The woods were surveyed during 10 early morning visits between 29th March and 26th May. A total of 24 species were recorded nesting or holding territory. A total of 5 other species were recorded but only on single visits and therefore are not regarded as holding territory.
The additional bird species recorded just on single occasions were common buzzard, swallow, redwing, goldfinch, linnet.
A nice surprise on one morning we could hear the bugling calls of cranes and two birds flew over heading north.
No major changes to species totals but the large boxes had interesting occupants, stock doves nested in both the barn owl and tawny owl boxes and tawny owls nested in the stock dove box. The tawnies raised just single young to fledging, the second nestling disappeared possibly eaten by his sibling, however the survivor was ringed and unfortunately was found dead a few months later having been hit by a car at Bramfield. The overall trend is for the number of territories to gradually rise indicating a more favourable habitat than the barley fields the site was just 7 years ago. The increase in scrub is starting to show effect with the steady increase in the numbers of blackcaps, wrens, robins and long tailed tits.
Just 5 of the now 15 tit boxes on Grove Piece and 15 out of 24 in Vicarage Grove were occupied resulting in a total of 145 blue tits (some 40 less than 2022) and just 8 great tits (21 in 2022) fledging, several broods died just before fledging presumably because of a lack in food supply. Thanks to Barry and Gus who continue to monitor the boxes in Vicarage Grove
Alan Miller
Blyth Woods 