Local May - August 2016 A news and events diary from wildlife and conservation groups in Wildlife the Ipswich area News
Loads of events for all the family throughout the summer. See Events Diary.
Produced by the Please come and volunteer at Chantry Walled Garden
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am to 3pm Led by Bob Burns
Activities include: Garden maintenance General nursery work Growing and tending plants Heritage gardening Helping other people to garden Development of our Accessible Garden Conservation and maintenance in wider park
It’s a good way to learn skills/share your knowledge, enjoy a cuppa in our cosy cottage and contribute to the community. You may have memories of the Walled Garden to pass on to help shape its future
Contact Development Manager Susannah Robirosa on 07530 407302 or 01473 345350 or email [email protected]
Meet at the main greenhouse or Nursery Cottage. Access is through green iron gate in the orchard. Turn right at top of drive (Hadleigh Rd entrance) and follow path to right, past rose garden and herbaceous border, keeping the wall on your right (ignore first iron gate). Go through wooden gate into orchard to second green iron gate. Please DO NOT enter via Ipswich Borough Council yard (which is marked ‘no public access’)
2 Welcome Welcome to the summer edition of Local Wildlife News magazine – produced by the Greenways Project to help local conservation groups promote their activities and events. The summer edition always has a wealth of varied events to help you get out and about in your local area to enjoy the wildlife and landscape – so please take the opportunity to support the fantastic 6 events and see how much the Ipswich area offers to wildlife! Getting involved – if you fancy helping any of the groups listed in this edition, please do contact Please come and volunteer them as there is always work to be done and all volunteers are very warmly welcomed! Greenways and Ipswich Wildlife Group will be continuing their series of ‘Wildlife Homes’ events around the at Chantry Walled Garden town this year – encouraging local residents to build nest-boxes and create habitat in their gardens to make their gardens into nature reserves as part of the town’s wildlife network. We are always looking for more people to help with these events and the regular Friday work parties where the kits are prepared. Don’t worry – you don’t need carpentry skills – you’ll be able to learn as you go along 8 (like the rest of us!), and we can guarantee friendly company and tea, coffee and biscuits! Please Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am to 3pm contact Greenways for more details and see Greenways pages for articles about building homes for Led by Bob Burns hedgehogs and otters. The RSPB Ipswich Group would also like you to get involved by observing the House Sparrows in your area and completing the questionnaire included in this issue. Activities include: Photographs Garden maintenance When producing LWN, we always like to use plenty of pictures to help illustrate the news and articles 12 – sometimes these are supplied by those contributing the articles, but sometimes we need more. If General nursery work you have high quality wildlife pictures that you would be happy for us to use in the magazine, we’d be delighted if you could get in touch. If you can help please either contact the Greenways Project or Growing and tending plants the Production Editor, Colin Hullis (contact details below left). Heritage gardening Contributions We are always happy to receive articles of anything up to 650 words, or wildlife ‘snippets’ – so Helping other people to garden please do send in anything which may be of interest to: Greenways Project, Scout Headquarters, Development of our Accessible Garden Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, IP2 9TH. 01473 433995. [email protected] 13 Mailing lists – Please note Conservation and maintenance in wider park We are aware that some who are members of several conservation organisations may well receive more than one copy of the newsletter. If this is the case we would be very grateful if you could pass on the spare copy. It’s a good way to learn skills/share your knowledge, enjoy a cuppa If on the other hand you don’t currently receive LWN regularly, but would like to, please consider joining one of the groups that distributes LWN to its members (i.e. Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Ipswich in our cosy cottage and contribute to the community. Wildlife Group, RSPB etc). You may have memories of the Walled Garden to pass on to help 17 LWN is available online at www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways/ © Dean Bricknell 15 shape its future James Baker
Contents Page Contact Development Manager Susannah Robirosa Suffolk Wildlife Trust 4 on 07530 407302 or 01473 345350 or email 19 Ipswich Wildlife Group 8 [email protected] Local Wildlife News is published by Friends of the Dales 9 Greenways Countryside Project. Greenways Countryside Project 10 Editor: James Baker [email protected] Portal Woodlands Conservation Group 12 Meet at the main greenhouse or Nursery Cottage. Tel 01473 433995 Production Editor: Colin Hullis Ipswich Borough Council Wildlife Rangers 13 Access is through green iron gate in the orchard. [email protected] Turn right at top of drive (Hadleigh Rd entrance) Tel 01473 728674 RSPB Ipswich Local Group 14 and follow path to right, past rose garden and herbaceous border, Artwork production: Chris Saunders Friends of Christchurch Park 16 keeping the wall on your right (ignore first iron gate). [email protected] Tel 01473 721550 Go through wooden gate into Butterfly Conservation 17 Printed by PJ Print orchard to second green iron gate. [email protected] Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group 18 Please DO NOT enter via Ipswich Borough Council yard Tel 01473 276010 Friends of Holywells Park 19 (which is marked ‘no public access’) Printed on recycled paper Friends of Belstead Brook Park 20 The opinions expressed in Local Wildlife News are not necessarily Local Wildlife News Snippets 21 those of the Greenways Project. Events Diary 22 3 Ipswich Group Newsletter
Chairman: David Munday 01473 217310 [email protected] Secretary: Wendy Brown 01473 259674 [email protected] Treasurer: Tony Clarke 01473 741083 [email protected] Newsletter Editor: John Ireland 01473 723179 [email protected] Group contact: [email protected] We are the Ipswich Group of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. We offer an interesting range of monthly meetings with guest speakers which take place usually on the third Wednesday of the month at 7.30 p.m. in the hall of St Margaret’s Primary School, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Trust members and non-members are equally welcome. During the summer months we offer a variety of trips, some local, others by coach. Details of these and our monthly meetings can be found in our ‘Diary’ section which follows, or on the SWT website, www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org. Chairman’s Letter
Car parking Information As regulars to our meetings know, the car parking at St. As a new arrangement, the Trust HQ will be using some space Margaret’s School Hall has been unavailable for some months from time to time in our Ipswich Group Newsletter to keep us while the school was being extended. Our apologies to those informed of activities, events etc in and around Ipswich and who were not able to make it for our monthly meetings and the wider SWT territory. I hope you find this useful. The first well done to those who struggled through. The school staff of these articles, about the Trust’s work in Holywells Park, were as frustrated as we were by all the delays. All things appears in this Newsletter. should be back to normal for the start of the new season but if you want to be doubly sure, any of the committee as I hope you manage to join one or both of the splendid walks above would hope to have the latest information, or look on that Leigh has organised for the summer period. Full details [email protected] are in the diary section. Have a good summer and I look forward to seeing you at our first meeting of the new season Facebook on the 21st September for Robert Maidstone’s talk on Garden Our Ipswich Group is now on Facebook and can be accessed Insects. easily by Googling Suffolk Wildlife Trust in Ipswich on Facebook and you’re in! At the time of writing all the photos Dave Munday of our trip to Wakehurst Place by Barry Cooper and Lydia (Chairman) Vulliamy are on the Facebook page. Click on ‘photos’ to bring them up. Also, Ann and David Prynn’s article on the visit to Wakehurst Place is there in full. We share the page with other SWT activities areas, so you can see what’s happening in the Ipswich area. In time we hope to be able to add other items to the page, so keep looking.
Californian Poppy photographed on the trip to Wakehurst Place
4 Ipswich Group Newsletter
Holywells Park – adventure, wildlife and history in the heart of Ipswich
When asked about fond memories of childhood, how many of many more planned for the year ahead (more details below). It us would recount summer days exploring the countryside with proved to be a fantastic summer for wildlife at Holywells - one friends or siblings, the thrill of climbing trees, spotting a fox of the highlights was undoubtedly the first red kite record for or badger, building a den or cooking over a bonfire? Suffolk the park, spotted at a community BioBlitz event. Wildlife Trust believes that this immersion in the natural world should be part of everyone’s life, large or small, being proven This hands-on approach to inspire young people about to benefit health and well-being. the wonders of the natural world on their doorstep is exciting because it sees us working alongside Ipswich Park In Ipswich we are fortunate to have an array of special Rangers and other wildlife groups such as Greenways, wild places on our doorstep, with ancient woodlands, Suffolk Biological Records Centre and Ipswich Museum. rolling heaths, the spectacular Orwell estuary and several These partnerships are crucial as they provide a range of outstanding historic parks and gardens. opportunities for young people, particularly those who have an inherent interest in the natural world (our next generation One of the most beautiful of these parks is Holywells. Its of David Attenboroughs!) What an honour it is to indulge their history can be traced back to the 13th Century, when it was passion and watch their knowledge grow. part of the Manor of Wyke’s Bishop. The name Holywells refers to the natural springs that emerge in the park, once At Holywells, this range of opportunities is growing all the used to make beer by the Cobbold family, who shipped the time, in addition to community and family events we run spring water up to their brewery in Harwich. The park has regular ‘Young Wardens’ work parties, wildlife courses passed through many hands, to eventually be given to the for teenagers and activities for local schools with themes people of Ipswich by Lord Woodbridge in 1936. including hibernation and pond life. Suzanne Kingsnorth, a teacher from nearby Murrayfield Primary School recounts: “The children loved everything today, including the sunny weather at last. They all went home clutching their findings from the owl pellets. We couldn’t persuade them to leave them at school at all…they all wanted to show their parents and talk about the activity with them.”
Holywells Park
A mosaic of important habitats can be found in the park; mixed woodland is a major feature, with ash, poplar, beech, goat willow and sweet chestnut trees all present. The park also supports protected bat species pipistrelle and barbastelle. Ipswich Borough Council’s management of the park recognises the importance of fallen and standing dead wood for wildlife, which benefits several important species, Habitat box-making in the park including the magnificent stag beetle, five banded weevil- wasp, bee wolf and golden hoverfly. 2016 promises to be another wild year at Holywells Park - we look forward to seeing you there! In 2015, thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Suffolk Wildlife Trust began to expand its hands-on approach Free wildlife sessions for schools are available as part of to environmental education by taking it out of nature reserves the Heritage Lottery funded initiative, please contact Suffolk and into the iconic parks of Ipswich. At Holywells Park we Wildlife Trust’s Ipswich Education Officer on 01473 890089 for have been working with the park rangers to encourage young details. people with a love for nature, to build on their ID and practical conservation skills by learning from and working alongside Visit our website: suffolkwildlifetrust.org/whats-on to book local wildlife experts. your places on half-term events
We also ran a number of community wildlife events - and have Jane Eade, Suffolk Wildlife Trust 5 Ipswich Group Newsletter
Why working for wildlife can be good for you as well as wildlife
Over the last few years there has been an increasing in depression, anxiety and stress related symptoms. Lifestyle recognition that access to nature and participating in wildlife changes featured increased social contact, happiness, feelings related activities can be good for you as well as the wildlife. To of safety and achievement and other gains too. Some of these many of us that have been involved with wildlife that seems gains could be achieved just by attending an evening talk or a blindingly obvious but that realisation has been slow to come tour or watching the birds in your garden. to others and there has been little evidence to support it. The new study “Is it nice outside? Consulting people living Since the 1980s when GP referral schemes started prescribing with dementia and carers about engaging with the natural exercise there has been an understanding of the health environment”, was the result of a collaborative project, again benefits of exercise. But this has mostly focused on cardiac commissioned by Natural England. The study was a major rehabilitation, though you might have seen the occasional survey looking at how access to nature could have benefits green gym, trim trails or health walks. The evidence for for those living with dementia and their carers. Some of the health benefits has tended to be anecdotal. Recently this has headline figures make interesting reading and do dispel a changed with some good studies and reports being produced. few myths. A fifth of people living with dementia felt having dementia was not a barrier to them having contact with the natural environment whereas four fifths of carers thought it was. A quarter of the people interviewed said they watched birds and other wildlife on a weekly basis, especially if it involved walking. There was a real liking for activities centred around water such as rivers, lakes and the coast with nearly half the people preferring that with a third using local parks and open spaces. The report revealed that engaging in outdoor activities that have a purpose, and those that involve being with other people, provide the greatest motivation for people living with dementia.
Healthy outdoor exercise
Natural England recently commissioned a report on “A review of nature-based interventions for mental health care” and the findings make fascinating reading. The review looked at social and therapeutic horticulture, environmental conservation (as an intervention) and care farming. There is a massive demand for psychological therapies and the report showed that although lots was being done this was on a random basis with little coordination between the organisations. Some of the successes of treating mental ill health by nature-based activities included psychological restoration with a reduction A walk in the woods
When you start considering the health benefits of physical activity, what we might call ‘Green Gyms’, again the real evidence of the benefits has been lacking and where it does exist it is usually focused on sports based activities. A recent article in the Journal of Public Health on “A case–control study of the health and well-being benefits of allotment gardening” showed real improvements to self-esteem, mood and general health from allotment gardening. In time I have no doubt that a Sunday morning spent coppicing or clearing scrub will have similar benefits that can be demonstrated.
The body of evidence, that being involved with wildlife can be good for you, is increasing all the time. I suspect you are going to be hearing more about the role of wildlife in health care in the coming years.
Bird watching can be valuable exercise John Biglin 6 Ipswich Group Newsletter
Dates for your Diary
Summer Outings 2016 Coach Outing to BTO The Nunnery Thetford and Cambridge Botanic Gardens Saturday 21st May 8.30am to 7.0pm cost £25 For more information and booking contact Pam Ireland E-mail: [email protected] Phone 01473 723179
Guided Walk at Snape Marshes Saturday 18th June 10am – 12.30pm Derek and Lesley Walduck, volunteer wardens at Snape Marshes will guide us through its varied habitats. It is a good time of year for orchids and dragonflies and we should also see Red Poll cattle. Park at Snape Maltings (IP17 1SR) and meet on Snape Bridge for a 10am start. We will book at table at the Golden Key for drink or lunch for anyone interested. £3 donation to SWT For more information and booking Contact Leigh Williamson E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 01473 785600
Suffolk Owl Sanctuary Saturday 9th July 10.30am By special request after a fascinating talk by Mathew Lott in 2014, we have arranged a tour of the Owl Sanctuary. After the half- hour tour we are free to see the rest of the site at our leisure. There are flying displays, meercats, a woodland walk, shops and restaurant and much more. IP14 6AT Cost £6.50 For more information and booking Contact Leigh Williamson E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 01473 785600
Social Walk - Newbourne Springs and Two Pubs Saturday 6th August 10.30am – 1pm This three mile circular walk starts at the Newbourne Springs SWT car park (IP12 4NY). We will have a short stop at The Maybush at Waldringfield then continue back through Newbourne Springs Reserve. The Newbourne Fox is en route and just five minutes walk from our starting point. We will book a table for lunch at The Fox for anyone interested. £3 donation to SWT. For more information and booking Contact Leigh Williamson E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 01473 785600
Autumn Talks 2016 Garden Insects by Robert Maidstone Wednesday 21st September 7.30pm There are a huge variety of insects in our gardens, many of which are beneficial, and in some cases essential, while others are pests. Some eat the plants while others eat each other. To learn more of the behaviour of these incredible creatures, and to learn which ones not to squash, come and hear Robert’s talk. He has been fascinated by insects all his life, and will help you perhaps to see insects in a totally different light.
Suffolk Owl Sanctuary tour 9 July
A full listing of all Groups’ events can be found from page 22
7 Ipswich Wildlife Group
Chair: Ray Sidaway 01473 259104 www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/iwg facebook.com/ipswichwildlifegroup Ipswich Wildlife Group is a registered charity, relying entirely on volunteers, that promotes interest in, and conservation of, wildlife and habitats in and around Ipswich. We seek to inform and educate the local communities of Ipswich about the wildlife and habitats that can be found in the area, and the issues affecting them, as well as involve local people in practical wildlife conservation. We carry out practical conservation tasks, bid for grants to improve wildlife and green areas around Ipswich and work closely with the Greenways Project, Friends of Belstead Brook Park and other local groups with similar aims. What a load of rubbish
Our monthly River Work Parties continue to make great efforts 20 large bin bags that more than filled the Greenways trailer. maintaining Alderman Canal, the in-town stretches of the Amongst the litter a current bank debit card was found and later River Gipping, the pathways alongside and the immediate handed in to the bank. surroundings. Incidentally, the many hundreds of cans and bottles are sent for recycling and the bicycle was donated to the Genesis Bike Project. Thanks to all concerned, let’s hope the improvement lasts - for a little while anyway.
SNS Conference - We were there Ipswich Wildlife Group was very pleased to have been invited to attend the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society 2016 Conference held at Wherstead Park in February.
We shared a stand space with the Greenways Countryside Project and the Ipswich group of RSPB. This gave us the first opportunity to show off our new display banners that will be used for all our future public events.
Bottles and bikes are recycled - probably not the brolly!
The tasks vary from month to month, from cutting back unwanted willow and elder, to dead-hedge building, maintaining the pathways and clearing the waterways of debris. However, every month there is one constant, thankless task - litter-picking.
Our stand was very popular
Presentations throughout the day were given around the theme of ‘Freshwater Revival - years of freshwater conservation and beyond’. The conference was attended by close on 200 people including leading figures in the environmental and conservation world locally and beyond. A trailer load of rubbish This was a great opportunity for us to promote the Group, its Unfortunately the area, like so many urban waterway areas, concerns and activities. Together with Greenways and the local seems to get used as a dumping ground for unwanted domestic RSPB we concentrated our message on our current joint project items from TV sets to sofas and bicycles to baby carriages - the Ipswich Wildlife Network and there was plenty of interest as well as the ubiquitous plastic bags, beer bottles and lager shown by delegates throughout the day. cans. An additional, and distressful situation in the area is the existence of drug dens where we regularly collect and dispose of Upcoming events used drug-taking paraphenalia. See IWG Facebook page and Events Diary for more information. 2nd May - Spring Wood Celebration Day. At our March gathering a dozen members and friends, aided by 31st May - Bangladesh Community Day, Holywells Park. the Greenways Countryside Project who provide the equipment 11/12th June - Orwell Country Park Bioblitz. and resources, decided to carry out a litter-picking blitz on 18th June - Jubilee Walk event, the Sandlings LNR, Rushmere. the stretch from Yarmouth Road to Alderman Road. After 23rd July - Big Garden Party, Maidenhall Community Garden. three hours, (including tea break), the group had collected an 27th July - Holywells Wildlife Day. enormous amount of litter, rubbish and discarded items in over 21st August - Martlesham Common Day. 8 Friends of the Dales
The Dales is a small Local Nature Reserve situated off Dales Road in Ipswich. For details of the Friends Group please contact Jessica Allen at [email protected] or find us on Facebook by searching Friends of the Dales
Winter Work at the Dales Local Nature Reserve
It’s been a really busy winter for the friends group working alongside Ipswich Borough Council’s Wildlife Team. We have managed to complete all the planned winter work and even got in a few additional items. The large pond has been totally transformed by the removal of overhanging willow trees and litter, after being electro fished in the autumn. We’re going to have some really happy amphibians this year with lots more light and shallow water around.
Contractors high at work
him for all his efforts to improve accessibility. I’ve got a full time job keeping him in woodchip and topsoil, if only there were more Dons! Really happy amphibians Contractors ‘Eastwood Trees’ have reduced the crack willows Staying with the wet, amphibious theme, we have created two next to the football pitch. This really needed to be done as new shallow ponds for breeding amphibians near the big pond. the trees were very tall and the risk of major limb failure quite Areas of trees and scrub have been cleared on the southern high. The more dangerous trees were identified and reduced to side to allow lots of light in and create ideal conditions for frogs, roughly twenty feet. This is a good compromise as these trees toads and newts to breed. The ponds are too shallow to hold were the favoured haunt of our great spotted woodpeckers but fish which helps to safeguard the population of amphibians as we need to keep people safe too! the two don’t get on. Alan Cawston has removed the floating pennywort from the small pond at the western end of the This winter has seen further improvements to the wildflower reserve. This is a non-native species and swamps more delicate meadow created on site under Ipswich Borough Council’s Grass and desirable plants to the detriment of the pond. Thank you Management Project in 2011. This involved creating 35 hectares Alan. of meadow over 27 sites across the Borough of Ipswich. Three scrapes have been dug and seeded to add a bit more floristic Don continues his quest diversity to our part of this project. This area was historically to improve the footpath gang mown so was very nutrient rich and as such the floristic network around the site. diversity is poor. Continued cutting and seeding will see this area He has completed a transformed over the next 3-5 years so watch this space. tremendous amount of work to ensure the site Finally, we are now going to produce a monthly list of species is accessible to all users. that have been seen on site by volunteers and site users. This Due to the geology of will be visible on the noticeboards as you enter the site off Dales the Dales we have areas Road so please have a look to see what’s around if you are that get rather wet in the visiting. We’ve had some fairly interesting species in the last year winter. Don has gone out alone and the information gathered will be added to Ipswich of his way to improve Borough Councils site audit sheets and the Suffolk Biological these areas, and I’m sure Records Centre Database. everybody who uses the Joe Underwood site will join me in thanking IBC Wildlife & Education Ranger 9 Scout Headquarters (next to St Peter’s Church), Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 9TH Office: 01473 433995 [email protected] www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways The Greenways Countryside Project exists to protect and enhance the countryside, landscape and open space across an area of about 100 square kilometres in and around the town of Ipswich, and home to around one quarter of the population of Suffolk, for the benefit of wildlife and local people. The project relies on volunteers to complete much of its practical conservation work. The Greenways Project is a very successful and well-established partnership between Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk County Council, Babergh District Council, Suffolk Coastal District Council and the local community.
‘Clean for the Queen’ hedgehog friendly county. Hedgehogs have suffered a well- Greenways volunteers have always had to pick up litter and publicised sharp decline in recent decades - it’s believed around often very large quantities of it! Sadly all of our nature reserves 36 million of them roamed the land in the 1950s, but that there and green spaces are blighted by discarded litter and larger are less than one million in the country today. scale fly-tipping, and responsibility for removing it falls to the land owner – us! Project manager, James Baker, joined hedgehog experts; Suffolk Wildlife Trust; the RSPB; local MPs and others to launch the This year, in the run-up to the Queen’s 90th Birthday, Keep campaign from an ordinary Ipswich garden on Mark Murphy’s Britain Tidy and Country Life are encouraging us all to make an morning programme. This campaign fits very well with the effort to tidy up our litter-strewn nation! Locally, the Greenways ‘Wildlife Homes’ work that Greenways carries out with the Project has been doing its bit. At Downside Close, around 40 Ipswich Borough Council Rangers and Ipswich Wildlife Group local residents, mostly young children, worked with gusto to as we have already built more than 250 hedgehog homes with clear a local wooded area and return it to its natural, attractive local children and families, making a real contribution to the state. The clean-up was part of a wider event including wildlife species within the town’s wildlife network. A possible home for homes building and wildlife activities – supported and funded by hibernation or simply occasional shelter, the wooden box is very Sanctuary Housing. easy to build and place in your garden. But as with all species, they need more than this, they also need the right habitat to provide natural food. Hedgehogs are well-known for eating slugs and snails but they actually rely much more on caterpillars, beetles and other invertebrates, so a hedgehog friendly garden needs areas of long grass and wildflowers, native trees and shrubs, compost and habitat piles, leaves - so basically not over-managed!
Clearing rubbish from the Spring Wood A14 lay-by
In Spring Wood, the Friends of Belstead Brook Park and regular Greenways volunteers worked for two days to remove the accumulated filth left behind by the great travelling public (especially overnighting lorry drivers)! Two large trailer loads of discarded food wrappers, tyres, rubble, bottled wee and worse were removed. Critically, hedgehogs also need to be able to pass between Although it’s a horrible job it is very satisfying to see such a gardens as they have surprisingly large territories and roam to marked improvement to this part of the nature reserve, and with find food and partners. One of the key aims of the campaign the clean-up complete we were then able to coppice some of is to promote the value of gardens to this species (and many the trees and shrubs in the area to produce materials for a new others) in the urban setting. In the wider countryside, nature ‘dead hedge’ along the fence line to help deter people throwing conservation organisations have realised that simply having litter into the woodland. We hope the ‘topping’ of prickly nature reserves is not enough, we have to work with farmers and blackthorn might help deter people!! landowners to improve the vast amount of land in between. In the urban setting, the same is true, our nature reserves, parks, It’s hard to imagine how much the problem of litter has escalated allotments and green spaces are not enough on their own to during our Queen’s lifetime but I think it’s fair to say that as a halt the loss of wildlife species – we have to enlist the help of nation and a species, we should be ashamed of ourselves – that homeowners and gardeners if we are to give wildlife the best is, apart from those dedicated volunteers who worked ‘beyond chance we can. the call of duty’ in Spring Wood, of whom we should be very proud! Many thanks everyone. Greenways and its partners will be continuing to support the ‘Whole Hog’ campaign throughout the year with our usual ‘Going the Whole Hog!’ ‘wildlife homes’ events spread across the town. The Greenways Project is proud to be part of BBC Radio James Baker Suffolk’s new year-long campaign to make Suffolk the UK’s first Greenways Project Manager 10 Otter Holt endeavours or ‘Holt! Who goes there?’
On a fine March day, a group of staff from Suffolk County tree roots, fallen trees - and sometimes man-made structures Council’s Natural and Historic Environment Team joined and buildings. Greenways staff and volunteers to build two otter holts along the Belstead Brook valley. Along the Ipswich part of the Belstead Brook, the habitat is good for otters but not that extensive and relatively disturbed. Belstead Brook is one of the focal points of biodiversity Building artificial otter holts is a good way of improving the conservation for the Greenways Countryside Project. The habitat and creating opportunities for the animals to shelter Brook provides an array of different habitats for biodiversity or potentially even breed. The holts are made from natural as it meanders through Bobbits Lane Meadows, Ashground materials (logs and brushwood sourced from woodland Plantation and Bourne Park Reedbed Local Nature Reserves. management operations in the area) and as with most ‘wildlife Although rarely seen in person, otters are residents of the homes’ are just as likely to be used by other species as the Brook, often leaving footprints along the sandy riverbanks and intended beneficiary! For example, a large stag beetle larva distinctive ‘spraint’ (or faeces). was found during the construction, living in dead wood on the floor of the woodland – so we can surmise that a wide range of Biodiversity is the variety, range and relative abundance of species will benefit from the piled logs and twigs. living organisms within a habitat. The greater the diversity of species, the greater the biodiversity and the healthier As well as a chance to stretch their legs, this was an the ecosystem will be. All living creatures are in some way opportunity for the volunteers to let out their competitive side connected to other creatures. They may directly rely on other by having a prize for the best holt built. There are numerous organisms for food, or indirectly rely on them for creating reasons why volunteers get involved with activities such as habitats or consuming predators. ‘When one tugs at a single otter-holt building. In addition to being able to spend a whole thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world’- day outside in the fresh air, wildlife volunteering gives you the Unknown. opportunity to meet people from a variety of backgrounds and ages and work together to achieve something worthwhile, Otters are often top predators in river habitats making them something brilliant for biodiversity! important organisms within their ecosystem. They can thus be seen as a key indicator species of ecosystem health. For ‘I’m a very goal oriented person. I find these sorts of activities example, if the population of otters is declining, this is an are so satisfying. To follow something through from start to indicator that the ecosystem is in poor condition. finish, be proud of the result and to have something to show for your hard work is so rewarding.’ – Suffolk County Council Otters are omnivores that feed on a variety of organisms, volunteer. including fish, amphibians, birds, small mammals, roots and aquatic plants. Otters are resourceful and do not build their Julia MacClusky own dens but instead exploit natural shelters – cavities under Greenways Project volunteer
11 Portal Woodlands Conservation Group
Enquiries: Martlesham Parish Council 01473 612632 www.pwcg.onesuffolk.net or email [email protected] The group was formed to conserve the woodlands west of the Suffolk Police HQ and alongside the A1214. Volunteers meet each month to work on a variety of projects. Anybody is welcome to join this friendly group. Training and tools are provided.
In Autumn sunshine, the year’s last Nature Watch Club meeting found that 18 of the 27 tit boxes, and one of the nine open was in November when members studied nocturnal animals boxes had been inhabited. A squirrel is currently living in the and looked for their tracks around the woods. The meeting was owl box!
in the morning so the animals were safely tucked up in their © S. Corley beds, but we found tracks, gnaw marks on the trees and poo amongst the leaves from where they had been!
Later in the month the weather changed and the Nature Explorers worked through the drizzle to clear the Education Area of overgrowth to reach the reptile habitats and to have a last titivate before the winter. Most Explorers then helped the main volunteer work party to plant some hazel saplings that were kindly donated by John and Margaret Forbes who grew them in their garden. © S. Corley
Memorial bird boxes
March saw us return to our Tumuli Project, where although grass has started to grow on both of them, we still need to complete the clearance of the southern mound and divert the path around it.
We were pleased to hear of some surprising new visitors to woods. Six red deer were spotted in February by hawk-eyed Duncan Sweeting. They passed through the woods and went down the Martlesham Heath Western Corridor towards the Explorers planting hazels Autovon Communications Centre on Foxhall Road. It’s all happening in the woods! Remember, remember, the end of December, when the daffodils were trying to erupt prematurely into flower and it For more details of the Group’s events, and to check for was too warm for the snowdrops to show their snowy faces? date changes, please go to: pwcg.onesuffolk.net/ or join our On a lovely sunny Sunday morning just before Christmas Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting. the volunteers convened for the last session of 2015. The perimeter track was cleared of overhanging branches and we Chloe King were all rewarded for our hard work with festive sandwiches, Publicity Officer and Nature Explorer cupcakes and other goodies contributed by members of the group. Volunteer Work Mornings (all welcome - no need to book) January was a long damp month in the woods, but the Meet at the Education Area from 10.00am - Noon volunteer work party was lucky to go ahead on a bright Saturday 21st May, Sunday 19th June, Saturday 16th July Saturday morning, clearing the mud and fallen leaves from the perimeter paths. Residents’ fences were made safe from low Nature Explorers (11 to 18 year olds) hanging and dead branches. Meet at the Education Area from 9.00am - 11.00am. Booking essential, please email [email protected] On a windy Sunday morning in February, the Nature Explorers Saturday 21st May, Saturday 16th July had the task of checking the bird boxes for the annual bird box survey, and also doing the necessary maintenance on Nature Watch Club (5 to 11 year olds) the boxes. We cleared out the old nests and made the boxes Meet at the Education Area from 9.00am - 11.00am. Booking nice and clean for the new spring bird families to nest in. We essential, please email [email protected] also put up our two new memorial bird boxes commemorating Sunday 15th May, Sunday 26th June, Sunday 24th July the lives of our friend Katie Webb who was a volunteer and committee member who sadly passed away at just 21 years Glow Worm Survey and Bat Walk old, and Ina Staines, the late mother of Richard Staines another Friday 24th June, 9:15pm – approx. 10:30pm, meet at the of our volunteers. Due to the impending high winds, this had Martlesham Heath Control Tower. Subject to weather. Bring to be done in a shorter time than usual for Health and Safety warm clothes and a torch. reasons, as all the boxes have to be reached by ladder. We 12 Wildlife Rangers
Office : 01473 433998 [email protected] Stable Block, Holywells Park, Cliff Lane, Ipswich IP3 0PG The Wildlife & Education Rangers are responsible for the management of wildlife areas within the town’s parks and other green spaces. As well as carrying out practical management, the team runs an events programme and works with many local schools to engage and inspire the public about the wildlife Ipswich has to offer. Bioblitz in Orwell Country Park
This year Ipswich Borough Council’s Wildlife Team along the whole Country Park including Pipers Vale, Braziers Wood, with The Greenways Project and Ipswich Wildlife Group will Pond Hall Meadow and Braziers Meadow. We are really lucky be assisting Suffolk Wildlife Trust in jointly hosting a bioblitz to have a good mosaic of habitats on site so are expecting to event in Orwell Country Park. record a really good range of species.
There will be something for everybody with an interest in wildlife. We will have bird ringers attending so there will be a good chance to see some birds in the hand (possibly even a nightingale!). A representative from Suffolk Bat Group is leading a guided walk and we will also be moth trapping to see what species we have in different areas of the Country Park. GeoSuffolk will also be on site to explain the different geological areas and how they influence the habitats present.
Scarlet elf cups
A bioblitz is a concentrated period of biological surveying, where experts and members of the public attempt to record as many species within a designated area as possible. Groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a continuous time period (in this case 24 hours). Many county recorders and local experts have been invited, so it is a great learning opportunity if you have a particular interest. Six spot Burnet moth
The event will be held over the weekend of the 11th and So if you want to improve your ID skills, help us learn more 12th of June. The centre point will be Bridge Wood with the about wildlife in the Orwell Country Park or just have a nice ‘recording hub’ situated in the picnic area. A range of wildlife day out in Ipswich’s biggest park, please come along. More related activities focused on recording are planned to cover details will be made available on the IBC and SWT websites and local media. © Colin Hullis
Grass snakes Nightingale 13 Ipswich Local Group
Membership Secretary: c/o 19, Marlborough Road, Ipswich, IP4 5AT Email: [email protected] www.rspb.org.uk/groups/Ipswich Ipswich RSPB Local Group is for everyone interested in birds and other wildlife in the Ipswich area and beyond. Come along to our indoor talks, held monthly between September to April at Sidegate Primary School, or (throughout the year), get out and experience nature first hand on one of our regular field meetings, visiting some of the best spots for wildlife in the area. Three times a year the ‘Orwell Observer’, keeps readers abreast of the latest developments at nearby RSPB Reserves as well as news of Group activities, along with members’ photographs and accounts of birding exploits from home and abroad. Membership costs £3 per year (£1 for Juniors). For more information see the Events Diary in this magazine, visit our website or write as per details above. Ipswich swifts ‘n’ sparrows project is now live!!
Our Ipswich Swifts ‘n’ Sparrows conservation project is now help conserve the birds in our patch where we have the best fully up and running! Our heartfelt thanks to all of you who got chance to be able to make a difference. If you think this is a in touch, following our article and appeal for volunteers in the good idea too, then please give a few minutes of your time by last edition of LWN to register your details to offer your help! filling out our House Sparrow Questionnaire. This can be done on the paper form enclosed in the magazine or on-line by For those that didn’t, don’t worry, as there’s still plenty of time following the links from our website. If you have familiarity with to get involved! And to make the project really successful, the status of house sparrows from more than one location, you we need as many residents and volunteers as possible to get can return multiple questionnaires if you wish. We will continue involved, to help establish Ipswich as a truly Swift and House to run the questionnaires till the end of the year.
Sparrow friendly town! A copy of our simple to complete © Liz Cutting House Sparrow Questionnaire is included in this magazine; only takes a few minutes to complete, and we’d love to hear from you even if you know you don’t have any sparrows, as in actual fact negative records are equally valuable. In addition, even if you live outside Ipswich, we’d like to hear from you, as we will be passing all data received to the Suffolk Biological Information Service, who welcome all biological records from across the county, to help inform future research and conservation planning. © Liz Cutting
House sparrow
In parallel we are also conducting a more detailed, house sparrow breeding survey. This covers representative, randomised 350 square metre squares across Ipswich. This survey requires a significantly larger time commitment as it incorporates 2 – 3 visits to a specific area, individually chosen and allocated to each volunteer. It is estimated that each visit will take approximately 2 hours, and observations need to be conducted before midday during the main breeding period (April through to the end of May), with ideally 12-14 day House sparrow intervals in between. Full details of this survey, can likewise be found, following the relevant links from our website. Firstly, a quick re-cap, to explain just why we are carrying out this project. Recording swifts For our other project species, swifts, we are encouraging Swifts and house sparrows are two familiar species that all of you, signing up for the sparrow surveys to also record live and or breed in close proximity to man in our urban your observations of incidences of swift breeding and ‘swift environment. House sparrows, having associated with humans screaming parties’. (During the time these wonderful creatures for at least 10,000 years, have since 1969, declined by around grace our skies, generally between the end of the first week of 68% in the UK and have been red-listed since 2002. May until the start of August).
Likewise, swifts are unfortunately, also in trouble, with our Spotting swifts breeding can be tricky, as, as their name UK population declining by some 3% year on year. If this rate suggests, they fly remarkably fast, and will usually whip into continues unchanged, swifts could become extinct as a UK a nesting cavity, nest box or under a roof tile, in the blink of breeding species by 2050! an eye. However, if you are able to spot such activity, this provides good evidence of breeding, at the very least, being Consequently, like many other groups and individuals in attempted. towns and cities across the UK and beyond, RSPB Ipswich Local Group felt motivated to try to do something practical to Likewise, low level, (usually around roof-height) groups of 14 Ipswich Local Group © Gallinago_media Another equally well-attended talk was by the RSPB’s Oli Yates, who provided a truly heartwarming insight into the superb work and recent successes of the Albatross Task Force, and their engagement with governments and international fishing fleets in the southern oceans, helping prevent extinctions of the world’s 22 species of albatross as well as many other species of seabirds. © Chris Courtney
Common Swift
swifts, chasing each other in a frenzy, while loudly shrieking, is also a good indicator or nearby breeding activity, although not all birds involved will necessarily be breeders.
Please do not report observations of high flying, groups or individuals, as this cannot be taken as reliable evidence of Geese gather at Levington Creek nearby breeding activity, as the species may range over hundreds of kilometres in their search for food. Our field meetings likewise, continue to prove highly popular and rewarding, as on a recent outing to Levington Creek; Please input your swift records directly at http://www. perfectly timed to witness the massed ranks of golden plover, suffolkbis.org.uk/swift redshanks, dunlin, knot, wigeons and brent geese as the tide approached its maximum. When the time came to depart, after Further information on swifts and the Save Our Suffolk Swifts watching a buzzard soaring overhead, we gazed heavenwards Project can be found at http://www.sogonline.org.uk/sos-swifts/ to find a lone skylark high above, pouring forth its frenetic but joyous song , when from out of nowhere, appeared the sudden For a neat little film on the finer points of how to distinguish flash of a merlin, making several short stabbing dives, in a between a House Sparrow, a Hedge Sparrow and other vain attempt to catch its prey. Before disappearing quite as easy to confuse species, please have a look at the following suddenly as it had arrived.
excellent video, produced by the BTO http://www.bto.org/ © Dean Bricknell (rspb-images.com) about-birds/bird-id/bird-id-common-sparrows-reed-bunting
Similarly, for help sorting your swifts from your swallows and martins this video is just the ticket http://www.bto.org/about- birds/bird-id/bto-bird-id-hirundines-and-swift
Further help with ID features on these and other species is also available from the RSPB http://www.rspb.org.uk/ discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdidentifier/
The second and ongoing part of the project will be using the results of the surveys to inform a targeted initiative to get as many house sparrow and swift nest boxes put up in the town as we possibly can. A shortage of nesting spaces in our modern and refurbished homes in this era of plastic soffits and higher standards of property maintenance, is thought to be the single most important factor driving these species’ population declines. Merlin Group activities Meanwhile, our other group activities continue, with both Well, plenty more excellent speakers and exciting wildlife indoor talks and outdoor field meetings having recently encounters await, in our packed programme for the months witnessed some exceptional attendances. Recent indoor ahead. Please see our diary entries and website for further meetings have included author, broadcaster and dedicated details, or to contact us for queries about our conservation birder Jeremy Mynott, who gave a fascinating illustrated talk projects and swift and house sparrow nest box enquiries. all about his successful project to bring together multiple experts and locals to survey the astounding biodiversity of the Have a great wildlife filled summer, wonderful and isolated Suffolk hamlet of Shingle Street. For Chris Courtney more information see http://www.shinglestreetsurvey.org.uk 15 © Tim Kenny Friends of Christchurch Park
Secretary: Ann Snook 01473 251037 Membership Secretary: Robert Fairchild 01473 254255 www.focp.org.uk Follow us on Facebook@Christchurch Park and Twitter@ChristchurchPk The sole purpose of the Friends Group is to help look after the Park for the public good, and to promote its welfare. Anyone who shares this aim is welcome to join. For a small annual fee of £5 you can join in Friends activities all year round, including Illustrated talks and discussions, Guided Park walks and Practical conservation work. You will also receive an informal seasonal newsletter. ‘Preying’ in Christchurch Park
It has been a good winter for birdwatchers in Christchurch quite replete, the ‘spar’ flew to a nearby fence where it began Park. The goosanders attracted many, many viewers who were to clean its bill, legs and feet and its blood-splattered lower not disappointed by the displaying drakes. Where else can feathers. My granddaughter was able to photograph this event you see at close quarters goosander, mandarin, little grebe, and said that she was amazed, although not unduly upset, by cormorant and kingfisher? Add to that collection Mabel, and the whole spectacle. I think that it is good for youngsters to our Park becomes a Mecca for ornithologists. get to know that birds of prey kill to survive. Those that try to hide such events from our youngsters I think are ill-informed We have many carrion crows in our Park and they are always and have most probably never actually witnessed what our interesting to watch. Being scavengers they are often seen sparrowhawks, and indeed Mabel too, get up to when they are tearing apart abandoned litter or indeed searching through hungry. the insides of the litter bins in the company of magpies and squirrels. However, when a bird of prey floats overhead In my youth sparrowhawks were often seen hanging on then the crows join forces to mob the poor creature until it gamekeepers’ gibbets together with other birds of prey and departs. The ‘poor’ bird of prey is usually one of our resident owls. I once saw 17 different species of animals and birds sparrowhawks. Living very close to the Park, I often have close on a gibbet. In the mid 1950’s many birds of prey numbers encounters with these wonderful birds as they swoop past my crashed including sparrowhawks – they had been poisoned. birdfeeders. Agricultural pesticides were blamed. Poisons were poured onto the land and, as a result, birds of prey, which ate In February my granddaughter noticed a pile of feathers on songbirds and pigeons, were themselves contaminated. my lawn. A large female sparrowhawk had just killed a pigeon. Organo-chlorine compounds were blamed for causing It gave me the chance to explain to her that a female ‘spar’ is sparrowhawks’ eggs (and of course other birds of prey) larger than the male and usually feeds on pigeons and doves becoming too thin to bear the weight of the brooding females. rather than finches and other small birds. My granddaughter It was not until 1964 that a stop was put to the use of these was fascinated even though the killing became more and more disastrous pesticides. bloody. This bird of prey spent a long time tearing off pieces of meat occasionally looking around as though expecting to Sparrowhawks almost became extinct in this area but now be disturbed. Indeed, she was disturbed. The resident crows they are becoming more and more common. Once a rare were not best pleased and several times they dived down sight, these birds can be seen regularly in Christchurch Park forcing the sparrowhawk to take evasive action. At no time and in fact they have nested in the tall Scots pines for many did it release its grip on the pigeon. Eventually, after looking years now. The female begins to prepare the nest early in the
© Holly Fisher year although egg laying does not begin until May. All is quiet when incubation takes place with very little noticeable activity at the nest site. The male flashes to the nest with a small bird and departs just as quickly. However, judging by our Park records, as the chicks grow so the presence of young hawks becomes more pronounced with young birds calling for food and parents bringing in songbirds and pigeons.
I personally think that the eggs of sparrowhawks are some of the prettiest of birds of prey eggs being off-white in colour with red/brown and dark brown blotches. Looking into a ‘spar’s’ nest which contained 4 or 5 of these beautiful eggs has always given me a thrill and I think we are lucky to have sparrowhawks in Christchurch Park.
Female sparrowhawk on a pigeon Reg Snook 16 Butterfly Conservation Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Membership Secretary 01379 643665 www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk email: [email protected] Butterfly Conservation is dedicated to saving wild butterflies, moths and their habitats throughout the UK. All Butterfly Conservation members who live in Suffolk are automatically members of the branch and receive our newsletter, the Suffolk Argus, three times a year. The Suffolk branch is run by volunteers and we would be very pleased to hear from you if you would like to get involved. Purdis Heath SSSI update © Matt Berty 2016 is the final year of the Ipswich Heaths Project set up by Butterfly Conservation with WREN funding to aid Silver-studded Blues (SSB’s) and other Lepidoptera such as Lunar Yellow Underwing and Broad Bordered Bee Hawk- moth on heathlands around Ipswich. Purdis Heath is just one of those sites. © Julian Dowding Now is a good time to reflect upon what’s happened since we started work and also a good time to think about how we will continue at Purdis, after WREN. First of all though, I would like to thank Suffolk Branch volunteers and our partners Greenways, Ipswich Wildlife Group, Ipswich Borough Council and Ipswich Golf Course for their superb efforts during this five-year Silver studded blue Broad bordered bee hawkmoth on alkanet period.
It’s pleasing to report that this teamwork has had a positive The other main method of habitat conditioning that we use, the outcome. 53 Silver-studded Blues were recorded at Purdis in cutting of mature heather to create areas of short heathers in 2015 (a 12-fold increase on the four recorded in 2010 and the between stands of taller ones, takes fewer years to produce highest count since 2004), so we are cautiously optimistic that habitat. This has already been successful in attracting SSB’s. the SSB population is showing signs of growth. Foraged areas have a shorter ‘life span’ than scrapes, since the regrowth matures to the point at which it becomes unsuitable The major work this winter has been the removal of some of the more quickly but both methods help the butterfly by providing a deep litter layer with the creation of three new habitat scrapes mosaic of different habitats across the site. using a JCB. These were then hand strewn with Bell Heather ‘clippings’ in Jan 2016 and should show signs of heather With less than a year’s WREN funding remaining, we’ve been germination within two years. We’ve also removed scrub using thinking about how we can support the butterflies as we move hand tools, felled six trees which were shading habitat, and beyond this period. We know that left to its own devices, reinstated dead hedges. The latter provide shelter for other Purdis Heath will quickly ‘scrub over’ and eventually revert heathland wildlife and encourage people away from more to woodland. More concerning, is the possibility that new sensitive SSB areas. housing will be built on adjacent land to the south and east. Any increase in human footfall upon the heath would have a Another task has been to protect young heather seedlings using negative impact on the Lepidoptera and other wildlife at Purdis. dead bracken fronds on scrapes susceptible to rabbit grazing That said, with much of the major work such as the removal and frost. We’ve created bunds to protect against damage from of large trees from the centre of the site, the encouragement irresponsible dog owners and also to provide shelter and warmth for dog walkers to keep away from sensitive areas, and with and have cut more areas of degenerate heather. We also hope a mosaic of different types of habitat already completed, to install protective fencing on the central scrape which has we believe that a lot can be achieved by a simple annual suffered from trampling. maintenance programme. Whatever we are able to do, we hope that we can safeguard the growing population of SSB’s for the As to the future, we hope that the benefits reaped from the foreseeable future. project at Purdis should last well beyond the period of funding. A large part of this longevity should come from our scrapes. If you would like to know more or become involved at Purdis Once in condition with Bell Heather producing nectar, such areas or the other Ipswich heaths, please contact us at www. should remain suitable for another 5-10 years. Thereafter they suffolkbutterflies.org.uk will require cutting on a rotational basis to encourage heather regeneration. Julian Dowding 17 Membership Secretary Matthew Deans, 49c, Hollesley, IP12 3JY [email protected] www.sogonline.org.uk Twitter: suffolkbirds1 SOG is the Group for people interested in the birds of Suffolk, and provides a network and a voice for birdwatchers in the county.
Turtle Dove
Turtle Doves and their dramatic decline in recent years and what can be done to help. Operation Turtle Dove, which is a partnership project between four main organisations, is set up to help save the summer-visiting dove. In Suffolk there is a steering group of many local organisations of which SOG is part of Katy Froud from the RSPB spoke about Turtle Doves and a survey that is being carried out this year, details of which if you’d like to participate are on the SOG web site – www.sogonline.org.uk.
Ben Moyes and Jean Garrod Further talks on the evening included another on a farmland bird that is declining, the Tree Sparrow by Andrew Holland. At the Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group AGM in February, The talk centred on whether their decline coincides with after the formalities of the proceedings, two trophies were changes in farming, mainly with the reduction of oats as a presented. One, the Denis Ockleton Trophy is awarded for crop. Another interesting talk was on House Martins by Martin contribution to Suffolk birds and birding and the other, The Tickler and their study and behaviour on his house for the last Garrod Award, which was a brand new trophy, is presented to forty years. young people for their involvement in birds and conservation. The final talk of the evening was by SOG secretary and The recipient of the Denis Ockleton Trophy was Steve Suffolk Swift representative, Edward Jackson on the Save our Piotrowski, well known in the Suffolk birding community. He Suffolk Swifts Projects. This joint partnership project between has been involved in SOG for 38 years including Chairman SOG and Suffolk Wildlife Trust is going from strength to and Honorary President. He was one of the founders in the strength and plans are in place to have further events in some set-up of Landguard Bird Observatory, principal instigator of Suffolk towns and villages this summer in July. A Suffolk the highly successful SOG project, Suffolk Community Barn Swift Survey was set up last year on the Suffolk Biodiversity Owl Project, as well as a previous editor of the Suffolk Bird Information website and SoSS are requesting both nesting Report and author of The Birds of Suffolk. John Grant, long- records of Swifts as well as swift screaming parties to be time birding companion of Steve, gave a glowing tribute on recorded. Further information about swifts and the project can the evening. be found here www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/swifts and www. sogonline.org.uk so please have a look. The Garrod Award was in recognition of Jean and Ken Garrod for their long-time involvement in SOG. Sadly Ken passed away last year and Jean wanted an award to go to young people, 25 years and under. It was felt by SOG that it should recognise both Ken and Jean. The inaugural recipient was awarded to Ben Moyes. He has been involved in volunteer work at Minsmere and the British Trust for Ornithology. He has spoken at the BTO conference for young people. He also has a local birding patch.
At the SOG indoor meeting in March we had an ‘Open Mic Night’ where we have a variety of speakers giving short talks. Two of the speakers, including Mark Nowers, spoke about 18 Friends of Holywells Park
The Group aims to work in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council to improve and promote the Park. Contact: [email protected] www.holywellspark.org.uk facebook.com/holywellsparkipswich
Spring has arrived. Holywells Park is in bloom again and life, both animal and plant, is happening at pace. Nature revives, and we all feel a little livelier. One of the actions of the refurbishment project was the dredging of various ponds, or parts of ponds. Holywells Park is blessed with its own spring, which feeds a series of ponds, ending up at the Big Pond, from where the water flows out through a canal. Originally the water fed the Cobbold, much later Tolly Cobbold, Brewery. These days the water is taken underground and ends up in the Orwell. On its way, some of the water will be used in the water feature in the children’s play area. Otherwise the water passes from one pond to the next, and is an essential element of the environment for wildlife.
The silt was retained by bund walls
few years earlier. In a few decades the silt will have built up and require further active management, but that’s some time away. Other parts of Holywells Park are settling down after the refurbishment, and the new facilities are coming in to use as people can see them physically present. The new toilet block by the play area has been in use—not surprisingly—since the day its doors were opened. We, FoHP and the park users, are getting used to the new opportunities offered by the Stable Block, the Performance Area and the Orangery. For example, for the Cold Fair in January the Orangery was an interesting and useful extra resource, but not used in quite the way that the event organisers had expected: people congregated there A drained pond prior to silt removal more than we had thought. That said, the Cold Fair was still successful in getting people in to a cold Holywells Park.
By the time you read this, the FoHP AGM will have been held in the Stable Block, which simply would not have been possible pre-refurbishment.
One of the restored ponds of Holywells
De-silting involves the removal of large quantities of silt, and that removed silt had to go somewhere. All of it was retained within Holywells Park. Some silt was placed close to a body of water’s edge, and some was placed in the meadow area to the Bug hotel, open for business! south of the pond system. All of the silt was retained by bund walls, and by now has fully drained. The silt in the meadow Looking ahead, our May (Blossom and Scarecrows) and area, after it had dried, was spread out over the meadow, and October (Apple Day) events are held in the Orchard, which has now been incorporated in to the living soil. The barren silt gives an opportunity to see the Insect Hotel, complete with has become fertile as plants grow and worms turn the soil. The grass roof. If you’d like to do something practical in the park, meadow is much as it was, but a little higher than before! please come along to one of the work parties, or simply get in touch. The de-silting has brought life back to those water bodies that Robin Gape were previously silted up, and completes a program started a Chair of FOHP 19 Friends of Belstead Brook Park
Website: www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/fobbp E-mail: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/fobbp Friends of Belstead Brook Park (FoBBP) was set up in 2002 to help look after the 250 acres of informal country park on the south-western fringe of Ipswich. The group runs practical work parties, helps raise funds for improvements and acts as ‘eyes and ears’, passing information back to the Greenways Project.
Wet Work Parties In memory of Steve Thorpe At the final FoBBP work party of 2015 on Saturday 12th However, we had a very special day in March – we planted two December, we had a record number of seven people turn up, apple trees in memory of FoBBP founder, Steve Thorpe. The it was lovely to see some new faces on such a dismal day. trees, both apple trees called Thorpe’s Peach, were planted in We continued the work already started by the Greenways the orchard area of Kiln Meadow by Steve’s wife Chris with the volunteers attacking the hedge along the top edge of Stoke help of many friends from FoBBP and Greenways. Steve died Park Wood and used the cut material for a dead hedge. We unexpectedly in 2009 from a heart condition and Greenways stopped about 11:30am for coffee and a seasonal mince pie Project manager James Baker arranged for these rare trees to but as the rain was more persistent and heavy by this time be grown especially for us. and we were all getting cold, we abandoned early. Steve was a lovely man, We thought weather always turning out to help was going to be kind to either practically or filling in us for our January work grant application forms to party as the rain held off get the FoBBP group started. to start with. We were He was a gentle man and able to complete the would quietly work away with task of tidying up the never a grumble or cross north eastern perimeter word. I will always remember hedging of Stoke Park him teaching me how to Wood that we had coppice trees to ensure that started in December they fell the way you wanted but had to abort early them to go. He was patient, again due to heavy and Chris Thorpe with a newly planted dependable and I will treasure persistent rain. We also Thorpe’s Peach apple tree. the memories I have of him. found time to collect some of the hard-to- After the tree planting ceremony, we had a litter pick as part of reach litter that had the ‘Clean for the Queen’ national scheme to clean up the UK accumulated in the for the Queen’s 90th birthday. The actual national campaign wood’s north western started on 5th March but continues throughout the year. We Expert at work producing hedging corner. Unfortunately picked a whole trailer full of litter from the layby area alongside stakes in Stoke Park Wood. when our only black litter the A14 in Spring Wood. Not a very pleasant task but with so bag became full and our many helpers we were able to make a really good clearance. litter picker broke, we had to abandon this task leaving some litter behind for another time. If you’d like to join in the fun and can spare three hours on the second Saturday of each month, we’d love to see you. You We unfortunately had to cancel our February work party as wear old clothes and stout boots, we bring hot drinks and many of our regular core members were either on holiday, biscuits – good exercise, great company and the pleasure of busy or recovering from injury and this included our two first knowing you’ve helped the environment – what’s not to love? aiders. Ann Havard 20 Local Wildlife News Snippets
Berries galore Not So Sweet Fox on the Run
© Matt Garnham © Emi | Shutterstock.com
IBC Wildlife Rangers had a rather unexpected surprise whilst One afternoon at the end of January I was at my allotment off working on Bixley Heath last February. A Dartford warbler Spring Road in Ipswich chatting with my allotment neighbour (Sylvia undata) was seen skulking in the gorse and flitting in Mark. I became aware of some Great Tits making alarm calls and out of an area of leggy heather. This was an absolute joy and spotted a fox up near Mark’s shed. They are a regular sight for us as we’ve put a tremendous amount of work into this site and nothing to get excited about. over the last 10 years. It seems the work, varying the age range of the scrub and heather, is now paying dividends! This one had something brown in its mouth that appeared to be one of Mark’s shoes that he’d biked to the allotment in Joe Underwood before changing into his wellies. The Fox legged it into the woods with the shoe never more to be seen. Poor Mark had to bike home in his wellies but said that at least I’d seen it Scarce visitors happen so he didn’t think he was going mad. Research on the internet revealed that foxes stealing shoes is not uncommon Male goosander © Parrish Coleman and a couple in Portsmouth found over 50 around a den in their garden!
Has anyone else experienced this? And can anyone offer an explanation why a fox might get into stealing shoes?
David Basham
The Box Man
Two male and two female goosanders have been winter visitors to the Wilderness pond in Christchurch Park. The two females were first noted in late December and were later joined by the males. These most handsome birds are members of the sawbill family and are scarce visitors to this part of the country. Generally they breed on upland rivers in northern Britain in the summer, in the winter they disperse and go further afield looking for food. These four stayed until well into March and were obviously quite content living on the small fish in the pond.
Over the past couple of years Martin Cant and a team of Ipswich Wildlife Group members have produced approaching 2000 kits to make habitat boxes for birds, insects and hedgehogs, plus a few experimental bat boxes.
All are made by hand using begged, scavenged and donated wood that would otherwise have been scrapped. If you know of any such wood, please let Martin know (01473 413627 [email protected]). Also, if you would like to lend a hand at the monthly work sessions (see Regular Events on Female goosander © Parrish Coleman back page), contact Martin ‘The Box Man’.
21 DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE REGULAR EVENTS ON PAGE 24 Events Diary
Monday 2nd May Bank Holiday 11am - 4pm SPRING WOOD CELEBRATION DAY Join the Greenways Project, Ipswich Wildlife Group, Friends of Belstead Brook Park and many others for a celebration of this wonderful area of Local Nature Reserve. Guided walks, woodland crafts, family activities, demonstrations, music, food and much more. Parking at Bourne Park off Stoke Park Drive with free minibus to the event on Kiln Meadow. More information from 01473 433995 or 07736 826076 on the day and at Ipswich Wildlife Group on Facebook.
Wednesday 4th May 6.30pm RSPB FIELD MEETING SWT Newbourne Springs Reserve for summer birds. Meet at the car park TM275433. 2 hours, 2 miles. Leader Stephen Marginson 01473 258791
Saturday 7th May 2pm - 4pm Friends of Holywells Park BLOSSOM IN THE ORCHARD WITH SCARECROWS For details contact Robin Gape 07711 793804 [email protected] Website: www.holywellspark.org.uk
Sunday 8th May 7am Suffolk Ornithologists Group OUTDOOR EVENT Eastbridge – Off The Beaten Track (Long walk possible). Meet at Eastbridge TM452666. Leader: David Walsh 07947 051223.
Sunday 8th May 10am - 1pm Butterfly Conservation BUTTERFLY WALK Spring Butterflies in King’s Forest (suitable for novices). Map Ref: TL826752 “FC King’s Picnic Place” on the B1106. Assemble by the Information Board in the grassy area. Bring packed lunch. Contact Rob Parker 01284 705476
Wednesday 11th May 6.30pm RSPB FIELD MEETING Rushmere Common for spring and summer birds. Meet at Heath Road entrance TM197445. 2 hours, 3 miles. Leader Stephen Marginson 01473 258791
Sunday 15th May 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE WATCH CLUB (5 to 11 year olds). Meet at the Education Area. Booking essential please email [email protected]
Tuesday 17th May 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Pipers Vale. Meet at Vale entrance car park TM178419. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839
Saturday 21st May 8.30am RSPB COACH TRIP RSPB HQ and Reserve, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds. Depart from Crown Street, returning 6.30pm. £20 payable on booking. Leader Stephen Marginson 01473 258791 May Saturday 21st May 8.30am - 7pm SWT Ipswich Group COACH OUTING Visit to BTO Thetford and Cambridge Botanic Gardens cost £25. For more information and booking contact Pam Ireland pamandjohnireland@gmail. com 01473 723179
Saturday 21st May 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE EXPLORERS (11 to 18 year olds). Meet at the Education Area. Booking essential please email [email protected]
Saturday 21st May 10am - 12noon Portal Woodland Conservation Group VOLUNTEER WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome. For more details go to: pwcg.onesuffolk.net/ or join our Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.
Saturday 21st May 10.30am - 12.30pm Butterfly Conservation NOVICE RECORDERS Holywells Park, Ipswich. Identification and recording. Meet outside the Orangery TM175433 Contact Peter Maddison 01473 736607
Saturday 21st May Suffolk Ornithologists Group OUTDOOR EVENT Stanford Training Area near Thetford. Permits have been reserved for 15 SOG members to visit this unique area. Current fees will apply. To reserve your place contact Jonathan Lawley 01449 711331. Leader Paul Holness
Sunday 29th May 10am - 4pm Butterfly Conservation GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Plant Heritage Spring Plant Fair at Helmingham Hall. Come and find Suffolk Branch in the Conservation Zone TM186576. For more information visit www.helmingham.com
Early June 8pm RSPB FIELD MEETING (date to be confirmed depending on weather) Nightjar evening at Upper Hollesley Common. Meet at the car park TM335471. Leader Stephen Marginson 01473 258791 [email protected]
Tuesday 7th June 10.30am Butterfly Conservation BUTTERFLY WALK SWT Newbourne Springs morning walk (2 hrs). Meet Reserve car park TM274433. Leader Peter Maddison 01473 736607
Friday 10th June 9pmSuffolk Ornithologists Group OUTDOOR EVENT Blaxhall Heath for Nightjars. Meet at Blaxhall Heath TM383565. Leader Ashley Gooding 01473 415651. Saturday 11th/Sunday 12th June Dawn to Dusk SWT/IBCJune Rangers BIOBLITZ Join the experts from all the local nature groups at Orwell Country Park to identify as many animals, insects, birds and plants as possible over a 24 hour period. More information from Suzannah O’Riordan at [email protected] 01473 890089 or the Rangers 01473 433998
Tuesday 14th June 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Christchurch Park. Meet at Soane Street entrance TM165448. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839
22 DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE REGULAR EVENTS ON PAGE 24
Friday 17th June 7pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group OUTDOOR EVENT Minsmere RSPB Reserve. Meet at the Reserve car park for evening walk ending with Nightjars on the heath. Leader Paul Gowen 01473 311263
Saturday 18th June 10am – 12.30pm SWT Ipswich Group GUIDED WALK Volunteer wardens at Snape Marshes will guide us through its varied habitats. Park at Snape Maltings and meet on Snape Bridge. £3 donation to SWT. For more information and booking contact Leigh Williamson [email protected] 01473 785600
Saturday 18th June 11am Greenways SANDLINGS LOCAL NATURE RESERVE OPEN DAY and Jubilee Walk re-launch. Join Greenways, IWG, Rushmere St. Andrew Parish Council and others for a day of celebration of the wildlife at the Sandlings and Mill Stream LNRs. Guided ‘Jubilee Walk’ (11.30am - two miles); short wildlife walks; ‘wildlife homes’ building; fun activities and light refreshments. Free event, ideal for families. Please park considerately in the local residential area around the Tower Hall. More details from [email protected]
Sunday 19th June 10am - 12noon Portal Woodland Conservation Group VOLUNTEER WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome. For more details go to: pwcg.onesuffolk.net/ or join our Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.
Friday 24th June, 9.15pm – approx. 10.30pm Portal Woodlands Conservation Group GLOW WORM SURVEY AND BAT WALK Meet at the Martlesham Heath Control Tower. Subject to weather.Jun Bring warm clothes and a torch. For details email [email protected] Sunday 26th June 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE WATCH CLUB (5 to 11 year olds). Meet at the Education Area. Booking essential please email [email protected]
Sunday 26th June 10am - 12.30pm Butterfly Conservation BUTTERFLY WALK Early summer butterflies of Knettishall Heath suitable for novices and open to the public. Target species: White Admiral and Hairstreaks. Assemble in the main SWT car park TL956806. Contact Rob Parker Maron 01284 705476
Wednesday 29th June 6.30pm RSPB FIELD MEETING Landguard. Wildflowers of a shingle spit plus birds. Meet at Manor Road, Felixstowe car park TM290325.Leader Stephen Marginson 01473 258791
Saturday 2nd July 10.30am - 12.30pm Butterfly Conservation NOVICE RECORDERS Holywells Park, Ipswich. Identification and recording suitable for novices. Meet outside the Orangery TM175433.Leader Peter Maddison 01473 736607
Thursday 7th July 9am Butterfly Conservation BUTTERFLY WALK Landseer Park for grassland, woodland and heath butterflies. Meet Landseer car park, Landseer Road TM 17594252. Contact David Dowding 01473 436096
Saturday 9th July 10am and 1pm Butterfly Conservation BUTTERFLY WALKS AND BBC EVENT Red Lodge Heath SSSI for butterflies and day-flying moths. Two tours of the open heath and woodland margins to mark the start of this year’s Big Butterfly Count. Members of the public including families are very welcome. Meet Millennium Centre, Magnolia Close IP28 8TT TL699703 Contact Twm Wade 01638 577446 or email [email protected] for more details.
Saturday 9th July 10.30am SWT Ipswich Group TOUR We have arranged a tour of the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary at Stonham Barns. There are flying displays, meercats, a woodland walk, shops and restaurant and much more. Cost £6.50. For more information and booking Contact Leigh Williamson [email protected] 01473 785600
Friday 15th July to Sunday 7th August Butterfly Conservation BIG BUTTERFLY COUNT For more details visit www.butterfly-conservation.org
Saturday 16th July 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE EXPLORERS (11 to 18 year olds). Meet at the Education Area. Booking essential please email [email protected]
Saturday 16th July 10am - 12noon Portal Woodland Conservation Group VOLUNTEER WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome. For more details go to: pwcg.onesuffolk.net/ or join our Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.
Sunday 17th July 7.30am Suffolk Ornithologists Group OUTDOOR EVENT Minsmere for migrant waders. Meet at the Reserve car park TM470672. Leaders Gi Grieco 07951 482547 and Val Lockwood.
Saturday 17th July 9am Butterfly Conservation BUTTERFLY WALK Bonny Wood for Purple Emperor and other woodland butterflies.Jul Meet Barking Village Hall TM06725261.Contact Kevin Ling 07443 623987 Wednesday 20th July 10.30am Butterfly Conservation BUTTERFLY WALK Kenton Hills and Sizewell for White Admiral and Grayling. Bring lunch. Meet Kenton Hills car park TM 453639. Contact Peter Maddison 01473 736607
Saturday 23rd July 11am - 3pm ActivLives BIG GARDEN PARTY Maidenhall Allotments and Community Garden, Halifax Road is where you can enjoy food and drink from local producers and from around the world, music and dancing, craft stalls including habitat box building with Ipswich Wildlife Group and tour the community garden site. More information from Sam Thurlow [email protected] 01473 261112
Sunday 24th July 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE WATCH CLUB (5 to 11 year olds). Meet at the Education Area. Booking essential please email [email protected]
Sunday 24th July 2pm RSPB FIELD MEETING Trimley Marshes SWT Reserve for summer and autumn birds. Meet at the car park at Searsons Farm, Cordy Lane, Trimley St Martin TM277537 5 hours, 8 miles. Leader Stephen Marginson 01473 258791
Wednesday 27th July IBC Wildlife Rangers WILDLIFE DAY Holywells Park. A celebration of Ipswich wildlife with fun activities for children and their families to learn about wildlife with Butterfly Conservation, Ipswich Wildlife Group, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and more. For more information call the Rangers 01473 433998 [email protected]
2323 Sunday 31st July 10.30am Butterfly Conservation GARDEN OPEN DAY An invitation from BC member Mrs Trudie Willis, to visit her 10 acre garden, including a Buddleia and Honeysuckle collection. Park at Prior’s Oak, Leiston Road, Aldeburgh (B1122 Leiston to Aldeburgh Road) TM452591Jul Contact Peter Maddison 01473 736607
Saturday 6th August 10.30am – 1pm SWT Ipswich Group SOCIAL WALK Newbourne Springs and Two Pubs This three mile circular walk starts at the Newbourne Springs SWT car park (IP12 4NY). £3 donation to SWT. For more information and booking Contact Leigh Williamson. E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 01473 785600
Sunday 7th August Suffolk Ornithologists Group OUTDOOR EVENT Havergate Island RSPB Reserve. A joint SOG/Ipswich RSPB meeting. Permits have been reserved for 12 members only, current charge for the boat trip will apply. For further details and to reserve your place contact Gi Grieco 07951 482547. Leader David Walsh.
Saturday 20th August 9am RSPB FIELD MEETING Felixstowe Ferry, Deben Marshes and Kingsfleet for autumn birds. Meet at Felixstowe Ferry car park TM327376. 3 hours, 6 miles.Leader Stephen Marginson 01473 258791
Saturday 20th August 11am Butterfly Conservation BUTTERFLY WALK Rendlesham Forest. A two-hour walk for Grayling, Small Heath and Small Copper. Meet car park at eastern end of Woodbridge Airfield TM354492. Leader Peter Maddison 01473 736607
Saturday 20th August 8pm - 9.45pm Friends of Holywells Park BAT WALK For details contact Robin Gape 07711 793804 [email protected] Website: www.holywellspark.org.uk
Sunday 21st August 11am Greenways MARTLESHAM COMMON OPEN DAY. A free family event to promote the varied and important wildlife of this valuable heathland, with wildlife walks, fun activities, ‘wildlife homes’ building and more. Parking at Martlesham Community Centre, adjacent to the site. More details from [email protected] Regular Events
THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH 10.30am - 1pm SPRING WOOD WORK PARTY Join Ipswich Wildlife Group and Friends of Belstead Brook Park for a morning of work in the wood. Meet at the stepped entrance to the wood in Bobbits Lane. Details from Gerry Donlon 01473 726082
TUESDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTY The Project’s largest weekly work party – carrying out a wide range of practical tasks across the 50 or so sites that we manage. For all Greenways work parties, volunteers need to be registered via a short informal induction prior to joining us – please contact us for further details. Work party runs from 10.00am to about 4.00pm. Contact [email protected] or call 01473 433995.
WEDNESDAYS 10am Friends of Holywells Park HOLYWELLS PARK WORK PARTY Besides doing positive work as part of a small team of volunteers your time will be matched by cash from the Lottery enabling further work in the Park. Meet at the Stable Block located down the driveway from Cliff Lane. Contact Martin Cant for details 07858 436003
SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH Friends of The Dales WORK PARTY Contact Jessica Allen for the details [email protected].
THURSDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTY A smaller group than on Tuesday, but operates in the same way – please see details above for Tuesdays Work Party.
SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH 8pm ‘Green Drinks’ Dove Inn, Ipswich DRINKS AND CHAT Join us at the Dove Inn for a drink, a chat and a bit of networking with other environmentally-minded people. Look out for the ‘Green Drinks’ sign on the table. All welcome. Details from Gerry Donlon on 01473 726082.
FRIDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTY Another opportunity to work on the 50 or so sites managed by the Project – please see the details above for Tuesdays Work Party.
THIRD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 10am Ipswich Wildlife Group/Greenways BOX KIT MAKING Come and join in making the kits for bird, hedgehog and insect habitat boxes for our Wildlife Homes project. Only the most rudimentary of woodworking skills needed. Thorington Hall Barn, Bobbits Lane, Ipswich. More information from Martin Cant 01473 413627 [email protected]
FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH 10am - 1pm Ipswich Wildlife Group RIVER WORK PARTY A joint work party with the River Action Group along Alderman Canal and the River Gipping, maintaining footpaths and making these splendid waterways areas to be proud of. Meet at Bibb Way alongside Alderman Road recreation ground. More information from Ray Sidaway 01473 259104.
FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH Butterfly Conservation WORK PARTY Meet at Purdis Heath to help restore the heath for the benefit of butterflies. Use the lay-by in Bucklesham Road. More information from Helen Saunders [email protected]
SECOND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH 10am - 1pm Friends of Belstead Brook Park CONSERVATION WORK PARTY Come and join us for a morning working in the fresh air. For further details visit our website: www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/fobbp or email [email protected]
MOST SATURDAYS 10.30am - 1pm IWG Northgate Allotments WOODCRAFT & WILDLIFE Get involved in coppicing and woodland skills at the Wildlife area. Call Geoff Sinclair to confirm dates 01473 327720 24