Nature
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About Highbury Park
Highbury Park is a haven for wildlife as well as for people. Grassland, ancient hedgerows, marshland, scrub, streams, pools and remnants of woodland are all to be found in the park as well as a host of ornamental trees and shrubs. These habitats are home to a wide range of plants and animals. In 2022 Andy Slater from Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust and Ellen Pisolkar, Ecologist and HPF member submitted a Local Sites Assessment report to Birmingham City Council with the result that the whole Park and Estate are candidates for Site of National Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) and Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SLINC).…
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Plants, Wildflowers and Grasses
We have a Wildflower Leaflet produced by Ellen Pisolkar and Cat Clarke. It contains Spring and Summer Wild flower walks in the park. Click to view: Wildflower leaflet In July 2026 wildflowers along the railway line were recorded In July 2026 Ellen Pisolkar recorded the wildflowers growing along the railway line. Click here to see the results. What an amazing number were found! In March 2026 volunteers planted wild flower seeds In March 2026 volunteers planted wild flower seeds on the mounds on the main drive. The seeds planted can be viewed by clicking the link below: The wildflower seeds Highbury Park Hay Meadows Read here about how the…
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Birds of Highbury Park e-book
Highbury Park Friends have co-ordinated the creation of a 31-page book and tri-fold brochure about birds (and other wildlife) found in the park, largely through the efforts of Paul Anthony, Cathy Clarke, and Anne Gilbert. Paul (a long-time Friend, local resident, and wildlife observer) worked his notes into a longer narrative about local wildlife, some of it from century-old sources. The result is a ‘book-ends’ view of what birds have appeared and disappeared in the hundred years. Paul and Cathy worked together on the strategy for illustrating the book, whilst Cathy also developed a companion brochure. Cathy has produced earlier brochures and artwork for the Friends, so we are really…
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Highbury Park Plant Survey
Ellen, Bridget, and Robyn carried out an initial Highbury Park Plant Survey on April 29 2011. It includes meadow flowers, woodland plants, and trees. The results are sorted alphabetically by Latin name.Norway Maple Acer platanoidesSycamore Acer pseudoplatanusYarrow Achillea millefoliumGround-elder Aegopodium podagrariaHorse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanumGarlic Mustard Alliaria petiolataMeadow Foxtail Alopecurus pratensisCow Parsley Anthriscus sylvestrisDaisy Bellis perennisSilver Birch Betula pendulaButterfly-bush Buddleja davidiiShepherd’s-purse Capsella bursa-pastorisWavy Bitter-cress Cardamine flexuosaCuckooflower Cardamine pratensisCommon Mouse-ear Cerastium fontanumRosebay Willowherb Chamerion angustifoliumEnchanter’s-nightshade Circaea lutetianaCreeping Thistle Cirsium arvensePignut Conopodium majusHazel Corylus avellanaCotoneaster Cotoneaster sp.New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsiiHawthorn Crataegus monogynaCock’s-foot Dactylis glomerataMale Fern Dryopteris filix-mas agg.Great Willowherb Epilobium hirsutumHemp-agrimony Eupatorium cannabinumBeech Fagus sylvaticaJapanese Knotweed Fallopia japonicaWild Strawberry Fragaria vescaAsh Fraxinus excelsiorCleavers…
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Biodiversity Work Party
Last Saturday’s work party was notable for two things: the amount of work that got done, and the number of people that didn’t turn up. Six parks workers, the council ecologist, and (briefly) one HPF volunteer were in attendance, and did a dramatic amount of work on the east end of the big pond, plus strimming around the Henburys pond. Part of the idea is to change the pH of both pools by clearing laurel and rhododendron from the banks. An extra benefit is that both ponds are now easier to walk around, and have somewhat more light falling on them. The result
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Woodland Wildflower Garden
We’ve been working with Nicola Little of Quadron to identify and develop a patch of native wildflowers next to the apiary. The idea is to do something about the overabundance of Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) whilst also providing something of interest to the bees that’s suited to the location and habitat. The solution is to plant a variety of plant species that are both shade and damp tolerant, such as foxglove, ragged robin, bog primula, and wild garlic. But first, we need to clear a site, and decide what goes where! Volunteers needed So we are looking for volunteers to help with a) pulling up the balsam before it sets…
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It’s a Duck’s Life
Peter Wir has sent us a video which shows the baby mallards growing up in the Highbury Pond last summer. Let this be an inspiration to watch this year’s group of ducklings!
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November Tree Surveys
Hi to all Tree Surveyors! 20/11 Update: We are nearing completion of the tree survey but there are loads of gaps and dodgy identifications that we need to revisit especially with some of the conifers. In the new year it may be a good idea to have another get together e.g. at Kings Heath Park House and look at our results – what do you think? Last week we recorded some interesting varieties of the native holly Ilex aquifolium. Round shaped or pyramidal, without prickles, with narrow or wide leaves and often with peculiar pimples on the bark (see pic attached). Slightly distracted by a rabbit being taken for a…