NORSEY WOOD SOCIETY
AUTUMN 2020 NEWSLETTER 171
norseywoodsociety.uk
A wonderful picture of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Courtesy of Society member Jan Lewis
CONTENTS 1) Talks and Events 2) Bird Walk 3) The Benefits of Ride Widening EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY 4) Norsey Woodland Crafts Due to Covid-19 all events for the foreseeable future have been CANCELLED 5) Woody Writes 6) Watching Wildlife in the Billericay Area Our newsletter is sponsored by Norsey Woodland 7) Weasel Sighting Crafts and printed by Acors Press of Billericay. 8) Ranger’s Report & Contacts Bird Walk
It was late May, 9-weeks into Lockdown, when I had the low on the trunks of the trees. It was a Treecreeper, and opportunity to have a good long walk around Norsey then another. How lovely to stand and watch them going Wood to see what birds I could hear and see. I started at round the trunks of trees, working their way up, then 11.00am, so I was not expecting too many of our changing trees and starting again. These are definitely feathered friends to pop up and say hi. Would the birds that you have to stand still and just watch for a few reduction in background noise make a difference? minutes and to enjoy their behaviour - a nice spot in any case! As I approached along Outwood Common Road, I was pleasantly surprised to see, first up, a Common Buzzard, Moving back onto the proper path, I hadn’t gone too gliding and soaring over the field no more than 100 feet much further when I was aware of a Warbler just above or so from the ground. Unfortunately, it disappeared in my head and thought I’d at last seen one of the many the direction of Goatsmoor Lane before I could get the Chiffchaffs that have set up home for the Summer, but as camera on it. it flew higher up in the tree it was not making the characteristic Chiffchaff call. It was a one note sound Upon entering the Wood, I spent most of the next two repeated at regular intervals. My first thought was Willow hours or so walking around the trail markers 1, 2, and 3 Warbler as they are very similar, but I could only see him on the map, and briefly touching on 4; so the north east in semi-shade. They have not been seen round these quarter of the Wood. As I entered the pathway on the parts for a while, as Neil Sumner had told me the right from the entrance drive, I had not gone far when the previous evening when walking Mill Meadows. I then lovely sound of a Song Thrush greeted me singing from thought, well, we are in a wood so Wood Warbler it is! I on high. I picked him out, belting out his tune before he Googled Wood Warbler call on my phone, weak signal, took flight to start up much further into the Wood. It so I memorised the call and checked it out when I got wasn’t long before I heard Chiffchaff at every turn and home. Sure enough, no mistaking, it was a Wood also Blackcap, two of our chatty Summer migrants, who Warbler, so another good birdwatching tick! seem to be here in ever increasing numbers. Then a Robin and a Wren joined in together with a Blackbird. I’d heard that some small birds use the Dormouse boxes Coming to a cross roads of pathways over a dried up to nest. These boxes have holes at the back close to the stream, I could hear, but not see, a couple of Wrens trunk and must not be disturbed except by the Ranger getting very agitated as it was their one-note warning call who is licensed to handle this rare creature. I wonder if they were sounding, along with a Blue Tit. I stood a while the birds choose them to try and prevent predation from to see what was giving them cause for concern, and low Squirrels, Rats, and now our recently discovered resident down on the branch of an Oak Tree was a Jay. They had Weasel, as they will take birds eggs and fledglings. I every right to be anxious, as he would certainly ransack stealthily approached a newer box, about 25 feet in from either of these birds nests’ should he be able to get to the path and, yes, I could hear chicks. So I backed away them. to watch as in the canopy I could hear one of the parents getting a little agitated. Then he/she came down to the I was about to move on when I heard a noise behind me nest and it was a Blue Tit. like a tap tap, then it stopped. So I stood some more and there it was again. At first I thought it was my full bottle of Continuing along the pathway that runs at the back of the water in my rucksack making the occasional sound as the houses in Norsey Road I saw Wood Pigeon, heard some water moved about, then it became more frequent, and I Jay screeching, Blackbird scurrying amongst the dry wasn’t moving! I reckoned it was a Great Spotted leaves on the floor, numerous Squirrels going about their Woodpecker pecking, not drumming, on a trunk to find business, and more Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing and grubs and larvae to eat. I followed the sound as quietly as calling. I could, and sure enough on a trunk of a Silver Birch tree there he was, but again only a brief sighting before he Coming down the main path, I decided to sit in the large flew off in his typical arching flight to another tree. picnic area and work out what I had seen and heard. First though, I checked the Dutch Barn to see if anything was I walked on, quite pleased I had witnessed this, as I nesting in there, and was rewarded by the sight of a cannot recall having seen this behaviour before. I then Wren’s nest. spotted a group of Long Tailed Tits calling and diving from tree branch to tree branch. There were probably So all in all a good 2.5 hours of birding with 16 species about 6 or 7 of them, hunting for food. They hang out in accounted for and to summarise they were, Common small groups in the breeding season, all helping at a nest. Buzzard, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Then I saw Great Tit, more Blue Tit, Wren, Robin, and a Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Wood solitary Carrion Crow silently flying under the canopy. He Warbler, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, too would be happy to part young birds from their Carrion Crow and Wood Pigeon, plus Blue Tit and Wren parents! nests. Article by Dave Sweet I then started to take one of the unofficial pathways (sorry Chris), that have been created and had only gone a few paces when something caught my eye, darting around Front cover pic (top right) features a beautiful Elephant Hawk Moth Page 2 The Benefits of Ride Widening
You may have noticed that some of the verges alongside the paths have been widened over the last two years. Why has that been done? Surely the trees should not be cut down? Norsey Wood is an ancient managed woodland and without active management the biodiversity of the area would diminish. In thick woodland sunlight cannot penetrate to the ground so fewer species of plants flourish. The trees and scrub along the Short Easy Access Trail were thinned and cleared to encourage a more diverse mix of plants which will, in turn, encourage more insects and invertebrates that are food for the birds and mammals. The Thursday work-party undertook the task of widening the ride under the supervision of the Ranger, Chris over 3 or 4 weeks in January/ The Work Party Jan 2019 February 2019. Some set about taking out the smaller trees and saplings with hand Chris Huggins tools aided by Chris and his chain saw. The rest of the party cut up the smaller branches and stacked all the timber at the back of the cleared areas, providing homes for beetles. Snow, fog, rain or sunshine the volunteers were happy to spend two hours on a Thursday morning working in the Wood for a cup of coffee and a biscuit. By May 2019 the ride looked open and quite bare, with sparse Bluebells, short grass and low vegetation. As the year progressed more plants appeared and stools of the trees that had been cut down had started to regenerate. I thought it would be interesting to see how many types of plants emerged naturally following the clearance May 2019 and widening of the ride in the second year after the work was done. The first year had produced some vegetation but by the spring of 2020 it was obvious that there was a lot more variety. I decided to make a note of which plants I could identify along the ride. This was not going to be a scientific survey, just my Late April 2020 observations from walking along the path. I took my notebook and camera and noted any plants that I could recognise. I found that I could name quite a few and took photos to double check and to identify those I could not recognise. My first walk was in late April and the Bluebells were doing extremely well. It was obvious that where there was more light they were flowering more profusely than further back where the trees had not been cut back. There were also a few Wood Anemones in flower but I was too late for the full beauty of them. There were several patches of Greater Stitchwort, their white starry flowers brightening up the edge of the wood. Hedge Garlic The new growth from the Sweet Chestnut stools stood six feet high and the buds just bursting. On my first walk I was able to identify about thirty different plants. A particular favourite of mine is the Wild Arum or Lords and Ladies as it is sometimes called. A shy plant, but to me it embodies the essence of Spring. The glossy arrow shaped leaves hide the pale spathes of the flower as it hides away deep under the bushes. The bright blooms of the Yellow Archangel were particularly showy and there were many plants of the Hedge Garlic which is a favourite food plant for the larva of the Orange Tip butterfly. I was surprised at the sheer numbers of the different Yellow Archangel species that I had found. Page 3 The Benefits of Ride Widening (Cont’d)
During May the profusion of flowers continued. The Red Campion was very prolific and flowered for several weeks. One spectacular success was the Honeysuckle (of benefit to our rare Hazel Dormice) that was scrambling over an Elder bush. It was one of the best that I had seen and the scent filled the air as I walked past. It was pleasing to see the first signs of Foxgloves, another favourite of mine. The Common Figwort is widespread in the wood but I had never noticed it before because the buds and flowers are small, round and green! You do have to get very close to see the attractiveness of the flowers. By June the grasses had grown tall and thick, swamping and hiding a lot of the other plants. I could June 2020 not start to try to identify the different grasses but by the differing shapes and forms of the flowering spikes swaying in the breeze there must be many varieties. Although not showy many grasses are valuable foodplants for insects and other invertebrates and provide cover for small mammals. Many butterflies lay their eggs in thick grass where the caterpillars develop and feed. By high summer the earlier flowers had faded and they Bittersweet were replaced by new varieties. Bittersweet scrambled over the other vegetation, with its purple flowers and yellow stamens. It is an attractive plant but the berries are poisonous. The yellow dandelion-like flowers of the Nipplewort stood tall among the grasses and in an open space a clump of Wood Sage appeared. The bright yellow starry, spiky flowers of the St John’s Wort were a pleasure to see. On a sunny day the proliferation of insect life was very noticeable especially hovering flies, bees, dragonflies and a variety of butterflies. It was heartening to see how diverse the regeneration of the ride had become when I realised that I had logged over 50 species St John’s Wort of plants. Article by Lyn Smith
Autumn Newsletter New Trolley
Early in 2019 the Ranger’s All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) We are very pleased to say that the yard is open again but in a restricted way. We have had to alter how we was stolen along with some tools from the Wood work and interact with customers to ensure our safety workshop. This was particularly disappointing as he had and also the safety of our customers. Currently we campaigned for some time to obtain it and subsequently cannot allow access into the yard but products can be only had it for just over one year. viewed from the entrance and if you can’t see what you want, just ask. We also would prefer payments to be The ATV was a great asset for the working groups of made by card and if possible contactless. not only Norsey Wood but also Mill Meadows and Queens Park which the Ranger also maintains. Our opening days and times are currently very variable but we are hoping to be opening on a regular basis in NWS, along with the Ranger, has been campaigning for September and will be looking to start opening on a replacement which is still under review by BCC. alternative weekends, hopefully by the end of September. Subsequently NWS donated a Because of being closed for so long we are trying to trolley. The pic. catch up with orders so there may be delays in shows the new producing certain products. trolley carrying Please do not hesitate to contact us to check on materials opening times and product availability. required to install the 5 new Simon Norsey Woodland Crafts Entrance Boards. (Ed) Page 4 Woody writes...
The next morning, when I woke up, I was surprised to The Blue Tits enjoyed it, Robin also, Goldfinches did well see my white pillow had new deep red blotches. I felt and surprisingly both a Stock Dove and a Pigeon were much better after the blood transfusion. successful. Blackbird was something else! I tell you this because if you are walking down the high Many people have written of their many and varied street and see a man with a deformed right ear, a experiences during lockdown, often involving getting scarred and bruised neck and a patch over his right eye, closer to nature, and I shared in their delight. I do have please do not stare. I have an appointment with my other memories, one in particular. hairdresser.
Due to the need for one member of the family to ‘shield’ Ah, the birds. In our garden, as my reader may my wife and I spent most of our time at home, no remember, we have a little cascade which feeds into a shopping, no club meetings and no visits to the small pond. These features are always popular with our hairdresser. Whilst I no longer have a head of thick dark feathered friends who drink from, and bathe in, them. brown hair, my monk’s greying style was becoming, well, This year the weather has been warm, ideal conditions not becoming. Taking courage in both hands I handed for the oxygenating plants to grow vigorously. I first my other half the old pair of clippers and asked if she noticed a family of five young blue tits were landing on would mind giving my head a number 2. Reluctantly she the pond plants to enjoy a bath. Young Robins and agreed. Goldfinches copied their example. Even juvenile Stock Doves and a Pigeon managed to do the same although It started well. She was nervous, carefully trimming the both were at least half submerged in the water. Then back of my head first. Clumps of hair started building up along came another young bird, a Blackbird. Instead of on the floor. As she moved round to the left-hand side of landing gingerly on the plants in the water, as the other my head I began to have a squashing sensation in my birds had done, apparently it had been watching Tom right ear, the side where the electric lead was plugged Daley on TV and went straight into the pond, missed the into the socket. The feeling got worse, neither of us had growth and did a belly flop amid an impressive splash. realised that the lead was wrapped round my ear and Watching, I quickly realised it was in serious trouble. was squeezing it into a sausage. A little later, to move After only a few seconds all that could be seen above the my head, her hand came round to my face and I ended water was its head and wing tips. My leaf rake is very up with a finger in my right eye. To get my head to bend effective in the Autumn but this time it was ideal for forward a finger and thumb were used to grip the back of gently raising the bird out of the water and placing it my neck. I tried to remember if I had upset her that carefully on the garden. Initially there was little morning. After a few more anxious minutes the work was movement but after a few minutes the bedraggled finally completed and in true hairdressing style I creature struggled to its feet before staggering into a surveyed the result in a mirror. The result was good but thick shrub. I am pleased to report it was spotted later there were a number of stray, wispy hairs on the nape of standing in the sun drying itself before flying off. the neck. I handed her a pair of long bladed hairdressing scissors and asked if she would mind snipping them off. Keep safe and if you are able, enjoy the Wood. Ouch! [email protected]
New Entrance Boards
As most of you may remember last year we managed to secure a charity donation from the Co-op which we put towards five new entrance boards. The first has now been installed along the main ride just inside the car park five bar gate as shown in the picture along with Keith (Treasurer) and Terry (Ed). Our thanks go to the, now resumed, Thursday Working Group A team for Installation. It is planned for the other four to be installed in the next few weeks. The rest of the donation will be used for other projects in the Wood already in the pipeline.
Pic courtesy of Lyn Smith
Page 5 Watching Wildlife in the Billericay Area – March - July 2020 numbers but I have seen very few Swallows anywhere this summer. It was a new experience for me to be at home A Sedge Warbler was singing in the Wid Valley below continuously through the spring and early summer so the Buttsbury Wash and Yellow Wagtails were seen in the lockdown period gave me an opportunity to observe and same area. This species, not to be confused with the record some of our local wildlife more systematically than Grey Wagtail, was once very much associated with cattle usual. The following notes should give a flavour of where pasture but now seems to appear in other habitats and I I went and what I saw. saw one in a rape field south of Great Burstead at the Birds in my garden end of May. The only Cuckoo I heard was in the area between Stock and Hanningfield Reservoir on 14th May. I could claim that I have “re-wilded” 50% of my garden in recent years – but a keener gardener would no doubt call Local butterflies it “neglect”! I have also increased bird-feeding – usually Even in the first weeks of lockdown I was able to visit Mill having about 6 feeders out, with 4 different types of food, Meadows LNR regularly in the course of my daily whenever I am at home. The birds seem to like it and I exercise. I saw at least 6 Peacocks and a Comma there was amazed to record 38 birds of 14 different species on as early as 24th March and over the next few weeks my “Big Garden Birdwatch” for the RSPB in January. We consistently counted 20-25 butterflies in the course of an used to be told that we should stop feeding during the hour’s walk. Peacocks peaked at 19 on 7th April and breeding season as nestlings need to be fed insects, not Whites totalled 17 on 23rd and 16 on 15th May. The warm seeds, nuts, etc. The consensus now is that feeding Spring seemed to encourage some species to emerge up helps the adults to stay in good condition and that they to 2 weeks earlier than usual and I saw Large Skippers know instinctively what they should feed to their chicks. and Meadow Browns before the end of May. Small Once the young birds have fledged “adult-food” is Heath, an easily overlooked butterfly, seemed more perfectly acceptable for them as well. plentiful than usual. I saw some examples on several My first surprise of the spring was the appearance of a walks from mid-May onwards, usually just in 2s and 3s male Blackcap which was feeding enthusiastically on the but the track running south-east from the corner of Great remains of last year’s berries on my Pyracantha on 29th Burstead Cemetery produced double-figure counts on March and again on 1st and 4th April. Was it an early three occasions. migrant or had it over-wintered nearby? 8 Goldfinches For butterfly enthusiasts, the high-point of the year is the th were in the garden on 6 April and in early May, a young period from late-June to late-July when Marbled Whites, Blackbird appeared and then a Greenfinch – a species I Purple and White-letter Hairstreaks, Silver-washed used to see regularly until about 10 years ago but which Fritillaries, White Admirals and Purple Emperors are on is now a most infrequent visitor. I saw 2 Greenfinches the the wing. All these species have been seen around rd next week and then on 23 I realised that the 2 adults on Billericay in recent years but only in small numbers and the feeders were feeding 3 juveniles, half-hidden in a this year was pretty typical. I saw only 4 Marbled Whites nearby bush. The family appeared regularly over the next – 1 at Mill Meadows and 3 at Norsey Meadow. I’m not few days and by early June the juveniles were feeding sure why we don’t see this species locally in larger themselves. numbers when hundreds are seen at One Tree Hill, just By this stage I felt I was running a crèche for young birds south of Basildon, each summer. I certainly saw more with up to 7 young Blue Tits, 3 or 4 young Great Tits and Purple Hairstreaks than usual this year with a maximum 2 young Goldfinches seen in the second week of June! A of 14 at Mill Meadows in the early evening on 6th July. juvenile Greatspotted Woodpecker, distinguished by its There were several other reports from this site and also red cap, also appeared on at least 3 days and a young from Queen’s Park Country Park. Silver-washed Robin more than once. Fritillaries and White Admirals were again reported in very low numbers at Norsey Wood and elsewhere. There Birds elsewhere were also reliable reports of the spectacular Purple I twice saw a Nuthatch at Norsey Wood, along the Easy Emperor at the Wood and I am almost certain that I saw Access Trail, opposite the path from the top of Break Egg one at Queen’s Park Country Park on 7th July. This would Hill, and it is thought that 2 pairs may have bred in the be a first for me personally and for the site. If it wasn’t an Wood this year. Emperor, it could only have been a White Admiral, which would also be a first record for the Country Park. Of the summer migrants, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Whitethroats seemed to arrive on schedule in good Page 6 Watching Wildlife in the Billericay Area – March (Cont.d) A tip-off from Chris Huggins persuaded me to visit a meadow near Martinhole Wood, south of Basildon, and I found at least another 30 of these brightly-coloured After good spring counts for many species, some orchids there. Summer butterflies have perhaps done less well. Holly Sneezewort at Mill Meadows has been rather more and Common Blues seem to have been scarce recently widespread than usual this year and more limited cattle and Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Gatekeepers, though grazing has recently allowed excellent displays of Betony plentiful for a few weeks, probably didn’t reach their best and Black Knapweed in the SSSI area. I counted about numbers. A fuller report will be prepared when all the 50 stalks of Harebell on 30th July, a typical figure for this records from our transect walks have been collated. site.
Wild Flowers Other wildlife My highest count of Common Spotted Orchids at Norsey Brown Hare is a species which is only seen in low th Wood this summer was 189 on 8 June – well below our numbers locally but I was lucky enough to see 2 near the best years. There was again just a small area of Ragged Remus Horse Sanctuary and 4 near the Crondon Park Robin and very little Common Centaury in the Wood this Golf Course, north of Stock, this Spring. year. I usually take little interest in bees but I was conscious of Heath Spotted Orchids at Mill Meadows were also well what seemed to be larger numbers of White-tailed below their best levels, particularly in Butchers, the big Bumblebees than usual this year. field behind the Scout Hut, but there were some good displays in the fields further west. The Wick Country Park I hope other members will also have been able to take has produced a few Bee Orchids in recent years but 3 advantage of the recent restrictions to spend more time was the most I counted in June this year. A first-ever visit in the countryside and will have been as well rewarded, to Chelmer Valley LNR, just north of Chelmsford City with interesting sightings, as I have been. Centre, produced a single Pyramidal Orchid. Article by Paul Hudson—20 Aug 2020
Weasel Sighting
This rare sighting of a Weasel near post 5 on the Norsey Wood trail . It was spotted in May this year and was subsequently confirmed and recorded by Essex Wildlife Trust. (The Stoat being larger and has a longer tail with a black tip)
Spot and pics by Lyn Smith Page 7 Ranger’s report—September 2020
As you can imagine there’s not a lot to report. Visitor numbers seem to have dropped back a bit from those experienced during the lockdown, but there seem to be a fair few who have discovered the Wood and keep returning, which is to be welcomed as long as they use it responsibly. Unfortunately there is still a minority of litterers who don’t seem to respect the site, its wildlife, or its well behaved visitors. Will that ever change?
The better news is that the work party has resumed activity after a break of several months. A shift system and other “Covid secure” procedures are in place but I'm pleased to say that we have made good progress on beginning to eat into the backlog of maintenance work that has accumulated. There’s still a lot to do, but I’m confident we should get back under control before the Winter habitat management tasks begin. I spent this morning with a couple of NWS committee members and a local ecologist discussing a program of pond management for the Wood over the next few years. In the absence of expensive surveys, it’s important not to try and interfere on too great a scale and risk excessive disturbance, but I think we have got the balance right and an achievable programme in place.
We’re now heading into the Autumn and I’ve noticed that there is an increase in fungal fruiting bodies appearing in the Wood, so now would be a good time to look out for these, especially if we get a spell of warm wet weather. So far, I’ve noticed Stinkhorn, various Russulas, Chicken of the Woods and Beefsteak.
And soon the Chestnut season will be upon us. All the best, Chris.
CONTACTS
COUNTRYSIDE SERVICES
Norsey Wood Ranger 01277 624553 (urgent 01268 208090)
Countryside Services (Basildon Borough Council) 01268 550088 www.basildon.gov.uk
NORSEY WOOD SOCIETY [email protected]
Chairperson: See Committee
Secretary: Lyn Smith, 113 Perry Street, CM12 0NH 01277 630554
Treasurer : Keith Freitag, 5 Fernbank, CM12 9XH 01277 654979
Newsletter Editor: Terry Gilbey, 20 Glenside, CM11 2LY 01277 656217 Membership Secretary: Janet Clark, 01277 651472 15 Upland Road, CM12 0JP
OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS AND WEBSITES
Norsey Woodland Crafts, Norsey Wood, 07884 171147 twitter @norseycrafts
Outwood Common Road, Billericay, CM11 1HA [email protected]
Friends of Queens Park Country Park 07775 998794 c/o 31 Gt Wheatly Road, Rayleigh, SS6 7AW
Friends of Lake Meadows 07843 860135 www.lakemeadows.org.uk
Mill Meadows Society 01277 630849 www.millmeadows.org.uk
Thank you to all members who, instead of a paper copy, agreed to have their Summer edition by email. If you would prefer to receive future issues by email please contact Janet Clarke ([email protected]) Page 8