Local September - December 2016 A news and events diary from wildlife and conservation groups in Wildlife the Ipswich area News © Bill Baston

Peregrines at home in Ipswich - see page 18.

Produced by the Local Wildlife News Snippets

i-Fly Strange nest

For several weeks in the spring we watched a Wren carrying nesting materials into our shed through a small gap in the boards. Over the next few weeks it was clear from all the Ben Storm aged 11 sent in this smashing photo that he activity that there was a family being raised. Despite careful thought we would be interested in. He took this superb close- and surreptitious searching we couldn’t find the location of the up image in the lounge of his home in Ipswich. What we find nest. absolutely fascinating is that it wasn’t taken with the latest high-powered camera with a macro lens attachment but with When we were sure the young had flown, we investigated his i-Pad Mini! Well done Ben. The fly is a common Greenbottle every nook and cranny of the shed. It wasn’t until we moved a but has the romantic Latin name Lucilia Caesar. solid sheet of wood that had been leaning up against the wall that we discovered the nest jammed in a tight gap, balanced on a ledge between the board and the shed wall. This has to be one of the strangest shaped nests ever but Cans for Cash shows how resourceful birds can be when it comes to the vital business of procreation. Sadly there was one infertile egg remaining in the nest.

Pete and Sally Ling

Midnight Raider

Mystified by the regular overnight disappearance of seed from the bird table, I decided one evening to lie in wait, with camera Over last summer, Greenways volunteers separated and set up, to try and catch the raider red-handed. collected aluminium drink cans whilst litter picking – primarily Sure enough, under the cover of darkness he appeared, tip- along the river path through the town. When we collect enough toeing along the fence and skipping lightly onto the table setting to fill the trailer, we cram them in and take them to the scrap it swinging gently. After a few seconds of frenzied feeding he yard! Although the scrap price for aluminium is very low at the was off, not before I managed to get this fleeting shot of him. moment, it’s still worth doing and great to divert this amount of He has now been tracked to his home further along the fence rubbish from landfill or incineration. Amazingly, the trailer was where he has comfortable accommodation in a bird nest box. loaded with more than 40,000 cans – mostly beer cans! Shame Mickey the Wood Mouse is now a nightly visitor, is well fed and they’re all empty really! is almost one of the family - (Don’t tell my wife!) Colin Hullis

2 Welcome Welcome to the autumn edition of Local Wildlife News, produced by the Greenways Project to promote the news, activities and events of numerous local conservation groups in the wider Ipswich area. As with each edition of the magazine, you will find a wealth of information from the local groups in 6 your area along with a list of events and activities from walks and talks to surveys and practical work sessions. In all cases there are contact details for you to seek any further information about the event – please do contact the relevant person as they are all very happy to hear from you and will answer your questions as best they can! Please also do note the regular events on the back cover – there are opportunities to get involved on several days each week and all the groups are keen to hear from you. A great chance to get involved if you haven’t been on a conservation work party before, is to come 8 along to the Belstead Brook Park ‘Megabash’ on Sunday 20th November – all are welcome, no experience necessary. See listing in Events Diary. Feedback – if you have any comments or suggestions about this magazine, we’d be very pleased to hear from you, as we want it to be as useful as possible to you. Please contact Greenways on: [email protected] or call 01473 433995. Photographs When producing LWN, we always like to use plenty of pictures to help illustrate the news and articles – sometimes these are supplied by those contributing the articles, but sometimes we need more. If

© Jan Cawston 9 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 the Production Editor, Colin Hullis (contact details below left). Contributions We are always happy to receive articles of anything up to 650 words, or wildlife ‘snippets’ – so please do send in anything which may be of interest to: Greenways Project, Scout Headquarters, Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, IP2 9TH. 01473 433995. [email protected] Mailing lists – Please note

© John Cooper 13 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. If on the other hand you don’t currently receive LWN regularly, but would like to, please consider joining one of the groups that distributes LWN to its members (i.e. Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Ipswich Wildlife Group, RSPB etc). 17 LWN is available online at www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways/ © Bill Baston 18 James Baker

Contents Page Local Wildlife News Snippets 2 Suffolk Wildlife Trust 4 20 Ipswich Wildlife Group 8 Local Wildlife News is published by Greenways Countryside Project. Friends of the Dales 9 Editor: James Baker Greenways Countryside Project 10 [email protected] Tel 01473 433995 Portal Woodlands Conservation Group 13 Production Editor: Colin Hullis RSPB Ipswich Local Group 14 [email protected] Tel 01473 728674 Friends of Christchurch Park 16 Artwork production: Chris Saunders [email protected] Ipswich Borough Council Wildlife Rangers 17 Tel 01473 721550 Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group 18 Printed by PJ Print [email protected] Landguard Nature Reserve 18 Tel 01473 276010 Friends of Holywells Park 19 Printed on recycled paper Friends of Belstead Brook Park 20 The opinions expressed in Local Wildlife News are not necessarily Butterfly Conservation 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

Welcome to the Autumn 2016 edition of our Newsletter. For as ever, creating a swimming pool and supplementing his reasons of space some items have had to be shortened or heating system fuelled by the wood from his own trees with held over to our next edition, but the full versions will appear environmentally friendly heat exchangers. His pond is host to on our Facebook page. dragon flies and water voles but he is trying to cope with the wild boars that dig up his vegetables! So the work of SWT is Many readers will remember Alan Rogers, our former being exported to central France. chairman, who moved to France a few years ago. Your Editor with his wife Pam visited Alan in June at his delightful Dave Munday house outside Limoges, and can report that he is as active (Chairman)

The Rogers’ domain near Limoges with views of their lake. © Pam Ireland

4 Ipswich Group Newsletter

Visit to BTO Thetford and Cambridge University Botanic Gardens

On 21st May we had a marvellous day visiting the British reason is thought to be the lack of nesting sites, so any Trust for Ornithology headquarters at Thetford (BTO) and encouragement is vital for their survival. Cambridge University Botanic Gardens.

On arrival at the BTO we were greeted by staff members Paul Stancliffe and Stephen Pritchard. Steve is known to many of us through his various roles within the wildlife and conservation circles around Ipswich and as technical advisor on our SWT committee. It was really good to see him again, looking so well and happy in his new workplace at Thetford.

We were first taken into the Nunnery, where over coffee we were given a potted history of both the building and the BTO. The room we were seated in was the former chapel, as the original building was built in 1160 as a monastery. When this became uneconomic for the monks it became the home of Benedictine Nuns. Indeed three of the nuns were buried beneath our feet. The nunnery was dissolved in 1537, after which the building had various functions, including that of a farmhouse and a stud. Song Thrush The Nunnery has been sympathetically restored. The old chapel is now held together by a metre-thick pad of concrete. We then split into two groups. One, led by Stephen visited Where possible original features such as stone arches have the adjoining reserve. Here is a mixture of habitats including been exposed and incorporated into the modern walls. wet woodland, water meadows, traditional hedged meadows, dry heathland, fresh water lakes and a river. Here was the The BTO was founded in 1933 by Max Nicholson and was song of real birds, in particular Song Thrush and for those at first based in Tring, but it outgrew its space and so the with good hearing, Goldcrest. Grey Wagtail were apparently Nunnery was bought for £1! The refurbishment took about nesting below the bridge across the Little Ouse. In a ‘tunnel’ seven years and the BTO has been based here since 1991. of hawthorn, Blackcaps, Song Thrush, Chiff-Chaff and The organisation employs 100 staff, but relies on 60,000 Garden Warbler could be heard. On the lake were Greylag volunteers to ring and record birds and supply them with and Canada Geese, some of which seemed to be wearing a data. BTO is a purely scientific research establishment. They bright orange ring round their neck, denoting marked birds never become involved in campaigns, although organisations which were being studied. A Kingfisher was perched near his such as the RSPB use their data for their own campaigns and burrow, where almost certainly his mate was sitting on eggs. to inform their conservation work. Once these were hatched the male would feed the hatchlings while the female would take over another burrow to lay more eggs. When these were hatched the male would feed them and the female too. She might even decamp to a third burrow to start yet another brood for him to feed. © Joseph Hullis

Swift boxes on the former chapel at BTO Thetford

After this introduction we went outside, where we could hear the screeching of Swifts. The sound was actually taped, which was the best way to encourage the birds into the six new Swift boxes installed onto the building. Our Swift population has declined by 38% in 15 years, and one Kingfisher - the family provider 5 Ipswich Group Newsletter

small Physic Garden for herbal plants, but John Stevens Henslow, a professor of botany wanted a Botanic Garden for the scientific study of all plants, and trees in particular. Henslow was a man of repute; he was a teacher and mentor to Charles Darwin (and one of the founders of Ipswich Museum). His wish was granted and land was acquired from Trinity College in Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) 1831 and the garden was opened in 1846. Meanwhile the other group, led by Paul, went out in search of It covers 38 acres and Monkey Cup (Nepenthes ampuliaria) the rare and elusive Stone Curlew, found almost exclusively contains 8000 plant on the open acid grassland of the Breckland of north Suffolk species and 150 species of trees. Many of the really tall trees and south Norfolk. These birds are not related to our usual were planted in Henslow’s time, and although they are150 curlew, although their call is somewhat similar. They migrate years old they far outsize many of our 400 year old native back to north Africa and the Middle East in the autumn, trees. although a few pairs may overwinter here if conditions are right. They are normally active at dusk or in the night, when The Systematic Garden is an example of how the garden their invertebrate prey is more active, but on this occasion was used scientifically. The asymmetrical beds laid out in three obligingly showed themselves. Through Paul’s telescope 1846 covering three acres, are arranged according to their their strange staring eyes could clearly be seen. In the Middle taxonomy. Ages sufferers from jaundice were persuaded to stare at the Stone Curlew’s bright yellow eye, with the thought that the We were shown some of the magnificent and more unusual jaundice would thereby be drawn out of them. The success of trees, such as the enormous Californian Redwoods, this treatment is not recorded. the Coulter Pine with cones the size of pineapples, the Californian Swamp Cyprus similar to the Japanese examples In the afternoon we were taken to the Cambridge University in Holywells, except that these had obtrusions round the Botanic Garden, close to the city centre but the immediate base which were once thought to act like snorkels, but this impression on entering the gates is of peace and beauty. has since been disproved. We also saw a Wollemia Pine, Magnificent trees surrounded by Queen Annes’s Lace (or which was once known only as a prehistoric fossil, until a live Cow Parsley) provided a perfect setting, in complete contrast example was discovered in Australia in 1994. This specimen to the busy world outside. Lucky Cambridge to have such a was planted in 2006 and is proof that Henslow’s work is still beautiful oasis! being nurtured.

We divided into three groups for a guided tour. Our guides After our guided tours were really informative and gave a real insight into the origins we had time to explore of the garden and of individual species. The gardens were on our own. We were created primarily for the study of science. Cambridge had a spoiled for choice with so many gardens to see. Several of us made for the glass houses, where the display of exotic plants was amazing, in particular the renowned Jade Vine and the Pitcher Plants. The Cambridge Gardens were truly fantastic and have whetted my appetite to return and explore all those unseen parts. Jade Vine (Strongyloden macrobotrys) Many thanks to Pam Ireland for arranging another wonderful day out.

Golden Chalice Vine (Solandra grandiflora) Anne Cooper 6 Ipswich Group Newsletter

Dates for your Diary

Suffolk Wildlife Trust Ipswich Group Programme September 2016- January 2017

Wednesday Sept 21st Robert Maidstone – Garden Insects Because we grow such a large range of plants, this encourages a wide variety of insects to come into our gardens. Some come to feed off our plants, for good or ill, while others eat their fellow insects. Robert has been fascinated by the insects in his garden all his life and has made a good study of their lives and habits, which he will share with us, helping us to understand the benefits and problems they bring.

Wednesday October 19th 2016 Andrew Excell – South Suffolk Coastal Nature Reserves Andrew is now Warden on the South Suffolk Nature Reserves, including Snape and Trimley marshes. As a result of more frequent ferocious storms some of the reserves are flooding more frequently. The most serious event was the tidal surge in December 2013, when the sea defences were breached at Hazelwood marshes near Aldeburgh. It was once a freshwater grazing marsh, but will now become an inter-tidal zone with a salt-marsh vegetation, and equally important habitat for birds and other wildlife. Learn about this and other important changes that are occurring in our local reserves.

Wednesday November 16th 2016 Kevin Sawford – an East Anglian Photographer’s Year Kevin will take us on a photographic journey through the seasons, showing the diversity of flora and fauna to be found in East Anglia. He will illustrate his talk with many of his published and award-winning images, telling us the stories behind them. We may well get a few tips on improving our wildlife photography.

Wednesday December 87h 2016 David Healey – Wildlife of Bulgaria We are delighted to welcome David once again to share his wildlife experiences with us. Bulgaria is one of the least visited parts of Europe, yet it is a diverse and scenic country with a wide range of altitude and habitats. It is bordered on the east by the Black Sea and the centre is mostly mountainous. Its geographical position ensures that it has a mix of eastern and western birds, and due to its relatively low population and limited development it has an amazing bio-diversity. Enjoy mulled wine and mince pies at this, our Christmas meeting.

Wednesday January 18th 2017 Abigail Stancliffe-Vaughan – Alien Crayfish on the River Lark The Signal Crayfish, introduced into this country in the 1970’s and 1980’s, are now present in 87% of our rivers, where they pose a massive threat to native species. Abby will talk about her work with the Lark Angling and Preservation Society and her post- graduate research into the life of the signal Crayfish, outlining the current management debate on their control, while sharing an anecdote or two. © Colin Hullis

Garden insects Wednesday 21st September

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. Summertime and the living is busy

Summertime, and especially the schools holiday period is a Conservation, and Ipswich group RSPB together with particularly busy time for the Group. ourselves, Friends of Holywells Park and a Birds of Prey display. This was a particularly busy day for us where 60 bug We are invited to take part in all manner of events organised boxes and seven hedgehog homes were made by visitors by different organisations across the town and beyond. Apart and will now be providing valuable homes in their gardens. from promoting interest in local wildlife, offering advice and Also, this time we were visited by the Mayor himself and IWG showing the location of wildlife sites around the town, the main member, Roger Fern. attraction that makes us so much in demand is our ‘Wildlife Homes’ project. Early in the summer we were invited to join the Capel St Mary Beaver Scout pack to encourage them to take an active This is where children and grown-ups alike can be hands-on interest in their local wildlife. We organized a Wildlife Homes making habitat boxes for birds, insects and hedgehogs, then session where we helped the Beavers build bug boxes from take them home to install in their gardens. And this allows us the kits we provide. Boy, were they enthusiastic! We narrowly the opportunity to explain the importance of their gardens for avoided conflict amongst the boys and girls for use of the the wildlife in their neighbourhood. hammers and nails but in the end everyone completed a box and went home keen to get the boxes installed in their gardens. This strategy dovetails with the ‘Ipswich Wildlife Network’ project instigated by the Greenways Countryside Project and supported by ourselves and Ipswich Borough Council. The idea behind the network is to use domestic gardens to create corridors linking established wildlife areas, parks and other green spaces. This allows different species to move freely between areas and increases the likelihood of their survival. ‘Your garden could hold the key to the future of wildlife in Ipswich’ is the message. If you would like a copy of the Wildlife network leaflet, contact James Baker at Greenways [email protected]

IWG on the road So, the IWG Wildlife Homes Road Show included another very successful day at the Maidenhall allotments and Community Garden ‘Big garden Party’ where hundreds of visitors, including Deputy Mayor of Ipswich Glen Chisholm, paid us a visit and ended up making an insect box for himself! Busy little Beavers

A month or so later we were back in Capel St Mary with our pagoda at the Capel Primary School Fete. Here again we had hordes of enthusiastic children and parents making nest and hibernation boxes.

If you would like to be involved with the Wildlife Homes project, give Chairman Ray Sidaway a call.

Bridge Wood Bioblitz Together with the Greenways Project, we joined Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Ipswich Borough Council Wildlife and Education Rangers at their Bioblitz event at Bridge Wood, part of Orwell Country Park on the banks of the River Orwell.

To carry out the survey, many local experts had been invited to record the flora and fauna of the area. Surveys were made of plants, trees, insects, birds, butterflies, moths, reptiles and . . . and our Deputy Mayor gets involved amphibians. Unfortunately the weather was not good with fairly low temperatures and frequent rain, all of which had an effect Holywells Wildlife Day was another event with many local on the wildlife species recorded. However the few brave souls wildlife groups present including Suffolk Wildlife Trust, who visited the site were rewarded with close-up views of Ipswich Borough Wildlife and Education Rangers, Butterfly some fascinating moths, beetles and water-borne insects. 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

Summer at the Dales

This small and friendly group is doing well with four to ten scorpion fly and broad bodied chaser dragonflies are often people having completed nearly 400 hours of voluntary work seen. in the Dales since our AGM last year. We complete a variety of tasks from picking up litter and keeping paths clear to repairing The area has many different birds and in June, besides the the steps and other park furniture. A new entrance has been ones heard and not seen, we had robin, blackbird, song thrush, created so that access for official cars is easier from the middle carrion crow, magpie, great spotted woodpecker, moorhen and entrance. This year we had a good annual meeting and the mallard amongst others. same people agreed to stand as officers. Ordinary meetings are usually monthly and we also have a working party on the We put up a monthly list of sightings on the main noticeboards second Wednesday of the month from 10am onwards. as you come in from Dales Road. © Jan Cawston A new surface for the football pitch by the Children’s Area has been purchased and we are applying for a further grant to install it. Plum trees that have overgrown the area with branches reaching out a long way from their trunks have been trimmed back. This was completed in June on advice from Paul Reed from Suffolk Traditional Orchards Group. Without this work it was likely that branches would either have broken off or that their weight would have pulled the trees over in the next few years. The ground underneath is recovering and grass is spreading into it.

We see a variety of wildlife in the different habitats including foxes, hedgehogs, muntjac deer and squirrels. In June a grass snake was seen under the tin sheet that has been hidden for this purpose. A path has been cut through to the tin and I’ve been told that the local Nursery School had their first encounter with both grass snake and slow worm in June too!

The woodland has a wide range of about 25 different trees The very rare Horehound Longhorn moth including oak, ash, horse chestnut, sweet chestnut, rowan, silver birch and several types of fruit tree. A very rare Horehound Longhorn moth (Nemophora fasciella), which has only been recorded three times in Suffolk, has been The variety of species in the wildflower meadow has greatly seen within the Reserve. increased this year and at the time of writing the area is covered with wild flowers such as yarrow and white clover. With a wingspan 13-16 mm, this micro-moth is a scarce There is also black knapweed, lesser trefoil, white campion and species, distributed mainly in the south and south-east of wild teasel. Areas have been artificially seeded and we plan to England. Flying in July, the males have long silvery-white cut around these areas this year to allow them to seed out and antennae, black at the base. The females have shorter, blackish hopefully spread. antennae with white at the tips.

In addition, the wildflower area also supports an impressive The larval foodplant is black horehound (Ballota nigra), the array of insects. There are too many to include here but larva feed first on the seeds and then later in a case made from butterflies like Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Brimstone fragments of the foodplant. and Gatekeeper are regularly seen and soldier beetles, Jessica Allen © Colin Hullis © Colin Hullis

Birds and Butterflies abound in the Dales 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. Annual Report - April 2015 to March 2016

This report briefly outlines some examples of the Project’s work over the 12 month period, highlighting the impressive achievements of our ever-dedicated volunteers. The map below shows the extent of the ‘Project Area’ and location of the main sites managed by the Greenways Project. The ‘Belstead Brook Park’ informal country park area is expanded to show the location of individual nature reserves and green spaces within the overall Park.

It is not possible to detail the work carried out on all of these sites in this report, but please do contact us if you would like more details of any particular site or aspect of our work.

Regular volunteers having a well deserved cuppa Greenways Project Area Map

10 Management of nature reserves and green spaces for are characterised by tasks related to local people visiting and wildlife and people enjoying the reserves, while wildlife is most active and birds The Project normally runs three volunteer work parties each are nesting, for example. Volunteers will be clearing footpaths, week and in addition supports weekend activities with building fences, boardwalks and bridges, installing or cleaning other groups three weekends per month. Most of these and repairing signs, seats, habitat piles and information boards, volunteer sessions are spent carrying out maintenance and surfacing paths and inevitably picking litter and clearing improvements to the sites, both to wildlife habitats and visitor dumped rubbish. infrastructure. Work typically follows a seasonal pattern – winter is busiest, while most wildlife is dormant – coppicing Volunteers and Community involvement and woodland management, hedge cutting, tree and hedge The Project relies heavily on a team of talented and hard- planting, heathland scrub clearance etc. Spring and summer working volunteers who undertake the widest possible range of roles from practical site management and wildlife surveying to preparing for and running events and promoting our activities. In the year, 1743 days of volunteer time were contributed – the equivalent of around 8 full time staff or more than £90,000 using Lottery figures.

We are extremely grateful to all of those who have freely given time to helping us – often above and beyond the call of duty! There are always opportunities for people to get involved in all aspects of our work, and we’re keen to support volunteers including providing access to relevant training courses (see under case studies over page).

We are also very proud to continue to work closely with community and conservation groups including Ipswich Wildlife Group, the Friends of Belstead Brook Park amongst others. Volunteers clearing scrub on Purdis Heath Events List of sites

Belstead Brook Park Northern Fringe 1 Spring Wood (LNR) 29 Chestnut Pond, Rushmere St 2 Kiln Meadow (LNR) Andrew 3 Millennium Wood (LNR) 30 Whitton Footpath Link 4 Bobbits Lane Meadows (LNR) 31 Grundisburgh Millennium Meadow 5 Ashground Plantation and 32 Lyttleton’s Meadow, Grundisburgh Whitland Close area 33 Kiln Farm Meadow (CWS), Gt 6 Bobbits Lane – upper area Bealings 7 Butterfly Ride 34 Former St Mary’s Convent site, 8 Stoke Park Wood (LNR) Woodbridge Rd. 9 Ellenbrook open space and 35 Fonnereau Way Playing Field 10 Burnet Meadow and Thorington Western Fringe and the River Park area 36 Alderman Canal (LNR) 11 Belstead Meadows 37 River Path – Stoke Bridge 12 Belstead Lower Meadows (CWS) 38 River Path – Princes St to West 13 Thorington Hall Farm area End Rd Engaging with local people on Bourne Park 14 Belstead Heath 39 River Path – West End Road 40 River Path – West End Rd to Events and activities to engage local people with nature and Southern fringe Handford Rd 15 Netley Close open space 41 River Path – Handford Rd- the countryside are a vital part of our work. We organised a 16 Belmont Road Wood Yarmouth Rd series of modest sized events this year, largely based around 17 Braky Wood 42 River Path – Yarmouth Rd to our ‘wildlife homes’ theme, encouraging local residents to build Riverside Road Eastern Fringe 43 River Path – Boss Hall bird boxes, insect homes and hedgehog houses to make their 18 Purdis Heath (SSSI), Purdis Farm 44 River Path – ex-Sugar Factory gardens more wildlife friendly. During the year, these events 19 Pond Hall Carr Meadow, Orwell 45 River Path – A14 to Sproughton were attended by around 3000 people and 1000 wildlife homes Country Park 46 Churchman Way 20 Martlesham Heath (SSSI) were made and taken home to improve the Ipswich Wildlife 21 Martlesham Common (CWS) Recent new sites Network (see case studies overleaf). 22 Mill Stream (LNR), Rushmere St 47 Bourne Park Andrew 48 Gippeswyk Park Spring Wood Day was once again a great success with around 23 Sandlings, (LNR), Rushmere St 49 Belstead Road Tree Belt Andrew 50 Limes Pond Rushmere 900 people enjoying bluebells, wildlife walks, woodland crafts, 24 Warren Heath (CWS) 51 Britannia School live music and more. 25 Farthing Wood, Kesgrave 52 Rushmere Hall School 26 Long Strops Pond, Kesgrave 27 Cedarwood Green, Kesgrave LNR = Local Nature Reserve 28 Legion Green, Kesgrave Greenways - how to get involved The Greenways Project is always very keen to hear from people who would like to be involved in any aspect of our work – not necessarily just practical site management work. Most volunteers help in a practical way, but we are just as keen to receive help with administrative duties, funding bids, publicity, events, website and social media etc

11 2015/16 Annual Report continued Case Studies

‘Clean for the Queen’ Martlesham Common To mark the Queen’s 90th birthday this year, a national campaign to clean up the country was launched. Locally, our volunteers took up the mantle and we had three litter picks to mark the occasion. Ipswich Wildlife Group collected litter around Alderman Canal during their regular Saturday morning work party – in a part of town that sadly suffers from a very serious litter problem. We then cleared green spaces around Downside Close with Sanctuary Housing staff and tenants, collecting two trailer loads of litter and larger items. Most notably, we got together with the Friends of Belstead Brook Park (for one of their regular monthly work parties), to tackle the edge of Spring Wood alongside the layby on the A14. Intrepid volunteers Thanks to continuing funding from Butterfly Conservation collected about half a tonne of waste in a morning! (from WREN), we have been able to carry out much more Regular Greenways volunteers finished the job on the work than usual on this special site. With several years following Tuesday work party. of bracken spraying and pulling, scrub clearance and mowing, we can now see a very clear improvement with large areas of well-established heather where before there was only a sea of bracken! As ever, volunteers have played a key role in the work – hand-pulling bracken is a thankless task, but productive and effective with real results now visible. Winter gorse clearing is slightly more popular – probably because it involves bonfires and baked potatoes! As well as our work, over the winter specialist tree surgeons were deployed to fell sycamore trees leaning over the road and to let light into a veteran oak tree. They also felled large sycamores which were affecting large old oaks at the north-eastern tip of the site.

Volunteer training ‘Going the whole hog’ We are always very keen to stress to volunteers Following survey work working with the Project that their involvement is a (involving the public via a two way process – they help us out and in return we ‘citizen-science’ project) by try to help them. One way we can do this is to provide Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk opportunities for volunteers to attend formal training and Ipswich in particular seem courses to help them gain new skills. Over the year to be good for hedgehogs we have helped volunteers to develop by organising despite a very worrying courses on the following: First Aid at Work (full three national decline. This helped day nationally recognised qualification); chainsaw use, lead BBC Radio Suffolk to launch a campaign to try bat surveying, woodland coppicing and use of our new to make Suffolk Britain’s first ‘hedgehog-friendly’ mobile sawmill. county! Greenways was involved from the launch of the campaign.

The ‘Ipswich Wildlife Network’ (www.ipswich.gov.uk/ content/help-us-help-wildlife) shows the importance of all of the nature reserves, parks and other green spaces in and around the town along with the links between them – vital to allow wildlife to move and spread. As well as producing the map and leaflet in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council and Ipswich Wildlife Group, the Greenways Project has been busy delivering improvements to the network.

12 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. © John Cooper Everything in Portal Woods has been growing frantically, the Our Annual Glow Worm colour is leafy green everywhere and frequently very wet Survey and Bat Walk and soggy underfoot. As well as keeping the paths open, went ahead despite our volunteers have been mainly continuing the work on one the unsettled weather. of the tumuli to maintain its status as an English Heritage Thirteen people found National Monument. This included the clearance of brambles, five glow worms. They nettles and branches as well as the transfer of this debris in also saw stag beetles preparation for a dead hedge habitat that will eventually define flying and detected a new direction of the pathway to avoid eroding the historic noctule and pipistrelle burial mound further. At least the wet and mild weather has bats. Pipistrelles are helped the grass to start covering the mound. the smallest bats we have in the wild in this Our Nature Explorers continued to survey the area of woodland country and it is lovely where the education classroom is planned to be. They looked that we find them so under some corrugated iron sheets placed down earlier and close to us. Great saw a shrew in its nest as well as an empty wood mouse nest. crested newts have They dug two 1m deep holes in the area using a post hole been recorded in our digger. This was to survey the layers of sand and clay to know pond again this year. what foundations would be needed for the classroom. Whilst undergoing our Squirrel in owl box

© S. Corley work a grey squirrel has been regularly seen in our box designed for tawny owls.

The woods have proven to be a magnet for schools, brownies, guides, beavers and scout groups, with over 150 individuals visiting to learn about the wildlife and help with its conservation. We love supervised youth groups and schools coming into the woods to learn about nature, but it is essential that permission is sought in advance, as we need to make the leaders aware of areas of the woods that are unsafe, or sensitive to wildlife. Please contact us using the details below if you would like to visit for an activity.

For more details of the Group’s events, and to check for date changes, please go to: pwcg.onesuffolk.net/ or join our members’ Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.

Chloe King Nature Watch Club mini beast hunt Publicity Officer and Nature Explorer (contributions from Nature Explorers George Pennick Our Nature Watch Club started its new season in April, with and Sam Cork) the first subject being larger mammals such as deer and badgers. They also trapped some smaller mammals; bank voles, wood mice and a common shrew. The group have Volunteer Work Mornings (all welcome - no need to book) also been pond dipping, learning about amphibians and on a Meet at the Education Area from 10.00am - Noon very wet June morning they came out in their wellies, to learn Saturday 17th September, Sunday 16th October, about mini-beasts. They had a great time making spiders out Saturday 19th November, Sunday 18th December of pipe cleaners and then labelled body parts of a beetle. The weather soon cleared up and the children rolled logs to find Nature Explorers (11 to 18 year olds) beetles underneath. All in all it was a good morning enjoyed by Meet at the Education Area from 9.00am - 11.00am. Booking everyone. essential, please email [email protected] © S. Corley Saturday 17th September, Saturday 19th November

Nature Watch Club (5 to 11 year olds) Meet at the Education Area from 9.00am - 11.00am. Booking essential, please email [email protected] Sunday 25th September (rescheduled from the 4th September), Sunday 23rd October

MHAS Open Day Sunday 11th September - come and find us at this event. Pipe cleaner spiders 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. There could be trouble ahead…….(for our wildlife)

Hopefully all of us eventually managed to enjoy some summer farm surveys for turtle doves under the auspices of the RSPB’s sun and succeeded in getting out to enjoy some memorable Operation Turtle Dove project. Turtle doves, our only migratory encounters with the natural world! This despite it having been, columbid species, have declined in the UK by 93% since 1994. yet another summer, frequently dominated by successive The birds are suffering a triple whammy of intensification of westerly Atlantic airflows, all too often laden with large amounts agriculture in Western Europe, continuing hunting pressure, of rain although despite this the month of June was the especially in places such as Malta, Cyprus, Egypt and Morocco hottest on record! Overall however, the weather presented a as well as severe degradation of habitat in their African particularly challenging, mostly cool and wet breeding season wintering areas due to population pressures, over grazing and for many of our bird species, as well as reported sightings of climate change. butterflies also well down and possibly at an all time low.

Meanwhile, in the wider world of nature conservation post BREXIT, many challenges and considerable uncertainty lie ahead. Although also trying to retain a sense of optimism, there is potentially also much opportunity!

Last year, the RSPB undertook an in depth review of the benefits delivered by the EU Habitats and Bird Directives, that were undergoing a fitness for purpose test in Brussels, largely at the behest of George Osborne, whose concerns that the ‘gold plating’ of EU habitat rules were imposing ‘ridiculous costs’ on business.

Fundamentally, the Habitats and Birds directives have provided the legally binding bedrock of nature conservation over the past 25 years. Enshrining a network of ‘Natura 2000’ protected sites, and offering statutory protection to over 100 animal and Turtle Doves - suffering a triple whammy plant species plus safeguarding more than 200 habitats such as wetlands, meadows and forests. Protected sites were being Operation turtle dove, having identified areas, particularly in lost at a rate of 15% a year in the UK prior to the directives but East Anglia, where residual populations still exist, (such as this dropped to just 1% a year after their adoption. the estate where I conducted my summer survey), attempts to work with farmers to obtain help through mechanisms, The outcome of the RSPB’s independently peer reviewed such as Higher Level Stewardship (HLS). Under HLS, specific analysis, that scrupulously factored out all other possible provisions can be made to, retain, improve, or to create the variables, demonstrated unequivocally, the large degree to mix of habitats the birds require, such as high quality mature which these directives tangibly and substantially benefitted hedgerows, provision of arable weeds, especially fumitory Schedule 1 species such as bitterns, marsh harriers and stone species, (that have essentially disappeared under modern curlews, as well as their priority habitats. Unfortunately, this hyper-efficient, intensive monocultures), and access to water is in stark contrast to many other species not so favourably from farm ponds and other landscape water features. designated. The EU Habitats regulations provide substantial protection for 80% of the UK’s finest wildlife sites and the Unfortunately, following 23rd June, the future of all of these species dependent upon them. If the safeguards, currently schemes, (currently paid for under the EU’s Common provided by these provisions are not carried across into UK Agricultural Policy), is highly uncertain. law, many of our most valuable and cherished wildlife sites and landscapes could be irretrievably damaged, as they become Agri-environment scheme contracts typically run for 5 or subject to powerful economic development pressures. 10 years. Therefore, many are likely to run well beyond our departure from the EU. Short of an agreement between the Following the referendum result, under the current Treasury and DEFRA for 100% replacement UK funding, many administration, it does indeed appear very likely, that the thousands of miles of conservation headlands, beetle banks, Habitats and Birds Directives, (ironically drawn up by Boris wide field margins, hedgerows and copses will be at immediate Johnson’s father, Stanley), are most likely to disappear, creating risk of destruction once subsidies dry up. a huge swathe of uncertainty for conservation policy in the years ahead. 4,600 existing HLS schemes are due to expire between now and the end of the decade. If no replacement of these schemes This summer, I have made a small contribution to some local is forthcoming, the considerable time, effort and accumulated 14 Ipswich Local Group

expertise of 4,600 farmers and millions of pounds of tax an open letter to George Eustice’s newly appointed boss, payers money will have been wasted and the confidence of the Secretary of State for the Department for Food, Environment farming community in environmental management will be at and Rural Affairs, (DEFRA), Andrea Leadsom, asking her to risk of being permanently damaged. fulfill her party’s 2015 manifesto promise of working to restore UK biodiversity within 25 years, which given that 1 in 10 UK Inevitably, this will place in jeopardy, the future of species species are currently at risk of extinction, will require a very well already threatened, such as lapwing, skylark, corn bunting, thought through and adequately resourced set of policies to yellowhammer and yellow wagtail, already identified as deliver on. seriously declining on the UK farmland bird index. For our turtle doves, already teetering on the brink, such an outcome could With around 80% of the UK’s current environmental legislation very easily push them over the edge and result in their final being set and regulated by the EU it is fair to say that the extinction as a British breeding species. RSPB and other wildlife and conservation NGOs are keenly monitoring developments and are anxious to provide input, On the other hand, the situation also provides a fantastic if permitted, to help shape the urgent need for robust and opportunity to create new, more effective, better-targeted responsible replacement environmental legislation without environmental schemes designed to pay subsidies in return for delay. delivering specific, measurable outcomes for wildlife. Another new face at DEFRA is Suffolk Coastal MP, Therese However, initial indications are far from encouraging. Farming Coffey, newly promoted as Under-Secretary of State with Minister George Eustice, who is to continue in the role under responsibility for Biodiversity. Like her boss, Andrea Leadsom, Theresa May’s administration, has been a long-standing she also previously voted in favour of selling off the national and vocal critic of what he has termed the ‘spirit crushing’ forests, but whose appointment as Bittern Species Champion environmental Brussels directives. He advocates, the by the RSPB in March of this year and apparent appreciation immediate abolition of the Habitats and Birds Directives, to of the valuable economic contribution made by Minsmere to enable a £2BN EU green dividend that he argues should be the local tourist economy may perhaps, make her a little more re-allocated to provide Canadian style insurance and incentive sympathetic to the arguments of conservationists. schemes for farmers, to provide protection for failed harvests, extreme weather events and price-drops. Meanwhile, back closer to our immediate homes - a huge thank you to all of you who participated in our house sparrow surveys and questionnaires and who submitted your records of swift screaming parties and nest sites. We have had a terrific response and succeeded in covering more than 80% of the Ipswich town survey area.

Yellowhammer - seriously declining

Eustice has also spoken about his desire to shift the basis of the former EU precautionary principal, applied for example to GM crops and neonicotonoid insecticides, (linked to bee colony declines and endocrine disrupting chemicals), in favour of a US-style risk based approach that will enable faster House sparrow questionnaires still needed implementation of such new technologies. The questionnaire continues until the end of the year, so there On a cautiously positive note, he has stated a belief that is plenty of time if you haven’t yet filled one in! Please see our some of the wildlife provisions provided by the directives website and follow the ‘Wild Ipswich’ links. should remain, proposing the possible development of an ‘accreditation schemes run by the Soil Association, Rivers Trust Meanwhile, we are busy processing and analysing the sparrow and the RSPCA, to incentivise farmers to do positive things for survey data, which we will be reporting on and publishing as the environment’. soon as possible.

He also believes that outside the EU the UK will now have And finally, please do take note that as of Thursday 8th the opportunity to provide better, more flexible environmental December, (our Christmas Social), our Indoor Meetings will be protection schemes that ‘could focus our scientists’ energies permanently re-located to St Andrews Church Hall, The Street, on coming up with new and interesting ways to ‘protect the Rushmere St Andrew, IP5 1DH. Please message us via the environment’. website if you would like to lift share.

The RSPB’s Conservation Director, Martin Harper, has written Chris Courtney 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. One hundred years later…

There was much media coverage in July regarding the 100th green woodpecker was calling. This made me smile as green anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. I was thinking woodpeckers always do. of this as I walked past the Cenotaph in Christchurch Park. This monument to the fallen has sometimes been Two days later on July 3rd 2016 was the Ipswich Music Day vandalised, is often used as goalposts for young footballers when local bands and singers came together in our Park for and is a seemingly ideal meeting place for young people. In this annual event. The music event is now in its 25th year. November, however, the local dignitaries, residents of Ipswich The calmness of the previous two days had completely and representatives of the Armed Forces pay tribute to the disappeared. From outside of the Park the noise (sic) of war dead. The Cenotaph is situated in a pleasant area at the the various lower end of the Park. performers seemed to The Battle of the Somme merge on the began on July 1st 1916. wind giving The large guns on both one just a sides started firing shells glimpse of across the armies which what was were waiting in trenches going on inside and then at 7.30am the the Park gates. order was given for the Approximately infantry to clamber out 40,000 visitors of the trenches and then were enjoying to be mown down. What themselves. with exploding shells The Park was and continuing machine throbbing with gun fire it must have generators The Cenotaph been hell. No, it was hell. and musicians. Sixteen thousand allies There was were killed on that first day and thousands maimed (after the even a battle it was estimated that the allies had 140,000 dead and fairground the Germans over 160,000). However, when there was a lull in – the main the fighting and the noise abated then, according to scribes ‘delight’ being at the time, skylarks ascended. What right had skylarks to a two-legged sing over this carnage? Indeed, in this desolate and torn ‘spider’ with landscape how had skylarks managed to survive? a cockpit at Sparrowhawk by Reg Snook the end of One hundred years each leg. To be whirled around at high speed after a couple later, Christchurch of cokes and a bag of chips must have been an illuminating Park was in experience. immaculate order; owing to weeks Luckily Mabel, our resident tawny owl, had long since left of sometimes her nesting hole with her mate and youngsters. She most heavy rain, the probably knew all about Ipswich Music Day. Certainly grasslands were Christchurch Park was providing entertainment for thousands lush. Several of people. There was music, excitement and food and yet I shades of green wonder how many of the thousands of music lovers noticed a were easy on female sparrowhawk thread her way through the music stands the eye with the and fairground carrying a semi-plucked bird in her talons? The northern edges of young ‘spars’ were now growing rapidly, so both male and the Park bordered female sparrowhawks were hunting for food. During June, the by oaks, limes male ‘spar’ had been bringing small birds to a plucking post and chestnuts near to the nest sometimes flying as far as the Old Cemetery which in the for prey. distance appeared as billowy green I might mention that my father was injured during the Battle of clouds, so serene the Somme and was gassed at Ypres. He survived but never and peaceful. spoke of his war. From those Green Woodpecker by Reg Snook ancient trees a Reg Snook 16 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. Snake in the Park

The grass snake (N.natrix) is the UK largest reptile but is do not favour seasonal pools as they are reliant on water completely harmless and never exhibits any aggression. If it throughout the year. By digging small pools by hand or with feels threatened and escape fails it will not hiss or bite but a JCB in wet areas, maybe only three feet across, you are instead play dead, releasing a foul smelling faecal liquid, providing amphibians with a largely fish and waterfowl free effectively digested amphibian. The grass snake is a declining nursery area. Most of these ponds dry out by June but this species largely due to habitat loss across a landscape level, still allows enough time for many amphibians to complete their for example urbanisation, road building and agricultural metamorphosis. intensification. There are also more localised effects on certain populations such as the removal of ponds and egg laying sites. Despite this decline Its wider home range, superb water navigation and resistance to disturbance has enabled it to survive better at a landscape level than its rarer counterpart. The adder is now seldom seen in Suffolk away from the heaths of the Sandlings and the Brecks.

Despite the general decline across the UK, an understanding Amphibian and grass snake activity in seasonal pools on Landseer. The of the animal’s ecology and the resultant sympathetic snakes will gorge themselves on the tightly packed tadpoles management within Ipswich’s Parks and open spaces is allowing its numbers to increase. The piling and stacking As a result of our respective management, our survey effort of brash and hay onsite is important for many animals such has shown their presence in many of our parks and open as small mammals and amphibians to hide from predators spaces with exceptional populations at Landseer, Chantry, and the elements. More importantly for N. natrix is that the Orwell Country Park and Belstead Brook Park. Surveying decomposition of these heaps during high summer produces grass snakes includes visual searching but the use of refuges ideal temperature and humidity for incubation. As a result we dramatically increases survey results. Refuges are man- made stack as much of the vegetation cuttings and chipping on site pieces of dark coloured metal or felt that absorb and retain as possible and replenish them annually to reinvigorate the heat. When the weather conditions are suboptimal for grass thermophilic bacteria that the grass snake embryos rely on for snakes they will actively seek out these refugia using infra- successful development. These heaps are positioned at the red sensing, a vital tool for a cold blooded animal. Survey interface between meadow and scrub (or woodland) as grass results are obtained through the collation of several counts snakes, like most reptiles, favour edge habitats which are open of animals basking under these refugia. This can give us a enough for basking and yet sheltered with adequate refuge rough estimation of population size and when divided by the for predator avoidance. In the winter grass snakes hibernate survey area the density of snakes. Capture, mark, recapture underground, fallen tree stumps and mammal burrows in sunlit techniques are the best strategy for an accurate population areas are favoured hibernation sites. Several animals may estimate but usually involve tagging individual animals as hibernate together in what is known as a hibernaculum. individual grass snakes are difficult to recognise. Thankfully the underside pattern of the snake is unique and is an easy way to recognise individuals. Most smartphones are able to photograph these patterns and this less invasive method will allow us to calculate a more accurate population figure.

Left: A female grass snake using a pile of rush and reeds to incubate her eggs. Right: An active grass snake hibernacula on south facing bank at the woodland edge

Amphibians form the majority of the N. natrix diet. Improving The difference in dorsal and ventral pattern between two individuals. their breeding and foraging habitat will equally benefit the The ventral scales are distinct enough to act as a fingerprint for snakes. General pond maintenance and the control of individual snakes impact of amphibian predators fish and waterfowl is an ongoing strategy to benefit amphibian populations. Although David Dowding amphibians can survive with fish and waterfowl, human interference through releasing and artificial feeding can cause If you would like to help get involved with conservation work towards grass overpopulation of these predators that may make it very snakes and many other rare species why not contact the Park Rangers and difficult for amphibians to survive. One great way to reduce enquire about volunteering with us. Our main Volunteer days are Thursdays. For more information call the Rangers - details above this is the provision of seasonal pools. Waterfowl and fish 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. © Bill Baston There are now Peregrines breeding at a few sites in the county, great news for these superb raptors. It is over 20 years since SOG had a nest box installed on the Orwell Bridge, and although it took several years, a pair eventually took up residence. In the last few years another box was installed in Ipswich on The Mill building on the waterfront by SOG, architects and builders. An initial pair did inspect it but were ousted by an escaped hybrid falcon. Peregrines were at the nest site this year and raised five young. These birds made the news more than once, when they were ringed and a live stream camera was installed, funded by Hopkins Homes. This has enabled the coming and goings of the adults as they attend the young birds. A couple of these young birds made local and national news when they fell from the box and were recovered on the waterfront. One of these was cared for and released by falconer Tony James with the help of Suffolk Constabulary’s Sgt. Harris who helped rescue the bird. A peregrine family on the Orwell Bridge

The Save our Suffolk Swifts Project, the joint partnership Survey on the Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service project between SOG and Suffolk Wildlife Trust, had three website www.suffolkbis.org.uk/swift. Both nesting records of meetings in July at Felixstowe, Bungay and Bury St. Edmunds. Swifts and swift screaming parties can be recorded. Further These successful and informative meetings were hosted information about swifts and the project can be found here by SOG secretary and Suffolk Swift representative, Edward www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/swifts and www.sogonline.org.uk Jackson. You can still submit sightings to the Suffolk Swift so please have a look.

Landguard Nature Reserve

Landguard Bungalow, View Point Road, Felixstowe IP11 3TW Tel: 01394 675283 Email: [email protected] www.landguardpartnership.org.uk Rare birds, plants and volunteers

May 7th was a red-letter day for me as from the office window We have had a bumper year for fledged Ringed Plover chicks. I could clearly see a bird I had always wanted to see. The bird Many contributing factors have helped this success but the had grown to almost mythological proportions in my mind - but enlargement of the enclosed area of the beach by more than there it was on my bird table - a super female Hawfinch! double has to be the largest factor. These enclosures were put up by members of the Bird Observatory and ‘Footprint’ Nineteen Stinking volunteers, which highlights the amazing contribution to wildlife Goosefoot plants conservation that volunteers make. were counted in the same rabbit Anglers were asked not to fish in front of the enclosures until scrape as last the end of June and a big thanks to the 95% that complied year when only with this request. The numbers of fledged chicks would have three were seen. been far higher had it not been for a pair of Kestrels that This year the area probably accounted for around 11 chicks. was roped off to prevent trampling There is no doubt in my mind that we will have to become and given a good smarter at Landguard if its habitats and wildlife are to be A super female Hawfinch scratch over with conserved as the growing visitor pressure has and will continue a rake in April to to take its toll. Temporary and permanent visitor exclusion help stimulate the germination of its seeds. Stinking Goosefoot areas can play an important role but I’m not sure what we can is a rare plant in the UK only occurring in a handful of locations. do about partygoers at all times of the night! It’s great also to have recorded four Pyramidal Orchids this year. Chris Ryde 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

We are in Keats’ “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”. Some trees are heavy with fruit, whilst from others the fruit has already fallen off. There are wild blackberries aplenty to be found, and sloes, and other sorts of plum, if one keeps a sharp lookout! And what finer fruit to go with blackberry or sloe than apple?

Greengage blossom

taking over from farm-based orchards. But there’s a difference. A traditional fruit tree is quite tall, and grown on a vigorous root-stock, or even its own root. Trees were traditionally 20 foot (six metres) tall or more, and the fruit was harvested using very tall wooden, single section, fruit picking ladders with a splayed base. Such a tree would last for a very long time. The Crunchy apples in the orchard practical approach for a back garden is to use a less vigorous or miniature root stock, which constrains the tree to a lesser Holywells Park has an orchard, usually closed off but open for height, but at the expense of a shorter life. On the other hand, special events, where traditional East Anglian fruit trees are it’s much easier to maintain and crop the fruit from a tree that grown. The current orchard replaced an earlier orchard, which isn’t too tall! has now pretty much gone natural, some to woodland, some to meadow. The orchard itself has a pair of quite tall quince Sadly, the trees, various economics of fruit varieties of apple, growing mean plus the odd pear that commercial and gage tree. As orchards are well as the fruit in decline, trees, some of the particularly in East enclosed area is Anglia. Community wooded, some orchards become is more scrub, a place where and there is a traditional fruit little stream that varieties are grown flows along one and cropped, edge. The orchard and where a is a reservoir local ecosystem for wildlife. Our can thrive. Such work party has orchards are sometimes also where one flushed dog-sized may see, taste Muntjac deer, and and otherwise some Buckthorn experience fruit attracts Brimstone being grown. In an Freshly pressed apple juice Monster quince need to be cooked butterflies. urban environment there may be few other opportunities for kids to learn where an Besides the quince, variety unknown but large-fruited, the apple comes from, or for the rest of us simply to enjoy seeing apple varieties include Cats Head, Lady Henniker, Striped the trees and their progress through the year. Beefing, Norfolk Beefing and several others. According to work done by the Suffolk Traditional Orchard Group (STOG), And that thought brings us to Apple Day 2016. It’s a very as the 19th turned in to the 20th century, there were around family-friendly event, with apple juice freshly prepared, apple six thousand orchards in Suffolk. Most of these were small bobbing, and a tree trail around the orchard. Put the 22nd and associated with a farmhouse. Today, the number is rather October in your diary, and join us - bring your friends, young fewer, perhaps around a thousand, perhaps more. Community and old - to enjoy the delights of a more-or-less traditional orchards and mini-orchards in people’s back gardens are Suffolk orchard. 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.

It was a very hot, humid day in June when eight of us gathered across this rather nice toad and also a tiny toadlet which we in Bobbits Lane car park for our monthly work party. However, put carefully in amongst some undisturbed vegetation. never to be deterred (well hardly ever – we’ve only de-camped to Costa for coffee once in living memory!) we set to and For any new readers, I thought it might be useful to write a cleared the grass and other vegetation from the fruit trees few words about the importance of Belstead Brook Park. It in the community orchard in Kiln Meadow. We also cleaned was set up in 1992 as a partnership between Ipswich Borough various information boards, cleared nettles away from benches, Council, Suffolk County Council and Babergh District Council. along the board walk and the worst patches of overgrown A Masterplan was adopted that agreed the layout of the Park vegetation up to the Helicopter Bridge in Ashground Plantation. and guided work for the first ten years or so. The Park is effectively an informal country park, extending to about 250 We had an interesting chat with a man who walks his dog acres offering opportunities for people to explore managed around the park every day and who told us the Belstead Brook countryside right on the edge of town. The Park includes areas still has many Brown trout in it, including several big ones. of ancient woodland, wet woodland, ponds, meadows, reed beds, hedges, farmed land and the Belstead Brook itself. The morning finished with a great view of the fly past of RAF planes to celebrate the Queens 90th birthday - although Dave The Park is perfect for leisurely strolls, enjoying beautiful S did say he’d arranged for them to fly over us as we are scenery and fresh air, whether walking the dog, running, special too! watching wildlife, photography and includes areas for formal sports and children’s play. Our hearts nearly failed us when we saw the enormity of the task ahead of the six of us in July. “Just clear all the vegetation It is a vitally important area for wildlife and for local people away from the viewing hide on the mound in Bobbits Lane to enjoy. In a relatively small area there are a vast range of Meadows” we’d been told. As you can see from the ‘Before’ habitats with rare and protected species including dormice, photos, it was quite a tall order. But it’s amazing what you otters, bats, water voles, reptiles, kingfishers and bluebells. can do with six, hardworking Friends. Now, if you go up on the mound today and look through the viewing slots you will So, if you haven’t ever visited Belstead Brook Park or just not see reeds, water and possibly even a bird or two, rather than been for a long time, why not give it a go? And if you like what nettles, nettles and more nettles. But they will be back next you see, why not come out and join us on the second Saturday year, so all help gratefully received. of every month to help Greenways look after it and keep it special. Whilst we were carrying out our clearance work we came Ann Havard

Before work After our hard work Toady

John The gang

Ann and Dave still smiling

20 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 © Julian Dowding The WREN-funded work at Purdis Heath to restore habitat for list in addition Silver-studded Blue butterflies comes to an end in December. to their other It’s therefore timely to provide an update on what’s been work there, achieved and also to thank the team of willing volunteers and which includes other groups, too numerous to mention here, who have helped joining other in all of this and without whom, very little would have been volunteers achieved. wielding loppers and Significant works include: bow-saws 1) opening up the centre of the site by felling large trees; during autumn 2) cutting areas of mature heather to encourage regeneration; and winter and 3) creating sandy scrapes to be seeded with bell heather; counting Silver- 4) removal of scrub from the centre of the site; studded Blues 5) creation of dead hedges, fencing and bunds to provide during summer! shelter and seclusion for butterflies and other wildlife; Currently 6) improving existing ‘desire paths’ to encourage people away the number Grayling - a growing colony from sensitive areas; of species 7) linking habitat between Purdis and Ipswich Golf Course; recorded at Purdis stands at over 800. 8) soil analysis; 9) creation of site wardens. As to the future, not only will our sandy scrapes and foraged areas provide more suitable habitat for Silver-studded Blues All of this has contributed to the restoration of the heath which as they come into condition but they also benefit other wildlife now boasts a mosaic of different habitats comprising pioneer from the outset. They are quickly colonised by ants and other heathland (favoured by Silver-studded Blue) woodland and hymenoptera, and they’re also attractive to Grayling butterflies. scrub, all gently grading from one habitat to another. Above Purdis now has a growing colony of this species with 10 all, the WREN project and its precursor, the Purdis Heath recorded there on 23rd July. Restoration Project, has achieved its aim of saving the Silver- studded Blue at Purdis and creating new habitat for the butterfly A healthy colony of Glow-worm has been studied at Purdis by to colonise in future. Numbers grew to above 50 butterflies at David Dowding over the last two years inhabiting open mossy peak population count in 2015 (from a low of 4 in 2010) and to a areas when displaying, and slightly denser areas when feeding. roughly 10-fold increase in flight area. This year for the first time since work began, a male SSB was seen on a scrape created in Birds are also responding positively to habitat work. For the first January 2011. time in many years, 2 Woodlark were recorded on the heath

© Matt Berry in a secluded area and remained through spring and summer. Other birds included 8 singing Nightingale, Cuckoo, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Linnet, Woodcock and Siskin, the latter present only during the winter months. We hope the trend continues.

Our essential annual maintenance programme will continue beyond December when the project finishes and if you are interested in learning more about Purdis, or would like to get involved in conservation work there, please email Helen, (details below). No special skills are needed and it’s a very sociable group.

Suffolk Branch is of course involved in much more than just Purdis. Among other things, we run a number of exciting events open to Silver Studded Blues - from 4 to 50 in five years branch members and public alike through spring and summer and collect valuable data on the county’s Interest in the heath and other wildlife has grown, and with that, butterflies in order to assess their state and target conservation the discovery of many previously unrecorded or under-recorded efforts. We currently also have a vacancy for Membership species. For a few years now, two of our wardens, David Secretary! Email Helen Saunders: [email protected] or Basham and Helen Saunders have been compiling a site species contact the committee through the branch website. 21 DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE REGULAR EVENTS ON PAGE 24 Events Diary

Thursday 8th September 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Unravelling the mysteries of Bird Migration’, Leuan Evans BTO Communications Director. Sponsored by A W Hart Builders. Sidegate Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2.20 non-members £4. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Saturday 10th September 10am RSPB FIELD MEETING RSPB Hollesley Marsh for autumn waders and migrants. Meet at parking area by prison complex TM367450. 3 hours, 2 miles. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Tuesday 13th September 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Holywells Park including Conservation Area. Meet at Stable Block off Cliff Lane TM176432. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839

Saturday 17th September 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 17th September 9.30am Landguard Nature Reserve BEACH LITTER PICK This litter pick is timed to coincide with the Great British Beach Clean, organised by the Marine Conservation Society. Meet by the Landguard Bungalow beside the white radar tower. Once finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. All welcome. Just turn up. More details from 01394 673782.

Saturday 17th September 10am - noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome. For details contact pwcg.onesuffolk.net or join our members’ Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting. Sep Wednesday 21st September 7.30pm SWT Ipswich Group TALK Robert Maidstone – Garden Insects. Robert has been fascinated by the insects in his garden all his life and has made a good study of their lives and habits, which he will share with us, helping us to understand the benefits and problems they bring. St Margarets School, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310.

Saturday 24th September 11am - 3pm Greenways IPSWICH RIVER CLEAN-UP Come and help the Greenways Project and Ipswich Wildlife Group clear litter and dumped rubbish from the rivers Orwell and Gipping. Meet (and park) at Alderman Canal (off Sir Alf Ramsay Way) for the safety briefing, then we will split up to cover the tidal parts of the river and freshwater areas with supporting canoeists and our work boat. For more details contact 01473 433995 or email [email protected]

Sunday 25th September 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]

Thursday September 29th 7.30pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group TALK ‘A life on the ocean wave (surveying seabirds and marine mammals)’ by Sean Minns. The Cedars Hotel, Needham Road, Stowmarket, IP14 2AJ. Admission £2 for members and non-members, all most welcome.

Saturday 8th October 7.30am Landguard Bird Observatory MIGRATION MORNING Guided walk around the Nature Reserve looking for grounded migrants. Plus a visit to the Bird Observatory to see a ringing demonstration (birds and weather permitting). Supervised children welcome. Please bring binoculars and wear appropriate clothing and footwear. In conjunction with the Felixstowe Branch of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Meet in the car park opposite Landguard Fort. Admission free (donations welcome). You must pre-book in advance for this event. Email: [email protected] Website: www.lbo.org.uk

Thursday 13th October 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘The Birdwatching Bug’, Richard Pople long time birder and traveller. Sponsored by Birketts Solicitors. Sidegate Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2.20 non-members £4. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Saturday 15th October 9.30am Landguard Nature Reserve BEACH LITTER PICK Meet by the Landguard Bungalow beside the white radar tower. Once finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. All welcome. Just turn up. More details from 01394 673782.

Saturday 15th October 10am - 11.30am Landguard Nature Reserve WHAT’S ABOUT WITH THE RANGER Meet outside the Landguard Visitor Centre and View Point Café. Ranger led walk for all the family providing a seasonal look at the Landguard Nature Reserve. A great opportunity to learn more about the reserve’s wildlife and enjoy a healthy walk. Children 15 years and under must be accompanied by an adult. Bring stout footwear and waterproofs. Dogs welcome if kept on a short lead. Admission free, but donations welcome. All donations go towards the Landguard Bungalow bird feeding station. MoreOct information from 01394 675283. www.discoverlandguard.org.uk Saturday 15th October 3pm Butterfly Conservation AGM & MEMBERS AFTERNOON Waldringfield Village Hall Map Ref: TM277444. The AGM will be followed by light refreshments, then members’ slides and the annual photo competition. Further details on the Branch website suffolkbutterflies.org.uk

Sunday 16th October 10am RSPB FIELD MEETING Iken and River Alde for waders, wildfowl and autumn birds. Meet at Iken Cliff car park TM398562 3 hours, 4 miles. Details from Stephen Marginson 01473 258791

Sunday 16th October 10am - noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome. For details contact pwcg.onesuffolk.net or join our members’ Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.

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

Tuesday 18th October 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Pipers Vale. Meet at car park at Vale entrance TM178419. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839

Wednesday 19th October 7.30pm SWT Ipswich Group TALK Andrew Excell – ‘South Suffolk Coastal Nature Reserves’. Andrew is Warden of the South Suffolk Nature Reserves, including Snape and Trimley marshes. St Margarets School, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310.

Saturday 22nd October, 11am - 2pm Friends of Holywells Park APPLE DAY Come and enjoy freshly pressed apple juice, apples galore, fun for all the family in the Park Orchard. Free event. For more information contact [email protected]

Sunday 23rd October 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] Thursday 27th October 11am - 3pm Greenways WILDLIFE HOMESOct BUILDING Alderman Recreation Ground, Alderman Canal Local Nature Reserve (Sir Alf Ramsay Way). Come along and join Greenways, Ipswich Borough Council Rangers and Ipswich Wildlife Group to explore this town centre nature reserve and its wildlife and make bug hotels, bird boxes and hedgehog houses to take home for your garden. For more details contact 01473 433995 or email [email protected]

Thursday, October 27th 7.30pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group TALK ‘Ecuador: swordbills and stinkbirds’ by Bill Baston. The Wolsey Room, Holiday Inn, London Road, Ipswich IP2 0UA. Admission £2 for members and non-members, all most welcome.

Thursday 10th November 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Cuba and the smallest bird in the world’, Phil and Ann Farrer, publisher, biologist and photographers. Sponsored by Alder Carr Farm, Needham Market. Sidegate Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2.20 non-members £4. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Saturday 12th November 9am RSPB FIELD MEETING Shotley and Ewarton Bay for winter birds. Meet at Bristol Arms, Shotley TM 245336 3 hours, 5 miles. Details from Stephen Marginson 01473 258791

Saturday 12th November 9.30am Landguard Nature Reserve BEACH LITTER PICK Meet by the Landguard Bungalow beside the white radar tower. Once finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. All welcome. Just turn up. More details from 01394 673782.

Tuesday 15th November 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Bourne Bridge area and Park. Meet at Bourne Park car park (Bourne Bridge entrance) TM161419. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839

Wednesday 16th November 7.30pm SWT Ipswich Group TALK Kevin Sawford – ‘An East Anglian Photographer’s Year’. Kevin will take us on a photographic journey through the seasons, showing the diversity of flora and fauna to be found in East Anglia. St Margarets School, Bolton Lane, Ipswich.Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310.

Saturday 19th November 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE EXPLORERS (11 to 18 year olds). Meet at the Education Area, bookingNov essential. Please email [email protected] Saturday 19th November 10am - noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome. For details contact pwcg.onesuffolk.net or join our members’ Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.

Sunday 20th November 10am - 3.30pm Greenways MEGABASH Belstead Brook Park Megabash – help the Greenways Project, Friends of Belstead Brook Park and Ipswich Wildlife Group to carry out vital habitat management work in the nature reserves that make up the Park. No experience needed – an ideal first conservation work party!Further details from the Greenways Project, 01473 433995 or 07736 826076 on the day.

Thursday 24th November 7.30pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group TALK ‘Kakapo: night parrot of new zealand’ by Ed Keeble The Wolsey Room, Holiday Inn, London Road, Ipswich IP2 0UA. Admission £2 for members and non-members, all most welcome.

Saturday 3rd December 9.30am Landguard Nature Reserve BEACH LITTER PICK Meet by the Landguard Bungalow beside the white radar tower. Once finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. All welcome. Just turn up. More details from 01394 673782.

Sunday 4th December 10am RSPB FIELD MEETING Freston and River Orwell for waders and wildfowl. Meet at car park on Freston Hill on B1456 TM175400 2 hours, 2 miles. Details from Stephen Marginson 01473 258791

Wednesday 7th December 7.30pm SWT Ipswich Group David Healey – ‘Wildlife of Bulgaria’. Bulgaria is one of the least visited parts of Europe, yet it is a diverse and scenic country with a wide range of altitude and habitats. Enjoy mulled wine and mince pies at this, our Christmas meeting. St Margarets School, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310.

Thursday 8th December 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETINGDec Christmas Social Evening with ‘bring and share’ finger buffet, plus ‘A Magical Mystery Tour’ with Tim Kenny. Sponsored by Ipswich Microwave Centre. St Andrews Church Hall, The Street, Rushmere St Andrew, IP5 1DH. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Tuesday 13th December 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Christchurch Park. Meet at Soane Street entrance TM165448. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839

2323 Sunday 18th December 10am - noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome. For details contact pwcg.onesuffolk.net or join our members’ Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.

Saturday 31st December 9.30am Landguard Nature Reserve BEACH LITTER PICK Meet by the Landguard Bungalow beside the white radar tower. Once finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. All welcome. Just turn up. More details from 01394 673782. 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 10am 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 10am to about 4pm. 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 10am 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 10am 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 10am 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 07860 595376

WANTED - BAMBOO

To help us build bug boxes and insect hotels with local people, we need bamboo to fill the boxes and hotels as it provides ideal holes for many solitary bees and wasps, ladybirds, lacewings, spiders and many other insects and is relatively durable.

If you have bamboo growing in your garden and it needs thinning, please get in touch!

We are also always on the lookout for donations of wood – old fencing, plywood etc. to use for bird boxes and hedgehog homes .

Many thanks, Ipswich Wildlife Group and Greenways. Please contact Martin Cant on 07858 436003.

24