Wildlife Rangers
Several Wildlife Rangers are now active across different sites.
Bird surveys are currently undertaken monthly at the Heath and Bell Hill Common with ambitions to monitor more sites.
Fixed Point Photography projects are now active across several sites. The objective of this project is to record and monitor seasonal and long term changes in habitats, particularly those areas being actively managed.
Report from our Bell Hill Common Wildlife Ranger
It was a beautiful sunny day when I did my first Bell Hill Common bird survey and photography to build a picture of the area. Using a couple of fixed points, I recorded the grassy patch, wooded area and pond surrounds. It will be very interesting to see the progression through the months as the leaves and flowers appear.
I then turned to the bird survey using not only my eyes and binoculars but also an app for bird song identification. To be honest, for the drumming of the greater spotted woodpecker I didn’t need the app but it proved its worth for the Firecrest which was impossible to see. A real treat was seeing nuthatches and treecreepers probing the bark of the trees for food. I love the fact the nuthatches face down the trees and the treecreepers up. The pair of treecreepers were very busy running up and around the trees like mice busy probing the bark with their delicate curved bills. I did wonder if they were flitting between a nesting area in an ivy-clad tree but couldn’t confirm that!
During the bird survey I also saw a bumblebee on the pussy willow – very nice to see that there was food for the pollinators on the site. While there were not many wild flowers in bloom, which is to be expected in early March, I did see celandine and primroses in the grass. In the woody area the wild garlic leaves are pushing up so by my next few surveys I’m sure it will soon be awash with the white flowers.
Citizen Science Wildlife Monitoring
The Petersfield Ranger will be coordinating a series of citizen science monitoring. All people of all abilities are encouraged to participate, with full training and support on offer.
If you have any particular passion or interest in monitoring wildlife, please feel free to get in touch with the Ranger: ranger@petersfield-tc.gov.uk
Harvest Mice at the Heath
Wildlife monitoring from your phone with iNaturalist!
