There be Great Crested Newt here

Well I found my first great crested newts (GCN) of this survey season this week, Well not the newts themselves but the eggs that they lay their breeding ponds. GCN lay a single egg on vegetation and then fold over the leave to protect it from predators, pretty clever really. 

Two ponds are shown, one that is much better than the other, can you guess which?

I The one with all the vegetation in the pond is the better of the two, with the one by the road being a little worse. 

An Oxfordshire View

This was my view at about 10am this morning, about 100ft up a bell tower looking across the Oxfordshire countryside. 20mins after this was taken a sleet/snow shower moved in!

The church looked great in the spring sun though and as expected, bat evidence was found throughout the building.

Reptile Survey Set-up

Today has been busy!

Cherryfield Ecology set-up a massive reptile survey today. This involves placing out felt tiles which reptiles like to hide under, thus making them easier to find than walking around the site looking for them.

Seven weeks of checks in suitable weather to come and I will keep readers updated of the progress.

More Bat Surveys

Well another couple of sites surveyed for bats - nothing happening this time, but until they are checked you never know!

Weekend working!

Busy, busy weekend, undertaken four new bat surveys for four new sites. All bar one need further survey during the active bat season of May to Sept.