Exploring Habitat

Ten practical activities focusing on observation, comparison, and analysis of habitat types:

1. Track a "Phenology" Individual

Choose a single tree or plant in your garden or a local park like The Byes. Visit it weekly and record its specific phenophases, such as the date the first bud bursts, when it reaches "peak bloom," and when the leaves finally change color in autumn. This allows you to see "nature's calendar" in action on a personal scale.

2. Conduct a "Temperature vs. Sunlight" Audit

In early spring, find a patch of Lesser Celandine. Observe them on a cloudy morning and again when the sun comes out; notice if they remain tightly closed until the air temperature hits approximately 10°C. Contrast this with Wild Garlic, which is more strictly regulated by the lengthening days of April regardless of temperature.

3. Map the "Meadow Maker’s" Influence

Visit a grassland like Sid Meadow or Alma Field in the summer. Locate a patch of Yellow Rattle and compare the height and thickness of the grass within that patch to an area where the plant is absent. You should see how this "hemi-parasite" creates space for other wildflowers by weakening vigorous grasses.

4. Identify "Pollination Syndromes"

Spend 15 minutes sitting quietly by a flowering border in Connaught Gardens. Use a notebook to categorise the flowers by shape—such as "flat landing pads" or "deep tubes"—and record which insects visit which shapes. See if you can confirm that flies prefer open umbels while butterflies target narrow tubular flowers.

5.  Become a "Seed Detective"

In autumn, go on a walk and collect different seeds (ensure you aren't in a protected area). Sort them into categories based on their dispersal method: Anemochory (wind), Zoochory (animals), or Ballochory (explosive). Look for "hitchhikers" like Burdock on your own clothing to see Epizoochory in action.

6. Monitor the "Arctic Refuge"

Visit the Sidmouth Esplanade sea defences between September and April to look for the wintering flock of approximately 30 Turnstones. Observe their behaviour as they forage on the rock defences and shingle beach, noting how they utilise this "warm" winter environment compared to their Arctic breeding grounds.

7. Hunt for "Catapults and Teeth"

On a damp autumn or winter day, find a Hart's-tongue Fern in a local lane. Use a magnifying glass to inspect the brown sori on the underside of the leaves, which act as microscopic catapults to sling spores. In moss cushions, look for the tiny capsules with "teeth" that open and close based on humidity levels.

8. Practice the "Golden Rule" of Birdwatching

Visit a woodland area like Harpford Wood or Soldier's Hill in the spring. Instead of walking, find a favourable spot and remain perfectly still for 20 minutes. Record the natural behaviors you see—such as nest building or territory displays—that birds only perform when they feel undisturbed.

9. Decode Winter Bird Beaks

Observe the blackbirds in your garden or at The Knowle during the winter. Check the colour of their beaks: those with yellow beaks are likely local UK birds, while those with orange beaks may be migrants that have traveled from continental Europe.

10. Locate "Winter Heliotrope" by Scent

During a winter walk in Sidmouth's parks, try to find the Winter Heliotrope without looking for it first. Follow the distinct "vanilla" fragrance of its cream-colored flowers. Once found, observe its large "pad-like" leaves and see how it covers bare ground during the dormant season.