Local Wildlife News

Local January - April 2017 A news and events diary from wildlife and conservation groups in Wildlife the Ipswich area News

Produced by the Spring Wood Celebration Day

A free event for all the family to enjoy the wildlife and nature of Spring Wood and Kiln Meadow

Fun activities and storytelling for kids Folk music and dancing Have a go at ancient woodcraft Guided walks in the woods Make your own bird box

Refreshments or bring a picnic

Bank Holiday Monday 1st May 11am to 4pm

Parking at Bourne Park off Stoke Park Drive with free minibus to the event. Please come on foot, by bike or bus if you can. Pedestrian entrance to Kiln Meadow off Marbled White Drive, Pinewood.

For further details call 01473 726082 (on the day 07736 826076). Email [email protected] or www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways Welcome Welcome to the winter/spring edition of Local Wildlife News magazine – produced by the Greenways Countryside Project to help connect local people with the wildlife and activities going on in the wider Ipswich area. ‘Wild Ipswich’ is a term you might see in several articles throughout this edition. It is the name we 6 have given to our work with all the conservation organisations in the area to protect and improve the wildlife network of the town. Most importantly, it is the means by which we hope people in the town and surrounding area will get even more involved in helping wildlife – whether by installing ‘wildlife homes’ in their gardens or helping to look after the local park or nature reserve as volunteers. In this edition, there is a focus on Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s new hedgehog project for Ipswich – please read the details of how you can get involved and become a ‘hedgehog champion’ on page 12. In early summer, another new initiative will start in Ipswich – the Greenways Project and Ipswich 9 Borough Council are joining forces with Buglife (the national charity working to conserve invertebrate life – “Saving the small things that run the planet!”) to bring ‘Urban Buzz’ to Ipswich. Urban Buzz is a national Buglife initiative focussed on 8 cities in the UK, to improve habitat for pollinating insects in urban areas. Urban Buzz will help create 100 new ‘Buzzing hotspots’ – new areas of nectar-rich habitat – and will seek to engage local people through events and public votes for site improvements. See the next edition for more information. If you have never been involved in practical conservation volunteering before, or haven’t been for a while – winter is the perfect time to get into it! It’s the busiest season in the conservation calendar, when most of the habitat management work is done (as no birds are nesting and most other

© Angie Tighe 12 wildlife is dormant, less active or migrated away) – coppicing in woodlands, clearing scrub from meadows and heaths, hedge cutting, and tree and shrub planting. There are loads of opportunities to get involved in your area – please see the events listings and ‘Regular Events’ at the back of the magazine to see how you can play your part in ‘Wild Ipswich’! Mailing lists – Please note We are aware that some who are members of several conservation organisations may well receive more than one copy of the newsletter. If this is the case we would be very grateful if you could pass 17 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). LWN is available online at www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways/ James Baker 1719

Contents Page Suffolk Wildlife Trust 4 21 Ipswich Wildlife Group 8

Local Wildlife News is published by Friends of the Dales 9 Greenways Countryside Project. Greenways Countryside Project 10 Editor: James Baker [email protected] Wild Ipswich 12 Tel 01473 433995 Production Editor: Colin Hullis Portal Woodlands Conservation Group 13 [email protected] Tel 01473 728674 RSPB Ipswich Local Group 14 Artwork production: Chris Saunders Friends of Christchurch Park 16 [email protected] Tel 01473 721550 Ipswich Borough Council Wildlife Rangers 17 Printed by The Five Castles Press Tel 01473 718719 Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group 18 Paper produced from well-managed Friends of Holywells Park 19 forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council Friends of Belstead Brook Park 20 The opinions expressed in Local Wildlife News are not necessarily 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

BTO Trip Were you on our coach trip to the BTO Nunnery in May? If so Suffolk Broads you may like to look at a short DVD they have made about the As I write this at the end of October the fantastic news that Nunnery. If you were not on that trip then a look at this film SWT have the opportunity to buy much land linking Carlton may inspire you to pay a visit in the future! You will find it at and Oulton Marshes. Yes, 384 acres, how many football www.bto.org/reserve and click on Nunnery Lakes Reserve. pitches is that? (The oft used comparison to measure wildlife sites). The land will be used to create a mix of wet habitats. Derek Moore The Trust needs to raise £1 million to buy this land, so please Many of you remember Derek Moore with much affection and do anything you can to help. More details are to be found at you will be pleased to know that we, together with Suffolk www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org Ornithologists Group (SOG), are organising a special Memorial evening with a presentation by a well known speaker. We Dave Munday have earmarked 18th October 2017, so pencil in the date! (Chairman) Coach Outing to the Norfolk Broads visiting How Hill and a Broads Boat Tour Saturday 27th May 2017 8.30am

The Ipswich Group’s Coach Outing this year will be to the in late May. It supports a variety of habitats, with interesting Norfolk Broads. In the morning we shall go to How Hill, an plant communities and their associated insects. A visit can be Environmental Education Centre, which during the week made to Toad Hole, once a marshman’s cottage, to see how has groups of children staying. This house is surrounded by folk lived here 100 years ago. lovely gardens and woodland, planted with trees of many varieties, including azaleas and rhododendrons, which should In the afternoon we shall go to Wroxham, where we board be at their best at this time of year. The house has a café a Broads Tour Boat for a two-hour trip on the water, visiting where apparently delicious cakes and sandwiches can be Wroxham and Salthouse Broads and Horning Reach, with its bought. It is just a walk across the field to How Hill Nature stunning scenery and bird life. There will be a commentary Reserve. Here you can follow the 2km long wildlife walking about the history of the broads and the wildlife we see. There trail through the reed marshes in the valley of the River Ant, is a licensed bar and simple snack bar aboard. For more hear a variety of warblers and hopefully see Swallow-tail information Google How Hill Trust, How Hill Nature Reserve, butterflies, and Norfolk Hawker Dragonflies normally around Broads Tours.

Booking Form Norfolk Broads, How Hill and Broads Tour 27th May 2017 8.30 am Please reserve

……… adult places at £30 Total £……………

………places for 16 years and under at £20 Total £……………

Total sum enclosed £…………… Name ……………………………………………...... ……………………...... ……………

Address …………………………………...... Postcode ……......

Telephone ………...... ……… Email ……...... …...... Join coach at Crown Street or Ipswich Village Car Park (delete as appropriate) Please return this form together with an SAE and cheque made out to Suffolk Wildlife Trust to Pam Ireland, 49 Mayfield Road, Ipswich, IP4 3NG. Enquiries Tel 01473 723179 If you give an e-mail address you do not need to include a stamped addressed envelope.

4 Ipswich Group Newsletter

Guided Walk at Snape Marshes © Barry Cooper © Barry Our walk on Saturday 18th June got off to a drizzly start as hunt all morning flying we gathered on the bridge at Snape. We followed Derek backwards and forwards and Lesley Walduck, volunteer wardens for the Snape SWT to its nest box. The reserve away from the road and down the ‘Sailor’s Path’ previous night had been beside the River Alde. Signs of massive amounts of earth very wet so it was forced works soon became obvious just to our left. This was the start to hunt in daylight. Derek of improvements to the river wall which had been broached explained that barn owl during the floods of December 2013 and had resulted in the feathers are specially flooding of the Reserve and many houses in Snape village. adapted for silent flight We were shown a photo of the area at the time of the floods but this adaptation when the reserve looked like an extensive lake but is now means that their wings covered with wildflowers and peacefully grazing cattle. are not waterproof.

© Barry Cooper © Barry We were delighted to While gazing over the take advantage of this meadow we had the limitation to have such first of several sightings a good view of the barn of a barn owl. It flew in Southern marsh orchid owl hunting. front of a line of trees and landed on a dead The meadow that we entered was a golden yellow mass of tree in the distance. marsh marigolds and amongst them the keen photographers Then higher in the sky in the group were delighted to find lots of orchids. But not we saw a marsh harrier as delighted as Derek was when we came across a large which appeared to be patch of yellow rattle. The previous summer he embarked carrying prey. But as it Barn Owl on an experiment to try to seed the area with yellow rattle flew across our field of from mowings taken from nearby Darsham marshes. It is view, Derek felt sure it was carrying nest building material to a semi-parasitic on meadow grasses and so is useful along new site that he had been monitoring. with grazing cattle, in keeping grasses down thus allowing wildflowers to flourish. Derek had promised earlier in the day We left the river-side path with the Snape Maltings and reed that if he found yellow rattle had grown he would do a dance beds over to our right to enter the shelter of woodland. for us. He did make good his promise but it wasn’t a dance Turning right would have taken us to Snape Warren, an RSPB that I recognised!

Reserve well known for dusk appearances of night-jars. We Cooper © Barry turned left and kept within the SWT Reserve where we passed After the excitement of through adjacent areas of wet and dry woodland. The rain had the yellow rattle, we were stopped when we came out into a clearing where volunteers given a quick lesson on had worked hard the previous summer to clear it of bracken. how to move through a The aim was to create an area of heathland but due to an herd of cattle because unexplained decline in the local rabbit population, the grass they were between and brambles had disappointingly started to re-grow. us and the mink raft which we were keen to We left the woodland again on a path locally known as the look at. The mink raft Carnser – possibly an Anglo-Saxon word meaning raised was installed to trap path across wetland – a perfect description. From here Derek mink which had been and Lesley unlocked a gate into an area not open to the predating the water public. Here we were treated to some wildlife highlights. We voles. No water voles were now much closer to the barn owl which continued to were seen in 2009 when

Throughout the morning, a keen birder in the group noted and pointed out a good variety of birdlife. As well as the barn owl and marsh harrier already mention she recorded another 24 species during the walk. We soon conveniently emerged from the reserve a short distance from the Golden Key Pub where we all stopped to enjoy food, drink and each other’s company. We are grateful to Derek and Lesley for helping to make our trip around Snape Reserve so memorable.

Skylark Leigh Williamson 5 Ipswich Group Newsletter

Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, 9th July

Matthew Lott of the Owl Sanctuary had already whetted our talons are extremely appetites with his talk to our group, so we were eager to visit powerful, since it is the site in Stonham Aspel, where he gave us an entertaining and they that are used informed introduction to his charges. to kill their prey; the hooked bill is used for Despite its title the Owl Sanctuary actually has many more tearing off strips of varieties of raptor, and soon we were introduced to eagles, meat. . buzzards, hawks, falcons – and of course, owls - from all round the world. Eagles are really large buzzards, searching their To give them the ground prey from the sky and relying on their weight and speed opportunity to to pounce on the unsuspecting animal, or in the case of osprey exercise and stretch onto fish which their excellent eyesight can spot even below the their wings, as surface of water. They usually carry their prey off to eat at some well as to enable safe location. Falcons are much more lightly built. They are very them to perform in fast flyers, diving at great speed to surprise and catch birds in accordance with their flight. Peregrine falcons are renowned for the speed of their dive true nature, birds (‘stoop’), which can reach up to 200 miles per hour. The ‘face’ of are regularly brought an owl is really a sound reflector, its superb hearing enabling it to flying displays. to detect its prey on the ground. Its wings are adapted to almost silent flight, so it can patrol an area without its prey being aware Above: Red Kite of its presence. Left: Snowy Owl

Some birds have specialist adaptations to permit them to tackle Having been denied otherwise difficult food for a while prey. The Bataleur the hungry bird is eagles from Africa, released and at once for example, are makes for the high partial to snakes. trees surrounding So they have a ruff the arena. It is of sturdy feathers tempted down by which venomous encouraging calls snakes can strike and whistles from at without harm to the handler and is the bird, allowing it rewarded by a tasty to peck away at the morsel held in his Bataleur Eagle reptile with impunity. gloved hand. The Bataleur has a short tail, because it needs to back away quickly if attacked, and Our day was rounded doesn’t want to trip over its own tail feathers. off by a visit to the meercats’ enclosure. A couple of dozen of these lively and The birds in the Sanctuary are either orphans rescued as young attractive animals (careful – they bite!) in their sand pit provided a if the parents are lost or killed, or they are raised from eggs bit of light entertainment. We watched as they dug burrows and from birds already in captivity. Intriguingly, the birds form a chased each other while one or two sentries kept watch – there relationship with their keepers, and some will not tolerate anyone were after all birds of prey around. else. Particularly the larger birds seem to develop distinct personalities and moods, sometimes friendly and sometimes After a cup of tea we made our way home. Many thanks to sulky, apparently requiring their keepers to coax them into Matthew and his team for a delightful and fascinating day in sociability. One eagle would allow only men or boys to approach which we learned to respect and admire these remarkable it. Women and girls are given short shrift, and no wonder; eagles’ creatures. John Ireland

6 Ipswich Group Newsletter

Dates for your Diary

Ipswich Group of the SWT Programme Jan 2017-May 2017 All talks are held in St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane IP4 2BT

Wed. January 18th 2017 at 7.30pm. Abigail Stancliffe-Vaughan Alien Crayfish on the River Lark The signal crayfish were introduced into this country in the 1970s and 80s 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.

Wed. February 22nd 2017 at 7.30pm. Ian Barthorpe The Wildlife of Kwa Zulu Natal and the Western Cape. Join Ian (Warden of RSPB Minsmere) on a once in a life time journey around South Africa exploring two of Kwa Zulu Natal’s National Parks, and then heading off to Cape Town in search of wine, whales and sea birds. Discover some incredible wildlife, have close encounters with big game, and find out what could be the most important animal in Africa.

Wed March 15th 2017 at 7.30pm. Martin Tickler House Martins Martin is a real house martin enthusiast. He has lived in his present home for 35 years where he has had these birds nesting continually. He has studied their lives and habits and has experimented, with considerable success, using artificial nests. Recently he has volunteered with the BTO nationwide house martin survey. He may even give you ideas as to how you can encourage house martins to nest on your house.

Wed. April 19th 2017 at 7.30pm. Martin Sanford Orchids in Suffolk and their Biology. Martin runs the Suffolk Record Office, and as author of “The Orchids of Suffolk” has much to tell us about these fascinating plants. Although in Suffolk they are by no means common plants, there are twice as many species of Orchids world wide as there are of birds. The Orchidaceae have an interesting and special biology which will be explained to us, so that we can look at our potted Phallanopsis in a new light, and hopefully find some in the wild.

Sat. May 27th 2017 8.30am to 6.00pm Coach Trip to the Norfolk Broads. We shall have a morning visit to the How Hill Trust and Nature Reserve, and in the afternoon will explore Wroxham and Salthouse Broads and Horning Reach on a Broads Boat Tour. The cost, including boat tour and reserve entrance is £30 For more details and booking form see accompanying article.

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. Keeping a watching brief

As well as attending public events and organising members’ at the Peoples Community Garden, Maidenhall, where the public work parties throughout the year, the Group also keeps a joined in making habitat boxes for birds and insects as well watching brief on Planning Applications and proposed building as hedgehogs, families then take them home to install in their developments around the town that may have environmental gardens. impact. If we believe that there is cause for concern involving a threat to valuable wildlife habitats we will offer advice, lobby and The Annual Ipswich River Clean-Up - In the early Autumn we make representation to the local planning authority. joined volunteers from Greenways and the River Action Group to help clean up parts of the Rivers Gipping and Orwell in town and We are currently keeping watch on some major proposed the Alderman Canal. We removed loads of rubbish dumped in developments - Ipswich Northern Fringe Henley Road, the the water and litter from the banks. And a great time was had by British Sugar site Sproughton Road and St Clement’s Hospital all and a great job was done for the town. site, Foxhall Road.

Northern Fringe - An Outline Planning application has been submitted by Crest Homes for the Northern block of land which includes the site for the proposed Country Park. As well as a woodland and some open spaces, the proposal also includes a Visitor Centre and Children’s Play Area.

British Sugar - No plans for the development of this site have yet been published but as it borders the River Gipping, we are particularly interested in any environmental impact and will be watching progress. Meanwhile the Ipswich Borough Council Wildlife & Education Rangers are carrying out a wildlife survey of the site. The briefing gets the River Clean-Up underway St Clement’s Hospital site - A developer has submitted an application to Ipswich Borough Council for the erection of 179 Megabashes - The first dwellings on the site of the old hospital. The proposal would of the Winter Megabashes retain the existing sports and recreational facilities, and includes was held at Bobbits Lane new areas of public open space, and a wildlife habitat area. Meadows in November where we helped clear an We continue to monitor the progress of these developments with area of willow saplings interest. encroaching onto the meadow and helped build Doing our bit to encourage wildlife conservation an otter holt. There are Our ‘Wildlife Homes’ events continue to be very popular with the more opportunities to join public. We were at a Greenways-organised event at Alderman volunteers from Greenways Canal Local Nature Reserve and at the ‘Think Hedgehog’ event and other environmental groups and local residents for a few hours improving local wildlife sites and getting a breath of healthy winter TIMBER! air - Saturday 21 January Purdis Heath, Saturday 18 February Martlesham Heath.

Regular Work Parties - Spring Wood - The annual coppicing season is well under way and organiser Gerry Donlon would be pleased to see any new volunteers come along and join in on the third Sunday of the month. Meet at field gate at top of bridleway in Kiln Meadow 10.30am. More details from Gerry Donlon 01473 726082. Alderman Canal - There is always lots of interesting work to be done at this little-known wildlife gem near the centre of town. We meet on the first Saturday of the month at Bibb Way by Alderman Road Recreation Ground. Call Ray Sidaway for more details. Another hedgehog home in the making 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

Wild Flowers attract Stunning Insects © Jan Cawston The Dales Nature Reserve off Dales Road continues to be admired and loved by both local people and visitors. A small area of a little less than six hectares, it includes a wide variety of habitats; secondary woodland with oak, ash, hawthorn, elder and many others; ponds and meadows.

One of these meadows has been designated by Ipswich Borough Council who own it as a wildflower meadow and the numbers of wildflowers are gradually increasing year by year. Each year the long grass of the wildflower meadow has to be cut to help wildflower growth next year. This year a two day combined effort between IBC and the Friends took place with further cutting and seeding carried out by the Friends. As the area was previously short mown grass it started life being very nutrient rich and fairly sterile in terms of floristic diversity. We are now getting to the stage where the nutrients are being reduced enough for the flowers to start responding

Increasing the wild flowers has greatly added to the number Dingy Footman of insects found and Jan Cawston has taken some stunning photographs and put them up on Facebook for us all to share. are a lot of springs that run when the weather is wet and this is what makes the area interesting and particularly good for The nursery school meadow, with the log circle newly created wildlife. this year, seems to have been well received and used by a number of groups during the summer. Highfield Nursery and This year we have had lots of foxes, deer and squirrels as the Wellington Children’s Centre have both sent in their thanks well as a vast number of birds. Rather more magpies than we and appreciation for the upkeep of this area. like but a buzzard was seen overhead and a grey heron visits the pond periodically. As usual, we have had a nice range of We know there are grass snakes using the Dales and the warblers visit us during the summer too.

Wildlife Ranger Team have created two ponds to encourage © Jan Cawston frogs (a grass snake’s favourite food!). As they are cold blooded, black roof felt has been placed on compost heaps and in favourable habitat to help with population monitoring. Unfortunately, some people have moved them off the grass and disturbed the creatures under them. © Jan Cawston We have general working parties on the second Wednesday in the month starting at 10am but most of the work is done by one or two of our generous volunteers. One especially has been raising the paths where it is likely to be wet in the winter and Wasp Spider digging out the ditches to channel Progress to raise money to renovate the children’s play area water into the and the football pitch beside it is slow but we are making pond rather than progress. The Council kindly repaired the noticeboard by the making a well middle entrance during the summer as there was damage to walked area really the Perspex casing wet. We are very Azure winged damselfly lucky that there Jessica Allen 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. Your toads need you!

The toads of Belstead Brook still need your help! For the last ten years, an army of volunteers have turned out in fair weather and foul (more often foul if we’re honest!) to help our toads across Bobbits Lane. © Margaret Regnault

Mating toads - a common sight on Toad Patrol. (Or - you can help save the planet by giving a friend a lift to work)

– please do get in touch, or better still put the 15th February in your calendar and come to the friendly, informal, but hugely informative training session we run each year for new and existing patrollers alike. The session covers amphibian identification and ecology, details of how the patrol works, and how to keep safe, along with the reasons why it is necessary. There will be drinks and snacks available and the various experts will be very happy to answer any questions you may have. The training session is completely free and open to all, The Common Toad - deckined significantly and will last about one and a half hours. There is absolutely no commitment to get involved in the patrol – you are very In recent years the toad population of Belstead Brook has welcome to simply come and learn about amphibians and have declined significantly – and we’re not entirely sure why. There a cup of tea with us! are a huge number of factors from low water levels, increased predation by grass snakes, rats, herons, buzzards and other Toad Patrol 2016 results (Margaret Regnault) species, to weather conditions, food availability and the Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with the toad patrol condition of the breeding ponds – to name a few. Perhaps earlier in the year. We had a meeting on 17th February 2016 most importantly though, it highlights the great importance of and the peak date was March 24th with 159 toads. trying to help the toads we do have by ensuring there are as few losses as possible from being run over on the Lane. As you can see from the graph below the numbers of toads Margaret Regnault (who magnificently manages the Toad Patrol have declined drastically since 2011, in 2016 we had 733 toads each year) points out that road casualties have remained low which is only 2/3 last years’ total, the casualties are still low. throughout the years the ‘patrol’ has operated – which is a great success and huge thanks are due to all those who have If you would like to help in the toad patrol in 2017 please drop taken part. me an email on [email protected]

So, 2017 could be a vital year, where maybe we will see the first increase in numbers for several years – but whether we do or not, your help with the toad patrol would be very much appreciated.

This is one of the best ‘hands on’ wildlife experiences available! Most conservation volunteers manage habitats and hardly ever actually see any of the wildlife that they are striving to help – so being part of a group shepherding amphibians (yes, we get plenty of frogs and newts as well!) safely across the road is very rewarding.

If you would like to get involved – and it is suitable for all ages Graph by Margaret Regnault Margaret Regnault 10

Focus on Local Nature Reserves - Bobbits Lane LNR

Bobbits Lane Meadows lie along the southern side of the Belstead Brook in the heart of the Belstead Brook Park - an informal country park on the south-west edge of Ipswich. The meadows cover around 20 acres and now include ponds, reedbeds, wet grassland and developing scrub habitats along with recent and established hedgerows.

The meadows were grazed by cattle until about 18 years ago, but due to the cows being attacked, no graziers have wanted to keep stock there since! The meadows were taken out of an agricultural tenancy and started to be managed for wildlife in the mid-1990s, and were declared as a Local Nature Reserve in 2005 and is thus managed in perpetuity for wildlife and local people, by the Greenways Project on behalf of Ipswich Borough Council.

The site is rich in wildlife and notable species include otters, The Otter holt beginning to take shape water voles, native brown trout, common buzzards, water rails, grass snakes, frogs, common newts and common toads. invasive tree species such as willow and occasional dredging of Some of the pools on the site became significant for common ponds, scrapes and ditches. toad breeding in 2005 and led to extensive new wetland creation work then and in 2010/11 when the current large ponds and The Belstead Brook Park Megabash in November 2016 saw interconnecting ditches were dug (and the viewing mound a small army of volunteers felling large willow scrub to let light created from the arisings). back into one of the smaller ponds. Apart from fuelling a large bonfire for cooking baked potatoes (!), the material was used Although numbers of toads helped across Bobbits Lane, to the to build an artificial otter holt - constructed with log walls and breeding ponds in the wet meadows, have declined in recent roof, covered with reed, sedge and brushwood. Volunteers have years (see previous page), the site had one of the largest known helped build at least 15 such holts in the last few years along populations of this species in the UK. this stretch of the Brook.

The LNR also includes the adjoining wet woodland - Ashground For any further information about the Reserve, please contact Plantation - just downstream. Although the site is not included the Greenways Project. in the register of ancient woodlands (and it has the word ‘Plantation’ in its name), there are actually some indications that, at least parts of the site, are very long established. Large areas of the woodland suffered from saline inundation about 12 years ago, when the flap valve between the Brook and the Orwell Estuary became blocked and fixed open - allowing salt water well upstream into surrounding areas. Without the valve, the Brook would be tidal at least up to the Belstead Brook Hotel. In fact, after heavy rain or flooding, the old creek patterns in the meadows can be clearly seen - filled with water! The areas of woodland that suffered saw all the trees gradually die off and collapse - in the process there were great opportunities for species such as tree creeper (which nest behind loose bark) and woodpeckers as well as many species of fungi.

Management work on the reserve today (in the absence of cattle) tends to focus on annual cutting and removal of grass; felling of Getting the all-important Megabash bonfire started

FOR SALE Beanpoles, peasticks, bagged logs and other woodland produce, and wildlife homes including hedgehog houses, bird boxes and insect homes.

Available (by appointment) from the Greenways Project office on Stoke Park Drive.

Contact [email protected] or 01473 433995 to discuss your requirements.

All produce from the sustainable management of nature reserves in Ipswich and proceeds to help fund management of the reserves and other wildlife projects. Annual mowing at Bobbits Lane meadow 11 WILD IPSWICH

All the conservation organisations working together to inspire local people to help wildlife throughout the town and beyond.

Making Ipswich the most hedgehog friendly town in the UK

Hedgehogs – a distinct and unusual spiny mammal - have be able to help hedgehogs in an urban landscape. Through seen severe declines in the UK. Rural hedgehog populations creating a street by street network of linked gardens (by have declined by over half and in urban areas, up to a third garden owners creating hedgehog sized fence holes), we have been lost between the years 2000 and 2014. hope to connect the green spaces of Ipswich together. This, together with wildlife friendly garden management The reasons behind these declines are complex and not fully approaches, like leaving log piles, fallen leaves or wildflowers, understood, but we know there are many contributing factors. will help create “Hedgehog Highways” across the town. Changing farming practises have resulted in the removal and degradation of hedgerows, which are important connecting To help us with our goal, we are calling on the help of Ipswich and nesting features for hedgehogs. Loss of permanent residents! Do you already have a hedgehog hole or are you grassland has reduced foraging habitat and chemical use is willing to make one? Please send us a photo of your ‘hog impacting the invertebrate populations hedgehogs prey upon. fence holes to help us track our progress and to mark it with The impact of habitat degradation is exacerbated in some a Hedgehog Highway plaque! We are also looking for Ipswich areas by increased badger density, a predator and competitor Hedgehog Champions – individuals that will manage their of hedgehogs. In urban areas, impermeable boundaries make garden for hedgehogs, and will persuade their neighbours to it difficult for hedgehogs to access habitat and this alongside do the same! We will have resource packs to help you spread roads and tidy gardens, are all making it very difficult for the word, and will have night cameras and footprint tunnels hedgehogs to thrive. Disease and climate change may be for champions to borrow to help monitor garden hedgehog additional threats, although it is not yet understood what the activity. full impact of these may be. This project is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and British Despite these wide-ranging threats, there is hope! Gardens Hedgehog Preservation Society. For more information, provide varied habitat for hedgehogs and if managed with please head to http://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ wildlife in mind, can help urban populations. Connectivity volunteer/hedgehog-champions or email Ali at hedgehogs@ is however vital; hedgehogs roam around 2km a night, suffolkwildlifetrust.org. Those interested outside of Ipswich meaning the parks and public green spaces of towns alone, can help too! Please log your hedgehog sightings on our are not large enough to sustain hedgehog populations. This online map http://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/hedgehogs makes hedgehog sized fence holes (13x13cm) and gaps or volunteer on our population study or community events under garden gates an easy and important way of ensuring (please email for more details!). See Events Diary pages. hedgehog populations can survive. Ali North It is only through whole streets working together that we will Suffolk Wildlife Trust Ipswich Hedgehog Officer ©Angie Tighe ©Ann Havard

Fence holes (and hedgehog highway plaque) made by Hedgehog Champions! 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. © Simon Ballard After a fairly damp and cool start to summer 2016, it finally warmed and dried up a little. Our Nature Watch Club met in July to learn about moths and see what had been caught in the traps that had been put out the night before. They were surprised not to have caught any hawk-moths which are normally abundant at this time of year, but they did catch over a dozen species of beautiful smaller moths including the ruby tiger, rosy footman and buff-tip. The subject in September was trees, and the group explored the woods identifying the different types of trees from leaves and seeds, and calculated the age of various logs by counting their rings. Another walk

© S. Corley in October was a fungi ‘foray’, finding a great variety of shapes, sizes, colours and species, much to the interest Our Great & Green Award of all involved! These included dead man’s burial mounds, the Group is constantly in need of help and as fingers, common earth such would be very grateful if anyone who has ever enjoyed a ball, several examples relaxing walk in the woods or is interested in doing something of bracket fungi and the for the community, might consider coming along to a Work A beautiful Buff-tip moth oddly named turkey tail! Morning sometime soon. Here are some inspiring words from one of our teenage volunteers: “Throughout my time as a During the period, the main volunteer work party focused on young volunteer for the conservation group I have seen on the Bronze Age burial mounds, and after several months of countless occasions the great change that just a morning’s concerted effort fighting bramble, bracken and rampant new work can achieve. When you look back on a completed project shoots, the results of our efforts are now very noticeable with a that, however small, has made a drastic impact on the woods thick carpet of green grass starting to take hold. The volunteers to the benefit of the local community and the wildlife alike, you forged a new route through the undergrowth for the path by the genuinely feel that you have made a difference.”

southern mound, which will help keep it protected from erosion © S. Corley due to walkers’ feet. We do not plan to totally exclude people from the two mounds as once the grass has grown all over them, they will make lovely, peaceful places to rest.

We were so pleased to learn that the Group had won the 2016 Great & Green Award from the Suffolk Coastal Business & Community Awards, see www.scbca.co.uk/awards. It’s great to know that our efforts are recognised widely in Suffolk, so thank you to all our volunteers’ hard work over the past 17 years in making Portal Woods the wonderful place it has become for people and wildlife.

With a range of projects on the go, covering not just the natural environment but also the historic; renovating wartime features and maintaining National Monument status for the

If you are considering a New Year’s resolution to volunteer for a worthwhile cause in the fresh air and are interested to find out more, please send an email to [email protected]

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

Nature Watch Club (5 to 11 year olds) Meet at the Education Area from 9.00am - 11.00am. Booking essential, please email [email protected] 2017 schedule starts in the spring – dates to be announced. Work mornings and Nature Explorers - dates in Events Diary. All shapes, sizes and colours from our Fungi Foray 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. Our local Estuaries: a focus on common wader ID

At this time of year our local estuaries are at their busiest, on exposed areas of mudflat. Their short legs are also black teaming with waders and wildfowl. Birds having completed and when feeding or at rest the closed wings do not project utterly epic journeys from as far afield as Siberia, Iceland, and beyond the tail. The dunlin we encounter at this time of year, Greenland, come especially to enjoy the balmy mild conditions are predominantly adults in non-breeding plumage or first winter and protein packed resource to be found in our glorious Suffolk juveniles. (Although as spring approaches, some birds will begin mud! to moult towards their smart black-bellied summer plumage, when some black feathers can start to appear). Despite some recent wintering population declines due to factors such as human disturbance, shipping, dredging, and Dunlin’s heads attach to their compact bodies without any climate change, we are still fortunate to host locally, both obvious neck often also appearing slightly hunch-backed. nationally and internationally significant wintering numbers of During winter, adults are predominantly plain grey above and several species, which is why our local estuaries have been white below with a small amount of grey on the chest sides, designated with special conservation status. The whole complex forming a weak breast-band. The head is also soft and grey with of both the Orwell and the Stour are both a RAMSAR site and a no strong markings and only a hint of a supercilium above the Special Protection Area (SPA). eye which being relatively large tends to give dunlin a somewhat ‘cute’ look. Consequently, we want to encourage as many people as possible to get out to discover and appreciate this rich First winter birds on the other hand are more patterned, with a cornucopia of internationally significant, bio-diversity, situated tortoiseshell appearance; having brown centres to the feathers right on our doorsteps! A terrific way of doing this is to join one on the back and wing with a typical mix of brown, chestnut and of our guided walks, that over the next few weeks and months, grey feathers. The chest is buff-coloured with spots that can will be visiting a selection of these prime local habitats. Stephen extend onto the belly which can also show some dark blotches. Marginson, our Outdoor Secretary will be delighted to welcome The head is also more buff coloured than winter adults, with you and help you spot and experience a host of our regular more white in front of the eye. winter visitors first hand. In flightdunlin have a weak white wing-bar, a white rump with a Meanwhile, here is a handy ID roundup, to help you distinguish dark centre, extending to the tail. Dunlin form agile, fast moving some of the easily confused wader species commonly flocks, often appearing silver and white, as the birds catch the encountered at this time of year. light, when turning dramatically in unison. Although in summer plumage the black bellies are very obvious. Dunlin: In essence the default small wader; so getting to grips with this species is a great reference point, from where as your Knot are the other commonly encountered local winter calidrid wader knowledge and experience grows you can begin to (sandpiper) species. Altogether bigger and beefier than a dunlin; distinguish the other less common, smaller wader species. closer in size to a blackbird, although, far more compact and decidedly stocky in the body. Knot have proportionately shorter Dunlin are roughly starling sized birds, with proportionately long black bills and stumpy greyish-green legs which can look and slightly down-curved black bills which they deploy with a darker when soiled with sticky mud! In winter they are silvery rapid shallow probing ‘stitching’ action as they search for food grey above, whitish below with a grey breast band and a grey head with an indistinct whitish supercillium, which contrasts with distinct dark feathering between the eye and the bill. In flight, they show a dull white wing-bar and the dark outer wing contrasts with the pale inner wing. The rump appears grey, not contrasting with the back or tail, which is grey barred, (not white with a dark centre as dunlin). The feeding action is also slower with the head held low.

First winter birds show the same overall colouring, but feathers on the back and wing have a fine black crescent with a white edge fringing the tips. This gives the birds a scalloped appearance.

Unfortunately, knot are seldom seen here in their splendid and very distinctive summer plumage, when the belly and heads turn a gorgeous chestnut red colour and their backs Dunlin become speckled with chestnut and black. Knot mostly moult 14 Ipswich Local Group

after leaving the UK during their long and staged migration Instead the tail is barred with a white wedge from the rump via Norway back to their high arctic Greenland and Canadian narrowing up to the centre of the back. At rest the bar-tailed breeding grounds. godwit has a light grey-brown and distinctly mottled appearance which contrasts with the much more uniform upperparts of the black-tailed godwit. This mottled appearance is the result of the bird’s winter plumage possessing back and wing feathers that have dark centres with white edges.

Knot feeding in the Orwell Estuary

Grey Plover is another predominantly grey wader, with whitish spangled upper-parts and an upright appearance. Frequently Black tailed godwit found in ones or twos the grey plover is similar in size to a lapwing but is more elegantly proportioned and has a distinctive The other staple common wader, found universally throughout gait as it takes a few rapid steps on its proportionately long our estuaries is the common redshank, a species that also slate grey legs, then abruptly stops and then frequently dips to breeds in small numbers locally. The familiar tri-syllabic ‘teu-lulu’ pick some morsel from the surface of the mud with its stout and call of this bird is one familiar to almost anyone who has ever relatively stubby black bill. The head is also proportionately large visited an estuary or a marsh, giving rise to its old country name with a distinct pale off-white supercilium above the large dark the watchman of the marsh. A delicately proportioned bird with eye. First winter birds are suffused with pale yellowish spangling a fine long red-based bill, bright long red legs and a lively active to the upperparts which can give rise to confusion with the running gait is like many species, far less common than it once closely related but rather smaller and more delicate golden was. In winter, its breast and upper parts are washed with plain plover. grey and its paler flanks and under-tail coverts are sparingly streaked. In flight the white trailing edge to the wings contrast In summer plumage male grey plovers are resplendent with sharply against the bird’s darker grey upper parts as does the their solid black belly chest and cheeks, silver and black distinctive white wedge up the back and lightly barred rump and spangled upper parts with contrasting white sides to the head tail. and flanks. Females are similar but with the black underparts being less solidly coloured, being rather more blotchy. In flight the most conspicuous feature is the obvious black ‘armpits’ or axilla.

Redshank

For more help with getting to grips with these and other species we hope to see you on one of our free guided walks in the very Grey plover near future.

Black-tailed godwit. This is the characteristic large long-legged, Meanwhile, please don’t forget, with regard to our indoor long straight billed wader we find in sizeable flocks on our local meetings, we have now moved permanently, to the Church Hall, estuaries. In winter these tall birds have plain greyish-brown (not the village hall), on The Street at Rushmere St Andrew. breast and upper parts, paler buff below with a black and white tail which becomes very obvious in flight when the white rump Coming up next edition the results of our Ipswich House black tail and conspicuous white wing-bar are all very striking. Sparrow Survey.

This contrasts sharply with the much less frequent locally bar- Happy birding, tailed godwit which has no wing bar or striking tail pattern. Chris Courtney 15 © Tim Kenny Friends of Christchurch Park

Secretary: Sylvia Patsalides 07971 467042 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. Guardians of the Park

The Arboretum in Christchurch Park has always been a well most in fact, there has been a steady, in some cases, beautiful area with undulating landscapes and grand old trees disastrous decline in numbers of what we think of as being which provide various hues and shades. Of course, trees die very common birds. Thanks to Philip we have accurate with age, some become diseased and others get blown down information on the status of the Park’s avian wildlife. Much of when hurricanes occur (luckily only one so far in my lifetime). this information has been safely put into print in the previous It is easy to neglect such an area. By neglect I mean that tree FoCP books now recorded importantly for all time. But it is planting is abandoned and the area is left to its own devices, an ongoing situation. We may not know the reasons for the pollarding becomes a thing of the past and rotten branches variation in birds numbers but at least we are aware of what is left to rot in situ. This however is not the situation now in going on. Some birds are on the increase but what are these our Park. One man has taken it upon himself to restore the birds? Unfortunately, it is the scavengers (large gulls and Arboretum to its former glory by planting many wonderful crows) and Canada geese. Not an ideal selection for most specimens to ensure that future generations will have the birdwatchers but surprisingly attractive birds to many Park pleasure of walking through a wooded paradise. That man visitors.

is the Chairman of the Friends of Christchurch Park, David ©Paul Sherman Miller. He has been over the past few years tirelessly securing strong and well-established trees, planting them with the help of IBC Park staff and also, would you believe, making himself entirely responsible for watering his beloved trees, an exceptional dedication during the past very dry summer.

The Friends of Christchurch Park have published over the last few years four books, three on the wildlife of Christchurch Park, concentrating mainly on the Park’s bird life written and illustrated by me and the fourth, thanks to David Miller, an informative book on the history and trees of the Arboretum. Now a fifth book has just been published. This is about the Park’s butterflies written by Richard Stewart, a former County butterfly recorder and dedicated butterfly expert. It is beautifully illustrated with photographs by Liz Cutting and this, together with Richard’s precise descriptions of these insects, makes this book yet another asset for our Park visitors. It is hard to believe that over 20 species have been recorded in an area so close to Ipswich Town Centre. Many butterflies are having a hard time of it of late with some species dramatically in decline. There Mabel back in her comfortable quarters for the eighth year is hope for some however and Richard’s book shows that if the correct habitat is created then certain species will thrive. Finally, despite being shaken by a throbbing generator for A world without butterflies would be unthinkable. the fair which was positioned almost up against her tree and also the deafening firework extravaganza, Mabel, our beloved I have often written about the birds of Christchurch Park tawny owl, is once more in residence. This wise bird has been but this would have been impossible without the update of wowing the public for over eight years now. I have lost count regular watchers who record the birds seen throughout the of the times that people have enquired of me ‘how long do seasons (not just winter when exotic species of duck arrive). tawny owls live?’ Others have asked ‘is she real?’ Oh yes, For over 40 years, Philip Murphy has meticulously recorded she is and she continues to give great pleasure to the many sightings of not just the rarer species of bird but also the who pass below her roost. more common ones. This has enabled Philip to monitor the numbers of more than 100 birds of our Park. In many cases, 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. Orwell Country Park Management Plan

A view of the Orwell Bridge from Pipers Vale

The Wildlife Rangers have been working on an ambitious 10- of the whole area within Ipswich Borough Council’s Ecological year management plan for the Orwell Country Park. The park Network and its importance as the single largest park in is made up of Bridge Wood (Local Nature Reserve) and its Ipswich – 169ha when the associated river foreshore is associated Orwell River foreshore habitat (Special Protection included. Area and Site of Special Scientific Interest) to the south of the A14, then Braziers Wood and Meadow (both County Wildlife In order to realise the management aims of the plan, broadly to Sites), Pond Hall Meadow and Carr, Elm Hill and Pipers Vale protect and enhance the habitats in the park as well as making (County Wildlife Sites) to the north of the A14. These sites it a more visitor-friendly place, we will have our work cut out! together represent a wide range of habitats including ancient None of the work we do would be possible without volunteers, woodland, wet woodland, mosaics of acid grassland, lowland so if the country park is in your local patch and you would like heath, and scrub, as well as wet meadow and tidal mud flats to volunteer with us, or you would like to learn more about this with fragments of saltmarsh. beautiful part of Ipswich whilst contributing to its future, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or call 01473 433998.

The plan should be available to the public in early 2017.

Pipers Vale heather regeneration area

While individual sites within the park have had management plans in the past, this is the first time the park has been brought under a single plan for the purpose of managing its habitats and facilities. This will allow a more landscape- scale approach to be taken across the park, meaning better Aerial photograph showing the proposed boundary of the entire Orwell connectivity of habitats within the park, greater appreciation Country Park 17 Membership Secretary Kevin Verlander, 9 Heron Close, Stowmarket, IP14 1UR [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.

Ringing projects track bird migration

In recent years technology has enabled the tracking of migration routes of some species to be studied in great detail. Some well-known studies include Cuckoos from Suffolk and elsewhere that are fitted with tracking technology. This BTO project has mapped their migratory routes showing that they have two pathways down into Africa, along with exact locations of their wintering areas. There has been a large decline of this species in the UK including Suffolk and the data helps further understanding of possible issues the birds encounter on their migration and wintering grounds.

Another bird that has been has been fitted with technology, this time a geo-locator, is the Swift. A species also showing a dramatic decline in recent years and one that SOG and SWT have got together to raise awareness and try to reverse, with the project ‘Save our Suffolk Swifts’ - see www.sogonline.org. uk/sos-swifts/. Mediterranean gull originally ringed in Belgium Prior to advancements in technology, coded metal rings were traditionally fitted to birds legs. Then later, colour rings sometimes with a code, have been used on ringing projects in the UK and around the world. On a recent SOG field trip This bird movement also produces rare birds far from their to north-east Suffolk we encountered two species of gull, normal range and 2016 has been an incredible year for rarities Mediterranean and Black-headed, with alpha-numeric colour in Suffolk. Among the list is a Purple Swamphen at Minsmere rings. On sending off the data, the Mediterranean Gull was which, if accepted by bird authorities, will be the first UK record. rung in Belgium while the Black-headed Gull came from a Other rarities include some sighted in Suffolk for the first time Norwegian project. such Cliff Swallow and Stejneger’s Stonechat. The latter was ringed at Landguard Bird Observatory and has been confirmed by DNA analysis, although currently it is a sub-species of Stonechat it is likely to be split as a separate species. © Colin Hullis

Black-headed gull from Norway

I’ve recently been told that along the River Deben at Woodbridge there is a colour-ringed Moorhen also ringed Purple swamphen in Norway. This stretch of river up to Melton has had many colour-ringed birds including several Black-tailed Godwits Earlier in the year Trimley Marshes played host two major from Iceland, Mediterranean Gull from Poland and Turnstone county rarities, Whiskered Tern and Little Bittern at the same from both Netherlands and incredibly, Arctic Canada. All this time and just when everyone thought that that may be it for the technology shows how far some of these birds move and that year another new Suffolk species occurred on the River Stour, our conservation efforts may need to consider potential issues a Forster’s Tern from North America. and problems outside the UK. Gi Grieco 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

It’s winter, when Holywells Park may be either treacherous or them? Winter is also a good time to spot weasels (or are they beautiful, or both at once, depending on how the weather plays stoats with a black tip?) as they break cover more often in their its cards. So, besides waiting patiently, or otherwise, for spring, search for food. what can one do in a park when things are a bit less lively and the temperature is on the way down? Well, how about keeping And then there are the human visitors, perhaps walking to or one’s eyes open and recording what’s to be seen. A sketch- from work or school. Or perhaps taking a stroll, or some more pad and 2B pencil is one approach, and a camera is also serious exercise around the trail. Or simply walking the dog good. Whilst a really good camera might once have been—and and taking in the fresh air, and chatting to their fellow dog probably still is—a luxury item, the cameras that many of us walkers and other park denizens. Not only are they to be found have in our mobile phone are great fun for snapping if there’s outdoors, but during the day they may also be found in the some light about. Stable Block. And what better excuse to visit the café than to be sociable after a brisk walk in a lovely environment. So what’s to be seen? Unlike many creatures that scamper away as soon as they are approached, a tree stays put. Not only that, a tree has a great deal of interesting detail such as the shape of the branches, the texture of the bark, the shape, colour and winter decay of the leaves. If the tree is dead, and sometimes if it’s still alive, the tree may have fungus growing out of it, or on it, or even in it. And though a fungus is most likely to appear in autumn, it may endure. And it may be food for something else—has somebody tried to eat it?

We sketched a tree

All very well, you’re saying, but I can’t sketch for toffee. Letting you in to a secret, nor can your scribe! Robins, always on watch for food However, a series of sketch book strolls On the animal side, one might see Robins, cheeky folk often (monthly on a Sunday on watch for food and passers by. And there is a resident morning) has been population of Coots, Moorhens and ducks of various sorts. organised. Details are on When the leaves have fallen, the woodland by the side of the the Holywells Creatives ponds may well reveal Mandarin Ducks. The males are easy to website (http://www. spot in their year-round finery, whilst the plainly camouflaged holywells-creatives. females draw rather less attention to themselves. Can you spot com, under Events), which also has a link to a Facebook page. If you make contact, and turn up, then you will be provided with a lovely cartridge sketch pad and 2B pencil, but most A tree bark rubbing by the author importantly company and encouragement. Bring warm clothes, sensible footwear, a sense of adventure and a curious eye!

FoHP work parties continue, do come and make your positive contribution to Holywells Park. Wednesday mornings, 10am, meet near the Stable Block. Further details from Martin Cant 07858 436003. Robin Gape The most handsome Mandarin duck 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.

A very wet spring followed by a gloriously warm summer were sited to catch the early morning winter sun. In the past we ensured that our work parties in the summer of 2016 were kept have located them in shady spots near the hedgerows but this very busy clearing the vigorous vegetation growth from paths apparently is not ideal for wintering insects and reptiles. and sites all over the Park. In August, six of us met at Grove Hill and cut back overhanging vegetation from the footpath and November saw us joining forces in Bobbits Lane Meadow raked up the grass previously cut by Greenways volunteers. with volunteers from Greenways and Ipswich Wildlife Group When we left the path looked like a lovely green tunnel to walk for a Megabash. Sixteen hardy souls turned out on what was along. forecast to by a terrible day with gale force wind and lashing rain. As it turned out it was a bit drizzly all day and we did have a couple of trees which the wind blew down the wrong way but fortunately nothing like the forecasted doom and gloom.

Raking the footpath at Grove Hill

We had a change of plans in September when instead of cutting back and clearing some of the side growth from around the paths in Spring Wood as planned, we had to dismantle a Clearing the invasive willow scrub live-in den that had been built in Spring Wood. This had been so well constructed from the logs which usually mark out We cleared a big patch of invasive willow scrub, although there the public paths and brash from some of the dead hedges – is still more to do. The bigger felled willow logs were used to that even Ray Mears would have been proud! The logs were make a rather bijou otter holt complete with lakeside view. This returned to the path boundaries to discourage people from was covered with a cosy reed and brash wood roof – let’s hope roaming all over the wood. Some days afterwards the den was it’s occupied soon. rebuilt but on a much smaller scale; it’s sad to think that in the 21st century some people are still homeless in the UK.

In nice early autumn sunshine the October work party raked up the cut grass in Millennium Meadows and created two habitat piles. This time these were placed near the path that runs south towards Millennium Wood and Spring Wood. They

The completed otter holt with a lakeside view

The traditional bonfire consumed much of the waste wood and cooked some very tasty potatoes for our well-deserved reward at the end of the day.

The proud builders of a fine grass habitat pile Ann Havard 20 Local Wildlife News Snippets

Fox in a hole November Moth When IWG, Greenways and FoBBP volunteers were working in Bobbits Lane meadow on 20th November, this moth was spotted resting on the bark of one of the willow saplings that were being cleared. Not identifying it straight away, James Baker Whilst the IBC Wildlife Rangers were checking the old British used the app on Sugar site for reptiles, Ed Boyle spotted the brush and rear end his ‘phone to confirm that it was a Herald Moth. This colourful of a fox sticking out of a drainage tube. Gloved up, he then moth overwinters as an adult, and as a result, can be one of pulled it out of the tube, amazingly it then ran off apparently the last species to be seen in one year, and one of the first in no worse for its experience. Goodness knows how long it had the next. It is sometimes found hibernating inside barns and been stuck there. Ed reckons that it had possibly chased a outbuildings. The larvae feed on willow and poplar. For many of rabbit down there. That was one very lucky fox. us it was our first encounter with a Herald.

Vols find stolen purse When clearing fennel alongside the river in West End Road, volunteers from Ipswich Wildlife Group found a purse hidden in the undergrowth. The owner’s name and address were inside and subsequently IWG member Ann Havard returned the purse to the grateful owner. Apparently the owner had her handbag stolen whilst eating at the Mermaid pub just up the road. On CCTV they could see that the thief had crawled on the floor to get her bag from under the table, then put his coat on it and walked away. Ann had the same experience there a few months earlier but fortunately someone spotted the crawling thief and scared him away. Good advice is to keep a close eye and preferably a foot on your handbag wherever you are.

Fame for Lefty, Jeremy and Jade Snail enthusiast and IWG member Jade Melton found herself in the national media spotlight when she responded to the appeal from a Professor of Genetics at Nottingham University for a mate for their very rare, left-handed snail ‘Jeremy’.

Amongst her considerable collection of snails, Jade too has a rare left-handed snail, reasonably enough named ‘Lefty’, whose shell swirls counterclockwise. Scientists believe the snail’s unique swirls are related to a rare human health condition, in which patients have their heart on the wrong side of their chest, on the right.

The hope is to mate these ‘left-handed’ snails so they can study the offspring and zero in on the genes responsible for the mirror image body plan.

Good luck to Jeremy, Lefty and mollusc midwife Jade.

21 DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE REGULAR EVENTS ON PAGE 24 Events Diary For events covering a broader range of environmental issues go to www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/diary/diary.php

Sunday 8th January 10am RSPB FIELD MEETING Mistley and Manningtree for waders and wildfowl on River Stour. Meet at Manningtree Maltings TM109319. 2-3 hours. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel 01473 258791.

Thursday 12th January 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘In the footsteps of Shackleton, Wildlife in South Georgia and Antarctica’ Ann and Dennis Kell. Sponsored by ByPass Nurseries, Capel St Mary. Rushmere St Andrew Church Hall, The Street, Rushmere IP5 1DH. Details from Chris Courtney Tel 01473 423213.

Saturday 14th January 11am - 2pm Friends of Holywells Park COLD FAIR & WASSAILING For more information contact [email protected]

Tuesday 17th January 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Holywells Park (including Conservation Area). Meet at Stable Block off Cliff Lane. TM176432. Leader Kathy Reynolds Tel 01473 714839

Wednesday 18th January 7.30pm SWT Ipswich Group TALK Alien Crayfish on the River Lark by Abigail Stancliffe-Vaughan. Abbi will talk about her work with the Lark Angling and Preservation Society and her research into the life of the signal crayfish. St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich.Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310.

Friday 20th January 6.30pm - 7.30pm SWT Hedgehogs TALK AND INFORMAL HEDGEHOG CHAT La Tour Cycle Café Tower House, Tower Street, Ipswich. Want to become a Hedgehog Champion? Come and relax in Ipswichs’ cycle café, learn more about hedgehogs and hear how the residents of Ipswich can help make our town the most hedgehog friendly in the UK! For more detail email [email protected]

Saturday 21st January 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 January 10am to 3.30pm Greenways PURDIS HEATH MEGABASH Joint event with Butterfly Conservation and IpswichJan Wildlife Group and others. Please come and help with the essential winter management of this wonderful, nationally important heathland. A great way to have a go at practical conservation work and suitable for all ages. All tools and instruction provided, along with tea, coffee, biscuits and baked potatoes from the bonfire! Park in the informal lay-by on Bucklesham Road.More information from the Greenways Project – [email protected] or call 07736 826076 on the day for directions etc.

Saturday 21st January 10am - noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome - no need to book. For details contact pwcg.onesuffolk.net or join our members Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.

Thursday 26th January 7.30pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group TALK ‘Birds of Spain and Gambia’ with Niki Williamson and Simon Tonkin (The Inglorious Bustards). The Cedars Hotel, Needham Road, Stowmarket, IP14 2AJ. Admission charge £2 for members and non-members, all most welcome.

Monday 30th January 7pm Ipswich Wildlife Group AGM Annual General Meeting for all members to learn what the Group has been up to in the past year and plans for the next. Prospective members welcome to join in this evening of socialising and official business at the Thomas Wolsey pub, St Peters Street.Further info from Ray Sidaway 01473 259104.

FEBRUARY activities with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust Ipswich Education Ranger Monday 13th February 10.30am-12.30pm Holywells Park WILD SKILLS: ADVANCED BUSHCRAFT Tuesday 14th February 10.30am-12.30pm Bourne Park BIRD BOX BUILDING Wednesday 15th February 10am-3pm Ipswich Museum SHOW AND TELL Thursday 16th February 10.30am-12.30pm Holywells Park BIRD BOX BUILDING Friday 17th February 10.30am-12.30pm Holywells Park YOUNG WARDENS For more information www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org contact Susannah O’Riordan 01473 890089

Saturday 4th February 9.45am RSPB FIELD MEETING River Deben. Woodbridge to Kyson Point for waders and wildfowl. Meet at Woodbridge railway station TM274487, 2-3 hours. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel 01473 258791.

Thursday 9th February 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Sri Lanka’ with Bill Baston wildlife photographer. Sponsored by Collins Waste Solutions. Rushmere St Andrew Church Hall, The Street, Rushmere IP5 1DH. Details from Chris Courtney Tel 01473 423213. Tuesday 14th February 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Feb Chantry Park. Meet at car park near toilet block (Hadleigh Road) TM138443. Leader Kathy Reynolds Tel 01473 714839

Wednesday 15th February 7pm - 8.30pm Greenways TOAD PATROL INTRODUCTION TRAINING SESSION Scout HQ, Stoke Park Drive. The toads of Belstead Brook need your help! Please come and learn about the Bobbits Lane ‘Toad Patrol’, why we do it, how to get involved safely, amphibian identification and ecology and meet the other volunteers. Free training session (with no commitment required!) for all ages. The venue is next to St Peter’s Church, about quarter of a mile further out of town than Asda on Stoke Park Drive IP2 9TH, TM151420. Contact Greenways for more information – [email protected] or call 07736 826076 on the day.

Saturday 18th February 10am to 3.30pm Greenways MARTLESHAM HEATH MEGABASH Joint event with Martlesham Conservation Group and others. Another great opportunity to have a go at practical conservation work – suitable for all the family, with a lovely big bonfire! Drinks and biscuits provided along with baked potatoes from the fire! All tools and instruction provided. Access to site via gate opposite the windsock on Eagle Way, with parking near the Douglas Bader pub. For more information please contact Greenways – [email protected] or call 07736 826076 on the day for details, directions etc.

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

Sunday 19th February 10am - noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome - no need to book. For details contact pwcg.onesuffolk.net or join our members Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.

Wednesday 22nd February 7.30pm. SWT Ipswich Group TALK The Wildlife of Kwa Zulu Natal and the Western Cape by Ian Barthorpe. Join Ian, (Warden of RSPB Minsmere) on a once in a life time journey around South Africa exploring two of Kwa Zulu Natal’s National Parks and then heading off to Cape Town. St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310. Feb Thursday 23rd February 10.30am - 12.30 SWT Hedgehogs VOLUNTEER DROP IN Reg Driver Centre, Christchurch Park, Ipswich. Drop by to find out more about volunteering with Suffolk Wildlife Trust in Ipswich including our hedgehog project! For more detail email [email protected]

Thursday 23rd February 10.30am-12.30pm SWT Education Ranger and Hedgehog Officer RECRUITMENT MORNING Pop along to find out how you can help our education and hedgehog work in Ipswich. Christchurch Park. Free drop in session for adults. More information from www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org or Susannah O’Riordan 01473 890089

Friday 24th February 6.30pm - 7.30pm SWT Hedgehogs TALK AND INFORMAL HEDGEHOG CHAT La Tour Cycle Café Tower House, Tower Street, Ipswich. Want to become a Hedgehog Champion? Come and relax in Ipswichs’ cycle café, learn more about hedgehogs and hear how the residents of Ipswich can help make our town the most hedgehog friendly in the UK! For more detail email [email protected]

Thursday 2nd March 7.30pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group AGM The Wolsey Room, Holiday Inn, London Road, Ipswich IP2 0UA.

Thursday 9th March 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Saving Nature in Eastern England’, Dr James Robinson, RSPB East of England Director. Sponsored by Fenn Wright Estate Agents. Rushmere St Andrew Church Hall, The Street, Rushmere IP5 1DH. Details from Chris Courtney Tel 01473 423213.

Saturday 11th March 9.30am - 12:30 SWT Hedgehogs HEDGEHOG ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR COURSE Reg Driver Centre, Christchurch Park. Learn how to detect hedgehogs and encourage them within parks and gardens. Adult course. Cost: £20. To book please head to: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/whats-on

Tuesday 14th March, 9.30am – 3.30pm SWT Hedgehogs HEDGEHOG ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT FOR PRACTITIONERS Reg Driver Centre, Christchurch Park. A one-day course for land managers and consultants with the agenda of informing greenspace management to help the hedgehog, a UK BAP species in rapid decline. Cost: £40. To book please head to: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/whats-on Tuesday 14th March 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALKMar Bourne Bridge area and Park. Meet at Bourne Park car park (Bourne Bridge entrance) TM161419. Leader Kathy Reynolds Tel 01473 714839

Wednesday 15th March 7.30pm. SWT Ipswich Group TALK House Martins by Martin Tickler. Martin is a real house martin enthusiast. He may even give you ideas as to how you can encourage house martins to nest on your house. St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310.

Saturday 18th March 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 18th March 10am - noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome - no need to book. For details contact pwcg.onesuffolk.net or join our members Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.

Sunday 19th March 10am RSPB FIELD MEETING River Alde mudflats and SWT Captain’s Wood for estuary and woodland birds. Meet at Iken Cliff car park TM398562, 3-4 hours. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel 01473 258791.

Sunday 19th March 10.30am-12.30pm SWT Education Ranger YOUNG WARDENS Practical conservation activities, Holywells Park. 10 - 16 year olds. Free, please book. Contact Susannah O’Riordan 01473 890089

Thursday, 30th March 7.30pm Suffolk Ornithologists Group TALK Open Mic night including Deserts of Oman and Swifts & Turtle Dove updates with Sean Minns, Edward Jackson, Sam Lee, Jonny Rankin. The Wolsey Room, Holiday Inn, London Road, Ipswich IP2 0UA. Admission charge £2 for members and non-members, all most welcome.

APRIL activities with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust Ipswich Education Ranger Tuesday 4th April 1-3pm Bourne Park AN EGGCELLENT ADVENTURE Wednesday 5th April 10.30am-12.30pm Chantry Park WILD PARKS: WILDLIFE TRACKERS Thursday 6th April 10.30am-12.30pm Bridge Wood WILD PARKS: SKULLDUGGERY Friday 7th April 10.30am-12.30pm Holywells Park YOUNG WARDENS Tuesday 11th April 10am-12.30pm Holywells Park WILD SKILLS: WILD FOODS IN SPRING Wednesday 12th April 11am-3pm Christchurch Park HEDGEHOG EGGSTRAVAGANZA! Thursday 13th April 10.30am-12.30pm Bridge Wood WILD PARKS: WILDERNESS WARRIORS For more information www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org or contact Susannah O’Riordan 01473 890089

Saturday 8th April 9.30am RSPB FIELD MEETING RSPB Boyton and Hollesley Marsh. Meet at Banter’s Farm Barn, Boyton TM387475, 3-4 hours. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel 01473 258791.

Wednesday 12th April 11am - 3pm SWT Hedgehogs HEDGEHOGApr EGGSTRAVAGANZA! Christchurch Park. Come along for family fun Easter activities and the opportunity to learn more about hedgehogs and how you can help! For more detail email [email protected]

Sunday 16th April 10am - noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK MORNING Meet at the Education Area, all welcome - no need to book. For details contact pwcg.onesuffolk.net or join our members Facebook Group by messaging Duncan Sweeting.

2323 Tuesday 18th April 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Bridge Wood. Meet at Orwell Country Park car park TM188408. Leader Kathy Reynolds Tel 01473 714839

Wednesday 19th April 7.30pm. SWT Ipswich Group TALK Orchids in Suffolk and their Biology by Martin Sanford. Martin runs the Suffolk Record Office, and as author of “The Orchids of Suffolk” has much to tell us about these fascinating plants. St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310.

Thursday 20th April 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING AGM plus ‘80°N. Our Polar Voyage - Wildlife of the High Arctic’, Pat and Barry Hall, Ipswich Group members. Sponsored by Mid-Suffolk Fencing, Needham Market. Rushmere St Andrew Church Hall, The Street, Rushmere IP5 1DH. Details from Chris Courtney Tel 01473 423213.

Sunday 23rd April 11am - 3pm Ipswich Wildlife Group BEANPOLE DAY Calling all gardeners and allotment-holders. Come along and buyApr all your beanpoles and peasticks produced from coppicing in Spring Wood. Park at Bobbits Lane car park IP9 2BE. For further details call Gerry Donlon 01473 726082, Ipswich Wildlife Group on Facebook

Saturday 29th April 4.30am and 5.30am RSPB/IWG DAWN CHORUS WALK Starting from Bobbits Lane car park, the walk will take in the woodland, meadow and wetland habitats of the Belstead Brook LNR. Contact Chris Courtney for details 01473 423213.

Sunday 30th April 10am RSPB FIELD MEETING Alton Water Tattingstone for spring birds. Meet at Lemons Hill Bridge car park TM137377, 2-3 hours. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel 01473 258791.

Monday 1st 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.

Wednesday 31st May 11am - 3pm Greenways ‘WILD IPSWICH’May Chantry Park. Joint event with Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Ipswich Borough Council and Ipswich Wildlife Group. Come and see how you can help make Ipswich even better for wildlife! Make wildlife homes to take back to your garden, sow wildflower seed or make a log pile and explore the wide range of wildlife living in the town’s largest park. Free event. More information from the Greenways Project [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 field gate at top of bridleway in Kiln Meadow. 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 24