Bird Survey

Instructions

Mowsley households are invited to contribute to an on-going survey of the wild birds living in the parish.

If interested you should obtain a blank recording (tick) sheet at the start of each calendar month (starting March 2008).

A species should be ticked once you have spotted it somewhere in the parish (if you tick a species and have seen it only outside your garden then please state where in the parish you saw it). There is space on the sheet to note bird species seen but that do not appear on the list. Only tick a species if you are reasonably confident that you can identify it correctly, although an interesting unsubstantiated sighting can be recorded with a question mark or note.

It doesn't matter whether you see a bird species regularly or just once in the month, nor whether the species turns up in a group or on its own. It is merely the presence of a species that counts.

Supplementary information is welcome. For example if you believe a particular species is nesting in your garden, or to record the dates on which you saw your first swallow or heard your first cuckoo of spring.

Completed sheets must be identified with your name and address and supplied (preferably within the first week of the next month) to either: Fiona Kinnear of 1 Saddington Road or Ros Ousey of The Paddocks, Main Street.

Blank recording sheets for a new month can be supplied by Fiona or Ros to those who are supporting the survey. Alternatively blank sheets can be downloaded by clicking on the link below.

Results will be published month by month here on the Village Website and in abbreviated form on the Parish Noticeboard in Main Street, generally before 15th of the following month.

Results: March 2008

52 different species were spotted.

Blackbird and Robin were seen by all respondents. More than 90% of respondents saw Blue Tit, Collared Dove, Great Tit, House Sparrow and Starling.

It appears the following species were seen only in the countryside surrounding the village: Black Headed Gull, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, Lapwing, Mallard, Partridge, Skylark and Yellowhammer.

Results: April 2008

53 different species were spotted.

Unlike in March, Blackbird and Robin were not seen by quite all respondents (both 95%). Instead Blue Tit and Starling were seen by everyone.

As in March more than 90% of respondents saw Collared Dove and House Sparrow, but sightings of Great Tit fell slightly to 83% from 92%.

The first swallow was reported on the 5th April but most parishioners reported their first sightings around the 18th, suggesting that it was then that the bulk of the swallows arrived. The first cuckoo was heard calling on 20th April. It would be interesting to compare these dates with future years (should support for the survey continue beyond its first year) to see if the swallows and cuckoos are later than normal. This year April was consistently cold and followed three months all of which were slightly down on their long term averages.

A barn owl was reported in the churchyard.

The following species were reported only in the countryside surrounding the village: Canada Goose, Coot, Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Lapwing, Little Owl, Mallard, Moorhen, Partridge, Redwing, Skylark and Willow Warbler.

The big changes between March and April are: Dunnock (up 28% from 55 to 83%), Jackdaw (up 34% from 55 to 89%), Magpie (down 21% from 71 to 50%) and Song Thrush (up 42% from 42 to 84%).

Results: May 2008

46 different species were spotted.

Blackbird, Collared Dove, House Sparrow and Robin were seen by all respondents. This is the first month that Collared Dove and House Sparrow have reached 100%. More than 90% of respondents saw Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Starling and Woodpigeon. Sightings of Great Tit fell again from 83% in April to 78% in May. The woodpigeon was seen much more frequently in May than April (see below).

Several people reported an apparent drop in common birds generally during the course of the month, and it will be interesting if this trend is propagated into the June statistics.

The following species were reported only in the countryside surrounding the village: Buzzard, Canada Goose, Common Gull, Corn Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Heron, Kestrel, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Partridge, Pheasant, Rook and Skylark.

The big changes between April and May are: House Martin (up 45% from 17 to 62%), Long Tailed Tit (down 22% from 50 to 28%), Magpie (up 22% from 50 to 72%), Pheasant (down 22% from 56 to 34%) and Woodpigeon (up 27% from 67 to 95%).

Results: June 2008

50 different species were spotted.

Blackbird, Collared Dove and Starling were reported by all respondents. More than 90% reported Blue Tit, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Robin and Woodpigeon.

The following species were reported only in the countryside surrounding the village: Buzzard, Canada Goose, Kestrel, Lapwing, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan and Skylark.

The big changes between May and June are: Coal Tit (down 20% from 28 to 8%), Pheasant (up 20% from 34 to 54%) and Tree Sparrow (down 20% from 34 to 14%). Interestingly respondents reported pheasants in their gardens as well as in the open countryside, and this may in part explain the surge in their reports. The Mowsley tree sparrow population appears concentrated on a cluster of gardens near the centre of the village, and the loss of reports from people in that cluster may explain the drop in their reports. This emphasises the need for individuals to report every month as well as for as many people in the parish to contribute to the survey.

A notable addition to the list of species spotted is the rose-ringed parakeet. A pair were seen on a bird feeder; presumably escapees from a local aviary. This substantiates annecdotal evidence for the appearance of parakeets in the village during May.