Strettons Area

About

The Red Grouse survey began in 2011 and runs for six weeks each spring. It was adopted by the SACWG in 2012, as many members already participated in the project.

The aim is to record males defending their territories on the Long Mynd tops around sunset. Population estimates were 63-66 territorial males in 2012, 53-54 in 2013, 56-58 in 2014, and 57-59 in 2015. It appears that numbers were hit by the bad weather in early spring in 2013, but recovered a bit in 2014 and 2015.  There were not enough observations of territorial activity in 2016 to produce an estimate, but there were at least 42.

In 2017, at least 49 territories were identified but this number may have been depressed by poor weather on some of the count days. The survey was repeated in 2018, resulting in the highest count to date, an estimated 64-66 territorial males. In 2019 an estimated 54 territorial males were counted, but there was a low level of Grouse activity on the dates when the southern part of the hill was surveyed, and there were probably a few more.

The 2020 survey was cancelled, because of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions Surveys were organised in 2021 and 2022, but results were inconclusive.

The survey this year is therefore particularly important, as we need to assess the effect of extensive heather die-back in 2019, and poor weather in recent breeding seasons.