Please email us or tell us on Facebook about your discoveries. The animals and plants in the lists below have all been recorded in Grove Woods since October 2017
Species Lists
These can be downloaded as an Excel file from this link
Breeding Bird Surveys
2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Grove Woods Breeding Birds Survey 2024
The woods were surveyed during 10 early morning visits between 27th March and 5th June. A total of 23 species were recorded nesting or holding territory, 1 more than in 2022, tawny owl being the additional species. A total of 7 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, pheasant, common buzzard, swallow, mistle thrush, redwing, goldfinch, bullfinch.
No major changes to species totals but pleasing to have barn owls nesting for the second time raising 2 young which were ringed on the very late date of 2nd October their box being occupied by jackdaws in spring who raised 3 young. Also, tawny owls used the box in Vicarage Grove for the first time fledging two young who could be seen regularly after they had left the box. The gradual increase in scrub is starting to show effect with the steady increase in the numbers of wrens, robins and long tailed tits.
Seven of the now 15 tit boxes on Grove Piece and 20 out of 24 in Vicarage Grove were occupied resulting in a total of 135 blue tits (some 50 less than 2022) and 11 great tits (21 in 2022) fledging, a significant decrease on previous year’s most likely due to the poor spring weather, 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
Numbers of territories/nests
Grove Piece nest boxes
| 2024 | |||
| Box | Species | Fledged | |
| Barn owl box | Barn owl | 2 | |
| Tawny owl box | Grey squirrel | 0 | |
| Kestrel box | Empty | 0 | |
| Stock dove box | Jackdaws | 2 | |
| Tit box A | Blue tit | Predated | |
| Tit box B | Part nest | 0 | |
| Tit box C | Empty | 0 | |
| Tit box D | Blue tit | Predated | |
| Tit box E | Empty | 0 | |
| Tit box F | Blue tit | Deserted | |
| Tit box G | Empty | 0 | |
| Tit box H | Blue tit | Fledged number unkown | |
| Tit box I | Empty | 0 | |
| Tit box J | Part nest | 0 | |
| Tit box K | Great tit | Predated | |
| Tit box L | Part nest | 0 | |
| Tit box M | Blue tit | Predated | |
| Tit box N | Part nest | 0 | |
| Tit box O | Blue tit | Predated | |
Vicarage Grove Boxes
| 2024 |
| 16 used 8 empty |
| 16 blue tit 119 fledged |
Grove Woods Breeding Bird Survey 2023
The woods were surveyed during 10 early morning visits between 4th April and 9th June. A total of 23 species were recorded nesting or holding territory, 1 more than in 2022, tawny owl being the additional species. A total of 7 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, pheasant, common buzzard, swallow, mistle thrush, redwing, goldfinch, bullfinch.
No major changes to species totals but pleasing to have barn owls nesting for the second time raising 2 young which were ringed on the very late date of 2nd October their box being occupied by jackdaws in spring who raised 3 young. Also, tawny owls used the box in Vicarage Grove for the first time fledging two young who could be seen regularly after they had left the box. The gradual increase in scrub is starting to show effect with the steady increase in the numbers of wrens, robins and long tailed tits.
Seven of the now 15 tit boxes on Grove Piece and 20 out of 24 in Vicarage Grove were occupied resulting in a total of 135 blue tits (some 50 less than 2022) and 11 great tits (21 in 2022) fledging an significant decrease on previous year’s most likely due to the poor spring weather, 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.
Grove Woods Breeding Birds
Numbers of territories/nests
Grove Piece nest boxes
Grove Woods Breeding Bird Survey 2022 – Alan Miller
The woods were surveyed during 10 early morning visits between 2nd April and 2nd June. A total of 22 species were recorded nesting or holding territory, 3 less than in 2020. Sparrowhawk, barn owl, garden warbler and linnet were a new addition but kestrel, lesser whitethroat, long tailed tit, goldfinch were missing from the previous years survey. A total of 13 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, pheasant, red legged partridge, common buzzard, common snipe, mallard, cuckoo, swallow, mistle thrush, redwing, golden oriole, lesser whitethroat, goldfinch, greenfinch. The appearance of a golden oriole on 19th May was a complete surprise to John and Marie who were carrying out that morning’s survey, but it was to be just a one-day sighting.
No major changes to species totals but pleasing to have barn owls nesting for the first time raising 3 young which were ringed on 16th June.
Eight of the 10 tit boxes on Grove Piece and 19 out of 24 in Vicarage Grove were occupied resulting in a total of 185 blue tits and 21 great tits fledging an increase on previous years.
Grove Woods Breeding Birds
Numbers of territories/nests
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Pheasant | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sparrowhawk | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kestrel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Barn owl | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Stock dove | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Wood pigeon | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Green woodpecker | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Great spotted woodpecker | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Wren | 7 | 10 | 8 |
| Dunnock | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Robin | 6 | 5 | 8 |
| Blackbird | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Song thrush | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lesser whitethroat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Whitethroat | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Blackcap | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Garden warbler | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chiffchaff | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Long tailed tit | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Blue tit | 27 | 23 | 24 |
| Great tit | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| Treecreeper | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jay | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jackdaw | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Carrion crow | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Chaffinch | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Goldfinch | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Linnet | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bullfinch | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Yellowhammer | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Grove Woods Nest Boxes
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||
| Box | Species | Fledged | Species | Fledged | Species | Fledged |
| Barn owl box | Jackdaw | 4 | Empty | 0 | Barn owl | 3 |
| Tawny owl box | Jackdaw | 0 | Empty | 0 | Empty | 0 |
| Kestrel box | Empty | 0 | Empty | 0 | Empty | 0 |
| Tit box A | Blue tit | 8 | Blue tit | 6 | Blue tit | 7 |
| Tit box B | Empty | 0 | Great tit | 4 | Empty | 0 |
| Tit box C | Blue tit | 7 | Empty | 0 | Blue tit | 10 |
| Tit box D | Empty | 0 | Empty | 0 | Empty | 0 |
| Tit box E | Empty | 0 | Empty | 0 | Great tit | 8 |
| Tit box F | Blue tit | 6 | Blue tit | Brood died | Blue tit | 4 |
| Tit box G | Blue tit | 6 | Blue tit | 8 | Empty | 0 |
| Tit box H | Great tit | 4 | Empty | 0 | Blue tit | 9 |
| Tit box I | Great tit | 6 | Empty | 0 | Empty | 0 |
| Tit box J | Blue tit | 6 | Blue tit | 9 | Blue tit | 5 |
| Tit box K | Blue tit | 7 dead | Great tit | 6 | Great tit | 5 |
| Tit box L | Great tit | ! | Great tit | 4 | Blue tit | 5 |
Breeding Bird Survey – Spring 2021
Breeding Bird Survey – Spring 2021
The woods were surveyed during 8 early morning visits between 31st March and 25th May. A total of 20 species were recorded nesting or holding territory, 5 less than in 2020. Yellowhammer was a new addition but pheasant, stock dove, lesser whitethroat, jay, jackdaw and bullfinch were missing. Pheasant, jay and jackdaw were recorded but only on single visits and therefore are not regarded as holding territory.
Other birds recorded just on single occasions were, common buzzard, sparrowhawk, mallard, carrion crow, green sandpiper, swallow, fieldfare, redwing, linnet, greenfinch.
No major changes to species totals despite the poor spring but the tit broods were generally smaller.
Only 7 of the 10 tit boxes on Grove Piece were used but 23 out of 24 in Vicarage Grove were occupied resulting in a total of 148 blue tits and 19 great tits fledging
| 2020 | 2021 | |
| Pheasant | 1 | 0 |
| Kestrel | 1 | 1 |
| Stock dove | 1 | 0 |
| Wood pigeon | 6 | 6 |
| Green woodpecker | 1 | 1 |
| Great spotted woodpecker | 1 | 1 |
| Wren | 7 | 10 |
| Dunnock | 1 | 6 |
| Robin | 6 | 5 |
| Blackbird | 4 | 4 |
| Song thrush | 1 | 1 |
| Lesser whitethroat | 1 | 0 |
| Whitethroat | 2 | 1 |
| Blackcap | 4 | 4 |
| Chiffchaff | 6 | 6 |
| Long tailed tit | 1 | 1 |
| Blue tit | 27 | 23 |
| Great tit | 6 | 4 |
| Treecreeper | 1 | 1 |
| Jay | 1 | 0 |
| Jackdaw | 1 | 0 |
| Carrion crow | 1 | 1 |
| Chaffinch | 6 | 5 |
| Goldfinch | 1 | 1 |
| Bullfinch | 1 | 0 |
| Yellowhammer | 0 | 1 |
Breeding Bird Survey 2020
Alan and Judy Miller carried out a breeding bird survey of Grove Piece, Malster’s Little Field and Vicarage Grove. The results are shown below, probably most notable are the incredible number of Blue Tits!
| Grove Piece and Vicarage Grove Breeding Bird Survey 2020 | |||
| Territories | |||
| GP | VG | Total | |
| Pheasant | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Stock dove | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Green woodpecker | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Great spotted woodpecker | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Wren | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Dunnock | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Robin | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Blackbird | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Song thrush | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Lesser whitethroat | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Whitethroat | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Blackcap | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Chiffchaff | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Long tailed tit | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Blue tit | 6 | 21 | 27 |
| Great tit | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Treecreeper | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jay | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jackdaw | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Carrion crow | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Chaffinch | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Goldfinch | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Bullfinch | 1 | 0 | 1 |
An Excel file showing more detail can be down-loaded here:
