Sunday 7th May was National Dawn Chorus day so a week before on the 1st of May Stuart Mucklejohn went to Knighton Spinney to record the birdsong there. Stuart returned to Knighton Spinney on National Dawn Chorus day to repeat the recording. He writes: I went for an early morning walk around Knighton Park on […]
Tag: knighton park
Knighton Nature Notes 3: Pigmies in the Park
As autumn colours deepen, mysterious green islands reveal the presence of tiny tenants. Although we do not have a lot of Beech trees in Knighton, there are a few nice specimens in gardens and in Knighton Park. In autumn, some leaves just seem to fade away but Beech puts on a spectacular show as temperatures […]
Denizens of the Deep
Alan Cann takes a (much) closer look at what lurks below the waves of Saffron Brook Regular readers will know that Knighton Wild has been sampling invertebrate life in Saffron Brook to measure the water quality. Freshwater invertebrates are inconspicuous, first because they are underwater, but also because they are small and need a much […]
Saving the Saffron Brook – one midge at a time – Alan Cann reports
If you hate midges, please read to the end of this – and then let us know what you think. In 1979 Leicester City Council carried out a flood relief scheme along the Wash Brook (Saffron Brook) in Knighton. This involved constructing the flood reservoirs in Knighton Park and putting the Brook into a straight, […]
What is a biotic index and why would I want one?
Clever boffins have produced a useful way of measuring water quality. It’s not rocket science – so we tried it out! Knowing the water quality in Saffron Brook is important for two reasons. First, it tells us about our local environment and how it is affected by its surroundings. Second, if the Saving the Saffron […]
Coming Up Smelling of Roses: Alan Cann reports on a spider he found alongside the Washbrook.
I’m still working my way through terrestrial invertebrate samples from along the course of the Wash Brook in Knighton, but a tiny spider may be trying to tell us something interesting. One of the concerns about the health of Saffron Brook is the impact of sewage discharges from the Oadby sewage works. Later we will […]
Volunteering in Knighton Spinney – Geoff Whittle reports
Weather permitting, the Spinney will reopen to the public between 10:00am and 1:00pm on Sundays, starting 20th March. I hope visitors will be cheered to see all the woodland management work that has been carried out by volunteers. Twice weekly volunteering sessions were held from January to March. The invitations were issued through Leicester Environment […]
A visit to Sheffield to see the Porter Brook restorations
On March 1st I went to Sheffield (my home city) and took the opportunity to visit three sites on the Porter Brook (one of the five rivers of the city) to see how this degraded urban river is being restored. There are some interesting lessons to learn for the work on the Saffron Brook. Ben […]
Conservation and management of Knighton Spinney
Practical conservation sessions at Knighton Spinney start this month as part of the Saving the Saffron Brook project. The project aims to improve the overall condition of the woodland for wildlife, expand its use for recreation and education, and bring local communities closer to nature. Knighton Spinney is a mature oak and ash plantation with […]
Fungus foray into Knighton Park Sunday 27th October 10 am to 12 am
Join Ben Devine, local fungus enthusiast and conservation officer at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust to learn more about the fascinating fungi in your area. Meet at the car park Palmerston Way – wear sensible shoes. All welcome – children must be accompanied by an adult. The walk is free but donations […]
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