Early winter bird survey (8th December 2012)
Early winter bird survey of the whole site - here are the results (Individuals not pairs. 30th November 2011 results in brackets):
Pheasant 1 (12 - 10 were by the meadow pond!), Stock Dove 2 (5) - all in Avis barn, Wood Pigeon 20 (55), Green Woodpecker 1 (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker 3 (2), Wren 5 (5) - song heard on both dates, Dunnock 2 - by Avis meadow (0), Robin 9 (10), Blackbird 13 (14),Redwing 2 (32), Mistle Thrush 1 (1), Fieldfare 14 (3), Goldcrest 3 (3), Long-tailed tit 9 in two groups (11+ in 4 groups), Blue Tit 5 (5), Great tit 5 (8), Coal Tit 7 (4), Marsh Tit 3 (6), Nuthatch 1 (5), Treecreeper 1 (0), Jay 3 (8), Magpie 4 (2), Jackdaw nc (c7), Rook nc (nc), Crow nc (6), Raven 2 (0), Starling 5 (0), Chaffinch 4 (10), Goldfinch 2 (0), Siskin 1 (1), Bullfinch 5 (3).
In 2011 there were also 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Buzzard - amazing we didn't see any today!, 1 Greenfinch, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Linnet. (RG, JD, CM) Late winter survey in early Feb 2013
Apr - June Bird Territory estimates in the wood, plus breeding evidence if any (likely to be minima for most species, and only estimated for area covered by the butterfly transect and its surrounds – perhaps at most one third of the wood only.)
NB. Figure is for pairs not individuals.
These results are from a total of 9 full bird counts carried out between 1st April and 13th June 2012, plus various extra observations on other dates of rarer species not counting towards the territory estimate. Each of the full bird counts involved mapping all contacts with birds in the vicinity of the butterfly transect then estimating the number of territories from each visit and making an overall estimate from the set at the end of the season (Not enough birdsong after mid-June for worthwhile counting).
(2011 results in brackets)
Green = up from 2011,, black = same or not known, red = down
? Sparrowhawk one sighting only - ( fledged young 2011)
1 - 2 Buzzard fledged young - (same)
- Tawny Owl - (also 2 after dark 5th Aug., 2 ads plus juv calling after dark, 3rd Oct.)
2 - 3 Great-spotted Woodpecker - (same)
Poss 1 Mistle Thrush - (2)
2 - 3 Song Thrush - (Same - fledged young seen)
6 Blackbird - (7)
5 -7 Robin - (7 - 9)
5 -7 Blackcap - (fledged young - last recorded 31st Aug. 4 - 6)
2 - 4 Garden Warbler - (3 - 6)
9 - 10 Chiffchaff - (anxiety calls, fledged young. Last, 20th Sept. 6 - 9)
3 - 5 Willow Warbler - (5 - 6)
2 Goldcrest fledged young - (same)
2 Marsh tit - (fledged young - same)
5 - 8 Blue Tit fledged young - (fledged young - 5)
2 - 4 Great Tit - (fledged young - 3)
2 - 3 Coal Tit - (same)
2 Long-tailed Tit fledged young - (same)
3 - 4 Nuthatch feeding young - (same)
1 Treecreeper visiting nest - (2)
5 - 12? Wren - (fledged young 6 - 8)
2+ Jackdaw - (? - 6)
1 - 2 Carrion Crow juv. - (?)
? Magpie - (?)
2 -3 Jay - (fledged young 2)
3 - 5 Chaffinch - (8)
- Greenfinch ?
? Bullfinch - (fledged young 1 - 3)
ALSO SEEN 2012: Green woodpecker, Cuckoo (twice, calling), SPOTTED FLYCATCHER 1 territory!, Dunnock, Wood Pigeon 1 - 2, Pheasant 1 - 2, also Red Kite seen once
Outside wood (ie. Surrounding meadows):
1 Kestrel - same
1 Stock Dove entering assumed nest site (barn) - (same)
? Skylark - 1
1 Common Whitethroat - (2)
1 Lesser Whitethroat - (1 - 2)
2? Goldfinch - ( fledged young - same)
- Yellowhammer -(1)
Also seen 2012: LAPWING - PAIR BRED - 1 CHICK SEEN 4TH MAY (only present in March 2011, 4 birds), and Reed Bunting pair , Grey Heron and Peregrine seen once
Also - Andrew Denley had a nest of LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKERS in the wood this season.