Lothians Members Centre Bogburn

MAMMALS

FOX

(Vulpes vulpes)

25 June

DATENUMBERCOMMENT

JAN 11ON BING AREA

JAN 181

JAN 283

MAR 41TRACKS

MAR 131TRACKS

MAR 181FRESH  SCATS

APR 191

APR 271CARRYING BIRDS EGG

MAY 131

MAY 141

MAY 271

JUN 251

JUN 281

AUG 11

AUG 251

SEP 301

OCT 41

OCT 281FRESH SCATS (ROWAN BERRIES)

NOV 221

           

13 May                                                                                              27 April  carrying birds egg

ROE DEER

(Capreolus caprolus

Female- photograph taken at Tailend Moss

DATENUMBEROBSERVATION

JULY 31FEMALE

MOLE

(Talpa europaea)

DATENUMBEROBSERVATION

JAN 28 1ACTIVE

FEB 51ACTIVE

WATER SHREW

(Neomys fodiens)

5 January

DATENUMBEROBSERVATION

JAN 51DEAD (PHOTO)

WOOD MOUSE

(Apodemus sylvaticus)

5 January

DATENUMBEROBSERVATION

JAN 51DEAD (PHOTO)

FIELD VOLE

(Microtus agrestis)

DATENUMBEROBSERVATION

23 JULY1UNDER METAL SHEET

2 SEPTEMBER1UNDER METAL SHEET

GREY SQUIRREL

(Sciurus carolinensis)

DATENUMBEROBSERVATION

MAR 131TRACKS

MAR 191TRACKS

MAR 231STRIPPED PINE CONES

DEC 21PHOTO

RABBIT

(Oryctolagus cuniculus)

DATENUMBEROBSERVATION

APRIL 301

AUG 22

AUG 51

SEP 51

OCT 101

OCT 131

OCT 291

BATS

Several visits at night with a bat detector revealed Pipistrel (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) present and also possibly Daubentons (Myotis daubentoni)  feeding around the ponds area.

First recorded on 8 May.

Colony of Pipistrels  (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) located in a house in the near by estate to the west.

The management of the Edgar Allen site for Sand martins had a mixed success. The artificial bank proved to be more difficult to construct than anticipated but this was an extra project as the main one was to open up and extend last years site for the birds arrival.

Birds arrived back on the 6th April while we were discussing what to do at last years breeding area, that day the face was extended. The number of birds increased over the next 2 weeks as birds that had used the site last year arrived back first. Birds were observed digging burrows with up to 60 birds at a time working en masse to create the colony, by the 17th April 30 nest holes had been created increasing to 50 on 27th April.

Sand martins also returned to their traditional site on the golf course with 20 nest holes counted on the 27thApril. The birds did not use the golf course in 2005 this is not unusual as the colony might be infected with parasites or have been subject to predation. Ringing on the golf course over a number of years has shown that birds can move between local sites, Bathgate birds have been recaptured at sites in Carstairs junction and Roslin. There is also a record of a Spanish bird being trapped.

Birds were observed collecting nest material on 30th April and on 5th May, the number on nest holes had now reached 80. The enlargement of the breeding bank up to this time was proving to be a great success with over a 100 birds seen at times around the colony however on the 10th May a Sparrowhawk started to visit the site.

Sparrowhawks do not usually take random prey but tend to specialise on certain species, they also plan their attacks. I have observed Sparrowhawks specialise taking lapwings and visits to my garden feeding station show that they use a strategy when hunting by using the same technique every time. The impact on the colony was that Sand martin numbers started to drop. The Sparrowhawk would perch on a iron bar in the middle of the colony causing mayhem, (see photo) I decided to try and deter the bird from sitting on the iron bar by putting a plastic milk carton over it, over the next 3 months the Sparrowhawk was a regular visitor, although never seen taking sand martins I have no doubt that birds were being taken on a regular basis.

The number of active burrows observed was 30 with the first chicks seen at a burrow entrance on 24th June, the same day some birds were also observed digging new burrows.

The next broods were observed during late July early August with 10 active nests, the last chick was seen on 19th Aug.

The last bird recorded on site was 25th August, with 8 birds seen over the flood lagoons on the 10th September being the lasts seen for the year.

The number of successful breeding pairs on the Edgar Allen site was 40 pairs (15 in 2005) and the golf course 20 pairs.

A good year of breeding Sand Martins despite the regular Sparrowhawk visits to the colony.

Jim Easton

2006