Square kilometre challenge 1

Inspired by others, I'm going to participate in a project this year that attempts to find and identify as many species (of every type) in a single square kilometre. The Ordnance Survey maps are subdivided into kilometre squares, and for convenience I'm choosing the one in which I live - or at least, where I'll be spending a lot of time. A blog on this topic can be found here: http://1000for1ksq.blogspot.co.uk/

Here's a sketch map of the area, based on OS data. Red lines are major roads, blue rivers, black railway; orange areas urban and suburban development, green woods, and white open areas, including fields and rough ground. It's a good mix, between two small towns, with open country to the northwest and south, with extensive fields, forests, and high hills all within a few kilometres. The rivers are quite narrow and fast flowing - in the middle of their course. A lot of the open ground is accessible, with meadow and rough pasture, and a range of elevations from 175m+ in the far south, down to 120m in the north. The black spot is the house/garden where I'll be based, so it will account for a disproportionate number of species.

January 1st-14th: 48 species
Animals: 35
Vertebrates: 34
Birds: 30
Accipiter nisus sparrowhawk

Aegithalos caudatus long-tailed tit

Anser brachyrhynchus pink-footed goose (overhead)

Carduelis cabaret lesser redpoll

Carduelis carduelis goldfinch

Carduelis chloris greenfinch

Carduelis spinus siskin

Chroicocephalus ridibundus black-headed gull

Columba palumbus woodpigeon

Corvus corone carrion crow

Corvus frugilegus rook

Corvus monedula jackdaw

Cyanistes caeruleus bluetit

Dendrocopos major great spotted woodpecker

Emberiza citrinella yellowhammer

Erithacus rubecula robin

Fringilla coeleb chaffinch

Garrulus glandarius jay (heard)

Larus argentatus herring gull

Motacilla alba pied wagtail

Parus major great tit

Passer domesticus house sparrow

Periparus ater coal tit

Pica pica magpie

Prunella modularis dunnock

Sternus vulgaris starling

Streptopelia decaocto collared dove

Strix aluco tawny owl (heard)

Troglodytes troglodytes wren

Turdus merula blackbird

Mammals: 4
Canis lupus dog
Felix cattus domestic cat
Homo sapiens human
Sciurus carolinensis grey squirrel

Invertebrates: 1
Arthropods: 1
Sminthurides aquaticus

Plants: 8
Trees: 5
Betula pendula birch
Crataegus monogyna hawthorn
Fagus sylvatica beech
Fraxinus excelsior ash
Sambucus niger elder

Other flowering plants: 3
Urtica dioica nettle
Rubus idaeus wild raspberry
Rubus fruticosa bramble


Lichens and fungi: 5
Auricularia auricula-judae jelly ear
Parmelia sulcata
Phellinus pini
Ramalina farinacea
Trametes versicolor turkeytail

There are more lichens, mosses, trees, and herbaceous plants to identify this month, plus I'll be looking for more fungi and invertebrates like springtails and myriapods.