Katie Holmes is studying Ecology and Conservation and has joined the Lowland Gamebird Research team on placement.
On my first week as a placement student with the lowland game department we have got straight into the fieldwork for the gamebird releasing and fox project. This field work involves walking a 3km transect and looking for and collecting fox scats as well as undertaking a wildlife survey. Whoever does the wildlife survey walks a little way ahead so that they can see any wildlife that might scamper off as soon as it catches a glimpse of us. They note down what species they see and plot where it was on the map. The scat surveyor walks behind and scans the ground for scats. When one is found it is bagged up, plotted on the map, and its freshness is noted. The scat is broken up inside the bag to have a look at what the fox has been eating.
On our first day in the field we learnt to identify the fox scats and not mistake them for the clumpier, greenish deer droppings, badger faeces in a latrine, owl pellets or dog faeces. Although some of the fresher specimens were a little bit disgusting to collect using a bag and a stick, I have found looking at the variety of things the foxes have been eating really interesting. There has been lots of fruit peel and cherry stones, grain, fur, feathers, insects and most fascinating have been the tiny teeth and bones of the small mammals the foxes have been preying on.
I have found it very interesting seeing and hearing all the wildlife including fallow and roe deer, buzzards and red kites, ravens and jays. I especially enjoyed seeing the hares as I have not often seen these. Walking through the countryside also gives the opportunity to enjoy all the butterflies and bumble bees out at this time of year and the beautiful variety of wildflowers growing in the field margins. Some of my personal favourites have been the wild parsnipPastinaca sativa with their yellow flowers, scarlet pimpernel Anagallis Arvensis with their delicate pinkish flowers, alfalfa Medicago sativa with their lovely purple flowers and cotton thistles Onopordum acanthium with their huge purple flowers which attract many bumblebees and other insects.
- Figure 1: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
- Figure 2: Scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis)
- Figure 3: Common chicory (Cichorium intybus)
Seeing the variety of wild plant species that grow on the margins of the agricultural fields has really fascinated me and made me want to improve my botanical identification skills. For my project I hope to look at the difference in floral diversity of the field margins, comparing sites that release game birds with sites that don’t.
I am also excited to learn about what the other departments at the GWCT do and to get involved with some of their projects.
I have really enjoyed my first week and am looking forward to seeing and learning more about the animal and plant species in British countryside, and finding lots more fox scats!