Management Plan for Letton churchyard at www.lettonvillage.com

This term refers to certain wild species of mice, voles and shrews known to be found in Herefordshire. They provide a major food source for certain birds of prey, such as the Tawny owl, Barn owl and Kestrel as well as other large mammals, although no evidence of these species was found at the time of the visit.

The small mammal survey, using 40 Longworth small mammal traps filled with hay and baited with suitable food took place over 2 days with traps checked morning and night. Animals were not marked so it is assumed that there were some re-captures Total trapped included 5 Common shrew, 3 male and 4 female Bank vole and one young one. This survey shows that Bank vole and Common shrew both breed within the churchyard with fairly high populations of both species. Although Field voles, the staple food of barn owls, were not trapped it is highly likely that they are present when the grass in taller.

Bats

Both daytime and evening survey with a bat detector were carried out by a licensed bat worker. Bat droppings were found during external and internal searches of the church

Droppings probably of common pipistrelle were found within the porch, which was probably being used as a night roost rather than a regular roosting site. Using a bat detector in the churchyard common pipistrelle were detected feeding around the churchyard. A soprano pipistrelle was detected feeding around the trees adjacent to the churchyard

Larger droppings of a long-eared species were found around the pulpit and elsewhere in the church indicating bats flying around the building. Butterfly wings were found in the church indicating feeding activity. A long-eared species was detected emerging from the tower and another flying around within the church.. This activity indicated that long-eared bats use the church before emerging to feed, especially on moths. They occasionally roost above the pulpit but their main roosting area being in the church tower. The long-eared species were most likely to be the Brown-long eared bat.

Birds

Birds were well documented see Appendix 6

There was a wide range of bird species found feeding and possibly nesting in the churchyard. The total number of species seen feeding totalled 14 including Song Thrush, a National Biodiversity Action Plan Species. The others were Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Nuthatch, Pied Wagtail, Robin, House Sparrow, Willow Warbler, Wood Pigeon.

The possible number of species actually nesting in the churchyard totalled 5. There are a considerable number of mud nests around the church tower eaves with one in the porch roof space, which are most likely to be house Martin nests. Some of the five to six mud nests on the north, west and east tower walls had holes on the underside. This is not normal for House Martin. Woodpecker do, however, take over mud nests and can make entrances in the downward position. A number of Rook. Jackdaw and Carrion Crow nest in the surrounding areas to the churchyard.

Amphibians and Reptiles

Numbers are just beginning to be recorded in Herefordshire. Although no1 recorded at present the churchyard is suitable for grass snake, slowworm and common toad and perhaps common lizard. The other reptile to be found in the county is adder and the amphibians are common frog, smooth newt, palmate newt and great crested newt.

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Take Part

If you would like to take part, or would like to support this project, please email godsacre@lettonvillage.com for more details.