Roving Records - March 2015

Always at this time of the year I get severe fomo (fear of missing out) with online social networks kicking off about signs of spring. This week Mum galvanised me into action, dragging me away from the endless deskwork and in the last two days we've placed out around 100 reptile surveying mats and tins between us.

Reptile tin next to log pile

Wandering around in Ashley's Field, large queen Buff-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) were exploding up from the ground as we walked by.

A pair of Common Buzzards were calling noisily overhead in a soaring territorial display. I then finally heard my first Chiffchaff song of the year, having been duped by a Great Tit who last week was expertly mimicking the call.

Common Frog (Rana temporaria) spawn in wheel ruts, North West Zone

So now the amphibians are out and about at Gatwick, this means their reptilian predators are not far behind them! 

Sue's got some tagging skills fam...

Spray paint is used to number reptile mats cut from shed roofing felt. We place them in the most likely spots to tempt our reptilian friends; generally by low scrub or brash piles on the side where the sun hits.

Reptile charging pad

A few of the mats were left out over winter, so we had a quick check hoping for our first glimpse of a Grass Snake (Natrix natrix) this year. This was what we found...

Practising my new found carabid-wrangling skills; a colourful Poecilus aka 'Greenclock' Beetle

Wolf Spiders (Pardosa sp.) are also hiding out under mats in large numbers

Common Toad (Bufo bufo)

...Sadly no snakey. Yet.

Path through to Upper Picketts - finally drying out

Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

Nice to see that our standing deadwood habitat is being put to good use

Didn't dare to get too close without the suit!

The background static noise to this video is actually the sound of the Gatsbees (Gatwick's honeybees), which are wide awake and busily collecting Willow pollen for their new broods. At this time of year, the early flowering Willow and Blackthorn are an incredibly important nectar source for the earliest emerging species of bees and flies. Time again for the sweep-net to come out of hibernation!

Roving Records - North West Zone: 28/03/13

On Thursday I had a cold and muddy trek about the North West Zone while replacing our reptile mats. My mood and expectations reflected the weather, but the resulting number of species was surprisingly high!

My meandering route

Firstly while standing at the airside fence by the River Mole, I got a birding first for me at Gatwick… A male Wheatear which was poking about in the mud at the edge of the airfield (the airfield operatives have little to fear from tiny birds like this). A Meadow Pipit was also sitting on the fence calling loudly and a couple of Skylarks were singing hard.

   Walking through the Solar Panel field I flushed a couple of noisy Snipe. Pied Wagtails were performing aerial acrobatics and I found this Common Toad at the base of the hedgerow under a reptile mat.

Disgruntled toad (they all look disgruntled)

I then checked the Mink raft and found some vague tracks and some droppings...

Mink spraint with bone fragments

Mink spraint with undigested fur

A flock of about 14 Fieldfare took off from the River Mole and a couple of Reed Bunting were calling to each other. I wandered up the ridge and took in the panoramic of the river and runway. From the hedgerow bordering Brockley Wood, loud chattering and the beginnings of a descending song marked the presence of over 40 Redwing, so our winter thrushes are still hanging about!

The 2^nd worst picture of a Reed Bunting ever taken

Walking north of the hedgerow I entered the scrub and marshland to the west of Brockley Wood. Plenty of activity in here, 3 more Snipe and a Mallard Duck made a lot of noise as they took off. Blue Tits and Great Tits were zipping about, about five Meadow Pipits foraging and a few Goldfinches flying over. Wandering back to the Mole I disturbed a Grey Heron as I walked around the north of Brockley Wood, then witnessed an aerial battle between two Common Buzzards and four Carrion Crow.

   In the ruts of a vehicle track was a load of frogspawn. This happened last year too and the constant wet meant that some tadpoles actually made it to adulthood.

I then came across what looked like the possible remnants of a rabbit in the form of masses fur in the grass. I wandered back to the Mole and disturbed a juvenile Grey Heron. A Little Egret then flew over, a first for me on this section of the Mole although they have been seen before at Povey Cross.

Rabbit detonation test site

I walked back to Man’s Brook and heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling. I dipped into Brockley Wood, heard a Green Woodpecker, two Jays, a Wren and Longtailed Tits all sounding off. The large Redwing flock had all resettled north of Man’s Brook. Wandering to the southern part of the woodland I came upon what looks like a Wood pigeon-plucking post. Sparrow Hawk perhaps or Buzzard, anyone?

Wood Pigeon detonation test site

Back along the netted section of the River Mole parallel to the runway, a cheeky Grey Heron was casually winging its way past me under the netting back toward the opening... slow they might be but perhaps not as dumb as they seem!
   And so I am cheered and reminded that the cold will not win out, soon there will be even more to see. In Brockley Wood, the Hawthorn is poised and ready for that warm weather to hit...

Here is the resulting species list: NWZ March 13