• Home
  • About Us
  • What we do
    • Ecological Assessment
    • Ecology Surveys >
      • Great Crested Newt Surveys
      • Reptile Surveys
  • Case studies
    • Housing and Residential Development
    • Renewable Energy
  • Contact us
  • Ecological Ramblings: the Huckle Ecology Blog
  • Huckle Ecology Image Gallery
Huckle Ecology
  • Home
  • About Us
  • What we do
    • Ecological Assessment
    • Ecology Surveys >
      • Great Crested Newt Surveys
      • Reptile Surveys
  • Case studies
    • Housing and Residential Development
    • Renewable Energy
  • Contact us
  • Ecological Ramblings: the Huckle Ecology Blog
  • Huckle Ecology Image Gallery

Ecological ramblings -The Huckle Ecology Blog

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

11/5/2018

2 Comments

 
PictureGrass 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!

2 Comments

2017 Great Crested Newt Survey Season getting underway

6/3/2017

2 Comments

 
Now we are into the first week of March, the signs of spring are everywhere.
​For an ecological consultant, one of the important aspects of spring is the start of a new survey season, with the traditional surveys for great crested newt taking place between mid-March and mid-June. 

Here at Huckle Ecology, we are ready to start these surveys with relish, and are also looking forward to undertaking a few Environmental DNA surveys of ponds.  These surveys, involve taking water samples of ponds, with the water being tested for the presence of DNA of GCN - in many cases, a positive or negative result can lead to cost effective assessment of potential impacts.

​If you need great crested newt surveys in 2017, it is still not too late to get them commissioned.  Please get in touch via our contact page or email on [email protected].
Great crested newt in bottle - captured under Natural England survey licence
2 Comments

Newt Surveys - time to start planning for spring!

25/1/2016

0 Comments

 
Believe it or not, but it is nearly the end of January!

As any good ecological consultant will be aware, the survey season for great crested newts will soon be upon us. As a protected species, it is an offence to capture (take) or disturb these fantastic little amphibians, which means that surveys for GCN need to be undertaken by an ecologist with a licence to undertake trapping and other activities that would otherwise be an offence.

As days lengthen, newts and other amphibians will be heading towards ponds to breed - the courtship display is one of the marvels of British Wildlife and a story for another blog.  Once in ponds, that is the optimal time for undertaking surveys, and the reason why traditional newt survey methods advocate sampling for amphibians between mid March and mid-June (with most surveys between mid-April and mid May). 

In recent years the use of Environmental DNA (EDNA) technology has provided another approach to surveys, with surveys being valid from mid-April onwards.

The key message, is that if you have a site where newts surveys are likely to be required, you need to get them into your programme now to ensure that you do not miss the boat!  If you leave it until June, you will have left it to late , and there would be a real danger of a delay to programme and a serious entry in a project's risk register!  

Get in touch via my contacts page for an informal chat about protected species or to discuss your survey requirements.
Picture
0 Comments

    Jon Huckle

    This is intended to host my articles on ecology, news about what I am up to, and general musings or ramblings about things that concern me....
    Please feel to comment and share as you see fit!

    Archives

    February 2023
    March 2020
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All
    Breeding Bird Survey
    Ecology Survey
    Newt
    Protected Species
    Reptile

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Huckle Ecology is a professional ecological consultancy based on the Norfolk Suffolk border, providing expert advice on ecology and biodiversity throughout East Anglia, England and the UK. We undertake surveys for habitats and protected species, as well as providing ecological appraisals and impact assessments to inform planning applications. 
​
Huckle Ecology Ltd is registered in England and Wales: Company Number 10017144
​Copyright Huckle Ecology Ltd 2020
  • Home
  • About Us
  • What we do
    • Ecological Assessment
    • Ecology Surveys >
      • Great Crested Newt Surveys
      • Reptile Surveys
  • Case studies
    • Housing and Residential Development
    • Renewable Energy
  • Contact us
  • Ecological Ramblings: the Huckle Ecology Blog
  • Huckle Ecology Image Gallery