CHAPTER MEADOWS BIRD SURVEY

Autumn/Winter 2002-Summer 2003

Stuart.Worrall

Chapter Meadows are situated in the heart of Worcester next to the cricket ground and are managed to safeguard its landscape, wildlife and historical importance. This is a pilot survey quantifying birds on the meadows from Autumn 2002 to Autumn 2003. A transect was split into four equal length sections (200m) and birds were recorded by both sight and song recognition in each section for 20 minutes. For greater simplicity gulls were not recorded.

Section 1 is probably the most diverse habitat characterised by meadow, mature deciduous trees, pollarded willows, bramble, newly planted hedgerows, ditch with water, thick adjacent hedgerows with fruit trees, fields with horses and playing fields. Section 2 is characterised by meadow, dense outgrown hedge, mature deciduous trees, newly planted hedgerows, ditch with water, adjacent hedgerows, coniferous woodland and playing fields. Section 3 is characterised by meadow, mature deciduous trees, newly planted hedgerows, thick hedgerow with gaps adjacent coniferous woodland and river. Section 4 is characterised by meadow, mature deciduous trees, short and 3m high hedgerows, thick adjacent hedgerows, river and playing fields

Winter Birds Summary

Section 1 was most diverse followed by 3,2 and 4 respectively. On the average day section 1 was most species rich followed by 2,3and 4 respectively. Abundance followed the same pattern.

Summer Birds Summary

Results for summer birds are similar to winter results. Diversity is similar with section 1 again most diverse, then 2,3 and 4 respectively. Most sections were more diverse, more species rich with a higher number of individuals than in winter due to the influx of summer migrants.

Swallow numbers were very low with only four seen all summer. A Sand Martin flock did make an appearance and 7 Spotted Flycatcher adults and juveniles were seen in July at the same time. The results show that small seed eating passerines (finches, sparrows) are present in relatively low numbers. This is probably due to grassland being a less preferred habitat for feeding compared to stubbles for example. The finches seem to show a preference for section 1 whereas the House Sparrows prefer sections 1 and 4, which are closest to houses. Other preferences visible are Stock Doves for sections 2 and 3 which have the largest proportion of tall trees and coniferous woodland where they are most often seen. The lower abundance of sections 3 and 4 is noticeable on the average day and this may well be due to fragmentation of the hedgerows and lack of green corridors which provide protection between habitats. As the reinstated hedgerows grow hopefully there will be an increase in many bird species.

The Shannon Diversity Index is used to quantify the diversity of a community. Raw data is fed into the calculation SPilnPi where Pi is the proportion of a species in the total population, ln is the natural logarithm. The bigger the number, the greater the diversity.

 

Map of Chapter Meadows marked with the bird survey routes. The Meadow lies on the West bank of the Severn more or less opposite the cathedral and extending downstream to Diglis Weir

 

 

 

 

Chapter Meadows Bird Survey                    
Autumn/ Winter 2002/2003                    
                     
Section 1                   Mean
Date 28.11 6.12 18.12 10.01 24.01 7.02 20.02 7.03 21.03 Per
Start Time 1000 900 1048 1126 1412 1500 935 912 1412 Day
wood pigeon 6 2 5 0 2 40 12 6 10 9.22
blue tit 10 2 3 3 3 7 1 4 2 3.89
greenfinch 4 4 5 0 4 8 4 2 2 3.67
blackbird 2 7 2 0 4 8 0 2 4 3.22
great tit 2 0 0 2 5 9 4 1 4 3.00
house sparrow 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 0 12 2.11
carrion crow 1 4 2 3 2 2 0 0 1 1.67
starling 0 13 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1.56
chaffinch 6 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 1 1.56
goldfinch 5 0 0 0 8 1 0 0 0 1.56
magpie 0 1 1 0 2 4 3 0 1 1.33
robin 4 2 1 0 2 0 1 1 0 1.22
redwing 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 5 0 1.11
wren 2 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0.78
stock dove 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 0.67
long tailed tit 0 1 1 0 0 2   0 0 0.50
song thrush 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.44
bullfinch 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.44
gt.spot.woodpecker 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0.33
green woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0.22
collared dove 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.22
dunnock 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11
little owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.11
kestrel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.11
sparrowhawk 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.11
grey wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.11
Total                   39.3
Shannon Diversity Index                   -2.68
                    Mean
Section 2                   Per
                    Day
wood pigeon 12 17 5 20 42 0 3 15 26 15.56
stock dove 4 9 5 1 3 9 8 12 6 6.33
great tit 12   4 2 4 4 3 2 0 3.88
blackbird 4 0 2 4 0 2 2 5 7 2.89
blue tit 3 2 2 4 2 6 4 0 2 2.78
magpie 4 0 2 1 4 1 2 2 1 1.89
carrion crow 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 8 3 1.78
chaffinch 1 0 0 0 5 2 3 0 1 1.33
long tailed tit 2 0 8 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.22
robin 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0.78
wren 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.67
greenfinch 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.67
dunnock 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.44
song thrush 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.44
fieldfare 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0.44
redwing 0 2 0 1 35 0 0 1 0 0.44
goldfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.33
kestrel 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0.33
rook 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.22
starling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.22
sparrowhawk 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.22
mute swan 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.22
green woodpecker 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11
gt.spot.woodpecker 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11
goldcrest 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.11
house sparrow 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11
grey wagtail 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11
Total                   43.7
Shannon Diversity Index                   -2.33
                    Mean
Section 3                   Per
                    Day
starling 1 0 0 0 5 33 0 2 0 4.56
stock dove 3 0 4 0 5 7 5 2 0 2.89
wood pigeon 10 2 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.44
blue tit 1 2 2 3 2 0 2 2 1 1.67
blackbird 0 5 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 1.22
great tit 3 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 1.00
song thrush 1 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 0.89
carrion crow 0 0 0 3 2 2 0 0 0 0.78
wren 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.44
long tailed tit 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.44
magpie 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.44
pied wagtail 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.44
gt.spot.woodpecker 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0.33
robin 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.33
redwing 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.33
green woodpecker 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.22
goldcrest 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.22
chaffinch 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0.22
mute swan 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.22
dunnock 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11
mistlethrush 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11
treecreeper 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.11
greenfinch 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.11
Total                   19.6
Shannon Diversity Index                   -2.56
                    Mean
Section 4                   Per
                    Day
house sparrow 35 0 0 15 0 0 0 3 20 8.11
carrion crow 0 2 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 1.00
greenfinch 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 0 1.00
blue tit 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 0.89
song thrush 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0.56
great tit 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0.56
dunnock 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0.33
robin 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.33
blackbird 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0.33
wood pigeon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.22
magpie 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.11
Total                   13.4 -1.48
Shannon Diversity Index                    
   
Chapter Meadows Bird Survey                          
Spring/Summer 2003                          
Section 1                         Mean
Date 04/04 16/04 01/05 16/05 21/05 02/06 19/06 11/07 30/07 14/08 12/09 25/09 Per
Start time 08:02 10:14 09:00 09:35 13:46 08:50 08:30 09:45 09:00 08:30 08:50 15:00 Day
                           
Species                          
wood pigeon 4 6 10 0 15 25 20 5 7 10 2 3 8.92
starling 0 0 1 7 14 40 0 0 0 0 13 0 6.25
blackbird 3 0 4 3 7 7 2 2 2 7 2 1 3.33
greenfinch 3 0 0 0 5 5 4 6 3 4 1 0 2.58
blue tit 5 1 4 1 0 3 2 2 2 7 0 0 2.25
goldfinch 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 6 2 4 8 2 2.25
robin 3 4 2 1 2 1 0 1 1 7 3 1 2.17
carrion crow 1 1 1 1 2 5 4 1 4 0 0 1 1.75
wren 2 3 2 1 2 3 3 1 0 2 1 0 1.67
dunnock 1 1 1 2 0 2 2 0 0 3 3 0 1.25
magpie 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 4 1.00
lesser whitethroat 0 0 1 0 1 2 3 2 2 1 0 0 1.00
house sparrow 0 0 0 4 0 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 0.92
chaffinch 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 0.92
stock dove 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 0.83
great tit 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0.58
green woodpecker 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 1 0 0 0.50
little owl 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0.50
house martin 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 4 0 0.67
jackdaw 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0.42
gtspot woodpecker 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0.33
blackcap 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.25
chiffchaff 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.25
mallard 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25
swift 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25
collared dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.17
song thrush 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
sparrowhawk 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
spotted flycatcher 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.08
Total                         41.50
Shannon Diversity Index                         -3.36
Section2                         Mean
Date 04/04 16/04 01/05 16/05 21/05 02/06 19/06 11/07 30/07 14/08 12/09 25/09 Per
Start time 08:02 10:14 09:00 09:35 13:46 08:50 08:30 09:45 09:00 08:30 08:50 15:00 Day
wood pigeon 10 3 2 2 4 3 10 2 3 3 3 4 4.08
stock dove 6 6 4 5 4 3 2 3 0 2 0 0 2.92
Blackbird 4 3 0 3 2 3 2 2 0 5 2 3 2.42
Jackdaw 2 5 2 4 1 1 10 0 0 0 2 0 2.25
house martin 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 12 0 0 0 0 2.25
blue tit 2 4 1 2 2 3 0 0 3 0 6 0 1.92
Robin 3 3   1 2 2 0 3 0 2 2 2 1.82
wren 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 2 1 1 0 1.67
sand martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 7 3 0 0 0 1.67
magpie 2 0 0 1 2 3 2 2 1 3 3 0 1.58
carrion crow 2 4 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 3 4 1 1.58
great tit 3 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 3 1.17
long tailed tit 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 4 1.08
goldfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 5 0 1 1.08
chiffchaff 1 2 2 1 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 1 1.08
starling 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 9 0 0 1.00
chaffinch 2 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.67
blackcap 0 1 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.58
spotted flycatcher 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0.58
dunnock 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.42
bullfinch 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.33
song thrush 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0.33
sparrowhawk 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0.33
lesser whitethroat 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0.33
Swallow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0.33
house sparrow 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25
mistle thrush 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.25
green woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0.25
gtspot.woodpecker 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25
Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0.25
Mallard 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25
house martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0.25
swift 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.25
coal tit 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.25
Pheasant 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.17
willow warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0.17
goldcrest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.08
buzzard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.08
Total                         36.23
Shannon Diversity Index                         -3.12
                           
Section3                         Mean
Date 04/04 16/04 01/05 16/05 21/05 02/06 19/06 11/07 30/07 14/08 12/09 25/09 Per
Start time 08:02 10:14 09:00 09:35 13:46 08:50 08:30 09:45 09:00 08:30 08:50 15:00 Day
house martin 0 0 0 0 14 0 10 12 0 0 0 0 3.00
wood pigeon 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 6 5 8 2 2.75
starling 6 8 6 6 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2.67
stock dove 5 2 1 4 0 1 0 1 0 2 5 1 1.83
blue tit 3 4 4 1 0 0 4 0 0 3 0 0 1.58
sand martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 7 1 0 0 0 1.50
wren 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 1 0 0 0.83
house sparrow 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0.67
swift 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0.58
blackbird 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.50
gtspot.woodpecker 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0.50
robin 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0.42
dunnock 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 0.42
great tit 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.33
chaffinch 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.33
Jackdaw 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.33
tawny owl 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.33
song thrush 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.25
green woodpecker 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25
greenfinch 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.25
blackcap 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.25
goldfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0.25
carrion crow 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.17
magpie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.17
lesser whitethroat 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.17
kestrel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.17
long tailed tit 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
chiffchaff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.08
Total                         20.67
Shannon Diversity Index                         -2.31
                           
Section4                         Mean
Date 04/04 16/04 01/05 16/05 21/05 02/06 19/06 11/07 30/07 14/08 12/09 25/09 Per
Start time 08:02 10:14 09:00 09:35 13:46 08:50 08:30 09:45 09:00 08:30 08:50 15:00 Day
Starling 5 10 0 2 29 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 4.08
house sparrow 0 30 1 0 2 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 3.25
house martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 0 1 2 0 1.08
blue tit 0 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 0.92
wood pigeon 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 1 0 0 0.75
Greenfinch 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.42
great tit 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.42
robin 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0.42
sand martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0.42
pied wag 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0.42
carrion crow 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0.33
dunnock 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.33
blackbird 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.33
swift 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0.33
magpie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.25
stock dove 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.17
whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.17
jackdaw 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.17
cormorant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0.17
mistlethrush 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.17
goldfinch 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
chaffinch 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
song thrush 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
gtspot.woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.08
lesser whitethroat 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
kestrel 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
sparrowhawk 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.08
linnet 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.08
little owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.08
Total                         15.33
Shannon Diversity Index                         -1.7
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