Nightjar walk .. 1st july 2010

Here is a spreadsheet of our nightjar count this year

click here for spreadsheet

The first part of the count was quite good, but it all stopped north of the stream for some reason.

So not as many as last year apparently.

Present Keith, Ron and Martin

martin

27th July 2010 ... Weekly volunteers

Present: John, Mike, Keith and Martin

Activities:

- Keith brought back nest boxes with neoprene covers.  Has taken one more for same treatment
- filled up the leaflet box
- lookered the South heath ponies.  Monty phoned up to say that he had checked the main reserve herd
- worked on the Island lake, taking out a lot of the encroaching  grassy mass
- continued cutting saplings and bracken above this area
- took out flowering ragwort on the cricket pitch area, and hid   plants under brash pile in OL2 wood
- took out more saplings and bracken along the M1

Observations:

- 2 Ravens at nest site
- siskins and lesser redpolls
- Kestrel
- silver studded blues at both traditional sites.  Based on behaviour
- lots of gatekeepers, large skippers, common blues, meadow browns
- red admiral, Ringlet ( cricket pitch), large whites
- Brown hawker
- small patch of Dodder along the road.

13th July2010 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

Martin was absent, and this is possibly inaccurate

Keith, Mike, John, Neil

Activities:

clearing saplings down the slope towards the stream at the bridge
lookering ponies

martin

20th July 2010 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:  Keith, John, Mike and Martin

Activities:
- lookered Ponies
- smoothed off the remains of a scrapping pile near the water trough
- cleared some algae from the trough
- added some stakes and did some repairs to the causeway
- did some clearing of the pond below the causeway ( lake pond?)
- cleared pine saplings and bracken from the slope under the power lines running south to the stream and top pond.

Observations:
- Red admiral
- two mating silver studded blues in the standard place.  This is first time for a few years.  We thought they might have disappeared !!
- Raven, Hobby
- plenty of  gatekeepers
- southern hawker emerging, broad bodies chasers

Other items:
John Luck doing a dragon fly survey on Sunday
Keith had had a bee sting on the face the previous Sunday and was still suffering
The ice cream van has had a make-over and is now pink.  It will be used as a 'freedom' frozen smoothie vehicle.
We donated some old diesel and chainsaw oil to Paul ( windy ridge Head Gardner ) and he will take the 'sledge' away next Tuesday at 9.  We promised to help in its removal
Some more things from Alan have arrived, including

- 2 hedge clippers
- large back-pack sprayer
- various broken spades, which John has taken to see if he can repair anything
- one good spade
- 3 nest boxes ( one doormouse?) which Keith has taken for a neoprene make-over
maybe there were some other things we did not notice.


martin

Nest Box count 15th June and 6th July 2010

Here is a spreadsheet of the nest box survey.

click here to see spreadsheet

The weather and other things delayed the second half.

Note that the two nuthatch nests were successful, even though we do not know the number of fledglings.

The blue tit nest in the damaged hanging nest, appeared against the odds to have succeeded.

surprisingly few casualties from the poor weather, though some late nesting.

Quite a lot of repair to do to the boxes before next season.

martin

Bird count for june 24th 2010

Keith and I did the bird count on 24th June 2010

below is a link to where people can see the spread sheet

click this to see spreadsheet

Of interest is the 3 spotted flycatchers.  One of the records is not in the correct location.

I have since heard birds in one of the locations.

martin

6th july 2010 ... weekly volunteers

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

Activities:
- lookered the ponies
- completed the nestbox survey.  Lots of bee(?) occupations in old nests  second nuthatch success.
- took out saplings ( mostly birch) and bracken in area bordering forester's cottage down to the stream
- took out pine saplings on area north west  of the willow hollow down to the path between the roller stand and the ride junction.  Plenty still here, but it was a start

observations:

- hot
- small heaths, meadow browns
- 3 golden ring dragonflies seen by visitors
- possible raven

martin

Gorse Mite Photos by Mike P

Mike took these pictures at old Lodge in June 2007.  There are 6 photos in total.  Click on the link to see the others. From mike's photos of gorse mite

The Mites were spectacular.

They do not occur every year on such a scale

martin