Monday 30 January 2017

Biodiversity sites in winter

(Filler-post alert!)

I've said before how differently I feel about winter since seeing our sites through the full cycle of seasons. When life goes back into the ground, everything takes an essential break to recuperate and replenish, readying for the kick-off again in the new breeding season. That gives us humans the time to restock, set out new goals, complete heavy-duty habitat works, tidy the piles of brash, clean out nest boxes, repair equipment and, of course, consume a copious amount of coffee and biscuits on the sites without too much disturbance to the wildlife.
  Here are a few shots of our biodiversity sites on the coldest and most peaceful days.

Grassland in the North West Zone

Wetland plants, North West Zone

Spring is just around the corner in the North of Brockley Wood

The River Mole, North West Zone

Gatwick Stream flood attenuation area, Land East

Rolls Field, Land East


The clearing in Goat Meadow, Land East


The Gatsbee Apiary, Land East


Ashley's Field, Land East


Ashley's Field

Roe Deer tracks

Red Fox print

Rabbit tracks

Wednesday 11 January 2017

Gatwick Trail Camera: Scavenger Cam Jan 2017

I staked a pheasant carcass to the ground in a quiet part of Goat Meadow, then set up a trail camera to see who would come a'scavenging...

Day 1: European Robin


Day 2. Yep, it's definitely dead guys.


Evening 2. Eyes in the dark... a female Roe Deer


Evening 4: Red Fox


Day 5: Roe Deer (female)


Day 5: Carrion Crow


Evening 5: Red Fox








Cast (in order of appearance):
Robin
Human
Roe Deer 1
Red Fox 1
Roe Deer 2
Carrion Crow
Red Fox 2 (or maybe 1?)

Tuesday 3 January 2017

Biodiversity Gatwick 2016: Highlights and lowlights

1. Highlight: All our biodiversity interpretation boards were installed, including images of notable species to be found around Gatwick.

Tom S., Robert and Harry of the Gatwick Greenspace Partnership



Lowlight: Forgetting to include any representatives of an entire taxonomic kingdom...


2. Highlight: Yet another year with our superb ecology volunteers carrying out record numbers of surveys; we seriously cannot thank you enough!



Lowlight: The state of my car by the end of summer.






3. Highlight: Of all the new species this year to Gatwick, I think the Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) was my favourite, singing in the scrub west of Brockley Wood. 



Lowlight: My least favourite new species for Gatwick was Ash Dieback disease (Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus), now prevalent around the South East UK.

Shriveled and blackened leaves in summer

Diamond-shaped lesions around buds

4. Highlight: iRecord became available as a phone app, meaning I can now record wildlife anywhere in the UK, 24 hours a day!


Lowlight: The Wood Mouse population reached apocalyptic levels, meaning this was what I was mostly recording...

Our most recorded mammal in a single day

You again?

5. Highlight: After the fish removal from Pond 3, this year Great Crested Newts are back laying eggs!


Lowlight: Conducting amphibian surveys + leaking wellies = athletes foot



6. Highlight: Gatwick's Biodiversity Action Plans scooped another award this year and also got a mention in the International Airport Review.






Lowlight: All of our restored meadow grasslands, rich in wildflower and grass species, in which we take so much pride, are slowly trying to kill me.



7. Highlight: Discovering our first Slow Worm in Ashley's Field, a new reptile record for the Gatwick sites!

Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis)

Lowlight: Discovering our first Slow Worm poo.



8. Highlight: We hosted even more wildlife events for biological recorders, Gatwick staff and the general public.



Lowlight: Probably the wettest, most unpredictable set of wildlife events we've ever had

Tom S. models the latest in binbag fashion-wear



9. Highlight: I am finally making good progress with the malaise trap invertebrate sorting, with excellent volunteer help and the Sussex Wildlife Trust lending us their classroom!

Entomological enthusiasts Ryan Mitchell and Natalie Kay

Lowlight: Cranefly legs have become a living nightmare.




10. Highlight: The work of our excellent conservation volunteer groups, led by Tom Simpson, has resulted in great feedback from the general public about our sites.



Lowlight: Some not-so-lovely feedback from the public.


2017, here we come!