newsletter NO 98 SUMMER 2020 The RSPB is the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home.

Newsletter Editor: Linda Tagg 3, Carpenter Way, , EN6 5PZ Tel: 01707 656715 email: [email protected]

GROUP LEADER’S COMMENTS Ian Sharp

In Welcome to the summer newsletter, prepared while we are all experiencing lockdown. At the time of writing, we do not know what the next few months will this bring, but hopefully when you get to read this we will have passed the worst of the Issue coronavirus pandemic. Under the current constraints, it is not feasible to provide the usual printed copy, so

we are publishing only an online version. I hope this does not exclude many

Group Leader’s Comments……....1 members from being able to access it. Considering the circumstances, I think we have been able to put together an interesting edition, for which I thank all the Group Activities contributors, with special thanks to our editor, Linda Tagg. Coach Outings……………..….…...3 Last October, our group enjoyed a successful four-day visit to Portland Bill, and Group Holiday Portland Bill……..8 you will find a report of the trip within these pages. The holiday was arranged by

Contributions members of the Outings Team who had also organised a full year of one-day coach Local Bird Report………………….6 trips for 2020 as well as a four-day visit to Anglesey in May. The coronavirus A Local Nature Walk…..……...... 10 lockdown means that we have cancelled all ……..….…...11 trips after March through to September, when hopefully, we will be able to continue. This is Notices & Information Forthcoming Events ……………...2 a great shame, both for the Outings Team Local Group Website…………..….1 who go to great effort to organise these trips, Keeping in Touch……………….....2 and also for the members who get so much Local Group AGM…………...……2 enjoyment from them. The trip to Anglesey 100 Club …………………….....…...2 has been postponed rather than abandoned Editor’s Note…………………....…2 and we intend to go there in May 2021. Data Protection ….……..…….……2 Similarly, having worked so hard to arrange Anemones Gobians Wood March 2020 Advertisements talks for our Wednesday and Friday meetings, Minuteman Press….……….….…...5 Joy Rowley and Hilary Sharp have had to cancel all speakers up to the summer recess but as far as I know they have all agreed to come back in 2021. During lockdown, Hilary and I have managed to get out for a local walk most days, Group Website: and have explored many footpaths around Potters Bar, some of which to our shame www.rspb.org.uk/groups/ we didn’t know existed. We are fortunate to have easy access to the old Potters Bar pottersbarandbarnet or just search for golf course, now being left to ‘rewild’, which makes it very pleasant to walk in. Potters Bar and Barnet RSPB From there it is possible to take a circular walk home via which at

The Royal Society the time of writing is carpeted with wood anemone. Needless to say, we always for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a have a pair of binoculars round our necks. registered charity: The lockdown has made things difficult for many people, whether it is problems England and Wales no. 207076, getting shopping, feeling isolated from family and friends or having trips you have Scotland no. SC037654 been looking forward to cancelled. I hope the more extreme restrictions will have Any advertisements enclosed with been lifted long before you read this newsletter and life is beginning to get back to this newsletter are not specifically normal. So, I will say with some trepidation, I hope you have a good summer, and endorsed by the RSPB or the Potters good health to enjoy it. I look forward to seeing you at our monthly meetings Bar & Barnets Local Group when they re-commence after the summer break in September.

NOTICES AND INFORMATION

FORTHCOMING EVENTS Note: These planned events may be affected by restrictions in place due to coronavirus. Please consult the website or the committee near the time for up to date information. Sun 6 Sep Coach outing to Fingringhoe Wick, Essex Wildlife Trust. A wildlife haven, nature trails, bird hides, picnic area. Wed 9 Sep "West Highland Way"—speaker Stafford Steed of the Potters Bar Photographic Society and lecturer for Photographic Alliance of GB. Wild landscapes of this 90-mile walk in the Scottish Highlands. Fri 18 Sep AGM then “Time out in Trinidad and Tobago”—speaker Ann Scott. Wed 14 Oct “Wild Flowers in the Canadian Rockies”—speaker Dr Brenda Harold. Flowers, some geology and wonderful scenery from this experienced speaker. Fri 16 Oct “Ancient Trees & Woodlands of Britain”—speaker Andy Sands. Sun 18 Oct Coach outing to Rainham Marshes RSPB reserve. Thames estuary, wetland, grazing marsh and a woodland area; a 2.4mile circuit walk on gravel/boardwalk paths; good visitor centre.

KEEPING IN TOUCH John Rowley, our Website Editor We have a Facebook Community Group page!—“Potters Bar and Barnets RSPB Local Group”. Please visit and ‘like’ the page. You can post items that may be of interest and respond to posts. Note: the posts will not appear immediately as it is a moderated page. If you would like to receive the monthly update, or your newsletter and programmes routinely by email, please send an email to [email protected] with your request, name and postcode. (You can unsubscribe if it does not suit you).

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 100 CLUB – TEMPORARY SUSPENSION Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of After much consideration it has been decided to the Potters Bar & Barnets RSPB Local Group will be held at temporarily suspend the 100 Club. We rely heavily on Tilbury Hall, United Reformed Church, Darkes Lane, Potters cheques and postal services, creating problems under the Bar at 7.30pm on Friday 18 September 2020 for the purpose coronavirus lockdown restrictions. The March draw was of the following: the last for the time being. During the suspension, members will be contacted as their renewal dates become due to explain the situation. Once 1. Approval of the minutes of the 2019 AGM we can resume, we will ask for renewal payments and dates 2. Matters arising will be adjusted accordingly. 3. Group Leader’s report On a positive note, membership of the 100 Club reached 97 4. Treasurer’s report in March–excellent! This number may drop after the suspension so new members will still be welcome. Contact 5. Election of Officers and Committee us on 01707 656796 or [email protected] to leave 6. Appointment of Independent Examiner your details. 7. 100 Club report We do hope existing members will stick with the 100 Club. 8. Any other business It is a good fund raiser, generating about £800 per year, and 1 June 2020 the RSPB needs every penny. Chris & Ron Youthed

EDITOR ‘S NOTE Thank you to all our contributors for their valued input to this newsletter. Despite many cancelled events, we hope to produce another newsletter in the autumn and will keep members informed of the situation nearer the time. Assuming we are able to do so, I will be pleased to receive your articles, and photographs. These should be sent to me at: [email protected] the expected closing date for copy will be Friday 9 October 2020

DATA PROTECTION This newsletter is sent to you by Potters Bar and Barnets Local Group. If you would like to update how you hear from us or should you no longer wish to receive this or other communications, please contact the editor.

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COACH OUTINGS by Elaine Eyles

London Wetland Centre: Sunday 4 November Altogether the group saw 59 species of bird (not counting Our group of 12 birders took this autumn outing to the more exotic coloured and noisy ducks/geese in the Barnes, journeying by minibus. The variety of colours Wetlands of the World). Two raptors — red kite and on the leaves of shrubs and trees was at its peak, some kestrel were seen en route. now fallen. Abberton Reservoir & Group Christmas Gathering. The visitor centre and complex of buildings at the Sunday 1 December 2019 entrance have excellent facilities, including a popular café 30 diners and our Welham Travel driver Dave took a cold with inside and outside seating. There are short but pleasant drive to the Essex Wildlife Trust at interesting talks given around the centre during the day. Abberton. The visitor centre had its shop well stocked Education and conservation are high on their agenda. with nature things ‘birdy’ and gifts for all ages. Most The Big View observatory, on two floors, gives excellent useful approaching Christmas. wide views across the main lake to the grazing marshes All around it was very and the Peacock Tower, with the London skyline beyond. peaceful both for us and the The paths skirt the main lake and around smaller ones. birds who flock to the Six hides overlook the water, while the Peacock Tower sanctuary of the farmland provides 360° views over the scrape, grazing marshes and and the reservoir. Twice we the sheltered lagoon. Other areas include the Wetlands of experienced gentle rain and the World, an otter pen, gardens, Wild Walks and an suitable conditions to form a adventure playground for children. The centre lies under partial rainbow on the a direct landing approach route to Heathrow and aircraft horizon — a lovely sight. noise somewhat obscures birdsong; the northern side of Abberton Reservoir RSPB Reserve Later as we left, we paused on the reserve is quieter. the Causeway to catch a closer view of several birds. We didn’t all go round together and as usual it was a case Our relatively short time birdwatching nevertheless gave of being “in the right place at the right time”. Scattered a variety of birds — mostly on the reservoir. This over the area, in their own niches often along the site included cormorants, tufted duck, goosander, shoveler, margins: wren, dunnock, long- wigeon, gadwall, teal, pied wagtail, great crested grebe, tailed tit, ring-necked parakeets, little egret, meadow pipit, goldfinch, greylag and brent jay and robin. A set of feeders, not geese, and a marsh harrier in far distance. No formal bird near the visitor centre were count was taken; a kestrel was seen en route. hidden from the path by a small Our lunch venue was The Donkey & Buskins in the viewing screen. These had plenty nearby village of Layer de la Haye, which was snug, of activity and, in addition to festive and welcoming. Food portions, were very usual little ‘seed feeders’ such as substantial, so some opted for the smaller plate; as usual greenfinch, it was a delight to see we had an extended raffle and wide selection of prizes. fleeting views of a goldcrest there. A big “Thank You” to the outings team for finding us this As always the local rats were London Wetland Centre, Sir Peter Scott Statue lovely place for our Group Christmas Lunch! enjoying the spoils below. If you are wondering about the pub’s unusual name, “The Donkey Overall the best sightings were of bittern (visible briefly and Buskins”, well we did too, and on enquiry were told that the before retreating into the reeds), jack snipe, Cetti’s name is in fact unique to that pub. warbler, stonechat, pintail, gadwall, and little grebe. The story behind the name is thought to run along these lines: Scattered around the wetland and grazing marsh were A buskin was a calf-high or knee-high open-toed boot of leather or Eygptian geese, pochard, lapwing, moorhen, greylag cloth, tied with laces and typically worn by soldiers and farmers to geese and five gull species including yellow-legged. But protect against thickets and brambles. Local history tells that a the water pipit proved elusive. A hide by the centre boy who lived at the brew house rode his donkey to get to school, offered close views of lapwing on the scrape, smart in and had buskins made to protect the donkey's legs for the journey. their winter plumage. continued over

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The pub sign shows the boy in a blue coat, with his donkey wearing grew up there. Portraits of all the wives are on display slim-fashioned buskins. Some examples of buskins are on display in along with many other court notables. the pub, once brought in as a joke by a local soldier. We had hoped to escape the rain, but alas no, it found us. However, we did not let it spoil our day. We had chosen Marston Vale Millennium Country Park: Sunday 26 February for the visit to see the snowdrop displays, a January 2020 recent addition to the gardens and Our ‘winter wanderland’ was a return visit to the parkland, and were not Wetlands Nature reserve, within the Millennium Country disappointed. Park in Bedfordshire. Guaranteed to see red kite along the Our route through the gardens route. passed water cascades and An area of 225 hectares is open to the public, and the beautiful trees. The yew can be landscape we see there today has all been recovered from clipped into almost any shape; the the devastation left by the extensive brick making industry main claims to fame at Hever are of previous times. a row of chess pieces, and the tall Within the park, the Wetlands Nature Reserve, is an area maze, popular with families, but of managed reedbed, open water and a shallow lake, not many of us ventured in. Both known as The Pillinge. are set alongside the castle, Grey Heron by the Lake at Hever Castle The day produced 47 bird species, in general a selection of together with a recreated Tudor our most common British birds. Nothing ‘out of the herb garden, with low, clipped box hedges. ordinary’ on the 2km circuit, except a bullfinch only seen The four-acre formal garden was designed to show off by a lucky few. Viscount Astor’s vast collection of sculptures and other The group was almost alone in the reserve and enjoyed the ancient features. Our visit coincided with the return of the winter scenery. Birds in numbers and good views were newly restored Morgante fountain to the Sunken Garden. lapwing and Canada geese. Gadwall, green woodpecker, Morgante was the court dwarf of Cosimo I de Medici. The dunnock, buzzard were also seen; some reported Chinese beautifully gilded bronze statue shows the dwarf riding a water deer. Sadly, vandalism meant no access to tower dragon and is believed to have been moulded after the hide, although views from the sloping walkway were image of Morgante by Italian artist, Giambologna. possible and where ponies grazed in the fields below. Parts of the castle date back to the thirteenth century and After lunch some followed the outside paths to the are now restored to display Tudor artefacts. The Astors’ viewpoint and the huge wind turbine, but surprisingly just apartments were, like the garden, furnished using their a couple of sightings on the vast fortune with all the modern conveniences that existed sailing lake. The Forest in the Edwardian era. The castle is surrounded by views Centre’s hospitality was of stunning parkland. The 38-acre lake at the far end of welcome as the rain started the Italian Garden is believed to have taken 800 men two seriously just after 3pm. years to dig out; the river Eden was then re-routed to fill it We wondered what major with a weir to regulate the water level. As spells of the development the cranes and February stormy weather meant that the lakeside walk a warehouse-type structure was not a viable option, we were attracted to the could be about, and have restaurants and gift shops located at a discreet distance since read that Covanta Snowdrops at Hever Castle from the castle. are building an ‘energy Great crested grebes and a few other species were seen from waste’ plant in Rookery Pit, next to the Millennium around the park. Country Park. The Forest will receive some financial benefit from the plant, the money is to be used purely for Shorne Woods Country Park Sunday 15 March 2020 planting trees. More information can be found at https:// Just ten of us in the minibus plus our lady driver; we took www.marstonvale.org/development the necessary precautions to “stay safe”.

Hever Castle Wednesday 19 February 2020 Just off the A2 in Kent, Shorne Woods is a council run Country Park and covers Randall and Brewers Wood. The A trip into Kent to this historic home, saved for posterity total area is vast. On this first visit we only had enough early last century by William Waldorf Astor. The Boleyn energy for Randall Wood. continued over family lived at Hever and Henry VIII’s second wife Anne 4

Next to the visitor centre is a well-designed mini to see these and the emergence of the first spring flowers: arboretum with labelled single specimens of native trees, wood anemone, wild strawberry, dog’s mercury, and a sensory garden. The day was cool and breezy primrose and celandine. especially up on the Knoll, with the view over Kent to the Spotted by couple of folk: chiffchaff, nuthatch, bullfinch, south. Evidence of previous human occupation can be green woodpecker, mistle and song thrush, wren and not seen in the landscape such as the site of a buried medieval forgetting the pied wagtail scavenging on the picnic manor, while former clay pits from the last century have benches. In all we counted just 35 bird species, including been reclaimed by nature and are now ten ponds, ideal five en route and the Eygptian goose at Hadley Green homes for wildlife. pond! The paths were busy with many families, runners, dog walkers and cyclists. Trails to suit everyone, you could choose any number of combinations, all well sign-posted; the drone of the A2 was also a guiding background. With so much rain, paths were very muddy in places and detours through the undergrowth and trees were necessary. There was a whole range of nature to enjoy and get close to: great examples of veteran trees, particularly oak and sweet chestnut, multitudes of coppiced stumps and cut branches, smothered in lichens and moss. The wet winter conditions have provided ideal habitats for them. Lovely Shorne Woods Country Park, Kent

In recognition of Minuteman Press who support our group, producing our printed newsletter free of charge

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LOCAL BIRD REPORT from Philip Brown

As you can see from the map our local area is divided into 4 sections. Each area has a corresponding column on the table which lists the species observed. The areas are split east to west by the M25 motorway, north to south by the A1 (M), and bordered to the south by the A406 and to the west by the M1 motorway. The border to the north is OS TL15 and to the west is OS TL40. Key AM Amwell RM HPR TH Tyttenhanger HW Heartwood Forest TP Trent Park KGV King George V Reservoir

The species listed do not include many of the more common birds as it is a selected list, and the lack of a cross in the column may just be that the area or bird has been under recorded. This is particularly true of zone B. This report covers the period from 1 October 2019 to 31 March 2020.

Hilfield Park Reservoir had themost rarities recorded, with a black-bellied dipper (the European race) 7 November, a common eider 24 November, an Iceland gull 17 December, a glaucous gull 2 January and a common scoter 21 March. These were backed up by sightings of a great white egret, little gull, Mediterranean gull and two pintails. Black- necked grebes were gathering there in March, ahead of the breeding season. The greatest rarity over the six months was a little bittern, which was recorded at Amwell on 14 and 15 November. Amwell also had a regular bittern, a whooper swan, two marsh harriers, a rock pipit, a firecrest, up to ten goldeneyes, two goosanders, two red-crested pochards, two ravens and yellow-legged and Caspian gulls. King George V Reservoir had a great northern diver 12 December, an arctic tern 16 October, plus up to 38 goldeneyes, up to 20 goosanders, male and female smews, a hooded merganser (possibly an escaped bird), a black redstart and a corn bunting. Tyttenhanger had a great white egret, a goosander, a goldeneye, water rails, a brambling, a woodcock, yellow-legged gulls, and up to 20 tree sparrows in its roost. Willows Farm had a family of little owls, a barn owl and a raven. Locally, two white storks flew over Trent Park, where sightings also included a goosander, a peregrine, a firecrest, a raven and a woodcock. Another woodcock was at Fir and Pond Woods. Grovelands Park in Southgate was visited by a female smew and a hawfinch and up to 41 mandarin ducks. The Totteridge area had firecrests, bramblings, a pair of ravens and its own little owl family. Elsewhere there was an osprey at Panshanger Park 16 March. Bitterns were at 70 Acres Lake and Rye Meads, which also saw a water pipit and a jack snipe. Single waxwings were seen in St Albans and at Heartwood Forest, where ring ouzel and grey partridge were also recorded. Ellenbrook Fields sightings included a yellow-browed warbler and a grey partridge, while two cattle egrets spent the winter at Hall Marsh in the Lea Valley.

My thanks go to everyone who has contributed reports for this item. Please keep sending your reports to Philip Brown, Tel: 020 8441 3830; email: [email protected]

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SPECIES AREA NOTES SPECIES AREA NOTES A B C D A B C D

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER X King George V Reservoir (12 Dec) MEDITERRANEAN GULL X X X Hilfield Park Reservoir, Fisher's Green, Pymmes Park LITTLE GREBE X X X LITTLE GULL X Hilfield Park Reservoir (21 Mar) BLACK-NECKED GREBE X X Hilfield Park Res (8 on 27 Feb), Holyfield Lake (2 on 2 Jan) YELLOW-LEGGED GULL X X X Tyttenhanger, Hilfield Park Res, Amwell BITTERN X Amwell, Rye Meads, 70 Acres Lake CASPIAN GULL X Amwell LITTLE BITTERN X Amwell (14 & 15 Nov) ICELAND GULL X Hilfield Park Reservoir (17 Dec) LITTLE EGRET X X X X (10 on 14 Nov), Hall Marsh, Cheshunt GLAUCOUS GULL X Hilfield Park Reservoir (2 Jan) CATTLE EGRET X Hall Marsh, Cheshunt (2 through Jan to Mar) ARCTIC TERN X King George V Reservoir (16 Oct) GREAT WHITE EGRET X X X Tyttenhanger, Redbournbury, Hilfield Park, Amwell STOCK DOVE X X X X WHITE STORK X Trent Park (2 flew over on 14 Mar) RING-NECKED PARAKEET X X X X WHOOPER SWAN X X Amwell (18-27 Dec), Rye Meads, Welwyn Garden City BARN OWL X X Heartwood Forest, Ellenbrook Fields, Amwell, Kings Meads WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE X Holyfield Hall Farm (1 Jan) LITTLE OWL X X X Heartwood Forest, Willows Farm, Panshanger Pk, Totteridge BARNACLE GOOSE X X Aldenham Country Park, Panshanger Park TAWNY OWL X X Wildhill, Cockfosters, Totteridge EGYPTIAN GOOSE X X X X KINGFISHER X X X X Verulanium Park, Rye Meads, Trent Park, Darlands Lake SHELDUCK X Rye Meads, Stanstead Abbots Lakes SKYLARK X X X X Tyttenhanger, Elstree Aerodrome, Trent Park MANDARIN X X X X Panshanger Pk, Grovelands Pk (41 on 1 Dec), Trent Pk SWALLOW X X X Last - Rye Meads (3 Nov) WIGEON X X X X SAND MARTIN X X X X Last - Tyttenhanger (13 Oct); First - KGV Res (13 Mar) GADWALL X X X X HOUSE MARTIN X X X Last - Welwyn Garden City (19 Oct) TEAL X X X MEADOW PIPIT X X X X GARGANEY X Tyttenhanger (7-9 Oct) WATER PIPIT X Rye Meads (27 Oct, 28 Dec & 10-12 Jan) PINTAIL X Hilfield Park Res (2 on 21 Jan & 26 Feb) ROCK PIPIT X X Tyttenhanger (31 Oct), Amwell (8 Oct) SHOVELER X X X X WAXWING X St Albans (3 Dec), Heartwood Forest (17 Jan) RED-CRESTED POCHARD X X Holyfield Lake (3 on 4 Jan), Amwell, Gunpowder Park BLACK-BELLIED DIPPER X Hilfield Park Reservoir (7 Nov) POCHARD X X X X GREY WAGTAIL X X X SCAUP X King George V Reservoir (various dates Jan-Mar) WHITE WAGTAIL X Willows Farm (8 Nov) COMMON EIDER X Hilfield Park Res (24 Nov) BLACK REDSTART X X Shafford Farm (3 Nov), King George V Res (5 Nov) COMMON SCOTER X Hilfield Park Res (21 Mar) WHINCHAT X X Ellenbrook Fields, Shafford Farm, Rye Meads GOLDENEYE X X X X Tyttenhanger, Hilfield Park, Amwell, KGV STONECHAT X X X X Willows Farm, Rye Meads, Trent Park, Totteridge SMEW X X 70 Acres Lake, KGV, Grovelands Park WHEATEAR X X Redbournbury (7 on 21 Mar), Totteridge RED-BREASTED MERGANSER X Tyttenhanger (1 Dec) RING OUZEL X X Heartwood Forest (16 Nov), Stanstead Abbots Lakes (17 Oct) HOODED MERGANSER X King George V Res (various dates 21 Oct - 14 Mar) FIELDFARE X X X First - St Albans (17 Oct) GOOSANDER X X X X Turnford Lakes (Cheshunt), KGV, Trent Park REDWING X X X X First - Tyttenhanger (1 Oct) GREY PARTRIDGE X Ellenbrook Fields (2 Nov), Heartwood Forest (2 on 6 Mar) CETTI'S WARBLER X X X RED KITE X X X X Regularly seen in Potters Bar/Barnet area REED WARBLER X Tyttenhanger MARSH HARRIER X X Amwell, Rye Meads, Welwyn Garden City BLACKCAP X X X X SPARROWHAWK X X X YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER X X Ellenbrook Fields, Bowyers Water COMMON BUZZARD X X X X CHIFFCHAFF X X X X OSPREY X Panshanger Park (16 Mar) WILLOW WARBLER X Tyttenhanger KESTREL X X X X FIRECREST X X X St Albans, Amwell, Trent Park, Totteridge HOBBY X X Tyttenhanger, Amwell, Rye Meads BEARDED TIT X Rye Meads (2 from 1 to 9 Nov) PEREGRINE X X X X Tyttenhanger, Hilfield Park, Rye Meads, Trent Park MARSH TIT X X The Commons (WGC), Amwell, Essendon, Broxbourne Woods WATER RAIL X X X X , Hilfield Park, 70 Acres Lake, Rye Meads NUTHATCH X X X X OYSTERCATCHER X X Tyttenhanger, Amwell, Holyfield Lake TREECREEPER X X AVOCET X Stanstead Abbotts Lakes (21 Oct) RAVEN X X X X Tyttenhanger, Hilfield Park, Panshanger Park, Trent Park GOLDEN PLOVER X X Tyttenhanger, Coopers Green, Oylers Farm (Cheshunt) TREE SPARROW X Tyttenhanger (20 on 8 Nov) LAPWING X X X X BRAMBLING X X X Tyttenhanger, Rye Meads, Sewardstone Marsh, Totteridge DUNLIN X Rye Meads (15 Oct) SISKIN X X X X LITTLE STINT X St Albans (flew over c.6 Nov) LINNET X X X JACK SNIPE X X Rye Meads, Kings Meads, Enfield LESSER REDPOLL X X Heartwood Forest, Ellenbrook Fields, Totteridge SNIPE X X Lemsford Springs, Tyttenhanger, Rye Meads, Hall Marsh MEALY REDPOLL X Colney Heath (18 Feb) WOODCOCK X X X Panshanger Park, Trent Park, Totteridge BULLFINCH X X X BLACK-TAILED GODWIT X Rye Meads HAWFINCH X X Wormley Woods, Wormley West End, Grovelands Pk (1 Dec) REDSHANK X X Tyttenhanger, King George V Res YELLOWHAMMER X X X Redbourn, Tyttenhanger, Holyfield Hall Farm GREEN SANDPIPER X X X Lemsford Springs, Rye Meads, King George V Res REED BUNTING X X X X COMMON SANDPIPER X X Hilfield Park Res, King George V Res CORN BUNTING X X Redbourn, King George V Res (2 Feb)

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Group Holiday Portland Bill 14-17 October 2019 Contributors: Jenny Arnold, Gillian Barlow, Bruce Bennett, Marion Farr and Ian Sharp. Collated by Ian Sharp Photographs taken by the group. (Title photograph Lord Baden Powell Statue, Poole Harbour)

31 members set off by coach for a four-day trip to Dorset. Our accommodation, the Heights Hotel on the summit of the Isle of Portland, with stunning panoramic views over Chesil Beach, Lyme Bay and Portland Harbour. You don’t have to travel far in this part of Dorset to visit a number of excellent nature reserves. The varied landscapes encourage a wide variety of bird species and our total for the holiday was 102. Monday 14 October Day one of our holiday and the coach journey down to Dorset. A dull, rainy day and, View from the Heights Hotel across as the forecast for the rest of the trip was also generally poor, we had all come well- Chesil Beach prepared with waterproofs. The schedule for the day was to spend a good two hours on Brownsea Island before carrying on to Portland, but delays on the M25 meant our time there was cut short; we caught the 1.30pm boat from Poole harbour instead of the planned 12.30pm. The island is owned by the National Trust, and is famously where Baden Powell set up his first camping trip for boys in 1907, which became the beginning of the worldwide Scout movement. We set off on the boat to Brownsea in heavy rain. Fortunately the sea was quite calm both there and back, although rain-misted windows meant we didn’t see much on the crossings. Red squirrel, Brownsea Island On the island, most of us saw red squirrel, deer and peacock and there were plenty of birds to be seen on the Dorset Wildlife Trust reserve. Because of the rain, nobody had taken their telescopes over and, as always, most of the wildfowl and waders were on the other side of the lagoon, making them difficult to identify. Leaving Brownsea Island and Poole we had a straightforward journey to the Isle of Portland. The rain had eased off and the sea around Chesil breach was calm. After settling in to our rooms, we met in the bar to go through our bird list for the day and met Bob Ford, our guide for the next few days. We were able to enjoy our first meal at the Heights Hotel. Tuesday 15 October Today our guide Bob Ford took us to the RSPB reserves near Weymouth namely Lodmoor and Radipole Lake. Our morning visit was to RSPB Lodmoor. Walking through the Country Park to the reserve, we had good views of several species including chiffchaff and also a painted lady butterfly. On reaching the reserve, Bob proposed to walk the entire circuit, just over 2 miles, and the majority of the group kept with him. Many species were seen, including Mediterranean gull, bearded tit, wigeon, marsh The Group Enjoy their Picnic at Radipole Lake harrier, black-tailed godwit, great white egret and a lucky few saw a kingfisher. Due to the very high water level, not many waders were present, just a few dunlin and redshank. As we reached the fourth side of the reserve there was a narrow gap in the bushes filled with telescopes looking at a white plumaged ruff and a rare American visitor, a white-rumped sandpiper. Our group moved on to the next viewpoint and saw the sandpiper in flight. Bob led a few of us to try and see it closer, but a passing helicopter put up all the birds! Next we drove on to RSPB Radipole Lake and picnicked on the visitors centre’s decking with good views over the reserve. continued over

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Bob pointed out a water rail feeding along the reed margin. He took a party to try and see a bittern, but without luck. Others took the shorter loop. Again the water was too high for waders though plenty of little egrets and grey herons were present. The gulls in the car park suddenly took to the air disturbed by a peregrine. On our return we stopped at Ferrybridge, by the visitors’ centre of the Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Fine Foundation Chesil Beach. It is situated on the causeway between the mainland and the Isle of Portland. We were hoping to see brent geese, but no luck. However, we did find a good flock of dunlin and ringed plover, until they were disturbed by dog walkers. Some of the party scrambled over the Chesil Bank shingle to look at fungi and flowers. Shovelers Preening, Radipole Lake A total of 70 bird species were seen and bird of the day was bearded tit. Butterflies included painted lady, red admiral and speckled wood.

Wednesday 16 October The forecasted rain passed through overnight so it was a fine day for our trip to Arne RSPB Reserve on Poole Harbour. A new large café and shop, built on a field overlooking the reserve, were a well-received improvement by the group. After sampling their coffee, we set off on the Shipstal trail which took us through woodland of pine, oak, sweet chestnut and birch. The path was lined with impressive fungi of all types including the elegant parasol, bright red white-spotted fly agaric, blush-pink russula, brown roll-rim, amethyst deceiver, puffball and boletus, all ably identified by John Rowley. Fly Agaric, Arne A tiny toad picked up from the path caused a lot of “oohs” and “aahs” as it was shown to all by Bob. A bright orange eye contrasted with his dark brown, dry warty skin. From Shipstal hide we quickly spotted about 35 spoonbills hunched up, heads down, crowded together on the flats. We also saw curlew, little egrets, oystercatchers and a single brent goose. Overhead, late swallows were filling up with insects before setting off across the channel. On the way back to the centre, driver Dave and I heard the unmistakable croak of a raven. Bob later told us that these impressive birds can be seen almost anywhere in Dorset. After lunch we set off across Coombe Heath, stopping by a new viewing platform for spying the very rare raft spider. We leant over the rail and miraculously there it was! Motionless on the water, with two orange stripes running the length of its brown body, it used surface tension to balance on the water rather like a pond skater. Incidentally, pond skaters are part of its varied diet. Val was the first to spot a Dartford warbler on the gorse, but the rest of us finally had a glimpse too while we were focused on a stonechat, which was suddenly joined by the elusive warbler. It was just there for a few seconds, but enough to spot the cocked-tail profile. Spoonbill, Arne Middlebere Channel afforded views of large numbers of waders, including black-tailed godwit, curlew, redshank and avocet. Pintail and wigeon swam around in good numbers. On our walk back to the centre a flock of redpolls perched in a tree and overhead two sparrowhawks were being mobbed by a crow. On the ground a fox caterpillar was found having been parasitized by wasp maggots. The barking of sika deer completed our autumn visit to Arne. A really

Raft Spider, Arne memorable day. Bird of the Day: It could only be the Dartford warbler.

Thursday 17 October On our final day we first drove to Portland Bill lighthouse for some seabird watching. Portland Bill stretches out five miles into the English Channel so is an ideal location to spot seabirds and, if lucky, sometimes the odd rarity which has been blown off course on its migration up the west coast of England. Indeed, there was a stiff south-westerly wind blowing which should be ideal for that. However, having set off from the carpark, we were soon taking shelter behind a wall of the lighthouse from a heavy downpour. A few members retreated to the canopy of the Lobsterpot café and saw a hummingbird hawk moth. Sometimes fortune favours the not so brave! continued over

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Fortunately the rain didn’t last long and we headed for the west facing cliff edge where we found a variety of seabirds, including common guillemot, razorbill, common scoter, Mediterranean gull, kittiwake and gannets aplenty. We were lucky to have Bob Ford’s expert keen eye to help identify some of these as they flashed across the water in the distance. Turning inland, we went to investigate the meadows and bushes. A pair of ravens occupied the top of a tall post; and what we thought was a peregrine falcon turned out to be a merlin, which migrate south following the meadow pipits. We tracked one moving out to sea, possibly following the pipits all the way to France. Portland Lighthouse After a couple of hours there, we made a brief stop at Ferrybridge before starting our homeward journey. This time we were very pleased to see skeins of pale-bellied brent geese fly in. North of Poole, we reached the National Trust’s Kingston Lacy near Wimborne Minster, one time home of the Bankes family. There, we had two and a half hours or so to eat lunch, explore the house, and visit the gardens, which were showing their autumn colours. The house was very interesting, most notably for the collection of paintings, including some by Rubens, Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Titian and Brueghel the Younger.

Our journey home was marred by heavy traffic and took a lot longer than anticipated, causing difficulties for our driver, Dave Collins. However, apart from this, our final day was an excellent contrast to the previous days’ activities, Autumn Colours at Kingston Lacey, and provided a perfect finale to the holiday.

A LOCAL NATURE WALK beside a bush: robin and tits but also chaffinch, all just a few feet ahead of us. The enclosure was quieter than the by Derek Baker rest of the park. A nuthatch was singing in Sunday 22 March. (Last day of freedom!) the background. A slightly different bird Lesley Causton and I went for a walk (6 feet apart of feeding with the others, course) on the North side of Trent Country Park this we realised was a female morning. A lovely day though a bit cold and windy. brambling...quite a spot! Walking down the hill from the car park, as we savoured I'd never have known on the view, Lesley spied a long-tailed tit in the shrubbery, my own. Long-Tailed Tit (RSPB Images) and while we watched it for several minutes, robin, blue A pair of song thrush started tit and great tit made their appearance. In the distance flying around us, coming really close at times, giving us across the lake over the building works, a sparrow hawk; I great views of both of them. We thought perhaps they just caught a glimpse of it in my binoculars as it dived may want us to leave... behind a building. ...so we did. The main path was too busy with human and dog traffic for us, so we detoured into the woods. Good decision, Lovely morning. much calmer there. A great spotted woodpecker was drumming in the distance and the ‘yaffle’ of a green * Note: Camlet Moat is a scheduled Ancient Monument, woodpecker was a constant companion. After stopping to surviving as a water-filled earthwork and archaeological allow the birds to come to us, we were rewarded with remains. The site was the location of a manor house or hunting more tits and robins and finally I think I caught sight of a lodge in medieval times when Enfield Chase was a royal nuthatch. hunting ground. The house was demolished in 1440, and the We then entered the Camlet Moat* enclosure and stopped materials used to pay towards repairs to Hertford castle. abruptly as a number of birds were ground-feeding 10

FIR AND POND WOODS HMWT NATURE RESERVE by John Rowley

Fir and Pond Woods is widely thought to be the best remaining part of Enfield Chase, an ancient royal hunting ground. Covering some 72 acres, it lies between Coopers Lane Road and the M25 and can be accessed from Coopers Lane Road, Potters Bar. I am privileged to be the voluntary warden, though as I write this, all warden activities are suspended during the coronavirus lockdown period. The Main Pond, Fir and Pond Woods I hope this article will give readers a little insight into this Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) nature reserve and some of the aspects considered in its conservation. The reserve contains diverse habitats, including an ancient meadow (unploughed for a hundred years or more), a medieval fish pond and wet fen, and areas of oak-hornbeam woodland. The woods are rich in birdlife, including woodpeckers, warblers and tits. The meadow is acid grassland, a rare habitat in and features a large number of old anthills made by yellow meadow ants; the bigger anthills could be over 100 years old! Green woodpeckers break into their underground galleries and hoover up the ants with their long tongues, but they will hardly make an impression on the 10,000 or so occupants. The anthills warm up in the sunshine providing basking sites for butterflies and reptiles, and are the favoured site for common field grasshoppers to lay their eggs. Woodland regeneration and rank vegetation is kept at bay by grazing with sheep for part of the year. The main pond was once a medieval fish pond with records dating back to the thirteenth century. It fell into disuse after Enfield Chase was sold off by the crown in 1777. No pond shows on Ordnance Survey maps until after the war, and it is thought that a concrete dam was built in that period to plug the medieval earth dam. The lake is very shallow and will completely dry out in dry summers such as last year. Like all ponds, it is a temporary feature and has been silting up since it was created to give reedbeds, then willow carr habitats and eventually dry oak woodland. To provide reliable open water, extra ponds have been dug and this is an ongoing Willow Carr, Fir and Pond Woods process. During 1997 three were made in the willow carr, while in the wet fen area, (formerly a cricket bat willow plantation), three ponds were dug in 1996, five in 2010 and this year a further three ponds. As existing ponds silt up they are not re-dug, instead new ones are created, so providing a succession of habitats. The wet fen area has been fenced to allow the introduction of cattle for part of the year; the grazing will prevent this area turning into willow carr. The correct level of grazing is key to protecting and increasing the diversity of habitats. For example some trampled areas of mud in the shallows are needed for new plants to germinate and for certain insects. The woodland is oak and hornbeam. Hornbeam was a major source of fuel either as wood or charcoal in London before coal was available, which accounts for the presence of such woodlands around London. When Enfield Chase was sold off, there was probably no significant woodland here— the king could not gallop horses through dense wood in pursuit of deer! The current woodland seems to date from around the late eighteenth century and was most likely deliberately planted, as the trees are too dense for natural woodland. The Victorians under planted Pond Wood with rhododendron, which prevented Digging the New Pond in 2020 natural regeneration. It took volunteers from 1977 to 2004 to remove it, nearly 30 years! Constant vigilance is still required — even last year we found a remnant poking through the bramble. The new problem is holly which, due to climate change, is out competing deciduous oak and hornbeam as it fares better in the warmer conditions. In one or two areas we have ring-barked some oak and hornbeam to let more light into the glades, and to provide standing dead timber that might still be there in 100 years’ time! This not only benefits butterflies but also new oak seedlings that need light to grow. It will be interesting for our children and grandchildren to see how the balance of trees changes in years to come.

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