Birds, newts, bats and reptiles..... ecology survey season is in full swing!

Grass snake recorded during reptile survey in Norfolk, May 2018

It is nearly the middle of May already and like all good ecologists, much of my time is spent out 'in the field' undertaking surveys of sites for projects.
​This week has seen a particularly varied selection of surveys including:

• ​eDNA survey of a pond on a site in Norfolk to test for the presence of great crested newts - this pond is heavily shaded and relatively isolated and scores below average using the Habitat Suitability Index - in this case, a negative result will provide confidence that gcn are not present.
• Reptile survey - checking refugia at a site in Norfolk that were placed a few weeks ago.  This survey revealed a lovely grass snake under one 'tin' (see photo)
• Bat survey - a Tree Preliminary Roost Assessment of a site in Suffolk - assessing the potential of trees adjacent to a housing development site to enable a planning condition to be discharged
• Breeding Bird Survey - up at dawn to survey a large site in South Essex
• Great Crested Newt Survey - update of a Habitat Suitability Assessment of a cluster of ponds in Suffolk, and then a torch survey after dark -newts aplenty with both gcn and smooth newts in abundance.

​All in a weeks work!

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