December lots of snow and ice. Schools closed. Down to minus fourteen degrees of frost. Time to feed the birds.   Lots of snow forcast so get stocked up for winter for the birds and yourselves.

4th Oct. Red Admiral and Peacock butterflies enjoying the sunshine in the shelter of the hedge, out of the wind.

 3rd Oct. Talk and Walk with Hollie Walker, Northeast Scotland Red Squirrel Project officer.  Lunch served by members of the Community Trust.  

14th Sept. Red Squirrel feeds at the Bird Table.

Visit to Windyhills from Rothienorman nursery children. They were shown the bogs by John Malster and the badger sett by Kate their teacher.  Amanda pointed out the toadstools and brambles.

13th Sept. Visit to Oldmeldrum Guild - Dvd and talk by Helen Taylor.

9th Sept 2010.  Saw a  Sabre Wasp for the first time, very impressive. 

 The Largest Fly in UK. Parasitic - the female lays her eggs in the larva of the Wood Wasp or Sawfly. The long tail is actually a wood boring instrument through which the eggs are laid. When the egg hatches it feeds on the larva of the host. Emerging as an adult from the dead wood.

28th August. Bird ringing day at Windyhills. Over 90 birds were ringed. Swallows, Siskin, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Great tit, Blue Tit and Coal tit. Dunnock. Raymond Duncan led the Group.

27th August. Common Hawker and Black Darter Dragonflies egg laying.

Common Blue Butterfly.    Photos -        Female;        Male underside    and Male.

Caterpillars feed on Trefoi plants like Birds-foot Trefoil.

 July 29th. Slow Worm on the doorstep at School Terrace, Woodhead.

Legless lizard.

July 10th. Plant identification with Mr Ian Green. Excellent day wih lots of flowers

June 26th. Bug walk at Windyhills with Chris Cathrine, fully booked. Pond dipping in the afternoon.

June 25th. Six Swallows fledged today.

June 6th. Swallows eggs hatched today.   Moths about include Brimstone, Spectacle, Pale Shouldered Brocade, White Ermine and Beautiful Golden Y

June 1st. Visit to Windyhills by Rayne WRI and friends. Perfect evening for a leisurely stroll. Willow Warbler in full voice, Pink Purslane flowering and lovely new cones on the Larch.  Brimstone and Common Heath Moths flying.

May 26th. Visit to Windyhills from Largue W.R.I. with Rosemary Smith as Guide followed by showing of DVD on Woodhead and Windyhills. Fyvie cubs busy following trails through the woods, making pictures with natural materials and having fun with John Malster.

Orange tip Butterfly (underside)   Favourite food plant of its caterpillars  is Ladies Smock or Cuckoo Flower

May 22nd. Successful Coffee morning and Plant sale at the Community Centre in aid of Trust funds.

May 19th. Starlings are feeding young. Blackbirds sitting on eggs. Swallows started laying. 

April 26th. White-veined butterfly about and Blue tits and Tree Sparrows have built their nests.

April 22nd. Swallows have returned.

April 19th. Toad Spawn now in long strings in the pond.

Pine Beauty moth [on right]  on Pine Tree tip. Camouflaged perfectly.

April 10th.  Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on the wing.

April 10th. Osprey seen on Woodhead. Could be fishing at Inverythan pond or Lochter.

April 7th. Beautiful Spring day. First Butterfly seen, a Small Tortoiseshell, and a seven spot Ladybird.

April 3rd. Tadpoles Hatched.

March 29th." Respect Youth" visited Woodhead Wood today. Each member selected to different species of tree to study throughout the year. Observed the squirrel feeder, learned how to find direction using the sun and tasted wild garlic growing near the community centre. All very enthusiastic and very keen to help with the management of the woodland environment.

 March 24th. Red legged Partridges visited bird table.

March 19th. First Coltsfoot Flowering.  

March 15th Red Squirrel seen close to feeder box. Spring like day at last. Snowdrops still flowering but the Willow and Hazel catkins are out.

 March 12th New Squirrel feeder in Woodhead wood filled with peanuts and mixed seeds.

Happy New Year. 

From 18th Dec to 18th Jan 2010 Woodhead had a beautiful covering of snow, up 50 cms deep and  minus 14 degrees of frost was recorded. The roads were blissfully quiet because the schools were off three weeks and most side roads were closed except to tractors. Thankfully there was no wind or the situation would have been very different.