1000x1000 challenge update... & more work in the woods

First up I've made a minor adjustment to 
my challenge plans: 

I originally said that I would only count species I saw while I was walking my 1000 miles - I have since realised that this is a bit arbitrary. For the first few months it probably won't make any difference apart from being annoying when I see something from the car or while working. And for the last few months, when I realise just how big a number 1000 is when it comes to species, it will be an unnecessary limitation. With that in mind I've got some catching up to do on noting down the species seen over the last few days while I've been working in the woods. I've strated a new page at the top which I will try to update 

Despite this change I still won't count miles walked unless I've set out to 'walk'. In case you wonder why the distinction - yesterday (according to a app my phone came with and I can't figure how to turn off) I walked over 8 miles while working in the woods yesterday just going back and forth without actually 'walking' anywhere. While this is good for me because it means without even trying I'll blast past 1000 miles half way through the year, I don't think it's quite what the challenge issuers had in mind.  

And so on to my work trip: I love my job! 

At the minute (in the middle of 'winter' which isn't really a winter... yet) the temperatures are more like spring as I'm sure you've noticed. The wildlife certainly had. Without really looking I found Blackthorn, Primrose and Dogs Mercury in flower, Hazel catkins out and various other trees in bud, while the bulbs are coming up in quantities I wouldn't expect until early March. Animals too - I saw Fieldfares in much larger groups than ever before at the wood and it was suggested to me that perhaps, due to the unseasonal weather, they are gathering to return to breeding grounds. If this is the case I'm not sure what they have to look forward to! I saw Squirrels (Grey's of course) shall we say 'in the throes of spring', and while not at the woods, I've also seen Coots mating. While not as unusual perhaps there is also a plethora of fungi out and about at present.

Primrose in flower crazy
(Apologies for poor quality of all photo's in this post, taken with my phone) 

However - the high rainfall (191% of average December rainfall according to preliminary Met Office reports!) has also been felt: the track going into the woods has been getting gradually wetter and wetter over the last 2 months or so and we are now at the point where we'll have to stop outside and carry all our gear in until we get drier weather and the track dries out. Not ideal as we have a fair bit of kit and it weighs, well not literally a tonne, but you get the idea.

Blackthorn blossom

The woods really are alive. I love the soundscape as well as the landscape. I'm the worlds worst 'bird song recogniser' (if that is even a phrase) - I can recognise a few but others, despite efforts of varying commitment at various times, sound so similar I just can't do it, or at least can't put the right name to the song or call. I know that a lot of this is probably just consistent and determined practise, but that is where I am at present regardless. 

But laying in bed (i.e in a sleeping bag, on the floor, in an open sided tarp shelter) waking up in the morning listening to the world waking up around me is wonderful. Yesterday morning without even getting out of my sleeping bag I had a Robin sat just yards away and a small mammal of some sort, either a wood mouse of field vole I think, but it really was the briefest of glimpses, peering round a corner of the tarp. As the day progresses other sounds take over - drumming woodpeckers was a particularly common noise over the last few days.

Hazel Catkins

Noises are an inseparable part of sleeping in the woods, whether they unsettle or excite you is a personal thing - I love it. Owls calling, deer barking, rustles and snuffles, including some just inches from my ear on Tuesday night, I'm guessing a mouse in the dead leaves against the tarp. It reminds you that while the human world has effectively shut down, the natural world is as busy as ever. I've left a camera trap out at present and hopefully next week will have something to show for it.

A first thing walk-round revealed woodcock exploding out of nettle beds, Chinese Water Deer nosily exiting stage right from deep within a bramble thicket, a hare sneaking away far more discreetly than either managed, large, noisy flocks of fieldfare playing musical tree and many other little birds flitting to and fro. I foolishly didn't take my binoculars; sometimes it's nice to just see rather than look (does that make sense) but I wish I had them that morning as there was so much to see. It also doesn't help me with my species lists.

As of yet, while I am still seeing something new most days I haven't started to be really intensive about species recording, doubtless that will start in the next month or so when daily 'new' species start being a bit fewer and further between. This inevitable means there are some species I will have 'seen' but not recorded yet. There are also some which I have photographed but not got around to identifying yet, I will endeavour to do these quickly as time allows.

As my posts become more regular to keep up with my progressing challange, they will also become shorter, forgive me then for leaving this one here. This afternoon I am getting out for a short walk closer to home so may have more updates to add before the day is out anyway!

See My '1000x1000 challenge' page to see where I am up to so far.
Thanks for reading!

Richard