Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19
September 2018-August 2019
Wild Day Out – exploring the new sculpture trail © Tracy Standish
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
Acknowledgements
The Blashford Project is a partnership between Bournemouth Water, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and Wessex Water
During the period of 2018-2019 we are also very grateful to New Forest District Council for a grant towards the day to day running costs of managing the Centre and Nature Reserve, New Forest LEADER for their grant towards improving the visitor experience at Blashford Lakes (in particular the installation of wildlife camera’s for viewing by the public and the visitor improvements to the environs inside and immediately around the Centre) and to Veolia Environmental Trust, with money from the Landfill Communities Fund, for the creation of a new wildlife pond, the construction of a new hide and a volunteer manned visitor information hub and improvements to site interpretation and signage. The Trust would also like to acknowledge and thank the many members and other supporters who gave so genererously to our appeal for match funding. Thank you also to the Cameron Bespolka Trust for their generous funding and continued support of our Young Naturalist group.
Publication Details
How to cite report: No part of this document may be reproduced without permission. This document should be cited as: author, date, publisher etc. For information on how to obtain further copies of this document Disclaimers: and accompanying data please contact Hampshire & Isle of Wight All recommendations given by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Wildlife Trust: [email protected] Trust (HIWWT) are done so in good faith and every effort is made to ensure that they are accurate and appropriate however it is the Front cover: sole responsibility of the landowner to ensure that any actions they Wild Day Out – exploring the new sculpture trail © Tracy Standish take are both legally and contractually compliant. Therefore, Published by: HIWWT does not accept responsibility or liability for any losses Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust incurred or arising from recommendations that we give. Beechcroft House Copyright information: Vicarage Lane Maps reproduced by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Curdridge (Ordnance Survey licence no. 100015632) with the permission of Hampshire Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Crown Copyright 2014. SO32 2DP Unauthorised reproduction infringes Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. A company limited by guarantee & registered in England and Wales No. 676313. Registered Charity No. 201081.
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ...... 1 7.3 Conservation work – target habitats ...... 21 1.1 Summary of highlights 2017/18:...... 2 8. WATER BIRD SPECIES MONITORING ...... 23 1.2 Summary of highlights 2016/17: Wildlife ...... 3 9. BREEDING BIRDS ...... 28 2. EDUCATION OVERVIEW...... 4 10. OTHER RECORDING ...... 30 2.1 Formal education program ...... 5 11. APPENDICES ...... 32 2.2 Informal education program ...... 6 APPENDIX A: Annual visit data used to produce tables in the report; 2008- 2019 ...... 32 3. VISITORS ...... 10 APPENDIX B: Breakdown of visits across the financial year; 1/04/18- 4. ACCESS FOR ALL ...... 12 31/03/19 ...... 33 5. VOLUNTEERS ...... 13 APPENDIX C: Young Naturalists reports ...... 34 5.1 Education volunteers ...... 13 APPENDIX D: Waterfowl total counts for September 2018- March 2019 . 36 5.2 Conservation volunteers ...... 14 APPENDIX E: Butterfly transect summaries ...... 38 5.3 Wildlife survey volunteers ...... 14 APPENDIX F:Reptile transect summaries ...... 40 6. ACCESS AND INTERPRETATION ...... 15
7.1 Survey work ...... 20 7.2 Wildlife conservation success ...... 21
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19 instrumental to its early success, withdrew from the Partnership during this period and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust takes this opportunity 1. INTRODUCTION to acknowledge and recognise their substantial contribution to the Project over nearly 25 years.
Blashford Lakes is an area of land in the Avon Valley to the north of The project currently employs 3 full-time members of staff, supported by an Ringwood, Hampshire, incorporating a series of lakes formed by sand and invaluable, enthusiastic and growing team of volunteers. gravel extraction over the last sixty years. The Blashford Lakes Nature
Reserve encompasses approximately 360 acres of this wider area, In addition, education activity on site is supported by three Outdoor including Ibsley Water, Ellingham Lake, Ivy Lake, Blashford Lake and the Learning Tutors employed on a sessional basis. land surrounding them. There are a wide variety of habitats (lake, pond, river, ancient woodland and secondary woodland, grassland and reedbed). Not withstanding extraordinary circumstances, the nature reserve is open As a result its wildlife is very diverse and it is an attractive destination for daily, from 9am-4.30pm, 364 days of the year. visitors throughout the year.
For more information and links to the reserve blog and events programme The Blashford Lakes are important nature conservation habitats, recognised by national and international designations (SSSI, SPA and see:
SAC) for migratory over-wintering wildfowl. Most activity by the Blashford www.hiwwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/blashford-lakes-nature-reserve Project occurs on and around Ibsley Water and Ivy Lake - the lakes and www.hiwwt.org.uk/education-centres/blashford-lakes-education-centre adjoining tracts of land provide a significant recreational resource for local residents, with an extensive educational role provided through the Blashford Lakes Centre. This was opened in 1996 by Professor David Bellamy and general public access to the nature reserve has been permitted and promoted since 2006. During that time the permissive footpath network has been extended to 8km of rolled gravel footpaths and the reserve also boasts 10 bird watching hides and screens. Ease of accessibility has been considered throughout the reserves development and as a result the reserve is visited and enjoyed by people of all ages and physical abilities.
During this period the Project has benefitted significantly from an extensive programme of visitor improvements with funding from New Forest LEADER, Veolia Environmental Trust, with money from the Landfill Communities Fund and generous public donations.
The nature reserve is managed as the Blashford Project by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust in partnership with the landowners of the site Bournemouth Water and Wessex Water. Partner representatives meet regularly throughout the year to discuss and agree project work. The New Forest District Council, one of the founder partners of the Project who were Blashford Lakes © Keith Betton 1
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 1.1 Summary of highlights 2018/19: Education
• 4520 - the number of children and adults engaged in Wildlife Trust staff and volunteer led guided activities during the report period.
• 3224 - the number of people our Welcome Volunteers have engaged in conversation and provided assistance to since the inaugural weekend of this new volunteer role at the end of March 2019. Both the Welcome Volunteers and the new “Welcome Hut”, information hub, have proven to be a real asset to the Project, well received by both our visitors and the volunteers themselves.
• 2101 - the number of hours given by volunteers in support of our education and engagement activities at Blashford Lakes in this period.
• 16 - the number of “Wild Days Out” school holiday wildlife activity days held during this period.
• 22 - the number of young people attending “Young Naturalists” monthly meetings, which this year included an overnight stay at Blashford Lakes and a weekend residential visit to the Isle of Purbeck.
• 13 - the number of sculptures installed on the new “Wild Walk”, comprising four chainsaw sculptures and nine woven willow sculptures. Six of the willow sculptures (three wasps and three dragonflies) were created by our Young Naturalist group and by a group of Home Educated young people with the support of a professional artist
• 10 - the number of teams, representing 7 groups, who participated in the 2019 Bird Trail team wildlife watching competition organised by the Wildlife Trust in partnership with the Hampshire Ornithological Society.
Young Naturalists working on one of the new sculptures © Tracy Standish
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 1.2 Summary of highlights 2018/19: Wildlife • Once again sightings of otter have been occasional, with Ivy Silt Pond remaining a favourite location. • A white-tailed eagle was seen on a few occasions in December 2018, spending time of one of the islands on Ibsley Water on one • The distinctive grey-backed mining bee Andrena vaga first found in occasion. This bird was spending most of the time nearby in the 2017 was seen again and the colony had grown in size. A visit by New Forest and was probably form the Scandinavian population. leading bee specialist George Else also revealed additional notable species using the same nesting bank. • “Walter” the great white egret returned for the winter once again, he has been with us every year since August 2003, making him • A yellow-browed warbler spent around a month near Ivy South Hide Europe’s oldest great white egret and now closing in on the oldest during January 2019. This small warbler breeds in Siberia and known worldwide. usually winters in South-east Asia. However it has been turning up in ever increasing numbers in autumn in recent years and can now • A bittern was regularly seen, and at times very well, by lots of be regarded as a scarce migrant at this time in Western Europe. On visitors in the late winter period. the back of this increase small numbers have been found wintering in recent years.
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White-tailed eagle with crows on Ibsley Water © Bob Chapman
Bittern at Ivy North Hide © Bob Chapman 3
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 2. EDUCATION OVERVIEW
This reporting period saw education and engagement with over 4,000 activity participants this year. The fall in overall participation from last year 6000 is in part attributed to several periods of time throughout the peak summer term during which we did not accept bookings in order to accommodate the 5000 construction and development works on site and/or in the centre, and in part due to a reduction in events, including Reserves Officer led guided 4000 walks – the additional workload associated with overseeing contractors and preparing the site for the project work restricting our capacity to promote 3000 and deliver engagement activities in the late Winter and early Spring. 2000
A third contributing factor to the decrease in engagement was a reduction 1000 in staff capacity; following the completion of the “Natural Wellbeing” Inclusion Recovery funded project in October 2018, the Assistant Education 0 Officer dropped from 5 days to 4 days per week for the period of March – June 2019 which limited the size of the groups that we were able to accommodate on one day a week during that time. The number of public events held was also significantly reduced by the cessation of the “Natural Wellbeing” weekly sessions in October also.
Austerity continues to impact on how and when schools visit us. Despite the various factors listed above that limited the number of individuals engaged with over the course of this period, although we did not have as 2500 many day visits from schools this year as we have done in the previous 5 years, the number of children that we worked with actually rose. With
school budgets being managed as tightly as they are we are finding that the 2000 size of groups is increasing: schools that historically would have come a class at a time over several days are now bringing two or three classes on
the same day thus reducing their transport costs, but unfortunately reducing 1500 the quality of the experience for the children due to the greater number of children involved in any one activity at any one time.
Another impact of austerity continues to be that of when schools come – 1000 with a focus very much on the summer term and fewer Autumn bookings participantsofNumber compared to the number we had in September, October and November before the recession. 500
0 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 Formal education participants Informal education participants4 Public event participants Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19
2.1 Formal education program
Formal + Children and Young People Adult Education Adult Education Total Number Total Number Adults in Pre- Tertiary (excluding Infant Junior Secondary of Adults (including of groups attendance school Ed attending groups attending adults) adults) Number of 46 348 0 679 652 208 98 1637 17 130 2115 participants
As discussed in the overview on the previous page, although this year has seen a slight fall in the number of school visits from 50 to 46, in part due to a continued suppression in Autumn bookings and in part due to planned closures to facilitate the Centre and site development works this summer, the number of individual children engaged with has actually increased significantly, with the total number of Primary School aged children increasing by more than a 1/3 of last years total.
The nature reserves fantastic variety of habitats, all easily accessible and within a short walk of the centre and each other, coupled with its well equipped classroom, all important handwashing/toilet facilities and experienced staff and volunteers, continue to be extremely appealing to local schools and colleges of all ages and abilities.
Although a range of outdoor learning opportunities are offered at Blashford Lakes, from natural art to basic bushcraft, it is still those science and geography based activities around habitats, field work and river study which continue to be those most frequently requested and delivered, as the graph opposite clearly illustrates.
“I just wanted to personally thank you and your colleagues and say how impressed I and my colleagues were with your expertise and leadership. Thank you again for the excellent trip - I will be recommending the centre to friends and colleagues - and will hopefully see you again in the future!” Class teacher, Burley Primary School
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19 Although the number of adult community and/or special interest groups 2.2 Informal education program has remained consistent at a little under 300 individuals, this reporting period has seen a small decrease in the number of groups of children and 2.2.1 Youth organisations/community group visits young people visiting with their group. It is a relatively small decrease, and the 413 individuals we did work with is broadly comparable with the average of 500 over the last 10 years and, as indicated elsewhere in the Number Total 5 to 12 to report, this small decrease is not unexpected given the planned closures of < 5's Adult number of 11's 25's for development works over the summer and a reduction in Assistant groups participants Education Officer hours over the summer term. 30 21 339 53 285 698 What we have delivered however continues to be done to a high standard and includes innovative projects such as the “Bird Trail” event for groups of children and young people organised in partnership with Hampshire Ornithological Society, held in May, which saw 10 teams joining us from a range of organisations, including both uniformed groups and children’s natural history groups.
A day long event incorporating HOS led bird watching and identification, a bird ringing demonstration by British Trust for Ornithology volunteers (and Blashford bird ringers) Kevin Sayer and Brenda Cook, a birds of prey display by Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre, a ground nesting bird awareness raising activity with the New Forest National Park Authority and pond dipping, river dipping, owl pellet dissection and moth identification with Wildlife Trust staff and volunteers.
We are very grateful to Birds of Poole Harbour, In-Focus Optics, the Cameron Bespolka Trust, Hampshire Swifts and New Forest Bird Food for donating some fantastic prizes.
The closing ceremony & award giving at another successful Bird Trail event 6 © HIWWT Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 We continue to maintain a close working relationship with the New Forest 2.2.2 Wild Days Out National Park Authority and have remained a key partner with their project which seeks to engage more young adults in conservation and
environmental education activities and specifically with the Salisbury 5 to 8's 7 to 12's Total based Princes Trust programme and we continue to organise events and Number of events held 8 8 16 meetings throughout the year for our local home educated families. Number of participants 121 97 218
A small, but an important part of our repeat engagement activity, continues to be our delivery of “Wild Birthday Parties”– outdoor activities (from a choice of den building, pond dipping, river dipping, “mini-beasting” or camp fire cooking).
Willow weaving with our home educated group – the Our programme of “Wild Days Out” school holiday activity days continue resulting wasp sculptures are to be held in very high esteem by local families and the Autumn and now suspended from trees Spring sessions in particular were very well supported. Unfortunately our out on the nature reserve as bookings for Easter and Summer were adversely affected by a delay in part of the “wild walk” advertising and the opening of bookings due to a change over to a new circular trail. © Tracy online booking application and the increase in workload that resulted from Standish the site developments at that time. 7
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 Despite this we continue to attract new families and although Wild Days 2.2.3 Public events and guided walks Out are a relatively small part of our education work at Blashford Lakes, they are instrumental to our securing repeat engagement with children, many of whom will participate in the activity days throughout the year from Number of Children and Adults Totals the age of 5 through to the age of 12 or 13. events Young People
Activities have included new ones as well as firm favourites and help 99 953 536 1489 ensure that our participants continue to return to us. This years varied activity offer included wood crafts, pewter smelting, a “campfire bake-off”, bio-blitz, giant catapult construction combined with a “ballista battle” another river snorkel and coracle “sailing”!
Thank you for a great day at Blashford Lakes. My favourite bits were the walk and the pond dipping (which included naming Maverick the newt). I’m looking forward to visiting again soon.
Thank you so much he's had such a great day!
Archie (Wild Days Out participant) and Sarah (parent), Wimborne.
Education staff and volunteers have provided a varied programme of public events, walks and activities throughout the year, suitable for adults and families of all ages.
The fall in numbers engaged with overall during this period can largely be attributed to a lack of capacity on behalf of the Reserves Officer to lead guided walks and to the fact that a large number of older Wildlife Tot pre- school aged children all “came of age” and left us for school at the same time. 8 Wild Days Out: wildlife, wild play, wild cooking – and wild (happy!) children © HIWWT
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 The volunteer led Health Walks have play and seasonal wildlife inspired activities. They are very popular and been the mainstay of our guided continue to be oversubscribed to throughout the year. walks programme for adults again this year. Meeting fortnightly and Funded by the Cameron Bespolka Trust our monthly meeting Young part of a national programme, one of Naturalist group for young people (aged 13-17 years) has also continued several organised within the New to grow and thrive. The attendees enjoy a combination of practical Forest area, the focus is on walking conservation tasks on the nature reserve alongside opportunities to learn for health rather than wildlife. The new skills in wildlife identification, survey work and bushcraft both at Blashford Lakes meeting however Blashford Lakes and at other locations including the Beaulieu River, does attract a different audience to Keyhaven Marshes and Brownsea Island. those that meet within local towns and villages and, led by our The group has also benefitted from two residential wildlife watching volunteer Nigel Owen, with support weekend stays, one at the Countryside Education Trust in Beaulieu and from a couple of other education one at The Brenscombe Outdoor Centre in Purbeck. For further volunteers, as it is, the Blashford information about their activities please see the six monthly reports to the walks always make the most of the Cameron Bespolka Trust attached to this document as appendices. site, including the bird and other wildlife interest encountered on Natural Wellbeing, a trial 18 month adult mental health programme of route. It is common for the number weekly outdoor meetings came to an end towards the beginning of this of participants to exceed 30 and not reporting period. Although of immense benefit to the handful of individuals unheard of for it to exceed 40 that joined us, attendance was always very low and, at times, sporadic. walkers at a meeting. However, building on the successful basic format of the Natural Wellbeing meetings and in response to several enquiries from our visitors, from April Volunteers have also continued to we have introduced a new programme to our public events offer. Entitled lead the fortnightly Buggy Walks for Dine and Discover…, and open to adults only, since April we have led a parents with babies and young monthly organised activity in combination with a camp fire meal. To date children as well as our Wildlife we have led themed sessions based on freshwater invertebrates, Watch group for junior members of woodland and meadow invertebrates, and one on stinging nettles (their the Wildlife Trusts. This latter is wildlife value, cordage making and, of course, eating!). With more gathering momentum following a bookings for September’s evening night wildlife themed meeting the transition period and turn over in events are steadily developing a following and are set therefore to leaders and is now going from continue on through the next reporting year at least. strength to strength. Other staff led walks and activities have included more traditional family Our staff led Wildlife Tots group has pond dipping, river dipping, bug hunting, wild play, storytelling and night continued to meet on the first walk events and activities. Monday of each month for a morning and afternoon session of parent (grandparent)/pre-schooler outdoor Our programme of public engagement 9 activities is varied and really does cater for all ages! © HIWWT Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 3. VISITORS Month Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug TOTAL Number of 1730 1855 1496 1940 3780 2425 2190 2535 2095 1620 1852 2525 26,043 Visitors
This period has seen record numbers of visitors to the nature reserve building construction! What factors fell into place at just the right time and consistently throughout the year culminating in the greatest number of in just the right way to bring about this significant increase in visitors is not general visitors not engaged in staff led activity ever recorded – and this at all clear but may in part at least be due to the following: despite the fact that for the first 5 months of 2019 visitors were faced with 1. A very successful and public funding appeal was launched in early what was not the inconsiderable disruption of hide, centre and car park autumn to raise the match funding required to secure the money to closures and several months of site restrictions due to groundworks and refurbish the reserve and centre. In addition to the obvious benefits of that
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 match funding being raised, local awareness of the site may have been For 10 years of my life, from pre-teenage years to adulthood, Blashford enhanced with an increase in visitors the result. Lakes has been a place I loved coming for having moment after moment 2. From our conversations with new visitors we know that the very striking of sensational wildlife encounters as I saw such things as birds and and attractive entrance signage certainly attracted new visitors to the mammals for the first time and again and again which would become my nature reserve after its installation in the summer – although this can not favourites. I believe that the woodland hide is the most intimate and explain the increase in visitors we saw before its installation. spectacular I know, Ibsley Water offers world class birdwatching and the 3. Another possibility is simply that we reached a tipping point in terms of whole reserve is teeming with wildlife and inspiration. Therefore I am visitors already familiar with the nature reserve recommending the site to thrilled to take this chance to help towards myself, the next generation friends and acquaintances who weren’t. Certainly we speak to a lot of and others as passionate as me or who will become as passionate enjoy new visitors who have been recommended a visit here by people they Blashford for many years to come.” have met whilst visiting other bird watching sites or nature reserves. Sent anonymously with a donation to the appeal, 09/11/2018 4. The weather must also be taken into consideration – with the exception of the “Beast from the East” in March the weather throughout this What a wonderful day out we had at Blashford Lakes yesterday. It really reporting period was generally reasonable or better than average. made our day to be approached by such a knowledgeable and 5. The final factor which may have contributed to such an unusually high enthusiastic man on our arrival at the centre at about 10:30am, who gave number of visitors is unusual or desirable wildlife, amongst these a yellow us brilliant advice and tips on what to look out for. He was happy to chat & browed warbler, regular, reliable kingfisher sightings and photographic he clearly enjoyed what he does. I’m sorry but we didn’t catch his name opportunities and, throughout late winter, an extremely extrovert bittern but can you pass on a huge thank you to your wonderful volunteers with a very un-bittern-like preference for parading about in the open as yesterday. We will definitely be back, we didn’t manage a sighting of the opposed to skulking around in the midst of the reeds as is more typical elusive kingfishers but we saw plenty of other wildlife. Many thanks. behaviour! Kerry Powell & Steve Gleeson, 27/07/2019
The majority of visitors continue to be birdwatchers and / or One of my favourite places to visit when we are in the area. So peaceful photographers but it does seem, anecdotally at least, that a growing and wonderfully maintained habitat for our wildlife. The staff and number of visitors, including families, come to simply enjoy a walk. In this volunteers are always so friendly and helpful. Long may it remain so respect the Veolia Environmental Trust and New Forest Leader funded natural and un-commercialised! access and interpretation developments implemented from January to Anonymous visitor feedback, 24/05/219 July 2019 and, in particular the new entrance signage, more welcoming and attractive Tern Hide and Centre environs with the Welcome Hut, We spent about 3 hours enjoying the beautiful lakes, hides and wildfowl. coupled with the winter opening “Pop Up Café” in the centre may all be We tiptoed around one of the Hides as there were guys with serious contributing to diversifying our audience. cameras and lenses who we didn't want to disturb. However one of them asked if we would like to see a ring-necked plover (sic), he handed over The reserve continues to attract regular seasonal/annual visits from his binoculars and guided us round the dabchicks (which we had thought natural history, bird watching, ornithological, RSPB, Wildlife Trust and were grebe chicks), the common terns and black headed gulls and many U3A groups from across the south including Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, other birds were brought to our attention.. His knowledge and happiness Somerset and Sussex in particular. to explain were infectious and we were bitten. It made an already lovely afternoon a memorable one. We left a contribution but wanted to write to By far the majority of our visitors really appreciate the nature reserve and say a big thank you to you all. the effort that goes into funding and managing it: Ash Woods and Paulette Johnstone Harrhy, 02/05/2019 11
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-19
4. ACCESS FOR ALL
Month Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug TOTAL
Number of "Tramper" mobility 6 5 0 1 5 6 4 8 2 8 5 5 55 scooter bookings
As may be expected given the increase in visitors overall, this period saw I just wanted to say how good it is to be able to borrow a Tramper to get a significant increase in the number of occasions which our two “Tramper” around Blashford Lakes. The paths are flat and easily accessible, so for all-terrain mobility scooters went out with disabled and/or less mobile anyone with limited mobility using the Tramper is brilliant. Looking forward visitors who continue to take advantage of their availability to enhance to visiting again sometime soon, thank you. their access to, and enjoyment of, the nature reserve. There were in fact Kelly McGuckian 04/01/2019. more than twice as many uses of them in this year compared with the last, with reasonably consistent use throughout the year which, as can be seen above, does not echo the seasonal peaks and troughs of visitor numbers overall.
The site continues to be used on a regular basis (all year round, but particularly in the summer) by both individuals with their own mobility scooters or wheelchairs, and by local special needs schools and day service providers.
Access improvements during this period include safer and easier access around the centre and centre car park, including a designated car park space for blue badge holders only and a number of wheelchair accessible picnic benches used by both visitors and visiting groups using them as workbenches during pond dipping activities.
The new Tern Hide with its impressive and panoramic floor to ceiling viewing windows is also particularly accessible to wheelchair users, many of whom have made a point of commenting on how much they like them The panoramic view of Ibsley Water from the new Tern Hide through and how much it has improved their bird watching experience of the reserve. the full height windows is very much appreciated by visitors in wheelchairs © Jim Day 12
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 5. VOLUNTEERS I am so excited to be on the traineeship and gaining qualifications in wildlife conservation and countryside management. I want you to know Volunteers continue to provide essential support across all areas of work that I wouldn’t have been able to progress in my conservation journey if it at Blashford Lakes – administration, education, visitor engagement and hadn’t have been for my first step in England and the experience and conservation (including wardening, wildlife survey and practical skills that you and Bob taught me at Blashford. Thank you so much, for conservation roles). everything, and I wish you and the team the all very best! Andrew Campbell (volunteer placement, Autumn 2018), 18/03/2019 Although primarily comprised of retired professionals, we also provide valuable early work experience for young graduates and others seeking 5.1 Education volunteers employment opportunities at different times and for different durations of placement (usually 1-4 weeks) throughout the year. Our education volunteers contribution to the learning and the overall enjoyment by children and adults engaged in staff-led activity across all During this period although we have not maintained the 6 month long, full areas of our education work, from schools to uniformed groups to public time, voluntary posts that we have hosted over the course of the previous events, is un-measurable. We would not be able to offer as much as we last few years, we provided several much needed and much appreciated do without their input, particularly in respect of the delivery of the regular work experience placements to students and recent graduates of both volunteer led “Health Walks” and “Buggy Walks”, the overnight stays at short (1 week) and longer (up to 2 months) duration. the centre and weekend residentials of our Young Naturalists group, or the school holiday “Wild Days Out” activity day provision. In addition we again hosted two Apprentice Rangers with the New Forest National Park Authority “Our Past, Our Future” scheme for the first 3 The Education and Assistant Education Officer are extremely grateful for months of their apprenticeship. With us through the autumn and early all of the support that they have received and continue to receive. winter they added substantially to the amount of scrub clearance work that could be achieved. Over the duration of this reporting period we have also created and successfully recruited for an entirely new role for both Blashford Lakes The Blashford volunteers are a warm, sociable group who derive a lot of and the Trust as a whole. pleasure and satisfaction from their work on site and their relationship with the staff. From the end of March and throughout the remainder of the period included within this report, “Welcome Volunteers” have “meeted and In turn their work is highly valued and appreciated – in particular by the greeted” every weekend, including most Fridays and for most, if not all, of staff but also very much by the visitors who benefit from their input. each day. Based in the new “Welcome Hut” outside the centre their role is very much one of welcoming all visitors, new and returning, to the nature I’m just writing to let you, Bob, Tracy and the group of volunteers at reserve, providing assistance and guidance, as well as general Blashford Lake know that I have been recently accepted onto an Ulster information about the site, the Project, the Wildlife Trust and local area as Wildlife Traineeship, and I wanted to sincerely thank you all for welcoming required. me onto the team, teaching me so many invaluable skills and fuelling my passion for conservation!
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
Visitors are very much 5.3 Wildlife survey volunteers appreciative of this personal touch, and the volunteers prove Once again much of the survey work was undertaken and organised by particularly invaluable when staff volunteers, work included butterfly transects, reptile surveys and bird are not available in the centre ringing. due to teaching commitments or site management tasks. Likewise, when the staff are in the office they have also proven invaluable, as the volunteers are able to deal with the vast majority of enquiries which come in which would otherwise have interrupted the workflow for a staff member.
This year 11 welcome volunteers and 15 education volunteers have between them contributed the equivalent of 300 days (approximately 2100 Bryn and Jan – part of our successful hours) to education and visitor and growing new team of “Welcome engagement activities on behalf Volunteers” © Jim Day of the Blashford Project at Blashford Lakes.
Male chaffinch © Bob Chapman 5.2 Conservation volunteers Approximately 42 days of volunteer time were dedicated to reserve During the year over 280 days of volunteer time was spent on survey during the year. Once again special thanks goes to Bob Taylor for conservation work on the reserve. The focus was, as usual, habitat and organising the two butterfly transects, and Jacki Griffith for her work on access management, but the many improvement works undertaken the reptile surveys. during early 2019 involved a lot of volunteer input. Volunteer project at this time included the construction of artificial badger sett. Kevin Sayer and his team from Christchurch Harbour Ringing Group have The conservation volunteers are essential to the successful management continued with four ringing projects at Blashford. These are: 1) A of the reserve, giving their time and expertise in many ways which have Constant Effort Site (CES) aimed at establishing comparative year to year greatly enriched the site over many years . data on adult survival and fledging success, this is part of a national 14
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 network of sites, 2) Woodland bird ringing, aimed especially at finches and very useful for training new ringers, 3) Colour-ringing of black-headed The old hide was closed to visitors at the end of January, to give time to gull chicks to look at movements after fledging and return rates, although prepare the site for construction to be completed by 29th March. a mix of predation on the colony and poor weather on planned ringing Demolition was done by the volunteers and was completed more easily dates meant that no new birds were ringed in 2019 and 4) Nest box than anticipated, most of the hide sections were recovered in the hope of monitoring around the Centre area, a project undertaken by Brenda Cook. making use of them in the future. Preparing the site required the removal The nest box work showed that 2019 was a good breeding season for of some of the concrete pad, this was undertaken by a contractor and blue and great tits. The CES work indicated a generally good breeding proved more difficult then expected with some parts being over 0.5m season for migrants, although they appeared to arrive in lower numbers thick. than usual. Once again some residents such as blackbird and song thrush did not do so well as drought adversely impacts their ability to find The popularity of the old hide encouraged us to plan for a larger hide and food for nestlings, it also results in them having fewer broods than in to reshape it to offer a wider range of viewing opportunities. The whole wetter summers. structure was also raised by approximately 0.5m and built using a steel frame, these decisions should improve flood resilience and extend the life of the new building. The addition of a green roof helps the whole structure 6. ACCESS AND INTERPRETATION to merge more effectively with the surroundings.
The main focus of work in the winter period was on the replacement of the Tern Hide, and improvements to the Main Car Park area, the redevelopment of the area around the Education Centre, the installation of a new Welcome Hut, building a new dipping pond, restyling the Education centre foyer, installing new wildlife cameras, wildlife sculptures and the resigning of the whole site. This work comprised two projects funded separately by Veolia Environmental Trust and New Forest LEADER, each with different completion dates, between them they have significantly revitalised the reserve some 24 years after it was originally developed. The work involved seven different contractors and was achieved with relatively little disruption to general reserve visitors and it was possible to keep the reserve open throughout with only local restrictions.
6.1 New Tern Hide
The new Tern Hide was funded by a grant from the Veolia Environmental Fund, with match funds raised via a very successful public appeal. The decision to replace was prompted by the failing of the wooden floor of the old hide, probably encouraged by the occasional flooding of water under the hide when the Dockens Water overflows during high rainfall events.
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The new Tern Hide under construction © Bob Chapman The new Tern Hide under construction © Bob Chapman
The hide was designed and constructed by Gilleards of Scunthorpe to a Despite some setbacks, such as the green roof supplier’s haulier going brief developed by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. It deviates into receivership resulting in our roofing material being seized by the from the traditional design both in shape and the use of full-length one- administrator so necessitating a repeat order, the hide was complete and way glass windows at one end. It includes ramped access and windows opened to visitors late in the day on 29th March, exactly on schedule. at a range of heights to enable the widest possible range of users to enjoy the facility. 6.2 Main Car Park Viewpoint Screens were installed by the volunteers to the sides of the hide to screen access. The concrete area on the approach to the hide was resurfaced In addition to the new Tern Hide we also formalised the viewpoint at the with a new non-slip surface. rear of the main car park, offering enhanced views across the whole valley and especially of the starling murmurations. This addition was made possible by funding form donations.
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
6.3 Front of Education Centre and Welcome Hut In order to facilitate the new landscaping and Welcome Hut it also proved necessary to completely relevel the car parking beside the Centre to The area around the Education Centre was redeveloped, the creation of a ensure drainage was maintained. The parking area was also slightly safe, car-free area in front of the Centre was achieved using a reshaped to ensure that the space could be used to maximum effect. As a combination of fencing and planters. This provides a gathering area result, despite quite a large area of former parking being taken up by the separated from the car park as well as additional seating for visitors. now car free frontage of the Centre, the car park capacity was only reduced by about two spaces. A new Welcome Hut just beside the path to the Woodland Hide has proved very popular and provides a focus for visitors seeking information about the reserve. This has proved particularly popular with first-time 6.4 New Dipping Pond and rear of Centre visitors. The hut is served by volunteers and is open on most days of the week, year-round. To the rear of the Education Centre a new pond was constructed for educational use. Pond-dipping is one of the most popular activities and a second pond will ensure that use can be spread and so reduce the impact of frequent use. The new pond uses a traditional liner with a boardwalk access for pond-dipping. Once constructed the surrounding area was planted up by the volunteer team. A large “bug hotel” was added by the Young Naturalists. In addition, the old pond needs relining as it is leaking and the second pond allows continued opportunity to undertake the activity whilst this is done. Fortunately, a wet spring enabled the pond to be filled with rainwater collected from the Centre and shelter rooves.
In addition, the gravel area to the rear of the shelter was extended and extra picnic tables added, these can be used both for pond-dipping activity and for their designed use.
The project also saw the replacement of the majority of the old picnic tables with new ones. A range of designs have been bought, the accessibility of these tables varies and different designs suits different users, two of the new designs are of a larger type with enhanced wheelchair access.
Landscaped, car-free area beside the Education Centre with the Welcome Hut © Bob Chapman
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
6.6 Centre Foyer
The foyer and toilets were repainted and the displays in the foyer renewed. A feature of this are the large silhouette shapes that cut across the doors, a style that mirrors that of the new outdoor site signage.
This project has included a new donations box and a contactless donations point, a recognition of the fact that increasingly people are carrying less cash than they used to, resulting in an inevitable drop in cash donations.
A key element of the foyer refresh was the installation of a new screen for viewing the wildlife cameras, referred to above.
6.7 Signage
Perhaps the most immediate impact of the many works undertaken is the new reserve signage, particularly the main entrance board on the south side of Ellingham Drove, which includes a striking cut out in the shape of a kingfisher. This alone seems to have brought in several new visitors The new dipping pond being filled © Bob Chapman who were just passing the site and made curious by the sign. The Welcome Hut volunteers ask if visitors are new to the site, and whilst new visitors will be more likely to seek assistance, it is clear that we have had 6.5 Wildlife Cameras a surge in first time visits over the last year.
A number of new wildlife cameras have been installed, all of which can be Elsewhere new signage has ranged from replacement small waymarkers viewed on the large screen in the Centre foyer, the image can be to large information and map boards beside Tern Hide and the Education changed by visitors using a roller-ball mouse. The cameras include an Centre. underwater pond camera, bird feeders, small nest box, owl box, artificial badger sett and compost bin. The variety should mean that there is some image of interest all year round.
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
6.9 New Tern Raft on Ibsley Water
There have been small tern rafts on Ivy Lake for many years and these have been well used by nesting terns and latterly, black-headed gulls. There had long been a desire to place a raft on the much larger Ibsley Water, however the small rafts would be likely to get swamped on such a large body of water where quite large waves can be generated. The project funding allowed the construction of a much larger raft for deployment on this lake and this was constructed by the conservation volunteers in early summer. It was too late for any nesting to take place in 2019, so 202 will be the first season in which it will be available.
6.10 Badger sett
Another volunteer project that formed part of the project was the construction of an artificial badger sett. This has a wildlife camera installed and can be viewed on the screen in the Education Centre foyer. So far no badgers have been seen using the sett, but it was always likely that it would take time, so we remain hopeful of occupancy at some stage.
New entrance sign beside Ellingham Drove © Bob Chapman 6.11 Social Media
The blog is perhaps less popular than it was, but this may be made up 6.8 Sculptures with the increased number of contacts made via other platforms such as Twitter. The blog still regularly attracts around 120-150 views per day and The circular route from the Education Centre, south via Ivy South Hide good numbers of subscribers receiving it by email. Once again blog posts and across the Dockens Water and then north along the path between featuring the work of the Young Naturalists remain especially popular. It is Dockens Water and Ellingham Lake has been developed as a family much harder to identify the reach of other media, partly because the Trust friendly trail. As part of this project a number of sculptures have been does not set up accounts by site, so the impact of Blashford cannot installed. There are four carved wooden sculptures; these are a badger, readily be established. an owl, a fungus (featured on the cover of this report) and an acorn. The sighting boards were updated regularly and use was also made of To these have been added a number of willow sculptures made during local and national websites to promote the site and update wildlife workshops held in the Education Centre with the help of the Young sightings. Naturalists Group.
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 7 Survey Work Casual insect recording continued with more work being done on solitary 7.1 Survey work bees, a group of insects that often occur in good numbers on brownfield sites as they often use bare ground for nesting. The population of the Moth trapping was undertaken regularly and the season was rather grey-backed mining bee Andrena vaga. was visited by the national bee mixed, the warm conditions in high summer were helpful to trapping but expert George Else, this visit he also found further scarce species, probably reduced the flight period of many species. The cool, even cold, confirming the importance of the reserve for this group of insects. spring reduced catches at that time and the poorer weather during the autumn often resulted in lower than average catches then as well. Over Some survey of invasive non-natives was undertaken looking for 280 species of moths were identified on the reserve in 2019, fewer than in crustaceans of concern in a number of lakes. Only American signal the previous year, but this was probably mainly a reflection of rather lower crayfish was found, a species which was already known to be present at recording effort, rather than indicating any serious decline in species various densities throughout the lakes complex. diversity on the site.
Andrena furcata (a solitary bee) © Bob Chapman Euspilapteryx auroguttella © Bob Chapman The monthly winter waterfowl counts were continued as in previous years, Butterfly transects were again undertaken by volunteers as were reptile thanks are due to the owners of private lakes who permit access for the surveys, a summary of results can be found in the appendices. counts enabling the complete picture to be presented. Breeding birds of 20
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 the lakes and riparian habitats were surveyed to a level sufficient to gain 7.3 Conservation work – target habitats estimates for most of the key species.
7.3.1 River Habitats 7.2 Wildlife conservation success Most of the work along the river was again directed at the removal of Bittern once again wintered on Ivy Lake and in the late winter and early invasive non-native species, mainly Himalayan balsam and pink purslane. spring period one was very showy outside Ivy North Hide. Although not so rare and as sought after as they were previously this still provided many Camera traps were deployed at several points along the river, nothing of people with their best ever views of this typically elusive bird. note was recorded, although Reeve’s muntjac was suspected and subsequently a male was seen on at least two occasions, the first The tern rafts were used again, there was no sign of any recovery in confirmed records for the reserve. numbers with a minimum of 19 pairs and perhaps 21 making nesting attempts, similar to 2018.Once again there was no obvious sign of any spring passage of common terns such as was typical in the past. Once 7.3.2 Scrub and woodland again competition for nesting area was intense with black-headed gulls dominating most of the rafts and one also holding a pair of Mediterranean The coppicing and pollarding of willows in the old silt ponds adjacent to gull. the centre continued during the winter. Cut stools were again protected from deer browsing with dead hedging. The pollarded willow was used by Fledging success was relatively poor, but still around 1 chick per nesting basket makers and community groups as well as for training events. pair, which is nationally regarded as “Good”. There was some predation of gull chicks from the rafts and probably of terns also, the culprit was The removal of willow/birch continued in the old silt ponds to the north of unknown, but I suspect a bird of prey as chicks seemed to disappear one the site between Lapwing and Goosander Hides. The felled material was at a time. Both Mediterranean gull chicks were lost over a few days just used to create dead hedges as habitat corridors for the benefit of prior to fledging, when very large but unable to fly. invertebrates, reptiles, small mammals and birds. Work to reduce the dominance of sycamore and remove grey alder from the reserve The habitat restoration work within the former Hanson plant once again continued, although we have been asked by Forestry England to reduce supported breeding lapwing and little ringed plover, but only the odd pair the amount of sycamore we remove in the light of potential losses of trees and the very dry conditions did not suit them and all nesting attempts due to ash die-back. ended in failure. Work continued laying the hedge planted in 2005-6 along the western boundary between Ellingham Lake and the A338. The hedge is developing well and most of the northern section is now complete.
Once again a number of trees of concern were removed or crown reduced where these posed a potential risk to reserve users. With the arrival of ash die-back the pace of this work is likely to increase markedly in subsequent years.
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7.3.3 Acidic grassland was grazed off by either deer or rabbit before it set seed. Once again there was a good show of Autumn lady’s tresses on the lichen heath. Ragwort control was undertaken by volunteers around the shore of Ibsley Water, with virtually every plant removed. It is proposed that in future we continue with regular control close to the reserve boundaries but just to prevent it becoming over abundant elsewhere.
Once again six New Forest ponies grazed the grassland around Ibsley Water from July until November achieving the desired level of grazing. The late removal did cause problems however as it occurred after firework night and the animals were very agitated. It is intended to ensure that they are removed by mid-October in future to avoid this reoccurring. Work on the western and eastern shores of Ibsley Water continued with mowing to control ragwort, nettles and thistles and the removal of more willow and bramble to increase the extent and continuity of grassland for feeding waterfowl and nesting waders. The acquisition of a towed mower for the quad bike greatly increased the capacity to manage grassland areas.
7.3.4 Fen
Limited further work was done on the north shore of Ivy Lake to the west of Ivy North hide where a number of fallen willows were removed. Some of the area cleared between Goosander and Lapwing hides may also develop valuable drier fen communities in time.
7.3.5 Lichen heath
Small scale removal of invasive birch and bramble continued. The six experimental scrapes made last to investigate the impact of such work and potential to restore early stage heath habitat were monitored and it seems certain that these will need to be larger and deeper if the habitat is to be successfully “rebooted”. Assistance is being sought from local experts to identify the best areas to consider for this work. Green-winged orchid © Bob Chapman In the spring there was a new plant record for the reserve, a green- winged orchid, found on the edge of the Lichen Heath, unfortunately it 22
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 Numbers of rabbits have been very low for the last few year, probably as 8. WATER BIRD SPECIES MONITORING a result of outbreaks of myxamatosis and more recently rabbit haemorrhagic disease. However over the past year the population seems Monthly wildfowl counts were carried out as usual and a summary is to be recovering leading to an increase in grazing pressure. The number appended to this document and data for key species and total wildfowl of deer and especially of fallow has also increased and both fallow and discussed below. Breeding birds associated with the wetland habitats rabbit are now commonly seen on the lichen heath and other terrestrial were surveyed and the results are included within this document. habitats and may have a significant impact in time.
7.3.6 Invasive plants
The main target of alien control was Himalayan (also known as Indian) balsam Impatiens glandulifera along the Dockens Water. Some control of pink purslane was also carried out in this area. Elsewhere on the reserve grey and Italian alder were removed as were Turkey oak.
Gadwall drake © Bob Chapman
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
Waterfowl counts, summary of key data
8.1 Gadwall 2018-19 max count: 525 Five year mean max count: 649 UK significance threshold 250 Gadwall 5yr max counts max International threshold: 600 count
The counts of this species were up on last year and above the five year 900 mean count. The count for this period and the five year mean once again 800 remain above the threshold of international significance. 700 600 500 The pattern of occurrence was typical with a mid-winter peak in numbers. 400 The graph of maximum counts for the last five years seems to show an Gadwall 5yr max counts 300 max count uncertain trend, with a possible slight decrease against an overall positive 200 trend across western Europe as a whole. 100 0 The British breeding population of gadwall continues to increase, although it seems that the vast majority of the wintering birds still come here from central and Eastern Europe.
Gadwall Gadwall trend 600 1400 500 1200
400 1000 800 300 Gadwall 600 Gadwall trend 200 400 200 100 0 0 Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
8.2 Coot: 2018-19 max count: 1617 Five year mean max count: 1108 Coot 5yr max counts max count UK 1% significance threshold: 1800 1800 Numbers were extremely close to the five year mean, however the longer 1600 term trend is gradually downward. The pattern of the counts was fairly 1400 typical, although the peak was again a little later than in most years, 1200 occurring in January. The overall pattern more or less followed that of the 1000 five year mean counts. Coot are no longer present in nationally significant 800 numbers at Blashford Lakes and would appear unlikely to reach those Coot 5yr max counts 600 levels again as macrophyte biomass seems to be continuing to fall. max count 400 Despite the long term decline at Blashford Lakes, the overall trend across 200 Europe is for no change. There has been some overall decline in the UK 0 as a whole, probably due to the phenomenon of “Short-stopping”.
Coot 1800 Coot trend 1600 2500 1400 2000 1200 1000 1500 800 Coot 1000 600 Coot trend 400 500 200 0 0 Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
8.3 Shoveler: 2018-19 max count: 175 25
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
Five year mean max count: 287 UK 1% significance threshold: 180 Shoveler 5yr max counts max International threshold: 400 count The maximum count was below the five year mean level. Numbers built 600 up from a low base in autumn, peaking in January, but remaining quite high throughout the late winter period. 500 400 As noted in previous reports, shoveler seem to occur in widely varying numbers from winter to winter with little obvious sign of an overall trend. 300 Shoveler 5yr max Their occurrence is presumably related to available food supply, which 200 counts max count would appear to be highly variable. The pattern of occurrence was 100 somewhat different from the mean with the peak happening later in the season. 0
Shoveler now regularly occur at Blashford Lake in nationally important numbers and may even achieve the level of international significance at some time in the near future. Shoveler Shoveler trend 200 1000 180 900 160 800 140 700 600 120 500 100 Shoveler 400 Shoveler trend 80 300 60 200 40 100 0 20 0 Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
8.4 All waterfowl: 2018-19 max count: 4242 Total wildfowl trend The data shows a typical pattern of wildfowl counts, with the expected mid-winter peak. 8000 Overall numbers were down on the 5 year mean counts but not 7000 significantly so. 6000
5000 The longer term trend is one of gradual decline in total numbers, with this being very marked in some species, such as pochard and with one 4000 species, shoveler, increasing. The most likely explanations revolve 3000 Total wildfowl trend around increasing eutrophication as the lakes mature and generally 2000 milder winters resulting in fewer wildfowl coming to the UK a behavious known as “Short-stopping” meaning that many wildfowl no longer cross 1000 the North Sea as winters are warming and freezing conditions are 0 becoming less frequent.
Total waterfowl 8.5 Nocturnal roosts
4500 8.5.1 Gulls 4000 The large gull roost formed on Ibsley Water each evening as in previous 3500 years, peaking in the autumn/winter period at up to 10,000 individuals. In the early part of the winter lesser black-backed gull is the dominant 3000 species, with counts of this species alone again probably exceeding 8000 2500 individuals at times, especially when birds from further east and north are 2000 Total waterfowl still on passage. These birds arrive from the north and appear to spend the day feeding on agricultural fields on and around Salisbury Plain. It 1500 was confirmed that a good number feed on open air pig fields to the north 1000 of Fordingbridge. In the New Year lesser black-backed gull numbers 500 typically gradually decline, although numbers of smaller gulls and especially black-headed gull increase, peaking in late winter at perhaps 0 as many as 6,000. Other species occur in much smaller numbers with the Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar most numerous being herring gull, usually in the high hundreds.
Necessarily counting these birds is difficult, they often arrive very late in the day, even after sunset and can do so in very large numbers over a short period. What is clear is that they continue to be a major source of imported nutrients and their impact upon the future status of the water body could be significant.
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appearing. This alien species from sub-Saharan Africa has increased 8.5.2 Cormorant noticeably in recent years, although still not abundant in the UK it has The winter cormorant roost on Ivy Lake, continued at similar levels with shown an ability to rise in numbers very rapidly on the near continent in often over a hundred and fifty and occasionally close to two hundred recent years. birds, the higher counts possibly a result of disturbance at other local roosts. There is also a large daytime roost gathering on islands in Ibsley Shelduck Water, occasionally numbering in excess of 300 birds, particularly in late Up to three pairs were present around the lakes complex. There was no summer and autumn when large feeding events can also occur if large indication of breeding within the reserve. shoals of fish of the right size are available. Mallard Mallards bred on Ibsley Water, Ivy Lake, the Dockens Water and 9. BREEDING BIRDS Blashford Lake. Rather few broods were recorded generally.
The breeding season was generally good once it got going, the winter Gadwall was generally mild and dry but two bouts of snow in early spring knocked Once again there were few confirmed successful nesting attempts during back many species. The summer was exceptionally hot and dry which 2018 despite the hot summer, in fact one of the only successful broods favoured some insect eaters but was greatly to the detriment of species was an unusually early one. In most years few ducklings are seen before such as blackbird and song thrush that eat a lot of worms. mid-June Monitoring was not as complete as hoped to due lack of the staff needed to do detailed surveys. Tufted duck Nesting was attempted on Blashford Lake, Ivy Lake and Ibsley Water at Mute swan least, broods of ducklings were seen elsewhere but as they are often A pair was present on Ivy Lake and one pair on Ibsley Water, those on Ivy moved by the female it was not possible to say where they had hatched. failed but young were reared on Ibsley Water. A good number of ducklings were reared on Ibsley Water. NO assessment of the number nesting in the gull colony on Ibsley Water was Greylag goose possible as there was a predation event there before any visit was made. Pairs were seen with young on Ibsley Water, possibly coming from nests on Mockbeggar Lake. Little grebe In common with last year this species bred on Ibsley Water, Mockbeggar Canada goose Silt Pond and Ellingham Lake, and probably Ivy Lake. Fledged young At least 10 pairs attempted to nest, mostly on Blashford Lake, Ivy Lake were seen on at least three of these waters. and Ibsley Water nest control was undertaken to reduce numbers.
Great crested grebe Egyptian goose Up to four pairs attempted on Ivy Lake with at least two rearing young. Two broods, perhaps three were seen on Ibsley Water, they are believed Others were reared on Blashford Lake and Ibsley Water. to have come from outside the reserve and one was lost quiet soon after 28
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Coot Once again two pairs were present at times and one pair spent some time Nesting attempts were made widely although chick survival appeared to displaying, but there was no evidence of nesting within the reserve. be low. It was noticeable that Ivy Lake held no pairs at all in the early spring, but that several nested later on, the reason for this is unclear. Common tern Another relatively disappointing season, with 19-21 pairs making nesting Moorhen attempts. There was no evidence of any passage of birds, as has been Nesting occurs widely, but is difficult to monitor as they favour dense the case in the last couple of years. Competition for nesting space with habitat such as the reedbeds beside Ivy Lake. Young were reared on at black-headed gull was severe and almost all the terns ended up nesting least Ivy Lake, Ibsley Water and the Lapwing hide silt pond. on just two rafts, in fact most were on one, with at least 12 pairs on a raft 8ftx8ft along with two pairs of gulls. Fledging success was also rather Water rail poor with no more than 19 chicks flying, still good by national standards, Calling birds were heard in the flooded reedbed close to Lapwing Hide but the lowest on the reserve since the rafts were installed. and it seems clear that nesting was attempted; however the rapid drying which occurred after the cool spring probably meant that this attempt Black-headed gull failed. A large colony ws again present on Ibsley Water, the main colony was on “Gull Island “ at the northern end of Ibsley Water, with additional birds on Oystercatcher Long Spit. There was rather poor breeding success as both islands Three pairs were present throughout the summer. One pair probably suffered predation, presumably by a predator swimming out to the island. reared one chick on Ibsley Water. The pair closest to Tern Hide failed, but The Blashford Lake colony was smaller again in some years as only half the female of this pair has suffered an injury since it was there last year of the island was cut. A few pairs nested alongside the terns on the rafts and has lost a foot, which may well have a negative impact upon its ability on both Ivy Lake and Ellingham Pound. As with the Mediterranean gull to rear young. detailed below, the gulls suffered gradual loss of large chicks, presumably by a bird of prey, but proof of this is lacking. Little ringed plover Up to five pairs were present on Ibsley Water and it is probable that all Mediterranean gull made at least attempts at nesting. There was no certain evidence of any One pair nested on a raft on Ivy Lake, they had two chicks very close to chicks being reared. fledging when first one then the other were lost to predation, the culprit is unknown, but is assumed to be a bird of prey. Lapwing Up to eight Lapwing territories were present around Ibsley Water or within Cuckoo the former Hanson site. Some males seemed never to attract a mate and One singing male were present during mid April and May but it was breeding success was very poor with few hatching and no evidence of unclear if this species successfully nested within the Reserve boundary. any being reared. Ibsley Water did hold fledged birds in late summer but Kingfisher these probably came from breeding sites in the Avon Valley, one at least, Three pairs probably nested along the Dockens Water. Juvenile birds certainly was from there as it carried rings put on by the Waders 4 Real were widely seen in late summer and on into autumn, much to the delight project. of visitors.
Redshank Sand martin 29
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 There were nesting attempts in the wall at Goosander hide again this year 10. OTHER RECORDING It was not possible to get an accurate count of pairs but probably 100 plus pairs were present with a good number of fledged young seen. 10.1 Plants No systematic counts were done this year of the orchid numbers, but Cetti’s Warbler sample surveys would indicate that bee orchids were quite numerous, At least six males were present on territory during the summer. Breeding with over 100 flowering spikes being seen around Ibsley Water. Possible certainly took place on three territories. due to the very dry conditions marsh and spotted orchid numbers appeared low, but the finding of a green-winged orchid on the lichen heath was notable, being the first record for the reserve.
10.2 Reptile recording Reed warbler A difficult species to monitor but present in the nesting season in the The surveys for reptiles were continued using the same methods as in reeds around Ivy Lake, Ivy Silt Pond and between Goosander and previous years. The number of sightings was lower than might have been Lapwing hides. The Constant Effort Site (CES) ringing program would expected, particularly in early summer, but this may well have been due suggest that breeding success was again good. to the very warm weather. The recording method used on the transects is to place felts for the reptiles to shelter under to assist with warming. The Reed bunting surveys take place at the beginning and end of the day when it is typically Numbers of nesting territories seem to be continuing to increase , relatively cool and so the reptiles are trying to warm up to maintain body especially between Goosander and Lapwing hides and around the norther temperature. However the very high temperatures, particularly in the early shore o fIvy Lake, no doubt benefiting from the expansion of the reedbed summer meant that warming time was very quick and so less time was in these areas. spent using the felts, resulting in fewer records.
Thanks to Jacki Griffith for producing the annual reptile report from which this summary is taken and to all the volunteers who undertook the survey work. A summary of ther findings in attached in the appendices.
10.3 Casual invertebrate recording
Most insects benefited from the hot summer, although spring species had a rather protracted emergence, with many early records, but persistent cool, easterly winds prolonging spring conditions, which then switched, almost immediately into high summer. Odonata numbers were hard to determine, early species seemed, once again, genuinely scarce and many later species appeared in good numbers but seemed to have a shorter season than normal, probably due to the high temperatures. 10.4 Moth recording
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
Robinson moth traps with 125W mercury vapour lamps were run beside 10.5 Butterfly recording the centre on over 150 nights and across the Centre car park on over 150 nights. Results were generally poorer than last year with over 260 species Once again, the Blashford volunteers carried out 2 weekly Butterfly recorded, the early summer was good but late summer was poor, with transects, one on the northern part of the reserve (Bournemouth Water) rather unsettled conditions not always favouring flight. and one on the southern (Wessex Water). In all 26 species were recorded with the transect totals being dominated by browns and blues, probably a Pheromone lures were again tried in an effort to record clearwing moths, reflection of the hot weather. As with Odonata several species appeared which do not get attracted to light traps. These moths are rapid, day-flying to have high peak numbers but shorter seasons than would be typical. species that mimic wasps and typically have larvae that mine under the bark of trees. A new species was recorded on the reserve in 2019, the The full data is available in the reports produced by Bob Taylor to whom orange-tailed clearwing, a species which mainly feeds on guilder-rose. thanks for organising the survey and producing the subsequent report is due. A summary of the data is to be found in appendix E.
One species was recorded as new to the reserve, although not on a transect visit, when a male chalkhill blue was found in the former Hanson plant site.
Orange-tailed clearwing (male) © Bob Chapman Chakhill blue (male) © Bob Chapman
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11. APPENDICES APPENDIX A: Annual visit data used to produce tables in the report; 2008-2019
Formal education Year 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 Pre-School pupils 25 55 72 87 12 29 39 62 94 39 0 Primary Education 1150 1069 1402 1235 1228 1525 1523 1571 1512 966 1331 Secondary Education 381 248 256 149 237 218 243 273 276 231 208 Tertiary Education 90 59 28 51 61 24 43 86 22 111 98 Life-long learning (adults) 291 106 158 177 375 121 122 211 113 133 130 Total number of groups 79 56 67 63 77 67 73 81 74 77 63 Total number of participants 1937 1537 1916 1699 1913 1917 1970 2203 2017 1480 1,767
Informal education Year 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 Number of groups 52 43 34 48 37 34 48 38 30 37 30 Number of children and young people 598 430 442 533 596 442 707 555 449 553 413 Number of adults 431 403 315 397 448 278 423 296 134 291 285
Wild Days Out Year 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 Number of events 14 14 16 17 15 16 18 18 16 18 16 Number of children 265 291 299 227 222 279 277 312 247 257 218
Public events Year 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 Number of walks/events 21 35 50 71 74 83 100 113 117 150 99 Number of adults 317 460 705 798 834 791 805 1209 1273 1273 953 Number of children 91 194 383 531 723 749 702 760 780 692 536
Visitors (non-guided “general” reserve visitors) Year 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 Recorded Visitor 21069 20955 22258 19731 17905 16620 18113 17816 18256 19791 26043 Numbers
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
APPENDIX B: Breakdown of visits across the financial year; 1/04/17- 31/03/18
Formal Education - school/college/university groups Adult Education Formal + Adult Total Education Total Number of Adults in Pre- Tertiary (excluding Number of (including Infant Junior Secondary Adults groups attendance school Ed attending groups attending adults) adults) Apr 18 - 66 481 118 769 991 297 22 2197 13 109 2787 Mar 19
Informal Education - youth and scouting groups, WI and natural history groups etc. Number of < 5's 5 to 11's 12 to 25's Adult Total groups Apr 18 - 28 5 358 100 111 576 Mar 19
"Wild Days Out" - childrens' school holiday Public Events and Guided Walks Number of Children Number of events/ and 5 to 7's 8 to 12's Total Adults Totals groups walks, Young talks People Apr 18 - 18 154 141 296 122 1331 665 2056 Mar 19
Guided visit Visitors total Tramper Total number Visitors to bookings of the reserve participants not in staff led, participating on-site in staff led activity activity Apr 18 - 5715 17198 58 Mar 19
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
APPENDIX C: Young Naturalists reports
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APPENDIX D: Waterfowl total counts for September 2018 - March 2019 SPECIES Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Mute Swan 55 38 73 64 57 12 7 Bewicks Swan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 White-fronted Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Greylag Goose 190 1 1 42 7 0 8 Canada Goose 83 52 156 295 189 6 34 Barnacle Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Egyptian Goose 103 13 11 8 2 0 0 Shelduck 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Mandarin 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 Wigeon 15 59 200 585 614 756 171 Gadwall 182 106 247 462 525 60 20 Teal 33 30 25 59 206 2 0 Mallard 47 61 97 113 121 31 21 Pintail 0 0 3 8 19 12 0 Garganey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shoveler 35 112 118 95 175 94 118 Red Crested Pochard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pochard 0 18 108 149 263 49 28 Tufted Duck 146 170 204 248 418 254 363 Goldeneye 0 0 9 9 14 13 14 Smew 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Goosander 0 0 55 71 98 21 11 Ruddy Duck 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Little Grebe 48 41 20 19 16 10 11 Great Crested Grebe 127 89 22 34 23 40 32 Black-necked Grebe 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Cormorant 250 144 151 242 65 195 21 Bittern 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 Little Egret 0 1 3 1 5 0 0 Great White Egret 1 2 2 2 1 1 0 Grey Heron 57 36 12 14 6 1 0 Water Rail 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 Moorhen 15 15 6 10 13 2 0
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
SPECIES Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Coot 1316 1377 1617 1519 988 433 167 Ringed Plover 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Golden Plover 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lapwing 28 0 25 188 140 31 0 Dunlin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ruff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Common Snipe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Black-tailed Godwit 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Redshank 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Greenshank 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Green Sandpiper 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Common Sandpiper 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kingfisher 0 2 1 0 1 0 0
Total waterfowl 2731 2367 3168 4242 3976 2028 1030
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
APPENDIX E Butterfly transect summaries Blashford North
1. Blashford South 38
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
APPENDIX F: 2019 Reptile Survey Summary 1. Survey method 2019 2. Comparison of Survey Sightings between 2014-2019 2019 – 2xmonthly surveys were continued on the North and South from March to a. Total Sightings and Survey Average, taking number of surveys per year October; alternate am and pm surveys on each side. Different teams looked after into account: the am and the pm surveys and worked on different sides of the reserve in each survey week. AM – Jacki, Phil and Micky Total No of Average/Survey PM – Bob T, Judy and Adrian Adder Sightings Surveys Additions/modifications were made to a few survey locations for 2019, in particular 2014 41 7 5.86 new felts were put in the old Hanson Plant area and another moved to the entrance 2015 51 13 3.92 to the Millennium Meadow. 2016 55 16 3.44 Additional sightings, to those recorded on the formal surveys, were those seen by 2017 74 16 4.50 survey team members, reserve staff or knowledgeable visitors who had 2018 39 17 2.29 photographic evidence. 2019 80 17 4.71 Grass Snake 2014 13 7 1.86 2015 39 13 3.00 2016 68 16 4.25 2017 66 16 4.13 2018 54 17 3.18 2019 71 17 4.18 Slow Worm 2014 0 7 0.00 2015 1 13 0.08 2016 2 16 0.13 2017 7 16 0.44 2018 2 17 0.12 2019 3 17 0.18 For Adders and Grass Snakes sightings were closer to and slightly up on the totals and seasonal variation in 2017. The dramatic reduction in July onwards in 2018 was not apparent this year and may support the idea that the hot and dry period at that time in Adder by Garry Prescott 2018 had a bearing on sightings. 2019 did not experience the same prolonged periods of extreme heat and low rainfall. For Slow Worms the sightings were little different to 2018, although we were fortunate to see juveniles in 2019 confirming a breeding
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Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019 population. [See the graphs on the spreadsheets for the seasonal, sex and age path to the Top Car Park and near the Lapwing Hide, although not far from known distribution] locations.
b. Distribution: There were two new sightings for the reserve in 2019. The first, in April, was a brief sighting of a suspected common lizard beside the path next to Mockbeggar lake. The There were sightings at an increased number of locations for both Adders and Grass second, in May, was a sighting of an Adder on the south side of the reserve, near felt E. Snakes in 2019 compared with 2018 but fewer than 2017. [See maps and the graphs on As yet we have not had confirmatory sightings. The types of habitat in these locations the spreadsheets for locations] are thought to be typical for the reptiles concerned but no sightings of these species in Adder Number of locations these locations have ever been recorded before. 2014 6 2015 10 Adder Number of additional sightings 2016 14 2015 3 2017 17 2016 8 2018 10 2017 9 2019 16 2018 2 Grass Snakes 2019 21 2014 6 Grass Snakes 2015 10 2015 56 2016 28 2016 62 2017 30 2017 51 2018 18 2018 51 2019 23 2019 68 Slow Worms Slow Worm 2014 0 2015 2 2015 1 - south of the Hut [7] 2016 0 2016 1 - by the Rockford lake entrance [D] 2017 1 2017 2 - one at the same location as 2016 [D], the 2018 1 other at a new location but in a similar part of the 2019 0 reserve ie. by the gate from the lichen heath to the Common Lizard Rockford path[E]. 2019 1 2018 2 – as per 2017 [Records of additional sightings for 2014 were not made] 2019 2 – as per 2017/18 and at the same locations d. Age profile
c. Additional Sightings outside of the formal survey Newly hatched of each species were seen in 2019; those of adder and grass snake reflecting the biannual pattern seen in previous years. Juvenile adders and grass snakes There were a number of additional sightings of adders and grass snakes in 2019. of various ages, other than newly hatched, were also seen, and in a number of different Although the sightings were mainly in the usual places, they were incidental to other locations. Together the newly hatched and varying ages of juveniles indicated continuing activities and they were not necessarily within the time and weather parameters used breeding populations. [See spreadsheets for age estimates of the juveniles seen] for the regular surveys. A couple of locations were outside the surveyed areas eg on the 41
Blashford Lakes Annual Report 2018-2019
e. Comparison of monthly survey totals for each species, 2014-18 Comparison of Monthly Slow Worm Totals Please see the graphs below. Please note the difference in the number of surveys carried out between 2014 and 2019 [see item 2a above] 2014-2019 2.5 2
1.5
1
0.5
0 Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Comparison of Monthly Grass Snake Totals 2014-2019 25
20
15
10
5
0 Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 42