birdcount --- 30th December 2012

Where have all the birds gone.

Only goldcrests seemed to be around.  These were in pairs, and presumably represents establishing territories.

There were plenty of herring gulls, that well known heathland bird.

There was one woodcock, which apparently Ron had a novel way of flushing, though I was politely keeping a distance.  Or so Ron claims.

My battery gave out again, but my spare saved the day, as the back up paper system failed as well.

There were really no thrushes, and there do seem to be very few berries for them to eat.  There were no great tits.  Have they all gone to the towns, and taken advantage of Christmas food offerings and sales.

The weather was by far the best of a terrible couple of weeks.

link for the spreadsheet

martin

birdcount --- 22 November 2012

Not a good day for the bird count.

But 3 woodcock was nice.

Only 26 species.  Many species probably present but hiding from the wind and rain.

you may note a break in the times recorded in  the morning.  The battery on the machine failed, and I put the missing figures into the machine later on at the tool store.  So some distortion if people are looking too closely.


click this link to get the spreadsheet

martin

birdcount --- 26th October 2012

Click on the link below to see the birdcount spread sheet

Winter migrations under way, with plenty of Fieldfares, Redwing, and Lesser Redpolls, plus those other birds that one might forget about, such as song thrush, skylark, meadow pipit and woodcock.

34 species and 352 birds is a pretty fair total.  Plenty of birds missing from the list that one could have seen, and were certainly present, but that is always the case.

There is not much food around, for instance berries on the trees, and maybe we won't keep some of these birds throughout the winter.

click to get the spreadsheet

martin

18th December 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Pat, Keith, Mike and martin

Activities:

- lookered the cattle
- brought down hung up tree that the contractors left (only top part had been left)
- burnt brash near cricket pitch
- extended one of the run off on road along m1, which was filling up with water

Observations:

- gary? Was on the reserve
- raven
- robins
- nobody is able to make the next two Tuesdays ( ie xmas day and new years day)


Martin

11th December 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Mike, Alan, Pat, Keith, Ray, and Martin

Activities:

- bonfire of brash just past the main beeches
- cut down marked oak, that contractors missed ( they weren't sure we had recognised it as an oak.  "why would you want to cut an oak?")
- made logs safe
- took two small pines for festive purposes
- lookered cattle

Observations:

- cattle did not come to fire
- siskins
- Ravens nesting?

Martin

4th December 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Pat, Mike, Alan, Keith, Ron and Martin

Activities:

- lookered cattle
- bonfire near batters clump
- made logs safe
- make some leaning dead wood safe in the wood along the  M1
- remarked in yellow some trees to be felled.   Mark had not  marked all the trees with red
- pond work on pippingford, correcting some erosion

Observations:
- two ravens at old nest site
- large herd of fallow on cricket pitch
- siskin, green woodpecker
- John collected some dung
- martin took xmas tree and two saplings
- alan provided lovely tarts etc

Martin

27th November 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present;

John, Jonathan, Keith, Neil, David a, David P, and  Martin

Activities:

- horrid weather
- sawing firewood in tool shed
- bringing more logs into shed to dry
- setting a bow saw
- setting and sharpening 2 man saw
- lookering cattle
- remedial work on 2 pippingford ponds
- stopping overflow on west pond and enlarging outlet
- pulling bramble behind shed
- preparing some stakes for future pond work
- collecting  sawdust for Keith's hens


Observations:

- siskins
- jays,  magpies
- fallow deer



 Martin

20th November 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John,  mike, Alan, Jonathan, David a, Keith and  Martin

Activities:

- horrid weather, so mostly in tool store
- filled brochure box
- cleared beer cans from car park
- spread some gravel over muddy patches outside store
- cut logs stored in shed
- sharpened and set a few bow saws
- split some bigger logs
- swept up sawdust for keith's hens
- cleared the front gutters
- lookered cattle

Observations:

- 2 ravens



 Martin

13th November 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Mike, Alan, Neil, David p, David a, Keith, Ray, Pat, and Martin

Activities:

- gorge bonfires in the triangle, with stuff cut last week, plus new coppicing

Observations

- kestrel
- crossbill, siskin, redpoll
- redwing
- tree creeper
- Meadow pipit
- Raven
- Paul +1 felling trees
- john took some pony dung
- police landrover came to check on fire. Very nice guys.  Had already notified the fire brigade.

 Martin

6th November 2012 ... Weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan,  Mike, Tim, Alan, David a, David p, Katherine, Neil (k), Ray,  Keith and Martin

- Bonfires of gorse and brash (3)
- cut gorse along road and in triangle

Observations:

- Raven, Kestrel
- crossbill , siskins , redpolls
- meadow pipits , skylarks, redwing
- brambling


 Martin

30th October 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Mike, Alan, Neil, Pat, Ray, Keith and  Martin

Activities:

- 3 brash bonfires in wood down from roller stand, and one gorse bonfire near the large oak tree there.
- cutting  more gorse along the road.

Observations:
- siskins, redpolls, meadow pipits, skylark
- orange peel gone
- no cows yet

 martin

23rd October 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Alan, Tim, Ray, Keith, Neil, Mike and Martin

Activities:

- two bonfires of contractor's brash.  Basically beeches avenue on right hand side
- John did some birch sapling work on slope to bridge
- looked unsuccessfully for nail fungus

Observations:

- J's grandson Thomas liked our bonfire and added several large logs
- lots of fungi coming up, including orange peel
- skylarks and meadow pipits
- Rutting
- Paul returned all the tools, from the tree planting
- Mike wants better instructions
- a very friendly tree(?) mouse was seen burrowing amongst the brash. Relatively short tail.


 Martin

birdcount --- 28th September 2012

28 species is pretty low, but the weather was not great for bird counting.  Only two species stood out, namely Swallows ( 133) and House Martins (31).  Migration was in full swing.  Meadow pipits were also in evidence.

Otherwise things were just keeping hidden.  Lots of things must have been present, but we did not see them.



click here to see the spreadsheet


martin

birdcount --- 24th August 2012

Please find below link to the birdcount spreadsheet for august 2012

35 Species this month including Spotted Flycatcher, Stock Dove, Heron, Grey Wagtail and House Martin.

Birds are starting to move, for instance the swallows (19), and the numbers of mistle thrushes (29) is the normal post breeding gatherings.  They tend to be in Pines, which always surprises us, since the rowan berries look much more suitable.

The Grey Wagtail and Heron are presumably dispersals after breeding, and its not as is they have had to come far.

And on that score, where were all the finches. No goldfinches, Greenfinches, Linnets, or Redpolls.  Do they all buzz off for some harvest binge? And the woodlarks, skylarks and meadow pipits?

plase click here to see the spreadsheet


Martin

birdcount --- 26th July 2012

I think this is 37 species, which rather overstates the day, given that plenty of the records were of single events.  Birds just did not want to be seen.  The total numbers were bolstered by one flock of 45 tits.

Starling and yellowhammer are probably the most exciting.

I guess poor weather, and hiding for moulting are the reasons.


click here to see spreadsheet


martin

birdcount --- 20th June 2012

41 species again.

This time a garden warbler in the car park was the most interesting species.

Spotted flycatcher was again recorded.

Bullfinches, Redpolls, Crossbills at this time of year are pleasing potential breeders.

As always a number of species missing, that one knows are there somewhere.  Where for instance were the longtailed tits?



click here to see the spreadsheet


martin

birdcount --- 24th May 2012

Here is the bird count at Old Lodge for 24th May 2012

click here for spreadsheet

41 species all told.  Quite a nice total with most of the warblers included

2 Grey Partridge were taking advantage of the new fields on Old Lodge for the stud farm.  I assume this is a new species for the bird count.  There used to be strange red-legged partridge on the estate which appeared to be completely tame.  These 2 appeared wild and flew across the field really before we 'saw' them.

2 Spotted flycatcher were nice to see.

martin

Third Kingdom handout from Ray

Ray included the following document for those that have not seen it


click on the link below to see it


click on this link for document


Martin

List of Fungi on Foray 11th October 2012

Ray has sent me this list of species for the day.  It is an rtf file.  click the link below to get it.

It is possible that your browser will do interesting things with it.  Shout if you have problems.

click the link for the file


martin

John's Huge Fungus --- Ray's response

John brought up to Old Lodge a huge Fungus which he had taken off a copper beech in his church yard.

Ray corrected John's identification saying that it was a Giant Polypore ( Meripilus giganteus, not Grifola frondosa) and sent the following information on it.

'Dear Martin

First chance to get back to you on this cf. your friend with the Beech tree problem in the Churchyard.

This is being attacked by Meripilus giganteus , the Giant Polypore, an aggressive root-rotting parasite, which undermines the stability of the tree.

Roger Phillips notes: Not edible due to the sour taste and fibrous texture. It is not ‘Hen of the Woods’  Grifola frondosa which is smaller, less tough and occurs mainly at the base of Oak trees (and is considered edible, but should be viewed as a candidate for conservation as it is Uncommon).'

Please find a link below to the pdf of 'Hen of the woods'


please click on this link to see the pdf

Book ref:The Mushroom Guide & Identifier: Peter Jordan – who writes as a ‘forager’


Sorry if image comes upside down. I am sure you can sort out.

Ray indicates that this is a very aggressive fungus, and the tree is likely to be dangerous, unsaveable and best cut down immediately, possibly with council advice.


Martin

'greenish blob' on Fungus foray 11/oct/2012

One of the foray group found a 'greenish blob' or 'Myxophyceae Nostoc'

Ray has sent this information on the creature / thing

Ray Tantram
to me

This shows what this rather anonymous greenish blob really looks like!

Martin, please forward this to at least the finder!

Thanks!

below is a link to a pdf that Ray attached



click here for pdf page

Sorry if it is sideways in your browser.



Martin

16th October 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Pat, Katherine, Alan, David p, Ray, Tim, Neil and Martin

Activities:

- lent Paul of Windy Ridge 4 large spades, 3 small spades and a mattock, to be returned next week
- cut down broken beech branch along the side of first cottage (Nina's) with pole saw to make path safe.  Arisings processed and added to wood pile
- filled in muddy dips in parking area opposite cottages with stones taken from behind tool store
- showed volunteers the amethyst deceivers
- two bonfires in wooded area below roller stand, burning brash from contractors' felling
- pulled birch saplings near bridge
- showed contractors the two leaning pines to be taken out, and a marked birch in the same area.
- disposed of the giant polypore in the ditch.  Not hen of the woods as originally thought
- found a hanging branch near bonfire.  Considered safer, (being away from public and likely to snag a foot lower if separated), than doing anything with it.

Observations:

- raven
- fly ageric
- kestrel
- two horses riding out of Old Lodge estate, along to cottages and back.  A first?

 Martin

9th October 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Pat, David a, Tim, Alan, and Martin

Activities:

- tidied up wood piles
- brought wood into tool store for a rainy day
- cleared bramble
- with mark, collected all piles of gorse, some piles of birch
- with rubens cut down  marked trees to the north of the swamp.
- turned off water to the troughs

Observations:

- buck with v large antlers
- 2 crossbills
- plenty of meadow pipits

 Martin

2nd October 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Alan, David p, Neil, and  Martin

Activities:

- cut  more gorse along road
- dragged down arisings to fire site
- bonfire of gorse and pine brash from nearby contractor felling
- informed fire service as usual
- covered east of stream  back to ryde junction for new bracken,  pine and birch saplings, noting areas that will need digging

Observations:

- 4 ravens
- 3 swallows
- meadow pipits
- possible hobby calling
- John brought amazing hen of the woods to show us

Martin

25th September 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Mike, Tim, Neil, David a, Keith and Martin.

Activities:

- rounded up ponies and sent them to the South Downs
- packed up corral on trailer.  This is to be picked up by Monty later.
- cleared bramble from cedar wood-piles.  One re-stacked for easy access by Jonathan , and other two consolidated.
- cut more gorse along the road and dragged a lot down to the bonfire site near cuckoo pond
- pole sawed two small birch branches that got in the way of horse lorry tail gate.

Observations:

- sparrow hawk
- meadow pipits
- green woodpecker


Martin

18th September 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Mike, David a, David p, Alan, Tim and  Martin

Activities:

- bracken pulling along  M1 and Heath above west pond
- bonfire of cut gorse on old fire site near cuckoo pond
- cut more gorse along road

Observations:

- crossbill
- Buzzard, kestrel
- meadow pipits, siskins, nuthatches
- gorse mites
- frank cut the south bank of road


 martin

11th September 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan , Mike , David a, David p, Keith , Martin , joined by Mark and Rubens

Activities :

- mended brochures box again
- pulled bracken towards bridge
- pulled bramble on S heath
- moved log piles on beeches avenue  to behind tool store
- cut up birch trunks on beeches avenue and stacked . Also cut stumps down, including pine on bank
- bagged remaining bark at roller stand

Martin

4th September 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Martin, Mike, David a, David p, Pat and Ray

Activities:

- lookered ponies
- pulled brambles on south heath
- pulled ragwort either side of road
- pulled bracken along east boundary
- cut more gaps on gorse along road
- pulled bramble off log piles
- ring barked 4 pines near cuckoo pond
- felled small leaning birch there
- collected bark chips.  David p took large builders bag, and Pat two small coal bags of it.


Observations:

- dead adder on road
- crossbills
- marsh tit near tool store
- Ravens, probably 3
- tree creeper, chiffchaff,

Martin

28th August 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

David a, David p, Mike, Neil, Jonathan ,  Alan and Martin

Activities:

- lookered the ponies
- checked south heath fencing.  Re-stapled some and added 5 fence posts supporting some weak or broken ones
- did some gorse cutting along road, continuing some earlier work.  We make channels through to the fence  and then along the fence, producing island of gorse that can be grazed from all sides.  Arisings piled on reserve side of fence.
- scythed grass along path to car park
- re-mended lid of brochure box
- finished slashing path through bracken from level pond to central fence.
- pulled ragwort from both sides of cricket field.  Arisings hidden in brash pile away from grazing reach
- moved ten fence posts to tool store and use on south heath

Observations

- honey from nestbox is delicious
- swallows moving
- 2 buzzards
- goldfinch


Martin

21st August 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Mike, Jonathan , David a, David p, Alan, Ray and Martin

Activities:

- lookered ponies
- moved ponies from South Heath onto main reserve.  Went well
- pulled bracken on south heath
- pulled ragwort from ol1
- slashed bracken on path to level pond, and across to path down the stream
- dug up birch from crossroads down towards stream, and a bit above


Observations:

- crossbill
- buzzard
- 2 orchids
- dodder spreading
- bees inside nest box
- red kite seen by Monty and others recently
- flock of mistle thrushes
- small coppers, gatekeepers
- swallows moving
- large amount of bramble on south heath
- restarts, nuthatches , g s woodpecker, pheasant
- fallow deer
- b hawker, c darter, b b chaser
- yellow slime mould on s heath



Martin

14th August 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Alan, Keith, Ray, Pat, Neil, Jonathan  and Martin

Mike visited the site, and inspected the work.

Activities:

- lookered ponies
- checked ragwort on cricket field
- pulled ragwort along road
- cleared channels at causeway. Remade a path surface over both Irish bridges with extracted sods, bracken and dug clay and peat.  Water level has now fallen considerably.
- pulled bracken along beeches avenue at northern end.
- slashed bracken on path side of fence there
- pulled bracken along M1
- slashed half the deer track under the pylons

Observations:

- 7 buzzards in a thermal
- dodder still in flower
- couple of blue butterflies
- s hawker, b hawker
- bee flies
- checked the bee hive.  Thinking of allowing expansion into second nest box.
- flocks of house martins and swallows moving
- hobby
- blackcap, stonechats
- s wood, brimstone, m brown, gatekeeper, l skipper


Martin

7th August 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Alan, Ray, Neil, and martin

Activities:

- lookered ponies
- pulling bracken and birch along the top to the bench and then on eastern slope of stream either side of bridge
- slashed bracken on path along stream, completing route started last week
- pulled ragwort in front of tool store
- tightened up barb on the heave gate behind the tool store
- scythed , dug and pulled bramble from behind tool store
- inspected the causeway.  Some grass clearance scheduled for next week

Observations:

- dozen crossbills
- kestrel calling from nest
- dodder examined.  It has spread a little west
- stonechats
- ravens
- longtail  tits
- tree creepers
- redstarts
- goldfinch


Martin

31st July 2012 ...weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan , Alan, David a, Pat, Keith, and Martin

Activities:

- mended pamphlet box with neoprene hinge
- dug a small ditch to soak away the excess rain from bottom of car park
- made some small channels to divert water as it comes down the car park
- recovered path to kissing gate with bark chips collected from roller stand
- pulled bracken along east bank (to burnt area) and strip on other side of path. On top heath, between pillow mound, Reynard's way and path behind cottages. And more work from bench down to stream.
- pulled ragwort from cess pit area, and on exit road.  Arisings taken for garden compost
- inspected honey bees in nest box near causeway, and started making contacts through Keith for their recovery.
- slashed the bracken back from path down and along stream.  More still to do.
- lookered the ponies.  They are not noticeably effecting quantity of grass on south heath yet.
- pollarded a birch on beeches avenue, where a branch was forcing visitors to detour around it.  Brash hauled towards bank.
- bramble along back of tool store given a scythe, and arising dumped in ditch

Observations:

- redstart
- redpoll
- raven
- poor showery, muggy day with wind
- tent finally given extra twist, and fitted into bag.  David a has taken for grandchild.
- the two small patches of dodder are flowering


Martin

29th May 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Mike, David p, David a, Neil and martin

Activities:

- mended two gaps under South heath's bank fence.  One with stones and stakes, since actively used and getting large and eroded.  The other by reconstructing a log hanging beneath a squeeze gate.
- scythed, slashed and dug up bracken along ditch and bank.
- took jonathan and david p to see sun-dews
- filled 4 bags with bark chips.  2 taken by david t, and other 2 used at kissing gate to counter erosion.
- dug and pulled bracken along beeches avenue
- rubbed new growth off birch stumps there
- cut and moved some logs there
- failed to see or find ponies by end of day
- looked to see if veteran trees needed more space along beeches avenue
- ring barked two that were intrusive

Observations:
- green hair streak, small coppers, small heaths
- sundews
- crossbills, linnets, redpolls
- tree creeper
- b b chaser
- Large red damsel flies
- lizard
- brimstone

Martin

22nd May 2012 ... weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Mike, Neil, David p, and Martin

Activities:

- nest box survey
- ragwort on both sides of cricket field
- bracken on m1

Observation:
- 5 bats in hanging nestbox
- strange lone pale egg in box that had 4 redstart eggs
- crossbills
- dead blue tit nest already emptied and all but nest material gone
- an unidentified dragon fly
- brimstones, blues, small copper


Martin

Bracken spraying in 2012

Mark sent me this map of the spraying for 2012.

you may need to rotate it to really appreciate it.  I am not sure how to do this in google drive at the moment. But if you download it, and view it locally it should be easy.

The guys doing it have spent two days on it.  This map dates from half way through.

This is what mark said  on July 20th           "I have attached the map of bracken spraying that was undertaken on Tuesday. The sprayers will be back 1 day next week to do some more – we have tried to include the areas that John Marking indicated in the map he sent to me and I will have a final map for you all soon."




click to see map of spraying for 2012

martin

article about nail fungus appearing in Norfolk ... martin

I thought this was interesting.  Another site where after introducing ponies for grazing, they found that they had nail fungus.  Very like our experience at Old Lodge.

A nice photo as well.

click below to see the article.

martin



click for birdguides article

***  update .  this article seems to have disappeared.   maybe thier server was down when I tried.  Google came up with at least four links, all of which timed out for me today.

24th July 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Keith, Ray, Mike, Pat, David a, Alan and Martin

Activities:

- moved ponies from main reserve onto south heath. Monty amazed how easy and quick it was.  Nina came along to help.
- pulled ragwort at cricket field. Hid arisings in brash pile on ol2.
- pulled ragwort on south heath and road side
- pulled  bracken on middle of reserve east of stream across to birch patch.
- pulled bracken along sides of stream either side of bridge
- scythed bracken along beeches avenue and path from bridge upstream


Observations:
- raven
- stonechat
- crossbill
- john did dragonfly count.  Keeled, brown hawker, emperor, azure, large red, 4 spot
- bracken sprayers working
- Ray on a trial day
- Mike has taken broken fence hammer to remove the broken handle
- scythe handles reset and tested
- hammer head refixed by soaking



Martin

17th July 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Mike, Pat, David P, and Martin

Activities:

- resharpened and reset two of David's saws
- mended the lid to the brochure box at the car park
- cleared thistles near tool store
- pulled bracken, birch and pine down from the bench, both sides of path
- Monty counted ponies, and we saw at least 11 looking fine.



Observations:

- kestrel
- stonechat
- bog cotton and asphodel
- meadow browns, large skipper
- B b chaser, emperor, azure
- 2 herring gull
- bell and cross leaved heather flowering
- Pat took picnic rucksack
- new path working fine, but perhaps needs a little extension into car park
- apparently no dartfords on forest
- celebrated David's 65 with champagne

Martin

10th July 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan , Mike, Alan, Keith, Neil and Martin

Activities:

- bracken pulling, along road, M1 and area of open heath to the right before cricket pitch and cross roads
- some ragwort also pulled along road
- lowered the Owl box from original two ladder stages to effectively ground level.  Cleaned out the inside.
- heard and saw some ponies being bothered by two free running dogs.  Did not manage to count them.
- 'told off' the dog owner concerned as politely as possible

Observations
- tree creepers and goldcrests singing and calling
- two young tawny owls
- two ravens around nest site
- herring gulls
- owl nest box full of debris, including egg shell chips, a few small bones and pellets, and at various levels 10 eggs.  There cannot have been much room left recently for new nests. No new nest material seen, being mostly crumbly dry matter.
- Owl box battens in terrible condition and taking it down probably avoided a collapse.
- found a pine tree that probably had been struck by lightening, and burned, scorching nearby trees. difficult to give a date, but probably not in last couple of years
- lousy rainy weather and gave up after lunch.
- some spare items brought and changed hands
- some fire wood taken
- at least one, possibly two adders

Martin

3rd July 2012 ... Weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Alan, David p, David a, Mike, Neil, and Martin

Activities:

- bracken clearing on South Heath
- along road, together with ragwort
- along the east boundary
- oiled and graphited locks along road and oiled one near car park.
- remade path up to kissing gate, allowing water to drain into ditch.  Covered in bark chippings from roller stand
- cleared some thistles alongside tool store
- lookered ponies
- sharpened scythes
- readjusted two handles on scythes.  One still needs to be done.

Observations:

- 5 woodlarks
- horrid weather


Martin

26th June 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Pat, Keith,  Neil and Martin

Activities:

- Ponies lookered by Monty
- rest of nestboxes done
- bracken clearing north of road from roller stand to cattle pens, and across stream to slope the other side under power lines
- built new supporting post and rail to strengthen kissing gate post, that was getting weak
- small bit of bracken clearing on south heath
- some locks eased with graphite, many still to do

Observations:

- woodlark, skylark
- kestrel
- emperor dragonfly
- 3 bog asphodel


Martin

19th June 2012 ... Weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Pat, David a, Mike, Jonathan, Keith and Martin

Activities:

- nest survey up to high beeches
- finished clearing path to car park
- clearing bracken and birch along the top and down to power-lines
- lookered ponies.  The pale one is less pale in summer coat
- deadish tree down relatively safely diagonally across heath from where fence posts piled.  No action needed

Observations:

- b b chasers, large reds, azure
- juv redpoll
- wood larks and tree pipits
- raven
- plenty of redstarts
- swallows
- possible roe deer near west pond

Martin

12th June 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

David a, David p, John, Jonathan, Mike, Neil, Keith and Martin

Activities:

- cut fire wood from logs in tractor shed
- checked first aid kits
- moved some cedar for Jonathan to car and shed
- collected more saw dust for Keith.  Still in shed.
- made safety improvements to path to east of shed
- lookered ponies
- made safe by hammering into ground the angle iron fence remains along Pippingford boundary
- dug ditches to protect path at end of power lines
- some ditch and some  bank work at stony pond and amex ponds
- scything grass and bracken on path from tool store to car park


Observations:

- hobby calling in usual area
- sun-dews on the reserve where reintroduced by Alan.  Not seen for several years.  Two very small patches
- 13 crossbills
- buzzard
- terribly rainy and wet.  Streams in places where we have never seen them.  Ponds overflowing all over the place
- bullfinch
- Group of 3 woodlarks

Martin

June 5th 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

Mike and Martin.  (jubilee)

Activities:
- lookered Ponies
- marked location of angle iron fence posts along boundary with Pippingford road.  Made temporally safe.  Probably where pony Justin got puncture injury.
- small repairs to dam at the bridge, after floods
- pulled bracken and ragwort around willow pit
- cut up some more firewood

Observations:
- 4 bee-eaters !!! Flying over the crossroad
- woodlarks, tree pipits, stonechats
- fruiting slime-mould
- redstarts
- l b b gull
- 2 blue damoiselles by bridge.

Martin

June 5th 2012 --- Jubillee fly-over by bee-(f)-eaters

Jubilee fly-over by bee-(f)-eaters

Saw 4 bee-eaters flying from the North, across the crossroads, and off towards batters clump to the south.

I guess they may have followed the stream a little way before branching across the m1 ridge to get across the Weald.  They were not much more than tree height.

The light was not good, but silhouette distinctive, like a starling with long tail.  One short call made, which was recognised by a companion birdwatcher.

Will have left the reserve without stopping

Hope we don't get too many twitchers

Martin

birdcount --- 25th January 2012

here is the spreadsheet for the bird count in January 2012


click here for spreadsheet

39 species is very good for winter.

Nice to have the infrequent marsh tit, Yellow Hammer and Reed Bunting.  Also good to have woodlark back for the season.

martin

birdcount --- 22nd February 2012

Find a link to the spreadsheet of the bird count.

click link to get the spreadsheet


29 species is OK for this time of year, but not very many birds in total.  Just a few of each.

4 wood cock was nice and presumably means that the total population in the winter is quite a bit higher.

plenty of things missing.  Longtailed tit?  Fieldfare?

Raven, Buzzard and woodlark are nice


martin

birdcount --- 23rd march 2012

Find below a link to the spreadsheet of this months bird-count


click here to get the spreadsheet


37 species was rather good.

The highlight was a Raven fending off 7 buzzards at the same time.

The numbers of redpolls was impressive as well.  Obviously some things missing, which we know are there.  Where were the other raptors? Bullfinch?

Surprising number of pheasant recorded.  Testosterone?

martin

birdcount --- 30th April 2012

Here is the spreadsheet for April 30th bird-count at Old Lodge.

click here for spreadsheet

40 species, but still some obvious things missing.  Where are the greenfinch, mistle thrush, stock dove. Meadow Pipit

We saw a male blackbird with rather a lot of white on the primaries, but decided that it really was a blackbird, and not an Ousel.

We saw the Raven nest and it was different from last year.  And we saw a young one clambering around in the tree, and not wanting to fly even though we were below it.  Or maybe because we were below it.  :-)

Nice lot of arrivals, and I thought the blackcap numbers rather good.

martin

15th May 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Alan, Pat, Ron, Neil, David A, Keith and Martin

Activities:

- checked and repaired drainage channels on M1 track
- Pulled Ragwort behind cottages and along road
- dug up more bramble behind tool store
- cut and split logs for firewood
- brought more logs into shed
- collected sawdust etc for Keith's chickens
- refilled brochure box by car park.  Noted lid needs repairing
- cleared drain under path down from one stump pond
- cleared channel from ditch to stoney pond
- cleared some rush from stoney pond
- pulled birch near high beeches
- ring barked some trees by the swamp

Observations:

- Raven
- migrating swallows
- whitethroat, blackcap
- tree pipit
- 3 herring gulls
- stonechats

martin

8th May 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan , Mike, Keith, David A, David T, and Martin

Activities:

- injured pony returned and reunited with herd.
- lookered ponies
- replaced firebeater pole at ride junction
- pulled birches east of stream
- some more clearnce work along stream (saplings etc)
- did nestbox survey

Observations:

- 17 crossbills
- bullfinches
- whitethroats, blackcaps
- lots of swallows, one martin
- raven
- pair of pheasants
- sparrow hawk
- herring gulls
- woodlarks , tree pipits
- redstarts
- redpolls

martin

1st May 2012 ... weekly volunteers

Present:

Jonathan, Mike, Alan, Tim,  David a, David t, Keith and Martin

Activities:

- lookered the ponies
- finished pointing fence posts from last week
- cut and processed three chestnuts near the veteran pine
- mended handle on new scythe

Observations:

- raven and buzzard
- tree creeper
- redstarts, blackcap
- tree pipits and woodlarks


Martin

Chris Butler et al Report on Old Lodge

Below you will find a link to the Archaeology report on Old Lodge done by Chris Butler, Vivienne Blandford and Anne Locke.


click here for report

And I have embedded the report below, and you may be lucky enough to be able to read this.  No Promises.


Martin

24th April 2012 ... Weekly volunteers

Present:

John, David Taylor, Mike, Jonathan,  Keith, Martin, Alan, Tim, and Ron

Activities:

- put up owl box
- made some chestnut fence posts near the cross roads
- some more fire wood taken off site
- lookered the 11 ponies
- pulled up some birch saplings down from cross road along boundary

Observations:
- Raven
- tree creeper, nuthatches
- chiffchaffs , willow warbler, blackcap
- redstarts
- redpolls, longtail tit
- tree pipit, woodlark

Martin

17th April 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Jonathan, John, Alan, David Taylor, Tim and Martin

Activities:

- Jonathan took some more cedar
- cut up and bagged wood in store
- brought in more wood
- sharped many tools including billhooks, spades
- cleared most of remaining bramble behind store
- lookered ponies.  Reported one lame to Monty.  He has put him 'on watch'
- made fence post from log in store
- repaired fence on south heath with it

Observations:

- Tim on placement from University .
- David first taster day
- Crossbills, redpoll, goldfinch, bullfinch
- raven and Buzzard
- lots of redstarts
- a few lizards, including dead one at side of store
- 3 herring gulls
- nuthatch
- Swallow


Martin

10th April 2012 .... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Johnathan, Mike, Pat, Alan, Keith, Neil, David and Martin


Activities:

- constructed two enlarged ponds below the bridge
- cleaned bridge of accumulated debris
- cleared shading branches above the stream up from the bridge
- reinstated 3 nest boxes
- lookered the ponies
- put up one new small nest box on beech tree in spinney next to tool store
- John collected some pony dung
- Jonathan took some cedar, which he can split by machine

Observations:

- plenty of Redstarts
- Raven and at least 3 buzzards
- tree creeper
- green spider   Micrommata virescens


Martin

3rd April 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Mike, Pat, Neil, Ron, Keith and Martin

Activities:

- fencing work, replacing and mending posts on the boundary.  Virtually all our stock of posts used up.  About 20 posts redone.  Some old iron stumps hammered into ground
- 'wire cutting' section at house in corner, repaired and made into an easy climb over.  Occupants seem to be away.
- pond and stream work near bridge
- mike took load of gorse logs
- keith brought back 3 repaired nestboxes

Observations:

- 2 redstarts
- 15 crossbills
- 2 buzzards
- 2 Ravens
- gorse sprouting on burnt stumps
- 2 mandarin ducks in owl nest box off M1
- woodlarks

Martin

27th March 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present :

John, Jonathan, Keith, Alan, Neil, David, Rob, and Martin

Activities :

- checked and mended all fencing on perimeter.  Posts to be added on fire damaged area and cricket field
- made safe bit of old rusty iron fencing that injured David previously
- filled box with last of the brochures .  Need another print run.
- reinstalled most of taken down nestboxes. Putting in low to reduce ladder work. Collected another 2 for Keith.  I think there are 3 to go
- cleaned the troughs, and switched on the water
- cleared some weed and rush from cuckoo pond
- ring barked a pine shading the pond
- re-pollarded a couple of birch that were getting too leggy
- took out a birch threatening to damage ditch and bank

Observations:

- cuckoo
- 3 buzzards mobbed by the two ravens
- crossbills, redpolls, linnets
- pair of reed buntings by high beeches
- dead badger near ne corner
- fence barbed wire cut near refurbished house, possibly to ease access.
- chiffchaffs , woodlarks
- new bird box on south heath
- could only find one pair of fencing pliers
- noted David's friend had taken some of the older wood. He may volunteer in future
- fire on forest at weekend did not touch ol.

Martin

20th March 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present :

John, Jonathan, Pat, Alan, David, Neil, Mike, Keith and Martin

Activities :

- clearing ponds on stream
- taking down 3 broken branches, noted last week
- checking and making good  the second half of the nest boxes
- took down makeshift rope swing from hgh beeches
- checked and mended fence from 5 bar gate to car park

Observations :

- 2 Ravens
- 2 buzzards, including them being chased away by one raven
- meadow pipit, 4+ woodlarks
- redpolls, siskins, crossbills
- goldcrest, chiffchaff, tree creeper, nuthatch
- pied wagtail, marsh tit, long tailed tit
- male sparrow hawk, kestrel

Martin

13th March 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Alan, Pat, Keith, Jonathan, David and Martin

Activities:

- mended and extended the new dam
- started to clear one of the lower stream ponds
- final check of nest boxes. 4 taken down for repair, one lowered, one lid taken down for repair.
- no evidence of nesting
- made safe one partially fallen branch.  Check others, and noted 3 on one tree that should be taken down next week.

Observations:

- 50+ redpoll, siskins, crossbills
- 3+ singing woodlark
- chiffchaff (here yesterday as well)
- sparrowhawk
- Raven
- longtail tits including pair by tool store
- Skylark
- 2 woodcock


Martin

6th March 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Jonathan, Alan, Ron, Neil, David, Keith and Martin


Activities:

- finished the cutting of marked trees along Beeches Avenue
- bonfire of all the brash
- took down slightly dangerous leaning dead tree, probably broken in recent wind
- stacked up 4 foots etc

Observations:

- siskins,redpolls, crossbills
- Tree creeper, nuthatch singing
- raven


Martin

28th February 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Mike, Pat, Alan, Jonathan, David and Martin

Activities:

- more cutting down marked trees along beeches avenue
- bonfire of brash
- cleared dead wood hanging off large chestnut

Observations:

- Raven
- redpolls
- goldcrest, tree creeper, nuthatch
- crossbills
- skylarks singing
- ditto woodlark
- greater spotted woodpecker drumming
- song thrush

Martin

21st February 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Ron, Mike, Keith, Pat, Alan, and Martin

activities:

- cutting marked trees along beeches avenue
- burning brash arisings
- pulled down three dead pines that were hazardous in the wood towards the stream

Observations:

- 2 ravens
- gsw drumming
- skylark
- Redpolls, siskin
- Woodlark


Martin

14th February 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present :

John, Jonathan, Alan, Neil, David, Pat, and Martin

Activities:

- cut more marked trees along beeches avenue
- bonfire of brash
- make logs safe

Observations:

- Raven
- marsh tit
- bullfinch
- nuthatch, tree creeper
- goldcrest
- reed bunting
- siskin, redpolls
- crossbills


Martin

7th February 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Ron, David, Mike, Alan, Jonathan, and Martin

Activities:

- bonfire of brash
- cut down marked trees
- make logs safe
    Along beeches avenue

Observations:

- Raven
- 2 mistle thrushes
- 2 crossbills

Martin

31st Januarly 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Jonathan, Neil, Ron, Mike, Pat, David, Keith and Martin

Activities:

- bonfire of brash past and present down beeches avenue
- felled more marked trees
- made logs safe

Observations:

- bit of snow
- woodlark

Martin

24th January 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Neil, Keith and Martin


Activities:

- wet and bad forecast
- cut firewood
- brought more wood into tool store
- chopped some kindling
- mended saw horse
- sharpened a large bow saw, hand axe
- mended hammer


Martin

17th January 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Jonathan, Pat, John, Ron, Neil, Keith, David, Mike and Martin


Activities:

- cleared gutter
- started on clearing bramble behind tool store
- cleared leaves from roadside drains
- put in new fence post to strengthen fence on bank
- walked round with Vivienne Blanford to see archaeological sites.  Saw the 3 newly 'found' pillow mounds.

Observations:

- raven
- crossbills, redpolls, siskins
- woodcock
- singing woodlarks, tree creeper
- skylarks


Martin

10th January 2012 ... Weekly Volunteers

Present:

John, Neil, Ron, Jonathan, David, Keith and Martin.

Activities:

- cutting marked trees on Beech's Avenue
- stacking brash
- moving trunks and making safe
- bonfire of one of the brash piles


Observations:

- woodlark
- Ravens
- siskin, Crossbills
- queen wasp, who stung Martin's hand
- Marsh tit


Martin Wilkinson

January 3rd 2012 ...Weekly Volunteers

Present:

Martin and Keith

Activities:

- cutting fire wood and making kindling
- two bags of each taken away

Observations:

- appalling weather.  Wind and rain
- basically the day was abandoned by all


Martin

Bird Count for 28th April 2011

Below is the link to the spreadsheet for the bird count for 28th  April 2011

click here for the spreadsheet

- Peregrine
- 42 species of birds, plus I put in the green hairstreak as a record.  quite a good number but could be up to 50 with luck.  Bet we see the missing things next Tuesday.
- publishing delayed, because my PDA had problems and I have taken a it to extract the figures.


martin

Bird Count on 29th December 2011

Below is the link to the spreadsheet of the bird count at Old Lodge for 29th December 2011

click here for the spreadsheet

- 32 species is quite good for December
- plenty of Woodcocks around, and we were cautious in our numbers
- Ravens gave a good showing
- Lesser Black-backed Gull is uncommon sighting
- a stonechat ( and maybe more) was still present

weather was less than attractive

martin

Bird Count for 24th November 2011

Below is link to the spread sheet for the bird count at Old Lodge on 24th November 2011

click to get the spreadsheet

- 34 species
- big flock of pigeons
- first woodcock of the year
- still stonechats, but no woodlark
- a few species missing

martin