BIRD
SURVEY 2005
FARMLAND BIRD SURVEY, LUNT (Nr. THORNTON, FORMBY)
Author: COLIN DAVIES
ST. HELENS WILDLIFE RECORDING GROUP
40 DILLOWAY STREET
ST. HELENS
MERSEYSIDE
WA10 4LN
Tel: 01744 758522
Mob: 07763 767558
1.0 The survey
This bird survey was carried out between 21st May 2005 and 20th September 2005. The object of the survey was to collect data from the Landlife fields at Lunt. I was asked to collect the following data:
· An assessment of bird species visiting the wildflower fields at Lunt.
· An assessment of numbers of birds visiting the wildflower fields at Lunt.
2.0 Site description
The site consists of two fields, split by Back Lane which runs from Thornton to Lunt. About half of both fields were planted with young trees in 2003. This year the trees had obviously grown and there were plenty of flowers growing between the trees, and lots of flowers in the open parts of the fields. The larger field has a pond, surrounded by mature trees, and there is a small pond with reeds in the smaller field.
3.0 Field Methods
Field methods used were in line with BTO breeding bird surveys. Three timed visits of two hours were made during the period. I adopted the following criteria:
3.11 Birds were considered breeding if a pair was seen in suitable habitat, a male was seen or heard holding territory or young were seen.
3.12 The welfare of the birds was always the top priority, and no attempt was made to search for nests.
3.13 Data is shown for the number of PAIRS estimated to be breeding, not individuals.
This years survey started later than the previous two surveys, and this may have caused me to miss some of the early breeders.
Birds were recorded as present on the fields if they were feeding, resting or roosting, but not when they were obviously just flying over (as in the case of gulls). However some birds which were flying, for example Swallows, were recorded as present because they were clearly feeding. Data is shown for the number of INDIVIDUALS seen. This figure does not include breeding pairs. Therefore, if there are two pairs breeding and 10 individuals present, that gives a total of 14 birds.
I adopted the same criteria for these as I did for birds breeding on the fields. An important point to note here is that the adjacent fields cover a much larger area than the Landlife fields, and are therefore likely to hold more breeding birds, though obviously I did not cover the adjacent area in as much detail as I did the Landlife fields.
I adopted the same criteria for these as I did for birds present on the fields.
4.0 Results
4.1 Number of different bird species identified on Landlife’s wildflower fields at Lunt.
4.1.1 Birds recorded during the survey
Data is shown in a table for each species, from the Landlife fields and the adjacent fields. The number given for adjacent fields is extra to those on the Landlife fields.
The following species were recorded during the survey:
|
|
|
Breeding on Field |
Present on Field |
Breeding Nearby |
Present Nearby |
|
Mallard |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shelduck |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sparrowhawk |
20/09/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buzzard |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kestrel |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grey
Partridge |
21/05/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Red-legged
Partridge |
20/09/2005 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pheasant |
21/05/2005 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moorhen |
04/06/2005 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oystercatcher |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lapwing |
21/05/2005 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Herring
Gull |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock
Dove |
21/05/2005 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Woodpigeon |
21/05/2005 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
10 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
4 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
100 |
0 |
200 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
63 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Collared
Dove |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Swift |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
50 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great
Spotted Woodpecker |
16/07/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skylark |
21/05/2005 |
7 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
House
Martin |
20/09/2005 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Swallow |
21/05/2005 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
50 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Meadow
Pipit |
04/06/2005 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wren |
21/05/2005 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robin |
20/09/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Whinchat |
20/09/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Blackbird |
21/05/2005 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mistle
Thrush |
04/06/2005 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sedge Warbler
|
21/05/2004 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
04/06/2004 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Whitethroat |
04/06/2005 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Blue
Tit |
20/09/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jay |
20/09/2005 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Magpie |
21/05/2005 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jackdaw |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
60 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carrion
Crow |
21/05/2005 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
10 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Starling |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goldfinch |
16/07/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Linnet |
04/06/2005 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
20/09/2005 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reed
Bunting |
25/05/2005 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
04/06/2005 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
16/07/2005 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4.3 Analysis
The figures given in brackets are the figures for (2004, 2003).
No. of species recorded during the survey = 36 (26,18)
No. of species using Landlife fields = 35 (24, 14)
No. of breeding pairs on Landlife fields = 22 (14, 7)
No. of breeding species on Landlife fields = 10 (8, 5)
No. of breeding pairs nearby = 8 (8, 6)
No. of breeding species nearby = 5 (4, 4)
5.0 Conclusions
The habitat is clearly much improved for birds over 2003. The number of species recorded during the survey has doubled since 2003, and the number of breeding pairs on the fields has more than trebled. Once again it is noticeable that the birds using and breeding on the adjacent land stayed more or less the same.