The start of 2025 has seen some big changes at Avon Heath. Work has begun in earnest on our exciting heathland restoration project with Natural England. This project involves the removal of lots of the invasive pine trees on both our North and South parks and Matchams viewpoint. These trees are bad news for heathlands as they prevent the growth of native, heathland plants such as heather and gorse. Many of our most vulnerable species such as Sand lizards, Smooth snakes, Nightjar and Dartford warblers need large open areas of heathland to breed, bask and nest and so removing these trees will ensure that Avon Heath can continue to provide much needed habitat for our wonderful wildlife.
The last project of this kind was done in 2019. Since then, the number of occupied territories across the park of ground and gorse nesting birds has increased substantially for all 5 species surveyed:
- Dartford Warblers by 164%
- Nightjar by 131%
- Stonechat by 86%
- Woodlark by 86%
- Tree Pipit by 33%
These figures show that the work had a really positive impact on our ground-nesting bird numbers. We are hoping to see further increases over the next 5 years following the stewardship work being carried out this year.
Trees may not be good for heathlands, but the right trees in the right places can be great for other wildlife. Our wonderful volunteers have been working hard this month to plant native deciduous hedges off of the SSSI heathland around the car park and work base. These hedges will provide shelter and food for birds and small mammals. Thank you volunteers!
This month has seen all kinds of weather from frost and snow to gale force winds and driving rain. But that hasn’t put our birds off! We’ve had lots of reported sightings of a variety of different birds around our feeders and out on the heath from Buzzards and Sparrow hawks to Goldcrests, Tree creepers and Song thrush. Several lucky visitors have also spotted the rare and beautiful Dartford warblers out on the heath! Do pop into the Visitor Centre and let us know what you see out on your walks.