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Spring - Summer at St NicksNature Reserve and Environment Centre
Join St Nicks Help grow the green heart of York. Your support will help St Nicks to:
•ContinueimprovingStNicksNatureReserveforbothwildlifeandpeople.
•DeveloptheEnvironmentCentreasahubofgreeninspirationinYork.
•Runprojectsandservices,whichhelpmakeagreener,bettercity.
Just pick up a membership form from the Environment Centre or join at www.stnicks.org.uk/join to enjoy the full membership benefits.
•Freeadmissiontoseasonalwalks•Discountontrainingevents•20%offroomhire•Half-yearlynewsletteraswellasmonthlyemails
•Familiesalsogetanexplorationpackforchildren
Keep a watch on St NicksJoin our Wildwatch Group or read:
www.stnicks.org.uk/blog
A bit of historyWhilewalkingaround,thinkofthehistoryofStNicksandmarvelatwhatnaturecandowithabitoftimeandhelp:•12th-18thcenturyStNicholasHospitalandchurchsetinmeadows,fieldsandbitsofwoodland
•19th-20thcenturyclayextractionandbrickyardsleavinghugepits
•PitsfilledwithYork’srubbishuntil1974•1994landfillcappedwithclay,followedbyintensivereplanting
•2000EnvironmentCentreopens•2004LocalNatureReservestatus•GreenFlagAwardssince2010
Go explore!
Visitors’ codeDogwalkersarewelcomebutpleasekeepyourdogundercontrolandcleanupafteryourfriend.
Camping,firesortheuseofmotorvehiclesandmotorbikesarenotpermitted.
PleasehelptolookaftertheNatureReservebytakingyourlitterhome.
Wehopeyouenjoyyourvisitandcomebacksoon!
When children get tired of exploring, why not take them to the play area? All are welcome to use the facilities at the Environment Centre.
www.stnicks.org.uk/events
Want to know more?ThisleafletgivesyouaroughideaofwhatwildlifetolookforandsuggestsaroutethroughtheNatureReserve.Formoredetailed,up-to-date
informationcheckourmonthlyblogorcomeonawildlifewalk.Seethewebsiteorcall01904411821fordates:
AtStNicksspringseemstostartinSeptemberwhenthefirstbudsstarttoappear,butthereservevisiblycomestolifefromMarch.Newflowersopenweekbyweek.Butterfliesandbeesemergefromhibernation.Residentbirdsarealreadynesting,andsummermigrantsarestartingtoarriveandsetupterritories.
Summerandautumndonotfollowinanorderlyfashionbutinoverlappingwaves.Bythetimethewhitethroatsreturn,thefirstfledglingblackbirdsandlong-tailedtitsareoutandaboutdemandingfoodfromtheirharassedparents.Tinyautumnfruitsareformingontreesandbusheslongbeforethegrassesstarttoflower.Andofcourse,notwoyearsfollowanidenticalpattern.
StNicksisjustonemileeastofYork’scitycentre,easilyaccessiblebypublictransportandbicycle.Thereisasmallcarpark,accessibletoiletanddrinksavailableattheEnvironmentCentre.TheNatureReserveandcarparkareopenallyearroundsoyoucanenjoyStNicksanytimeyoulike.Fordetaileddirectionspleasecallusorseeourwebsite.
Leafletpublishedin2014,printedon100%recycledpaper.
SupportedbyCityofYorkCouncil
Charityregisteredas‘FriendsofStNicholasFields’no.1153739
Find St Nicks on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr
Visit St Nicks
Contact us
Bull Lane
Paragon St.
Walmgate
Foss Islands Rd.
James S
treet
Lawrence Street
City Centre
Harington Av.
Rawdon Av.
EnvironmentCentre
Hull Road A64
Melrosegate
Sustrans Cycle Route no. 66
01904 411821 | [email protected] Nicks Environment Centre, Rawdon Avenue, York YO10 3ST
www.stnicks.org.uk
York
St Nicks Environment Centre is openMon – Fri 10am – 4pm & during eventsPleasecontactusforweekendopenings
Dragon StonesTheareaaroundtheDragonStonesisgoodforthecranesbill,speedwellandtrefoilfamilies,whichinturnattractinsects.Thisisagoodplacetolookforcommon,hollyblue,smallskipperandmeadowbrownbutterflies,theday-flyingsix-spotburnetmoth,andthegingery-colouredcommoncarderbumblebee.Bullfincheslovethebushesinthisarea,andifyousitandwatchquietlyyoumightbeluckyenoughtoseewillowwarblerandwhitethroat.Overhead,theswiftsandhousemartinsthatbreedlocallycansometimesbeseenhuntingforinsects.
Osbaldwick BeckOsbaldwickBeckoffersashort,circularwalkthrougharichhabitat.Listenforsingingblackcapsandthedistinctivecallofthechiffchaff,aswellasthemorefamiliarblackbirdandrobin.Thisisagoodplacetoseeandheartheincreasinglyscarcesongthrush,andseefamilypartiesofyounglong-tailedtits.There’salsoachanceofseeingawatervoleswimmingacrossthebeck.Onthesouthside,wildplumandcherryplumflower,butyou’llneedtowait
untilautumntoworkoutwhichiswhich.Alongthepathedge,lookforyellowwoodavens,whitedead-nettleand,laterintheseason,enchanter’snightshade.Returningontheoppositepath,redandwhitecampionsshouldbeoutfrommid-May,alongwithox-eyedaisiesandpossiblycommonpoppy.TheblossomingtreesalongthefencenearertheCentrearebirdcherries,andthenettlesbeneaththemareagoodplacetolookforladybirdsandsnails.
Bund pathMakingyourwaybacktothe
EnvironmentCentrealongthebundpath,watchforbumblebeescollectingpollenwhenthewillowcatkinsareinflower.Thetreebumblebee,arelativelynewvarietyintheNorthofEngland,isveryeasytoidentify–lookforitsreddish
Tang Hall BeckThepathalongsideTangHallBeckisanothergoodspottofindblackcap,thoughasthesummeradvancestheyareeasiertohearthansee.Forashorttime,usuallyinMay,youcannotmisstheflowersoftheenormouslaburnum,butitisworthlookingforthelessshowybutequallybeautifuldarkredflowersofournativeash.Frommidsummer,seeifyoucanfind
atleastthreedifferentkindsofthistle.Lookcarefullyatthestemsaswellastheflowerstospotthedifferences.Sow-thistlesandwillowherbsalsogrowhere,andneartheindustrialestategateyou’llfindaspectacularpatchofgreatmullein,mostlikelyanescapedgardenvariety.
Thisareaisanothergoodplacetolookfordifferentkindsofladybird,andifyoulookcarefully,youmightspotoneortwoofourninekindsofshieldbug.
MeadowFromthemeadowpathsyoucanseecowslips,lessercelandinesandaspectaculardisplayofgorseflowers,thenlaterintheseasoncuckoo-flower,knapweed,meadowcranesbill,selfhealandladies’bed-straw.FollowthepathroundintotheButterflyWalk.Inspring,earlybumblebeesvisitapple
andblackthornblossom.Assummeradvances,lookforfieldscabious,bluesow-thistleandarangeofsmallspeedwellsandgeraniums.Whenthebuddleiasstarttocomeout,scanthemforbutterflies,particularlypeacockandsmalltortoiseshell,andseehowmanydifferentkindsofhoverflyyoucansee.Wehaverecordedandidentified15species,andwearestillcounting!
thoraxandwhitetail.Thereareusuallychiffchaffscalling,butoncetheleaveshaveopenedittakesalotofpatiencetoseebirdsinthewoodlandareas.Alongthestepsleadingdownfrom
thebund,lookforramsons(wildgarlic)inMayandJune.Atthebottomofthestepsthereareprimrosesinspring,andlaterintheyearitisagoodplacetolookcloselyattheimpressivewildteasels.Furtheron,dogrosesarebeautifulinJune,andforget-me-notsgrowunderthetrees.Oneofthehighlightsofthisareaisthespeckledwoodbutterfly–lookforamedium-sizedbrownbutterflywithyellowwingmarkings,dancingwherethesunshinesthroughthetrees.
There is always something to see at St Nicks.
We recommend that you start by exploring these areas –
tell us what you fi nd!
Photos of water vole, speckled wood and bullfinch by Ian Traynor.