A Wild Summer
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Leicestershire and Rutland WildMembership magazine Summer 2020 THE SECRET LIVES OF SWIFTS They are masters of the air, but need our help HOW TO ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES Our top tips will encourage butterflies and moths to your patch Welcome to a wild summer We’re ushering in the summer with sunny wild walks, wildlife experiences and 30 Days Wild! Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Welcome 12 14 Contents 5 We’re looking for Leicestershire Our Garden Havens and Rutland’s next top wildlife photographer It has never been more appropriate to say I 8 Melissa Harrison encourages you to hope this finds you safe and well. The sun is find your own secret garden shining and spring is here, but the situation is not what any of us envisaged at the 10 It’s the summer of wildlife and beginning of the year. We can all play a part we’ve got some great ideas to get in supporting our wider public health during you outdoors the COVID 19 crisis, and LRWT are adapting to changing 14 Find out why Coombs Meadows is working practices and establishing what this means for perfect for a summer stroll our future. As our members, you are a lifeline that enables us to achieve great things for people and wildlife; in return, 18 Discover how children in nature is a lifeline for all of us in our homes, with only an Leicestershire are telling stories to hour for exercise each day. connect with nature My garden has been a haven during this time and those of 20 Jo Richards explains what us lucky enough to have one can help wildlife by letting it The Wildlife Trusts are doing to grow wild. Our gardens are often the first place we engage 16 combat climate change with nature, building the enthusiasm that creates the next 22 Learn how to make your garden a generation of conservationists. This is true for adults and haven for butterflies children alike and finding beauty on our doorsteps shows how much we value the natural world. 24 Be inspired by local people who are making a difference for wildlife None of us want to pass on problems that future generations will pay the price for and we can start in our 26 Reconnect with an iconic summer gardens; going peat-free is a first step. A decimated and visitor – our swifts are back! sensitive ecosystem, our peatlands hold a wealth of wildlife 30 Sign up to take part in the wildlife and are a huge store of carbon. Restoring them would put challenge of the year nature and ecosystems at the heart of tackling the climate and ecological crises. We can work together to ensure nature’s recovery; even in these uncertain times we can all be involved in making changes for the better and the greater good, both now and once we are safely through COVID 19. I hope you enjoy our summer edition of Wild. Stay safe and well, Front cover Marbled white © Guy Edwardes 2020Vision Tim Graham Silver-washed fritillary © Jim Higham CEO Wood Warbler © Andy Rouse 2020Vision Common spotted orchid © Paul Lane Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust Get in touch 6 ways to get involved with WILD Leicestershire and Rutland is the Protecting and enhancing the wildlife and wild The Wildlife Trust Magazine Team Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust membership magazine for Leicestershire and places of Leicestershire and Rutland and engaging Editor Lucy McRobert Rutland Wildlife Trust people with nature. Designers Yarwood Associates Gift membership Give someone Legacy You can include a gift in your Wildlife Watch Inspire a wild Email [email protected] Consultant editor Sophie Stafford the gift of nature and sign them up to Will for wildlife and the future of our local child by signing them up for our junior Telephone 0116 262 9968 Consultant designer Tina Smith Hobson become a member. Find out how natural world membership, Wildlife Watch! Address The Old Mill, 9 Soar Lane, Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust lrwt.org.uk/join lrwt.org.uk/legacy lrwt.org.uk/wildlife-watch Leicester, LE3 5DE Chairman Andrew Cotton Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily Registered charity number 210531 Hon. Secretary Maggie Morland those of the Editor, Director or the Council of the Website lrwt.org.uk Hon. Treasurer Ann Tomlinson Trust. Articles, letters, photographs and artwork are Donate From purchasing land to Businesses Become a corporate Osprey Webcam Tune into the facebook.com/leicswildlife CEO Tim Graham welcomed on the understanding that no liability for vaccinating badgers to helping bats flourish, supporter of LRWT and make wildlife part Rutland Osprey Webcam to stay in touch twitter.com/leicswildlife Head of Conservation John Clarkson their safe custody or return is incurred and the right we rely on your donations of your business with nature instagram.com/leiceswildlife Membership Officer Josephine Taylor to abridge or refuse publication is reserved. lrwt.org.uk/donate lrwt.org.uk/corporate lrwt.org.uk/rutland-ospreys 2 Wild Summer 2020 Summer 2020 Wild 3 Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust LRWT NEWS LRWT launches local wildlife photography competition Would you like to feature on the cover of The deadline is the 17th July 2020 and the Wild Leicestershire and Rutland? winning photo will be chosen by staff at LRWT is delighted to announce that LRWT. this summer, we’ll be running a wildlife Anyone of any age can take part. Photos can photography competition showcasing the be taken on any camera, including a phone, incredible wildlife and diverse habitats that but must be high resolution in order to make up our two counties. We want you to feature in print. We recommend at least 3MB Coronavirus and capture what local wildlife and wild places and 300dpi. If you edit your photos, please mean to you. Maybe you’re captivated by supply a copy of the RAW file, too. Only one Leicestershire and Rutland urban peregrines on Leicester Cathedral or photo can be entered per person. All subjects inspired by badgers in your local woodland. must be completely wild and in a wild setting. Perhaps you’re in awe of ospreys, delighted Wildlife Trust by deer or wowed by wildflowers. Whatever To enter, please submit your photo in digital local wildlife means to you we want to see format to [email protected] or via WeTransfer, Volunteers creating your best photo. along with the location of your photograph. You are welcome to accompany your photo homes for barn owls All entries must be taken in Leicestershire or Rutland and the winner will feature on with relevant background information about and kestrels the front cover of Wild Leicestershire and yourself and the subject. The wellbeing of our staff, volunteers and We had hoped to keep all our green spaces With the help of volunteers, LRWT open, but the wellbeing and safety of our staff and Rutland, on our social media, on our website Please refer to full terms and conditions on members is our upmost priority in this difficult has installed nest boxes for barn time, and we want to take this opportunity visitors is the most important thing at this time. homepage and in our e-newsletter. the website: lrwt.org.uk/photo-comp owls and kestrels on two reserves to reassure you of the steps we are taking We apologise for any inconvenience caused, we at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust know this is a difficult time for everyone and we in the Charnwood Forest: Charley hope you can understand. to do the right thing for people and nature. Wood and Lea Meadows. Both Please note, the COVID 19 situation is evolving Anyone who has booked onto an event or reserves have large areas of rough daily. We will always adhere to Government volunteering activity will have been notified and tussocky grass, which provides guidance and encourage others to do the by email, but if you are unsure please email ideal hunting ground. A fourth box [email protected] for volunteer related same. This statement is correct at the time of enquiries and [email protected] for anything else. was given to the Barns Charity in printing (mid-April 2020), but please check Desford, who look after old species- our website for the most recent developments We are encouraging everyone to stay connected to nature; why not try and get some fresh air in rich grassland fields surrounded regarding our nature reserves and events. the garden or look for signs of spring from the by old hedgerows and trees. The Following recent updates from the window? We will be posting lots on social media nest boxes have been funded by Government with regards to COVID 19 we over the next few weeks to keep our spirits up and the Charnwood Forest small grant, offer ideas on how to stay wild from home. have made the difficult decision to cancel all provided by Aggregate Industries our events and volunteer activities until the Most of our staff are working from home, so as part of our Charnwood Forest end of June. Birdfair (21-23 August), sadly, has please be patient with us as we may take a little been cancelled. Rutland Water Nature Reserve longer to respond to messages and phone calls. Living Landscape scheme. They is closed to the public until further notice, If you have any questions at all, please do not were built by the work skills group including access to Lyndon Visitor Centre, and hesitate to get in touch. at Glebe House, a charity based Charnwood Lodge will also be closed.