Week 8 - Week Beginning 12/02/24 - Foot Print Rafts, Meadow Pipits & Doormouse Boxes

 12th 


Walking along the canal was a very enjoyable walk along the canal today, I was very lucky enough to photograph a range of species including the Eurasian Siskin, Wren, with ususal suspects such as Kingfisher Egyptian Goose, Goosander and Heron.

Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes). Newport, Telford, 10/02/24.

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). Newport, Telford, 10/02/24.

In the evening I attend the royal forestry talk event happening at Harper. It was very interesting talk including how trees react and a talk about natural england and forestry comission agro forestry grant schemes on how farmers can plant trees in their fields to benefit the farmer and the enviroment. On the walk back through the fields at 9pm I saw my first moth. 

14th 

Today the conservation society set up 3 foot print clay rafts around the Harper Adams Farm Estate to survey for American Mink or Water Vole. This was lead by lecturer Julia Casperd. Whilst setting up the 2nd Raft on the reservoir we say the Tufted Duck which I had been told had been toled by a dog walker  along the canal arund christmas time, it's a terrible photo.






Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula). Harper Adams University, 12/02/24.

Walking back from the mink rafts I saw my first bumblebees of the year. Two Queens moving too fast to identify species. 


16th

Walking to and from lectures on friday was amazing for bird watching with a wide assortment of different species including linnet, pied & grey wagtail (first one I have seen in two years), fieldfare, common buzzard, goldcrest, greenfinch and Meadow Pipts. I also noticed my first ladybird of the year which made me happy. Along one of the Harper Hedgerows a Sparrow Hawk also burst from the undergrowth suprising me.

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula). Harper Adams, 16/02/24.

Gold Crest (Regulus regulus). Harper Adams, 16/02/24.

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo). Harper Adams, 16/02/24.

Green Finch (Chloris chloris). Edgmond, 16/02/24.

Seven Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata).

17th

Today I took part in management of Poles Coppice (a 30 hectare of ancient woodland) for hazel doormice. During the morning I took part searching for doormice boxes to clean, log locationof the bozes and if we can't find them or they are significantly damaged. we replaced them with new boxes. These boxes are different to bird boxes by having the hole on the back meaning bats and birds can't enter the boxes. One of the boxes contained a family of four overwintering field mice, some of them just wouldn't leave. We also found some interesting slime moulds and I spotted a tree creeper. After lunch we were clearing an erea of large holly trees to allow growth of a dense understory particularly hazel trees to promote hazel doormice populattions.


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