7
THE BIRD GROUP 1994-5
Eleven meetings had been organised by the Group during this period, three of which were
at venues not previously visited namely Dungeness, Copt Hall and a walk along the River
Wid at Mountnessing. The average attendance at these meetings was a disappointing
5.55 half of which was made up by the regular attendance of the same three people.
The total number of species recorded was 88 and, not surprisingly, the list was headed by
Wood Pigeon and House Sparrow which featured at 10 of the 11 meetings. Robin, Crow
and Magpie were seen at 8 meetings, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Mallard, Black
Headed Gull, Great Tit and Blue Tit at 7 and Shelduck, Blackbird and Starling at 6. The
most notable sightings were Red Necked Grebe at Dungeness, Long Tailed Duck at
Wrabness, Berwick Swan at Abberton, Bittern and Marsh (or some say Willow) Tit at
Fishers Greenand Green Sandpiper at Rye House Marsh.
Historically common species such as Skylarks and Song Thrush are less often seen and
less common species such as Tree Sparrows, Corn Bunting, Partridge, Flycatchers both
Spotted and Pied have virtually disappeared from our countryside whilst the Canada
Goose, Coot, Black Headed Gull and, of course, the Magpie reach almost epidemic
proportions.
John Bath
THE FOUR SEASONS RECORDING PROJECT
GALLEYWOOD COMMON SUNDAY 14th APRIL 1995
The higher plants of Galleywood Common were recorded by Tony Boniface and Martin
Gregory. Invertebrates were recorded by Peter Harvey. The areas concentrated upon
were the heather sites, ponds, marshy and boggy areas and the connecting paths. The
heather would no doubt benefit from clearing some of the overgrown birch scrub. One or
two plants of the Pill Sedge (Carex pilulifera) were growing in the area behind the houses
which also includes heather and heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile). Other seeds of heath
plants may well be dormant in the soil. Wood horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum) was
growing well in the bog area. A number of Common Lizards were seen sunbathing.
Two invertebrates of particular note were recorded, the mining bee Andrena labiata
(Nationally Scarce Notable A) and the hoverfly Melangyna triangulifera (Nationally
Scarce Notable B). The Andrena labiata has a close association with Germander
Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys which is usually the main pollen source, but here the
bees were foraging on and flying around Stitchwort, Stellaria, and no Veronica was seen.
Future recording meetings are to be held on Sunday 13th August 1995 and Sunday 22nd
October 1995 at 10.00 am at the car park off Margaretting Road TL 702026.
Tony Boniface