Local Wildlife News, Produced by the Greenways Project to Promote the Activities of Local Conservation and Community Groups

Local January - April 2015 A news and events diary from wildlife and conservation groups in Wildlife the Ipswich area News

Building homes for wildlife - see page 18

Produced by the

1 MEGABASH Come along and join supporters of Ipswich Wildlife Group, Greenways, Butterfly Conservation and other local groups and residents for a bracing few hours of important conservation work on our local heathlands.

We will be clearing gorse and other invasive scrub to allow the heather and other heathland plants to regenerate and thrive, helping the heath return to its former glory for the benefit of natural heathland plants, insects, birds and invertebrates including butterflies, ants, spiders, skylarks and reptiles.

PURDIS HEATH Saturday 25 January MARTLESHAM HEATH Saturday 21 February 10am to 3.30pm Full details in Events Diary HotEveryone drinks provided and potatoes welcome from the bonfire

Our ethos is to ‘observe & conserve’, so at least 10% of profits from all our holidays are donated to wildlife charities.

We recently presented £1,000 to Butterfly Conservation to help care and protect their Catfield Fen reserve in Norfolk. It is part of one of the best and largest remaining areas of fen habitat in Western Europe and is a stronghold for the enigmatic British Swallowtail, along with a rich array of other rare species, including the Fen Orchid.

We are delighted that our activities are making a direct and A selection of our holidays in 2015 positive contribution to conservation within East Anglia. Orchids of Greece 7-14 April Birds of the Balkan 8 – 17 May French Pyrenees 21 – 28 May Birds & Butterflies North Greece 6 – 13 June Butterflies of Hungary 27 June – 4 July Italian Dolomites 30 June – 7 July Butterflies of Provence 15 – 22 July Catalonia 9 – 16 Sept

01473 436096 [email protected] www.greenwings.co

2 Welcome Welcome to the winter to spring edition of Local Wildlife News, produced by the Greenways Project to promote the activities of local conservation and community groups.

Winter is by far the busiest time in the conservation calendar – whilst all the wildlife is 9 dormant, migrated away or generally just surviving! All the local groups will be flat out © Margaret Regnault coppicing woodland, managing hedgerows, clearing scrub from heathland, grassland and wetland habitats etc. It’s a great time of year to get involved – you can work to get warm and enjoy the rare bits of winter sunshine and all the other weather thrown at us!

Please do join Greenways and all our partner groups at the Purdis Heath Megabash on Saturday 24th January (see events listing) or Martlesham Heath Megabash on Saturday 21st February – both offer a great opportunity to work alongside a large number of 12 dedicated volunteers and are a great way to start being involved in practical conservation © Matt Berry work.

Contributions We are always happy to receive articles of anything up to 600 words, photographs of local wildlife or conservation work and local sightings or wildlife ‘snippets’ – so please do send in anything which may be of interest to: Greenways Project, Scout Headquarters, Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, IP2 9TH. 01473 433995. [email protected] 13 Mailing lists – Please note We are aware that some who are members of several conservation organisations may well receive more than one copy of the newsletter. If this is the case we would be very grateful if you could pass on the spare copy to someone who will appreciate it and contact the Greenways Project on 01473 433995 or [email protected], stating which organisations you are a member of, so that we can ensure that you receive just one in the future. 16 © Rab King If on the other hand you don’t currently receive LWN regularly, but would like to, please consider joining one of the groups that distributes LWN to its members (i.e. Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Ipswich Wildlife Group, RSPB etc). Remember, for those who don’t receive a copy, LWN is available online at www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways/ James Baker 17

Contents Page Suffolk Wildlife Trust 4 Ipswich Wildlife Group 8 18 Special feature - Stag Beetles 9 Greenways Countryside Project 10 Local Wildlife News is published by Greenways Countryside Project. Butterfly Conservation 12 Editor: James Baker [email protected] IBC Wildlife Rangers 13 Tel 01473 433995 Friends of Christchurch Park 14 Production Editor: Colin Hullis [email protected] Portal Woodlands Conservation Group 15 Tel 01473 728674 Artwork production: Chris Saunders Landguard Partnership 16 [email protected] Tel 01473 721550 Friends of Holywells Park 17 Printed by PJ Print Friends of Belstead Brook Park 18 [email protected] Tel 01473 276010 Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group 19 Printed on recycled paper RSPB Ipswich Local Group 20 The opinions expressed in Local Local Wildlife News Snippets 21 Wildlife News are not necessarily those of the Greenways Project. Events Diary 22

3 Ipswich Group Newsletter

Chairman: David Munday 01473 217310 [email protected] Secretary: Wendy Brown 01473 259674 [email protected] Treasurer: Tony Clarke 01473 741083 [email protected] Newsletter Editor: John Ireland 01473 723179 [email protected] Group contact: [email protected] We are the Ipswich Group of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. We offer an interesting range of monthly meetings with guest speakers which take place usually on the third Wednesday of the month at 7.30 p.m. in the hall of St Margaret’s Primary School, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Trust members and non-members are equally welcome. During the summer months we offer a variety of trips, some local, others by coach. Details of these and our monthly meetings can be found in our ‘Diary’ section which follows, or on the SWT website, www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org. Chairman’s Letter

Parking at St Margaret’s Meetings Just a reminder that car parking at St Margaret’s School will Our first meeting of the New Year will have us looking forward not be available due to building works which are likely to go to warmer times when Martin Sanford illustrates and talks to us on for some while. We are not sure when this will begin, so for about Hedgerows, Herbs and Medicines. This is on Wednesday updates please ring any member of the committee or check 21st January. Later in the year Bill Baston will bring along his your e-mail a few days beforehand. superb photos to introduce us to the even warmer climes of Wild Gambia. Full details of our meetings are on the following The nearest car park is at the start of Woodbridge Road where diary page. the Caribbean Club used to be and opposite the back of the Regent. It will probably be a good idea to set out a little Meanwhile, enjoy these pictures of a Great Raft Spider at earlier to allow you to park and walk up Bolton Lane or to find Redgrave and Lopham Fen and a Bee Orchid on Belstead alternative parking. To those of you on our e-mail list, please Heath. pass on these details to anybody you know who comes to our meetings. Dave Munday (Chairman)

Above: A Bee Orchid on Belstead Heath

Left: A Great Raft Spider at Redgrave

4 Ipswich Group Newsletter

Lodge Farm, Westhorpe, near Stowmarket

On the evening of 18th June a group of 25 had a guided tour Current farming practices require arable farms to grow a of Lodge Farm, owned and run by the Barker family. First diversity of crops. Here too the Barkers thought carefully about impressions of Lodge Farm, with its farmyard bedecked with how to manage this. For example, because rye grass seed containers of flowering plants, were very favourable – possibly takes two years to produce, they grow rye grass under a crop of seen at its best as it had recently been a wedding venue. We barley. When the barley is harvested at the end of the first year continued to be impressed by all that we saw and heard about the rye can grow on to produce seed the following year. This both the commercial practices and the Barkers’ commitment to seemed like a clever idea. In fact Patrick is constantly looking wildlife. for new ideas to improve all aspects of the farm. He is at present experimenting with ways to increase the numbers of turtle We sat cosily on bales of straw in a trailer as Patrick provided an doves, an endangered species. interesting commentary and his father David drove the tractor around the farm. We stopped at various locations to note the The trailer stopped again at the far side of the farm where we diversity of the hedgerows and the wide field margins which got out and walked to have a closer look at two of many ponds provided food and habitat for varied insect and bird life. We had on the farm. From here we walked past a kestrel box positioned at least two sightings of barn owls en route. As we stopped near high up in a tree, to stand beside the moat and ancient bridge of a small field which was unsuitable for cultivation because of its Westhorpe Hall. The original building on the site was the home of size and odd shape Patrick told us how he had managed to turn Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VII and wife of Charles Brandon, this unpromising area into a wild flower meadow. the Duke of Suffolk. All members of the party declined the offer of taking up a vacant room. However, some of us were tempted He used an innovative technique which involved mowing and by its idyllic location. baling the hay from a nearby village flower meadow. The bales were transported to the oddly shaped field and unrolled so that From here we returned to the trailer for the short ride back to the two years later we were able to observe a “carbon copy” of the barn for tea and cake – a sociable end to a fascinating evening. species from the village green – amazing. So this area which had no commercial use was turned into an area of benefit to wild life Leigh Williamson and therefore to the general health and diversity of the farm. Carlton Marshes August 16th 2014 © Colin Hullis A large number of us made the trip to Carlton Marshes, on a cool and breezy Saturday for a guided tour with a volunteer and our own Steve Pritchard.

At 365 acres and extending over a mile from north to south, Carlton Marshes nature reserve is the largest area of wetland habitat in the Suffolk Broads, with a mosaic of fen meadow, reed fen, grazing marsh, spring-fed dykes and pockets of wet woodland, bisected by Oulton Dyke. On our way into the first marsh Steve pointed out two large bird boxes in the oak trees. The first was a kestrel box, which has been occupied by Egyptian geese this year. The second was a barn owl box, which was sadly raided by thieves last year and all the chicks stolen.

Following the path into the next area of marsh (Quadrat Marsh), we noticed a sunbathing common lizard. There were also many Chinese Water Deer lovely wildflowers present, some very rare and important. We were lucky enough to have three wildflower experts present to Chinese water deer and muntjac flourish here; indeed it is said help us identify them: lesser water parsnsip, marsh sow-thistle that there are more Chinese water deer here than in China! and yellow loosestrife being some of the more unusual plants. Heading back towards our starting point we walked alongside Leaving Quadrat Marsh we passed into an area known as a dyke fringed with reeds, where several dragonflies were seen, Sprat’s Water, which used to be a private peat digging that including common hawker and ruddy darter. Very few birds flooded. Plants here included water chickweed, amphibious seemed to be about, the exception being swallows. A few bistort, frogbit and water dock. Otters can sometimes be butterflies were seen, such a small tortoiseshell and meadow spotted here, also the rare marsh fern, which was used to dress brown. A few of the group headed off to search for the elusive wounds in centuries past. fen raft spider, which were reintroduced to the reserve in 2012 and are doing quite well. From Quadrat Marsh we passed into Woolners Carr (wet woodland). Many cut reeds have been stacked here to create In all it was a very enjoyable day out, and many thanks to Leigh habitat piles, the rotting vegetation creating the ideal warm Williamson for organising it. environment that grass snakes need to incubate their eggs. Both Susanne Renshaw 5 Ipswich Group Newsletter

SWT Ipswich Group Coach Outing to Wakehurst Place Saturday May 30th 2015

It is fourteen years since the Ipswich Group visited these glorious gardens in Sussex, maintained by the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. The 180 acres provides something for everyone. Woodlands planted to represent temperate forests of North America, Europe and Eastern Asia, a pretty walled garden, a dell with mass plantings of Japanese irises, a Himalayan glade, a rock walk, water gardens and much more. Hidden away at the far end of the site is the Wetland Conservation Area, with its natural woodlands and lakes. Wakehurst also houses a number of National collections including those of Skimmia, Hypericum, Betula and Nethofagus.

Wakehurst is particularly famous for the Millenium Seedbank, which contains the largest plant preservation project in the world. Here seeds are dried and stored as an insurance against their extinction in the wild. An exhibition hall sited between the laboratories allows visitors to see the laboratories where the scientists work. Wakehurst Place The mansion was once owned by Edward Culpeper, son of of the previous owners and their plants. Nicholas author of the famous “Culpeper’s Herbal”. Some of the rooms are open to the public (unless there is a wedding). There National Trust members and Friends of Kew Gardens have free are two very nice restaurants, and a good shop, and plenty of entrance to the gardens, but you must bring your card. To make room to picnic. parking easier we are having two pick up points: Crown Street at 8am and Ipswich Village car park (West End Road) at 8.15am. We are arranging for everyone to have a 1¼ hour guided tour of selected parts of the garden by an enthusiastic expert (voted a For more details of Wakehurst Place visit www.kew.org/visit- winner on our last visit), who will explain about the eccentricities wakehurst

Booking Form SWT (Ipswich) outing to Wakehurst Place 30th May 2015

Please reserve

………Tickets for National Trust Members @ £24 total £……………

………Tickets for non members @ £33 total £……………

………Tickets for children @ £15 total £……………

Total Number of tickets……………… Total sum enclosed £……………

Name ……………………………………………...... ……………………...... ……………

Address …………………………………...... ……………………………………………

Postcode ………...... ……… Telephone ……...... Mobile ……......

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Please return this form together with a SAE and cheque made out to SWT to Pam Ireland, 49 Mayfield Road, Ipswich, IP4 3NG If you give an e-mail address you do not need to include a SAE.

6 Ipswich Group Newsletter

Dates for your Diary - January to May 2015

All meetings, unless otherwise stated, will take place in St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich at 7.30 pm. There will be a charge of £2.50 which includes tea or coffee.

Wednesday 21st January at 7.30pm. Hedgerows, Herbs and Medicines by Martin Sanford Martin has managed the Suffolk Biological Record Centre, which is based in the Ipswich Museum, for more than 25 years. He is author of the Orchids of Suffolk and co-author of the Flora of Suffolk. He therefore has an exceptional knowledge of our local plants. His talk will cover the medicinal uses of some of our native plants, many of which can be found growing in our local hedgerows.

Wednesday 11th February 2015 at 7.30pm. Wildlife and Sustainable Agriculture at Oak Tree Farm, Rushmere by Tom Wilmot Oak Tree Farm is Suffolk’s first Community supported agricultural scheme, where more than 50 households get involved in producing their own food. The farm is run as a low carbon enterprise and the participants share its rewards. The farm is owned and managed by Joanne Mudhar, aided by Tom Wilmot, who gives our talk. It has free range chickens producing eggs and meat, rare breed pigs, two cows, an orchard, flowers and plenty of vegetables all the year round. You can read about it at www.the-oak-tree.co.uk

Wednesday 18th March 2015 at 7.30pm. Wild Gambia by Bill Baston Bill is well known as a local photographer who has shown us some of his lovely photographs on previous occasions. In 2008 he visited the Gambia, and this illustrated talk will show the beauty of the countryside and its wildlife and give an insight into the people who live there. To get a preview of some of the photos visit www.billbaston.com and follow the links to Gambia

Wednesday 15th April 2015 at 7.30pm. The History and Wildlife of Orford Ness by Grant Lahoar This beautiful and remote shingle spit, a fragile and ever changing ecosytem, is the best preserved shingle ridge in Europe. It is littered with derelict buildings, indicators of its importance for research in both world wars. It is here that Robert Watson Watt did his work on radar, and the “pagodas” are the remains of the laboratories of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Also, because of its remoteness, it has a unique collection of coastal plants and rare animals. Grant has been associated with Orford Ness for many years and is well informed to explain its 100 years of strategic importance to the country and its wildlife. For more information on Orford Ness visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk and follow the links to Orford Ness. This meeting will be preceded by a short AGM.

A full listing of all Groups’ events can be found from page 22

7 Ipswich Wildlife Group

Chair: Ray Sidaway 01473 259104 www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/iwg facebook.com/ipswichwildlifegroup Ipswich Wildlife Group is a registered charity, relying entirely on volunteers, that promotes interest in, and conservation of, wildlife and habitats in and around Ipswich. We seek to inform and educate the local communities of Ipswich about the wildlife and habitats that can be found in the area, and the issues affecting them, as well as involve local people in practical wildlife conservation. We carry out practical conservation tasks, bid for grants to improve wildlife and green areas around Ipswich and work closely with the Greenways Project, Friends of Belstead Brook Park and other local groups with similar aims. Engaging with local schools

Our involvement with local schools is gathering momentum. Our offer to give advice on environmental matters, provide practical help and engage children in making habitat boxes has been taken up by five local Primary schools.

It has been something of a revelation to see how many schools have pieces of land with huge potential for teaching wildlife conservation. Some have considerable open grassland areas, others have small woodlands and some even with ponds and marshy areas. But one element we have noticed that is common to each of the schools is a very enthusiastic and environmentally aware member of staff.

It is these members of staff that fire the pupils’ interest in the natural world encouraging the children to enjoy outdoor Another potential bird nest site at Sidegate classrooms and get a little dirty in the process and we are pleased to be able to support them in a positive way. Sidegate Primary. At Capel St Mary Primary we joined parents, staff and pupils at their Nature Open Day, talking about To date we have helped Rushmere Primary with advice on conservation and building boxes. applying for a grant to improve their wildlife area. Together with Greenways we organised a work party of pupils and parents to This involvement with schools is an important part of IWG manage the nature area at Britannia Primary. We held a habitat activities and fits well with our ‘Homes for Wildlife’ project and box building session in the Woodland classroom at Willows will be continued for the year ahead. Primary and a similar session with classes of five-year-olds at

Making insect boxes in the Woodland at Willows Primary Beware of small children weilding hammers! Monitoring housing development plans In order to help safeguard the environmental aspects of Sanctuary manages homes across the country including new housing developments, the IWG committee monitors Ipswich, providing rented, sheltered and home ownership the progress of planning applications made to Ipswich accommodation. The money, along with matching funding, will Borough Council. We are currently making representations be used to fund two ‘Homes for Wildlife’ events in Spring 2015. to the Council concerning the Northern Fringe development Watch our Newsletter for details. and others around the town: Bader Close, St Clements, Ravenswood. We plan to set up a working group to focus on AGM date this issue. If you are interested in becoming involved or can The IWG Annual General Meeting will be held in the offer any help or information, please contact Ray Sidaway. upstairs rooms at the Thomas Wolsey pub, St Peters On a related issue, IWG have been awarded £1000 from the Street on Monday 26 January 7 for 7.30pm start. All Sanctuary Housing community investment fund. This is set members will receive an official notice and all are welcome, up by Sanctuary to support local initiatives that engage with refreshments will be provided. tenants of their properties and improve the local environment. 8 Special Feature

Stag Beetle Graveyard Mystery

Looking through some videos that I had taken in June this year, I wondered if anyone else had seen what I called the Stag beetle graveyard.

Within the confines of one square metre were the remains of up to seven male Stag beetles, which had been dissected and eaten, possibly by a bird. This was on a little used pathway on the south side of the Belstead Brook, close to the Ellenbrook Road bridge at the Ellenbrook Open Space.

The photographs are taken from the video I took at the time.

Chris Albins, Copdock

. . . and the answer from Colin Hawes © Emi | Shutterstock The stag beetle remains in your photos are typical of bird predation. The predator was most likely a magpie (Pica pica).

These birds commonly take both male and female beetles. They eat the soft abdomen and leave the hard exoskeleton (head , thorax, elytra and legs). It is interesting to note that magpie predation of stag beetles follows the change in male to female ratio through the stag beetle season. Male stag beetles emerge first, about a week before females; in this period one only sees predated males. Predated females then start to be observed. However, about the middle of June when numbers of males and females are about equal, predated males outnumber predated females, because magpies find them more difficult to spot. Males with their large mandibles are more easily seen. Unlike males, females tend to burrow or hide.

Noticeably, about a week before the end of the stag beetle season, there are only females still alive, thus only predated corvid family, starling and little owl. Mammal predators include females can be found during this week. My research on hedgehog, shrew and serotine bat. presence and absence of both sexes and their predation rate has given surprising results, especially regarding the number of Colin is the lead for the conservation of the stag beetle in predated stag beetles. Suffolk (Suffolk Stag Beetle Recorder) and is a member of the national team led by the People’s Trust for Endangered Other bird predators of the beetles include members of the Species. 9 Scout Headquarters, Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, IP2 9TH Office: 01473 433995 [email protected] www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways The Greenways Countryside Project exists to protect and enhance the countryside, landscape and open space across an area of about 100 square kilometres in and around the town of Ipswich, and home to around one quarter of the population of Suffolk, for the benefit of wildlife and local people. The project relies on volunteers to complete much of its practical conservation work. The Greenways Project is a very successful and well-established partnership between Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk County Council, Babergh District Council, Suffolk Coastal District Council and the local community. Stag beetles – what can we do to help them? If you have any stag beetle sightings, questions or observations As Ipswich is a really important area for this species, we go – please contact the Suffolk Stag Beetle Recorder, Colin Hawes to great lengths to provide them with ideal habitat in the form at: [email protected] of half buried log piles! Almost all of the sites managed by Greenways have several stag beetle ‘pyramids’ – we always try to provide a new one each year to ensure a continued supply of suitable dead wood habitat. As the larva develops over a period of up to seven years, it is essential that there is plenty of dead wood – something that has been lacking in general for the last few decades with a tendency to clear up and remove fallen trees and tree stumps.

In your own garden you can do your bit by leaving tree stumps and dead wood and installing part buried logs. Even if stag beetles don’t find your logs – the habitat will provide homes for dozens of other invertebrate species. In this way, the stag beetle is a ‘flag-ship’ species – if conditions and habitat are right for stag beetles, many other species will also benefit massively.

If you would like any further information about stag beetles or what you can do to help them, please visit the People’s Trust for Endangered Species website at: http://ptes.org/campaigns/ stag-beetles/ One of the stag beetle piles under construction in Kiln Meadow

Voluntary leaders, drivers and admin assistants required!

As most of our volunteer leaders have achieved gainful employment (massive congratulations to them), we need up to three new volunteers to help with managing practical work parties. This involves driving our vehicles, preparing tools and materials, instructing and supervising other volunteers and reporting back as required. We will provide necessary training and specialist courses and support. We are also keen to find a replacement for our last admin volunteer, who has also gone on to become fully employed! If you have a few hours a month to spare and would be prepared to take notes at a few meetings etc – it would be great to hear from you. To find out more contact James Baker, Project Manager on 01473 433995 or email: [email protected]

10 More dormice in Spring and Millennium woods? © Margaret Regnault After the discovery of dormice in 2010, 50 dormice boxes were erected in 2011 at ladder height in Spring and Millennium woods.

2014 is the third year we have undertaken a dormouse survey of the boxes. As dormice are a protected species, Natural England licensees are required to undertake any disturbance including surveying.

The mice spend much of the summer high up in the canopy searching for buds and insects, we found four dormice in June. They are more likely to be found in the specially placed boxes in the autumn, when the number found peaked at 35 dormice in October, with 19 dormice in September

These figures are counts of those in the boxes, it is likely that there are more dormice in the surrounding area, in particular there are many places within Spring wood where dormice Background would remain undiscovered. Hence although the numbers in Spring wood is an ancient woodland and a County Wildlife boxes have increased since 2012, this may be because the Site to the south of Ipswich which is currently managed by mice are more acclimatised to using the boxes. Ipswich Greenways Project with the help of Ipswich Wildlife Group and Friends of Belstead Brook Park. Millennium wood is a new wood created in 2000 on the site of an ex-arable field. This wood is a mixture of some natural regeneration with some planted native trees.

The common or hazel dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius is a small nocturnal mammal about 8cm long with a distinctive furry tail. Dormice live in hedges and woodland in summer and rarely descend to ground level but live in the tree canopy. This species hibernates on the ground in winter. Dormice are protected under European and British law as the numbers significantly declined in the last 100 years.

Prior to May 2010 the nearest known hazel dormouse site was in the woods at Bentley 2.7km south of this site. In early May 2010, a volunteer was ringing birds in Millennium woods and discovered a dormouse; this record was confirmed by Alison Looser a Natural England dormouse licensee.

In summer 2010 the author surveyed Spring and Millennium woods with nest tubes and discovered dormice throughout both woodlands. In summer 2011 fifty dormouse next boxes were installed in these woods.

In summer 2012 up to 14 dormice were discovered on site. As a result of this evidence James Baker of Ipswich Greenways Project requested a report to support the management of this site.

Summary This survey confirms the continuing existence of a breeding population of dormice within Spring and Millennium woods and it compares favourably with the last two years count. Further This survey data is submitted to the national Dormouse surveys are required to establish the extent of this population Monitoring program run by the Peoples Trust for Endangered and any future activities in the area should take into account Species. the habitatrequirements of Dormice as a European protected species. Aim of Survey The aims of this study are to survey Spring and Millennium Thanks to all my volunteers including Dave, Helen, Duncan, woods in order to monitor the presence and obtain an index for Sarah and James. the quantity of Dormice in these woods. Margaret Regnault Margaret’s Ecology Ltd 11 Butterfly Conservation Saving butterflies, moths and our environment

Membership Secretary 01379 643665 www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk email: [email protected] Butterfly Conservation is dedicated to saving wild butterflies, moths and their habitats throughout the UK. All Butterfly Conservation members who live in Suffolk are automatically members of the branch and receive our newsletter, the Suffolk Argus, three times a year. The Suffolk branch is run by volunteers and we would be very pleased to hear from you if you would like to get involved. Purdis Heath SSSI Silver-studded Blue update by Julian Dowding © Julian Dowding The following is information about winter work going on at Purdis to improve habitat for the threatened Silver-studded Blue butterflies and the ants upon which they depend. This work has been on-going for several years now with the help of Butterfly Conservation, Greenways and Ipswich Wildlife Group volunteers in tandem with Ipswich Borough Council. It seems that butterfly numbers have responded well as a result in terms of both numbers and flight area. Work consists of: © Matt Berry

Volunteers dragging gorse © Julian Dowding

Silver-studded Blue

Scrub control - the removal of gorse, birch, bramble and some oak shading out the butterfly’s food plant.

Scraping - to get rid of the deep litter layer and excess Ray, Val and Rob strewing heather clippings on sandy scrape

nutrients, followed by strewing with heather litter containing © Julian Dowding seeds, to create new pioneer habitat and bare sandy areas. Use of JCB. Volunteers spread the litter with pitchforks.

Forage harvesting - the cutting of strips and circles of tall mature ling and some bell heather, to enable the heather to re-generate with new growth. This also creates a diversity of structure within the heathland which will help the butterfly. Achieved with Rytec flail mower.

Treatment of scrub re-growth - achieved by either mechanical means (cutting or digging by hand) or using a herbicide. Scrub will try to re-grow for many years after cutting or pulling. Controlling this re-growth is a constant battle but one which needs to continue if the heathland is to remain Ray wheelbarrowing first load of heather clippings open and suitable for Silver-studded Blues. Unfortunately the treatment of scrub re-growth was not carried out last spring or get out on the heath in winter and be part of a group of people the year before. It should be a priority for spring 2015. committed to saving this precious butterfly. Furthermore, it’s also a good way to burn off a few calories. To these ends, volunteers will carry out some of this work. These work parties take place on the first Saturday of each If you would like to be involved in the work or fancy coming month throughout the winter and occasionally on week days. to Purdis to find out what’s happening, please contact Helen Other than work calling for heavy machinery, most of the Saunders [email protected] or myself julian.dowding@ practical work is carried out by volunteers with basic tools ntlworld.com. Tools and refreshments are provided but if such as bow saws, spades and loppers, so it is something that staying all day, please bring lunch. Always wear sensible most people can do. It can also be a pleasant experience to clothing and footwear. Sturdy boots or similar necessary. 12 Wildlife Rangers

Office : 01473 433993 [email protected] Stable Block, Holywells Park, Cliff Lane, Ipswich IP3 0PG The Wildlife & Education Rangers are responsible for the management of wildlife areas within the town’s parks and other green spaces. As well as carrying out practical management, the team runs an events programme and works with many local schools to engage and inspire the public about the wildlife Ipswich has to offer. © Matt Berry This winter the IBC Wildlife Rangers have been focusing a lot of their attention on the heathland found in and around Ipswich.

Lowland heath is a predominantly man-made environment; where in the past, land on nutrient-poor, acidic soil was cleared and grazed. With the decline of grazing on this kind of marginal land the management work required to replace it is targeted on keeping the heath open and maintaining the dwarf plant communities (and all the associated species) that thrive there. This is essentially ‘holding back’ the natural succession of this land back to woodland; removing trees, controlling scrub and imitating the effects of grazing by cutting areas to create a range of ages among the plants and bare patches of earth. The response of many upon hearing this is that it seems like a lot of work just to stop nature taking its course and that we don’t have enough trees anyway, so why not let it all revert to woodland and be done with it?

the mosaic of habitats found there. The open areas created have benefited the population of Common Lizards (Zootoca vivipara) and the regenerating gorse benefits birds nesting such as Linnets (Carduelis cannabina).

On Bixley Heath, work to vary the age range of the heather, remove saplings and create bare ground for basking has helped the already strong lizard population, as well as declining butterflies such as Grayling (Hiparchia semele) and various invertebrate species such as the Ruby Tailed Wasp (Hedychrum niemelai), which require bare earth to dig burrows. Other work on such sites (and something everyone can help with) includes communicating with dog walkers on the importance of picking up after their dogs (to prevent soil © Matt Berry

Small Heath butterfly on Bell heather

Well, while it may be true that we could do with more woodland in the UK, we have significantly less lowland heath than we do woodland (according to the Wildlife Trusts, as a global habitat lowland heath is more rare than rainforest and in the UK we have lost more than 80% of our heaths over the last hundred or so years) and this niche habitat is home to some of our most threatened wildlife, particularly certain invertebrates, reptiles and ground nesting birds.

Purdis Heath for example, is one of the last sites in the Ipswich area to have a colony of Silver Studded Blue (Plebejus argus) butterflies. Where once there were hundreds of these small but beautiful butterflies on the heath, by 2010 this was down Grayling to a peak count of less than 10. Since that time, due to the hard work of various wildlife groups and a small army of highly enrichment) and keeping their dogs on a lead between April dedicated volunteers their numbers are slowly creeping up, and July, when ground-nesting birds are trying to breed. but they are by no means out of the woods yet. They require Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) to nectar on, Bell Heather or Ling This work has been supported by grant funding from the (Calluna vulgaris) for the larvae to eat, as well as black ants, WREN Landfill Communities Fund and has been carried which actively tend the larvae and protect them. out in partnership with Butterfly Conservation, Greenways Countryside Project and Ipswich Wildlife Group. We are On Pipers Vale in the Orwell Country Park we have been extremely grateful to all those involved and are looking forward continuing to regenerate areas of heather, a process started to monitoring what we hope will be the successful outcomes of some years ago with the aim of adding even more diversity to all this hard work. 13 © Tim Kenny Friends of Christchurch Park

Secretary: Ann Snook 01473 251037 Membership Secretary: Robert Fairchild 01473 254255 Events/Meetings: David Routh 01473 255680 The sole purpose of the Friends Group is to help look after the Park for the public good, and to promote its welfare. Anyone who shares this aim is welcome to join. For a small annual fee of £5 you can join in Friends activities all year round, including Illustrated talks and discussions, Guided Park walks and Practical conservation work. You will also receive an informal seasonal newsletter.

Cormorants in Christchurch Park

When I was a young boy I was sometimes taken by boat to the © Paul Sherman buoys in the River Orwell, my uncle being a diver who worked for the Ipswich Dock Commission and whose job it was to check the buoys to make sure they were secure and in good condition. I was surprised by the size of these buoys particularly the ones shaped like cages. It was in these ‘cages’ that we often found trapped cormorants, many of them dead and rather smelly.

So that was my first experience of cormorants and, as such, I always regarded these large fish-eating birds as river dwellers, birds which I only got close to when they were incarcerated in the buoys of the Orwell. How different it is now! The great cormorant phalacrocorax-carbo is no longer found only by the sea or on rivers. They have spread across East Suffolk seeking lakes, ponds and waterways that hold anything from roach and carp to trout. To many people, especially freshwater fishermen, they are a menace and, although a protected species, they are still shot. They definitely have enemies. The cormorant’s plight Cormorants arrived in Christchurch Park three years ago. We believe that these birds originate from Looms Pit at Trimley. Although not everyone likes cormorants, I don’t think anyone Prior to the arrival of cormorants, the Wilderness Pond was very would wish to see one suffer as a result of someone’s crass well stocked with roach and the Round Pond was teeming with stupidity and wanton disregard for wildlife. Paul’s wonderful goldfish. Three years later and it is doubtful if any goldfish are photograph taken at the time clearly shows the cormorant’s left. The numbers of large roach in the Wilderness Pond have plight in the Round Pond. been seriously reduced although the water still holds shoals of tiny fry which is probably why we have the added pleasure of Although feeding the ducks with bread is discouraged, it seeing kingfishers in our Park. still takes place. The ducks come to feed but so too do rats. However, this has led to an interesting piece of behaviour by the A fallen log in the Wilderness Pond often has a resting, preening cormorants. The ducks are attracted to the floating bread, the cormorant on it. This autumn we have had one adult and sinking bread attracts the fish, the cormorants on the log know three immature birds ‘gracing’ the Pond. Nearby tall trees are this and dive into the water, resurfacing no more than two metres favourite perches for cormorants as they dry out their feathers. from the watching public, with a roach about to disappear down These birds, with their outstretched wings, are a strange sight its throat. especially against the backdrop of a setting sun. More about the birds of You would think that cormorants have an easy life in PORTRAIT OF THE BIRDS our Park. The Friends have Christchurch Park with no predators and plenty of food. What 50 Years of Birdlife in sponsored and just published Christchurch Park, Ipswich could possibly go wrong? Well, it seems plenty. Some months a third book in the Portrait ago a cormorant managed to get itself stuck in the railings that trilogy about the wildlife of surround the Round Pond. Seeing the bird in great difficulties, Christchurch Park entitled a concerned passer-by went to the cormorant’s assistance Portrait of the Birds – managing to free the bird but, before it departed, the cormorant Fifty years of birdlife in used its large beak to rip open the man’s face. Not the sort of Christchurch Park Ipswich thanks he anticipated. There was a lot of blood. written and illustrated by me in collaboration with Philip In recent weeks the cormorants in the Round Pond have been Murphy. From our records caught up in netting submerged in the water. Each time, by it is now obvious what using their powerful bills, the birds have freed themselves albeit Written and illustrated by Reg Snook dramatic changes have taken in collaboration with Philip Murphy after considerable effort. Many onlookers were very concerned place, with several species one of which was photographer, Paul Sherman. Paul devised disappearing, many more declining a method for retrieving this potential death trap from the Pond and some, mainly predators, increasing. This book is priced and, ingeniously using nylon fishing line and a series of hooks at £7.50 and is available from the Reg Driver Visitor Centre, made from strong paper clips, the object was removed. We think Christchurch Park and other local outlets with all profits going to the net may have been a tennis court net reinvented to form a the Friends of Christchurch Park. sort of trawl net in which to catch fish. Someone was obviously competing with the cormorant. A different kind of vandalism. Reg Snook 14 Portal Woodlands Conservation Group

Enquiries: Martlesham Parish Council 01473 612632 www.pwcg.onesuffolk.net or email [email protected] The group was formed to conserve the woodlands west of the Suffolk Police HQ and alongside the A1214. Volunteers meet each month to work on a variety of projects. Anybody is welcome to join this friendly group. Training and tools are provided.

In November we reached our 15th anniversary of the Group. in the area once again. Also on a positive note, there has been The Group was originally set up to save Portal Woods from evidence of badgers, which is a new species to the woods. the Martlesham Park & Ride. This was a hard fought victory, Our hazel area is now becoming established although still a which no doubt would not have been successful without the good few years away from the chance of dormice taking up hard work and determination of the late Peter Izzard who sadly residence. passed away in 2007. In Peter’s memory we planted an oak and named a pair of renovated wartime gates after him. We are Please note that we use CCTV cameras in the woods to pleased to report that the oak is doing very well and the gates capture footage of wildlife and of people encroaching into are still standing. unauthorised areas where harm could be done to protected

Our education classroom project is a little behind schedule due to the requirement for a full planning application and an environmental impact study. All the effort will be worthwhile for our Nature Watch Club and Nature Explorers activities.

We thank all our volunteers for their support over the past 15 years and we looked forward to the next 15 years. © S Corley

‘Peter’s Gate’ - in memory of Peter Izzard

With the bird breeding season over, the autumn saw us return to our tumuli conservation project. We have been working under the guidance of English Heritage to protect the two Bronze Age burial mounds, or tumuli, in the woods. These are being damaged by tree roots and to protect these ancient monuments we must clear the trees. As ancient monuments, and if properly maintained, these features will have the same protection as Stonehenge. We are aiming to clear the last of Tumulus - Bronze Age burial mound the trees by spring, and with the sunlight then able to shine through, we will create two new grass glade areas. Information and dates for 2015 volunteer work mornings, Nature Watch Club and Nature Explorers are available at http:// We do our best to maintain and improve the woodland habitat pwcg.onesuffolk.net/ For more information about PWCG and for new and existing wildlife, at the same time as keeping its activities or if you have any questions please email us at it a safe and pleasant environment for the community. [email protected] or phone Martlesham Parish However, nature doesn’t care where it does its ‘thing’ and Council on 01473 612632. has successfully turned our three wooden benches into bug habitat, fungi fodder and dust. We were therefore very thankful Volunteer Work Mornings: meet at the Education Area from to Alan Pawsey for his generous donation to the Group in 10am – Noon. memory of his late parents Bob and Vera. With the money Sunday 21st December (this is a change from the previously we bought two replacement benches, this time made of published date of 14th December). Saturday 17th January, recycled plastic so they should last somewhat longer. We are Sunday 15th February, Saturday 21st March, Sunday 19th April very thankful as well to the local Plymouth Brethren Christian Church who also supplied a bench so enabling us to complete Nature Explorers (11 to 18 year olds): meet at the Education our bench replacement programme. Area from 9am – 11am, booking essential, please email [email protected] Some members of the community also do not care where Saturday 17th January, Saturday 21st March they do their ‘thing’ and we continue to suffer from occasional vandalism and dumping. We have had instances of people Nature Watch Club (5 to11 year olds): meet at the Martlesham dumping garden waste in the woods. It seems strange that Heath Control Tower from 9am -11am, booking essential, the offenders go to all this effort rather than put the waste in please email [email protected] their brown bins. Human disturbances have had a noticeable Sunday 5th April impact on some species such as bats which have left their usual hunting routes. Tawny owls became absent too but we See website http://pwcg.onesuffolk.net/ for changes to are pleased to have received reports recently of them calling schedules. 15 Landguard Partnership

Landguard Bungalow, View Point Road, Felixstowe IP11 3TW Tel: 01394 675283 Email: [email protected] www.landguardpartnership.org.uk Ranger Blog: http://www.landguardpartnership.org.uk/nature_reserve/rangers_blog Twitter: https://twitter.com/landguardranger The Landguard Partnership was formed in 2009 to ensure that the Landguard Peninsula in Felixstowe is managed in a sustainable manner, contributing to the nationally important environmental conservation, cultural heritage, educational resources and economic prosperity of the area and adding to the quality of life and enjoyment of the local community and visitors. The Partnership consists of all the organisations and a charitable trust who have either a vested interest in the Peninsula or are concerned about conserving and protecting this valuable resource. The Peninsula incorporates the historic Fort, the important collections of the Felixstowe Museum, the Landguard Nature Reserve and the popular View Point overlooking the Orwell Estuary.

Time to Fly

Doesn’t time fly! I am already three months in to my second year as Ranger at Landguard. Having enjoyed every minute of it so far, I can relate the feeling to my Summer school holidays, when realising that the holidays were over half way through and then getting a slight pang of apprehension at the thought of returning to school. Not that this Post is anything like a holiday I hasten to say! The only real down side to this post is that it is only two days a week through the Winter months and three days during the Summer. Will two days a week be enough to renovate the Sea Hide, build a board walk over the shingle, build a hibernacula for the Common Lizards, create a seating/wildlife area for visiting schools amongst other ideas. A resounding no is the answer to that even if the budget or funding would permit it.

© Rab King Winter Stalkball Tim Bagworth, the recent resident This year I recorded the Winter Stalkball fungus for the first Ornithologist time on the Reserve in several places, where previously it had and bird ringer only been recorded within the Bird Observatory. This small at Landguard Puffball on a stalk is rarely found away from coastal areas. Bird Observatory, There is something very satisfying about recording a species left when his somewhere for the first time. temporary post came to an end a couple weeks ago and as the Autumn bird migrations slow up and Winter sets in. Of course the excitement grows with how rare a visiting bird is to the Bird Observatory or Reserve. There have been a number of birds recorded that I Icky Ridge Great Grey Shrike have never seen and one or two The Reserve’s new brush cutter was put to work improving that I hadn’t heard of before, the Dusky Warbler being one an over grown path, known by birders as Icky Ridge, to of the later. Bad luck Tim it would have to turn up the week improve access. The powerful hand held machine made after you left! The trouble with being the site Ranger is that I short work of it and will be equally impressive in dealing with can’t stand around for ages waiting for a rarity to pop its head encroaching Bramble on other areas of the Reserve. To tackle up over a Bramble bush, even with the pretence of getting a the overgrown margins which were considerably narrowing the photo for the Rangers Blog! I did see the Dusky Warbler flit track leading down to Manor Terrace car park I borrowed the briefly into another bush but it could have been any number of ride-on mower from SCDC’s Countryside Team. The margins other bird species, so that doesn’t really count, at least to me which amount to around two miles would have taken several anyway. days with a brush cutter. An important access to maintain as the track doubles up as part of a National Cycle Route. Generally it hasn’t been a vintage Autumn for fruiting fungi but there has been a late flush of species fruiting on the Reserve. Chris Ryde 16 Friends of Holywells Park

The Group aims to work in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council to improve and promote the Park. Contact: [email protected] www.holywellspark.org.uk facebook.com/holywellsparkipswich

Winter is traditionally thought of as the time of year when most of nature goes for a well-deserved doze, and Holywells Park is no exception. But the snowdrops will be poking their heads through, and robins, and other bird-life, will be about, whether there’s crisp and crunchy snow on the ground or not. The mammals are here too, but you may need sharp observation to spot them!

Meanwhile, the regeneration project, funded by the National Lottery, IBC and volunteer effort, continues apace. The second, and final, phase of the desilting programme is under way to remove silt from part of the moat around the play area, and from the canal leading away from the Big Pond. The silt from the first phase has now very much settled down, and the ground that it was spread upon will have been re-opened by the time you read this, and looking much as it did before.

Winter Robin on the lookout for lunch

Park ponds in the grip of winter As the park emerges from its makeover there will be a number of new resources available. The Friends will be looking at how Up at the stable block a very great deal of work has been these may be used, and very much encourage individuals and done to restore the heritage nature of the building, as well as other groups to think of what we can all do with our freshly to make it directly useful to ordinary park users. There will be refurbished Holywells Park. three heritage rooms, showing aspects of life in the stables in Victorian times, and the building itself displays its own historic Finally, do come and join us on the 17th January (12th night heritage. The Green Bike project will have moved across the transposed from Julian to Gregorian calendars) for our Cold courtyard from their former location, and the three stables Fair & Wassailing event! formerly used will become craft workshops. For the visitor, weary or otherwise, there will now be a café (opening date to Robin Gape, (Chair of FoHP) be decided), and a reception area for visitors to learn more about the park. The revamped Stable Block has a strong education theme which goes beyond the historic. We hope to have CCTV showing remotely observed wildlife, and there will be an area available for use as a meeting or class room. The Stable Block will also include a Changing Places area, designed to be readily usable by people who are severely disabled, which will be a first locally in a public park.

For those who enjoy fresh air and learning, there is a new open-air classroom on Snow Hill. It’s probably not the place for outdoor learning in winter, but come spring and summer it will be wonderful. By the time that the project is complete, at the end of March 2015, there should be two more outdoor classrooms available for schools, educational groups etc. The network of paths is also being refreshed, including a new path to the big pond. The principle is to make the park as accessible as reasonably possible, given its topography and geology. The twisted ancient Hornbeam - a familiar feature of the park 17 Friends of Belstead Brook Park

Website: www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/fobbp E-mail: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/fobbp Friends of Belstead Brook Park (FoBBP) was set up in 2002 to help look after the 250 acres of informal country park on the south-western fringe of Ipswich. The group runs practical work parties, helps raise funds for improvements and acts as ‘eyes and ears’, passing information back to the Greenways Project.

In August the Friends along with the Greenways Project, emerging for a few short months between May and August to Ipswich Wildlife Group and RSPB set up their gazebos, piles find a mate, lay eggs and then die. They are truly awesome of wood and tools on Ellenbrook Meadow. The idea was to beasts when you see them flying and rather odd looking larvae encourage local people to make a bird or bat box, hedgehog if you happen to unfortunately disturb them amongst dead house or bug hotel. The completed wildlife homes were then wood. Please put them back carefully. identified on a map with a sticky dot and taken home and put up in the proud owner’s garden. It is hoped that by putting up Smart new sign installed artificial homes, more wild animals will be encouraged to move During September’s work party the Friends erected a new sign into the area. post near the sewage treatment works entrance in Bobbits Lane and cleared the luxuriant nettle growth from around the footpath that runs alongside the Belstead Brook towards Bourne Park. We also cleared all the litter in that area to leave it nice and tidy.

Enthusiastic habitat box building from pre-cut and drilled kits produced by Martin Cant and Peter Locke of IWG.

Creating wildlife corridors Urban gardens can act as great wildlife corridors to join up residential areas with some of the existing Local Nature Reserves like Spring Wood and Bourne Park Reedbeds. In the future the map may by digitised for the whole of Ipswich to show where people have made and installed homes for wildlife. This is the first area in Ipswich to be trialled and the local families who came along to the event were all very enthusiastic with hammers and nails.

Several of the Friends helped with making the wildlife homes and others created a stag beetle log pile on the edge of the meadow. Stag beetles are strange beasties, they spend most of their life (5 – 7 years) eating dead wood underground,

Another smart new sign installed at Bobbits Lane.

Clearing up In October the Friends worked in the meadow area between Bobbits Lane car park and Millennium Wood collecting together all the cut grass into donut shaped heaps to create good wildlife habitats for insects, snakes and hedgehogs. We cut the grass in this area every year in order to starve the ground of nutrients thereby restoring it back to its natural state to encourage a more diverse range of plant growth rather than just nettles.

If you can spare three hours on the second Saturday of the month, we’d love to see you. You wear old clothes and stout boots, we bring hot drinks and biscuits – good exercise, great company and the pleasure of knowing you’ve helped the Adrian, Dave and Fred incorporating David into the stag beetle log pile! environment – what’s not to love? 18 Secretary Phil Whittaker, Oak Barn, Pipps Ford, Needham Market Ipswich IP6 8LJ [email protected] Membership Secretary Matthew Deans, 49c, Hollesley, IP12 3JY www.sogonline.org.uk Twitter: suffolkbirds1 SOG is the Group for people interested in the birds of Suffolk, and provides a network and a voice for birdwatchers in the county. Pipps Ford: Backwater Birdwatching in the Gipping Valley

The Pipps Ford area of the Gipping Valley is a great place to visit for a bird watch. Only about 6 miles up-stream from Ipswich the area provides a good variety of habitat, especially considering its location with borders to the north; the A14 and to the south the B 113 road and the main London to Norwich railway line. Here you will find on-going gravel workings which are complemented by two completed and restored gravel pits. To the north lies Shrubland Estate with its extensive woodland and to the south the ancient woodlands of Priestley, Swingens and Bonny Woods.

Through the centre runs the meandering, mostly sedate River Gipping. There are a few habitations and gardens and plenty of good mixed hedgerows, flood meadow and newer plantations Common Buzzard of willow, poplar and other native trees and shrubs. Older oaks, ash and alders line the stretches of river. Lapwing and Oystercatcher appear seasonally on the gravel pits and even on the riverside. Green Sandpipers are perhaps Winter is a time for thrushes Fieldfare, Redwing and migrant the iconic Pipps Ford bird; ever present and a bit of a mystery Song Thrushes and Blackbirds; there can be sizeable influxes as they are recorded every month of the year; leaving one to here. Little Egrets also move into the area in quite significant wonder where they actually breed and how they actually have numbers and roost around the older gravel workings and time to breed at all! even Bitterns have been seen during harsh weather. Wildfowl numbers build from September with good numbers of Wigeon, Wheatear always drop in late April and early June, en-route to Teal and Gadwall and often a few Shoveller. Snipe including their breeding regions and often staying to feed up. Two sites Jack Snipe and Woodcock often appear. are favoured by Nightingale and despite the national declines six singing males have been noted. Another species in severe decline, the Turtle Dove also still appears though 20 years ago post-breeding flocks of up to 30 birds were seen! These days it’s usually only one or two!

In autumn almost anything can pass through; Black Redstart, Whinchat and Stonechat have been recorded. There are excellent vantage points where regular raptor watches have produced Buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby, Sparrowhawk and Peregrine Falcon. Red Kite is now being seen each year and birds of prey have included; Osprey (2 sightings 2014), Hen and Marsh Harrier, Honey and a Rough-legged Buzzard have all passed over. Even a White Stork was seen a couple of years ago. This bird circled then headed east and actually ended up at Minsmere RSPB three hours later! In summer the Hobby is a daily sighting usually over local woodland and frequently venturing into the river valley and pits in search of dragonflies. Common Whitethroat at Pipps Ford Barn Owl which has been absent for a few years has made It is a good site for warblers in spring, with first Chiffchaff, then a comeback recently with two individuals in the area during Blackcap, Willow, Sedge and Reed Warbler. Garden Warbler 2014. The area is also rich in damsel and dragonfly, butterflies, can be quite common here and Common Whitethroat prolific mammals and wildflowers. Phase one of the newest gravel pit with up to nineteen singing males recorded in recent years restoration is now almost complete. Hopefully, the area will in little over a square mile. Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted eventually be managed by Suffolk Wildlife Trust; which was the Flycatcher are other summer breeders and usually one or two intention of the original gravel extraction planning application. pairs breed. Some stretches of the river have good reed bed stands and these provide good nesting habitat for Reed and It’s one of those seldom visited places always offering great Sedge Warblers. Water Rail are elusive but always present interest! OS Ref: TM 108538. Access from: Needham Market in the riverside tangles of weed and reed and their pig like which is served by bus and rail from Ipswich, with access to squeals and screeches are always amusing to hear. Grey the river: east along the footpath from Needham Lake, where Wagtails breed in small numbers along the river. there are good car parking facilities. Pipps Ford can be directly accessed by footpath from near Gallows Hill on the B1113 Waders such as; Lapwings, Redshank, Greenshank, Ruff, where there is a layby for parking. Please keep to public Dunlin, Little Ringed Plovers, Common and Green Sandpipers, footpaths. 19 Ipswich Local Group

Membership Secretary: c/o 19, Marlborough Road, Ipswich, IP4 5AT Email: [email protected] www.rspb.org.uk/groups/Ipswich Ipswich RSPB Local Group is for everyone interested in birds and other wildlife in the Ipswich area and beyond. Come along to our indoor talks, held monthly between September to April at Sidegate Primary School, or (throughout the year), get out and experience nature first hand on one of our regular field meetings, visiting some of the best spots for wildlife in the area. Three times a year the ‘Orwell Observer’, keeps readers abreast of the latest developments at nearby RSPB Reserves as well as news of Group activities, along with members’ photographs and accounts of birding exploits from home and abroad. Membership costs £3 per year (£1 for Juniors). For more information see the Events Diary in this magazine, visit our website or write as per details above. Simon the Slippery Slug

As Simon Barnes commented in a recent article in British Speaking of nice fluffy animals, you may very well of late, have Wildlife magazine, “wildlife conservation is one of the most come across an indigenous red squirrel going by the name of peculiar things in modern political life: everybody is in favour of Bob! it and yet it scarcely exists on the political agenda. Most people who vote want to live in a green and pleasant land and all As politicians and the media attempt to ramp up their vote politicians will agree with them. But it is rare to find a politician winning arguments as we hurtle towards the 7th May general who believes that looking after the place in which we live is election, Bob is asking us to vote for him too! While you may important in any meaningful terms – i.e. career advancement question how voting for Bob the cute fluffy red squirrel will and political advantage. Most politicians shy away from wildlife help, you should remember that a vote for Bob is also a vote conservation in case it makes them look trivial”. for Brenda the buff-tailed bumblebee, Horace the hen harrier, Clara the cowslip and Simon the slippery slug! Likewise, I can’t help but notice how the media frequently deals with wildlife news stories such as the release of the State By getting as many people as possible to vote for Bob we of Nature Report in May last year, with its headline of a 60% will be helping to tell the politicians of all parties that wildlife decline across 3,148 UK species over the past 50 years, or this and the natural world does matter to lots of people and that November, when new research showed that Europe has 421 furthermore there are votes in it! We want wildlife brought million fewer birds than it had three decades earlier. Too often, into the political mainstream, not merely left to languish as a as on Radio 4s Today programme these items are reported nice fluffy (sorry Bob), peripheral topic not worthy of serious which is good, but then it’s straight onto the next item! There’s no further comment or analysis and no government ministers #VOTEFORBOB are brought in to be asked how this is acceptable, or what should, or could be done about it - in stark contrast to the routine more rigorous treatment that most other political and economic stories would receive!

But as we rush towards a likely 11 billion homo sapiens on the planet by the end of the century, with habitats under pressure as never before, with anthropogenic climate change, and as we teeter on the brink of the 6th mass extinction event, now is surely the time, for all of us who care about nature to find a political voice.

The other really key point that I feel needs to be better communicated, is in relation to the entirely artificial dichotomy that looks to separate human life, society and civilisation from that of the wild natural world. When in reality, we are of course an integral part of nature, having evolved from it and with in the final analysis all of our civilization and economies being entirely dependent upon it! Not to mention the wealth of evidence that demonstrates the huge health benefits and wellbeing, that access to green spaces, birdsong and fresh air YOUR COUNTRYSIDE NEEDS brings to us.

It is heartening to see that wildlife issues do register with very many people. A YouGov poll earlier this year showed the environmental issue of most concern to the great British public is the decline of bees. Indeed, it’s not hard to grasp that the loss of our pollinators is a very powerful indicator that things in the natural world are far from healthy. Not to mention the reliance we have on pollinating insects for so many of our essential foods. YOUvoteforbob.co.uk text ‘BOB’ to 83310* As Gerald Durrell memorably said “People think what I’m *You will be charged per message at your standard network rate. Only over 18s are eligible to text vote. trying to do is save nice fluffy animals. What I’m actually trying Photograph © Steward Ellett Photography to do is stop the human race from committing suicide”. 20 Ipswich Local Group

consideration. And we want them to tell us, just what they plan to do about safeguarding it.

Consequently, Bob also wants you to write to your MP both to get them to Vote for Bob and to commit to getting wildlife and nature placed firmly in their party political manifestos. At the time of writing 50 MPs have signed up in support, but so far neither of our local MPs have!

Bob maybe fluffy and cute and the campaign might be denigrated by some, as being equally fluffy and as anodyne as motherhood and apple pie, but underneath is a very serious attempt to bring a real paradigm shift to the national political debate. So please do add your voice, vote for Bob the squirrel and write to Ben and Therese the MP’s and ask them to add theirs too!

Thank You. Bob taking a rest during filming Chris Courtney

Local Wildlife News Snippets

Winter Bittern Daytime hedgehog In the late Autumn, my wife and I watched this young hedgehog foraging in the daytime in our garden over a couple of days.

As hedgehogs about in daytime can indicate they are unwell, we took him to the RSPCA at Martlesham who took him in and will feed him up over the winter then reintroduce him back into the wild next year.

It was only a chance remark by my wife to a friend did we learn that hedgehogs in daytime mean all is not well!

A visit to RSPB Minsmere with my wife in early November was rewarded by prolonged views of a bittern feeding just in front of Bittern Hide. (Isn’t it marvellous how they know where they are supposed to be!)

Needless to say the views were captured in around 50+ photos. It says much about their wonderful camouflage that despite being quite obvious to some in the hide, others had great difficulty initially locating it amongst the reed fringes.

It seems that autumn and winter are often the best times of the year to see bittern as they appear more mobile, frequently taking flight in search of food.

Although that day we saw little else of note, it was another worthwhile Minsmere trip - it never disappoints.

Dave Ratcliffe

21 DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE REGULAR EVENTS ON PAGE 24 Events Diary

Saturday 3rd January 10am - 3pm Butterfly Conservation Purdis Heath WORK PARTY Come and help improve the heath to benefit butterflies, other wildlife and people alike. Tools, tea and coffee provided. Bring lunch if staying all day or come and go as you wish. Email [email protected] for more information.

Thursday 8th January 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Norfolk Cranes Story’ An illustrated talk by Chris Durdin, Author and Tour Guide. Sponsored by Bypass Nurseries, Capel St Mary. Hosted by the RSPB local group at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2 non-members £3. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Sunday 11th January 10am RSPB FIELD MEETING Manningtree and Mistley for winter birds on the River Stour. Meet at Manningtree Maltings on B1352. TM109319. 2 - 3 hours, 2 miles. Leader Stephen Marginson, Tel 01473 258791

Tuesday 13th January 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Holywells Park (including Conservation Area). Meet at the Stable Block off Cliff Lane. TM176432 2 hours. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839

Saturday 17th January 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE EXPLORERS Met at the Education Area. Booking essential, please Email [email protected]

Saturday 17th January 10am - 12 noon Portal WoodlandsJan Conservation Group WORK PARTY Meet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 Email [email protected]

Saturday 17th January 11am - 2pm Friends of Holywells Park COLD FAIR & WASSAILING For details contact Robin Gape 07711 793804, [email protected]

Saturday 24th January 10am - 3.30pm PURDIS HEATH MEGABASH Come along and join volunteers from Greenways Project, Butterfly Conservation, Ipswich Wildlife Group and local residents for the annual work party at this valuable wildlife site. Help with scrub clearing and building habitat piles and enjoy baked potatoes from the bonfire. Meet on site, parking in Bucklesham Road lay-by and Ipswich Golf Club overflow car park. More details from Greenways 01473 433995 or 07736 826076 on the day.

Saturday 24th January 10.30am - 2.30pm RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH Reg Driver Vistor Centre, Christchurch Park and observation posts at Wilderness Pond and at Mabel the tawny owl’s oak tree. Bird Walk and a count around the park at mid-day. Family event with wildlife information, sales stall and children’s activities. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213

Thursday 29th January 7.30pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group INDOOR MEETING ‘Mammoths to Mice’: an update on Suffolk’s Mammals by Simone Bullion. Holiday Inn, London Road Ipswich. SOG Indoor events are open to all, including non-members so pop along you will be made most welcome and enjoy an interesting and informative experience. Admission £2. Details from Phil Whittaker, [email protected] More talks to be announced please see www.sogonline.org.uk

Thursday 5th February 7.30pm Friends of Belstead Brook Park AGM/OPEN MEETING AGM/Open Meeting in Pinewood Community Hall to enable members to meet the committee, hear what we have done, future plans and discuss issues. We also plan to have presentations on the Park and its wildlife. Agenda of the meeting will be circulated to members. Non-members who are interested in the Park will be welcome. For further information email [email protected]

Saturday 7th February 9.30am RSPB FIELD MEETING Melton and River Deben for winter waders and wildfowl. Meet at Riverside car park Melton on A1152. TM288503. 2 - 3 hours. 2 - 3 miles. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel 01473 258791

Saturday 7th February 10am - 3pm Butterfly Conservation Purdis Heath WORK PARTY Come and help improve the heath to benefit butterflies, other wildlife and people alike. Tools, tea and coffee provided. Bring lunch if staying all day or come and go as you wish. Email [email protected] for more information.

Thursday 12th February 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Farming with Wildlife in Mind’, An illustrated talk by Patrick Barker, Farmer of the Year Award winner. Sponsored by Collins Waste Solutions. Hosted by the RSPB local group at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2 non-members £3. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213. Sunday 15th February 10am - 12 noon Portal WoodlandsFeb Conservation Group WORK PARTY Meet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 Email [email protected]

Tuesday 17th February 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Chantry Park. Meet at car park near toilet block (Hadleigh Road). TM138443 2 hours. Leader Kathy Reynolds, Tel 01473 714839

Saturday 21st February 10am - 3.30pm MARTLESHAM HEATH MEGABASH Join Martlesham Conservation Group, Greenways Project and other volunteers for the annual work party at this Site of Special Scientific Interest. Scrub clearing helps increase the areas of heather habitat for the Silver-studded Blue butterfly and other heathland species. Meet on site, entrance opposite the windsock on Eagle Way (parking near Douglas Bader pub). More details from Greenways 01473 433995 or 07736 826076 on the day.

Thursday 12th March 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Birds of Morocco, Coast, Mountains and Desert’, An illustrated talk by David Walsh, Suffolk Birder and Tour Leader. Hosted by the RSPB local group at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2 non-membersMar £3. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

22 DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE REGULAR EVENTS ON PAGE 24

Saturday 14th March RSPB FIELD MEETING A Felixstowe birding day for late winter and spring birds. Meet at 8.30am at Landguard Point car park.TM283320. 2 miles. Meet at 10.30am at Golf Road for Cobbolds Point. TM317355. 2 miles and/or at 12.30pm at Felixstowe Ferry.TM327376. 4 miles. Join us for all or part of the day. Leader Stephen Marginson, Tel 01473 714839

Tuesday 17th March 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Bourne Bridge area and park. Meet at Bourne Park car park (Bourne Bridge entrance). TM161419 2 hours. Leader Kathy Reynolds, Tel 01473 714839 Saturday 21st March 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands ConservationMar Group NATURE EXPLORERS Meet at the Education Area. Booking essential, please Email [email protected]

Saturday 21st March 10am - 12 noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK PARTY Meet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 Email [email protected]

Sunday 5th April 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE WATCH CLUB Meet at the Martlesham Heath Control Tower. Booking essential, please email [email protected]

Tuesday 14th April 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Bridge Wood. Meet at Orwell Country Park car park. TM188408 2 hours. Leader Kathy Reynolds, Tel 01473 714839

Thursday 16th April 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING (Note 3rd Thurs) AGM plus ‘Wildlife Gardening’, an illustrated talk by Shirley Boyle, RSPB Stour Valley and Flatford Warden. Sponsored by Fynn Valley Golf Club. Hosted by the RSPB local group at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2 non-members £3. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Sunday 19th April 10am - 12 noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK PARTY Meet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632Apr Email [email protected] Saturday 25th April 9am RSPB FIELD MEETING Bourne Park Reedbeds, Spring Wood and Kiln Meadow for spring birds. Meet at Bourne Park car park, Stoke Park Drive. TM152419. 3 - 4 hours. 5 miles. Leader Stephen Marginson, Tel 01473 714839

Sunday 26th April 11am - 3pm Ipswich Wildlife Group BEANPOLE DAY In association with National Beanpole Week, buy beanpoles and peasticks produced from coppicing in Spring Wood, park at Bobbits Lane IP9 2BE. For further details 01473 726082 or see www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/iwg

Thursday 30th April 7.30pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group INDOOR MEETING ‘RSPB Conservation Updates (1): Turtle Dove & Little Tern’, by Sam & Jesse Timberlake (RSPB). Holiday Inn, London Road, Ipswich. SOG Indoor events are open to all, including non-members so pop along you will be made most welcome and enjoy an interesting and informative experience. Admission £2. Details from Phil Whittaker, [email protected] More talks to be announced please see www.sogonline.org.uk

Monday 4th May Bank Holiday 11am - 4pm SPRING WOOD CELEBRATION DAY Join the Greenways Project, Ipswich Wildlife Group, Friends of Belstead Brook Park and many others for a celebration of this wonderful area of Local Nature Reserve. Guided walks, woodland crafts, family activities, demonstrations, music, food and much more. Parking at Bourne Park off Stoke Park Drive with free minibus to the event on Kiln Meadow. More information from 01473 433995 or 07736 826076 on the day and at Ipswich Wildlife Group on Facebook.

Saturday 9th May 2pm - 4pm Friends of Holywells Park BLOSSOMMay IN THE ORCHARD WITH SCARECROWS For details contact Robin Gape 07711 793804, [email protected]

Ipswich Wildlife Group Beanpole Day - Sunday April 26

2323 Regular Events

TUESDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTY The Project’s largest weekly work party – carrying out a wide range of practical tasks across the 50 or so sites that we manage. For all Greenways work parties, volunteers need to be registered via a short informal induction prior to joining us – please contact us for further details. Work party runs from 10.00am to about 4.00pm. Contact [email protected] or call 01473 433995.

THURSDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTY A smaller group than on Tuesday, but operates in the same way – please see details above.

FRIDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTY Another opportunity to work on the 50 or so sites managed by the Project – please see the details above for Tuesdays and Thursdays.

MOST SATURDAYS 10.30am - 1pm IWG Northgate Allotments WOODCRAFT & WILDLIFE Get involved in coppicing and woodland skills at the Wildlife area. Call Geoff Sinclair to confirm dates 01473 327720

SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH 8pm ‘Green Drinks’ Dove Inn, Ipswich DRINKS AND CHAT Join us at the Dove Inn for a drink, a chat and a bit of networking with other environmentally-minded people. Look out for the ‘Green Drinks’ sign on the table. All welcome. Details from Steve Pritchard on 07724 004272

THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH 10.30am - 1pm SPRING WOOD WORK PARTY Join Ipswich Wildlife Group and Friends of Belstead Brook Park for a morning of work in the wood. Meet at the stepped entrance to the wood in Bobbits Lane. Details from Gerry Donlon 01473 726082

WEDNESDAYS 10am Friends of Holywells Park HOLYWELLS PARK WORK PARTY Besides doing positive work as part of a small team of volunteers your time will be matched by cash from the Lottery enabling further work in the Park. Meet at the Stable Block located down the driveway from Cliff Lane. Contact Martin Cant for details 07858 436003

FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH 10am - 1pm Ipswich Wildlife Group RIVER WORK PARTY A joint work party with the River Action Group along Alderman Canal and the River Gipping, maintaining footpaths and making these splendid waterways areas to be proud of. Meet at Bibb Way alongside Alderman Road recreation ground. More information from Ray Sidaway 01473 259104.

SECOND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH 10am - 1pm Friends of Belstead Brook Park CONSERVATION WORK PARTY Come and join us for a morning working in the fresh air. For further details visit our website: www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/fobbp or email [email protected]

Heathland Megabashes - Purdis Heath Saturday January 25, Martlesham Heath Saturday February 21 24