Winter on the heath

A frosty heathland view is a sight to behold – if you’re wrapped up appropriately!

There’s something magical about a visit to the heath on a crisp winter’s morning.

Memories of long, warm evenings full of churring nightjars, fluting woodlarks and the buzzing of little winged things may have begun to fade. However, the sight of an icy sea of glistening spiders’ webs, adorning frost-encrusted heather, is a joy to behold. The orangey-glow from a low-hanging wintry sun, lights-up each web, and brings a warmth to the soul, if not to chilly fingers and toes. Keep an eye out for winter flowering gorse, bringing a bright yellow exuberance to the scene.

Dartford warbler-brrrrr!

On these bitterly cold occasions, spare a thought for our Dartford warblers. These chirpy little birds, unlike most other warblers – which are sensibly sunning themselves somewhere in sub-Saharan Africa – elect to brave a winter in the UK, rather than journey south to warmer climes. They seek solace in the depths of dense gorse bushes, busily foraging for the very spiders that make the shimmering webs. If the temperature drops too low for too long, they’re at risk of perishing.

Wish them luck!

Soggy, misty mornings, on the other hand, are a bit too Wuthering Heights for my liking – but that’s another story!

Michael
Education Officer

P.S. Why not download our winter spotter activity sheet?

Enjoy some wintry fun on your local heath with your family and see if you can can find some key species and evidence that valuable conservation work has been taking place.

[Click to open and download]