The woodpeckers are back this spring 2012 despite storm damage of some of their favourite dead tree haunts. A number of people have also spotted tree creepers squirrling up the tree trunks. The mix of old trees and dense shrubs make Cairnhill Woods a great place for nature.
Of the 10 nestboxes put up last year, 7 were used. We hope to put up more boxes and will continue to monitor their use. Our mini-beast hotels, which were made at a childrens event funded by CSV Action Earth, have survived the winter.
Ravens and sparrowhawks are regular visitors, and a buzzard has also been seen above both Cairnhill Woods and Dawsholm Park. We have a keen RSPB family amongst our members who have recorded treecreepers,greater spotted woodpeckers and completed a swift survey for the RSPB.
Fabulous botanist turned local horticulturist Paul Jelf helped 13 hardy souls find a wealth of plants 25th April in a biting sub zero windfactor. The list (see attached) including the biggest patch of wood sorrell he had ever seen near Glasgow and a resurgence of wildlife friendly natives, probably encouraged by rhodedendron clearance.
On a site visit with Alex Hogg fron Butterfly conservation Scotland we saw calder bees, common bees and white tailed bees enjoying Tansey and Ragwort. Also speckled wood butterflies  | 
Our guided walk with Mugdock Ranger Alan McBride was successful, with 28 attendees despite the weather being better for fungi than humans. Alan wrote:
The species that we found were as follows:
Deceiver (Laccaria laccata) Amethyst Deceiver (Laccaria amethystea) Ganoderma adspersum Purple Jellydisk (Ascocoryne sarcoides) Candle-snuff fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon) Black Helvella (Helvella lacunosa) Common Yellow Russula (Russula ochroleuca) Common Inkcap (Coprinus atramentarius) Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) Puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme) Coral Spot Fungus (Nectria cinnabarina) Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus) Many-zoned Polypore (Coriolus versicolor) I hope this is of help to you. Best Wishes Alan McBride |
