BBS and Atlas Surveys, and Odonata

Saturday 24th May 2008

In mainly sunny conditions but with a stiff north-easterly breeze, I carried out two surveys this morning, starting with a Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) in grid square SO7713 in Hardwicke. 32 Species were encountered along the two 1km transects, these were:

Mallard 1
Common Buzzard 2
Common Kestrel 1
Pheasant 2
Moorhen 2
Herring Gull 30
Woodpigeon 6
Collared Dove 5
Cuckoo 1
Swallow 6
Wren 9
Dunnock 5
Robin 2
Blackbird 9
Song Thrush 4
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Whitethroat 13
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 3
Long-tailed Tit 2
Blue Tit 3
Great Tit 1
Magpie 3
Jackdaw 3
Carrion Crow 14
Raven 1
House Sparrow 4
Chaffinch 11
Greenfinch 2
Linnet 3
Yellowhammer 2

It was nice seeing the Cuckoo back again at Hockley Hill and picking it up within the survey, and there were good numbers of Whitethroat. I then went on to Brockworth to carry out my third and final early breeding season visit for the BTO Atlas survey in SO81Y. The following birds were seen or heard here:

Stock Dove 6
Woodpigeon 15
Collared Dove 1 S
Swift 2
Skylark 3
Wren 18
Dunnock 5
Robin 19
Blackbird 22
Blackcap 1
Whitethroat 2
Chiffchaff 4
Goldcrest 1
Blue Tit 10
Great Tit 2
Magpie 8
Jackdaw 3
Rook 1
Carrion Crow 4
Starling 8
House Sparrow 23
Chaffinch 10
Greenfinch 3
Goldfinch 6

The highlight though was a Beautiful Demoiselle near the Horsebere Brook (top photo), and a trip to the National Trust's Croome Park, in Worcesterhire, in the afternoon produced more Odonata in the form of a lovely male Red-eyed Damselfy (below).

Fretherne

Tuesday 20th May 2008


At Fretherne this evening before high tide there were eight Sanderlings, 12 Ringed Plovers, six Dunlins and an Oystercatcher. On the way home, there were two Little Owls, one at Longney and the other at Hardwicke. (Photos: Sanderlings)

Orange Tip

Sunday 18th May 2008

An Orange Tip posed nicely (above) near Lower Slaughter this afternoon, and was one of the few butterflies on the wing in sunny but coolish conditions.

I spent an excellent morning with Mark in the Forest of Dean, the highlights being a Firecrest, two Garden Warblers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Cannop, and at Nagshead two Spotted Flycatchers (one bird seen feeding, another bird was calling nearby), two Goldcrests, a Pied Flycatcher and a Wood Warbler (same singing male as yesterday near the top gate on the short trail). Two Tree Pipits, 7-8 Linnets, a Whitethroat and numerous singing Willow Warblers were at Tidenham Chase. (Photos of Wood Warbler, above, and Spotted Flycatcher below)

Forest

Saturday 17th May 2008

Another cool day, but at least it was mainly dry and with only light winds. A morning in the Forest of Dean with Andy produced a Firecrest at Cannop Ponds, and at RSPB Nagshead a singing male Wood Warbler, 3-4 singing male Pied Flycatchers, a pair of Redstarts, and a female Mandarin with six young at Lower Hide (photo of Wood Warbler above).

Hempsted BTO Atlas survey

The results from a two-hour survey in SO81D Hempsted I carried out last Saturday morning were as follows:
Shelduck 2
Mallard 1
Pheasant 5
Buzzard 1
Moorhen 2
Lesser Black-backed Gull 51
Herring Gull 15
Feral Pigeon 3
Stock Dove 2
Woodpigeon 37
Collared Dove 4
Swift 1
Green Woodpecker 1
Sand Martin 12 (colony)
Swallow 3
Wren 18
Dunnock 8
Robin 10
Blackbird 21
Sedge Warbler 3
Reed Warbler 3
Blackcap 8
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Whitethroat 8
Chiffchaff 5
Long-tailed Tit 2
Blue Tit 7
Great Tit 12
Jay 1
Magpie 10
Jackdaw 2
Carrion Crow 17
Starling 4
House Sparrow 12
Chaffinch 6
Greenfinch 5
Goldfinch 9
Linnet 3
Reed Bunting 1

White Wagtail

Monday 12th May 2008

An excursion to the forest after work this evening produced little of note, three Pied Flycatchers were heard in song at Nagshead and a Redstart was calling, but no sign of Spotted Flycatcher or Wood Warbler, in fact hardly any warblers were in song. At Cannop, this White Wagtail (above and below) was at the entrance road to the ponds.

Whiskered Tern

Saturday 10th May 2008



With no wind and temperatures in the 20's, the high tide was very quiet with just eight Ringed Plovers, five Whimbrels, three Curlews, a Common Sandpiper, a Hobby (heading towards Framton), and two Little Egrets at Fretherne today. A Whiskered Tern was then announced at the WWT 100-acre and was visible from across the river. Mark, Andy and me went for a closer look from Green Lane, taking in the two Cattle Egrets and two Common Terns at Splatt bridge on the way. The Whiskered Tern was showing well over the reed-bed, with a Little Gull and a Hobby (possibly the one seen at Fretherne).

(Photos: Whiskered Tern and Hobby)
A Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) was in the garden this evening (below).