hot sunny days. I also saw Speckled Woods in several different places in the cemetery. This one was in the Quaker Burial Ground. This is the only species where I saw more than one at the same time – I counted four of them that day.

A brown Speckled Wood butterfly on the thin green leaves of Crocosmia — **Speckled Wood**

The only other butterflies I saw in July were Large White and Holly Blue. This makes a total of four different species, compared to the seven different species I saw in July 2023. Members of other butterfly watching forums around the country have reported a similar lack of butterflies in general, so it isn’t just the cemetery that’s affected.

Butterfly Conservation is currently carrying out its annual Big Butterfly Count. It ends on 4 August so if you’d like to take part, there’s a link at the end of this report.

Other Insects

I saw this hoverfly – a Globetail of some sort. This one is a female, as there’s a gap between the eyes at the top of the head. Only the male has the distinctive globular tail. I’d never noticed these before, but they are rather small and easy to miss.

A Small Globetail hoverfly on a yellow flower in the cemetery — **Globetail hoverfly (female)**

I actually saw more different species of hoverflies than butterflies this month.

Four photos showing different species of hoverfly in the cemetery — **Top – Marmalade Hoverfly (left); Common Flower Fly (right). Bottom – Sun Fly (also known as the Footballer Hoverfly, left); Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (right).**

The Tansy is now in flower on the grass verge alongside the cemetery on Spring Bank West, and on it I saw this tiny bee. It could be a type of cellophane bee – they’re very difficult to identify.

I also saw a dragonfly in the cemetery one morning. It was quite distant and didn’t stop for me to identify it properly or get a photo. It looked quite large though.

A small bee on some yellow Tansy flowers — **Cellophane Bee on Tansy**

But generally I saw very few bees this month and very few ladybirds and other small insects.

Plants

Small

As is typical in Summer, a lot of the taller spring plants such as Hogweed and Cow Parsley have now died back. The cemetery can look rather tired in places, but this is quite normal. It has generated plenty of seeds for the cemetery wildlife to eat, so there is always a positive way of looking at this! The dried stems, left untouched on the ground, make excellent nest material too, forming the basis of many of the nests we check during our annual bird box survey.

Dried up Hogweed seed head in the cemetery — **Hogweed**

I noticed a few more Ragwort plants in flower on the verge alongside the cemetery. It’s a very good food source for the tiny branch of the cemetery wildlife – I found several Thick-legged flower beetles on this plant. The Wild Basil is also in flower on the verge.

The yellow flowers of the Ragwort — **Ragwort (above)**

The pink flowers of Wild Basil — **Wild Basil**

I’m always looking for plants I haven’t noticed before, and I found some Figwort at the eastern end of the cemetery.

Figwort growing at the eastern end of the cemetery — **Figwort**

Growing nearby was Enchanter’s-Nightshade – I saw quite a lot of this throughout the cemetery. It’s a plant that grows well in shade.

The tiny white flowers of Enchanter's-Nightshade — **Enchanter’s-Nightshade**

Willowherb is a very common species of wildflower and will grow just about anywhere. I found two species in the cemetery this month – Broad-leaved Willowherb and Great Willowherb.

Two photos showing Broad-leaved Willowherb and Great Willowherb — **Broad-leaved Willowherb (left) and Great Willowherb (right)**

There’s a patch of Cuckoo-Pint in the cemetery, and I found most of the leaves had died back, leaving these unripe berries. They should turn orange or red eventually. This plant has many common names, such as Lords-and-Ladies.

The green, unripe seeds of the Cuckoo-pint plant growing in the cemetery — **Cuckoo-pint or Lords and Ladies**

Trees

I also noticed two of the cemetery’s Horse Chestnut trees have some unripe fruits on them. This doesn’t seem to happen every year, so hopefully they will ripen and we’ll have some “conkers” in autumn!

Two Horse Chestnut fruits, or "conkers" — **Horse Chestnut**

And at the bottom of one of the other trees in the cemetery, I found this small cluster of Fairy Inkcap mushrooms. Another source of food for the cemetery wildlife.

A cluster of tiny Fairy Inkcap mushrooms at the base of a tree in the cemetery — **Fairy Inkcaps**

Birds

I don’t have anything unusual to report – all the regulars were present such as Blue Tits, Great Tits, a couple of Coal Tits, Robins, Wrens, Goldfinches, Blackbirds, Crows and Magpies. I also got a few quick glimpses of a male and a female Bullfinch. There’s a good population of Chaffinches spread throughout the cemetery. I also heard a Tawny Owl calling on several occasions.

A male Chaffinch in a tree in the cemetery — **Chaffinch (male)**

I also saw a Dunnock – I don’t see them every month as they blend in so well with their surroundings.

A Dunnock (similar to a Sparrow) in the cemetery — **Dunnock**

A Blackcap kept me entertained for a few minutes one morning – they have a beautiful (and loud) song.

A male Blackcap singing in a tree in the cemetery — **Blackcap (male)**

Wood Pigeons are the commonest of the larger birds. They can be heard noisily crashing through the branches high up in the trees.

A Wood Pigeon in a tree in the cemetery — **Wood Pigeon**

Mammals

I don’t often mention the mammalian branch of the cemetery wildlife simply because, with the exception of the squirrels, I don’t usually see it. So I’m happy to share these photos of a beautiful fox, courtesy of fellow volunteer Karen Towner.

This is a female, or vixen, and from the first photo it looks like she’s recently given birth. These photos actually date back to March but I decided not to share them at the time in order to give her the chance to raise her cubs without being disturbed. I think it’s fantastic that foxes find the cemetery a safe place to live. We always aim to manage the cemetery for wildlife as well as heritage and this is a good indication that we are managing to do just that.

Conclusion

July was a quiet month in terms of the overall amount of cemetery wildlife that I saw. It started off cool and wet. But the month ended with some warmer, sunnier days and some almost dry footpaths. Let’s hope this continues into August.

A squirrel in a tree — **Your squirrel of the month. See you next time!**

Link to Butterfly count:

Big Butterfly Count (butterfly-conservation.org)

Helen Bovill

Cemetery Wildlife – June 2024

June 30, 2024 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife3 Comments

The month started off cold and wet, and up to the middle of the month the footpaths were still muddy. But warmer, sunnier weather arrived later in the month and continued to the end of it. I had plenty of opportunities to watch the cemetery wildlife during this busy time of the year. The dry footpaths made it particularly pleasurable for me, as did the smell of the flowers on the privet bushes dotted around the cemetery.

Plants

New Species

Most of the cow parsley and a lot of the hogweed has now died back. Although this can look a little unsightly in places, it has allowed some different plants to come through and I found four new species that I hadn’t noticed in the cemetery before.

The first of these was Meadowsweet (see photo above). This was growing on the grass verge alongside the cemetery. It might be one of the plants the volunteers set along there in November 2022 but which has only just managed to flower for the first time this year.

I also found some Corky-fruited Water-Dropwort – at least, I’m pretty sure that’s what it is. It wasn’t planted by the volunteers, it being on a different part of the verge to the area that was planted.

White flowers of the corky-fruited water dropwort growing on the grass verge alongside the cemetery — **Corky-fruited water-Dropwort**

So it’s worth bearing in mind at this time of the year that not every plant with a round cluster of densely packed white flowers is Cow Parsley or Hogweed!

One of the things we did plant was Common Birds-foot Trefoil, and I was delighted to find some of it in flower.

The yellow flowers of Birds-foot Trefoil — **Common Birds-foot Trefoil**

I also found a very similar-looking plant, albeit considerably taller, growing nearby. It looked very much like Meadow Vetchling.

The yellow flowers of Meadow Vetchling — **Meadow Vetchling**

Established Species

Staying with yellow flowers, I also saw a few clusters of Common Ragwort on the grass verge. This is a perennial plant, flowering every other year. It’s great for the insect branch of the cemetery wildlife, and can flower until as late as November.

The yellow flowers of Ragwort — **Ragwort**

I found two different types of Mallow growing on the verge – Musk Mallow, one of the plants set by the volunteers in 2022, and Common Mallow, which is just growing wild.

Also on the verge I found a nice patch of Feverfew.

The white daisy-like flowers of Feverfew — **Feverfew**

Inside the cemetery I found some Hedge Woundwort and some Wall Lettuce, although it bears no resemblance whatsoever to the lettuce you’d have with a salad!

The purple flowers of Hedge Woundwort growing in the cemetery — **Hedge Woundwort (above)**

The tiny yellow flowers of Wall Lettuce, growing near some headstones in the cemetery — **Wall Lettuce**

There’s still plenty of Herb Robert growing in various places in the cemetery – this pretty little pink wildflower seems to be having a very good year. I also saw plenty of Campion – both red and white varieties – growing in the cemetery and on the grass verge. Other wildflowers I’ve seen this month are dandelions, knapweed, thistles, buttercups and Hedge Mustard.

Insects

Despite the abundance of flowers and nectar, it’s been a very poor month for butterflies. I saw just one Red Admiral and a couple of Speckled Wood, all in the Quaker Burial Ground. But we are in the “June gap” – this is the quiet period when the eggs laid by the early butterflies are hatching and developing into the next generation of butterflies ready for flight from July onwards.

I did see some bees, ladybirds, a Green Shield Bug and a few hoverflies including this Hornet Mimic hoverfly.

Hornet mimic hoverfly on a flowering tree — **Hornet Mimic hoverfly**

But the insect I saw the most of this month was the Thick-legged Flower Beetle (sometimes called the Swollen-thighed Flower Beetle). It was only last year that I saw my first one in the cemetery, but this year there’s been a huge increase in their numbers.

I checked on the iNaturalist website and found a distribution map that indicates this is a species found mainly in the south of the country, with very few being recorded north of York. It makes me wonder if this species is spreading northwards now as a result of the warmer temperatures and milder winters.

Birds

I saw my first-ever young Great Spotted Woodpeckers this month, high up in a tree in the centre of the cemetery. They were making lots noise, and I saw the adults making several visits to feed them. It looked like they were nearly ready to fledge because the female (right) no longer has any red feathers on the top of her head. Both sexes of the chicks have these red head feathers. Only the males retain them into adulthood.

Woodpecker chicks looking out of a nest hole in a tree in the cemetery — **Great Spotted Woodpecker chicks – male (left) and female (right)**

I also saw a young Robin. The red breast feathers are yet to grow – this is so that he or she can stay in the area until fully fledged. Once the red feathers appear, the other adults will chase the youngster away.

Baby Robin on a headstone in the cemetery — **Robin**

I still regularly see a couple of Bullfinches in the cemetery.

A female bullfinch in the cemetery — **Bullfinch**

This is the female. I didn’t see her as often as usual this month – this could have been because she was incubating eggs in the nest. June is in the middle of the Bullfinch breeding season, and a few years ago I saw a young fledgling in the cemetery. That was in August.

Blue Tits are normally the most abundant species but I didn’t see as many of them as usual this month.

Blue Tit on a branch in the cemetery — **Blue Tit**

I did see plenty of Chaffinches and Great Tits, including some younger ones. In addition I also saw a couple of Coal Tits, a Treecreeper, Blackbirds, Goldfinches and wrens. The usual larger birds – Wood Pigeons, Crows, Magpies and Stock Doves – were around in good numbers. I regularly heard Chiffchaffs in the cemetery, but couldn’t see them. They’re usually high up in the trees, and difficult to see when the trees are in full leaf. A regular visitor to the cemetery also saw one of the adult Tawny Owls this month.

Fungi

Not much to report, other than this interesting (and tiny) specimen I found on a fallen log. I think it belongs to the Lycogala genus. My thumb is shown purely for the purposes of scale.

Thumb pointing at a tiny fungus on a fallen log — **Lycogala fungus (possibly)**

Conclusion

June has been a month of transition, with the spring flowers dying back to make way for the summer ones. The weather could have been better too, being colder than normal for much of the month.

I mentioned the results of the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge 2024 in my April report but these figures were just interim ones. Although the recording period was from 26 to 29 April, the participants had until 6 May to upload their observations and have them verified. I spent that weekend observing and recording a lot of the cemetery wildlife, so here’s a link to the results, from The Deep’s website.

Results of the Hull City Nature Challenge 2024 | The Deep

Squirrel having a snack on a headstone in the cemetery — **Your Squirrel of the month – see you next time!**

Helen Bovill

CEMETERY WILDLIFE – MAY 2024

May 31, 2024 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife

There was a real mixed bag of weather for the cemetery wildlife to contend with in May. And whilst I wouldn’t count myself as wildlife, the warm weather in the middle of the month resulted in my having to deal with dozens of biting insects as I worked in the cemetery! Puddles and fallen branches were common sights as the month ended on a very wet and windy note.

Birds

Large Birds

The highlight of the month was the return of Tawny owls to one of the owl boxes at the western end of the cemetery. I saw two different adult birds – I only realised this when I studied my photos and noticed subtle differences between owls I saw at different times. And then a couple of weeks later I saw two large fluffy chicks (also known as owlets) perched outside the box (see photo above).

A tawny owl sitting at the entrance to a nest box in the cemetery — **Tawny Owl**

The last time I saw Owls and owlets was in May 2021, but that year I saw the owlets in the first week of the month. This year I saw them in the last week of the month. I’ve put a link to my 2021 report at the end of this report.

I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker on a couple of occasions. I saw plenty of Wood Pigeons, and amongst them a pair of Stock Doves.

A wood pigeon on the ground with the sun shining on it — **Wood Pigeon (above)**

Two stock doves feeding on the ground in the cemetery — **Stock Doves**

Small birds

I saw a male Bullfinch on several occasions and a female one just a couple of times. However, as all the trees now have fully opened leaves it’s harder to get photos of the smaller birds.

A male bullfinch sitting in a tree in the cemetery — **Bullfinch (male)**

I was also delighted to see a pair of Blackcaps.

A Blackcap perched on the stem of a hogweed plant — **Blackcap (male)**

Some of the early nesting birds have now successfully raised some youngsters, and I saw fledgling Robins, Blackbirds and Chaffinches.

A young blackbird perched on a branch — **Blackbird (above). It looks very similar to a young Robin, but due to its size I can confirm it’s definitely a Blackbird.**

A young chaffinch calling for its parents to feed it — **Young Chaffinch begging for food**

I also saw a very active pair of Coal Tits several times during my walks around the Cemetery, plus plenty of Great Tits and Blue Tits. I think it’s safe to say that the avian branch of the cemetery wildlife is having a good year so far.

Insects

Butterflies

I saw my first Red Admiral of the year, in the Quaker Burial Ground. It’s the only one I’ve seen so far this year.

Red Admiral butterfly resting on a leaf — **Red Admiral**

This brought the cemetery total to 11 different species of butterfly, which is what I expected based on previous years. However, this month has not been a very good one for them, and I only saw butterflies in ones and twos. The other species I saw this month were Brimstone, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Small White, Large White, Speckled Wood and Holly Blue.

A Large White butterfly feeding on cow parsley — **Large White (male) (above)**

A Speckled Wood butterfly perched high on a leaf in the Quaker Burial Ground — **Speckled Wood (above). Note the damaged wing.**

A Holly Blue Butterfly resting on a nettle leaf in the cemetery — **Holly Blue (male) seen near the Cholera Monument.**

Other Insects

I saw lots of ladybirds of various species, and plenty of bees, flies and hoverflies. I saw this Narcissus Bulb fly on the grass verge alongside the cemetery – the first one I’d seen.

A Narcissus Bulb fly, looking like a small bee, sitting on a leaf — **Narcissus bulb fly**

The insect branch of the cemetery wildlife is always surprising me. When I was taking part in the City Nature Challenge for iNaturalist last month, I looked at what other people had found in Hull. I came across the very interestingly-named Batman hoverfly on the list. Then a few days ago I saw one for myself, feeding on Hogweed on the grass verge. Unfortunately, the Batman logo-shaped mark at the top of the thorax that gives the hoverfly its common name isn’t very clear. I’ve added a link at the end of this report to a site that gives more information about hoverflies.

A Batman Hoverfly feeding on hogweed flowers — **Batman Hoverfly. The eyes are close together, indicating this is a male.**

But an insect I often see is the Thick-legged flower beetle and these colourful little insects are a favourite of mine. And unmistakable once you’ve seen one!

Thick-legged flower beetle on a buttercup — **Thick-legged Flower Beetle. Only the male has those large thighs.**

Flowers

I was very happy to see a few flowers on the old Horse Chestnut tree. This is probably one of the original trees planted when the cemetery was being laid out prior to its opening in 1847. As far as tree flowers go, I think this is one of the prettiest to be found on our native trees.

I saw carpets of Wild Garlic, also known as Ramsons, throughout the cemetery although they reached their peak early in the month. The rain and wind has flattened most of them now.

A carpet of white Wild Garlic flowers in the cemetery sunshine — **Wild Garlic**

There are plenty of Oxeye daisies growing on the grass verge alongside the cemetery. They seem very attractive to the smallest branch of the cemetery wildlife, including this tiny fly. I haven’t been able to precisely identify it, other than it being a Phania of some sort.

An Oxeye daisy with a tiny fly on it — **Oxeye Daisy and fly**

Other white flowers I saw this month were Common Chickweed, clover and Campion. I also saw several Red Campion plants growing along the grass verge, and some Knapweed. There are also some Dog-roses growing in the cemetery itself.

The pink flowers of the Red Campion — **Red Campion (above)**

The pink flowers of the Knapweed plant — **Knapweed (above)**

A pale pink Dog-rose with raindrops on it in the cemetery — **Dog-rose**

The thistles all over the grass verge have grown rather tall during the month, and a few are now in flower. But not all of them are pink. I noticed one with yellow flowers, and this is a Prickly Sowthistle. I also saw some Smooth Sowthistle growing in the same area.

Two photos showing the yellow flowers of the Prickly Sowthistle and the Smooth Sowthistle — **Prickly Sowthistle (left) and Smooth Sowthistle (right)**

Conclusion

The cemetery wildlife continues to thrive. New life is all around, including this squirrel. It seems to be a youngster as I’d never seen it before this month. Its extra red hairs, especially on its tail, makes it stand out from the rest of the cemetery’s squirrel population. The photo doesn’t quite do it justice, however, as that red colouration is much more noticeable in real life!

A grey squirrel with extra red coloration sitting in a tree — **Your Squirrel of the month. See you same time next month!**

Wonderful Wildlife – Friends Of Hull General Cemetery

ID Guide Hoverflies – British Naturalists’ Association (bna-naturalists.org)

Helen Bovill

BURIAL RECORDS & PHOTO PROJECT – Update

May 24, 2024 by Helen Bovillin News4 Comments

After numerous grant applications, many unsuccessful, we are delighted to announce that Friends of Hull General Cemetery (FoHGC) now have sufficient funds to proceed with the publication of a free, searchable database of 54,500 burials in Hull General Cemetery on a brand new website. In addition there will be photographs of existing headstones, memorials, and other visible indications of graves, where they still exist.

MANY THANKS to Sir James Reckitt Charity, Hull & East Riding Charitable Trust, Dogger Bank Wind Farm Community Fund, and Hull City Council Ward Budget Funding for their generous contributions to this valuable project which now has a secure future for the next five years.

A contract has just been signed with It’seeze who will complete the project which a number of volunteers began some years ago.

Four logos showing the sponsors of the project

(Words by Karen Towner)

Helen Bovill

Cemetery Wildlife – April 2024

April 30, 2024 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife2 Comments

It might seem strange to be starting this report with a photo that was so obviously NOT taken in the cemetery. After all, this is about the cemetery wildlife! However, I’m pretty certain that this Mallard and her nine ducklings had just come out of the cemetery and were heading down Princes Avenue and towards Pearson Park, which is less than half a mile from the cemetery. There was no doubt in my mind that this was where she was heading.

If I’d been at that point on Spring Bank West just a minute earlier then I’m sure I would have seen them coming out of the cemetery. One of our volunteers told me he’s occasionally seen a Mallard in there. Also, a few years ago a regular cemetery user showed me some footage he’d taken of a Mallard leading some ducklings through the cemetery. I knew this was genuine because I recognised one of the headstones in the video.

Obviously I wasn’t going to just walk past – I decided to escort them to the park, making sure I kept a respectful distance to avoid scaring them.

3 photos of a mallard walking up the street with 9 ducklings — **Heading up the road – along Princes Avenue and then crossing Welbeck Street.**

I kept them on the footpath until she decided to cross the road. I held up the traffic on one side of the road; a kind passer-by held up the traffic on the other side. Both the drivers that had to stop were smiling and one had his phone out, recording the event.

I followed her into Pearson Park – she seemed to know the way.

3 photos of a mallard and her 9 ducklings in the park — **The Mallard family reaches Pearson Park. She seems to know the way to the pond.**

I then watched as she coaxed all nine ducklings into the water.

A mallard and her 9 ducklings entering a pond — **Made it!**

Birds

After this unexpected encounter I decided to find out a bit more about Mallards, this common duck most of us see in our local parks and take very much for granted. Although they occasionally nest in trees, they usually nest on the ground, in dense foliage to keep hidden from predators. She would have laid her eggs over a period of a few days, and then once she’d finished, she would then have started to incubate them. Incubation takes around 4 weeks, so she could have been there in the cemetery for well over a month, quietly concealed from predators who could have taken her eggs.

The ducklings all hatch within a few minutes of each other and are mobile within a few hours of hatching. These would have been less than 24 hours old, and ready to take to the water. But the cemetery has no natural source of water so they couldn’t stay there any longer.

I saw plenty of our usual birds in the cemetery in April – Blue, Great and Coal tits, Bullfinches, Chaffinches and Goldfinches, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons and Stock Doves. Our seasonal visitors, the Chiffchaffs, were in fine and distinctive voice all month. I was very pleased to see a Mistle Thrush – I usually just see Song Thrushes in the cemetery.

Here are just a few members of the avian branch of the cemetery wildlife as they go about their daily lives.

A mistle thrush high up in a tree — **Mistle Thrush (above)**

I saw several of them gathering nesting material, and I noticed some of the smaller birds checking out the nest boxes. I haven’t seen any fledgelings yet.

Insects

Butterflies

April was a very good month for butterflies, provided the days were sunny, reasonably warm and not too windy. I saw my first Speckled Woods, Large Whites, Small Whites and Green-veined Whites of the year – it’s always a delight to see this most colourful branch of the cemetery wildlife. Last to make an appearance, on the last day of the month, were the Orange Tips.

A speckled wood butterfly in the cemetery — **Speckled wood (above)**

The Small White is slightly smaller and has less black markings on the edge of the upper wings. The male has one spot on each wing.

Two Green-veined White butterflies mating on a cow parsley leaf — **Green-veined Whites mating (above). The male is at the top.**

An Orange Tip butterfly on a garlic mustard flower in the cemetery — Orange Tip (female) on a garlic mustard flower, their favoured food plant. The alternating black and white bars along the edge of the wings, and the distinctive mottled effect underneath the wings, set this apart from other white butterflies. Only the male has orange wing tips.

All the butterflies I’d seen for the first time in February and March also made several appearances during the month. One thing I found most surprising was the fact that although I saw my first male Brimstone of the year in mid-March, it wasn’t until mid-April that I saw my first female. However, females do emerge slightly later than the males but not usually that much later. I saw a total of ten different species of butterfly in the cemetery or on the Spring Bank West verge this month.

Two brimstone butterflies in flight — **Brimstones (above). The female is on the left and the male on the right.**

Bees, Flies and Bugs

I took part in the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge this month. Running for 4 days from 26 to 29 April, its aim was to encourage the observing and recording of nature throughout the UK. Hull took part for the first time last year and it was such a success that the city took part again this year.

Although I visited several parts of the city to see and record as many species as possible, the vast majority of my observations were of the Hull General cemetery wildlife. It made me look even more closely at all our insects, and I saw my first-ever Sun fly.

That distinctive striped head made it stand out from all the other hoverflies I saw in April. I also saw several types of bee including Red, Buff and White-tailed Bumblebees, Mining Bees and Honey Bees.

Tawny Mining bee on a leaf — **Tawny Mining Bee (above)**

A honey bee on a dandelion in the cemetery — **Western Honey Bee**

I also saw an abundance of Ladybirds – native British ones as well as Harlequins.

7-spot ladybirds mating — **7-spot Ladybirds**

I also saw a Green Shield Bug.

A Green Shield bug on a leaf — **Green Shield Bug**

Plants

The iNaturalist challenge also included plants, and I enjoyed looking more closely at some of the many plants, large and small, that we have in the cemetery. Here are some of them – the Bluebells are at their peak just now.

Dove's-foot Crane's-bill growing near a headstone in the cemetery — **Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (above)**

Quince growing in the cemetery — **Quince (above)**

Bluebells growing near a grave in the cemetery — **Bluebells (above). These are Spanish ones rather than the native British ones.**

Cowslips growing near the entrance to the cemetery — **Cowslips growing just inside the cemetery gates.**

During the 4 days of the iNaturalist challenge, I saw nearly 100 different species of flora and fauna in the cemetery, and it could easily have been more as I missed some obvious ones. Everything was eligible, even the humble dandelion! And Hull as a city did extremely well in the overall scores at the end of the event. Please see the link at the end of my report for more information.

Conclusion

April was a month of mixed fortunes, weather-wise. There were some warm, sunny days but a much colder than average spell at the end of the month. There were rainy days and some extremely windy ones, resulting in some large branches falling across the footpaths. But the cemetery wildlife was thriving this month, and the very last day was very warm – warmer than average for the month.

A squirrel perched on a headstone in the cemetery — **Squirrel of the month. See you next time!**

Link to iNaturalist’s City Nature Challenge –

City Nature Challenge 2024: UK Leaderboard · iNaturalist United Kingdom

Helen Bovill

Cemetery Wildlife – March 2024

March 30, 2024 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife2 Comments

For me, nothing signals the start of spring more than the sound of a Chiffchaff singing, so let’s start this month with a song! There’s a link at the end of this report with some more information and a sample of one singing. The cemetery wildlife had a mixed bag of weather to contend with in March, but when the sun came out there was plenty to sing about. There was rain on quite a few days, but no really heavy showers. However, even a modest fall was enough to create puddles on and around the footpaths due to the ground still being saturated from all the winter rain.

Birds

I watched the above Chiffchaff high up in the trees. Occasionally it would swoop lower, catch something in mid-air, and then fly back up. They do eat flies, but whatever it was catching was far too small for me to see at such a distance.

I noticed one of the local Chaffinches making good use of one of those muddy puddles.

A male chaffinch bathing in a puddle in the cemetery — **Chaffinch (male)**

I kept regularly seeing male and female Bullfinches in the cemetery this month. This is not something I would have expected to be saying a year ago, when they were quite a rare sight here.

I regularly see small groups of Goldfinches and hear them chattering to each other as they flit from tree to tree.

A goldfinch high in a tree in the cemetery — **Goldfinch, fluffed up to keep warm on a cold windy day!**

I saw plenty of members of the tit family in the cemetery including Great Tits, a couple of Coal Tits, Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits.

Wrens and Robins were in fine voice as the breeding season got underway.

A wren singing in a tree in the cemetery — **Wren (above)**

A singing robin perched on a fence post — **Robin in the Quaker Burial Ground. The pastel colours in the background are a mural on a wall near Thoresby Street school.**

I also caught a brief glimpse of a Treecreeper, quickly winding its way up a tree. And I had some distant views of a Great Spotted Woodpecker. But the most surprising sight this month was a Siskin. They’re the same size as Goldfinches, and it was with a small group of them. They’re normally seen in small flocks, making me think it might have got separated from its own flock and ended up with some Goldfinches.

Insects

Butterflies

The most colourful branch of the cemetery wildlife kept me delighted every sunny day this month. I saw my first Peacock of the year, mid-month, on the verge alongside the cemetery on Spring Bank West.

Peacocks spend winter as adults, so they can sometimes be a little battered when they first venture out. In the first photo you can see the edges of the lower wings have parts missing. For comparison, the one on the right, which I saw at the end of the month, is in much better condition.

I also saw my first Brimstone of the year, again on the verge alongside the cemetery. This was also during the middle of the month. I saw them a few times after that. They also spend winter as adults.

A male Brimstone butterfly on a daffodil — **Brimstone (male)**

The biggest surprise was seeing my first Holly Blue of the year, again on the Spring Bank West verge. This was on 26th March, the earliest one I’ve ever seen. These butterflies spend winter as pupae.

Two photos of a Holly Blue butterfly - one with wings open, the other with wings closed, feeding on acelandine — **The same Holly Blue (male) showing wings open and closed**

I also saw a lone Small Tortoiseshell on a few days.

A small tortoiseshell butterfly resting on a spotted laurel leaf — **Small Tortoiseshell on Spotted Laurel**

But the species I saw most often in March was the Comma. I saw at least one, sometimes two or three, every sunny day I walked past the verge.

An orange Comma butterfly on dandelion — **Comma**

Other insects

I saw my first Bee-fly of the year on the Spring Bank West verge. I watched it feeding on a daffodil before coming to a rest on a dead leaf. Although the daffodils here are cultivated flowers, planted several years ago by volunteers, they still provide a good source of food for the cemetery wildlife.

A Bee-fly on a dead leaf — **Bee-fly. Note the pollen on the lower part of its front legs.**

I also saw a Birch shield bug, this time inside the cemetery. This species is noticeably smaller than the similar-looking Hawthorn shield bug.

Birch Shield bug on a freshly opened leaf — **Birch Shield Bug**

I saw lots of other flies, hoverflies and bumblebees on the wing along the verge, including these Buff-tailed bumblebees.

Two buff-tailed bumblebees - one on a dandelion, the other in flight — **Buff-tailed bumblebees. Note the mites on the side of the head of the one on the dandelion.**

There was an abundance of ladybirds everywhere I looked – native ones such as the Seven-spot, plus harlequin ones. Look out for some of them on this next set of photos!

Plants

There was an explosion of colour in March. The verge really came into its own with a carpet of bright yellow celandines and dandelions for the early insects to feed upon. Yellow was still the predominant flower colour, especially true of the Forsythia growing near the cemetery gates. I saw how it changed from a mass of just yellow flowers at the start of the month to a mixture of flowers and fresh, bright green leaves at the end of the month. Berberis and Mahonia are now starting to flower.

I was pleased to see the first Cowslips of the year, and also Yellow Archangel. And so often overlooked is Groundsel, its flowers looking more like buds than fully developed blooms.

I was relieved the Wood Anemones had survived the wet winter. I don’t recall seeing their buds – only the fully opened flowers. And the Cow Parsley is just starting to flower – another source of nectar for the cemetery wildlife.

After all this yellow and white, it was nice to find some other coloured flowers. The first ones I saw were on some Pulmonaria growing in the Quaker Burial Ground. This is a cultivated plant rather than a wild one, but it still provides a good source of nectar, especially for bees. I found Periwinkle in several places throughout the cemetery, just starting to flower.

But the plant I was most surprised to find was Greek Anemone. It’s not native to the UK but can become naturalised. This is what must have happened here, as I found it in two random, partially shaded places.

I found some Red Dead-nettle growing on the verge, and some Herb Robert inside the cemetery.

Conclusion

The transition from winter to spring saw a real growth spurt in the cemetery’s flora, helped no doubt by the mix of rain and warm sunshine. I saw lots of green shoots and buds on many of the trees. This has provided some fresh greens for the cemetery wildlife to eat.

A Horse chestnut leaf bud against a blue sky — **Horse Chestnut**

I didn’t find any fungus of note this month. I heard a fox on a couple of evenings but didn’t manage to see one – they are very elusive as they go about their daily (and nightly) business. So it’s down to the Squirrels to represent the cemetery’s mammals this month as usual.

A squirrel sitting on a graveside kerb in the cemetery — **Squirrel of the month. See you next time!**

Link to Chiffchaff information –

Chiffchaff Bird Facts | Phylloscopus Collybita (rspb.org.uk)

Helen Bovill

Cemetery Wildlife – February 2024

February 29, 2024 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife2 Comments

It might seem odd to start the report for a winter month with a butterfly, but this is indicative of the variety of weather we had in February. There were a few days of heavy rain and the ground soon became saturated again. Then there were some milder, sunny days towards the end of the month and this is when I saw my first butterfly of the year – the above Comma, on the grass verge alongside the cemetery on Spring Bank West. I saw it on 20 February. The insect branch of the cemetery wildlife has now started to wake up.

Insects

That was one of two Commas I saw that day, together with this Small Tortoiseshell.

An orange and black Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on a dock leaf — **Small Tortoiseshell**

Both species spend winter in their adult form, hibernating in various places. The UK has five species of butterfly that hibernate in their adult form, the other three being Brimstone, Peacock and Red Admiral. I’ve seen all those species in and alongside the cemetery and will report on them as soon as I see them.

As a result of overwintering in this form for several months, the first butterflies that emerge can sometimes look a bit faded or battered. Both have small sections missing from their wings, and some scratch marks on them. But overwintering in this form gives them a flying start over other species when it comes to getting on with the serious business of eating and then mating.

Please see the link at the end of my report for more information on butterfly hibernation.

I also saw my first bumblebee of the year, again on the grass verge. It was too quick for me to get a photo, but it looked like a buff-tailed one. I saw several ladybirds – native 7-spot ones and some harlequin ones. I also saw various types of hoverflies including Marmalade hoverflies and this Common drone fly.

A drone fly on a dandelion in the cemetery — **Common drone fly**

Plants

Daffodils are now starting to flower all around the cemetery. Although these were planted by volunteers several years ago and are not wildflowers, they’re still worthy of a mention because they provide a good source of nectar for pollinating insects. They seem to flower earlier each year – this photo was taken on 2 February.

Two daffodils in the cemetery, with a small marmalade hoverfly just showing inside one of the flowers — **Daffodils**

As you can see, there is a small hoverfly just visible in the one on the left, although both flowers had a hoverfly inside them.

But the wildflower I’m always happiest to see is the Lesser Celandine and after a slow start in January, they are now in flower all over the cemetery and along the grass verge. They look simply glorious and provide an important source of nectar for those early butterflies.

Two photos, each showing two bright yellow lesser celandine flowers — **Lesser Celandines in 3D. The leaf with the hole in it is Garlic Mustard**

The number of petals varies from flower to flower. When researching how many they should have, a figure of 8-12 seemed to be the consensus. But the flower at the top has 13 petals and the one below has 15!

I’ve presented this photo in 3D because it makes it a lot easier for me to count petals and identify which flower belongs to which leaf and so on. If you’re one of those people that managed to master the art of viewing those “Magic Eye” pictures that were popular in the 1990s then you should be able to see the 3D effect too.

I was also very happy to see buds on one of the small Quince bushes inside the cemetery.

The pale red flowers of the quince with droplets of rainwater on them — **Quince**

The Forsythia growing at the side of the cemetery gates is now in flower, but this is just the beginning. It will look even better by mid-March when all the flowers are open but just before the leaves have started to emerge.

The bright yellow flowers of the Forsythia with a small 7-spot ladybird on the branch — **Forsythia with 7-spot ladybird**

Another shrub where the flowers appear before the leaves is Blackthorn. I was away on holiday for a week in mid-February, and was amazed to see how many flowers were open when I checked on my return. There hadn’t been any open at the start of the month. May used to be the month when I’d notice a big difference after a week away; this seems to be happening earlier now.

The white flowers of the blackthorn tree inside the cemetery — **Blackthorn growing alongside the north path**

The Common Dog-violets that had just started to flower in January are now in full bloom.

Tiny purple common dog-violets growing on a grave in the cemetery — **Common Dog-violets**

There are still plenty of snowdrops of various types in flower, but I noticed that most are past their best now. Many had been nibbled by the cemetery wildlife.

Double snowdrops on a grass verge — **Double snowdrops**

Birds

The avian branch of the cemetery wildlife is flourishing, and all my walks around the cemetery were accompanied by birdsong. The birds I saw most often were Blue Tits – they seem to be the commonest species in the cemetery.

Two blue tits in a tree in the cemetery — **Blue Tits**

I also saw plenty of Great Tits and Long-tailed Tits, but only a couple of Coal Tits.

I caught several glimpses of Bullfinches in the cemetery and at one point saw two females. Added to the two males I saw in January that makes four different birds in total.

A female Bullfinch perched in a tree in the cemetery — **Bullfinch (female)**

I saw small flocks of Goldfinches in the cemetery, and plenty of Chaffinches too.

Female Chaffinch perched on a branch — **Chaffinch (female)**

I was delighted to see a Great Spotted Woodpecker high up in the trees. I’ve only ever managed to catch the occasional glimpse of one over many years, so this was a rare treat.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker perched up high in a tree — **Great Spotted Woodpecker – the red on top of the head is just visible, indicating that this is a male**

I saw lots of Wood Pigeons and a few Stock Doves, Blackbirds, Carrion Crows and Magpies. I also saw a Song Thrush, foraging for berries amongst the ivy.

The back view of a Song Thrush perched amongst some ivy — **Song Thrush**

So far this year I’ve seen a total of 18 different species of bird in the cemetery, and I have high hopes that this will have risen to well over 20 by the end of the year.

Fungi

Just a quick mention of the most mysterious branch of the cemetery wildlife. At the start of the year, and before the nesting season begins, the volunteers clear ivy and other plants from the headstones and a small area around them. They found several fallen branches with jelly fungus on them including this fine specimen, yet to be eaten by the cemetery wildlife. I must add that these branches were either left in situ or carefully moved to a safe place nearby.

A jelly fungus on a rotting branch inside the cemetery — **Jelly Fungus**

This is the general type I saw most often in February – I didn’t notice any of the upright ones such as Inkcaps.

Conclusion

February was a month of mixed weather but nothing too extreme, and this allowed the cemetery wildlife to flourish. With lots of bright yellow flowers everywhere and the occasional burst of warm sunshine to awaken early butterflies, it felt more like spring than winter.

A grey squirrel in a tree, with blue sky in the background — **Squirrel of the month. See you next time!**

How to spot hibernating butterflies | National Trust

Helen Bovill

Cemetery Wildlife – January 2024

January 29, 2024 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife1 Comment

The year started off with a beautifully sunny day and temperatures of just a few degrees. Then there was a day of heavy rain. Then we had some dry, cool days, allowing the footpaths around the cemetery to slowly begin to dry out. In the middle of the month Hull had about a week of very cold, frosty days with sub-zero temperatures. This was followed by two named storms in quick succession. I’m happy to report the high winds didn’t cause any major damage to any of the trees in the cemetery. But generally, it has been quite a dry January. The cemetery wildlife has been as active as ever with good numbers of birds around.

Birds

Small Birds

The featured photo this month shows two Robins that I saw on one of my many walks around the cemetery. They’re very territorial birds but these two seemed to be tolerant of each other. This suggests they’re probably a couple, paired up and looking for a suitable nesting site.

I was delighted to get a few brief glimpses of a Goldcrest, searching for tiny insects in the Ivy. The cemetery provides excellent habitat for them, but they’re very difficult to see.

A Goldcrest amongst the Ivy — **Goldcrest (male)**

They’re very similar to the much rarer Firecrest – please see the link at the end of the report for more information.

I saw the 3 Bullfinches I mentioned last month on numerous occasions. I still find it a delight to see that distinctive shade of salmon pink up in the trees.

Two male bullfinches high up in the trees in the cemetery — **Bullfinches (both male)**

I’ve also seen lots of Chaffinches in the cemetery, and Goldfinches too, often in small, highly vocal flocks.

A back view of a Goldfinch perched on a branch in the cemetery — **Goldfinch**

I saw a Dunnock, and plenty of Great Tits and Blue Tits this month. Blue Tits seem to be the most numerous of the cemetery’s bird species. And high up in the trees I sometimes caught brief glimpses of a fast-moving flock of Long-tailed Tits. One day some of them came lower down and one landed in a tree quite close to where I was standing.

A Long-tailed tit perched on a branch in the sunshine — **Long-tailed Tit**

The avian branch of the cemetery wildlife seems to be thriving at the moment and I’m sure the close proximity to houses on the northern boundary has helped them. Several of their gardens, I’m sure, will have bird feeders and sources of water in them. Shelter too. The RSPB’s “Big Garden Birdwatch” took place during the last weekend of the month and this might well have motivated people to put out food and water to attract them.

Larger Birds

I saw Blackbirds, Carrion Crows and Magpies as usual this month, and caught a brief glimpse of a thrush. It was too quick for me to tell which species it was – Song or Mistle – though. I saw two Stock Doves this month.

Stock Dove in a tree in the cemetery — **Stock Dove – one of a pair seen regularly in the area near the Cholera Monument**

However, they’re not an abundant species – the main species of larger bird is the Wood Pigeon and I saw several of these all over the cemetery. They’re bigger than Stock Doves and have a white patch at each side of the neck and different coloured eyes.

A wood pigeon on a gravestone in the cemetery — **Wood Pigeon**

I often see them on the ground and perching on the headstones. But if you hear a loud flapping noise high up in the trees, look up and you’ll probably see one, reaching for the berries of the most abundant plant in the cemetery.

Plants

Plants – fruit

That most abundant plant is Ivy and its berries are now ripe and ready for the cemetery wildlife to eat! This plant is very beneficial to wildlife, providing food and shelter. Where it acts as ground cover it helps keep the area free of frost, making foraging easier.

I noticed some of the Pyracantha bushes still had berries on them, and the Holly and Berberis too. In addition I found a Rowan (also known as Mountain Ash) with some berries on it.

One of the rowan trees in the cemetery, with red berries on it — **Rowan or Mountain Ash**

Plants – flowering

The council finally cut the grass verge along Spring Bank West during the first part of the month. This took place just in time to avoid damaging any of the newly emerging plants. It looks like it was given a high cut, leaving some of the lower greenery intact.

Frosty leaves on the grass verge — **Three seasons in one – autumn decay, spring growth and winter frost**

Soon after the cut, I couldn’t find any flowers along the verge so I ventured inside the cemetery to see what I could find. There was nothing lower down, and it was too early for Blackthorn, but I found some catkins on one of the cemetery’s hazel trees.

Catkins - the flowers of the hazel tree — **Hazel**

Then towards the end of the month clusters of snowdrops started to emerge and flower all over the cemetery. I found at least two different types this month. Note how both have been nibbled by the cemetery wildlife.

A group of snowdrops with single petals — **Snowdrops – single petals (above)**

A group of snowdrops with double petals — **Snowdrops – double petals**

I walked past the grass verge most days, but it wasn’t until the last weekend of the month that I found some flowers growing again, a couple of weeks after it had been cut.

A dandelion growing low amongst the grass — **Dandelion, with a very short stem**

I was also delighted to see my first fully-opened Lesser Celandines of the year, and my first Marmalade Hoverfly of the year on one of the flowers!

A Marmalade Hoverfly on the yellow flower of a Lesser celandine — **Lesser Celandine with Marmalade Hoverfly (female)**

Then back inside the cemetery, I found a common dog-violet in flower. I don’t recall seeing one flowering so early in previous years.

The small purple flower of the common dog-violet growing near a gravestone in the cemetery — **Common dog-violet**

Conclusion

January has been quite a varied month, weather-wise. Even after a day of persistent rain at the end of the month, the footpaths are still easier to walk on than they were last month. The Council provided us with some chippings from some branches they removed from one of the trees overhanging the footpath and road on Spring Bank West. We used these to repair a small area of the southern footpath.

I found a few types of fungi in the cemetery but nothing I hadn’t seen in previous months. Early in the month I was delighted to catch a brief glimpse of a fox one morning. But I’ll end this report, as usual, with the main representative of the mammalian branch of the cemetery wildlife.

Three squirrels sitting on some of the flat headstones in the cemetery — **On the headstones near the northern path to Western cemetery. See you next time!**

The difference between Goldcrest and Firecrest –

British Garden Birds – Goldcrest (garden-birds.co.uk)

Helen Bovill

Cemetery Wildlife – December 2023

December 31, 2023December 31, 2023 by Helen Bovillin Wildlife1 Comment

The month started off very cold and frosty, and there was even a light dusting of snow one day. The cemetery always looks lovely when covered in snow, but it wasn’t deep enough for the spectacular look that used to be a regular sight every winter. Nevertheless I managed a quick visit before the snow thawed, and found some fox footprints at the eastern end. Proper cemetery wildlife rather than just that of a dog, although the two can look similar!

Fox footprints in the cemetery snow — **Fox footprints**

It was also a very wet month, with some heavy rainfall leaving wet puddles everywhere. After one night of particularly heavy rain a hole opened up in the ground near one of the graves, exposing some of its foundations. The month ended with some mild but very windy weather, bringing down plenty of small branches and also a couple of larger ones.

Birds

It’s a lot easier to spot the avian branch of the cemetery wildlife at this time of the year, with many of the trees being bereft of their leaves. I was delighted to see bullfinches on a number of occasions and counted a total of three – two males and one female. I watched one of the males flying down low, grabbing something in his beak and then flying back up to a higher branch. It turned out he was eating wood avens seeds, a small plant that grows all over the cemetery and has tiny yellow flowers in the spring. After a few hours of working in the cemetery or just walking around with my camera, I always end up with some of these seeds attached to my clothes. But they are obviously appreciated by these stunning birds!

Two photos, one showing a male bullfinch and the other showing a female bullfinch, in the cemetery trees — **Bullfinches – male (left) and female (right)**

There are three different species in the cemetery that have large areas of feathers in shades of pink/red – bullfinch, chaffinch and robin. But as you can see there are subtle differences to those shades.

A male chaffinch on a branch in the cemetery — **Chaffinch (male, above)**

A robin on a headstone in the Quaker Burial Ground — **Robin in the Quaker Burial Ground**

Goldfinches also have red feathers, albeit just a small area around the face, and which is absent in juvenile birds.

A goldfinch on a branch in the cemetery — **Goldfinch**

I see these most days now, and counted a small flock of six at one point. The collective name for goldfinches is a charm, and they certainly are charming little birds.

I also saw a slightly larger flock of long-tailed tits, high up in the trees.

A long-tailed tit perched high up in a tree in the cemetery — **Long-tailed tit**

Nest box survey

The volunteers did this during the middle of the month – a little later than usual due to the wet weather. It’s a job best done when it isn’t raining. This is the fourth year we’ve been doing these surveys.

We should have a total of 57 boxes in the cemetery but we were only able to locate and check 50 of them. 26 of them showed signs of having been used at some point during the year. This gave us an occupancy rate of 52%. I’ve counted the two owl boxes at the western end of the cemetery as having been used due to them containing nest material, although there was no evidence to suggest they’d been used by owls. They had most probably been used by either wood pigeons or stock doves. And as we were checking one of the boxes, a squirrel shot out of it, followed by another one and then at least two more! None were babies but were probably juveniles born in the summer. I’m sure our activities hadn’t adversely affected them – just look at my last photo!

A collection of leaves and twigs removed from one of the owl nest boxes — **The contents of one of the owl boxes**

This occupancy rate is lower than the 61% of last year’s survey. I noticed in last year’s survey that several of the original boxes had been used every year but this year 5 of those boxes had not been used for the first time. The majority of our boxes have been in place since 2019 and are now around 5 years old, so it could be that they’re starting to deteriorate and are less attractive to the birds. However, the main species that use the boxes are blue tits and great tits, yet I haven’t noticed a decline in their numbers.

Plants

I don’t have much to report this month as very few of our plants are in flower. The musk mallow, one of the wildflowers we planted in November 2022, and which started flowering in June this year, is still flowering. I had feared it might have been killed by last month’s frost but it survived. It’s a welcome addition to the Spring Bank West grass verge and it will be interesting to see how much longer it continues to produce flowers.

The pink flowers of the Musk Mallow — **Musk mallow**

I saw a few dandelions flowering in the grass verge alongside Spring Bank West. At the end of the month I noticed that the lesser celandines had started to grow. I even found a few buds on some of them, and an almost-open flower.

An almost-open lesser celandine flower — **Lesser celandine**

There is a large Forsythia growing at the side of the main entrance, and I found buds on that too.

A small yellow forsythia flower and buds near the cemetery gates — **Forsythia flower. The green shoots are also flower buds – the leaves appear after the plant has flowered**

One of the snowdrops the volunteers planted in the Quaker Burial Ground a couple of years ago is now in flower. But last year they had started flowering well before Christmas.

A lone snowdrop in the Quaker burial ground section of the cemetery, with the houses on Spring Bank West in the background — **Snowdrop (photo taken 30 December)**

Elsewhere in and around the cemetery there are still plenty of berries for the cemetery wildlife to eat. The lead photo shows a male blackbird eating some of the berries on a variegated holly tree. That tree is in the central part of the cemetery. I took this next photo on a frosty morning at the start of the month.

The red berries of the pyracantha with a light covering of frost — **Pyracantha berries**

Fungi and Lichen

I found a few types of fungi including some jelly ones, and this large bracket earlier in the month. I checked it a couple of weeks later and it hadn’t been affected by the snow.

A large bracket fungus growing on a tree in the cemetery, with a light dusting of snow — **Bracket Fungus**

I also found a nice example of turkey tail fungus on a tree near the centre of the cemetery. Parts of it showed evidence of having been nibbled by the cemetery wildlife.

Turkey tail fungus growing on a tree branch in the cemetery — **Turkey tail**

December’s high winds left the ground littered with fallen branches. This gave me the opportunity to examine, close-up, the lichen covering many of those small and medium-sized branches. I don’t think I’ve mentioned lichen before, which is the result of a partnership between fungus and algae. The most common one in the cemetery is this – the common orange or yellow scale lichen. Please see the link at the end of this report for more information on this fascinating organism.

Yellow lichen on a fallen branch in the cemetery — **Common orange or yellow scale lichen**

Conclusion

Winter has now arrived, but there are many signs of autumn still present. On one of the milder days I noticed the sunlight catching a cluster of small insects in flight, probably flies of some sort. At the end of the month some of the late winter flowers had already started to appear, and the month ended on a mild rainy note. The ground is still very wet and the footpaths muddy, making the conditions less than ideal for humans. However, the cemetery wildlife has not been affected, and there is plenty of food and water to sustain it as we head into January.

Two squirrels at the entrance to one of the cemetery's owl nest boxes — **Two squirrels for you this month, at the entrance to the owl nest box I mentioned earlier. See you in 2024!**

Some more information on lichen –

What is Lichen? 7 Lichens Found on Trees – Woodland Trust

Helen Bovill