Kemerton Clippings

Issue 25 Kemerton Conservation Trust Newsletter January 2020 John Clarke’s Obituary - by AMG Darby

Sadly he became ill in 1996 and for the rest of his life suffered from a series of debilitating conditions which left him increasingly incapacitated. Despite this, he was always full of ideas, and as he lost the ability to carry out physical tasks himself he became increasingly effective in persuading others. He was very successful in getting local landowners and farmers to co-operate as was shown by the success of the Carrant Catchment Area Restoration John leading a walk in Kemerton Wood, November 2007 Project, which continues to grow.

KCT’s Conservation Advisor John Clarke At the end of his life, although he was weak and sadly passed away on 16th December in pain, he was still working. Last summer he 2019, after a long period of serious derived pleasure from going round Kemerton illness. Here, Chairman Adrian Darby Lake on a motorised buggy and being driven pays tribute to a man who loved nature around Overbury Estate to look at the dense and worked tirelessly for conservation. population of nesting skylarks on Bredon Hill.

I first met John Clarke in 1982 when he and his A huge number of family and friends packed St wife Pamela came to Kemerton to act as unpaid Nicholas Church in Kemerton to bid farewell to wardens on my farm. Despite the fact that he John at a memorial service in January, but his had no formal training in nature conservation or lasting legacy is all around us in the reserves he biology he was a very effective self-taught helped create and the nature he protected so naturalist and was a superb finder of nests. He passionately. We shall miss him hugely. and Pamela threw themselves into the task of identifying all the plants and animals to be found at Kemerton, and in this they received enormous support from many local naturalists. He engaged in a number of projects to improve the farm for wildlife and identified the high water table which showed the possibility of creating the Kemerton Lake Nature Reserve.

The Clarkes stayed at Kemerton for four years and then moved up to Colonsay in the Inner Hebrides where they had bought a cottage. However, they came back to Kemerton each year for an annual visit which enabled them to keep an eye on the emerging Kemerton Lake. They finally decided to come back permanently in 1994. They worked part time for Kemerton Conservation Trust which had been founded while they were away. During the remainder of

PAGE 2 KEMERTON CLIPPINGS ISSUE 25 South Midlands Orchids Under the Spotlight

© Kate Aubury an expert on many of the species Lake to see such beauties as that grow on KCT reserves, Common Spotted, Southern particularly at Kemerton Lake Marsh, Bee and Pyramidal Nature Reserve. Orchid, as well as various hybrids, we have a guided The talk was a fascinating, in- walk on Sunday 14th June, depth look at this stunning group starting at 2.30pm which is of plants, with Colin’s scientific free for members and £2 for and academic background in non-members (more details Dr Colin Scrutton giving his talk, evidence through his meticulous Victoria Hall, September 2019 on our website). recording and photographing of On September 24th our each species. Our thanks to Colin for Members were treated to a sharing his passion and wonderful talk on ‘Orchids of The talk covered every species of expertise with us all, it was a the South Midlands’ by orchid which grows in the South brilliant evening. Friend of KCT and orchid Midlands, including all those expert Dr Colin Scrutton. found at Kemerton, and Colin © Alan Marsh helpfully noted nearby public Colin, who is Chairman of the sites for those that cannot be Hardy Orchid Society, and his seen on our reserves. More than wife Angela, who is Secretary one attendee left with a plan to of the same organization, search out and photograph some travel extensively to find and of them in 2020, inspired by photograph hardy orchids in Colin’s wonderful images. their natural habitat both here in the UK and further For those who have yet to come Early Purple Orchard Orchis mascula, afield in Europe, and Colin is on an orchid walk at Kemerton Kemerton Wood, May 2010

Long-term local supporter Bredon Forest School donated Funding Update another £1200 to the Trust in the second half of 2019. These are unrestricted funds which In the second half of 2019 we are used to help with general applied for a number of costs including volunteer grants, some of which we are tools, materials for repairs still waiting to hear about. us to carry out vital habitat etc. £500 of it was used to One grant, for a multi-year, in management works in the replace our brushcutter in the -depth invertebrate survey on deep water and on the islands autumn. We are very grateful Bredon Hill in partnership at Kemerton Lake, as our for their generous support. with Natural England was current boat is reaching the sadly rejected, but our end of its life. We also received another application to Natural £500 donation in September Networks was successful In September we received our from Miss K.M Harbinson’s (more details on page 4) and annual dividend from local oil Charitable Trust, also work has already started on buying club SeSaME. We unrestricted funds, and we this habitat project. receive a dividend of £0.5ppl are very grateful for their from Kemerton members and continued support too. We are currently focusing on for 2018/19 year the dividend raising funds for much- was £21.25. If you buy oil and Thank you to all who have needed volunteer tools and for want to know more, visit their supported us so far this a replacement boat to allow website www.sesame.me.uk. year!

PAGE 3 KEMERTON CLIPPINGS ISSUE 25 KCT Governors’ Annual Board Meeting 2019

At least once a year KCT which aims to consider wider © Kate Aubury Governors meet for a Board landscape connectivity in all we Meeting to review the past do. year’s work and set goals for the new year. In addition to Out on the reserves we put in the governors the meeting is new vehicle access bridges in also attended by John Clarke Kemerton Wood (see news in and Kate Aubury, who both brief) and completed the Kemer- report on their activities for ton Wood Wildflower Project the year. This time John (see page 4). Further afield our Governors on a fungi foray, Clarke was sadly too ill to partnership work with Cowshed Woods, October 2019 attend but his wife Pamela, Kemerton Estate and CCARP who has taken over the has continued. The issue of The day before the meeting, Conservation Advisor role vandalism at Kemerton Lake the governors enjoyed a fungi attended in his place. Nature Reserve has been an foray through The Far Park ongoing problem in 2019, and and Cowshed Wood, which are Our work in 2019 was again potential ways to deal with it both part-managed by the affected by John Clarke’s formed part of the discussions. Trust under an agreement continued illness, with more with the landowner, led by of the workload moving to After reviewing the past year, Kate Aubury, our in-house Support Coordinator Kate the governors identified their fungus recorder and Governor Aubury, however we still had priorities for 2020; raising funds Peter Marren. plenty to report on. We have for part-time staff, continuing completed a significant work with CCARP, delivering The 2018/19 Chairman’s number of grant applications, any projects which are success- Report, Annual Accounts, many of which we are still ful in gaining funding, and Conservation Officer’s Report waiting to hear about, with a focussing on citizen science and Support Coordinator’s focus on projects which fit projects on Grass Snake, Yellow Report are all available to within our new ‘Kemerton Wagtail and Little Owl (see page read on our website now in Connections’ umbrella project, 6 for more information). the ‘News & Events’ section.

and have not been seen since, News in Brief © Kate Aubury so they were probably just exploring the area. In September 2019 10 large concrete drainage pipes were Frustratingly the last couple of delivered to Kemerton Wood on months has seen the East Hide the back of a lorry, and within targeted as a hangout spot for less than a day, they were used to drinking and using drugs and create 5 bridges where existing after every visit the unknown woodland rides intersected with a troublemakers have left the A newly created drainage pipe bridge, stream. The new bridges are safe Kemerton Wood, September 2019 hide in a state. The police are for vehicles and replace rotten aware and assisting us but the footbridges, allowing better access In late November, some lucky open nature of the site makes for management including the visitors to Water’s Edge Hide stopping such things very regular mowing our warden has saw two otters in the lake, fish- difficult. It is with sadness that to do so they are a great addition ing and playing. Although we we have therefore taken the and, with an estimated lifespan of know otters occasionally visit decision to put a combination 100+ years, a job worth doing. the lake, this was the first time lock on the East Hide. We will Kemerton Estate paid for 50% of they had been seen in broad inform members of the code and the cost as their vehicles will also daylight and photos taken. it will also be available on use the new access on occasion. Sadly they did not stick around request for frequent visitors.

PAGE 4 KEMERTON CLIPPINGS ISSUE 25 Natural Networks Funding Secured for Major New Project

KCT is delighted to announce despite sterling work by our © Kate Aubury it has successfully bid for volunteer warden and work £2417.74 funding from the party volunteers. Although England European Regional scrub is an important woodland Development Fund through edge habitat, if left unmanaged the Natural Networks it will soon overtake the species- programme delivered in rich grassland and turn the partnership by Worcestershire reedbeds into wet woodland, County Council and Worcester- reducing the value of these key shire Wildlife Trust. The fund- Marbled White, Melanargia galathea, habitats. KLNR, July 2018 ing will contribute to an important programme of Funding from the Natural Aubury will be managing it, habitat restoration and Networks programme, in and our Warden John creation at Kemerton Lake conjunction with KCT’s own Threadingham will assist with Nature Reserve. Work on the funds, will allow the Trust to habitat works onsite, supported project began in December use local contractors CRC by our enthusiastic work party 2019 and will be completed by Ecology, who are specialists in volunteers. March 2021. wetland habitat restoration, to undertake a largescale By restoring the reedbeds and Kemerton Lake, which has a programme of scrub clearance grassland, the project will mosaic of habitats in addition including sapling removal from benefit a range of wildlife to the lake itself, is well known reedbed margins and bramble including the nationally scarce for its wetland birds, dragon- and sapling removal from Dingy Skipper, which is found flies, butterflies including limestone grassland. The project on the grassland, and birds Common Blue and Marbled will also create new habitat for such as Reed Warbler and Reed White and grassland flora wildlife with the installation of Bunting which nest in the including native orchids such bird and bat boxes along the reedbeds. as Pyramidal Orchid. However, woodland edge and the creation in recent years the grassland of a bee bank and reptile As part of the project, the Trust and reedbeds have become hibernaculum in the grassland has written a new management increasing scrubbed up with area. Our volunteers will also be plan for the reserve to ensure bramble and self-seeding involved throughout the project; the improvements made are willow and alder saplings, Support Coordinator Kate sustained in the future. Final Report on Kemerton Wood Wildflower Project In spring 2019 KCT secured years to find out, as seeds take funding for a small project in longer to mature. Kemerton Wood which built on earlier work to continue Our wonderful volunteers increasing the ground flora in planted bulbs in September our relatively young woodland. and sowed seeds in October. The weather in October was Thanks to generous funding very wet but our hardy bunch from Friends of KCT Miles and completed the job despite being Joan Kulukundis, we bought soaked to the skin! 500 native Wild Daffodil bulbs The gang planting bluebell seeds, Kemerton Wood, October 2019 and 120,000 native English A project report is available on Bluebell seeds. We have plant- project is partly an experiment our website in the ‘News & ed bluebell bulbs in the past to see if seeds are more cost- Events’ section. Our grateful but due to expense the area effective to cover larger areas, thanks to Miles and Joan for covered remains small, so the although we have to wait a few supporting this project.

PAGE 5 KEMERTON CLIPPINGS ISSUE 25 A Keen Eye: news from the hides - by David Keen, Friend of KCT © David Keen

and there had been quite a have her photo taken, I did build up of waterfowl, mostly however manage to get two widgeon, well over 100 birds, nice photos of a roe buck and as well as Canada geese and doe standing in one of the the odd tufted ducks. tracks. The deer population seem to have declined a bit There have been a few highs since I first started visiting the and lows in 2019. The sighting reserve or it could be that I of a pair of otters must be one have not put as much time in of the highs but it may also be over the last 3 months, but this one of the lows as they may be is a new year and things will suspects in the disappearance start to happen. The first to of lots of young water birds arrive last year was the oyster- this year but regardless they catcher on January 29th so it Fox, Vulpes vulpes, KLNR, January 2020 are fascinating to watch and will be interesting to see if they my favourite mammal. Last are first this year, it is now Up until mid-November the year I was watching one at January 15th and I visited the lake was very quiet apart Tewkesbury Mill swimming up lake this morning, there must from a few ducks but with so and down in the Mill Avon as a be 200-300 widgeon now and a much rain and flooding the fishing contest was going on; few tufted duck, there was also wildfowl had no shortage of the winner that week weighed a pair of gadwall, the little places to go. This season the in with 45lb of fish, about 43lb grebe which stay with us all kingfishers have been seen more than the otter, so no real year round, and of course lots frequently due to the rivers harm to the fish stock, but lets of coots that never seem to being in flood several times; hope they move on before the stop fighting with each they must find it difficult to birds start nesting (Ed: they other! No deer today just a fox catch fish in the murky water have not been seen on site doing its round, this is the time but the lake is clear and it’s a again). of the year that they go looking great opportunity for for a mate ,they are not very photographers. For me the highlight of 2019 welcome by pheasant rearers was the barn owl that I saw in and gamekeepers but when you On November 13th I went to June and July - it was a see one in its prime they are try and get some shots of most welcome sight. There are stunning. kingfishers. This was the best still signs of the owls as owl day that we had had for a pellets have been found by the We must wait now and see couple of weeks, it was dry stile and on the boardwalk. what the coming months bring. and the light was good. I set © David Keen up my camera and sat quietly When I look back through my waiting then I heard a library of photos and look at tapping sound coming from the date the image was taken outside the hide so I went out it gives me some idea of what to see what it was and a was about at this time last kingfisher was on the hide year and what I should be roof no more than 6ft from looking out for. It does not me dispatching a fish he had always work out as I had not caught and not a bit bothered seen a fallow deer on the site by me! ( I have noticed that since October 2018 and it was one of the kingfishers has a not until January the 6th 2020 ring on). as I was getting my camera out of the car I spotted a fallow My next visit to Kemerton doe standing about 25 yards Male Roe Deer, Capreolus capreolus, Lake was on December 12th from me but she did not stay to Kemerton Wood, January 2020

PAGE 6 KEMERTON CLIPPINGS ISSUE 25

Calling All Citizen Scientists! A final plea from John Clarke

© John Clarke would be good to get more. and calls during the day. One way would be if people However, it too is in decline - provide artificial shelters or possibly associated with the refuges as this snake will decline in old orchards. Nest bask on a sheet of corrugated predation by Grey Squirrel iron or indeed underneath it. and site competition with A network of sites like this Jackdaw will also have played would help boost the number a part. Little Owl feeds on Grass Snake Natrix helvetica on of casual records we receive. beetles, worms and small corrugated iron, Kemerton Wood mammals and requires both Yellow Wagtail is now in rough and short-grazed grass- This article was written by serious decline. This beautiful land. This probably explains John Clarke prior to his death wagtail is the only migrant their attraction to traditional in December. His wife Pamela member of the family. It nests orchards. will be continuing this work. on the ground and in recent years is found typically in Volunteers, dog walkers, bird A few years ago I asked local rape, bean and root crops. We watchers and casual walkers people for help with my study once located a nest in a corn- will be asked to look out for of Spotted Flycatcher. This field adjacent to a road – the Grass Snake and Yellow adorable little migrant breeds branches of several large oaks Wagtail throughout Spring in the Bredon Hill villages. hung over the road. It was and Summer and Little Owl The response was fantastic the time of year when Looper throughout the year. If you and scientists used the name Moth caterpillars emerge in do see any of these species “Citizen Scientist” to describe their thousands and, having please note where and when the volunteers. In 2020 I am gorged on oak leaves, lower and email the information to looking for Citizen Scientists themselves to the ground on Pamela Clarke to help in my latest project - gossamer threads before [email protected]. the plan is to spend at least setting off in their distinctive part of the year looking for style to find somewhere to three target species: hibernate. In this case they landed on the road where Grass snake is seen regularly many were snapped up by the around this area but exactly Yellow Wagtails and taken where and how often? They back to the nest to feed young. hibernate so won’t be about until Spring. Our database Little Owl is our smallest, © Paul Jackson has historical records but it and probably most loved, owl Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Kemerton Apple Day Celebrates Orchards

In early October Kemerton © David Aubury KOW and KCT inside the Orchard Workers held their hall, there was also a local annual Apple Day at Victoria wood worker, with some Hall, Kemerton, and KCT beautifully crafted items, were in attendance to support and of course a delicious our sister organisation. selection of handmade cakes available with tea or coffee, As always there were long much appreciated by the queues for the apple pressing, hungry volunteers! with many locals bringing Kate & her daughter Lottie sampling apples from their own some of the orchard produce! All funds raised at the event garden, whilst everyone else go towards maintaining could buy juice from apples This year, in addition to the Daffurn’s Orchard for the picked in Daffurn’s Orchard. usual stands manned by community.

PAGE 7 KEMERTON CLIPPINGS ISSUE 25 News from the Carrant Catchment Area Restoration Project - by Joanne Leigh, FWAGSW

The group has made great that allow safe travel, connect © Kate Aubury progress over the 3 years that breeding areas and ensure it has been in operating and continuous food supply. our membership has now increased to 36 members We have recently started spread across the Carrant and water quality monitoring for Isbourne Catchments; from our members; checking the Winchcombe to Bredon Hill. It current state and suggesting was formed on the inspiration areas that can be improved of John Clarke who was at the next to the watercourse. We Red Poll Cattle grazing on Bredon Hill time diagnosed with a are also helping Worcester- - mob grazing will help create better terminal illness. It is very sad shire County Council slow grassland and store more carbon that we have recently lost flows upstream by putting in John but I hope that this leaky woody dams. This type learning more and more about group will carry on his legacy of work helps to reduce the abilities of deep rooting and continue to build habitat impacts on pinch points lower species to sequester carbon and connections and increase down the catchment which is improve soil structure that will wildlife on Bredon Hill and proving beneficial to settle- allow farming to lead the way the surrounding area. ments in these areas; it is also on quality land management for helping to reduce the siltation food production and carbon Indirectly, farming has been of water by creating gravel sequestration. responsible for shaping our cleaning dams and silt traps. landscape over centuries, so it We hope to be doing more Many farmers already practise will be no surprise that it has natural flood management zero till arable management, the potential to be a carbon north of Bredon Hill in 2020 but livestock farming can play a sink. Headline news seems to and are seeking landowners role in carbon sequestration by vilify the hand that feeds the who would like to be involved. managing the vast grassland nation but there are many areas in a way that keeps grass things that farming can do to Meanwhile, in the Isbourne in a vegetative state. This help with climate change by catchment we are seeing great practise is often referred to as supporting sustainable food results in Winchcombe follow- mob grazing but it comes under production. Our group is ing the construction of leaky many terms. Mob grazing is dedicated to improving dams at Charlton Abbots; we revitalising an old farming habitat connectivity at a aim to put on a demonstration technique which might give us landscape scale; this includes soon for anyone who would the answer to how we can improving soil health and like to see this work created. reduce some of the carbon in water quality. These actions the atmosphere. restore carbon and help Water flows can also be embed it into the soil, keeping slowed down by strategically Farming is about food it there for millennia. planting hedges and trees production and in a changing along contours of the land that world that is thinking more and Some of the many things we will take up excessive water more about how our food is have helped to complete over and be obstructive to flows. produced I feel proud to be part this winter are to plant and However, the true hero in of a group that is already restore traditional orchards, absorption and flow control is conscious of sustainable goals plant new and restore native tussocky grass. This is one of and innovative in its thinking. hedgerows and plant native the key roles land will play to If you would like to join us and trees in the local landscape. combat climate change, not be part of the movement please This mosaic of features helps only for water infiltration but get in touch by emailing to create wildlife corridors also carbon absorption. We are [email protected].

Kemerton Clippings Save the Date! January 2020  Saturday 1st February - Working party (10am start, KLNR Edited by Kate Aubury

Contact email: [email protected]  Saturday 29th February - Working party (10am start, location to be confirmed) Print services provided by Fleet Graphics (Tewkesbury) Ltd  Wednesday 11th March - ‘Curlew & Other Breeding Waders in the Severn & Avon This newsletter is published Vales’ Slideshow & Talk, Eckington Village bi-annually. The next edition will Hall (8pm start) - see ‘News & Events’ on website be issued in July 2020. www.kemerton.org for full event details

 Saturday 28th March - Working party (10am start, location to be confirmed) For more information on the work of KCT please visit our  Saturday 18th April - Dawn Chorus Walk, website: www.kemerton.org Aldwick Wood (5.45am start) - see ‘News & Events’ on website www.kemerton.org for full event details

 Saturday 30th May - Working party (10am start, location to be confirmed)

 Sunday 14th June - Orchid Walk, KLNR (2.30pm start)) - see ‘News & Events’ on website www.kemerton.org for full event details

 Saturday 27th June - Working party (10am start, location to be confirmed)

 Saturday 25th July - Working party (10am start, location to be confirmed) Female Kingfisher Alcedo atthis on a perch, KLNR, November 2018 For details on any of the above events, please contact KCT Support Coordinator Kate Aubury by email [email protected] or by phone on 07765 334 776.

Kemerton Conservation Trust GOVERNORS

Kemerton Court ADRIAN DARBY, OBE (Chairman)

Kemerton MATTHEW DARBY

Tewkesbury PETER DOBLE

LORD HOWICK, VMH Gloucestershire

PETER MARREN GL20 7HY BRETT WESTWOOD

Tel: 01386 725 254 ROGER WORKMAN

www.kemerton.org

Registered Charity No. 702488