kids zone

August update

 

Mammals

Fox and badger cubs born in late spring are now becoming much more independent from their parents, spending a lot of time exploring and beginning to fend for themselves.

Some squirrels will start to grab and bury any nuts they find (ready to eat over the winter) so keep an eye on any nuts on the bird table! You might hear local squirrels chattering at one another as they play games and chase each other through the treetops.

 

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Birds

Many birds will be moulting (losing) some of their feathers during August, so they might look a bit tatty!

By the middle of the month, swallows, swifts and house martins are all preparing to fly to Africa to spend the winter. Keep an eye out for rows of swallows perched high up on telephone wires, gathering together before they fly off.

Wood pigeons may be frequent visitors to your garden, looking for food. Unlike many birds, they often lay a second brood of chicks in August.

And you’ll probably see a lot of starlings this month as well. Young starlings will be learning how to fend for themselves, and you’re likely to hear them screeching, whistling and chattering at each other as they squabble over food.

 

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REPTILES

British snakes and lizards usually have their babies in August, because it’s one of the warmest months of the year.

If you’re out walking in the countryside, keep an eye out for young grass snakes, slow worms and other reptiles warming themselves in the sunshine.

 

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SEA LIFE

During the school holidays, take a trip to the seaside and check out all the marine wildlife you can find in rock pools.

Watery critters to look out for include crabs, shrimps, sea snails, shellfish, anemones, starfish and tiny fish stranded in the pools as the tide goes out.

You may also see jellyfish left washed up on the beach. Don’t touch them though - they can give you a nasty sting even when they’re dead.

 

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INSECTS

Crickets and grasshoppers are particularly active in August; the male crickets are famous for rubbing their wings together to make that distinctive ‘chirping’ sound.

On a hot day, take a walk in a grassy meadow and see if you can pinpoint where some of the clicking and whirring sounds are coming from!

Hoverfly and ladybirds can easily be spotted at this time of year, chomping on the greenfly in people’s gardens.

It’s also a great month to see butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. Why not take a notebook when you’re out and about, and see how many different species you can spot?

 

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PLANTS AND FLOWERS

Several sorts of berry start to ripen in August - some edible, some not. Blackberries, bilberries and elderberries can all be delicious, but never eat wild berries if you’re not completely sure what they are - some are extremely poisonous.

Huge areas of British heath and moorland will seem to turn purple this month, because the heather growing on it will be covered in purple flowers.

And some areas will be covered in gorse bushes instead, which produce bright yellow flowers in August. On hot days, these flowers smell a lot like coconut!

Finally, some trees in parks and gardens near you will start to change colour this month, in preparation for the autumn. Their leaves will become yellowy-brown, and seeds that look like little helicopters will start to develop on sycamore trees.