Renée Greyer led a walk at Aldermoors Local Nature Reserve and Ashenbury Park, Woodley on Saturday 13 April. It was a bright afternoon with intermittent sunshine but the air was cold. Common Whitlow-grass, Shining and Hedgerow Crane’s-bill and Sticky Mouse-ear were all found in the car park, while Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill and Common Stork’s-bill were seen on an adjacent road-side verge. The route then led into the woodland of Aldermoors reserve, where there were sheets of Wood Anemones and the first Bluebell flowers. The only butterfly of the afternoon, a female Orange-tip, was seen here. Flowers of Moschatel, Ground-ivy, Wood Forget-me-not and Wood-sorrel were found beside the path. The bright yellow flowers of Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage lit up the ground in a damp gulley and more plants were seen on the banks of the stream which runs through the reserve. The calls of Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush and Wren were heard. Continuing through the woodland, Primrose, Greater Stitchwort, Lesser Celandine and Common Dog-violet were added to the tally of spring flowers. The next part of the walk was across the open grassland of Ashenbury Park, a restored landfill site. Rabbits were quite numerous. Round the edge of the park, the Blackthorn blossom was mostly over, the Field Maple blossom was fully out and the first Hawthorn blossom was just beginning to come out. One slope was covered by a sea of Hemlock. A Mistle Thrush was foraging on the grass in the far corner of the park. The return route led round the edge of a gravel pit, where a few Mallards and Coots and a Mute Swan were seen. Near the top end of the lake, there was a small patch of ancient woodland with Wood Spurge, Bluebells and Wood Anemones.
Wood Anemone 
Common Dog-violet 
Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage 
Wood Forget-me-not 
Wood-sorrel 
Mistle Thrush
Pictures by Fiona Brown and Laurie Haseler
| Plants seen: | |
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Common Whitlow-grass | Erophila verna |
| Shining Crane’s-bill | Geranium lucidum |
| Hedgerow Crane’s-bill | Geranium pyrenaicum |
| Sticky Mouse-ear | Cerastium glomeratum |
| Common Field-Speedwell | Veronica persica |
| Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill | Geranium molle |
| Common Vetch | Vicia sativa |
| Common Stork’s-bill | Erodium cicutarium |
| Lords-and-Ladies | Arum maculatum |
| Wood Anemone | Anemone nemorosa |
| Bluebell | Hyacinthoides non-scripta |
| Dog’s Mercury | Mercurialis perennis |
| Ivy-leaved Speedwell | Veronica hederifolia |
| Ground-ivy | Glechoma hederacea |
| Lesser Celandine | Ficaria verna |
| Moschatel, Townhouse Clock | Adoxa moschatellina |
| Wood-sorrel | Oxalis acetosella |
| Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage | Saxifraga oppositifolia |
| Primrose | Primula vulgaris |
| Common Dog-violet | Viola riviniana |
| Red Currant | Ribes rubrum |
| Garlic Mustard | Alliaria petiolata |
| Wavy Bitter-cress | Cardamine flexuosa |
| Wood Forget-me-not | Myosotis sylvatica |
| Brooklime | Veronica beccabunga |
| Greater Stitchwort | Stellaria holostea |
| Hemlock | Conium maculatum |
| Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill | Geranium dissectum |
| Blackthorn | Prunus spinosa |
| Field Maple | Acer campestris |
| Hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna |
| Wood Spurge | Euphorbia amygdaloides |
| Mammals: | |
| Rabbit | Oryctolagus caniculus |
| Birds: | |
| Blackcap | Sylvia atricapilla |
| Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita |
| Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes |
| Great Tit | Parus major |
| Nuthatch | Sitta europaea |
| Song Thrush | Turdus philomelos |
| Jay | Garrulus glandarius |
| Mistle Thrush | Turdus viscivorus |
| Red Kite | Milvus milvus |
| Insects: | |
| Orange-tip | Anthocharis cardamines |
List by Renée Greyer