Environmental Records Centre Newsletter No.77 Spring/Summer 2017

uring 2015 and 2016 DERC has The database is invaluable in providing species or behaviour. Other useful notes Dbeen working with PondNet on a useful data but talking to the original on whether this is a first record for the national project to monitor selected recorder or being able to refer to more year or a new site also make it more wetland species. In Dorset this has detailed notes made at the time can interesting for processing the data. included volunteer searches for make a huge difference. The Dorset Flora Group have a specific amphibians and invertebrates whilst recording form for rare plants and other the DERC team have been involved This chimes with another conversation groups may do the same. If you have with the search for some specific we had in the office recently on the gone out specifically to search for a plant species, namely Yellow Centaury value of the ‘extra information’ some rare species you can be well prepared (Cicendia filiformis), Coral Necklace recorders supply. We are all familiar but, if you come across something (Illecebrum verticillatum), Tubular with the basic record: what was exciting unexpectedly, making a note Water-dropwort (Oenanthe fistulosa) found; where; who by and when and at the time or reporting it to DERC (via and Pillwort (Pilularia globulifera). most of the time this is sufficient but, email or Living Record) can make a Some of the sites chosen for re-survey particularly for less common species, difference in the quality of the data. had not been visited for many years we can do more. A note on abundance With a good GPS reading we don’t need so we started with a trawl of the is particularly useful – it gives an long instructions on where to find it but database for the original records and immediate impression whether the a note on the actual site (eg north side any other useful information. The species is doing well or struggling. of track or edge of the marsh) can still Yellow Centaury in particular is tiny and Some recorders make notes of potential be helpful. difficult to find when not abundant. threats, poor management, associated For those of you who like a challenge here are some species we would be keen to see more records for:

Bitter-vetch

• The Green Tiger Beetle • The Dark-edged Bee-fly We have also selected a few plant (Cicindela campestris) which (Bombylius major) is more species to look out for: Whorl is often seen on sunny days widespread, often seen in Grass (Catabrosa aquatic), Chicory from late March onwards gardens. Despite its fluffy (Cichorium intybus), Wild Strawberry Goldenrod Photos © BryanPhotos Edwards along heathland tracks, appearance it parasitizes (Fragaria vesca), Bitter-vetch taking to flight if disturbed. solitary bees. It would be (Lathyrus linifolius) and Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea). None interesting to know which of these are rare but they are all nationally threatened or plants it is feeding on, so add nationally vulnerable. Have they really decreased in Dorset or a note to your record if you do we just have fewer records? can. Carolyn Steele (Records Centre Manager)

The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) The amount of data held on the Gateway has grown From Gateway will be closed down at the end exponentially over the years but the current system has become Gateway of March 2017 to be replaced by the NBN unsustainable. Consequently the NBN Trust is changing to a new Atlas. The Gateway was initiated in 2001 platform. The Scotland version of the Atlas was launched in 2015 to Atlas as a place to collate wildlife data from local and the version should be available from April 1st. The – a new environmental records centres, recording new style Atlas looks much better and has better functionality schemes and societies and government but it will probably be a while before it is fully operational. website bodies. DERC is one of many organisations Data which DERC has made publicly available through the NBN for the that has provided wildlife records. The Gateway will be moved to the new Atlas. In time we hope to website allows you to view distribution make most data available through the Atlas although people will nation’s maps online, download data or request still need to contact DERC for detailed information or commercial datasets better access to more restricted datasets. requests. Add your records to LivingRecord.net or contact DERC at:

Dorset History Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1RP Tel: (01305) 225081 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.derc.org.uk Dorset Environmental Records Centre

Saving Sand Lizards and Finding Flowers on the A338 Road Verges Those travelling down the A338 between and since May 2016 will have noticed a big change in the vegetation adjacent to the carriageways. Dorset County Council’s Natural Environment Team worked closely with the road contractors to sensitively re-profile the verges adjacent to the large areas of SSSI land either side of the road. Rare reptiles, in particular Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) and Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca), were a particular issue as they were known to use almost the entire length of the verges for feeding, resting and even breeding. The 16 kilometres of verges provided a significant area of habitat used by these protected species. Normally, the reptiles would have to be captured and relocated under a licence from Natural England Spreading heather cuttings (May) but here DCC trialled a new method of ‘reasonable avoidance’. King© Annabel In consultation with Natural England and a specialist reptile ecologist, it involved carrying out careful habitat degradation on the verges, to encourage the reptiles to move away from the construction site into the adjacent heathland. At the same time the heathland habitat was enhanced for reptiles by carrying out tree, scrub and bracken clearance and scraping back small sections of vegetation to expose bare sand patches for sand lizard egg-laying. Reptiles were monitored throughout this work and the results showed them gradually moving off the road verges, enabling the construction work to take place without breaking wildlife law.

The re-profiled verges were left as bare sand where possible and sown with a grass mix. Where adjacent to heathland SSSIs, heather Looking north along fenceline (Nov) cuttings gathered from nearby Merritown King© Annabel

Heath at Hurn were also added. This depressa) dragonfly was also seen here.

s

d r

should encourage sparse heathland/acid a However, of most interest on the main

w

d E

grassland vegetation with a high wildlife verges were several populations of Hare’s- n

a

y

r

B value to develop on the verges and it will Hare’s-foot clover foot Clover (Trifolium arvense) and the also reduce the County Council verge-cutting © (Trifolium arvense) Nationally Scarce Hairy Bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus costs! Following the re-profiling and seeding, subbiflorus), which appear to have come from a DERC have been contracted to monitor the results. buried seedbank, along with other grassland plants Surveys in summer and autumn 2016 recorded 78 species such as Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), from the verges. The grass seed mix has established in most Common Cat’s-ear (Hypochaeris radicata) and Lesser Hawkbit areas but there was plenty of bare ground for other plants to (Leontodon saxitilis). Closer to the carriageway the normally colonise. Heather seedlings have yet to appear but it usually coastal Lesser Sea-spurrey (Spergularia marina) was noted takes several years for new plants to germinate. The ultimate in several places, no doubt encouraged by the winter salt- aim is to produce low-maintenance verges with a mosaic of spreading. It will be interesting to see whether it spreads as heathland and acid grassland habitats. quickly as Danish Scurvy-grass (Cochlearia danica) which is scattered all along the A31. The ditch re-profiling had the greatest impact producing a band of lush vegetation, a mixture of ruderals and wetland Reptiles are being monitored by CGO Ecology and initial species such as Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Redshank results are encouraging with many sand patches being used (Persicaria maculosa), Gypsywort (Lycopus europaeus) and by egg-laying sand lizards and other reptiles already spotted Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum). A water filter using the verges. The verges will continue to be monitored pond constructed to prevent silt run-off already has an for five years, at the end of which we will have a good idea of abundance of Water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), how successful the restoration has been. plus Water Mint (Mentha aquatica), Gypsywort and Greater Bryan Edwards (DERC) & Reedmace (Typha latifolia); a Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula Annabel King (DCC Natural Environment Team)

Edited by Carolyn Steele Registered in England as Dorset Environmental Records Centre Trust Company Limited 4040 Registered Charity No. 900287 Registered Company No. 2447393