On Sunday April 2, I carried out the first Common Bird Census for the 2017 breeding season on Cleaver Heath. I noted a total of 20 species within and around the borders of the reserve, many identified by their songs (the male birds) and their calls. Some – such as the flock of 30 Curlew – were flying over to settle in nearby farmland.

Among those setting up breeding territories in the reserve were 4 chiffchaff and 3 willow warblers. Of particular interest was a pair of chiffchaffs who seem to be building a nest in the ex-carpark area, right next to the new (3 year old) natural hedge which is growing nicely alongside the railings. The chiffchaff pair are installing quite a bit of nesting material down there. I went back today, to take a picture of the area from where the female was calling and of the male perched on a nearby oak sapling.

I also went down to the lower part of the reserve to check the trail camera which I had set up near a suspected badger latrine. 

The first attempt had caught just a glimpse of the perpetrator.

The camera needed to be reset. While there, I enjoyed the colourful spectacle of the European gorse now in full bloom and watched a willow warbler singing from various song perches on the gorse and birch trees.

As the spring days warm up we are starting to see butterflies. On Sunday April 2, following the bird survey Mike Maher and I deemed it warm enough to conduct the first ‘Pollard Walk’ Butterfly Survey, along the newly established Cleaver Heath transect. This starts on the upper part of the reserve and goes through the Oldfield Farm and Church Farm public paths, to the church at Thurstaston. (On the map shown below the words ‘start’ and ‘end’ are interchanged because the route was recorded in the reverse direction – i.e. on the way back!)

During the time of the survey we were unlucky to see nothing, until the very last metre of the last designated segment – a pair of commas came out to sum themselves.

Better luck next time!