Berry Court Wood Breeding Bird Survey 2019

Introduction

Berry Court Wood is a block of woodland covering approximately 19 hectares. It is situated on the north facing slope of the ridge of high ground that runs between Higham to the west and Allhallows to the east. This piece of woodland is a part of the SSSI designated Chattenden Wood complex.
The survey was carried out by Will Tofts, RSPB Warden for the North Kent Marshes; three census visits were made between the dates of 21st April 2019 & 12th June 2019.

The wood is a block of mixed deciduous woodland, comprised mainly of oak standards, ash, field maple and hornbeam, with some willow and hazel. During the 18/19 winter period, a north to south ride had been opened and widened, leaving an open area with oak standards and a fringe of mature trees and scrub. Block coppicing has been carried out in the woodland over several years through a Forestry Commission woodland management plan. The woodland has several areas of dense understory at the southern border of the site compromising good nightingale habitat.

Results

Three breeding bird visits were carried out at dawn on the above dates.
In the case of tawny owl, no calls were picked up on the surveys, however the site owner confirmed their presence during the autumn, through winter and into spring. Cuckoo was heard during the survey, however just off the site boundary. Male cuckoos can have a large range so were included in the survey data as being present on site.

No Treecreeper were seen or heard during the breeding bird surveys. However, their presence is known in other areas of the Chattenden Woods complex through ringing by the Thames Estuary Ringing group.
Due to the large numbers of wood pigeon on site, numbers were not counted, just presence confirmed.

Observed species are pictured below: