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.