CHADDESLEY WOODS BIRD SURVEYS

Mervyn Needham

The bird survey was instigated by Eric Pithers, Regional Reserves Warden with the then Nature Conservancy Council (NCC), in 1983, and conducted by the author as voluntary Warden of Chaddesley Woods National Nature Reserve from 1983 to the present (2002), with gaps between 1996-1998, and again in 2001 due to the Foot & Mouth Disease outbreak.

The method used has been to follow the same route during spring each year with up to nine weekly visits commencing mid-March, recording both bird song and sightings, and noting the species on a weekly map. At the end of the survey period each species record has been transferred to single or double species map. From the maps a picture of concentrations emerged enabling an estimate of species breeding territories to be assessed. The method is similar to that used by BTO Common Bird Census but relied on interpretation by the author only. Some scarcer species records have not provided enough evidence of breeding but do serve to indicate species presence.

An initial idea of matching breeding patterns with woodland management was found to be too complex and was abandoned.


The following table summarises the numbers of territories recorded each year (when possible) and also indicates species recorded, which could not be confirmed as having breeding territories, by s + seen, or h = heard. A dash indicates not recorded.

(Editors note: the value of publishing the results of a survey of this type is partly in the long term. Some noticeable changes can be seen now, but, hopefully, in 50 years time someone will be delighted to have the data to compare with the situation in 2050!)

Nest box scheme

After the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust began management of Chaddesley Woods NNR on a 99 year lease a team of volunteer workers was formed. In 1999 they constructed nest boxes which were erected in the wood and data collected for the BRO Nest Records Scheme. For 1999 nesting season 60 boxes were erected - 45 with holes and 15 open-fronted. In 2000 this was increased to 100 boxes. The open-fronted boxes have not been used at all up to and including 2002.

1999: 45 holed boxes, 39 used, 3 empty, 3 abandoned (average clutch size 8)
2000: 94 boxes inspected, 63 used successfully, 4 abandoned: 45 blue tits, 12 great tits (average clutch size 8.34)
2001: 99 boxes inspected, 75 used but FMD prevented visits.
2002: 99 boxes inspected, 55 used, 4 abandoned: 39 blue tits, 14 great tits, 2 nuthatches. (average clutch size 8.5)