In a shady willow carr at the River Park end of the Avon Valley Nature Reserve boardwalk hides this unwelcome plant, Fallopia japonica. Over twenty five years Salisbury City council have tried to eradicate it but have only managed to contain it. Let’s hope it never crosses the river. This is Japanese Knotweed. If you spot it do NOT try to poison it or cut it back or dig it up or dispose of it yourself. See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading

22 June 2026 Latest photo and report from the stables (KMOC) - The last five nestlings of the first brood of Swallows at Parsonage Farm have fledged and want to know, “ Is Africa far?” Newspost from 18 June This is a first brood but a couple of weeks behind two other nests in adjacent stables, whose broods have already fledged. KMOC Newspost from 5 June There are three nest sites in the stables and this brood ventured out onto the telephone lines on Stratford Road early this

2026 Reported sighting in or near Stratford sub Castle 22 June Another brood of swallows fledged today https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/newspost/parsonage-farm-swallows 8 June Three cygnets On the west bank of the Avon, close to the boardwalk, image below. 5 June A brood of four Swallows https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/newspost/parsonage-farm-swallows 28 May Cuckoo calling from the area around the river Heard from Mill Lane 27 May Painted lady butterflies...

Over the past few days there have been reports of the Painted Lady butterfly Vanessa cardui appearing in parts of Wiltshire. This morning several were seen on the sunny side of a hedge on Stratford Road. The species originates from North Africa and is unable to survive UK winters. It is probable that the ones we are seeing now have crossed the channel from France. The image below from https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=cardui is a better indication of what

Jim Platt reports having seen four swallows near Parsonage Farm early evening on 2 May. One of them may be this one .... Image KMOC There are currently three pairs of swallows, one pair in each stable. Last autumn 12 of them assembled on a wire for their migration so there must have been six successful fledglings. Kerry O'Connor comments "We had at least TWO broods last year, some years it’s three. (I mean sequential broods per nest/ pair). All depends on how many flying ins

I think this is a Flower Crab Spider. Misumena vatia... The Wildlife Trust gives the following information: Unlike many spiders, flower crab spiders don’t spin webs to trap insects. Instead they ambush their prey, often laying in wait on foliage for unsuspecting bees, moths and other insects that come to feed on flowers. The flower crab spider has a globular abdomen, sometimes with spots or lines. They can change their colour to match their surroundings but often appear white

Last time I reported my first hearing of the year, it was a St George's Day, but this year it is 4 days earlier. Lying in bed this morning - there it was, the other side of the river, but loud-and-clear and repeated several batches of 3-or-4 calls. Spring is here! Richard Death Ed: The Common Cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus) is famously heard but rarely seen. So we must be content to use a library image to illustrate this newspost - unless one of our readers is fortunate enough to

Now that the groundwater has drained away and the paths have dried out along the walking route from Stratford sub Castle to Five Rivers Leisure Centre through the eastern part of the Avon Valley Nature Reserve, the route is walkable without wellingtons! Some of the scrub-land has been cleared by volunteers from the Salisbury Wildlife Group who manage the Reserve, leaving open areas where swathes of bluebells and cowslips are in flower. Using the material from the clearance,

Dates for your diary - News from RIchard Death I will be leading two free Guided Nature Walks this summer. Saturday 6 June: Devenish Nature Reserve, Little Durnford. Starts 2pm, expected to last approx 2 hrs. Includes steep climb up approx 90 steps. Meet in Reserve carpark off Beech Walk SP4 6AJ What3Words valley.regard.constants Image Google Maps Monday 29 June: Avon Valley Nature Reserve close to 5 Rivers Leisure Centre. Starts at 2pm, expected to last approx 2 hrs. More-o

These images were taken this morning near Castle Keep by Lesley Brown who has kindly agreed to share them with the village website. Are they Roe deer or Muntjac? How to distinquish Roe deer and Muntjac Source Cairngorm Reindeer ( text & images below ) Roe The dainty roe deer is another of our native deer species, and perhaps the one you are most likely to spot in woodland and gardens right across the UK, with some individuals becoming incredibly tame due to living in close