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Yes, this friendly and diverse group of birders enjoyed a bird survey course held at Griffin Wood, St.Helens, part of the Mersey Forest and funded by Biobank Merseyside.
After explaining the different habitats on site and the equipment you may need when undertaking bird surveys and in the case of the two youngsters a toy ambulance being essential ! off we went into the different habitats found at Griffin wood. The overall list included:
One or more of the following- great tit, blue tit, mistle thrush, blackbird, wren, dunnock, tree creeper, robin, chaffinch, reed bunting, common whitethroat, willow warbler, grey partridge, jay, carrion crow, starling, buzzard, wood pigeon, swallows and house martins flying overhead above a stream, as a skylark sang above them, a possible sighting of a yellow hammer, found a recent long tailed nest made of feathers, spiders web and lichens, a nosey stoat boldly seeing what we were up to and typical as I left the woods to go home, I saw a kestrel, heard a chiffchaff and a flock of longtailed tits just outside the entrance.
A delightful mixture of ragged robin, meadow buttercups, a sprinkling of ox eye daisies, white clover and some of last years teasels adding architectural grandeur to this picturesque spring flowering meadow. The two youngsters found cuckoo spit amongst the flowers and asked me what it was. They took great delight and interest in me showing them the little green frog hopper hidden inside it!
Friends of Griffin Wood undertake conservation tasks and attend wildlife training courses, for free! Come along and join them and enjoy, fresh air and wildlife on your doorstep.
Download their activity programme here Griffin Wood Programme 2011
With special thanks from Helen Collins.. http://merseyforest.org.uk/
Thanks George
Sounds like I missed a great training and survey!
Best wishes
mary