Arthur Ball celebrates 25 years and 3000 miles walked whilst volunteering on Cleeve Common
People of my age are always comparing things of today with those when we were young. Any experienced birdwatcher would tell you that there are nothing like the number of small birds around compared to our younger days. It’s easy to say that but how do you prove it?
In 1999 when the Cheltenham Bird Club were encouraging members to send in their local sightings, I decided that if a regular count was made from the same site, over a long period, it would prove whether or not populations were changing. I needed a site and where better than Cleeve Hill Common? Apart from the increase in numbers of people visiting the Common, the Common itself has not really changed much for decades.
So, I started a monthly count. I worked out a circuit that covered the whole Common, right down to West Down and Wardens’ Wood and back. I do my counts in the middle of each month, starting early in the mornings, I do the same circuit each month and count every bird I see and hear. It is not very scientific but over a period, it does give us a mean average of what is around and when. I also record anything else that I can identify but confess to being hopeless at identifying butterflies! The results of my counts were originally sent to the County Recorder for Ornithology and a couple of local avid birdwatchers. Once the Cleeve Common Trust heard of them, they asked if they could have copies of my counts, which would help in future management. At the end of the year, I produce a small booklet containing the year’s results and a PDF copy for the Trust, who put it on their website.
In 2015, a friend put all my records into a computer and produced a graph. It made for alarming reading!
Between 2000 and 2015, the small birds that I think of as “Cleeve Hill” birds, such as Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer and Linnet had declined by 50%. I think this is a national trend but came as a great surprise.
On February the 10th, I completed 25 years of monthly counts. During that time, I have only missed three counts. The first was in 2001 when Foot & Mouth Disease restrictions prevented me going onto the Common, the second was in 2007 when I broke a fibula and was in plaster for six weeks and the third was after I had the surprise diagnosis of Type-1 Diabetes. I did attempt that count but my diabetic sensor gave me a critically high alarm by the time I reached the top of the Washpool Valley and I abandoned the walk. I now have my medication under control and quickly got back into my normal routine.
I put a “walking” app on my phone to work out how far I walk on each count and it was almost nine miles. We have worked out that 25 years of counts plus guided walks that I have led, the total mileage walked on Cleeve Common is approaching 3,000 miles! I will be 85 in June so I am not sure how much longer I will be able to continue but I will keep it up for a while longer yet!
Over the years of recording, I have some highlights that stand out. The annual passage of Ring Ouzels in Spring and Autumn always excites local birdwatchers. Probably the biggest surprise was a North American Buff-breasted Sandpiper which stayed for several days. I have also had Dotterels, Great Grey Shrike, Stone Curlew and a Snow Bunting, which stayed around the Dew Pond for a couple of weeks. The most bizarre sighting was a Canada Goose resting on the Common last year, which I presumed may have been injured but it was spooked by a dog, took off and flew toward the Malverns, so was obviously ok!