When to carry out species surveys
This calendar is a guide for the best times to carry out ecological surveys for particular species.
| SPECIES | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [content_tooltip id=”1406″ title=”Preliminary Ecological Assessment”] | Phase 1 only (sub-optimal) | Phase 1 and NVC | Phase 1 only (sub-optimal) | |||||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1412″ title=”Badgers”] | Sub-optimal sett/bait surveys | Bait marking and sett surveys | Sub-optimal bait marking and sett surveys | Sett surveys | Sub-optimal sett/bait surveys | |||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1414″ title=”Bats”] | Hibernation survey | Sub-optimal activity survey | summer roost emergence + re-entry and activity surveys | Sub-optimal activity survey | Hibernation survey | |||||||
| Initial assessments are possible all year round | ||||||||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1416″ title=”Birds”] | Winter non-breeding survey | Breeding birds / Migrant species surveys | Breeding birds surveys | Low activity / sub-optimal surveys for all birds | Migrant species surveys | Winter bird surveys | ||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1418″ title=”Dormice”] | Gnawed hazlenut search | Nest tube survey from April to November, Gnawed hazel nut search – best from September to December | ||||||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1420″ title=”Great Crested Newts”] | No survey (Newts hibernating) | Pond surveys for adults / terrestial survey / egg surveys from April to mid-June / larvae surveys from mid-May | Habitat larvae surveys | Habitat surveys | No survey (Newts hibernating) | |||||||
| Habitat Suitability Index of ponds can be carried out year round | ||||||||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1422″ title=”Otters”] | Can be surveyed all year around (subject to vegetation density and weather conditions) | |||||||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1430″ title=”Red Squirrels”] | Scoping survey and drey counts | Feeding sign survey and hair tube survey | Sub-optimal | Feeding sign survey and hair tube survey | Scoping survey and drey counts | |||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1424″ title=”Reptiles”] | No survey (Reptiles hibernating) | Peak survey months April, May, June | Surveys temperature dependent (sub-optimal) | Peak survey month | Limited activity | No survey (Reptiles hibernating) | ||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1426″ title=”Water Voles”] | Low activity | Initial habitat survey | Habitat and field signs / activity surveys. May be limited by vegetation cover and weather conditions | Initial habitat survey | Low activity | |||||||
| [content_tooltip id=”1427″ title=”Whiteclawed Crayfish”] | Habitat suitability assessment only | Manual torch, searchlight counts | Habitat suitabiity only | |||||||||