Volunteer Traning Day - Wildflower Identification with Dominic Price

Middle Heath Enclosure - Owlbeech Woods

Yesterday saw the fourth of our now annual volunteer training days in Wildflower ID run by Dominic Price of the The Species Recovery Trust. This is an excellent opportunity for some of our volunteers to gain valuable ID skills with the long term aim of getting some more help with our Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) survey work.

A group of 17 all met at Owlbeech Woods bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready for an exciting morning exploring the heathland restoration project and learning how the heath is developing as it becomes more effectively managed. Some of the first species we looked at were Pill Sedge and Green-ribbed Sedge both of which were growing on the recently scraped areas and were good indicators of this dry area of heathland. We then moved into one of the vehicle tracks which has a nice open sword with lots of bare sandy soil. This gave us the chance to look at some lovely heathland species such as Heath Milkwort, Tormentil and Heath Bedstraw. We also looked at lots of different grasses and learnt some field tips for doing some of them vegetatively such as Yorkshire Fog below which has a 'stripy pajama' look about it on the stems. Hopefully one which all of the group will remember!

Yorkshire Fog - Holcus lanatus 

It was excellent to see so much Brown Bent on the scraped areas which I was really pleased about on a management level. We then moved to the boggy pools which are mainly in the Middle Heath Enclosure which produced a different sweet of species such as Bulbous Rush, Compact Rush and Yellow Sedge all of which were seemingly easy enough to identify by field characters such as the reddish base to the Bulbous Rush and the tennis ball-like tightness to the Compact Rush flowers.

Wet Meadow - Warnham LNR

After a well earned lunch at Warnham LNR we headed out onto the Wet Meadow compartment of the Reserve and found a totally different mix of wetland clay-soil specialists which was a nice change from the heathland in the morning session. Here we noted lots of remnants from its intensive agriculture days such as Perennial Rye-grass and the like. Cock's-foot was much more abundant here and much of it which had not been grazed was flowering as in the picture below.

Cock's-foot - Dactylis glomerata

There was a great deal more by way of flowering plants at Warnham than compared to the heathland which was no surprise due to the nature of the soil. Species in flower included Devil's-bit Scabious, Yarrow, Soft Rush, Hard Rush, Lesser Spearwort, Red Bartsia to name but a few. We also had the chance to learn how to ID Common Fleabane both by leaf and the more obvious yellow flowers as below.

Common Fleabane - Pulicaria dysenterica

Many thanks to all of the volunteers that attended and I really hope you got something out of the day and also have remember some of the ID tips that Dominic imparted on us. A huge thanks also goes to the wonderful tuition of Dominic it is always a memorable day out and we very much look to welcoming him back in May 2018. A summary of most of the days species can be found below - I am sure I am missing plenty!

Species List - Owlbeech Woods

• Common Bent
• Sweet Vernal Grass
• Yorkshire Fog
• Pill Sedge
• Green-ribbed Sedge
• Dwarf Gorse
• Bulbous Rush
• Yellow Sedge
• Compact Rush
• Purple Moor Grass
• Tormentil
• Heath Milkwort
• Heath Bedstraw
• Brown Bent
• Common Ragwort
• Common Cudweed
• Common Heather

Species List - Warnham LNR

• Hard Rush
• Meadow Buttercup
• Creeping Buttercup
• Redshank
• Floating Sweet Grass
• Jointed Rush
• Broad-leaved Dock
• Water Pepper
• Common Bulrush
• Timothy Grass
• Fen Bedstraw
• Water Horse-tail
• False Fox-sedge
• Reed Canary-grass
• Greater Plantain
• Thyme-leaved Speedwell
• Common Nettle
• Creeping Bent
• Water Star-wort
• Water Plantain
• Silverweed
• Common Fleabane
• Lesser Spearwort
• Creeping Thistle
• Knotgrass
• Teasel
• Tall Fescue
• Red Bartsia
• Meadow Vetchling
• Field Bindweed
• White Clover
• Perennial Rye Grass
• Spear Thistle
• Water Forget-me-not
• Common Ragwort

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird count which produced the following:

Blackbird 6, Bullfinch 1, Chaffinch 1, Dunnock 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Herring Gull 2, Jackdaw 5, Robin 6, Wren 3, Blue Tit 3, Carrion Crow 1, Chiffchaff 6, Goldfinch 6, Great Tit 4, House Sparrow 1, Magpie 2, Woodpigeon 5

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird survey of the farm which produced the following:

Blackbird 2, Bullfinch 1, Carrion Crow 3, Goldfinch 64, Great Tit 1, Greenfinch 1, House Sparrow 1, Robin 2, Song Thrush 1, Wren 3, Blue Tit 10, Buzzard 1, Chiffchaff 3, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Grey Heron 1, Magpie 3, Skylark 1, Woodpigeon 7

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his regular bird survey which produced the following:

Blackbird 4, Blue Tit 6, Buzzard 1, Chiffchaff 4, Goldcrest 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Grey Heron 2, House Sparrow 2, Magpie 2, Robin 3, Song Thrush 1, Woodpigeon 5,
Blackcap 3, Bullfinch 6, Carrion Crow 1, Dunnock 1, Goldfinch 4, Great Tit 4, Greenfinch 2, Herring Gull 3, Jackdaw 2, Moorhen 2, Skylark 1, Whitethroat 2, Wren 2

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird survey of the Farm which produced the following birds:

Blackbird 5, Blue Tit 5, Chiffchaff 4, Goldfinch 6, Green Woodpecker 1, Grey Heron 2, Jackdaw 3, Linnet 1, Mallard 2, Pheasant 2, Robin 4, Song Thrush 5, Woodpigeon 10, Blackcap 5, Carrion Crow 2, Dunnock 2, Great Tit 5, Greenfinch 4, House Sparrow 2, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Magpie 3, Moorhen 2, Reed Warbler 1, Skylark 1, Whitethroat 4, Wren 8

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

White Fallow Deer - M. Ayling

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird survey of the Farm which produced the following list of birds and also an unusual encounter with a young white Fallow Deer buck. The full list of species recorded is below:

Blackbird 3, Blue Tit 2, Carrion Crow 2, Chiffchaff 6, Feral Pigeon 2, Goldfinch 5, Great Tit 2, Greenfinch 4, House Sparrow 2, Linnet 1, Moorhen 3, Reed Warbler 2, Skylark 1, Whitethroat 6, Wren 6, Blackcap 6, Bullfinch 1, Chaffinch 1, Dunnock 2, Garden Warbler 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Herring Gull 2, Jackdaw 3, Magpie 5, Nuthatch 1, Robin 6, Song Thrush 2, Woodpigeon 11

Fallow Deer 1, Grey Squirrel 1

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Rabbit eyeing up the Pygmy Goat House - M. Ayling

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird survey which produced the follwing:

Blackbird 4, Blue Tit 3, Carrion Crow 1, Chiffchaff 7, Garden Warbler 1, Great Tit 2, Greenfinch 2, Herring Gull 4, Jackdaw 11, Kestrel 1, Long-tailed Tit 1, Mallard 4, Reed Warbler 1, Skylark 1, Swallow 2, Woodpigeon 12, Yellowhammer 1, Blackcap 4, Bullfinch 2, Chaffinch 3, Dunnock 1, Goldfinch 5, Green Woodpecker 1, Grey Heron 1, House Sparrow 3, Jay 1, Kingfisher 1, Magpie 2, Moorhen 3, Robin 3, Song Thrush 1, Whitethroat 2, Wren 6

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird survey which produced the following birds:

Blackbird 2, Blue Tit 3, Buzzard 1, Chaffinch 4, Dunnock 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Herring Gull 5, Jackdaw 5, Magpie 4, Robin 4, Song Thrush 1, Swallow 1, Woodpigeon 9, Blackcap 5, Bullfinch 1, Carrion Crow 3, Chiffchaff 5, Goldfinch 5, Great Tit 3, Greenfinch 1, House Sparrow 2, Long-tailed Tit 2, Mallard 1, Skylark 2, Starling 42, Whitethroat 2, Wren 6

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird survey which produced the following:

Blackbird 4, Blue Tit 5, Canada Goose 2, Chaffinch 2, Dunnock 3, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Jackdaw 5, Magpie 6, Moorhen 5, Song Thrush 3, Woodpigeon 6, Blackcap 7, Bullfinch 1, Carrion Crow 4, Chiffchaff 8, Goldfinch 6, Great Tit 9, Greenfinch 1, Long-tailed Tit 1, Mallard 2, Robin 5, Willow Warbler 1, Wren 7

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling: Carrion Crow 3, Goldfinch 2, Greenfinch 2, Linnet 1, Magpie 6, Starling 1, Wren 3, Bullfinch 2, Chaffinch 4, Herring Gull 10, Long-tailed Tit 2, Song Thrush 3

Eddie Bew: Robin 8, Chiffchaff 13, Wren 14, Blackbird 15, Blue Tit 11, House Sparrow 4, Woodpigeon 15, Great Tit 10, Moorhen 7, Green Woodpecker 3, Jay 2, Dunnock 6, Jackdaw 6, Canada Goose 2 (fly over), Great Spotted Woodpecker 5, Nuthatch 3, Common Buzzard 2, Goldcrest 1, Blackcap 3, Mallard 1

Rabbit 2

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Eddie Bew was down on the Farm today and recorded the following species:

Robin 6, Woodpigeon 22, Magpie 12, Greenfinch 3, Blackbird 10, Goldfinch 30+, Long-tailed Tit 4, Blue Tit 6, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Dunnock 10, Moorhen 2, Song Thrush 6, Bullfinch 4, Great Tit 2, Wren 2, Nuthatch 1, Redwing 10, Jay 1, Chaffinch 2, Jackdaw 6, House Sparrow 2, Canada Goose 2 (fly over Riverside Field), Mallard 2, Carrion Crow 7, Common Buzzard 1, Green Woodpecker 1

Grey Squirrel 1 and several Common Frogs croaking on Platt Pond

Owlbeech Woods - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out some survey work up on the heathland today and also carried out a bird count for us. The full list of species seen is below:

Black-headed Gull 1, Blue Tit 3, Carrion Crow 5, Coal Tit 1, Goldfinch 2, Great Tit 2, Jackdaw 2, Mallard 3, Robin 7, Stock Dove 1, Wren 3, Blackbird 5, Bullfinch 1, Chaffinch 2, Dunnock 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Green Woodpecker 1, Magpie 4, Pheasant 1, Song Thrush 2, Woodpigeon 13, Yellowhammer 1

Eddie Bew was also on the heath this morning and he recorded the following:

House Sparrow 4, Blackbird 11, Starling 3, Robin 11, Woodpigeon 9, Nuthatch 2, Mistle Thrush 3, Great Tit 4, Blue Tit 4, Mallard 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Song Thrush 4, Common Buzzard 1, Carrion Crow 6, Magpie 8, Green Woodpecker 1, Jackdaw 1, Dunnock 2, Bullfinch 1, Redwing 1, Long-tailed Tit 2

Grey Squirrel 1, Roe Deer 2

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird survey of the Farm which produced the following:

Blackbird 7, Bullfinch 5, Chaffinch 7, Goldcrest 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Green Woodpecker 1, Grey Heron 1, House Sparrow 2, Jay 2, Magpie 3, Moorhen 1, Robin 4, Song Thrush 4, Wren 2, Blue Tit 5, Carrion Crow 4, Dunnock 8, Goldfinch 8, Great Tit 5, Greenfinch 5, Herring Gull 5, Jackdaw 5, Long-tailed Tit 2, Mallard 5, Nuthatch 1, Skylark 1, Woodpigeon 26

Warnham LNR - Weekend Round-up & Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS)

Greylag Goose - Warnham LNR

A dreary weekend on the Reserve weather-wise but there was still plenty of avian interest around if you were brave enough to venture out into the biting northerly wind mixed with sleet! The list of birds other than counted in by Mike Ayling in the Wetland Bird Survey were:

2 Little Egret, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Common Buzzard, 4 Canada Goose, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Pheasant, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Chaffinch, 8 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Robin, 2 Dunnock, 2 Siskin, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Coal Tit.

1 Roe Deer, 1 Wood Mouse, 1 Bank Vole 

Below are the totals for Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) carried out by Mike on behalf of the British Trust for Ornithology.

Confirm Core count species list Site Name: Warnham Mill Pond Primary count?   Date: Sun, 12 Feb, 2017 Time: 08:30 - 10:00 Note: You have checked the 'No terns present' box, indicating an assessment was made. Species Count Comment Black-headed Gull 26   Coot 3   Cormorant 2   Great Crested Grebe 1   Grey Heron 4   Herring Gull 1   Kestrel 1   Mallard 11   Moorhen 2   Mute Swan 6   Pochard 11 7m 4f Teal 6   Tufted Duck 21   Water Rail 1   Total number of species: 14 Individuals: 96

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird count shich produced the following:

Barn Owl 1, Blue Tit 4, Carrion Crow 4, Dunnock 1, Great Tit 3, Greenfinch 2, House Sparrow 2, Magpie 7, Nuthatch 1, Pied Wagtail 1, Song Thrush 7, Wren 1, Blackbird 13, Bullfinch 3, Chaffinch 4, Goldfinch 4, Green Woodpecker 1, Herring Gull 12, Jackdaw 20, Mallard 2, Pheasant 1, Robin 4, Woodpigeon 27

Owlbeech Woods - Bird Survey

Eddie Bew carried out his regular bird survey of Owlbeech Woods which produced the following birds:

Starling 1, Magpie 3, Carrion Crow 3, House Sparrow 5, Blackbird 7,Woodpigeon 5, Great Tit 2, Mallard 3, Robin 8, Marsh Tit 1, Blue Tit 8, Chaffinch 4, Pheasant 1, Nuthatch 1, Wren 1, Long-tailed Tit 6, Song Thrush 3, Dunnock 2

1 Grey Squirrel

Owlbeech Woods - Bird Survey

Eddie Bew carried out a bird survey of the heath which produced the following:

Starling 2, Blackbird 7, House Sparrow 6, Woodpigeon 10, Blue Tit 11, Robin 14, Magpie 9, Song Thrush 6, Goldcrest 5, Mistle Thrush 3, Green Woodpecker 1, Great Tit 6, Jay 2, Chaffinch 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Goldfinch 8, Treecreeper 1, Dunnock 6, Carrion Crow 6, Long-tailed Tit 12, Common Buzzard 1, Redwing 30, Nuthatch 1, Coal Tit 2

Roe Deer 2, Grey Squirrel 4

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird count which produced the following:

Blackbird 6, Common Buzzard 1, Carrion Crow 1, Dunnock 3, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Herring Gull 20, Jackdaw 11, Magpie 5, Pheasant 1, Song Thrush 6, Wren 1, Blue Tit 3, Canada Goose 3, Chaffinch 3, Goldfinch 8, Great Tit 2, Greenfinch 1, House Sparrow 1, Linnet 28, Moorhen 1, Robin 6, Woodpigeon 24

Warnham LNR - Walnut Tree Plantation

Bramble Bashing at Warnham LNR

Another cold morning greeted the volunteers from Horsham Green Gym as they paid a visit to Walnut Tree Plantation at Warnham Local Nature Reserve. This mornings task was to cut back the ever encroaching Bramble from around the Hazel coppice which was planted in 2015. The Bramble up until now has helped us protect the new Hazel saplings from being browsed by Roe Deer but it has now become too extensive so the group did a great job removing some of the Bramble.

As you can see from the photo above the hazel whips eventually started to appear once we got deeper into the Bramble. The next job was to remove the tree tubes from the whips that had died, the use of the Bramble to protect the whips was pretty effective here and there weren't to many that had been browsed off and killed. It is hoped that the increased light levels afforded by the scrub clearance should give the whips an excellent growth year coming up.

 Once all of the tree tubes had be removed we started the last section of the coppice job which was to reinstate the woven hedge which serves as a barrier to keep most of the public to the paths.  In this area of the Plantation the ground flora is very good so we try to keep trampling to a minimum and Helen and Peter were rightly very proud of the job they had done with the barrier! Thank you very much once again to all the Horsham Green Gym members who attended the task. The next volunteer task is at Broadbridge Heath Bike Jumps off Byfleets Lane on Tuesday 31st January. This is a very exciting project of turning the now redundant BMX jumps into a butterfly haven. The meeting location is postcode: RH12 3PA or the OS map ref is TQ152 319

Job Done!

Our visitors have also been busy with their respective cameras this week and we have had a number of photos sent in for use on the blog. I hope you enjoy the lovely selection sent in by one observer this week of a few of the common species seen around the Reserve at this time of year. Also of note the Water Rail(s) seem to have taken up residence in the Woodpecker Hide once more so keep your eyes peeled on here for some nice photos 

 Robin

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Grey Squirrel

Chesworth Farm - Bird Survey

Mike Ayling carried out his weekly bird survey of the Farm which produced the following:

Black-headed Gull 1, Blue Tit 5, Buzzard 1, Chaffinch 1, Fieldfare 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Grey Heron 1, House Sparrow 2, Magpie 4, Moorhen 1, Robin 6, Woodpigeon 12,  Blackbird 5, Bullfinch 3, Carrion Crow 1, Dunnock 1, Goldfinch 6, Great Tit 2, Greenfinch 2, Herring Gull 57, Jackdaw 14, Mallard 5, Redwing 2, Song Thrush 2, Wren 2

Grey Squirrel 1