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