St Luke's Church Grounds Project - Birds, butterflies and bees in our grounds

St Luke’s Church Great Crosby
Grounds Project

“to create a place of beauty and a haven for people and wildlife”

Birds, butterflies and bees in our grounds

	This speckled wood butterfly can be seen around the edges of the churchyard during the summer and I often see them near the wild flower meadow.
	This Queen Bombus Horturum was seen in the autumn; she will now have found a place to hibernate and will emerge very early in the spring to find a suitable place to build her nest.
	This male blackcap will be wintering in the churchyard. You can often hear the male sing from May onwards, particularly near areas of thick brambles.
	Redwings arrive here in the autumn form northern Europe. They are attracted to the many berry bearing trees and bushes found in the churchyard.
	A jay, not often seen but heard. Jays arrive in the autumn again attracted by the many berries around. In some years they stay all winter, though they can be very elusive.
	This tiny bee is Hylaeus Hyalinatus, only known from one other site in Merseyside in recent years. A population exists in southern Cumbria. This bee needs an abundance of wild flowers and suitable places to breed. It has only been found in the church grounds in recent years due to the creation of the right habitat. Keep an eye open for this tiny bee during the summer.
	A queen Bombus lapidarius - a large, very distinctive bee commonly found throughout the church grounds. The workers, though a bit smaller, are identical in colour and can often be seen collecting pollen and nectar on white clover.
	A queen Bombus terrestris or buff tailed Bumble bee common throughout the grounds. Often seen in dozens during the summer particularly near the rockery.
	A swift, and they are! These birds arrive in May and are best seen during a warm, still evening when sometimes 20 or more will fly low and at great speed over the church grounds catching insects.
	Red admiral butterflies are often seen around the wild flower meadow and stay on the wing until quite late in the year.
	A male greenfinch. Greenfinches are more conspicuous in spring as the males set up territories around the church grounds. They often sing from the tops of trees and bushes and display flight around the grounds.

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Introduction
1 In the beginning
2 Transforming the Grounds
3 Developing Partnerships
4 Publicity and awards
5 Groundforce
6 A haven for wildlife?
7 Outdoor events and services

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This page was last modified on 25 November 2011.