Latest Wildlife Sightings - April 2023

Latest Wildlife Sightings - April 2023

Spring is in full swing, and we have seen the return of some wonderful wildlife at our nature reserves!

Fylde Sand Dunes

Sand Lizards are back a Fylde Sand Dunes! Sand lizards are extremely rare due to the loss of their habitat. These stunning creatures prefer to live in sandy heath and dunes, a habitat which unfortunately is being lost to the rising tides. This fantastic image taken by ranger Andy shows off this fantastic reptile hiding in the grasses on the dunes!

The total sighting count for this year so far is 14! With two males, two females and two juveniles (last year’s hatchlings) seen on the dunes just last week!

Sand Lizard

Ranger Andy

Brockholes Nature Reserve

Brockholes Nature Reserve is a 250-acre haven where nature is allowed to thrive!

This month we have seen the return of the bluebells Boilton wood! Sweeping across the floor of this amazing woodland these stunning flowers cover the ground creating a sea of blue as far as the eye can see, such an incredible sight! The bluebell spends most of the year as a bulb underground, emerging in Spring to soak up those first rays of sunlight that make it to the forest floor.  

Bluebells

Matt Swift

Also, at Brockholes this month, an osprey was sighted by Craig Smith, soaring high in the sky above The Ribble beside Brockholes! Ospreys are not strangers to fame and attention and hopefully we will get many more sightings of this marvellous bird over the coming months!

Osprey

Craig Smith

Middleton Nature Reserve

Middleton Nature Reserve is a stunning mosaic of scrub, fen and grassland habitats woven around peaceful pools.

This fantastic Peacock Butterfly was spotted on the reserve by Janet Packham. This stunning image highlights the strikingly beautiful colour that makes these stunning butterflies so un- mistakable.

Did you know? When alarmed, Peacock Butterflies are able to make a hissing noise by quickly rubbing its wings together to ward of any would-be predators.

Peacock Butterfly

Janet Packham

Warton Crag

Rising dramatically above Morecambe Bay, Warton Crag marries stunning habitats. Dominated by limestone cliffs, decorated by wildflowers and colonised by rare butterflies, Warton Crag will leave you spellbound.

Fungi play an important role within our ecosystem. This incredible Eyelash Cup was found by Hannah Stevenson on her recent visit to Warton Crag. The tiny black hairs around the edge of the orange cup gives this fungus its name.

Eyelash cup

Hannah Stevenson

What will you spot at our nature reserves this month? Let us know on social media using the buttons below.