West Common and Burton Ridge Nature

One activity that most of us can still do during the extended lockdown is keep an eye out for birdlife. In the last day or so the first signs have been seen of House Martins and Swallows returning to the area from Africa. Swifts usually follow a few weeks later; they seem to like slightly warmer weather. Since all these summer migrant visitors spend most of their time in … [Read more...] about House Martins, Swifts & Swallows in Long Leys/West Common

By Caroline Steel, former Head of Conservation at Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. We are so fortunate to have West Common on which to exercise and there’s plenty to look out for and listen to at the moment, while keeping our distance from people. Skylarks are singing! They are selecting territories and will soon be building nests. Eggs aren’t usually laid until May when … [Read more...] about West Common In April

This summer there seem to be more butterflies on West Common than in recent years: do others think so? At the moment there are clouds of meadow browns and both small skippers and Essex skippers (difficult to distinguish). Creeping thistles are generally thought to be ‘weeds’, but at the moment they are providing an excellent source of nectar and later on their seeds will … [Read more...] about West Common In July

LLRA are delighted that Caroline Steel, former Head of Conservation at Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, has agreed to lead another guided walk on the West Common to talk about wildlife and how the community can help protect flora and fauna. To book a place on this (free) guided walk, which will run from 10:30-12:00 noon on Saturday 3 August, please … [Read more...] about West Common Nature Walk – 10.30am Saturday 3 August