Country diary: quiet eye of the urban storm

Gosforth Park nature reserve, Newcastle: Among the calling of birds and the swishing of reeds, only the sound of an ice-cream van reminds me how close to the city I amAs soon as we enter the wood, the noise of traffic seems to recede, replaced by a feeling of calm. Our focus shifts to take in birdsong, the drumming of a woodpecker, the rustle of dry leaves. Gosforth Park nature reserve is a retreat from busyness, the quiet eye of the storm. With access restricted to members of the Natural History Society of Northumbria, its wildlife is undisturbed.This is an open wood with a high canopy of oak trees and an understorey of coppiced hazel. There's the occasional lofty Scots pine or dense, dark holly. Fixed to tree trunks are numerous bat boxes; seven species of bats have been recorded here, including Daubenton's, noctule, Nathusius' pipistrelle and Brandt's. In summer, though very hard to spot flying among the tops of the oak trees, flit purple hairstreak butterflies. Continue reading...