Bird count for April 22nd 2010

Here is the spreadsheet for the bird count that Ron and I did on April 22nd 2010.

click for spreadsheet

Includes a couple of adders and some slow worms, and a peacock butterfly.  We tend not to count the hens either at Jilly's or Tristram's, nor the peacocks (birds)  themselves.

getting 3 cuckoos at exactly the same time ( not recorded in the log, as one had already been counted) was very good.

43 species, with plenty unrecorded, was good.  With a following wind we could break the 50 barrier yet.

martin

27th April 2010 ... Weekly volunteers

Present:  John, Ron, Mike and Martin

activities:
- put up two nest boxes that had been taken down for repair last year.  Numbers 61 and 44.  These were put back in exactly the same positions.  Indeed Number 61 used  the same nails!
- repaired the fence between south heath and OL1 with 4 new fence posts.
- cleaned out both water troughs, bailing them out and cleaning with a sponge.  Then turned on the mains tap.  Note for future reference that by cleaning the south heath one first allowed air into the pipe, and then it appeared as if the water was actually switched on and flowing to the one on the main reserve.  This lasted for about 40 seconds.
- the housing around the inlet pipe on the south heath trough was repaired and reinstated
- Pond thirteen was given a once-over, with weed raked out, the outflow to the side re-dug, and the outflow in the centre of the dam filled in with a log, large slab of stone and mud.  We had lunch there, and everything seemed to be working fine.
- the fire-sites on staples hill were raked over to effectively hide their existence.
- saplings on staples hill were given a coppicing
- logs were removed from Haywards and nearby ponds.
- saplings just up from the high beeches were coppiced.
- extra leaflets were put into the display at the entrance.

observations:
ravens, redstarts, 2 woodlarks on Staples Hill and another at roller stand, heron, swallows near stables, herring gulls calling, bullfinches, Tree pipits.
Peacocks, 3 small whites, Holly Blue, 3+ brimstones.

martin

Bourne's take first peat of the year.

When Ron and Martin did the bird count last Thursday, they noticed that Bourne's had been and taken a load of top soil from the pile below the water trough.

martin

Nest box count 13th and 20th April 2010

Here is the record of the first nest box count of the year.

The squirrels continue to damage the lids.

One nest box had mud all over the top part and holes, and just wood slivers inside almost up to the top.  We mistakenly thought this could not be a bird, and cleared it out. Later we realised this was a nuthatch.  It is years since the last one nested in a nest box, and only John had any idea what this was.

Alan said that he had put up nest boxes on Forester's cottage, and ever-since no nuthatches had ever used the nestboxes on Old lodge.  Well something has changed.  We found another just like the first, and steered well clear.

We have four boxes in the tool store, and four gaps or needed replacements on OL.  So we must put these up soon.

nest box count 13 and 20 april 2010

we had a pair of woodlark take off just in front of us by the fire-site behind the cottages.

martin

First Green Hair Streak Butterfly

I saw my first Green hair streak of 2010 today behind the tool store.  It looked in pristine condition.

I have no idea what it will feed on there, and will have to move off to some gorse,possibly down the ditch.  There are no bluebells out yet, which was their first observed food plant last year.

Only other butterfly was a probable peacock.

martin

20th April 2010 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

- Ron, David, Neil, John, Mike and martin

Activities:

- remaining nest box count and inspection.  Two nuthatch boxes.  1 occupied definitely.  Some Great tits on nest.  three or four boxes need replacing.
- getting rid of birch and pine saplings opposite Forrester's cottage.  Some trial coppicing tried, as there are a huge number of birch saplings in this area and pulling or digging out is very difficult.
- checked the fencing from the car park to the Roller stand and around the South Heath.  Minor staple repairs done and noted that some additional posts will be needed.  3 along the OL1 border, and 5 along the common border.
- discussed how one might strengthen the poor fence by the tool store
- took some barbs of the heave gate into OL1 to make it easier to get over
- some birch stumps taken down to ground level behind the cottages

Observations:

- crossbills, lesser redpolls, siskin, 2 singing woodlark, tree pipits, Ravens, swallow, plenty of redstarts, willow warblers, cuckoo.
- some damsons distributed
- getting ready to celebrate John's seventieth
- bird count this Thursday
- plenty of birdwatcher visitors

nightjar count July 2009

We did one count on a rather windy night and had virtually nothing.

The zero counts refer to additional tracking of above birds.  In principle one could do a bit of triangulation and get a better fix on the birds.  It is very difficult to estimate direction and distance.

This count was rather better.  here is the record

click for nightjar count 2009

martin

Q3 2009 bird counts

hare are the third quarter 2009 bird counts

click for July 2009 bird count

click for August 2009 bird count

click for september 2009 bird count


martin

Q4 2009 bird counts

Here are the bird counts for Q4 of 2009

click for Oct 2009 bird count

click for Nov 2009 bird count

click for Dec 2009 bird count

martin

Bird count recording software

This is a Tcl/tk program, which I personally run on a number of different platforms.

My main mobile machine is a windows mobile 5  PDA.  But I am sure anyone used to installing Tcl/tk programs can run it on virtually anything.

click to download program file

It makes use of a gps input socket ( eg com4: ), a text list of birds ( or whatever ), and an output file.

People should be able to hack their way through it fairly easily if they want to.

features include

- adding to an ordered list of 'species' ( I have common species alphabetically, then less common alphabetically)
- searching in the past records
- giving distance, and direction ( oclock to direction of walk) to bird
- adding comments
- recording some basic attributes male, singing , adult
- simultaneously records a backup in case of failure
- directly calling Tck commands

Treat as being opensource under GPL please.

martin

Bird counts and other spreadsheets

Hi,

I am posting a number of spreadsheets in this blog.

You will need to have a Google account in order to see them.  It is simple to register and I do recommend you have a Google account.  This allows you to use Google docs ( sort of competitor to Microsoft office), and this in turn allows you to see the spreadsheet.

The bird count spread sheet has a number of columns which are pretty obvious, except that the national grid reference is that of the bird, and the gps references are for the observer.  My software allows me to say that the bird is so many meters away at such and such o'clock.

The gps info is in a funny format, being dddd.mmmm  very strange, almost like Pounds shillings and pence

references to zero number of birds is basically saying that I think that I have counted the bird before, but am here adding some extra information to the earlier record.  ie I am seeing the Raven again at this time and location.

The column # refers to the number seen.

I will publish the code of program in the blog as well.

Martin

Bird count for Jan 27th 2010

 Here is bird count for January 2010

bird count January 27th 2010

martin

Bird count on Feb 19th 2010

Here is the normal spread sheet for the bird count at Old lodge

bird count feb 19th 2010

I will explain some of the oddities of the form in another posting

martin

bird count for march 2010

Actually this was 1st of April.  But Ron and I call this the 32nd of march.

32nd march 2010 bird count

Ravens messing around at the nest site, lots of song thrushes, some stonechats.  But pretty quiet.

You should be able to see the relevant details by clicking the link.

Martin

13th April Nest Box records

 Here is the spreadsheet of april 13th 2010 Nestbox records

any difficulty in understanding it, please leave a comment

martin

April 6th 2010 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:  John, David, Neil, Ron

activities:
- bonfires (3), clearing everything on Staples Hill
- Only brash left are 2 trees near west pond, and 1 near the heave gate onto Pippingford.

Comments:  Martin on grandchild duty

April 13th 2010 .... Weekly Volunteers

To record activities

Present:  John, Neil, David, Ron, Keith, Mike and Martin

Activities:

- Nest box inspection.  First Half of route done.  One box to be reinstated, near hunt gate.
- Boundary fence inspected prior to ponies return, with most work done on the cricket field ( replacing posts) and up from the stream on the west side ( staples)
- Helped Monty with rounding up Pippingford ponies
- Repaired the new dam of west pond, and allowed overflow to go out the east side.  Used some pine trunks to make it firmer.
- Removed the brash of a felled tree above West pond, to uncover the heather.  Dragged to a potential firesite.
- Pulled up saplings on north east side of the M1, pine and birch
- John collected hard-core from the Pump house.
- Reserve leaflets refilled

Sightings:

A number of Redstarts singing
A woodlark
Ravens active near nest site
Owl pellets (2) out in the open above west pond
17+ crossbills
Lesser Redpoll
Siskin
Kestrel on the M1
Willow warbler at tool shed
Chiffchaffs

Plenty of visitors.

 Martin

Flood Damage in 2007

Here a a couple of photos of the extreme flood damage in July 2007 to Old Lodge.

It was overdue and did great service to the conservation and diversity of the stream part of the reserve.

luckily we did not loose the bridge.  We build two new ponds in the new contours, 13th and muddy.

One of the photos shows Alan on the bridge after clearing

Boundary with Army and Mrs Reid needing repair. 

Rupert, Alan and I did the work, if my memory serves me right

The scale of the flow is obvious

Where did those tussocks go?

Tussocks caught on stumps

Looking west at bridge

looking east at bridge with Alan, after clearing

There are more detailed photos at click here for album

martin

Wood Ants

One of a number of large Wood Ant's nests on the M1 firebreak.

An example of how our environment piles of non-commercial pine gets used, providing in its turn resources for Green Woodpecker and Badger.

From Ant nests along the M1 in 2007 09 27

If people want to contribute other photos or records, please contact me directly or via a comment

martin

A present for Alan

Alan knew that Tricia made some truffles for the troops, and that there were some specially made for him, when he could make it to the reserve.  They had to have less sugar because of his stomach operation, and I made out that they might have gone mouldy or have some fungus growing on them.

So I asked him to specially check that they were OK.  He enjoyed his chocolate.

The fairly realistic nail fungus was made with melted white chocolate and coffee grounds.  

The  photo is just my tribute to all the work that somehow brought the species back 

martin

Some photos of Alan

Here are copies of four photo's taken when St Katherine's Hospice Crawley organised a trip for Alan out to the reserve.

If anyone wants the higher quality versions, please leave a comment, and I will get back to you.

Our great thanks to Rebecca and our Driver ( can someone remember his name?) and the Hospice for all their kind efforts.

martin

From four photos of Alan's visit to Old lodge

Nick, David,Terry, Rebecca.Alan, Martin, Mike, John and Mary on the slope down to the tool store opposite the cottages

From four photos of Alan's visit to Old lodge

Ditto

From four photos of Alan's visit to Old lodge

Terry, Our driver, Alan, Mike,mary, Rebecca, Nick ( a boot?) and Martin setting out along the old lodge drive towards the Roller Stand 

From four photos of Alan's visit to Old lodge

Rebecca and Alan on the south heath just in from the five bar gate, looking roughly towards Friends clump.

Volunteers Please

Volunteers Please for Old Lodge Reserve

 https://www.sussexwt.org.uk/visit/old-lodge   gives the reserve basics.

We can always do with some more weekly volunteers to help with the conservation effort.

Every Tuesday at 9 am to upto 4 pm

Meet opposite the cottages that are down the drive to old lodge.

Bring boots, rough clothing, gloves and packed lunch.

Introduce yourself to people there, or leave a comment if you want more info


martin






http://www.sussexwt.org.uk/reserves/page00023.htm  was the old page which is no longer working. 

memories of Alan

If people want to leave any memories of Alan, then please do so as comments to this entry.

They will appear after one of us has time to vet them.  I do not want to get loaded with S P A M .  So do not worry if you cannot immediately see them in the blog

martin

Alan Gilham died last monday

Alan Gilham died last Monday

I dedicate this blog to the memory of Alan.

He taught me everything I know about Heathland and Old Lodge

martin