Scrub is an asset for wildlife, which thrives in untidy corners. Blackthorn, elder, ivy and Ssycamore scrub grow readily on the clayey, nutrient-rich soils of former brick-pit sites, and wherever thick soils have built up in hollows. Brambles often ramp through such places.
Ivy is a rich source of pollen and nectar for insects in autumn, and its berries are a winter staple for birds. Ivy-shrouded trees make good places for birds to forage, nest and shelter.
Shy Reeves’s Muntjac deer hide their fawns in patches of scrub and are often seen running for cover when disturbed. They were introduced to England from China in the 19th century.
Escaped garden plants thrive in some places. This small balsam (a native of Central Asia) resides near Gilman Road.
Red foxes are a top predator and scavenger on the Heath. Banks of sandy subsoil hidden by scrub are ideal places for them to dig holes to raise cubs in.
Nettles thrive in areas of nutrient-rich soil. Their stinging bristles do not bother insects such as the peacock butterfly whose caterpillars readily feed on them.
Small Tortoisehell butterflies were common fifty years ago, but their population has since slumped by over 80%. Although their favourite foodplant, nettle, is thriving, a combination of a parasite predation and drier summers may be to blame.
[Image courtesy Nigel Hales]
The hornet hoverfly is a summer visitor which haunts wooded glades. Despite its large size and wasp-like appearance it only feeds on nectar, including bramble.
The blackcap is a warbler with a fluting song powerful enough to ring through thick undergrowth. Unless over-wintering here, they typically arrive from Africa in April.
Fragrant, creamy-white elder flowers are something to look forward to in June. They are rich in nectar and feed a correspondingly rich diversity of fly and beetle species. Elder typically grows in nutrient-rich soils around the old brick pits.
Left to itself, grassland is likely to turn into scrub and eventually secondary woodland. This land near the old Barracks has become invaded by brambles but fifteen years ago it was open ground.
Deciding which land to keep clear is often discussed by the Mousehold Heath managers – but unfortunately fires sometimes make the decision for them.
The Pitch & Putt golf course is a patchwork of trees and scrub.
Despite regular human disturbance, its bushes are a ready resource for insects and birds
Scrub and bracken debris harvested by volunteer work parties can be mounded up to create ‘habitat piles’.
As they rot down they provide a home for myriad invertebrates and also Grass snakes and slow worms which need steady warmth to brood their eggs.
All images courtesy the author, unless otherwise indicated.
(Please retrace your steps back to the red trail route and carry on up the hill)
