With the school summer holidays upon us, the birds’ breeding season is almost over. The bird song that filled the wood, particularly at first light, has now been replaced by the many, varied and much more difficult to identify, squawks, cheeps and ticks of young birds demanding to be fed.
I have now made 20 visits to Astonbury Wood and have recorded 58 species including 44 of the species seen by Richard Gazzard in his earlier study; the exceptions are Lapwing, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Warbler, Wood Warbler and House Martin. Nine species (Wood Pigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Chaffinch) have been recorded on every visit while a further two species (Wren and Dunnock) have been seen on all visits bar one. Five species (Cuckoo, Swift, Swallow, Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat), all summer visitors, have been added to the list since I last wrote in the newsletter. Wood Pigeon has become the most numerous species, closely followed by Jackdaw and Chaffinch. Movements of gulls, following the line of Stevenage Brook, cease over the summer months but as autumn progresses their numbers will pick up again. There have been no further sightings of the Harris Hawk although one, probably the same one, was seen over Amwell gravel pits during the summer.
Making fortnightly visits has not been as productive as I had hoped where finding birds’ nests has been concerned. I have only confirmed breeding for three species: Moorhens nested on both small ponds at the north end of the wood while both Blue Tit and Jackdaw were seen visiting tree hollows. However, breeding is suspected for a further 22 species, including Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chaffinch. Recently fledged young of Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Goldcrest and Carrion Crow have all been seen, strongly suggesting that they nested in the wood. Despite a careful search along Stevenage Brook, where it passes through Long Meadow, I could find no evidence of Kingfishers nesting. Indeed, none have been recorded during the spring and summer months. If anyone has any bird breeding records for the wood, please forward them to me so I can include them in my report.
Long Meadow remains disappointing for birds. I have added only two further records, both of a pair of Carrion Crows, in the meadow. Birds are regularly seen and heard in the hedge alongside the brook and at the woods edge but none seem to feed in the field.
Most of my survey work takes place early in the morning, with only a couple of evening visits so far and so is not conducted at the best time of day to record butterflies. So far I have seen ten species: Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Purple Hairstreak, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.
I have now made 20 visits to Astonbury Wood and have recorded 58 species including 44 of the species seen by Richard Gazzard in his earlier study; the exceptions are Lapwing, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Warbler, Wood Warbler and House Martin. Nine species (Wood Pigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Chaffinch) have been recorded on every visit while a further two species (Wren and Dunnock) have been seen on all visits bar one. Five species (Cuckoo, Swift, Swallow, Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat), all summer visitors, have been added to the list since I last wrote in the newsletter. Wood Pigeon has become the most numerous species, closely followed by Jackdaw and Chaffinch. Movements of gulls, following the line of Stevenage Brook, cease over the summer months but as autumn progresses their numbers will pick up again. There have been no further sightings of the Harris Hawk although one, probably the same one, was seen over Amwell gravel pits during the summer.
Making fortnightly visits has not been as productive as I had hoped where finding birds’ nests has been concerned. I have only confirmed breeding for three species: Moorhens nested on both small ponds at the north end of the wood while both Blue Tit and Jackdaw were seen visiting tree hollows. However, breeding is suspected for a further 22 species, including Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Chaffinch. Recently fledged young of Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Goldcrest and Carrion Crow have all been seen, strongly suggesting that they nested in the wood. Despite a careful search along Stevenage Brook, where it passes through Long Meadow, I could find no evidence of Kingfishers nesting. Indeed, none have been recorded during the spring and summer months. If anyone has any bird breeding records for the wood, please forward them to me so I can include them in my report.
Long Meadow remains disappointing for birds. I have added only two further records, both of a pair of Carrion Crows, in the meadow. Birds are regularly seen and heard in the hedge alongside the brook and at the woods edge but none seem to feed in the field.
Most of my survey work takes place early in the morning, with only a couple of evening visits so far and so is not conducted at the best time of day to record butterflies. So far I have seen ten species: Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Purple Hairstreak, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.
