Wimbledon and Putney

Commons

ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING REPORT 2020 BILL BUDD It is with great sadness that we must report the death of Bull Budd in autumn 2020. Bill was our much respected, dragonfly and damselfly recorder and a member of the Wildlife and Conservation Forum. As well as recording on the Commons, Bill also worked as a volunteer at the London Natural History Museum for many years and was the Surrey Vice County Dragonfly Recorder. Bill supported our BioBlitz activities and, with others from the Forum, led dedicated walks raising public awareness of the dragonfly and damselfly populations on the Commons. In September 2020 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the recording and conservation of Odonata, a newly identified dragonfly species found in the Bornean rainforest* was named Megalogomphus buddi. His contributions will be very much missed.

* For further information see: https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/dragonfly-named-after-bds-county-dragonfly-recorder-bill-budd/

Dow, R.A. and Price, B.W. (2020) A review of Megalogomphus sumatranus (Krüger, 1899) and its allies in Sundaland with a description of a new species from Borneo (Odonata: Anisoptera: Gomphidae). Zootaxa 4845 (4): 487–508. https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4845.4.2

Accessed 24.02.2021

Thanks are due to everyone who has contributed records and photographs for this report; to the willing volunteers; for the support of Wildlife and Conservation Forum members; and for the reciprocal enthusiasm of Wimbledon and Putney Commons’ staff. A special thank you goes to Angela Evans-Hill for her help with proof reading, chasing missing data and assistance with the final formatting, compilation and printing of this report. It has been a challenging year, but we can all look forward to renewal in 2021. Wildlife has such amazing resilience especially when we nurture it. CONTENTS

Page

THE YEAR IN FOCUS 1

A. MONITORING OVERVIEW 7 Results 12 Sward Height 12 Public Use of The Plain – Disturbance Factors 13 Flora 17 Birds 19 Butterflies 24 Dragonflies and Damselflies 27 Moths 30 Other Insects 32 Other Fauna 33 Fungi 36 Putney Lower Common 36 Beverley Brook 38 Environmental Data 40 Reflections and Recommendations 43

B. Garden Monitoring at Gravel Pit Cottage, Putney Heath 46

C. REFERENCES 52

LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Mowing dates for the Conservation Zone of The Plain 9 Table 2 Summary of Systematic Recording in 2020 and Recent Years 11 Table 3 Recording Effort and overall Plant Species Counts on The Plain 2014-20 17 Table 4 The Number of Bird Species Reported each Year by Amateur Enthusiasts, 20 2014-20 Table 5 A Summary of Bird Sightings for The Plain 2020 - Extracted from the B- 21 Monthly Reports of Amateur Observers Used to Compile the Annual Bird Report Table 6 Table 6 Bird Standard Walk Data 2020 - The Most Frequently Observed 23 Species and Some Target Species of Special Conservation Interest for WPCC Table 7a Comparison of the Most Abundant Butterfly Species Recorded, 2015- 25/26 2020 Re-established Long-term Transect (After Gay Carr and Now Including Plateau Sites Including The Plain) Table 7b New Transect Wimbledon Common SW and Fishponds Wood 26 Table 8 Dragonflies and Damselflies - Spot Records 2020 29 Table 9 Mammals Sighted or Evident from Other Signs - Wimbledon and Putney 35 Commons 2020 Table 10 Planting in Beverley Brook 38 Table 11 Riverfly Monitoring Results for Beverley Brook Restored Section on 39/40 Wimbledon Common 2020 Table 12 Winter (January-March) and Integrated Summer Rainfall (April- 42 September) at Raynes Park (SW20) Table 13 Recent Over Winter Rainfall Totals and Recent October and Autumn 42 Rainfall Totals Compared with the Wettest and Driest Years Recorded at Raynes Park (SW20) LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1a Making New Dams at Farm Bog 3 Figure 1b Signing the Memorandum of Understanding 3 Figure 2 A Great Spotted Woodpecker Busy in Woodland Near Warren Farm 4 Figure 3 The Location of The Plain, the New Mowing Sites in the Countryside 8 Stewardship Scheme, the Potential Sites and the Newly Restored Section of Beverly Brook on Wimbledon Common Figure 4a Footpath erosion 13 Figure 4b High Visitor Pressure on The Commons during the First Lockdown - 14 Rushmere Figure 5a Managing Litter - Rushmere 14 Figure 5b Fly tipping Beside an Overflowing Litter Bin Putney Lower Common 15 Figure 6 Fire on Putney Heath – Good Friday 2020 16 Figure 7 Yarrow in Bloom on The Plain 18 Figure 8 Pond Recession at Bluegate Gravel Pit 19 Figure 9 Kingfisher – a Frequently Sighted Visitor to the Restored Section of 20 Beverley Brook Figure 10 The Four Standard Bird Walks at Wimbledon Common (after Dawson 22 2009) Figure 11 Great Tit - the Second Most Frequently Observed Bird Species on the 24 Standard Walks Figure 12 a. Brimstone and b. Orange-tip - Characteristic early season species of the 27 woodland edge. Figure 13 Common Emerald Damselfly 28 Figure 14 Jersey Mocha (Cyclophora ruficiliaria) 30 Figure 15 Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia) 30 Figure 16 Early Long-horn (Adela cuprella) 30 Figure 17 Red Underwing (Catocala nupta) 31 Figure 18 Common Heath (Ematurga atomaria) 31 Figure 19 Golden Bloomed Longhorn Beetle (Agapanthia villoviridescens) 32 Figure 20 Stag Beetle 33 Figure 21 Common Newt – Woodland Edge Near Bluegate Gravel Pit Pond 34 Figure 22 Common Lizard 34 Figure 23 A Terrapin in Beverley Brook at Putney Lower Common 37 Figure 24 SERT Volunteer Training Event on Beverley Brook 38 Figure 25 Entomologist at work – also showing the bare garden in early April 47 Figure 26 The same border as in Fig 25 but later in the year. 47 Figure 27 A pair of foxes caught on the night camera 48 Figure 28 Comma butterfly on Alkanet 48 Figure 29 Bumble bee on Alkanet 48 Figure 30 Male Emperor Moth 49 Figure 31 Small Copper Butterfly 49 Figure 32 Black-headed Cardinal Beetle 49 Figure 33 Large Skipper Butterfly 50 Figure 34 Black and yellow Longhorn Beetle 50 Figure 35 Summer Chafer 50 Figure 36 Ringlet Butterfly 51 Figure 37 Honey Bee on Privet hedge flower 51

LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1 Wildlife and Conservation Forum and Volunteer Recorders 54 Appendix 2 Wildlife and Conservation Forum Events at Wimbledon and Putney 55 Commons 2020 and associated W&C Forum and Volunteer Activities Appendix 3a Floral Records for The Plain, Wimbledon and Putney Commons 2020 57 Appendix 3b (BioBlitz Plant Communities) The Habitat Patches 2020 61 Appendix 4a Standard Bird Walk Transect A – Annual Overview 63 Appendix 4b Standard Bird Walk Transect B – Annual Overview 64 Appendix 4c Standard Bird Walk Transect C – Annual Overview 65 Appendix 4d Standard Bird Walk Transect D – Annual Overview 66 Appendix 4e Standard Bird Walk Transect D – Month by Month Observations Summary 67 Appendix 4f Standard Bird Walk Transects 2020 Summary 68 Appendix 5a Butterflies - Wimbledon Common (2015 route) 2020 Transect Summary 69 Appendix 5b Butterflies - Wimbledon Common& Fishponds Wood 2020 Transect 70 Summary Appendix 6 Moths 2020 Gravel Pit Cottage, Putney Heath 71 Appendix 7 Commons’ Wildlife Reports April to September 2020 86 Appendix 8 Wildlife Record for Putney Lower Common 89 Appendix 9 Riverfly – Trends at Beverley Brook, Wimbledon Common (SERT website) 93 Appendix 10 Rainfall Figures for SW20 8DX, 2005 to the Present 94 Appendix 11 Gravel Pit Cottage Bird Data 95 Appendix 12 Gravel Pit Cottage Butterfly Data 97 Appendix 13 Gravel Pit Cottage “Other” Insect Data 98 Wimbledon and Putney Commons ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AT WIMBLEDON AND PUTNEY COMMONS 2020

THE YEAR IN FOCUS 2020 is destined to be remembered as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. From late March onwards the pandemic significantly impacted on recording activities. It led to the cancellation of walks, workshops and the annual BioBlitz; and meant that most Wildlife and Conservation Forum (W&C Forum) meetings became Zoom events. At the same time a major insurgence of visitors on the Commons was experienced as local people used these open spaces for their permitted daily exercise. With the people came some major challenges in terms of trampling pressure, footpath compaction and erosion, an upsurge in dog-walking on the Commons and diverse associated waste management issues. Perhaps inevitably there also came challenges of late-night, mainly youthful, gatherings at the more readily accessible locations, such as around Rushmere close to Wimbledon village, with further attendant litter and noise problems. Self-evidently wildlife disturbance occurred. Wildlife monitoring was impacted in various ways. For those living close to the Commons and obliged to work from home, but not in a vulnerable health category and required to shield or self-isolate, there were extra opportunities to visit and record. By contrast, those regular recorders living more distantly from the Commons were largely unable to visit. Government travel restrictions precluded long-distance travel and closure of the Commons car parks and toilet facilities during the first wave of the pandemic restricted even those with relatively short local journeys. Another concern for wildlife recorders was the on-site crowding. Several recorders in older age groups felt obliged to be cautious and stay close to home or, if able to visit, they wished to adhere firmly to social distancing guidelines. At times some areas of the Commons were so busy that social distancing could not be relied upon. Other recorders simply did not enjoy the busy Commons with the attendant lively dogs. As the Conservation and Engagement Officer (C&EO) noted in a news update on the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators (WPCC) website in February 2021, there were increasing numbers of people visiting The Commons who were often accompanied by newly acquired energetic young dogs which posed extra challenges of dog and owner behaviour. The faecal load on the acid loving vegetation, that thrives in low fertility environments, became a concern. 2020 also brought its climate challenges. The year began wet with high rainfall in February, locally the 3rd highest total for that month since recording started in 2005. This fell onto already saturated ground with December 2019 also experiencing the 3rd highest rainfall total recorded locally for that month. As noted in the 2019 Monitoring Report, by February 2020 almost forgotten springs and small channels were flowing from the high plateau areas; drainage ditches were full; and the Beverley Brook had been in spate. However, a dry Spring and early summer followed with, very exceptionally, only 1mm rain recorded in May at the nearest local site in SW London. Indeed, May 2020 was the driest observed in England since records began in 1862 (National Climate Information Centre, 2020). Sward growth on The Plain, from even the most casual observation, seemed markedly restricted. Unravelling the cause, weather- or people pressure-related, presents a challenge that the added perspective of summer 2021 records and beyond will be needed to unravel.

1 Nationally the weather was topsy turvy. 2020 was warmer than average, the 3rd warmest year on record (since 1884); it was also the 6th wettest and the 8th sunniest year since records started in the late nineteenth century. According to the National Climate Information Centre (2021), weather in 2020 was unusual in being ranked in the top ten for all three of these major climatic variables. At Wimbledon and Putney, dry, sunny, and warm spring weather coincided with the first lockdown phase inevitably tempting people outdoors and onto the Commons. After a mainly above average summer in terms of warmth and with fairly typical rainfall came significant autumn rain, most especially in October. Locally, October 2020 was the wettest noted since 2005 when records started at the local recording site. On The Plain conditions were exceptional. Sward growth was slow with only sparse pockets of vigorous grass growth. This gave poor definition to the mown pathways through the conservation area making it hard for the many new visitors arriving during the pandemic to adhere to the guidance to avoid disturbance posted on noticeboards around the area. Unprecedentedly, even family picnicking was seen within the main conservation area. At mowing time c. 20 bales of hay were collected from The Plain compared with 40 in 2019 which was itself a dramatic reduction on the 80 bales taken in 2016. No Skylarks (Alauda arvensis), the target conservation species on The Plain, were reported breeding in 2020 though a pair was noted displaying in early June (Podmore (Ed.), 2020). It seems the disturbance from people and dogs in even greater numbers than usual may have deterred nesting though, it should be noted, the short sward also would not have been favourable (Frank, 2010). There were no further Skylark sightings until October. There was patchy news from the ponds throughout the recording season. All were bank full by late winter (March 2020) and records for Frog spawn (Rana temporaria) and Toad spawn (Bufo bufo) were received. By May, during visits by the C&EO, nesting Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Canada Geese (Branta canadensis), Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus), Coots (Fulica atra) and Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) were confirmed respectively at Rushmere, Bluegate Gravel Pit Pond (Little Grebe and Canada Geese), 7 Post Pond, and Queensmere (Coots and Mute Swans). Subsequently the dry spring and summer saw the characteristic pond recession and, no doubt, limited opportunities for dragonflies and damselflies. During plant surveying in July, Moorhens were also noted nesting at Bluegate Gravel Pit and Hookhamslade Ponds. Major work was undertaken to improve damming at Farm Bog and in July a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the London Wildlife Trust (LWT) clarifying roles and responsibilities for the management and maintenance of this important site (Figure 1a; 1b). Pleasingly this took place at a face- to-face Wildlife and Conservation Forum (W&C Forum) meeting, on this occasion held outside in the garage area near the Information Centre. Aside from the meetings in January and March, just before the first lockdown was announced, this was the sole other meeting possible in person in 2020.

2 Figure 1a. Making New Dams at Farm Bog

Figure 1b. Signing the Memorandum of Understanding July 2020

From left to right: Peter Haldane (C&EO), Steve Bound ((Acting Chief Executive), Ros Taylor (Chair W&C Forum), Matthew Frith (Director of Conservation, LWT), Edwin Malins (Nature Reserves Manager, LWT), Andrew Harding (W&C Forum and LWT member, and coordinator of the Merton Branch of LWT volunteers who undertake management work at Farm Bog) Photo by Sarah-Jane Holden

3 In the course of their visit for the MoU signing Matthew Frith, Director of Conservation at LWT, made an excursion to Farm Bog while Edwin Malins, Nature Reserves Manager for the Trust, continued to participate throughout the Forum meeting and, in discussion, offered his services as a potential Winter Talk speaker for 2021. Given the subsequent COVID-19 resurgence in autumn 2020 and continuing into winter 2021 this proved a major beneficial extra outcome from the MoU signing event. His Zoom talk in early February 2021 was signed into by 146 people - an unprecedented audience tally for the Winter Talk. Back in the real world, in February 2020 the Winter Talk was delivered by Peter Almond from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Around 70 hardy souls braved the damp and cold winter weather to attend. It was especially hoped the talk would give added impetus to the launch of WPCC’s new citizen science initiative, Commons Wildlife Watch. This aimed to engage more people with wildlife recording at the Commons without requiring them to make a regular long-term commitment to recording activity. At the same time, it was hoped to gain records from areas not routinely visited by the existing regular recorders. Regrettably, the pandemic meant that the planned April launch with face-to-face support over a focal recording period could not take place. A soft launch was alternatively offered through the WPCC website and further endorsed at the annual open meeting in June (held by Zoom). Nevertheless, despite all the extra visitors, response was poor. The encouragement of engagement with regular volunteer recorders and staff is, it seems, needed to get this scheme productively inaction. Building confidence is no doubt an important aspect of this hesitancy. The main extra information came from wider and more frequent participation in the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Nature Notes Group on Facebook, another option actively promoted during the pandemic. In particular, some excellent photographic records have been received as highlighted in the February 2021 news section of the WPCC website (Figure 2).

Figure 2 A Great Spotted Woodpecker Busy in Woodland Near Warren Farm - 24th February Posted by Annabel Burn - Wimbledon and Putney Commons Nature Notes Group

Work continued at Beverly Brook. The area was further enhanced by pathway improvements mainly funded by a grant from South Western Railway’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (£60,000) topped- up by a donation (c. £20,000) from the Friends of Wimbledon and Putney Commons. The combination of

4 improved accessibility for all users; cyclists, walkers, wheelchair users and those with pushchairs, and enhanced river corridor ecology has led to more frequent sightings of Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea) and Kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) with several photos and reports being made available on the Nature Notes Facebook page. The brook was used by the South East Rivers Trust (SERT) for training purposes in mid- February before the pandemic took hold. In summer, during a lull in restrictions, the planned in-stream planting by SERT went ahead with an estimated 5000 plugs of shallow water plants being inserted in the newly restored section of the brook on Wimbledon Common. In late June removal of invasive Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), which was more widespread along the banksides than in 2019, was undertaken by the C&EO and a member of the maintenance staff. Litter picking along the brook was achieved by SERT, Commons staff, and other volunteers in summer and is regularly repeated on an approximately monthly basis throughout the year by Commons’ staff. Despite the interruptions caused by the pandemic-induced cancellation of the usual walks and workshops, much recording did still take place. Notably both the standard butterfly transects were recorded as much as usual throughout the summer season. Amateur bird sightings were collated in the long-standing WPCC tradition (Taylor, Ed., 2019) and a 2020 Bird, Butterflies, and Dragonflies Report is in production (Podmore (Ed.) 2020). Recording on the standard bird walks, which are the data source for analysis of long-term change and trends in the more common bird species found on The Commons, was patchier. This reflected the travel challenges experienced by two standard walk recorders and a reluctance to be on-site during peak visitor use periods. Floral records are thin, again mainly due to travel restrictions which created access problems for the main recorder. In July, as restrictions eased, a rapid survey of The Plain and nearby Habitat Patches was made. All other plant records are derived from chance spot reports. No externally-led Bat walks or fungal forays took place in 2020. Planned early summer and late summer small mammal studies were cancelled in view of social distancing requirements. The C&EO continued his monthly nature diary for Putney Lower Common and posts of ‘key features’ on the information board in the WPCC compound area at Putney were regularly updated. However, despite appeals, this site still lacks regular local recorders and it was disappointing that the new citizen science scheme, which it was hoped would help to overcome this particular information deficit, could not go ahead as originally planned. In addition to promotion and support at the Information Centre on Wimbledon Common, a launch on-site at Putney Lower Common had been intended with an access point from which to collect and return recording sheets and a pop-up support stall for the first focal phase. It was not to be. More positively at Putney, the Hedgehog (Erinaceous europaeus) surveying coordinated by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) continued as did volunteer surveys coordinated, as in 2019, by Jackie Underwood- Hall (JU-H). The ‘Walks for Health’ programme had to be suspended. This is not proposed to re-start until England emerges from the latest (autumn-winter 20/21) pandemic phase. Fun activities for children at Easter were adapted to on-line events. Indeed, a wide range of materials to enhance visitor experience was posted on the WPCC website potentially generating the active engagement of a wider pool of supporters and future volunteers and wildlife recorders. The activities of Saturday morning scrub bashers and mid-week estates volunteer groups were also curtailed. As noted in the 2019 report these groups whether litter picking, scrub pashing, painting or supporting events in other ways, make a very valuable contribution and the loss of their work input and endeavours was keenly felt. Very positively some members of the public individually felt motivated to help with litter clearance but pandemic restrictions precluded a more coordinated approach throughout most of the year. Some coordinated conservation activity such as scrub bashing was briefly undertaken using established, trained, regular volunteers overseen by the C&EO but, though this temporarily got underway in late autumn / early

5 winter, the window of opportunity rapidly closed due to the high transmission risks in the second wave of the pandemic. It is the loss of these engagement opportunities that was a most striking downside throughout the pandemic. Much as in 2019, monitoring priorities for 2020 were to: - • Develop new monitoring along the Wimbledon section of the Beverley Brook so that the impact of the in-stream and bankside works can be understood; • Continue to consolidate further the records for The Plain (Figure 3) as initiated in 2014 using, as far as possible, the same methodology as previously described in Monitoring the Plain, Summer 2014; Wimbledon and Putney Commons Monitoring Report Spring/Summer 2015; Ibid 2016; and Wimbledon and Putney Commons Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Report 2017; Ibid, 2018; Ibid, 2019; • Continue to review the impact, if any, of the summer mowing date for The Plain (Table 1) on ground nesting song bird species and flora and fauna more generally; • Continue to monitor public response to the Conservation Zone of The Plain (Table 1, Footnote 1); • Note general environmental features such as soil conditions and weather; • Continue to review the benefits of the new birdsong workshops and fuller programme of bird walks with particular reference to generating new regular recorders; • Whenever practicable, incorporate wider recording activity led by specialist groups such as the London Natural History Museum (LNHM), London Natural History Society (LNHS) and Surrey Botanical Society (SBS), so that a fuller picture of the Commons’ wildlife emerges; • Gain fuller ecological information for Putney Lower Common; • Continue to engage and enhance public participation in wildlife observation through a weekend of ‘BioBlitz’ activities; • Maintain and develop further a programme of year-round public participation activities through staff, volunteer, and visiting expert-led walks and other activities; • Offer opportunities to participate in the ecological management of the Commons under the guidance of the C&EO or his delegate.

Self-evidently the ambition was there; a programme was in place; but major adaptations became necessary, and some activities had to be deferred to what it must be hoped will be a brighter future with more opportunities for renewed recording and engagement in 2021.

The 2020 W&C Forum members are listed in Appendix 1; the W&C Forum’s 2020 proposed programme of events and volunteer activities is shown in Appendix 2 with an indication of those achieved or, sadly, a rather longer list of those that had to be cancelled.

For 2020, with no BioBlitz possible, this report comes with just one section which focuses on the more systematic wildlife recording. Substituting for the public BioBlitz is a short report of a garden recording initiative at a staff home on Putney Heath. It is hoped this innovative response to lockdown might inspire similar activities among local residents. Understanding wildlife in local gardens gives a valuable insight into the hinterland of the Commons.

6 MONITORING 2020 OVERVIEW Previous systematic wildlife and environmental recording in this series (since 2014) has mainly focused on The Plain (Figure 3) and nearby for reasons explained fully in earlier reports (Taylor (Ed.), 2018; 2019) and see Table 1 Footnote 2. Key issues are its importance as the most extensive area of acid grassland on the Commons making its ecological status a prime consideration in the Site of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI) designation of much of the Commons. Furthermore, the mowing regime, instigated to promote improvements in the sward, has been the subject of considerable local controversy with concerns being expressed for the welfare and breeding success of Skylarks (Frank, 2010). This was reviewed fully in the discussion of sward height in the 2018 Monitoring Report. However, difficulties posed by the pandemic meant this focus was not possible in 2020. The interplay of overcrowding on The Plain and restrictions on the period of daily personal outdoor exercise allowed made recording there difficult. This situation was exacerbated by the requirement to stay local which meant the regular plant recorders were not able to visit. Some spot records for birds were received and recording was possible on the standard bird walk that impinges on a small section of The Plain. The two standard butterfly transects for the Commons, which cover a wider range of habitats, were largely achieved but all dragonfly and damselfly records included in this report are spot records from Forum members aware that the regular recorder was too ill to undertake this work, especially in the pandemic circumstances. Moth monitoring took place periodically throughout year at Gravel Pit Cottage on Putney Heath but there were no supplementary records from public events as are usually gained during the BioBlitz time. No other insect records were achieved aside from those incidentally included in the C&EO’s regular snapshots of wildlife at Putney Lower Common, public feedback on Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus) sightings, and some ad hoc records taken during plant and other recording. The C&EO continued to undertake reptile and some amphibian surveys in the areas surrounding The Plain and to visit all the Commons ponds. A programme of regular surveys of disturbance on The Plain started in the early part of the year before lockdown majorly changed public use of the Commons. No small mammal capture-release surveys were undertaken at Wimbledon Common or Putney Heath but, as noted above, at Putney Lower Common a short Hedgehog survey was able to go ahead during a lull in restrictions just before the start of the second wave of the pandemic. The bird ‘standard walks’, which were fully operational in 2019, were curtailed in 2020 with only 2 of the 4 completely operational. Information from amateur bird observers continued. There was some limited targeted recording along the newly restored section of Beverley Brook mainly during assorted other work phases along the brook.

7 Figure 3 The Location of The Plain, the New Mowing sites in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS), the Potential Sites, and the Newly Restored Section of Beverley Brook on Wimbledon and Putney Commons

New Mowing site for CSS scheme

Sites with potential for inclusion in CSS scheme

Mowing on the Plain took place in early August 2020 as is now customary (Table 1) and, as in 2019, a similar annual mow was also undertaken at two additional locations one immediately south of Tibbets Corner and a smaller meadow site close to the southern area of Centre Path (Figure 3). These are all part of the current Countryside Stewardship agreement with Natural England which is primarily aimed at increasing diversity of the acid grassland sward and thereby improving the habitat options for associated species. Four additional grassland sites are also undergoing a similar mowing programme. They have potential for inclusion in a future Countryside Stewardship agreement if repeated mowing and removal of the material arising promotes declining fertility, increased acidification and improved floral diversity. These sites are grassland near the Oasis Academy on Putney Lower Common; grassland close to the southern pound on Wimbledon Common; grassland opposite Cross Road Cottage on Putney Heath; and a very small grassland area near to the Roehampton War Memorial. This represents an intriguing programme of habitat improvement and warrants some targeted monitoring during the next few years. While floral change and achieving increased diversity are key aims, it will be instructive to note any associated faunal changes that also occur. These sites are widely dispersed and success with this project would enhance habitat diversity locally and promote habitat continuity across the Commons.

8 Table 1 Mowing Dates for the Conservation Zone of the Plain 2008-2020

Year Date mowed Year Date Mowed

2008 September 27th 2014 August 7th Experimental earlier mowing designed to promote a longer sward the following spring 2009 September17th 2015 August 8th Repeated early mowing; larger un-mowed zone reserved since some ground nesting song- birds still present. 2010 August 24th 2016 August 4th Repeated early mowing; changed location of un-mowed area since previous location was becoming heavily invaded with tree seedlings and saplings. Linked area to small patch of taller Heather to give slightly larger contiguous uncut area. 2011 August 25th 2017 August 4th Repeated early mowing; reverted back to make the un-mowed area equivalent to that for 2014 and 2015. The small patch of taller Heather was left unmowed since this includes valuable additional habitat of mature, and in places, approaching degenerate-stage Heather. 2012 August 30th 2018 August 16th The same unmowed areas retained as for 2017. Mowing was held back until after the scheduled Butterfly, Dragonfly and Damselfly Walk which took place on 5th August. The unmowed area may be rotated closer to Windmill Road in 2019. 2013 September 20th 2019 August 20th Unsettled weather meant baling was delayed until 30th August. In addition, two new areas are now mowed under this regime as part of the Countryside Stewardship agreement: a meadow area south of Bluegate pond and grassland immediately south of Tibbets corner. 2020 August 4th As in 2019 the area close to the long leggy Heather was left unmowed in 2020; this may revert closer to Centre Path in 2021.

9 Notes: Work under the Higher Level Stewardship agreement started in 2008 and finished in 2016. From 2017 heathland and grassland operations have been carried out under the umbrella of Natural England’s new Countryside Stewardship scheme

1 The principal management element is late-summer mowing of the target conservation area (9.7 ha, about 4/5ths of the total area of The Plain, 11.7ha,) with (hitherto) 1 hectare left uncut as a refuge of longer grass-herb sward for the benefit of ground nesters and making an overwintering refuge for some insect species, small mammals and reptiles e.g., Lizards. From spring roughly 1/5th of The Plain experiences a regular mowing regime to maintain its suitability for general recreational use; the remainder, the Conservation Zone, is left uncut until late summer except for three mown pathways to allow the public to traverse the area. Annually, this un-mown area is declared a temporary restricted access zone to all users and especially to dog walkers and their dogs from 1st March to 31st July to protect breeding birds, in particular Skylarks, from disturbance.

2. As alluded to in Table 1 and Footnote 1, monitoring focuses on The Plain since in recent years this has been identified as the key location for breeding Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) on the Commons. Skylarks are declining nationally, mainly due to changing farm practice. Remnant acid grassland under traditional management, such as The Plain, offers a potential refuge. The acid grassland habitat of The Plain is also important in terms of its floral and wider faunal diversity. Until 2016 The Plain was managed under a Higher-Level Stewardship agreement for the Commons. It is now a focal area for the Commons new Country Stewardship agreement. It is in important element for the SSSI status of the Commons.

On-site environmental data for the Commons are limited to anecdotal records from the assorted plant, bird, and insect recorders, from staff, and some wider observations from volunteers on walks around The Plain and in other areas. As is now customary, rainfall data for 2020 were available from garden recordings made nearby (roughly 2.5 miles) in Raynes Park by W&C Forum member, Peter Fischer (PF). Plans to incorporate a small weather station within the proposed wildlife garden near the information centre remained ‘on-hold’ due to the need to prioritise management issues associated with the increased public use of the Commons during the pandemic lockdown phases. However, funds for the garden are available and a design has been agreed ready for implementation when more routine operation is again possible. An overview of monitoring activities Is shown in Table 2, highlighting 2020 in particular. Fuller information on pre-2020 recording is given in Table 2 of the 2018 Monitoring Report and the discussion of systematic recording in the 2019 Monitoring Report.

10 Table 2 Summary of Systematic Recording in 2020 and Recent Years

Organism 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Locations 2020 Comments Group/ environmental topic Birds Dave DW DW (DW) AP/ LE-H/ AP/ LE-H/ LE-H / 2 standard bird walks Also ‘spot’ records from Wills AP/ LE- GG GG/AB AB regularly surveyed all volunteer observers (DW) H/ GG Some Intermittent work at in Annual Bird Reports. from remaining 2 Wimbledon Common GG and Putney Heath only Butterflies DW SR1 SR1 SR1 SR1 SR, PF PF, AD SR1 Woodland, SW With input from (GC) DW and and and Wimbledon Common Butterfly Conservation (SR) SR2 SR2 SR2 surveyed by PF in 2020 SR established a new SR2 GC re-developed and more woodland- extended transect walked focused transect in by AD in 2020 2016 SR trained up PF SR collated data and AD Dragonflies NR BB BB BB BB (BB) (SR/PF) Only impromptu spot Ill health restricted BB; and SR (SR) SR records available in 2020 SR, PF and others Damselflies contributed information Moths NR LE-H LE-H LE-H LE-H LE-H LE-H Regular records from Chief recorder moved AE-H AE-H AE-H AE-H AE-H AE-H Gravel Pit Cottage on from 1 Thatched Putney Heath – confined Cottage to Putney to house and garden. Heath late June 2019. Moth trap relocated accordingly Other insect Duncan LNHM LNHM - Some Only at NR No systematic records Ad hoc notes from PLC groups Sivell major volunte from BioBlitz monthly visits and plant surveys er LNHS time recording at Wimbledon Common Reptiles and NR PH PH PH PH PH PH The Plain and adjacent Surveys by C&EO Amphibians heath areas Flora US US US US US RT RT The Plain and BioBlitz MoU signed with LWT RT RT RT RT RT Habitat Patches plus for Farm Bog Bluegate and environs – management one visit only Fungi (AO)* (AO)* AO AO AO NR NR Usually on heathland with No Fungal Foray in 2020 scrub and secondary woodland west and south of The Plain Mammals London JT PB JT PB JT (Bats) NR No Bat walk Bat (Bats) (Bats) (bats) Group AL, APel, APel, RT, NR No small mammal surveys AL J&I SW, J &I S-W (small RT JC JC Badger surveys at WPC - Night-time badger mamm disrupted by vandalism camera surveys all year als) Night survey PLC late JU-H Hedgehogs summer Environmental RT - BB PF PF PF PF Nearby in Raynes Park Monthly records data PH pond rainfall rainfall 2.5miles from the 2005 to date nutrien Ranger’s Office ts Sward height RT RT RT (RT) (RT) (RT) (RT) The Plain Early season records only April-May

Public use of JW JW (JW) (JW) - C&EO (C&EO) The Plain Spring and early The Plain and summer records seasonal Google metrics change Notes:- See Appendix 1 for recorders’ identifications Additional verifiable records are periodically available from London Natural History Society (LNHS) visitors; from training events for London Natural History Museum (LNHM) entomologists; and from WPC Keepers and other staff; and public casual observations. (RT), (JW) Brackets indicate only a partial record is available on that occasion; * indicates data only; NR means no records available. PLC denotes Putney Lower Common.

11 RESULTS Sward Height – The Plain A full discussion of sward height concerns and review of the mowing practice on The Plain under the former Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme and now continued into the new Countryside Stewardship (CSS) scheme was given in the 2018 monitoring report (Taylor (Ed.), 2018). Some additional observations were made in the 2019 Monitoring Report (Taylor (Ed.), 2019). Primary objectives of the CCS and former HLS schemes are promotion of a species diverse acid grassland or acid-grass-heath vegetation community. This would give the basis for a diverse and thriving insect fauna, that along the food chain would support other fauna that favour acid environments. Variation in height within the plant community is also important since the requirements of the assorted faunal elements for nesting, foraging, and feeding differ between species and at different points in their life story. The especial concern with Skylarks was a particular local interest but this habitat is also important for other ground nesting birds such as Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus), and Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) while Stonechats (Saxicola rubicola) relish the residual leggy Heather (Calluna vulgaris) during their spring and autumn migrations. As noted in the 2018 report, when reviewing the systematic spring sward height measurements taken in 2014 through to 2016 alongside the more cursory surveys of 2017 and 2018, the extent to which grass dominates and the height achieved seems to be very dependent on soil water availability. In 2019, a dry spring followed a dry winter period which in turn followed a very warm summer and the reduced grass vigour was very noticeable. Spot measurements taken in mid-May during the floral survey showed a sward still typically only 20-25cm tall in the areas known to be more lush and, in many places, only 6-7cm high. Very noticeable was the clearer visibility of the Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) within the sward which was not swamped by vigorous grasses as had occurred in wetter years. By high summer 2019 around BioBlitz time a spectacular and varied plant assemblage was in bloom with the usual diversity of grasses present though typically shorter than usual with maximum height c.70cm rather than 90-100cm. In 2020 due to travel restrictions associated with the pandemic the sward height measurements which since 2014 have routinely been made by the plant recorder Ros Taylor (RT) during the first spring and early summer vegetation surveys, could not be made. By July, when a visit was allowable, it was observed that sward height on The Plain seemed exceptionally low for high summer. Across large areas sward height was c.15cm or less especially in areas with young Heather, with only occasional grassy or scrubby patches achieving c.55cm. This was despite the high rainfall in February 2020 and the observation by the C&EO, in his report to the early May W&C Forum meeting, that it would soon be time to start mowing the usual pathways through the conservation area. The sward was evidently visibly starting to grow as expected in late April yet by mid-July all vegetation seemed uncharacteristically lacking in vigour. It is possible the combination of the exceptionally dry May weather, with only 1mm rain recorded, and the increased footfall since lockdown commenced in late March had suppressed plant growth. Which factor was dominant or whether this is an unwanted synergistic effect is impossible to unravel at this stage. It should be noted that similarly low levels of meadow growth were seen in a rural location with no attendant visitor pressure (RT report of a Norfolk meadow with an exceptionally low hay yield). Also potentially relevant is the later than usual mowing the previous year (2019) with baling delayed until the end of August (Table 1). It cannot be assumed that soil compaction and trampling linked with increased pressure were the cause of the very different appearance of the vegetation of The Plain in summer 2020. Unlike 2019 when dry conditions had also suppressed sward height it was not just grass vigour that was depressed in 2020 and there was no evidence of compensating success of the flowering herbs. The situation on The Plain warrants careful monitoring in 2021. It would be

12 very useful to include some soil compaction and pH tests. It would also be very sensible to include some similar baseline observations of the remnant grassland areas newly included in the mowing regime. This would make a nice small project for a locally based volunteer.

Public Use of The Plain – Disturbance Factors In spring 2020, as is now usual practice, notices were posted telling the public about the Skylark Protection Area (i.e. the Conservation Zone)3 asking people to keep to the mown pathways and to keep dogs on-lead when walking through the Conservation Zone. This restriction runs annually from 1st March until the end of July. Its aim is to prevent disturbance that might deter ground nesting bird species, and especially the endangered Skylark, from using the area. Around 30 notices were displayed along the boundaries of the Conservation Zone and near the access points to some of the mown pathways. In late March the country went into lockdown associated with the first wave of the pandemic. People were advised to stay local when taking daily exercise. Many city workers were also starting to work from home; schools were closed. Coupled with warm and sunny April weather this generated unprecedented pressure on the Commons and especially the open area of The Plain. National data show that spring 2020 was, by a considerable margin, the sunniest on record (National Climate Information Centre, 2020). Google metrics data collected via mobile phone use suggested visitor numbers at Wimbledon and Putney Commons was consistently high throughout all weekdays and equivalent to or exceeding typical weekend usage. Estimated numbers range from 20,000 to 30,000 visitors daily (Burn-Murdoch, 2020; personal communication, Diane Neil Mills from a visit on a sunny weekend in January 2021). The Google data exclude the footfall of children, and probably some elderly visitors without smart phones, and so may well underestimate the full extent of increased pressure. High visitor numbers persisted even in the cooler autumnal and winter days of the second, tiered, lock down and most especially in the subsequent December 2020 and ongoing 2021 national lockdown. High footfall after heavy rainfall, as occurred in October 2020 inevitably led to footpath widening and erosion (Figure 4a; 4b).

3. The Conservation Zone of the Plain is the area subject to the seasonal mowing as defined in Table 1 and footnote 1. The Skylark Protection Area refers to the same area. The notices use this terminology to emphasise the importance of minimising disturbance to any ground nesting birds that might be present. Though scarce on The Plain in recent years, Skylarks, a red-listed species in decline in Britain, were formerly frequently seen and known to nest on The Plain.

Figure 4a. Footpath Erosion on Putney Heath

13 Figure 4b High Visitor Pressure on the Commons during the First Lockdown Rushmere July 2020

The pandemic was a learning experience for all concerned with land management. In the first wave on the Commons the car parks were closed in an effort to curtail long distance travel to the site and ensure only local people were visiting. This posed issues of accessibility for some less-mobile people for whom the site was a regular venue. This included people who also contributed spot records of wildlife and public use of The Plain. It was also an issue for some systematic wildlife recorders. With the increase in visitors came more litter and other waste issues. Collection bins were overflowing and all staff, including the Chief Executive, became involved in waste collection and sorting activities; fly tipping around the overflowing bins became an issue (Figure 5a and 5b).

Figure 5a - Managing Litter at Rushmere

14 Figure 5b Fly tipping Beside an Overflowing Litter Bin at Putney Lower Common

. Note: Waste collection costs at first rose from £800pm to £5000pm though this situation was eased later in the year by a contractual change

Inevitably this put pressure on other management activities; non-essential jobs such as establishing the proposed wildlife garden went on hold. An important associated concern was unsanitary waste. Closure of the toilets at the start of the first lockdown phase (which was done for social distancing reasons and to reduce staff workload needed to maintain hygienic conditions) posed problems especially for those visiting with young children. Unsanitary conditions were seen in woodland areas marginal to the more open locations. Dog waste bins also overflowed. The potential for eutrophication of this normally nutrient deplete acid environment became a considerable risk and extra guidelines to walkers were issued on the WPCC website. A visitor disturbance survey of The Plain in the style undertaken by the C&EO between March and May 2019 was clearly not appropriate to this new situation. However, during the course of four visits to The Plain early in the pandemic, specifically to monitor disturbance, it was noted that the number of visitors without dogs far exceeded the number of dog walkers on site even though these too had increased in number. This contrasted markedly with the 2019 survey. In 2019 most people using The Plain were accompanied by dogs. The lockdown situation was clearly attracting new people to the Commons. A further controversy in the first pandemic closure was the restriction on access to benches. The prevailing view at the time was the need to keep people moving and to avoid potential overcrowding on the benches leading to breaches of social distancing requirements. There was tentative evidence that the COVID-19 virus could persist on bench surfaces. While some argued the public should take responsibility and self-police these amenities others insisted that the responsible way for management was to tape off bench access. Practice varied across the country; opinions at WPCC were divided. As well as causing some public

15 resentment and poor behaviour, as seen in the repeated removal of the taping, from the perspective of encouraging new visitors to make extra wildlife observations closing the very places people might sit to take note was not helpful; it was also challenging for less-mobile visitors. The general overcrowding seen throughout the Commons and associated littering coupled with the prevailing dry and sunny conditions at the start of the first phase of lockdown increased fire risk. Several small fires were extinguished by staff but on 10th April 2020 a larger heathland fire occurred over one hectare of heathland close to Roehampton Ride (Figure 6). Though worrying at the time, from a long-term wildlife perspective fires are not devasting providing the soil organic material and underground plant structures are not damaged or destroyed. These events may even beneficially promote renewed growth of young heather; suppress invasive tree saplings and seedlings; and assist with maintaining a variable heath structure which is vital to maximising habitat opportunities and thereby wildlife diversity. On the other hand, an out of control, intense blaze may favour undesirable spread and dominance by Bracken (Pteridum aquilinum) which would suppress species diversity. Monitoring fire impacts would make another useful small project for a volunteer.

Figure 6 - Fire on Putney Heath, Good Friday, 2020

Note: Eight London Fire Brigade vehicles came to assist control of the fire

In the subsequent pandemic waves, building on experience from the first wave, toilet facilities were kept accessible during main visitor times; parking was allowed; and benches were available. Increased waste bin capacity helped with the litter problem and some individual people volunteered to litter pick at some key pressure points or if they were part of the ‘adopt-an-area scheme they maintained their patch. Extra guidance on dog waste was again made available to the public on the WPCC website.

16 Flora In 2020 much less plant recording than usual was undertaken on The Plain (Table 3) and at the nearby Habitat patches than previously. One plant recorder, Una Sutcliffe, had moved away from Wimbledon and was no longer available; RT, the other usual recorder, was unable to visit for most of the recording season due to pandemic restrictions on travel4. To date there is no record of a visit by Surrey Botanical Society (SBS) members. In mid-July, a single day survey of The Plain was undertaken made by RT (Appendix 3a). The chief purpose was to check on the state of the plant community given both the dry conditions that had prevailed in late spring and early summer and the increased visitor pressure that had been reported by staff. This short survey would serve to verify presence of the key floral elements. As already highlighted, the sward appeared unusually short and lacking in vigour. 51 plant species were recorded. Missing were some of the more special species including the Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) which favours damper conditions than prevailed, and Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) but previous experience suggests its season would have been long passed by mid-July. Earlier, in March, in anticipation of pandemic restrictions, a very short field visit was made to look for the Adder’s-tongue fern (Ophioglossum vulgatum) which is a signature element of the flora of The Plain. However, at this stage, the new season’s growth had not yet emerged and by July, it could not be found. Very positively, however, aware of the emerging recording difficulties, in April W&C Forum member, Simon Riley, (SR) made a specific search of the usual site for this species and sent a photographic record to SBS since this species was missing from the SBS 2019 Survey. Other early season floristic elements missed by the July survey included the Speedwells (Veronica chamaedrys and V. persica) and Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus). Of particular note in this later than usual summer survey was an extensive area of flowering Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) (Figure 7). The Yarrow was shorter than usual at about 15cm or less with exceptional specimens c.18cm tall. Whether this testified to drier conditions than typical in this characteristically damper eastern zone of The Plain or was the product of visitor pressure or even rabbit grazing was not clear. Although, unusually for this location many rabbit droppings were seen, typically where rabbit grazing is a significant factor the surrounding grasses would be cropped very short resembling a garden lawn. However, although the sward in this area was shorter than had ever been previously noted, it still typically reached 10-15cm. Table 3 Recording Effort and Overall Plant Species Counts on The Plain 2014-20

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Number of full visits 6 4 3 2 2 1 Number of rapid 3 2 2 2 1 2 0 back- up visits Number of species 79 80 75 73 74 67 51 recorded Note: 52 species overall including the spot record from SR for Adder’s-tongue.

The characteristic floral elements of The Plain’s floral mosaic; Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor), Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), Creeping and Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus repens, R. acris), Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Red and White clover (Trifolim pratense, T. repens) were all present as were other typical small white-flowering plants, Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile), Common Mouse Ear (Cerastium fontanum) and Lesser Stitchwort (Stellaria graminae). More visible than usual was the high-summer flowering Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) and Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum), which had previously only been recorded during the BioBlitz as an addendum, entered the systematic record for The Plain. Ling or Heather was present in pioneer, building, mature and leggy degenerate phases. Autumn Hawbit (Leontodon autumnalis) was starting to flower with Common

17 Catsear (Hypochaeris radicata) also widespread. Vetches, Vetchlings and Tares were less prominent than is typical when recording earlier in the summer season and the delicate Grass vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia) was not recorded. Among the grasses, all the typical species of high and late season were recorded though some of the earlier flowering species, such as Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), could not be confidently verified. The usual assemblage of Rushes (Juncus spp.) and Woodrushes (Luzula spp.) were noted but, as in 2019, Common sedge (Carex nigra) was not seen. This may reflect the dry conditions at the plant survey time in both 2019 and 2020. A follow up 2021 survey will be crucial to assessing the impact on The Plain of the exceptional conditions of summer 2020.

4.RT lives in NE Norfolk. Long distance travel was prohibited during the pandemic

Figure 7 Yarrow in Bloom on The Plain 15th July (Photo RT/AEH)

Note the short sward in this usually lush area of The Plain

The Habitat Patch visits, conducted during a second day’s visit, were very much verification exercises geared more at noting anything dramatically different than at making a full species record. The Hogweed Patch was noticeably more open than usual, largely because the Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) itself was shorter than usual at c.120cm, rather than overtopping the recorder’s head at 150+cm and the usually narrow trackway through this area had been widened by trampling. In this uncharacteristically open scene, a Blackbird (Turdus merula) was feasting on Blackberries (Rubus fruticosus agg.). At Hookhamslade Pond it was noted that Branched Bur-reed (Sparganium erectum) was less prolific than sometimes see with fringing Yellow Flag (Iris pseudocorus) more dominant. White Water Lily (Nymphaea alba) was in bloom. A large family of Moorhens was enjoying foraging among the Iris and along the muddy banksides. A brief visit to Bluegate Gavel Pit pond showed that despite the high rainfall in February the dry conditions that followed in May, and summer warmth, had led to again led to bank exposure and shallow water (Figure 8). However, in 2020 unlike the previous two summers, it was not possible to traverse the entire pond bed dry shod.

18 Figure 8 Pond Recession at Bluegate Gravel Pit 15th July 2020 (RT)

No floral recording was undertaken beside the newly modified stretch of the Beverley Brook. Disruption in the area during the laying the new footpath and cycle way and the planting within the brook meant that a repeat survey in 2021 would be a more useful option.

Birds Detailed information on the Commons’ birds is available from The Birds, Butterflies and Dragonflies of Wimbledon and Putney Commons, Annual Report, 2020 (Podmore (Ed.), 2020). As last year further information is also available from the standard bird transect walks (Appendices 4a-4f). Once again there was no summer season focused recording for The Plain as happened in 2014-2016 but which has not been undertaken since Dave Wills (DW) our long-term bird recorder died. However, throughout much of 2020 high visitor use of The Plain would have made this difficult to achieve and largely unproductive. Some new volunteer help is still needed to enable reinstatement of these observations which give valuable additional information on the relative abundance of the species most frequently observed over The Plain, as well as those of special conservation interest. The Annual Report as usual is based on local amateur enthusiasts’ observations. 85 bird species are listed which equals the 2019 tally. However, these totals are lower than other recent years (Table 4). In 2020, it also seemed that fewer people were sending in records which may reflect a reluctance to visit the busy Commons during peak pandemic periods. Noticeably, there were few winter records sent in for January/February (12 species from 6 observers), and this is before the pandemic started, and again in November/December 2020 (8 species from 7 observers). This does merit unravelling; is it a real decline in bird species on the Commons or does the fall in numbers reflect fewer amateur enthusiasts observing and remembering to send in records? As noted in the 2019 report, it is possible that that fewer people have been sending in records since a major revision and update of the contact list in 2017. Over The Plain Skylarks were seen in June and again in October and November but did not nest suggesting disturbance was just too great (Table 5). Reed Buntings were present throughout the summer season in

19 favoured areas of the Plain and also nearby but there was no evidence of successful breeding. Meadow Pipits were few, with sightings for the Plain in the autumn only (Table 5). Stonechat did better and were present nearby on Windmill Ride in reasonable numbers early in the year, and on The Plain in the autumn. Disappointing in 2020 was the absence of Swifts (Apus apus) over The Plain. This is usually a characteristic summer season event supporting the view that the diverse flora provides feeding opportunities for an abundance of insects which in turn attracts Swifts overhead. 40 Swifts were, however, seen over the Mounds and at 20 at Rushmere in July. Most years there are some surprise exciting additions. In 2020 this was not the case. Possibly the most pleasing records came from the Beverley Brook corridor on Wimbledon Common where it did seem that Kingfisher sightings were increasing suggesting that the opening up of the woodland canopy alongside the brook had benefitted this species (Figure 9). Grey Herons too were thriving in this area with frequent reports on the Nature Notes pages of the WPCC Facebook. Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti) was reported from the brook in May and this is thought to be the first record for Commons.

Table 4 The Number of Bird Species Reported Each Year by Amateur Enthusiasts, 2014-20

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Total of different bird 91 96 94 97 93 85 85 species reported.by amateur enthusiasts Number of different Collating this information would be a useful volunteer project. people reporting sightings

Firecrests (Regulus ignicapilla) and Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla), continue to thrive respectively benefitting from the Holly (Ilex aquifolium) and Bramble woodland understories. Again it was clear that birds of prey form a significant part of the Commons’ bird community with Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Hobby (Falco subbuteo), Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), Red Kite (Milvus milvus) and Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) all recorded. There were, though, few sightings for these over The Plain in part reflecting the lack of a Bioblitz event during which these hunters are often noted the over The Plain and nearby Habitat Patches. In particular, it was noted during plant surveying, that the Kestrel normally see hovering over the Hogweed Patch had evidently decided there was better hunting elsewhere on the Commons. There were no reports of Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) in 2020.

Figure 9 Kingfisher – a Frequently Sighted Visitor to the Restored Section of Beverley Brook (Stock Image)

20 There are no records from Putney Lower Common in the Annual Report. An indicative record for The Plain has been extracted from the raw data supplied to the compiler of the Annual Bird Report (Table 6). Table 5 A Summary of Bird Sightings for The Plain 2020 - Extracted from the Bi-Monthly Reports of Amateur Observers Used to Compile the Annual Bird Report

Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Number of Observations Species Lapwing Not recorded Common Snipe 2 2 1 Meadow Pipit + 3 1 Reed Bunting + 3 2 1 3 + Skylark 2 2 1 Northern 2 + Wheatear Common Tern + + Common Swift + + + + Common Buzzard + + + + + + + Hobby + 1 + Stock Dove 15 Willow Warbler + + + + Whinchat Not recorded Red Kite*** + 2 1 + + Lesser Black - Not recorded -see general footnote headed Gull Woodcock* Not recorded Kestrel** Not recorded - see general footnote Jack Snipe Not recorded Stonechat + + 4 3 Whitethroat 4 7 Blackcap Swallow 2 3 7 3 Redwing + + + + + + 10 Notes: + Denotes present nearby on Wimbledon Common; Grey -shaded cells are confirmed sightings for The Plain in 2020 p The species are listed as they first occur noted on or over The Plain in the 2018 record. 2019 additions are shown in the shaded section at the end. There are no 2020 additions. Thus a seasonal picture can be seen in the chart. Other species frequently seen on The Plain most notably include Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) and Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) which are typically present in large numbers when the sward is relatively short in autumn, winter and spring. Common Gull (Larus canus) Herrring Gull (Larus argentatus)and Black-headed Gull (Chroicoephalus ridibundus) together with and Tern (Sterna Hirundo) often appear in wet early spring conditions when there may be standing water on The Plain. Though these are not usually reported by the amateur enthusiasts they are added by the Report collator though without any reference to particular locations.

*In 2019 there were only 2 reports of Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) neither one was for The Plain. It was suggested this could reflect disturbance and the low numbers overall or may be attributable to the lack of any extensive period of winter cold. No Woodcock were reported in 2020. It was suggested that disturbance and poor insect food supplies were contributory reasons. **Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) are frequently seen hovering over The Plain and the nearby Hogweed Patch. They are considered ‘breeding residents’ but the only records specific to these locations are from chance observations during and shortly after the BioBlitz and during a small-mammal trapping session in October. ***The Red Kite became extinct in England in 1871 as a result of persecution and egg collection. In a joint initiative between RSPB and the Nature Conservancy Council (now Scottish Natural Heritage and Natural England) Red Kites from Sweden and Spain were reintroduced between 1989 and 1994. Breeding success in 1992 prompted a subsequent series of countrywide introductions from Spain and Germany with the release site most local to Wimbledon being in the Chilterns. By 2015 Red Kites were in Surrey with records of 5 being helped by the Wildlife Aid centre in Leatherhead, one being treated for a broken leg (RSPB, undated; Harding and Harper, 2015). They have been recorded on Wimbledon Common since at least 2002.

As explained previously (Taylor (Ed.), 2018; Ibid, 2019) the focus of the ‘standard’ bird walks is very different. The aim is to record the commoner bird species of Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath and to identify variation in their numbers from year to year such that any long-term trends can be spotted. The methodology was outlined in the 2018 report and is discussed in detail in Dawson’s account of the initial

21 phase of monitoring from 1995-2009 (Dawson, 2009). As described in the 2019 monitoring report the system was re-vamped in 2018 and in 2019 new recorders joined the scheme to walk route D. Importantly, all the recorders in the scheme continue to use the same field recording strategy as originally devised with habitat sub-units identified for each transect. A full analysis of trends will be made when all historical data and a full description of habitat units are available to LE-H who has undertaken to collate and analyse this potentially very valuable record. In 2020 the planned annual meeting of the standard bird walk group was cancelled due to the pandemic and it is hoped the group can reconvene in 2021 once restrictions are able to be lifted. The standard bird walk routes are shown in Figure 10. Table 6 gives a snapshot of the results from 2020; further details of the data for each transect and an overview data set are shown in Appendices 4a-f. There are full records for standard walks A and D; limited data for walk C; but no recording was possible for walk B.

Figure 10 The Four Standard Bird Walks at Wimbledon Common (after Dawson 2009)

The Plain is highlighted in green

Each walk is recorded in 7 sub-units. This helps to give consistency between recorders over time and should enable observation of any major habitat changes that occur.

22 Table 6 Bird Standard Walk Data 2020 - The Most Frequently Observed Species and Some Target Species of Special Conservation Interest for WPCC

Walk Habitat type Walk Months Recorder Total 10 Most frequently Species of conservation concern on The Plain Route length recorded species / recorded species in Km total descending order Skylark Meadow Reed Willow Stone records Pipit Bunting Warbler chat A Mainly 4.5 All except LE-H 51 Blue Tit, 0 3 0 0 secondary December Great Tit, woodland 3051 Robin, Wren, 11 total Woodpigeon Carrion Crow =Blackbird =Long-tailed Tit Ring-necked Parakeet, Mallard, Blackcap B Mainly 4.35 No AP 0 No recording wooded; recording undertaken small area of possible 0 REMPF Queensmere C Mainly 4.45 January to GG 26 Blue Tit, 0 0 0 0 secondary March Robin, woodland 657 Great Tit Carrion Crow 3 total Redwing Ring-necked Parakeet, Wren =Blackbird =Jackdaw Woodpigeon, Magpie D The Plain and 3.2 12 total AB 44 Carrion Crow 0 0 0 0 2 woodland to & Blue Tit, south and KB 2024 Great Tit, heath to the Woodpigeon, north and Robin, south Starling Black-headed Gull, Ring-necked Parakeet, =Wren =Long-tailed Tit Blackbird Notes Walk Recorders: LE-H Les Evans Hill, GC Graham Guthrie, AP Adrian Podmore, AB & KB Alastair and Katharine Brown

Once again Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) were clearly ubiquitous and abundant. Great Tit (Parus major) (Figure 11), Robin (Erithacus rubecula), Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Blackbird (Turdus merula) Carrion Crow (Corvus coronne), Wood Pigeon (Calumba palumbus) and Ring-necked Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) are characteristic throughout. Transect D includes parts of The Plain but only Stonechat of the species of particular conservation interest in that area was recorded. As in 2019, Meadow Pipit was seen along Transect A which comes close to the southern end of The Plain. Skylark, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit and Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) are all species considered by DW as being particularly sensitive to the mowing regime on The Plain and, as such, their fate needs monitoring. Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus), Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) and Stonechat along with Skylark and Meadow Pipit use The Plain for winter foraging but none of these species were included in the original record sheets. Skylark, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat,

23 and Willow Warbler have now been added but there may be a case for also including Common Snipe, Jack Snipe and Woodcock. In summary, as noted previously, the current bird records give valuable information on the more interesting birds resident, breeding on and visiting the Commons (the Annual Bird Report) and the trends emerging in the commoner species (the ‘standard walk’ records). They do not though reveal in any systematic detail the impact of habitat changes or variations in management regime although there is much anecdotal reporting of these links. Given the current review of land management priorities for the Commons, some more habitat-specific information would be valuable. Holly thinning; Hazel (Corylus avellana) planting and coppicing; opening rides to give more transitional edge habitat; the state of the Commons ponds; proposed new areas for mowing; the opening up of the Beverley Brook corridor; these are all significant changes that warrant some more targeted recording. A priority for the bird walks team is to identify and share the habitat features of the subsections of their walks and to review the value of these subunits as currently reported. They may have changed since the scheme was first devised and current habitat details would be a useful aid to interpretation of any trend noticed. It would also be helpful to encourage the amateur recorders to give more habitat information within the locational details they send with observations; many do this but not everyone. Perhaps a subsection on selected habitats within in the Annual Bird Report would encourage more information in this style.

Figure 11 Great Tit - the Second Most Frequently Observed Bird Species on the Standard Walks

Butterflies Unlike 2019, 2020 was a poor summer for butterflies; at Wimbledon and Putney counts were the lowest since 2015 when the current phase of co-ordinated butterfly records began. This was very much in keeping with National data trends (Butterfly Conservation 2020). In the Big Butterfly Count, from 17th July to 9th August 2020, the average number of butterflies per count in England was 10.9, the lowest value since the event launched in 2011. For the UK overall there was a 34% reduction in butterfly abundance compared with 2019. The reason for this decline is probably multi-factored. 2019 was a migration year for Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) which occurred in considerable abundance and its much lower numbers in 2020 (down 98% in England) will reflect this variation which is a recognised cycle of events. However, the low counts of a wider range of easily recognised and widespread species such as Peacock (Anachis io) and Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), respectively down 43% and 19% in England, are more challenging to explain. One suggestion is that these declines in abundance may reflect the warm conditions in spring and early summer

24 ahead of the national counting phase. This early season warmth and the very dry month of May were followed by cooler and stormier conditions in June. It could be that the national snapshot count only caught the tail-end of the flight period of many species (Butterfly Conservation 2020). At Wimbledon the same two transects were monitored as in 2016-19 and established mid-season in 2015. The same recorders as in 2019, Andy Davis (AD) and Peter Fischer (PF), undertook the 2020 regular counts. Simon Riley (SR), the previous recorder of the transects, continued to advise and collate all the butterfly data and prepared a short overview to assist with this report. Overall, 30 species were recorded on the Commons between early April and mid-September compared with 28 in 2019. This total includes some spot records as well as the systematic transect counts. 23 species were recorded on the two transects; spot additions were Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi), Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae) White Admiral(Limenitis camilla), Purple Emperor (Apatura iris) and Painted Lady and separated records for Small Skipper (Themelicus sylvestris) and Essex Skipper (T. lineola). However, as Tables 7a and 7b reveal the counts per species were much lower than usual. The long- established transect which includes plateau areas such as The Plain has only 205 records in total, which is by far the lowest count for that route ever seen in this series. The number of species records at 19, as well as the species abundance, was also lower than in 2019. Missing were Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia), Painted Lady, Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus), Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines), Green Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), and Small Skipper (Coenonympha pamphilus). 19 species were also recorded on the woodland transect, which was the same total as 2019. The total records count, however, was lower than the two previous years though it was similar to, or slightly more, than earlier years. There was also a small variation in the species found. Missing from the woodland transect compared with 2019 were Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus), White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary and Painted Lady; gained were Green-veined White (Pieris napi), White-letter Hairstreak (Melanargia galathea), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanata) and Brown Argus (Aricia agestis). 15 species were common to both transects. Those recorded on the long- established transect only were the Large and Small/Essex Skippers, Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus); whereas recorded on the Woodland transect only were Orange Tip, White letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album), Brown Argus and Common Blue (Appendices 5a, 5b).

Table 7 Comparison of the Most Abundant Butterfly Species Recorded, 2015-2020 7a Re-established Long-term Transect (After Gay Carr and Now Including Plateau Sites Including The Plain)

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Species in No. Species in No. Species in No. Species in No. Species in No. Species in No. order of order of seen order of order of order of order of seen abundance seen abundance abundance seen abundance seen abundance seen abundance

Meadow 184 Meadow 131 Meadow 405 Meadow 396 Meadow 404 Meadow 62 Brown Brown Brown Brown Brown Brown

Gatekeeper 96 Gatekeeper 77 Gatekeeper 203 Gatekeeper 142 Gatekeeper 195 Gatekeeper 41

Small / Essex 23 Small 27 Speckled 41 Small 87 Small 106 Small 28 Skipper White Wood Heath Heath Heath

Common 19 Specked 22 Small/Essex 36 Small 54 Ringlet 45 Peacock 23 Blue Wood Skipper White

Large 15 Small 14 Ringlet 32 Large 52 Small/Essex 40 Green- 9 Skipper Skipper Skipper Skipper veined White

Speckled 14 Ringlet 13 Large 24 Ringlet 41 Large 23 Comma 7 Wood Skipper Skipper 24

25 Small White

Small Heath 13 Comma 10 Comma 19 Purple 40 Small 19 Holly Blue 6 Hairstreak White

Purple 6 Small 9 Common 18 Speckled 28 Peacock 13 Small/Essex 5 Hairstreak Heath Blue Wood Skipper 6 Ringlet Common Blue 27

Total 407 Total 343 Total 901 Total 978 Total 919 Total 205 records records records records records records

Notes: Data were recorded by Andy Davis (AD) for the second year in succession. Unlike most other records lockdown caused little disruption to this work which was undertaken as part of the surveyor’s allowed daily exercise. Records run from 1st April to 16th September excluding 3rd June and 15th and 22nd July

7b New Transect Wimbledon Common SW and Fishponds Wood

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Species in No Species in No Species in No. Species in No. Species in No. Species in No. order of Seen order of see order of seen order of seen order of seen order of seen abundance abundance n abundance abundance abundance abundance

Peacock 40 Meadow 19 Meadow 136 Meadow 105 Small White 105 Small White 65 Brown Brown Brown

Meadow 39 Small White 19 Small white 30 Purple 61 Meadow 99 Gatekeeper 63 Brown Hairstreak Brown

Gatekeeper 34 Comma 16 Peacock 20 Green- 60 Gatekeeper 50 Meadow 38 veined Brown Brimstone 34 White

Holly Blue 23 Gatekeeper 14 Comma 14 Comma 40 Large White 27 Green- 26 veined Comma White 27

Green- 20 Peacock 9 Red Admiral 11 Gatekeeper 35 Brimstone 26 Peacock 21 veined White

Comma 13 Speckled 7 Brimstone 10 Brimstone 34 Peacock 21 Comma 20 Wood 7 Small Copper

Orange Tip 10 Small 6 Speckled 6 Holly Blue 33 Red Admiral 15 Brimstone 16 Tortoiseshell Wood Orange Tip 6 Small White 33

Small White 7 Brimstone 5 Holly Blue 5 Speckled 27 Orange Tip 11 Orange Tip 15 Wood

Total 255 Total 121 Total records 254 Total 519 Total 444 Total 317 records records records records records

Notes: Transect recorded by Peter Fischer (PF) as in 2019. Lockdown caused little disruption to this work which was undertaken as part of the surveyor’s allowed daily exercise. Records run from 8th April to 25th September excluding 3rd June

The big change at Wimbledon relates to the long-established transect that includes plateau areas such as The Plain. Counts for Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), usually characteristically very abundant on The Plain, were abnormally low (Table 7a). This would seem to fit with the striking lack of vigour in the vegetation growth of this important area as noted in the previous discussions of flora, disturbance, and sward height. It

26 may also reflect the extreme variations in weather experienced from late 2019 through to summer 2020. From winter waterlogging perhaps leading to earlier instar mortality through to lack of food and cover at later life stages there may have been severe challenges for the butterflies’ development and success. The low counts of Meadow Brown fit with national reporting of low abundance in this and other species of ‘browns’. Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) too was exceptionally low, with only 1 count on this transect. Other normally very abundant species with lower counts than usual were Gatekeeper and Small Heath. However, it must also be noted that there was a brief gap in recording on this route during early July which is a peak time for butterfly counting and this will also have affected these counts. Even so It was remarked during plant recording (14th-15th July) that butterflies were noticeably absent which supports the view that the fall in numbers is real and not an artefact of recording periodicity. However, it should be noted that the weather during some of the time of the plant recoding period was damp and overcast. Neither transect was recorded on 3rd June during a period of stormy and cool weather. It will be important to note whether these changes in abundance are seen again in 2021.Further information is available in the Annual Report, 2020, of Birds, Butterflies and Dragonflies on Wimbledon and Putney Commons (Podmore (Ed.), 2020).

Figure 12 Characteristic early season species of the woodland edge a. Brimstone b. Orange Tip

Dragonflies and Damselflies There are no systematically recorded dragonfly and damselfly records for 2020. Available spot records show 13 species confirmed on the Commons (Table 8). 7 species noted in 2019 have not been reported in this data set but they are almost certainly present (Simon Riley (SR) personal communication); their absence probably reflects the limited recording undertaken and the adhoc nature of data reporting and collation. This point is easily seen by examining material available from the C&EO. He collates records of all wildlife reported to him during the year and his list includes a report of Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa) (Figure 13) which is shown on the ‘missing species’ list (Table 8) but which was photographed near Bluegate Gravel Pit pond by an expert visitor. Perusal of earlier records in the 2015-19 series further confirms that most of the ‘missing’ species are usually fairly regularly seen on the Commons. Also noted in 2020 during the C&EO’s regular visits to Putney Lower Common, was Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatrum). However, there are no abundance data and few locational details for the 2020 observations. The last fully coordinated

27 recording season with abundance data (observed presence by site visit) and locational details also logged was in 2018. Dragonfly and damselfly recording on the Commons has never been undertaken in the same systematic manner of the butterfly transects but from 2015-2018 key sites e.g. Bluegate Gavel Pit pond, Hookhamslade pond and Queensmere were regularly visited throughout the summer. Less frequent visits were made to the Beverley Brook corridor at Wimbledon and a range of other target sites for dragonflies and damselflies, mainly at and around the Commons ponds and Farm Bog. Issues of visit frequency and abundance data are discussed in the 2018 Monitoring Report (Taylor (Ed.), 2018). Recording in 2018 also highlighted the importance of the heathlands and grassy areas, such as The Plain, to the dragonfly and damselfly species. Dragonflies and damselfly species diversity recorded over The Plain and similar open areas equalled that for Bluegate Gravel Pit pond as the top location for Odonata in summer 2018.

Figure 13 Common Emerald Damselfly

Photograph by David Element on a visit to Bluegate Gravel Pit pond

28 A useful sequence of earlier recording from 1993-2005 became available in 2017. These were records collated by Ron Kettle and co-workers. Preliminary discussion of these data and the changes they reveal in relation to more recent records was included in the 2017 Monitoring Report. Noted in particular was the changing frequency of sightings of Black Darter (Sympetrum danae). This was reported in the 2017 surveys along Beverley Brook and at Bluegate Gravel Pit pond with these being the first records at Wimbledon since 2009 whereas the species was much more frequently seen in the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2019 surveying was quite restricted but Bill Budd (BB) was able to confirm sightings for Beautiful Demoiselle (Calyopterix virgo) along the newly restored Beverley Brook corridor at Wimbledon Common (Taylor, (Ed.), 2019). This was the first record for this species on the Commons since 1994. Illness meant that BB was unable to record in 2020 but records from the similarly restored section of the Beverley Brook in nearby Richmond Park showed the species was present there (SR personal communication). It will be important to check for this species in 2021 following the recent in-stream plantings in the second phase of work along the brook at Wimbledon. For 2020, SR partially covered the wider recording gap but pandemic restrictions and crowding on the Commons, especially on The Plain and similar open sites, reduced visit frequency as well as observations and feedback from other occasional recorders. There is a wealth of dragonfly and damselfly data available from the recent series, 2015 to date, and from the earlier, 1995-2003, record. These data merit fuller investigation. Again, this would be a good single focus project for a volunteer. This could provide the basis for a short leaflet reviewing Odonata on the Commons stimulating future recording. As a priority, W&C Forum members need to review how the dragonfly and damselfly recording can be taken forward following Bill Budd’s sad demise. Such expertise is unlikely to be easily regained on a regular basis. Coordination of a citizen science project, supplemented by expert or at least more experienced identification help, may be the way forward. Table 8. Dragonflies and Damselflies - Spot Records 2020

Species confirmed (SR) Missing Species (SR records) Comments Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens Beautiful Demoiselle Calyopterix virgo) Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphu Common Blue Enallagma cyathigerum Damselfly Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa PLC C&EO record Willow Emerald Chalcolestes viidis Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas Damselfly Broad Bodied Chaser Libellula depressa Small Red-eyed Ceriagrion tenellum In C&EO record Damselfly 4-Spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatrum Hairy Dragonfly Brachytron practense Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator) Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum

Notes: With thanks to Simon Riley (SR) for assistance in compiling these records; PLC denotes Putney Lower Common

29 Moths During this pandemic year, a total of 484 species of moths were noted (Appendix 6). This compares with 499 in 2019 and 533 in 2018. Recording outside of Gravel Pit Cottage was severely curtailed for much of the year as it was difficult to maintain social distancing. The moth trap was not run every single night and for longer periods at times. There were no public events this year. As usual the ‘trap’ was run by expert moth recorder Les Evans-Hill (LEH). The highlight of the year was a recent colonist of the south coast of England, Jersey Mocha (Cyclophora ruficiliaria) which turned up much to the recorder’s surprise on 8th August. This was only the third Surrey vice-county record of all time (Figure 14) .

Figure 14 Jersey Mocha (Cyclophora ruficiliaria) (photo LEH)

Other good records for 2020 include Light Orange Underwing (Archiearis notha) on 16th and 23rd April; Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia) (Figure 15) to pheromone lure in numbers between 4th April and 6th May; Grass Emerald (Pseudoterpna pruinata) on 16th July; August Thorn (Ennomos quercinaria) on 6th August and the micro-moths Early Long-horn (Adela cuprella) on 4th April and Bridge Roller (Ancylis uncella) on 6th & 12th May (Figure 16).

Figure 15 Emperor Moth Figure 16 Early Long-horn (Adela (Saturnia pavonia) (photo LEH) cuprella) (photo LEH)

30 Dark Crimson Underwing (Catocala sponsa) was again recorded on Putney Heath between 23rd July and 8th September with, on 5th August, 7 individuals found during a single recording session which is unprecedented. Interestingly, the first record this year was about a month earlier than in 2019. This is not conclusive proof the species bred; however, there was not a similar influx of this species from the continent this year. Pleasingly Clifden Nonpareil (Catocala fraxini) was recorded again in 2020. Red Underwing (Catocala nupta), which is not often recorded on Wimbledon and Putney Commons, arrived at ‘sugar’ between 6thand 12th August (Figure 17).

Figure 17 Red Underwing (Catocala nupta) (photo LEH)

A total of 5 ‘clearwing’ moths were recorded this year, namely Hornet Moth (Sesia apiformis); Red-tipped Clearwing (Synanthedon formicaeformis); Orange-tailed Clearwing (Synanthedon andrenaeformis); Red- belted Clearwing (Synanthedon myopaeformis) and Yellow-legged Clearwing (Synanthedon vespiformis) – all to pheromone lures except for Yellow-legged Clearwing which was recorded at rest on a tree trunk on 21 May by Rachel Carron Tyler who is a regular contributor to the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Nature Notes Facebook group. Common Heath (Ematurga atomaria), in previous years erroneously recorded as Latticed Heath (Chiasmia clathrata), was recorded in abundance again during the daytime wherever there is Heather (Figure 18).

Figure 18 Common Heath (Ematurga atomaria). Male (left) and female (right) (photos LEH)

31 Primary migrant moths recorded included: Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella); European Corn-borer (Ostrinia nubilalis); Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis); Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella); Silver Y (Autographa gamma) and Dark Sword-grass (Agrotis ipsilon). Less pleasing in the moth record was Oak Processionary (Thaumetopoea processionea). This introduced pest species is a health hazard to humans and their dogs and is now widespread across the Commons. Management to curtail its spread mainly focuses on areas with high public footfall and around staff residences. In late April, specialist contractors sprayed infected trees in these locations with the bio-control agent Bacillus thuringiensis. In the subsequent annual survey for Oak processionary, conducted by the C&EO in late June 2020, 90 low nests were found and removed. Nationally, moth species are declining. Recently published joint research from Butterfly Conservation, Rothamsted Research and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (Thompson, 2021) has revealed significant declines in the populations of larger moths, with a 39% fall in southern Britain and 22% in the north over the last 50 years. While climate change may be part of the story, other prime drivers are habitat change and loss which are largely due to human activity e.g. urbanisation, light pollution, vehicle emissions, pesticides. The value of a large open space such as Wimbledon and Putney Commons, within a predominantly urban area, cannot overstated in this context. Moths are important for healthy ecosystems; they are pollinators, often plant specific, and vital food sources for diverse fauna, powering food chains. Declining moth numbers suggest other wildlife too will be in decline. Other Insects There was no systematic insect recording on the Commons 2020. It would be useful to get an update on bees, wasps, and beetles such as was achieved in 2015 when some volunteers from the Natural History Museum entomology section visited the Commons as part of the BioBlitz event. Some excellent records for the main heath areas, including information on food plants, were achieved at that time. Some information for 2020 is available from the C&EO’s list of wildlife reports for the Commons (Appendix 7) and his monthly recording visits to Putney Lower Common (Appendix 8). 21 insects additional to butterflies, moths and damselflies and dragonflies are listed in the wildlife reports to the C&EO which relate to Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath (Figure 19). The C&EO’s records for Putney Lower Common include another 12 insect species. These are, however, spot records and there is little doubt that many more species could be found during systematic surveys conducted throughout the main recording season.

Figure 19 Golden Bloomed Longhorn Beetle (Agapanthia villoviridescens) Photo by Caroline Woodley

32 As is usual, a request was made to the local public for Stag Beetle sightings since the Commons and SW London more generally are ‘hot spots’ for Stag Beetles (Figure 20). Their presence and abundance are key reasons for the Commons designation as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). During the work along Beverley Brook in 2019, new loggeries were established along the woodland edge as a habitat improvement scheme for Stag Beetles and there are plans for more new loggeries as the woodland ride edges are scalloped and made more open. As in 2019, when a major re-vamp of the public appeal was made, the response in 2020 was good. 47 records were received by mid-July; 19 from the Commons and others from gardens in nearby postcodes; SW20, SW19, SW18, SW15, SW14 and SW13. Perhaps lockdown had given more opportunities for people to observe in their gardens and while walking on the Commons.

Figure 20 Stag Beetle

Other Fauna Each year the C&EO collates spot reports of amphibians and reptiles as well as making his own observations (Haldane, 2020). In late February and early March Frogspawn was seen at five of the Commons’ ponds; Rushmere, Hookhamslade, Ravine, 7 Post and Scio; in small pools at Farm Bog; and in two heathland depressions, 30-37cm deep. Shallow pools such as these would have dried out quicky during April and especially during the very dry month of May. The pools are, however, an important element of the heath mosaic and though each year the Frogspawn and tadpoles in these heathland pools may not reach maturity they are a significant food source for many organisms. Most notably on the Wimbledon and Putney heaths, Grey Herons are often spotted beside the pools. Nevertheless, adult Frogs are still widely seen across the Commons. Common Toads were seen mating at Queensmere and in Scio pond with Toad spawn confirmed at both locations. Toads were also seen near Rushmere and Kingsmere. There were adhoc sightings of Smooth Newts (Lissotriton vulgaris) ( Figure 21) but no systematic surveys were undertaken. The increased visitor pressure on the Commons made systematic reptile recording at the usual refugia impracticable. Conflicting extra management duties for the CE&O also meant that little time was available for this additional survey work. Common Lizards (Lacerta) Zootoca vivipara) (Figure 22) were reported from 11 areas across the Commons, including Farm Bog. Pleasingly, multiple sightings of Common Lizards were received from the area burnt on Good Friday (April10th) (see page 15). Other spot records of reptiles included a Slow Worm

33 (Anguis fragilis) at the edge of a small meadow near the Southern Pound and Terrapins, seen in Queensmere and 7 Post pond as well as the Putney Lower Common section of Beverley Brook. Terrapins are discussed in the Putney Lower Common section of this report.

Figure 21 Common Newt found under a Silver Birch log close to Bluegate Gravel Pit pond

Figure 22 Common Lizard - one of many sightings reported close to the area burnt in early April.

34 No systematic small mammal capture and release surveys were conducted in 2020. Social distancing requirements and travel restrictions made this work impracticable for the usual volunteers and ruled out BioBlitz style events with the public later during the summer. Staff volunteers (trained in 2019) were too busy with work associated with additional visitor pressure to undertake this work. Remote-activated night cameras were again installed near suspected Badger (Meles meles) setts by James Copeland (JC), a new volunteer member of the W&C Forum. In February at the winter talk his Badger videos from previous surveys, with supporting notes, provided an interesting display for guests to peruse before the main talk. Unfortunately in 2020, during the first lockdown phase when visitor pressure was very high, a camera by the Badger sett near Queensmere was disturbed and could not subsequently be found. 5 setts were known to be active and further Badger reports came from adhoc sightings throughout the year (Table 9). The Zoological Society of London / Institute of Zoology (ZSL) again put out remotely activated cameras on Putney Lower Common. Recent surveys have shown this is an important Hedgehog site in London. This and the locally organised torchlight Hedgehog surveys are discussed in the Putney Lower Common section of this report. There was no bat walk with the public nor any other bat recording in 2020. A summary of all the mammals reported on the Commons during 2020 is shown in Table 9.

Table 9 Mammals Sighted or Evident from Other Signs - Wimbledon and Putney Commons 2020

Species - Species- Location Comment Common Name Scientific Name Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellis No survey Bat walk cancelled due to pipistrellis pandemic Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrelli pygmaeus No survey Bat walk cancelled due to pandemic Nathusius Pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii No survey Bat walk cancelled due to pandemic Daubenton’s Bat Myotis daubentii No survey Bat walk cancelled due to pandemic Bank Vole Myodes glareolus No capture-release survey Surveys cancelled due to pandemic Field Vole Microtus agrestis No capture-release survey Surveys cancelled due to pandemic Wood Mouse Apodemus No capture-release survey Surveys cancelled due to pandemic sylvaticus Common Shrew Sorex araneus Heathland near Ladies mile Shrew was dead Rabbit Oryctolagus The Plain, WC Seen during plant survey on The cuniculus Plain and near the Nettle Patch Regular sightings Droppings widespread Weasel Mustela rivalus Inner Windmill Road March and May European Hedgehog Erinaceus Open grass area PLC. ZSL 11 camera traps in August europaeus September Volunteer Torchlight Survey (4 healthy specimens found) Fox Vulpes vulpes PLC & WC Seen during Hedgehog surveys Various reports from WC Noted in Badger surveys Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis PLC & WC Seen throughout the year

Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus PLC Seen throughout the year WC Beverley Brook Muntjac Deer Muntjac reevesi Woodland between the April Gravelly Rides Another dead on A3 near the Common in September Badger Meles meles WC night camera surveys 5 active setts confirmed on WC Also reports from Parkside One night camera site disturbed by south, Thatched Cottage, and visitors - camera ‘stolen’. Windmill Road Notes: WC= Wimbledon Common; PLC= Putney Lower Common

35

Some of the Commons ponds have fish but few spot records are available for 2020. Pike (Esox lucius) were recorded at Queensmere. Chub (Squalius cephalus) and Dace (Leuciscus leuciscus) were seen In the Wimbledon Common section of Beverley Brook during litter clearance activities. However, introduced Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) are known to be present in Scio and Ravine ponds and at Kingsmere; Roach (Rutulis rutilis) can regularly be seen in Scio pond. 2 species of arachnids; False Widow (Steatoda grossa) and White Crab spider (Musumenia vatia) complete the C&EO’s 2020 wildlife records.

Fungi No fungal forays took place in 2020. This is the second year in succession with no systematic data for fungi. No spot records were received. It clearly would be beneficial to organise an autumn survey in 2021, assuming pandemic restrictions have eased.

Putney Lower Common Wildlife records for the discrete area at Putney Lower Common are listed in Appendix 8. These records were mainly observations by the C&EO made as a part of a routine programme of monthly visits supplemented by occasional reports by staff working on-site or visitors. Depending on weather conditions, the C&EO’s visits lasted between one and two hours and were carried out towards the end of each month. As such they represent a snapshot of the wildlife present at Putney Lower Common. Since for most groups there are no routinely gathered systematic records these wildlife reports for Putney Lower Common, which started in 2017, are building a very useful picture of Putney Lower Common plant and animal communities. They supplement the more technical detail available from the National Vegetation Classification Survey undertaken by Penny Anderson Associates in 2016 and discussed in brief for this area, alongside a preliminary review of Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL) reports, in the 2017 Monitoring Report (Taylor (Ed.), 2017) when W&C Forum members started their drive to improve knowledge of the wildlife of this site. There are a few interesting differences to the records from the main contiguous area of Wimbledon and Putney Commons. Notably Hedgehogs are present and thriving, whereas they are rarely reported from the main Commons area. Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca) is regularly reported on the lower reaches of Beverley Brook at Putney. The annual Birds, Butterflies and Dragonflies Report primarily relates to Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath and Teal is not included in the 2020 edition. It was noted in 2019 and perusal of that record shows it is, indeed, from Ashlone Wharf at Putney. A few floral additions were noted in 2020 partly because early season records could be made but also reflecting the limited possibilities for recording at Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath during spring and early summer due to pandemic restrictions. For the C&EO working alone there was no problem. Records for Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) and the garden escape, Spanish Bluebell (Hycacinthoides hispanica) reflect this point. Some species, e.g. Crocus (Crocus spp.), and Daffodil (Narcissus spp.), have been deliberately planted in the area, an activity now very much discouraged. No tree species are included in the records but it is known that suckering from the originally deliberately planted ornamental, Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), remains a problem. Two troublesome introduced alien species Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens grandifolia) and Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) are still present. Both are subject to active control measures, but elimination is unlikely, and in the case of Himalayan Balsam along the banks of Beverley Brook the constant re-supply of seed from

36 upstream means repeated regular removal is needed. Diversionary extra pandemic-linked pressures on staff, which at Putney Lower Common were mostly about litter removal, alongside the absence of the annual fair meant that some grassy areas were left unmowed for longer. At the fairground site, a pleasing vista of herbaceous flowering plants emerged with, Yarrow prominent in the sward. In other areas of open grassland Hogweed and Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) were prominent and attracted a wide range of invertebrate life. A Terrapin (probably a released former pet (species not confirmed)) was seen in Beverley Brook in July (Figure 23). There are several species of Terrapin; the most commonly occurring in UK waterways is the Red- eared Terrapin or Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). This species was native in Britain 8000 years ago but most current occurrences are discarded pets. Breeding in British conditions is unlikely since the eggs need to be incubated at 25°C for around 60 days for successful hatching. However, with climate change this might become possible. Terrapins predate on insect larvae and birds’ eggs and are thus an unwelcome addition to a waterway in a semi-natural setting (Canal & River Trust).

Figure 23 A Terrapin in Beverley Brook at Putney Lower Common Photographed (underwater) close to the footbridge on Putney Lower Commons – Species not confirmed 20th July 2020 - John Dean

The ZSL camera survey of Hedgehogs at Putney Lower Common continued for the third consecutive year. The 2020 survey was intended to examine migratory routes for local Hedgehogs and explore whether and how local populations in gardens and at nearby sites such as Barnes Common and the London Wetland Centre interacted. 11 camera traps were placed on Putney Lower Common for two weeks during August. To date, despite several requests, no feedback has been received from ZSL. It seems likely that follow through work has been disrupted by renewed lockdown measures. The SW15 Hedgehog Group of volunteers co- ordinated by Jackie Underwood-Hall (JU-H) undertook torchlight surveys in late September building on their work from the previous year. Four healthy Hedgehogs were found in two night-time surveys. The group has planned some further training with Dr Nigel Reeve, a local Hedgehog expert, so that in 2021 some members will be qualified to tag Hedgehogs. This would boost the information potentially to be gained from the group’s work and help to build an understanding of Hedgehog movements around the Commons and their interaction with nearby local sites including gardens and allotments.

37 Beverley Brook Restoration work continued along the Wimbledon Common section of the Beverley Brook. The scheme embraces a wide diversity of river improvements including meander creation, generation of variable flow patterns, pools and eddies, re-exposure of the gravel bed, re-grading of the riverbanks following tow board removal and formation of berms and small islands (SERT, 2018). As such, in February, it was used by SERT as a training site for volunteers to show how a river restoration project might be developed (Figure 24). In the course of that programme the volunteers helped to construct a wooden berm in the area of the brook that runs parallel to Fishpond wood. Later in the year SERT staff and volunteers also undertook a major litter clearance event in anticipation of the next planned phase of work, planting plugs of native water plants. The aim of this planting is to promote berm stabilisation and improve silt removal from the brook so favouring build-up of berms and aits. Additionally, it should improve floral and habitat diversity of the riverine corridor and potentially will enhance the overall biodiversity of this area. This work, which had been originally planned for late March, eventually went ahead in late August when 5000 small plugs of assorted shallow water native species were planted (Table 10). SERT staff and volunteers also undertook some berm enhancement during summer 2020 using Aspen (Populus tremula) whips sourced from excess re-growth along the edge of the brook.

Figure 24 SERT Volunteer Training Event on Beverley Brook

Table 10 Planting in Beverley Brook

Common English Name Scientific Name Number planted

Yellow Flag Iris Iris pseudacorus 1250

Branched Bur-reed Sparganium erectum 1250

Brooklime Veronica beccabunga 350

Greater Pond Sedge Carex riparia 500

Lesser Pond Sedge Carex acutiformis 500

Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris 350

Common Water Plantain Alisma plantago-aquatica 300

Water Mint Mentha aquatica 500

38 Regular litter picking of the brook is essential given the flashy nature of the flow regime which in peak flow can wash substantive items into the Wimbledon Common section of the Brook. Since the litter sources are in upstream urban areas this is likely to remain a problem for the Wimbledon Common section of the brook. Litter picking sessions were caried out by Commons’ staff throughout the year. There is a tension between the instream obstacles and bankside berms created to establish meanders and promote habitat diversity and the wish to maintain a litter free attractive river. The new obstacles as well as beneficially trapping silt also rather effectively trap litter. Removing litter is, however, important for the health of the brook and for wildlife diversity and wellbeing. Maintaining a good appearance is also important for keeping public support for the project. Moreover, litter clearance here should benefit the restored section downstream in Richmond Park and may also help to promote better conditions at the Putney Lower Common section of the Brook. The CE&O with staff assistance undertook removal of invasive Himalayan Balsam. This invasive introduced species needs control if native colonisers are to establish successfully on the newly exposed banks. Again, the seed source lies upstream so it is likely that some management to control Himalayan Balsam, will always be needed. As with litter, sites downstream should benefit from the control activities along the Wimbledon Common stretch of the brook. Inevitably systematic wildlife monitoring was disrupted by pandemic restrictions. Nevertheless, useful information was obtained. At the May W&C Forum meeting, SR reported the striking abundance of Orange Tip butterflies. Garlic Mustard / Jack by the Hedge (Alliaria petiolata) is a favoured food source for Orange Tip caterpillars. As noted in the 2019 plant survey along the brook corridor, this plant was a prolific early coloniser of the newly exposed banksides and the opened-up woodland edge. This link-up shows how the now more open river corridor has much potential for biodiversity enrichment and consolidation. In-stream Riverfly monitoring was undertaken from January to March and resumed from August to October (Table 11.). The records show the brook generally reaches or exceeds its quality reference or ‘trigger level’, 4 (SERT undated). As noted last year, Riverfly records in their widely used basic form give only limited ecological information since the scheme’s primary purpose is pollution alerts. Research shows the scheme identifies poor water quality well but is less effective at distinguishing between good, better, and excellent water quality (Wallace, c.2016). Recently, there have been discussions among scheme organisers considering use of variants of the original basic scheme, that would include fuller information on species variety. There is a tension between keeping the scheme simple and accessible to a wide range of volunteers and maintaining the interest of enthusiasts who may wish to record in more detail. Keeping consistency and maintaining Identification reliability is important (Wallace, c.2016). Table 11 Riverfly Monitoring Results for Beverley Brook Restored Section on Wimbledon Common 2020

Month/year Riverfly Group Score Number Total Survey Notes counted score

December /19 Olives 2 28 4 None Gammarus 2 21 January /20 Caseless Caddis 1 2 5 Water very cloudy; depth 36cm Olives 2 12 Gammarus 2 37 February /20 Caseless Caddis 1 4 5 Weather fine, cold and bright Gammarus 2 61 Water depth 40cm Olives 2 15 Stone Loach found in first netting

39 March /20 Olives 1 8 4 Water depth 49cm Caseless Caddis 1 1 Rain in previous 24hours following Gammarus 2 54 periods of heavy rain in last month August /20 Olives 2 23 3 Water depth 30cm Gammarus 1 4 September / 20 Olives 2 24 3 Water depth low at 20cm Gammarus 1 4 October / 20 Olives 2 11 5 Water depth 38cm Cased Caddis 1 1 Bed very silty following heavy rain Caseless Caddis 1 1 the previous weekend when the Gammarus 1 6 brook was in full flood 1 damselfly larvae collected Notes: Main recorders Les and Angela Evans Hill; with Bill Petch and Ian Harrison in February and September; with Bill Petch in August; and with Ian Hanson in October. For details of methodology visit the SERT website or see The Riverfly Partnership. In principle the scheme integrates the pollution indicator value of the groups present with their abundance (scored in broad categories) to record an overall value or total score. Concern is raised if the value is less than the trigger score, which for Beverley Brook at Wimbledon Common is 4. This is based on Environment Agency records and expectations for the locality. A significant breach would warrant verification by the Environmental Agency or more simply a request for a verification or a repeat sample by the local Riverfly co-ordinator. The marginally reduced values for August and September may link to the shallow water depth at the sampling site; they may equally reflect the disturbance experienced during path restoration works, the in-stream planting or some other unknown cause. Over time, longer term trends should make understanding small variations much easier. See, for example, Appendix 9.

There was no organised fish recording in 2020 though as noted in the previous section, Chub and Dace were seen in some abundance during other work at the brook. The C&EO noted c. 60 fish, mainly Chub and Dace, during 4 days in late June and early July. This testifies to a well oxygenated waterway. This point is further reinforced by the frequent sightings of Herons along the brook and the additional records for Cetti ‘s Warbler, Grey wagtails (Motacilla cinerea) and Kingfisher. Banded Demoiselles (Calyopterix splendens) were frequently noticed, and a damselfly nymph was noted by the Riverfly recorders. Brown Rats (Rattus norvegicus) are present but no other mammal records were made. No systematic plant recording was achieved due to lockdown and the subsequent summer works in-stream and beside the brook including the major pathway improvements undertaken alongside the brook. A plant survey in 2021 reviewing the bankside re-growth, the flora of the woodland edge and the fate of the in- stream planting, should be a key objective. Building an integrated picture to include monitoring butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies, birds and small mammal and bat monitoring as well as in-stream fish and invertebrates would make a valuable ecological analysis of the restoration project. It could provide a stimulating addition to the 2021 BioBlitz programme building on the general nature walk in the area introduced for the 2019 event.

Environmental Data As in 2018 and 2019, the only environmental data available for 2020 are the rainfall records from Raynes Park taken by W&C Forum member, Peter Fischer (PF) (Appendix 10). No further progress was made with procuring an automatic weather station. This was in part due to pandemic restrictions which precluded a visit to the likely supplier; partly because the wildlife garden project went ‘on hold’ due to the pandemic; and also because there were staff capacity concerns. The new system would require staff input in terms of establishment, data organisation and engagement locally. While this might partially be undertaken by a suitably qualified and enthusiastic volunteer, this needed confirmation before any purchase was made. There can be little doubt, however, that acquisition of a weather recording facility would support

40 interpretation of the wildlife and environmental monitoring and open up new public engagement opportunities. As already noted, 2020 was a topsy turvy year for weather. May saw the lowest rainfall total ever recorded at the Raynes Park weather station; October the highest (Appendix 10). Winter 2020 (January -March) was the third highest total on record (Table 12) contrasting with winter in the previous year, 2019, which was the 3rd driest. The over winter period 2019-20 was wet, whereas summer 2020 was the 3rd driest on record. PF sent the following note to the October W&C Forum meeting; - “after the driest hottest sunniest May on record in the subsequent eleven weeks to 19th August we had only a total of 85mm of rain, mainly in small dribs and drabs, with no penetration below the top 2 or 3cm”. Subsequently he noted; - “there were short bursts of heavy rain with localised flooding on 24th and 27th August with respectively 31mm and 27mm rain in an hour”. Summer storm events are not unusual, but they can occur at any time through June, July and August meaning that in monthly totals, as shown in Appendix 10, and integrated summer rainfall (Table 12) prolonged dry spells may be lost amid data from very short-term events. Without those two late August extreme rain events, summer 2020 at 171mm would be the driest on record (229-(31+27)) mm. Of course, this highlights just one of the extra insights that could accrue from a continuously recording automatic weather station situated on the Commons. Other benefits would undoubtedly include temperature records both extremes of heat and importantly days with frost. Plants and animals have to deal with weather extremes; unravelling these needs much fuller data than averages or monthly totals can reveal, though the latter are very valuable for indicating longer term trends. October 2020, at 145mm, saw the highest rainfall total for that month ever recorded since the Raynes Park records started in 2005 (Table 13 and Appendix 10). The next highest total for October was 100mm in 2012; the monthly average for October is 63mm. It was exceptional, and at the time of writing, the over winter replenishment period looks set to be among the wettest on record. This bodes well for pond replenishment and the wet heath and bog areas of the Commons. What the records do also clearly show, however, is high variation from year to year and that, as happened in 2020, a wet winter may well be cancelled out by exceptionally dry spring and early summer weather. To properly interpret all this, in terms of sward and pond management, more information is needed including temperature records especially and the chance to cross correlate on-site records with longer established recording stations in London and Surrey. The high hopes for abundant dragonflies and damselflies following good winter rainfall in 2019 -2020 were not borne out almost certainly as much a reflection of the dry spring and summer and depleted plant growth, as remarked on for The Plain, as disturbance and increased visitor pressure or even reduced recording due to the pandemic. Almost all wildlife recorders are suggesting that climate change is affecting assorted organism groups. In this context the benefits of a fuller spectrum of weather records cannot be overstated.

Table 12 Winter (January-March) and Integrated Summer Rainfall (April-September) at Raynes Park (SW20)

41 January - Rainfall Rank Integrated Rainfall Rank March summer period, Driest April-September Driest to To (year) (mm) Wettest (year) (mm) Wettest

06 104 2 06 316 8 07 200 14 07 356 13 08 161 8 08 326 10 09 165 10 09 211 1 10 180 =11 10 236 2 11 137 7 11 273 5 12 77 1 12 455 14 13 133 6 13 263 4 14 271 15 14 330 12 15 128 5 15 309 6 16 180 =11 16 328 11 17 126 4 17 319 9 18 163 9 18 243 4 19 116 3 19 311 7 20- 192 13 20 229 3

Table 13 Recent Over Winter Rainfall Totals and Recent October and Autumn Rainfall Totals Compared with the Wettest and Driest Years Recorded at Raynes Park (SW20)

Over winter rainfall October Autumn rainfall October-March) rainfall October - (mm) (mm) December (mm) Wettest 2013-14 523 2020 145 2020 274 recorded Driest 2011-12 189 2017 17 2011 112 recorded

Recent years 2017-18 311 2018 49 2018 196 2018-19 312 2019 93 2019 259 2019-20 466 2020 145 2020 274

REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns posed many challenges for wildlife and environmental monitoring and inevitably the 2020 the records are less complete than usual. Nevertheless, much was achieved and where there are information gaps, as in monitoring sward height on The Plain or being unable to convene an annual review meeting for the standard bird walk group, these concerns have been highlighted for priority activity in 2021. The coming recording season has huge importance in terms of re- grouping the key recording personnel, both volunteer and staff, and reviewing some of the issues that emerged in 2020. In particular, unravelling the influences of increased people pressure, reduced expert monitoring and weather vagaries will be important. To take this work forward the help of a temporary part- time staff or volunteer assistant to coordinate, review, and prioritise work would be very beneficial. A highlight during the year was signing the MoU with the London Wildlife Trust regarding management at Farm Bog. Formalising this link offers wider benefits as has already been seen in securing an excellent speaker for the 2021 winter talk. It also has promise for joint funding bids and has stimulated volunteer activity at Farm Bog with potential to extend work to the other smaller bog areas of the Commons. Link-ups

42 of staff, volunteer, and wider external agencies, these are very much what the W&C Forum is about fostering, and these offer many opportunities for the Commons’ management. Also particularly important in 2020 was the further phase of work at the Wimbledon Common section of Beverley Brook section both the in-stream planting by South East Rivers Trust personnel and volunteers and the improvements to access through the re-surfacing of the brookside track. An attractive new focal area of the Commons is emerging with, it must be hoped, attendant wildlife and environmental benefits as well as recreational gains. The absence of the by now customary BioBlitz event was a major gap but the ‘garden BioBlitz initiative’ reported as an addendum to this report makes a fascinating substitute and may well be an excellent engagement tool for the future should restrictions occur again. Wildlife walks and workshops, both in-house and externally-led were also greatly missed. Disappointingly the launch of the new citizen science scheme, Commons Wildlife Watch, could not go ahead with expert volunteer support on hand as had been planned. The substituted soft launch was not effective. A better response has been seen through the Nature Notes Facebook page. The way forward with these engagement activities, which would also boost records needs further full review. The primary purposes of all this monitoring may be summarised as: - a. Finding out what is present on The Commons, and what is missing that perhaps could be expected to be here or more abundant b. Identifying trends and changes in species presence and abundance and especially where declines or unexpected absences are seen or, indeed, gains from unwanted ‘guerrilla gardening’ c. Understanding environmental change and variation and its implications for management. This extends from weather monitoring to assessment of pollution and nutrient loading especially where control is possible e.g. nutrient enrichment arising from dog excrement. d. Generating information to support management activities and beyond that external funding bids e. Engagement with the wider public which may, longer term, help to recruit a new generation of wildlife recorders. f. Enjoyment and all the benefits of life enrichment that supports physical and mental well being. It is not just about science and the detail; the wider appreciation of the Commons and all they can offer the local community and visitors from further afield is important. The dramatically increased visitor numbers on the Commons during the major lockdown phases have emphasised this point. This report pulls together all the known records for 2020 as co-ordinated through the W&C Forum. As said previously, is accepted there may be other data that have been reported directly to organisations such as Greenspace Information for Greater London or national organisations such as the British Trust for Ornithology or i-record. The present in-house series, 2014 to date, however, gives an easily retrievable and comparable baseline for Commons’ management and change monitoring. It can be readily consulted for day-to-day management and used to support funding bids with outside agencies. It can be reputation enhancing; for example, it supports the Commons’ submission to London in Bloom. It also contributes to the wider understanding of London’s wildlife. It is the foundation from which the citizen science scheme, Commons Wildlife Watch has been developed. Through the comparison with earlier records, where available, it gives the foundation on which to build a picture of changes on the Commons, though much more work on this aspect remains to be achieved.

43 Some very specific points emerging from this year’s systematic monitoring are highlighted below. Looking back at the previous reports report 2014-19 some common issues persist most especially the need for new recorders. Obvious priorities are listed below. 1. New regular recorders are needed for dragonflies and damselflies and for flora. 2. A renewed effort is needed to retrieve historic bird walk data and to ensure all 4 for standard walk transects are being regularly monitored. 3. Monitoring the restored more open section of the Beverley Brook on Wimbledon Common needs coordination and achievement. 4. Improving public engagement with wildlife monitoring and especially encouraging links with local schools and other target groups would be beneficial. This could be done through the Commons Wildlife Watch scheme. 5. Commons Wildlife Watch needs reinvigorating with a revised launch programme. Given current pandemic uncertainties, it may be wise to defer this until 2022. Alternatively, pilot sessions with schools or other groups could be undertaken. 6. Re-starting walks, workshops and the BioBlitz is a more immediate priority for 2021. This may also help to generate some new regular monitoring people. 7. The monitoring focus on The Plain needs to continue since it directly supports the acid grassland/heathland SSSI designation and hence the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) funding. Bird records focused on this area are needed, similar to those previously recorded by DW in 2014-16. Monitoring should be extended to all the remnant grassland areas newly under similar management since these have potential to qualify for future Countryside Stewardship Scheme funding as acid grasslands. It would be sensible to include a regular heathland and Farm Bog review. 8. Continue to nurture and build on the links with London Wildlife Trust and other external agencies such as Surrey Botanical Society. Consider a renewed invitation to entomological experts at the London Natural History Museum to update the survey details recorded in 2015. 9. Establish systematic recording at Putney Lower Common and consolidate further baseline ecological information for this area. 10. A dedicated on-site weather record should be a priority. Understanding weather and historical weather patterns is important for future management of the Commons especially, but not only, ponds and wetland areas and the proposed wet woodland development and drainage ‘improvements’ linked with ideas arising from the National Heritage Lottery Fund review. 11. It is important to keep previous recommendations in mind e.g. fuller investigation into the potential use of seasonal grazing; the potential benefits of fuller analysis of soil and water quality in particular in relating to visitor pressure and the attendant dogs; the need to investigate the impacts of air pollution on the Commons; the benefits of achieving and maintaining a variable-age structure in the Commons’ heaths and woodlands. 12. Some more visible support for volunteers and recognition of their contributions should be considered. A volunteer base hub would make a useful start.

Throughout this report assorted short-term small projects that could support and extend the current work have been identified. Topics embrace additional field monitoring; understanding data trends; comparison with historical information where this exists e.g. the Ron Kettle Odonata data; improving engagement and information dissemination strategies; collating and organising data storage into a readily retrieval system; and facilitating establishment of on-site weather recording. While much could be achieved by a series of volunteer projects; a more coordinated approach through a dedicated post might achieve better results

44 more rapidly; someone who in coordination with the C&EO, and working in liaison with the expert recorders (volunteer and staff), could assist with quality control of volunteer records and help to map out the projects that need doing and set priorities. An office-based volunteer (or short-term part-time post (paid intern) would be helpful in this respect. Even more benefit would be seen if this was someone who could cover a potential recording gap when a regular monitoring person was unwell, or on holiday, or temporarily too busy. Work achieved could aid identification of trends and changes; assist with integration older records; chivvy information sharing; back-up production of new engagement materials; assist with updating existing publications (e.g. Drakeford and Sutcliffe, 2000) and web materials; and link these to current survey activities. It would help to ensure initiatives did not stall for want of energy and capacity; secure the current monitoring programme; and extend work into new areas of interest.

45 GARDEN MONITORING AT GRAVEL PIT COTTAGE, PUTNEY HEATH

The purpose of this report is to show how easy ad-hoc wildlife monitoring, either in a garden or out and about, can be, and that it is also a great way to encourage anyone, young or old, to develop an interest in nature. We moved into Gravel Pit Cottage in May 2019 and we spent the first year just sitting in the garden, looking at it and wondering what on earth we were going to do with it. I had grand illusions of growing all our own vegetables and creating margins of meadow and planting enough wildlife friendly plants to attract every insect possible. Although, as neither of us are very green-fingered, perhaps “grand delusions” was the more appropriate phrase. So that first year we did nothing other than leave a metre or so border of lawn uncut and let the Nettles, Alkanet and Creeping Buttercup do their thing while we “planned” what do in 2020.

Well, 2020 and plans.

With the country in lockdown, nothing but essential shops open and nowhere to go, we considered ourselves more fortunate than many in that we had access to a garden. Pondering what to do for the summer, we decided to extend our knowledge of garden wildlife and undertake a base survey of what lived in our garden now, and follow that up in 2021 and subsequent years to see what difference the planting we eventually carried out would make. We both already have an interest in wildlife, with my husband being an expert in moths (his hobby and his job), butterflies and birds and we already recorded them regularly, but neither of us had any experience of any other insects or plants. The late spring/early summer were very warm and dry and very conducive to sitting outside with a glass of wine or beer and monitoring anything that moved around us. Our recording was informal, and occasionally sporadic, but it did build up a picture of what was already living in our garden. I even began to develop a fondness for beetles, a species I have previously been known to avoid at all costs. We already had a good selection of reference books to use, including: 1. A Comprehensive Guide to Insects of Britain and Ireland, Paul D. Brock (A fantastic book that is great as a general all-round insect book) 2. Collins Field Guide – Spiders 3. Collins Field Guide – Insects 4. Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland, Steve Brooks 5. A Photographic Guide to the Grasshoppers and Crickets of Britain and Ireland, Martin Evans and Roger Edmondson 6. Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland The internet also proved invaluable for dentification purposes, whether just a general Google search, or a question asked in very species-specific Groups on Facebook – the experts that dwell in some of these Groups are delightfully enthusiastic and generally keen to help anyone with a passing interest and little knowledge of their favourite species.

46 We both knew the importance of formally recording the species that we saw, however common. Information such as we were collecting is used by many organisations to help build up a local and national picture which then show declines or falls in species and can aid in decisions around what conservation measures might be needed in different areas. Making it more important was that recording - formal or informal – on the Commons had been seriously lacking for many years. By far the easiest way to record our sightings was via a mobile phone app – iRecord. Developed by the Biological Records Centre, you can record all manner of species – flora and fauna - via the app, or indeed on their webpage here: https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/ Quite often what we saw and recorded were the first records for our “square” - biological records are recorded in 10k or 1k squares. That is not because they are new to the area or are rare, but simply no-one has recorded them before and so the value of adhoc records like this cannot be overstated. Most species we encountered were fairly common but the one surprise that we had not expected was the number of butterfly species. There are 57 resident species of butterfly in the UK and we recorded 25 in our garden alone over the year - a garden with less than a handful of herbaceous flower species, but a good selection of trees and one or two grasses – it goes to show how important these can be to our invertebrates too. Common grasses left to grow long can be as good as a patch of nectar-friendly flowers to many of our insects. The results can be seen in Appendices 11, 12 and 13. Photographs

Figure 25 – Entomologist at Work – also Showing the Bare Garden in Early April

Figure 26 – The Same Border as in Figure 25 but Later in the Year.

47 Figure 27 – A Pair of Foxes Caught on the Night Camera

Figure 28 – Comma Butterfly on Alkanet

Figure 29 Bumble Bee on Alkanet

48 Figure 30 – Male Emperor Moth

Figure 31 Small Copper Butterfly

Figure 32 – Black-headed Cardinal Beetle

49 Figure 33 – Large Skipper Butterfly

Figure 34 Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle

Figure 35 Summer Chafer

50

Figure 36 Ringlet Butterfly

Figure 37 – Honey Bee on Privet Hedge Flower

51 REFERENCES Burn-Murdoch, J. (2020) Britons flock to parks despite lockdown. Financial Times 31.03.2020 Butterfly Conservation (undated) Big Butterfly Counts 2020: The results. https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/big-butterfly-count-2020-the-results Accessed 16th March 2021 Canal & River Trust (2020) Terrapins. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk Accessed 18th March 2021 Dawson, D. (2009) Wimbledon Common Bird Monitoring: Changes in the Numbers of Common Birds over the Last Fourteen Years. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Drakeford, T. and Sutcliffe, U. (Eds.) (2000) Wimbledon Common and Putney Heath: A Natural History. London: Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Frank, S. (2010) Restoration of a population of Breeding Skylarks, Alauda arvensis, to The Plain on Wimbledon Common. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Haldane, P. (2020) Reptile and Amphibian Survey 2020. A summary of spot sightings reported to the Conservation and Engagement officer. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Harding, N. and Harper, P. (2015) Red Kites Soaring in Numbers, Wildlife Aid Boss Believes. SurreyLIve www.getsurrey.co.uk Accessed March 2019 National Climate Information Centre (2021 ) UK Annual Weather Summary 2020. Weather, 76:2 p51 National Climate Information Centre (2020) UK Seasonal Weather Summary, Spring 2020. Weather, 75:7 p209 Penny Anderson Associates (2016) Wimbledon and Putney Commons: National Vegetation Classification Survey and Habitat Assessment Available from WPCC Rangers Office Podmore, A. (Ed.) (2020) The Birds, Butterflies and Dragonflies of Wimbledon and Putney Commons. Annual Report 2020 Available from WPCC Rangers Office Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) (undated) Red Kite. www.rspb.org.uk Accessed 16.03.19 South East Rivers Trust (SERT) (2018) Geomorphological Improvements – Wimbledon Common, Beverley Brook - Project Proposal. Available from WPCC Rangers Office South East Rivers Trust (SERT) (undated) Assorted articles and Riverfly Data for Beverley Brook www.southeastriverstrust.org Accessed March 2021 Taylor, R. (Ed.) (2014) Monitoring on The Plain 2014. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Taylor, R. (Ed.) (2015) Wimbledon and Putney Commons Monitoring Report Spring/Summer 2015. Available from WPCC Ranger’s Office Taylor, R. (Ed.) (2016) Wimbledon and Putney Commons Monitoring Report Spring/Summer 2016. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Taylor, R. (Ed.) (2017) Wimbledon and Putney Commons Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Report 2017. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Taylor, R. (Ed.) (2018) Wimbledon and Putney Commons Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Report 2018. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Taylor, R. (Ed.) (2019) Wimbledon and Putney Commons Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Report 2019. Available from WPCC Rangers Office Thompson, P.R. (2021) The State of Britain’s Larger Moths 2021 Available from Butterfly Conservation.org https://butterfly-conservation.org/sites/default/files/1state-of-britains-larger-moths-2013- report.pdf Accessed 16th March 2021 Wallace, I. (c. 2016) Riverfly Recording: 10years of progress. Riverfly Recording Scheme (Caddis Scheme Organiser). PDF of a presentation. Available from nbn.org.uk WPCC (2021) Commons Update – February 2021 https://www.wpcc.org.uk

52

Useful information on citizen science initiatives is available from the websites of Butterfly Conservation https://www.butterflyconservation.org, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) https://www.rspb.org.uk and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) https://www.bto.org

Earlier Monitoring Reports in this series; the Annual Reports of Birds Butterflies and Dragonflies and the C&EO’s Annual Review of Conservation e.g. Haldane, P. (2020) Annual Conservation Report 2019/20 are available from the WPCC web site https://www.wpcc.org.uk

53 Appendix 1 A THE WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION FORUM AND VOLUNTEER RECORDERS 2020

a. Membership of the Wildlife and Conservation Forum (W&C Forum)

Role with WPCC Participant Contributing Expertise Initial Field recorder for identifier The Plain PM Key external affinity in text BioBlitz BB Other WPC activity O Chief Executive Officer Simon Lee Environmental overview SL BBO

Conservation and Peter Haldane General ecology and wildlife PH PMBBO Engagement Officer management, reptiles and amphibians

house staff Chief Operations Manager Steve Bound General ecology and data SB O

-In management Executive Personal Assistant Angela Evans - Moths, general wildlife, AE-H BBO Hill Riverfly communications

Conservator Shirley Gillbe General Zoology SG O Putney Lower Common link Conservator Sarah-Jane SJ-H O Friends link Holden

Conservators Conservator Ros Taylor Plants, general ecology and RT PMBBO W&C Forum Chair environment monitoring Volunteer Bill Budd Dragonflies and damselflies BB BB, (PM) O

Volunteer James Copeland Badgers JC O BB – 2020 would have remote camera surveys of been his first event- Badger setts animal tracks and signs Volunteer Les Evans-Hill Butterflies and moths, birds, LE-H BO Butterfly Conservation data management Volunteer Peter Fischer Butterflies, scrub bashing PF O Local street tree warden rainfall monitoring

Andrew Harding Andrew Harding Coordinator for Farm Bog AH O LWT link working parties

Volunteer Alison Pelikan Small mammals, engaging APel BBO Volunteer Formerly children’s nature young people club leader, local beekeeper Volunteer Adrian Birds AP BBO Coordinator for Annual Bird Podmore Butterflies and, Dragonflies Report Volunteer Simon Riley Butterflies, general ecology SR BBO

Volunteer Jan Wilczur Birds JWcz O Richmond Park link

b. BioBlitz expert walk leader John Tovey (JT) London Bat Group - Bat expert (occasionally Philip Briggs (PB) leads the bat BioBlitz Bat Walk) Sarah Patton (SP) BioBlitz Bugs John Lock (JL) BioBlitz Bugs

c. Other key volunteers John Weir (JW) - Retired volunteer, long-term Commons observer, seasonal changes in vegetation, birds and environmental conditions on The Plain; public activities on The Plain Graham Guthrie (GG) Bird Transect walker; Alastair and Katharine Brown (AB / KB) Bird Transect walkers Derek Coleman (DC) - Caddisfly recorder at Farm Bog Andy Overall (AO) - Fungal Foray leader. (not available in 2019) Quekett Microscopical Club (QM )- Regular contributors to the BioBlitz event Jane and Ian Swann-White (J&IS-W) Small mammal experts Andy Davis Butterfly transect Jackie Underwood Hall Hedgehogs

Forum members can be contacted through the Ranger’s Office Tel: 020 8788 7655 E-mail: [email protected] www.wpcc.org.uk

54 Appendix 2 WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION EVENTS AT WIMBLEDON AND PUTNEY COMMONS 2020 AND ASSOCIATED W&C FORUM AND VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

Date Event January W&C Forum meeting

February Winter Talk - Citizen Science Counts - The BTO’s Garden Bird Watch Shows How Annual Bird, Butterflies and Dragonflies 2019 Report published A short section on Moths is included in the 2019 report March W&C Forum meeting Spring Walk with Management Team* April Bird Standard Walk Group meeting* Bird Song Workshop* Bird Song walk* Launch of Commons Wildlife Watch* May Annual Conservation Report 19/20 received Monitoring Report 2019 published Bird Song walk* W&C Forum meeting by ZOOM June BioBlitz Weekend of Nature 26th -28th June* Summer phase of Commons Wildlife Watch* (soft launch substituted ) July Summer Evening Walk with Management Team* W&C Forum meeting – MoU with LWT signed Butterfly, Dragonfly and Damselfly Walk* August Annual Mowing on The Plain Citizen Science Moth Event* September Open Day* W&C Forum meeting deferred to October by ZOOM Late Summer / early Autumn Bird Walk* Autumn phase of Commons Wildlife Watch* October W&C Forum Meeting Autumn Walk with Management Team - Putney Heath * Autumn Bird Walk* November W&C Forum meeting by ZOOM Winter Bird Walk* December Winter phase of Commons Wildlife Watch*

Notes: All asterisked events were cancelled due restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic . All six W&C Forum meetings took place with regular conservation management reports from the C&EO. The W&C Forum in particular leads on the BioBlitz, the Winter Talk, bird song walks and workshops, butterfly and dragonfly walks, and on the regular wildlife monitoring. Commons Wildlife Watch is a new W&C Forum initiative which was due to launch in 2020.

Volunteer Activities: Despite the unusual circumstances posed by the pandemic, some volunteering activity continued on the Commons. The Saturday morning Scrub Bashers continued to meet, twice each month, until the first lockdown in late March 2020 and re-started for 3 sessions only in November and December. Similarly, the Mid-week Estates Volunteer Team was mainly active early in the year and during the summer lull in pandemic restrictions. Walks for Health were operational on a fortnightly basis at the start of the year but were then suspended for the remainder of the year. Many regular participants were in officially notified vulnerable categories and needed to shield or self-isolate. It is expected these walks can resume at some point in 2021; re-starting will be coordinated with local authority best practice in line with government guidelines.

55 When permissible, Duke of Edinburgh (DoE)award students again assisted with litter picking which was a major need during the pandemic making their contribution especially useful. Between 1st April 2020 and 10th March 2021 46 DoE volunteers litter picked on the Commons. In 2020 around 30 individuals also regularly assisted with litter picking and a local resident from Wimbledon village coordinated a group of 45 people to assist with litter picking on a monthly basis. During a lull in lockdowns in August and September 2020 there was additional volunteer litter picking from four local groups: Wimbledon Women’s Institute; South West 15 Hedgehogs; Animal Asia Foundation and as an activity for Global Group Giving Week. Other organisations too undertook litter picking often as part of team building days, e.g. Geocache whose volunteers frequently visit to litter pick along Beverley Brook. Litter picking along the brook was also undertaken by SERT volunteers in February and when restrictions eased in June.

Other volunteering work was, however, greatly restricted due to health and safety concerns linked with the pandemic endeavours. Very little Riverfly monitoring was possible at Beverley Brook and no small mammal surveys could be undertaken. It was not possible to coordinate a Bat walk with the public, nor a fungal foray event. Some ecological management was, however, achieved at Farm Bog under the auspices of the London Wildlife Trust, Merton branch. This built on the maintenance work installing new dams which was undertaken by the Commons staff early in the year. Proposed additional volunteer activity at Stag Bog was not possible due to the second COVID-19 wave.

The total, the number of volunteering hours for 2020 (April 2020-end March 2021) was formally logged (by the C&EO) as 2447. Inevitably this is less than in previous years. It was, however, evident that some public-spirited people were often informally litter picking the Commons but did not announce their work to the C&EO or other office staff. Similarly, the C&EO’s total does not include the more adhoc hours spent wildlife monitoring and reporting by individuals so the overall total contribution to Commons management will be greater. Additional to this is the time commitment of volunteer members of the Wildlife and Conservation Forum.

56 Appendix 3a FLORAL RECORDS FOR THE PLAIN, WIMBLEDON AND PUTNEY COMMONS 2020

Surveying curtailed due to Corona virus pandemic. Travel from Norfolk to Wimbledon not possible from mid- March to mid-July 2020

No May survey !5th July Recorders: Ros Taylor (RT) Comments RT Duration search (hours) 4hours y denotes confirmed presence in 2020 Blank means recorded in 2014 and /or 2015 /or 2016 / 2017/2018/2019 pandemic only full survey

Ferns (and mosses) Dryopteris felix-mas male fern Ophioglossum vulgatum adderstongue too late in season to find

Pines and allies Pinus sp. (sylvestris sapling?)

Flowering plants Dicotyledons Achillea millefolium yarrow y flowering - short 15cm to 18cm max, most shorter Anthriscus sylvestris agg. cow parsley Arctium minus lesser burdock Betula sp. birch seedling or sapling y Calluna vulgaris ling (heather) y Cardamine hirsuta hairy bittercress Cardamine pratensis lady's-smock Centaurea nigra knapweed y Cerastium fontanum common mouse-ear y Chamaenerion angustifolium rosebay willowherb y Cirsium arvense creeping thistle y Convolvulus arvensis field bindweed y Crataegus monogyna hawthorn sapling Dactylorhiza maculata heath spotted orchid too late in season to find Dactylorhiza praetermissa southern marsh orchid too late in season to find / too dry Epilobium montanum broad-leaved willowherb Epilobium parviflorum hoary willowherb Erica tetralix crossed-leaved heath Filaginella uliginosa (Gnaphalium uliginosum) marsh cudweed y Galega officinalis goat's rue y

57 Appendix 3a FLORAL RECORDS FOR THE PLAIN, WIMBLEDON AND PUTNEY COMMONS 2020

Galium aparine common cleavers Galium saxatile heath bedstraw Galium verum lady's bedstraw y Geranium pratense meadow crane's-bill Heracleum sphondylium hogweed y Hypericum perforatum agg. perforate St John's-wort Hypochaeris radicata common catsear y Lamium purpureum red deadnettle Lathyrus nissolia grass vetchling Lathyrus pratensis meadow vetchling y Leontodon autumnalis autumn hawkbit y Linum catharticum fairy flax y new spp Lotus corniculatus bird's-foot trefoil y Lysimachia (vulgaris) punctata (yellow) dotted loosestrife garden escape y Medicago lupulina black meddick Narcissus spp. daffodil (garden escape) Ophrys apifera bee orchid too late in season to find Plantago lanceolata ribwort plantain y Plantago major greater plantain y mainly recreation zone Populus tremula poplar(aspen) seedlings Potentilla anserina silverweed Potentilla erecta tormentil y Polygonum persicaria redshank not seen Quercus cerris turkey oak seedlings y Quercus robur oak saplings / seedlings y Ranunculus acris meadow buttercup y Ranunculus bulbosus bulbous buttercup Ranunculus ficaria lesser celandine Ranunculus repens creeping buttercup y Rhinanthus minor yellow rattle y Rosa canina dog rose Rubus fruticosus agg. bramble Rumex acetosa common sorrel y Rumex acetosella agg. sheep's sorrel Rumex conglomeratus clustered dock Rumex crispus curled dock Salix caprea goat willow y Salix repens creeping willow y

58 Appendix 3a FLORAL RECORDS FOR THE PLAIN, WIMBLEDON AND PUTNEY COMMONS 2020

Senecio jacobea ragwort y Sorbus aucuparia rowan sapling Stellaria graminea lesser stitchwort y Taraxacum agg. dandelion y Tilia cordata small-leaved lime sapling Trifolium campestre hop trefoil ) Trifolium dubium lesser trefoil ) y Trifolium pratense red clover y Trifolium repens white clover y Urtica dioica stinging nettle Veronica chamaedrys germander speedwell not seen Veronica persica common field-speedwell Vicia cracca tufted vetch Vicia hirsuta hairy tare Vicia sativa agg. common vetch y Vicia tetrasperma smooth tare y

Monocotyledons Agrostis capillaris (tenuis) common bent y Agrostis stolonifera creeping bent Alopecurus pratensis meadow foxtail Anthoxanthum odoratum sweet vernal-grass Arrhenatherum elatius false oat-grass Carex sp. (distachia?) possibly brown sedge Carex elata tufted sedge Carex hirta hairy sedge Carex nigra common sedge Carex ovalis oval sedge Carex sp. tbc Dactylis glomerata cocksfoot Deschampsia flexuosa wavy hair-grass y Festuca arundinacea tall fescue y Festuca ovina agg. sheep's fescue Festuca rubra red fescue y Holcus lanatus Yorkshire fog y Holcus mollis creeping soft-grass Juncus bufonius toad rush Juncus conglomeratus compact rush

59 Appendix 3a FLORAL RECORDS FOR THE PLAIN, WIMBLEDON AND PUTNEY COMMONS 2020

Juncus effusus soft rush y Juncus squarrosus heath rush y Juncus tenuis slender rush y Lolium perenne perennial ryegrass y Luzula campestris field wood-rush y Luzula multiflora heath wood-rush y Molinia caerulea purple moor-grass y Nardus stricta mat grass y Poa annua annual meadow-grass recreation zone mainly y Poa pratensis smooth meadow grass Poa trvialis rough meadow-grass

Number of species noted-full surveys 51

Cummulative total not applicable in 2020

BioBlitz public event additonal records not applicable in 2020 Overall

NOTES

Rapid verification survey Sward seeming exceptionally short Some early flowering species hard to fnd Early flowering grasses not distinguished

Heavy visitor pressure reported throughout the first lock down phase Record dry May SR verified and ophotographed Adders-tongue No other ancilliary plant recording reported e.g. from C&EO, butterfly and dragonfly and damselfly recorders or other regular public contrbuters due to pandemic restrictions

Skylarks reported in June but no other summmer records; seen over The plain again in October an November

Faunal notes from visit include Common crow, Woodpigeon Many rabbbit droppings in area with Yarrow, rabbits seen grazing near the Nettle Patch 7spot Ladybird, Grasshopper

60 ( BIOBLITZ PLANT COMMUNITIES ) - THE HABITAT PATCHES- 2020

Bioblitz Plant Communities - The Habitat Patches Recorder RT Rapid survey y denotes plant recorded and verified (US / RT) 2016 Overcast with fine rain s denotes plant recorded and verified (US / RT) 2017 h denotes plant recorded and verified (US / RT) 2018 p denotes plant recorded and verified (US/RT) 2019 yy denotes plant recorded and verified (RT) 2020 a denotes plant species not recorded on The Plain during ystematic suurveys in 2019 but noted in a Habitat PatcThere was insufficient data in 2020 to make a meanful cross refernce

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 Extras to The Plain 2019 record Hogweed patch TQ2305972261 Acer pseudoplatanus sycamore yy p h s BioBlitz a Agrostis capillaris (tenuis) common bent yy p h s Anthriscus sylvestris agg. cow parsley yy p h s y Arrhenatherum elatius false oat-grass p h s y Artemesia vulgaris mugwort p h a Bromus sterilis barren brome BioBlitz Cardamine hirsuta hairy bittercress s y Cardamine pratensis lady's smock / cuckoo flower s y Chamerion angustifolum rosebay willowherb yy p h s not seen to date Cirsium arvense creeping thistle h s y Cirsium vulgare spear thistle yy p s Calystegia syvatica great bindweed yy p h s y a Dactylis glomerata cocksfoot p h s y Deschampsia flexuosa wavy hair-grass y Equisetum arvense field horsetail yy p h s y a Galium aparine common cleavers yy p h s y Geranium dissectum cut-leaved crane's-bill h s y Heracleum sphondylium hogweed yy p h s y Holcus lanatus yorkshire fog p h Hordeum murinum wall barley p a Lamium album white deadnettle yy p h s BioBlitz a Lamium purpureum red deadnettle h y Lathyrus pratensis meadow vetchling h y Lolium perenne perennial ryegrass p h s y Plantago lanceolata ribwort plantain p h s y Plantago major greater plantain yy Ranunculus repens creeping buttercup p h s y Rubus fruticosus agg. bramble yy p h s y Rumex acetosa common sorrel h y Scilla non-scripta / S.hispanica bluebell - English & Spanish y in May not recorded in 2017,18,19 Taraxacum agg. dandelion p h Trifolium repens white clover h (seat area onlys y Urtica dioica stinging nettle yy p h s y Vicia cracca tufted vetch yy p h s y Vicia sativa common vetch p h s y Vicia tetrasperma smooth tare h s BioBlitz 14 species

Nettle Patch TQ2312472169 not recorded Agrostis capillaris common bent h Arrhenatherum elatius false oat-grass p Artemesia vulgaris mugwort p h s y a (rpt) Betula pendula silver birch seedling s y Cerastium fontanum common mouse-ear h Chamaenerion angustifolum rosebay willowherb p h s y Cirsium arvense creeping thistle h y Cirsium vulgare spear thistle p s y Convolvulu sarvensis field bindweed p Dactylis glomerata cocksfoot s Dryopteris felix-mas male fern p s Epilobium hirsutum great willowherb p h s a Equisetum arvense field horsetail p Galium aparine common cleavers/ goosegrass p h s y Geranium pratense meadow crane's bill p h s BioBlitz a Heracleum sphondylium hogweed p h s y Holcus lanatus yorkshire fog p h y Lathyrus pratensis meadow vetchling h s Lotus corniculatus bird's-foot trefoil h Quercus robur pedunculate oak seedling y Plantago major greater plantain p Ranunculus repens creeping buttercup p h s y Ranunculus acris meadow buttercup p Rubus fruticosus agg. bramble p h s y Rumex acetosa common sorrel p h y Rumex crispus curled dock p h Stellaria graminea stitchwort p h Trifolium dubium lesser trefoil s Trifolium repens white clover s y Urtica dioica stinging nettle p h s y Vicia cracca tufted vetch p h s y Vicia sativa common vetch h s 0 species - not recorded

Heath Patch Near Reptile Refuge TQ2320772002 Agrostis capillaris common bent yy h Betula pendula silver birch sapling /seedling yy p h s y Betula pendulens downy birch seedling/sapling? h Calluna vulgaris heather / ling yy p h s y Chamaenerion angustifolium rosebay willowherb yy p h s y Dactylis glomerata cocksfoot s Deschampsia flexuosa wavy hair-grass p h s y Epilobium montanum broad-leaved willowherb s Epilobium tetragonum square-stalked willowherb h to confirm ID Festuca rubra red fescue yy h s Filaginella uliginosa marsh cudweed yy Holcus lanatus yorkshire fog yy p h s y Juncus bufonius toad rush y Juncus effusus soft rush yy p h s y Juncus squarrosus heath rush p h s y Juncus tenuis slender rush yy p h s y Lolium perenne perennial ryegrass h s y Lonicera oeericlymenum honeysuckle yy Luzula campestris field wood-rush yy h s y Luzula multiflora heath woodrush p h Molinia caerulea purple moor-grass yy p h s y Poa annua annual meadow-grass h

61 ( BIOBLITZ PLANT COMMUNITIES ) - THE HABITAT PATCHES- 2020

Potentilla erecta tormentil yy p h s y Pteridium aquilinum bracken yy p h s a Quercus cerris turkey oak sapling p h s y Quercus robur pedunculate oak sapling yy p h s y Ranuculus repens creeping buttercup yy h Rosa arvensis field rose h s y a Rosa canina dog rose yy p Rubus fruticosus agg. bramble yy p h s y Rumex acetosa common sorrel p h Rumex sp. broad leaved dock? h to check ID Salix repens creeping willow h y Salix caprea willow sapling yy p Sorbus aucuparia rowan yy h Vicia cracca tufted vetch h s Vicia sativa common vetch h s 20 species

Around Hookhamslade TQ2321371794 Alnus glutinosa alder yy p h s y a Betula pendula silver birch yy p h s y castania sativa sweet chestnut p Chamerion angustifolium rosebay willowherb yy p h s Deschampsia flexuosa wavy hair-grass yy y Epilobium montanum broad-leaved willowherb yy Epilobium parviflorum hoary willowherb Geum urbanum herb bennet / wood avens p Glyceria maxima reed sweet-grass y Holcus lanatus yorkshire fog yy h y Iris pseudacorus yellow flag yy p h s y a Juncus effusus soft rush yy p h s y Juncus tenuis slender rush yy p h s y Lolium perenne perennial ryegrass p h s Molinia caerulea purple moor-grass yy p h s y Nymphaea alba white water lily yy p h s y a Populus tremula aspen (poplar) p h s Potentilla erecta tormentil p h Pteridium aquilinum bracken p h s y a (rpt) Quercus robur pedunculate oak yy p h y Rubus fruticosus agg. bramble p h s y Rumex acetosa common sorrel h Salix caprea goat willow p h s y Sorbus aucuparia rowan p h s y Sparganium erectum branched bur-reed yy not seen yet s BioBlitz Ulex europaeus European gorse yy p 14 species

Secondary woodland - route from Nettle Patch to Heath and near Hookhamslade (and north of Bluegate Pond) Aesculus hippocastanum horse chestnut sapling yy p h a Betula pendula silver birch yy p h s Carex pendula pendulous sedge yy p b s y Castanea sativa sweet chestnut p b s on 2015 routea Chamerion angustifolium rose-bay willowherb yy p h Deschampsia flexuosa wavy hair-grass b s y Dryopteris felix-mas male fern yy p h Epilobium montanum broad-leaved willowherb h Euonymus europeaus spindle yy p on approach to nettle patch rt /us Fagus sylvatica beech p h s y a Geum urbanum herb bennet (wood avens) p h s y a Hedera helix ivy yy p b s a Ilex aquilinum holly yy p h s y a Juncus tenuis slender rush yy p h s y Lonicera periclymenum honeysuckle p h Molinia caerulea purple moor-grass p h s y Populus tremula poplar yy p h s y Prunus avium wild cherry on 2015 route Pteridium aquilinum bracken yy p h a (rpt) Quercus cerris turkey oak p b s y Quercus robur pedunculate oak p h s y Rubus fruticosus bramble yy p h s y Sorbus aucuparia rowan / mountain ash p h s y Taxus baccata yew yy p h s y a 13 species

Wayside Area Near Wood Pile TQ2303572253 not rceorded Anthriscus sylvestris agg. cow parsley p Arrhenatherum elatius false oat-grass p h s y Artemesia vulgaris mugwort p h s y Capsella bursa-pastoris shepherd's purse s Chamerion angustifolium rosebay willowherb p Chamomilla recutita /Matricaria recutita scented mayweed h s y a Cirsium arvense creeping thistle h Cirsium vulgare spear thistle p s Dactylis glomerata cocksfoot p s y Galium aparine common cleavers p Heracleum sphondylium hogweed p h s y Holcus lanatus yorkshire fog p h Hordeum murinum wall barley p h s y a(rpt) Lapsana communis nipplewort h s y Leucanthemum vulgare oxeye daisy p h s y a Lolium perenne perennial ryegrass p h s y Plantago lanceolata ribwort plantain p h s y Poa annua annual meadow grass h Poa pratensis smooth meadow grass h Quercur iobur pedunculate oak sapling p Rubus fruticosus agg. bramble p h Rumax acetosa common sorrel h Rumex crispus curled dock p Salix caprea willow ( as a bush) p Sisymbrium officinale hedge mustard p h ID check needed a confirmed Taraxacum agg. dandelion p h s Trifolium repens white clover h s Urtica dioica stinging nettle p h s 0 species - not recorded

Page62 2 APPENDIX 4a Standard Bird Walk Transect A- Annual Overview Wimbledon Common A (202 4.5 km Temp: 11C Cloud: 70% Wind: 2 NW Rain: 0mm Recorder: Les Evans-Hill Start: 07:4End: 09:10 Species A B C D E F G TOTAL Mean/Km Variance StDev Blackbird 1 2 0 1 0 1 2 7 1.56 0.57 0.76 Blackcap 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Black-headed Gull 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 3.78 35.39 5.95 Blue Tit 4 6 5 11 3 12 1 42 9.33 14.29 3.78 Bullfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Canada Goose 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.67 1.10 1.05 Carrion Crow 2 3 1 4 2 4 3 19 4.22 1.06 1.03 Chaffinch 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 0.67 0.53 0.73 Chiffchaff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Coal Tit 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0.44 0.49 0.70 Common Buzzard 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Common Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Common Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Coot 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.44 0.49 0.70 Cormorant 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 3 0.67 0.53 0.73 Dartford Warbler 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Dunnock 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Fieldfare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Firecrest 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Garden Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Goldcrest 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 4 0.89 0.53 0.73 Goldfinch 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0.44 0.49 0.70 Great Spotted Woodpecker 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Great Tit 2 9 0 5 0 9 1 26 5.78 13.63 3.69 Green Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Greenfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grey Heron 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Grey Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Greylag Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Herring Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 House Martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Jackdaw 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Jay 1 2 0 1 0 0 2 6 1.33 0.69 0.83 Kestrel 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0.44 0.20 0.45 Lesser Black-backed Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Redpoll 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Spotted Woodpecke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Egret 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Grebe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Long-tailed Tit 4 2 0 7 0 2 0 15 3.33 5.84 2.42 Magpie 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 6 1.33 0.69 0.83 Mallard 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 2.22 12.24 3.50 Manderin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Meadow Pipit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Mistle Thrush 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0.44 0.49 0.70 Moorhen 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.44 0.49 0.70 Mute Swan 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.44 0.49 0.70 Nuthatch 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.44 0.49 0.70 Pied Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Redwing 4 9 0 0 3 0 0 16 3.56 9.92 3.15 Reed Bunting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Ring-necked Parakeet 3 0 4 3 0 0 2 12 2.67 2.49 1.58 Robin 1 2 1 4 0 0 3 11 2.44 1.96 1.40 Rock Dove 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 5 1.11 1.92 1.39 Shoveler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Siskin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Skylark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Song Thrush 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0.44 0.49 0.70 Sparrowhawk 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Starling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Stock Dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Stonechat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Swallow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Swift 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Tawny Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Treecreeper 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Tufted Duck 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Wheatear 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Whinchat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Willow Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Woodpigeon 2 9 3 4 2 1 2 23 5.11 6.20 2.49 Wren 1 2 1 3 2 0 1 10 2.22 0.82 0.90

Individuals 264 Species 36 63 APPENDIX 4b Standard Bird Walk Transect B- Annual Overview Wimbledon Common B (2020) 4.35 km Recorder: Adrian Podmore Species A B C D E F G TOTAL Mean/Km Variance StDev Blackbird 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Blackcap 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Black-headed Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Blue Tit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Bullfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Canada Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Carrion Crow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Chaffinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Chiffchaff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Coal Tit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Common Buzzard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Common Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Common Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Coot 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Cormorant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Dartford Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Dunnock 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Fieldfare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Firecrest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Garden Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Goldcrest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Goldfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Great Spotted Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Great Tit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Green Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Greenfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grey Heron 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grey Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Greylag Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Herring Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 House Martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Jackdaw 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Jay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Kestrel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Black-backed Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Redpoll 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Egret 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Grebe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Long-tailed Tit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Magpie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Mallard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Manderin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Meadow Pipit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Mistle Thrush 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Moorhen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Mute Swan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Nuthatch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Pied Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Redwing 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Reed Bunting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Ring-necked Parakeet 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Robin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Rock Dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Shoveler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Siskin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Skylark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Song Thrush 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Sparrowhawk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Starling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Stock Dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Stonechat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Swallow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Swift 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Tawny Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Treecreeper 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Tufted Duck 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Wheatear 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Whinchat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Willow Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Woodpigeon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Wren 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00

Individuals 0 Species 0

64 APPENDIX 4c Standard Bird Walk Transect C - Annual Overview Wimbledon Common C (202 4.45 km Recorder: Graham Guthrie Species A B C D E F G TOTAL Mean/KmVariance StDev Blackbird 5 5 3 6 0 0 4 23 5.17 5.06 2.25 Blackcap 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Black-headed Gull 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 7 1.57 3.14 1.77 Blue Tit 45 20 11 27 25 27 22 177 39.78 91.06 9.54 Bullfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Canada Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Carrion Crow 12 8 3 4 7 2 5 41 9.21 10.12 3.18 Chaffinch 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Chiffchaff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Coal Tit 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.45 0.49 0.70 Common Buzzard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Common Gull 5 6 0 0 0 0 0 11 2.47 6.24 2.50 Common Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Coot 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Cormorant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Dartford Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Dunnock 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 3 0.67 0.53 0.73 Fieldfare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Firecrest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Garden Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Goldcrest 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 5 1.12 0.78 0.88 Goldfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Great Spotted Woodpecker 4 1 0 2 0 6 1 14 3.15 4.29 2.07 Great Tit 26 8 8 17 10 13 11 93 20.90 35.35 5.95 Green Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.22 0.12 0.35 Greenfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grey Heron 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grey Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Greylag Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Herring Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 House Martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Jackdaw 7 8 0 0 6 2 0 23 5.17 11.06 3.33 Jay 2 0 1 0 4 0 0 7 1.57 2.00 1.41 Kestrel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Black-backed Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Redpoll 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Spotted Woodpecke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Egret 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Grebe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Long-tailed Tit 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.45 0.20 0.45 Magpie 6 4 1 0 1 1 1 14 3.15 4.00 2.00 Mallard 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.45 0.49 0.70 Manderin 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.45 0.49 0.70 Meadow Pipit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Mistle Thrush 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Moorhen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Mute Swan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Nuthatch 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0.90 1.10 1.05 Pied Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Redwing 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 36 8.09 158.69 12.60 Reed Bunting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Ring-necked Parakeet 10 1 3 4 1 6 5 30 6.74 8.49 2.91 Robin 20 13 8 9 20 11 13 94 21.12 20.24 4.50 Rock Dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Shoveler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Siskin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Skylark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Song Thrush 7 2 2 1 0 0 0 12 2.70 5.35 2.31 Sparrowhawk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Starling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Stock Dove 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 5 1.12 0.78 0.88 Stonechat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Swallow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Swift 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Tawny Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Treecreeper 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Tufted Duck 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Wheatear 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Whinchat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Willow Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Woodpigeon 10 3 1 3 2 2 1 22 4.94 8.41 2.90 Wren 6 2 2 6 6 2 2 26 5.84 3.92 1.98

Individuals 657 Species 26

65 APPENDIX 4d. Standard Bird Walk Transect D - Annual Overview Wimbledon Common D (202 3.2 km Recorder: Alastair & Katharine Brown Species A B C D E F G TOTAL Mean/Km Variance StDev Blackbird 24 1 12 0 14 14 5 70 21.88 62.57 7.91 Blackcap 24 3 7 0 5 3 0 42 13.13 59.43 7.71 Black-headed Gull 0 0 0 93 0 0 1 94 29.38 1055.39 32.49 Blue Tit 102 17 22 1 38 68 42 290 90.63 999.39 31.61 Bullfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Canada Goose 0 0 0 0 1 0 10 11 3.44 11.96 3.46 Carrion Crow 74 22 20 188 7 14 18 343 107.19 3638.00 60.32 Chaffinch 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0.94 0.24 0.49 Chiffchaff 6 4 7 0 3 9 1 30 9.38 9.06 3.01 Coal Tit 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 4 1.25 0.53 0.73 Common Buzzard 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.31 0.12 0.35 Common Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Common Whitethroat 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 4 1.25 1.10 1.05 Coot 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 1.25 1.96 1.40 Cormorant 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.31 0.12 0.35 Dartford Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Dunnock 12 1 0 0 1 3 0 17 5.31 16.24 4.03 Fieldfare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Firecrest 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.31 0.12 0.35 Garden Warbler 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 0.94 1.10 1.05 Goldcrest 2 2 0 0 2 8 0 14 4.38 6.86 2.62 Goldfinch 18 0 3 5 0 0 0 26 8.13 37.35 6.11 Great Spotted Woodpecker 7 3 1 1 0 1 1 14 4.38 4.86 2.20 Great Tit 75 15 17 2 17 43 33 202 63.13 505.84 22.49 Green Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Greenfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Grey Heron 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.31 0.12 0.35 Grey Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Greylag Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Herring Gull 0 0 3 6 0 0 1 10 3.13 4.53 2.13 House Martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Jackdaw 3 0 0 7 0 0 0 10 3.13 6.24 2.50 Jay 12 0 0 1 3 5 4 25 7.81 15.10 3.89 Kestrel 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 0.94 0.24 0.49 Lesser Black-backed Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Redpoll 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Spotted Woodpecke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lesser Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Egret 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Little Grebe 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.31 0.12 0.35 Little Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Long-tailed Tit 26 17 5 0 10 6 8 72 22.50 64.20 8.01 Magpie 27 1 5 15 6 9 3 66 20.63 69.10 8.31 Mallard 5 0 0 1 0 0 48 54 16.88 273.35 16.53 Manderin 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.31 0.12 0.35 Meadow Pipit 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0.63 0.49 0.70 Mistle Thrush 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Moorhen 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 3.13 12.24 3.50 Mute Swan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Nuthatch 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 5 1.56 1.92 1.39 Pied Wagtail 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 8.13 82.78 9.10 Redwing 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 2.19 6.00 2.45 Reed Bunting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Ring-necked Parakeet 19 8 19 20 4 6 14 90 28.13 39.55 6.29 Robin 41 6 10 2 15 28 6 108 33.75 171.39 13.09 Rock Dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Shoveler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Siskin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Skylark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Song Thrush 2 7 6 1 3 4 0 23 7.19 5.63 2.37 Sparrowhawk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Starling 52 0 9 41 0 2 0 104 32.50 417.84 20.44 Stock Dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Stonechat 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0.63 0.49 0.70 Swallow 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0.63 0.20 0.45 Swift 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Tawny Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Treecreeper 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0.63 0.20 0.45 Tufted Duck 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Wheatear 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Whinchat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Willow Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Woodpigeon 36 0 6 87 9 11 5 154 48.13 820.00 28.64 Wren 31 8 6 0 15 12 0 72 22.50 98.49 9.92

Individuals 2024 Species 44 66 APPENDIX 4e Standard Bird Walk Transect D - Month by Month Obsevations Summary Wimbledon Common D (2020) 3.2 km Recorder: Alastair & Katharine Brown Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Total Species Blackbird 3 2 5 13 10 16 7 4 3 3 2 2 70 Blackcap 0 0 0 7 11 4 9 9 2 0 0 0 42 Black-headed Gull 24 70 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 94 Blue Tit 30 19 31 29 16 14 19 19 21 45 22 25 290 Bullfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Canada Goose 0 0 0 1 0 8 1 0 0 0 0 1 11 Carrion Crow 34 71 55 20 28 20 12 12 33 20 15 23 343 Chaffinch 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Chiffchaff 0 0 0 7 4 7 4 4 4 0 0 0 30 Coal Tit 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 Common Buzzard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Common Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Common Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Coot 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Cormorant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Dartford Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dunnock 0 1 6 1 1 1 2 2 2 0 0 1 17 Fieldfare 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Firecrest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Garden Warbler 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Goldcrest 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 0 2 2 14 Goldfinch 0 2 2 0 0 11 0 0 11 0 0 0 26 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 14 Great Tit 31 15 26 18 22 20 12 15 6 11 11 15 202 Green Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Greenfinch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Grey Heron 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Grey Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Greylag Goose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Herring Gull 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 3 1 10 House Martin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jackdaw 2 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 Jay 0 0 2 1 5 0 1 1 6 3 4 2 25 Kestrel 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lesser Redpoll 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lesser Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Little Egret 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Little Grebe 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Little Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Long-tailed Tit 15 0 8 1 8 0 2 6 6 0 20 6 72 Magpie 2 2 13 3 2 7 1 4 2 12 9 9 66 Mallard 1 8 9 7 0 7 7 0 0 6 4 5 54 Manderin 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Meadow Pipit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 Mistle Thrush 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Moorhen 0 0 1 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 10 Mute Swan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nuthatch 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 5 Pied Wagtail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 6 0 0 0 26 Redwing 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7 Reed Bunting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ring-necked Parakeet 8 1 6 7 5 0 4 10 13 15 15 6 90 Robin 6 5 14 11 13 6 8 5 11 15 12 2 108 Rock Dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shoveler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Siskin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Skylark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Song Thrush 3 2 2 1 3 5 1 1 0 1 3 1 23 Sparrowhawk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Starling 3 11 0 2 38 0 8 17 5 3 12 5 104 Stock Dove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stonechat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 Swallow 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Swift 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tawny Owl 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Treecreeper 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 Tufted Duck 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wheatear 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Whinchat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Willow Warbler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Woodpigeon 7 6 2 8 3 4 12 17 31 39 12 13 154 Wren 3 3 6 11 12 14 5 1 6 5 3 3 72

175 226 200 154 192 160 119 152 176 188 150 132 2024 17 20 20 23 24 21 22 20 21 19 17 22 44

67 APPENDIX 4f Standard Bird Walk Transects 2020 Summary Walk A Walk B Walk C Walk D Species Counts Counts Counts Counts Blackbird 143 0 23 70 Blackcap 99 0 0 42 Black-headed Gull 69 0 7 94 Blue Tit 515 0 177 290 Bullfinch 0 0 0 0 Canada Goose 18 0 0 11 Carrion Crow 173 0 41 343 Chaffinch 67 0 1 3 Chiffchaff 38 0 0 30 Coal Tit 16 0 2 4 Common Buzzard 6 0 0 1 Common Gull 0 0 11 0 Common Whitethroat 4 0 0 4 Coot 8 0 0 4 Cormorant 6 0 0 1 Dartford Warbler 1 0 0 0 Dunnock 47 0 3 17 Fieldfare 0 0 0 0 Firecrest 4 0 0 1 Garden Warbler 2 0 0 3 Goldcrest 22 0 5 14 Goldfinch 40 0 0 26 Great Spotted Woodpecker 39 0 14 14 Great Tit 324 0 93 202 Green Woodpecker 13 0 1 0 Greenfinch 2 0 0 0 Grey Heron 4 0 0 1 Grey Wagtail 2 0 0 0 Greylag Goose 0 0 0 0 Herring Gull 4 0 0 10 House Martin 0 0 0 0 Jackdaw 7 0 23 10 Jay 38 0 7 25 Kestrel 5 0 0 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull 0 0 0 0 Lesser Redpoll 0 0 0 0 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 0 0 0 0 Lesser Whitethroat 0 0 0 0 Little Egret 2 0 0 0 Little Grebe 0 0 0 1 Little Owl 0 0 0 0 Long-tailed Tit 143 0 2 72 Magpie 52 0 14 66 Mallard 101 0 2 54 Manderin 5 0 2 1 Meadow Pipit 3 0 0 2 Mistle Thrush 22 0 0 0 Moorhen 21 0 0 10 Mute Swan 11 0 0 0 Nuthatch 18 0 4 5 Pied Wagtail 0 0 0 26 Redwing 91 0 36 7 Reed Bunting 0 0 0 0 Ring-necked Parakeet 131 0 30 90 Robin 252 0 94 108 Rock Dove 19 0 0 0 Shoveler 2 0 0 0 Siskin 0 0 0 0 Skylark 0 0 0 0 Song Thrush 71 0 12 23 Sparrowhawk 3 0 0 0 Starling 0 0 0 104 Stock Dove 12 0 5 0 Stonechat 0 0 0 2 Swallow 0 0 0 2 Swift 1 0 0 0 Tawny Owl 0 0 0 0 Treecreeper 3 0 0 2 Tufted Duck 0 0 0 0 Wheatear 0 0 0 0 Whinchat 0 0 0 0 Willow Warbler 0 0 0 0 Woodpigeon 185 0 22 154 Wren 187 0 26 72

Total species 51 0 26 44 Total individuals 3051 0 657 2024

Total months recorded 11 0 3 12

Missing months Dec Jan-Dec Apr-Dec None

Recorder Les Evans- Hill Adrian Podmore Graham Guthrie Alastair and Katharine Brown

68 APPENDIX 5a Butterflies - Wimbledon Common (2015 route) 2020 Transect Summary (Developed from Gay Carr's earlier route - now including plateau sites and The Plain)

Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Total

Date 1/4/20 8/4/020 15/4/20 22/4/20 29/4/20 6/5/20 13/5/20 20/5/20 27/5/20 3/6/20 10/6/20 17/6/20 24/6/20 1/7/20 8/7/20 15/7/20 22/7/20 29/7/20 5/8/20 12/8/20 19/8/20 26/8/20 2/9/20 9/90/20 16/9/20 23/9/20

Small/Essex Skipper Small/Essex Skipper 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Large White Pieris brassicae 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Small White Pieris rapae 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 4 Green-veined White Pieris napi 1 0 1 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 Purple Hairstreak Neozephrus (Quercusia) quercus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Peacock Inachis io 9 7 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 Comma Polygonia c-album 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Marbled White Melanargia galathea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 13 11 12 0 1 0 0 0 0 41 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 8 11 2 5 5 8 11 6 2 0 0 0 0 62 Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 3 4 5 1 0 0 5 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 28 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Total (Summary) 10 7 1 11 5 3 1 4 5 0 9 15 24 4 18 0 0 23 25 23 9 5 1 2 0 0 205

Recorder: Andy Davis

Collator / Verifier: Simon Riley

69 APPENDIX 5b Butterflies - Wimbledon Common & Fishponds Wood 2020 Transect Summary

Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Total

Date 1/4/20 8/4/20 15/4/20 22/4/20 29/4/20 6/5/20 13/5/20 20/5/20 27/5/20 3/6/20 10/6/20 17/6/20 24/6/20 1/7/20 8/7/20 15/7/20 22/7/20 29/7/20 5/8/20 12/8/20 19/8/20 26/8/20 2/9/20 9/90/20 16/9/20 23/9/20

Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni 3 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 16 Large White Pieris brassicae 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 Small White Pieris rapae 0 1 6 5 1 0 0 5 3 5 14 8 0 1 5 2 6 1 0 2 0 65 Green-veined White Pieris napi 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 1 5 6 5 2 0 0 0 0 26 Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines 4 4 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 Purple Hairstreak Neozephrus (Quercusia) quercus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Brown Argus Aricia agestis 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Common Blue Polyommatus icarus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Peacock Inachis io 10 7 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 Comma Polygonia c-album 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 4 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 20 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 6 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 11 13 20 13 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 63 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 7 12 5 5 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 38 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

Total (Summary) 0 19 17 0 19 0 12 4 2 0 2 12 11 28 65 35 24 20 19 14 9 2 0 1 2 0 317

Recorder: Peter Fischer

Collator / Verifier: Simon Riley

70 APPENDIX 6 Moths 2020 Location : Gravel Pit Cottage, Putney Heath Recorder: Les Evans-Hill

Taxon Code Recommended Taxon Name Recommended Common Name Taxon Group 2.001 Dyseriocrania subpurpurella Common Oak Purple Micro-moth 2.005 Eriocrania salopiella Small Birch Purple Micro-moth 2.007 Eriocrania semipurpurella Early Purple Micro-moth 2.008 Eriocrania sangii Large Birch Purple Micro-moth 3.001 Triodia sylvina Orange Swift Macro-moth 3.002 Korscheltellus lupulina Common Swift Macro-moth 4.025 Stigmella nylandriella Common Rowan Pigmy Micro-moth 4.034 Stigmella tityrella Small Beech Pigmy Micro-moth 4.045 Stigmella aurella Golden Pigmy Micro-moth 4.076 Ectoedemia decentella Sycamore-seed Pigmy Micro-moth 7.006 Adela reaumurella Green Long-horn Micro-moth 7.007 Adela cuprella Early Long-horn Micro-moth 7.015 Nematopogon swammerdamella Large Long-horn Micro-moth 8.002 Incurvaria masculella Feathered Leaf-cutter Micro-moth 10.001 Tischeria ekebladella Oak Carl Micro-moth 10.003 Coptotriche marginea Bordered Carl Micro-moth 11.012 Psyche casta Common Bagworm Micro-moth 12.032 Tinea semifulvella Fulvous Clothes Moth Micro-moth 12.037 Monopis weaverella Carrion Moth Micro-moth 12.038 Monopis obviella Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Micro-moth 13.002 Roeslerstammia erxlebella Copper Ermel Micro-moth 14.010 Bucculatrix ulmella Oak Bent-wing Micro-moth 15.005 Caloptilia betulicola Red Birch Slender Micro-moth 15.006 Caloptilia rufipennella Small Red Slender Micro-moth 15.008 Caloptilia alchimiella Yellow-triangle Slender Micro-moth 15.009 Caloptilia robustella New Oak Slender Micro-moth 15.010 Caloptilia stigmatella White-triangle Slender Micro-moth 15.014 Gracillaria syringella Common Slender Micro-moth 15.017 Calybites phasianipennella Little Slender Micro-moth 15.034 Phyllonorycter harrisella White Oak Midget Micro-moth

71 15.039 Phyllonorycter quercifoliella Common Oak Midget Micro-moth 15.040 Phyllonorycter messaniella Garden Midget Micro-moth 15.050 Phyllonorycter cerasicolella Cherry Midget Micro-moth 15.056 Phyllonorycter salicicolella Long-streak Midget Micro-moth 15.063 Phyllonorycter maestingella Beech Midget Micro-moth 15.086 Phyllonorycter geniculella Sycamore Midget Micro-moth 16.001 Yponomeuta evonymella Bird-cherry Ermine Micro-moth 16.014 Pseudoswammerdamia combinella Copper-tipped Ermine Micro-moth 16.015 Swammerdamia caesiella Birch Ermine Micro-moth 16.017 Swammerdamia pyrella Little Ermine Micro-moth 16.019 Paraswammerdamia albicapitella White-headed Ermine Micro-moth 16.020 Paraswammerdamia nebulella Hawthorn Ermine Micro-moth 16.021 Cedestis gysseleniella Gold Pine Ermine Micro-moth 17.003 Ypsolopha dentella Honeysuckle Moth Micro-moth 17.005 Ypsolopha scabrella Wainscot Smudge Micro-moth 17.010 Ypsolopha parenthesella White-shouldered Smudge Micro-moth 17.011 Ypsolopha ustella Variable Smudge Micro-moth 17.012 Ypsolopha sequella Pied Smudge Micro-moth 18.001 Plutella xylostella Diamond-back Micro-moth 19.003 Glyphipterix fuscoviridella Plain Fanner Micro-moth 20.011 Argyresthia brockeella Gold-ribbon Argent Micro-moth 20.012 Argyresthia goedartella Golden Argent Micro-moth 20.019 Argyresthia conjugella Apple-fruit Moth Micro-moth 21.001 Lyonetia clerkella Apple Leaf-miner Micro-moth 22.002 Prays fraxinella Ash-bud Moth Micro-moth 25.001 Scythropia crataegella Hawthorn Moth Micro-moth 28.009 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House Moth Micro-moth 28.010 Hofmannophila pseudospretella Brown House Moth Micro-moth 28.012 Borkhausenia fuscescens Small Dingy Tubic Micro-moth 28.015 Batia lunaris Lesser Tawny Tubic Micro-moth 28.019 Esperia sulphurella Sulphur Tubic Micro-moth 28.022 Alabonia geoffrella Common Tubic Micro-moth 28.024 Tachystola acroxantha Ruddy Streak Micro-moth

72 29.001 Diurnea fagella March Tubic Micro-moth 31.001 Carcina quercana Long-horned Flat-body Micro-moth 32.007 Agonopterix ocellana Red-letter Flat-body Micro-moth 32.017 Agonopterix arenella Brindled Flat-body Micro-moth 32.018 Agonopterix heracliana Common Flat-body Micro-moth 32.021 Agonopterix putridella Estuarine Flat-body Micro-moth 32.031 Agonopterix alstromeriana Brown-spot Flat-body Micro-moth 32.035 Agonopterix yeatiana Coastal Flat-body Micro-moth 32.039 Depressaria daucella Dingy Flat-body Micro-moth 35.012 Anacampsis blattariella Birch Sober Micro-moth 35.017 Neofaculta ericetella Heather Sober Micro-moth 35.028 Brachmia blandella Gorse Crest Micro-moth 35.031 Helcystogramma rufescens Orange Crest Micro-moth 35.038 Bryotropha domestica House Neb Micro-moth 35.040 Bryotropha terrella Cinerous Neb Micro-moth 35.049 Bryotropha similis Obscure Neb Micro-moth 35.056 Metzneria lappella Burdock Neb Micro-moth 35.123 Scrobipalpa costella Winter Groundling Micro-moth 35.143 Teleiodes luculella Crescent Groundling Micro-moth 35.160 Stenolechia gemmella Black-dotted Groundling Micro-moth 35.161 Parachronistis albiceps Wood Groundling Micro-moth 37.032 Coleophora albitarsella White-legged Case-bearer Micro-moth 37.048 Coleophora mayrella Meadow Case-bearer Micro-moth 37.063 Coleophora albicosta Gorse Case-bearer Micro-moth 38.037 Elachista canapennella Little Dwarf Micro-moth 39.001 Blastodacna hellerella Hawthorn Cosmet Micro-moth 40.008 Mompha subbistrigella Garden Mompha Micro-moth 40.010 Mompha epilobiella Common Mompha Micro-moth 40.011 Mompha langiella Clouded Mompha Micro-moth 41.002 Blastobasis adustella Dingy Dowd Micro-moth 41.003 Blastobasis lacticolella London Dowd Micro-moth 44.001 Alucita hexadactyla Many-plume Moth Micro-moth 45.010 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla Beautiful Plume Micro-moth

73 45.030 Pterophorus pentadactyla White Plume Micro-moth 45.044 Emmelina monodactyla Common Plume Micro-moth 48.001 Anthophila fabriciana Common Nettle-tap Micro-moth 49.004 Ditula angustiorana Red-barred Tortrix Micro-moth 49.013 Archips podana Large Fruit-tree Tortrix Micro-moth 49.014 Archips crataegana Brown Oak Tortrix Micro-moth 49.015 Archips xylosteana Variegated Golden Tortrix Micro-moth 49.018 Choristoneura hebenstreitella Great Tortrix Micro-moth 49.022 Ptycholoma lecheana Brindled Tortrix Micro-moth 49.025 Pandemis cerasana Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix Micro-moth 49.026 Pandemis heparana Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix Micro-moth 49.028 Syndemis musculana Dark-barred Tortrix Micro-moth 49.029 Lozotaenia forsterana Large Ivy Tortrix Micro-moth 49.038 Clepsis consimilana Privet Tortrix Micro-moth 49.039 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple-moth Micro-moth 49.044 Tortricodes alternella Winter Shade Micro-moth 49.050 Cnephasia stephensiana Grey Tortrix Micro-moth 49.059 Tortrix viridana Green Oak Tortrix Micro-moth 49.060 Aleimma loeflingiana Yellow Oak Button Micro-moth 49.062 Acleris forsskaleana Maple Button Micro-moth 49.069 Acleris sparsana Ashy Button Micro-moth 49.073 Acleris schalleriana Viburnum Button Micro-moth 49.076 Acleris cristana Tufted Button Micro-moth 49.080 Acleris hastiana Sallow Button Micro-moth 49.083 Acleris ferrugana Rusty Oak Button Micro-moth 49.084 Acleris notana Rusty Birch Button Micro-moth 49.085 Acleris kochiella Elm Button Micro-moth 49.087 Acleris literana Lichen Button Micro-moth 49.090 Eulia ministrana Brassy Tortrix Micro-moth 49.091 Pseudargyrotoza conwagana Yellow-spot Tortrix Micro-moth 49.109 Agapeta hamana Common Yellow Conch Micro-moth 49.127 Aethes cnicana Thistle Conch Micro-moth 49.128 Aethes rubigana Burdock Conch Micro-moth

74 49.133 Cochylis nana Birch Conch Micro-moth 49.139 Cochylis atricapitana Black-headed Conch Micro-moth 49.144 Eudemis profundana Diamond-back Marble Micro-moth 49.149 Apotomis turbidana White-shouldered Marble Micro-moth 49.150 Apotomis betuletana Birch Marble Micro-moth 49.156 Hedya nubiferana Marbled Orchard Tortrix Micro-moth 49.157 Hedya pruniana Plum Tortrix Micro-moth 49.161 Celypha striana Barred Marble Micro-moth 49.166 Celypha lacunana Common Marble Micro-moth 49.202 Ancylis uncella Bridge Roller Micro-moth 49.215 Ancylis achatana Triangle-marked Roller Micro-moth 49.216 Ancylis mitterbacheriana Red Roller Micro-moth 49.223 Rhopobota naevana Holly Tortrix Micro-moth 49.224 Spilonota ocellana Bud Moth Micro-moth 49.240 Epinotia immundana Common Birch Bell Micro-moth 49.254 Epinotia bilunana Crescent Bell Micro-moth 49.255 Epinotia nisella Grey Poplar Bell Micro-moth 49.260 Zeiraphera isertana Cock’s-head Bell Micro-moth 49.265 Eucosma cana Hoary Bell Micro-moth 49.269 Eucosma campoliliana Marbled Bell Micro-moth 49.279 Gypsonoma dealbana Common Cloaked Shoot Micro-moth 49.289 Epiblema costipunctana Ragwort Bell Micro-moth 49.292 Notocelia cynosbatella Yellow-faced Bell Micro-moth 49.294 Notocelia uddmanniana Bramble Shoot Micro-moth 49.297 Notocelia rosaecolana Common Rose Bell Micro-moth 49.298 Notocelia trimaculana Triple-blotched Bell Micro-moth 49.325 Cydia ulicetana Grey Gorse Piercer Micro-moth 49.338 Cydia pomonella Codling Moth Micro-moth 49.341 Cydia splendana Marbled Piercer Micro-moth 49.342 Cydia fagiglandana Large Beech Piercer Micro-moth 49.345 Lathronympha strigana Red Piercer Micro-moth 49.349 Grapholita internana Dark Gorse Piercer Micro-moth 49.360 Pammene splendidulana Drab Oak Piercer Micro-moth

75 49.367 Pammene fasciana Acorn Piercer Micro-moth 49.376 Pammene aurita Sycamore Piercer Micro-moth 49.379 Pammene aurana Orange-spot Piercer Micro-moth 52.002 Sesia apiformis Hornet Moth Macro-moth 52.008 Synanthedon formicaeformis Red-tipped Clearwing Macro-moth 52.010 Synanthedon andrenaeformis Orange-tailed Clearwing Macro-moth 52.011 Synanthedon myopaeformis Red-belted Clearwing Macro-moth 52.012 Synanthedon vespiformis Yellow-legged Clearwing Macro-moth 54.008 Zygaena filipendulae Six-spot Burnet Macro-moth 62.001 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth Micro-moth 62.006 Galleria mellonella Wax Moth Micro-moth 62.007 Cryptoblabes bistriga Double-striped Knot-horn Micro-moth 62.029 Phycita roborella Dotted Oak Knot-horn Micro-moth 62.034 Acrobasis repandana Warted Knot-horn Micro-moth 62.035 Acrobasis advenella Grey Knot-horn Micro-moth 62.038 Acrobasis consociella Broad-barred Knot-horn Micro-moth 62.042 Myelois circumvoluta Thistle Ermine Micro-moth 62.054 Homoeosoma sinuella Twin-barred Knot-horn Micro-moth 62.058 Phycitodes binaevella Ermine Knot-horn Micro-moth 62.065 Ephestia woodiella False Cacao Moth Micro-moth 62.070 Synaphe punctalis Long-legged Tabby Micro-moth 62.072 Pyralis farinalis Meal Moth Micro-moth 62.074 Aglossa pinguinalis Large Tabby Micro-moth 62.075 Hypsopygia costalis Gold Triangle Micro-moth 62.076 Hypsopygia glaucinalis Double-striped Tabby Micro-moth 62.077 Endotricha flammealis Rosy Tabby Micro-moth 63.005 Pyrausta despicata Straw-barred Pearl Micro-moth 63.006 Pyrausta aurata Small Purple & Gold Micro-moth 63.018 Anania coronata Elder Pearl Micro-moth 63.025 Anania hortulata Small Magpie Micro-moth 63.028 Ostrinia nubilalis European Corn-borer Micro-moth 63.031 Udea ferrugalis Rusty-dot Pearl Micro-moth 63.034 Udea prunalis Dusky Pearl Micro-moth

76 63.037 Udea olivalis Olive Pearl Micro-moth 63.038 Pleuroptya ruralis Mother of Pearl Micro-moth 63.052 Nomophila noctuella Rush Veneer Micro-moth 63.054 Cydalima perspectalis Box-tree Moth Micro-moth 63.057 Evergestis forficalis Garden Pebble Micro-moth 63.062 Scoparia subfusca Large Grey Micro-moth 63.063 Scoparia basistrigalis Base-lined Grey Micro-moth 63.064 Scoparia ambigualis Common Grey Micro-moth 63.066 Scoparia pyralella Meadow Grey Micro-moth 63.067 Eudonia lacustrata Little Grey Micro-moth 63.069 Eudonia angustea Narrow-winged Grey Micro-moth 63.074 Eudonia mercurella Small Grey Micro-moth 63.075 Eudonia pallida Marsh Grey Micro-moth 63.077 Chilo phragmitella Reed Veneer Micro-moth 63.079 Calamotropha paludella Bulrush Veneer Micro-moth 63.080 Chrysoteuchia culmella Garden Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.081 Crambus pascuella Inlaid Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.086 Crambus lathoniellus Hook-streak Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.088 Crambus perlella Satin Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.089 Agriphila tristella Common Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.090 Agriphila inquinatella Barred Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.093 Agriphila straminella Straw Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.095 Agriphila geniculea Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.099 Catoptria pinella Pearl Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.102 Catoptria falsella Chequered Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.109 Pediasia contaminella Waste Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.112 Platytes alpinella Hook-tipped Grass-veneer Micro-moth 63.114 Elophila nymphaeata Brown China-mark Micro-moth 63.115 Acentria ephemerella Water Veneer Micro-moth 63.116 Cataclysta lemnata Small China-mark Micro-moth 63.117 Parapoynx stratiotata Ringed China-mark Micro-moth 65.001 Falcaria lacertinaria Scalloped Hook-tip Macro-moth 65.002 Watsonalla binaria Oak Hook-tip Macro-moth

77 65.005 Drepana falcataria Pebble Hook-tip Macro-moth 65.008 Thyatira batis Peach Blossom Macro-moth 65.009 Habrosyne pyritoides Buff Arches Macro-moth 65.015 Polyploca ridens Frosted Green Macro-moth 65.016 Achlya flavicornis Yellow Horned Macro-moth 66.001 Poecilocampa populi December Moth Macro-moth 68.001 Saturnia pavonia Emperor Moth Macro-moth 69.001 Mimas tiliae Lime Hawk-moth Macro-moth 69.003 Laothoe populi Poplar Hawk-moth Macro-moth 69.007 Sphinx pinastri Pine Hawk-moth Macro-moth 69.016 Deilephila elpenor Elephant Hawk-moth Macro-moth 70.004 Idaea rusticata Least Carpet Macro-moth 70.006 Idaea fuscovenosa Dwarf Cream Wave Macro-moth 70.008 Idaea seriata Small Dusty Wave Macro-moth 70.011 Idaea dimidiata Single-dotted Wave Macro-moth 70.012 Idaea trigeminata Treble Brown Spot Macro-moth 70.013 Idaea biselata Small Fan-footed Wave Macro-moth 70.016 Idaea aversata Riband Wave Macro-moth 70.018 Idaea straminata Plain Wave Macro-moth 70.024 Scopula imitaria Small Blood-vein Macro-moth 70.029 Timandra comae Blood-Vein Macro-moth 70.032 Cyclophora albipunctata Birch Mocha Macro-moth 70.034 Cyclophora ruficiliaria Jersey Mocha Macro-moth 70.036 Cyclophora punctaria Maiden's Blush Macro-moth 70.037 Cyclophora linearia Clay Triple-lines Macro-moth 70.045 Scotopteryx chenopodiata Shaded Broad-bar Macro-moth 70.049 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Garden Carpet Macro-moth 70.051 Xanthorhoe spadicearia Red Twin-spot Carpet Macro-moth 70.053 Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet Macro-moth 70.054 Xanthorhoe montanata Silver-ground Carpet Macro-moth 70.059 Camptogramma bilineata Yellow Shell Macro-moth 70.061 Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet Macro-moth 70.074 Hydriomena furcata July Highflier Macro-moth

78 70.075 Hydriomena impluviata May Highflier Macro-moth 70.079 Thera britannica Spruce Carpet Macro-moth 70.081 Thera obeliscata Grey Pine Carpet Macro-moth 70.084 Plemyria rubiginata Blue-bordered Carpet Macro-moth 70.086 Electrophaes corylata Broken-barred Carpet Macro-moth 70.087 Cosmorhoe ocellata Purple Bar Macro-moth 70.090 Eulithis testata Chevron Macro-moth 70.092 Eulithis mellinata Spinach Macro-moth 70.093 Gandaritis pyraliata Barred Straw Macro-moth 70.094 Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix Macro-moth 70.095 Chloroclysta siterata Red-Green Carpet Macro-moth 70.097 Dysstroma truncata Common Marbled Carpet Macro-moth 70.100 Colostygia pectinataria Green Carpet Macro-moth 70.103 Lampropteryx suffumata Water Carpet Macro-moth 70.106 Operophtera brumata Winter Moth Macro-moth 70.114 Hydrelia flammeolaria Small Yellow Wave Macro-moth 70.126 Horisme vitalbata Small Waved Umber Macro-moth 70.137 Perizoma albulata Grass Rivulet Macro-moth 70.138 Perizoma flavofasciata Sandy Carpet Macro-moth 70.141 Gymnoscelis rufifasciata Double-striped Pug Macro-moth 70.144 Pasiphila rectangulata Green Pug Macro-moth 70.156 Eupithecia abbreviata Brindled Pug Macro-moth 70.157 Eupithecia dodoneata Oak-tree Pug Macro-moth 70.160 Eupithecia tripunctaria White-spotted Pug Macro-moth 70.168 Eupithecia nanata Narrow-winged Pug Macro-moth 70.173 Eupithecia centaureata Lime-speck Pug Macro-moth 70.183 Eupithecia vulgata Common Pug Macro-moth 70.184 Eupithecia exiguata Mottled Pug Macro-moth 70.190 Eupithecia subfuscata Grey Pug Macro-moth 70.198 Lobophora halterata Seraphim Macro-moth 70.199 Pterapherapteryx sexalata Small Seraphim Macro-moth 70.200 Acasis viretata Yellow-barred Brindle Macro-moth 70.203 Archiearis parthenias Orange Underwing Macro-moth

79 70.204 Boudinotiana notha Light Orange Underwing Macro-moth 70.207 Lomaspilis marginata Clouded Border Macro-moth 70.211 Macaria notata Peacock Moth Macro-moth 70.222 Petrophora chlorosata Brown Silver-line Macro-moth 70.224 Plagodis dolabraria Scorched Wing Macro-moth 70.226 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth Macro-moth 70.231 Apeira syringaria Lilac Beauty Macro-moth 70.233 Ennomos quercinaria August Thorn Macro-moth 70.234 Ennomos alniaria Canary-shouldered Thorn Macro-moth 70.235 Ennomos fuscantaria Dusky Thorn Macro-moth 70.236 Ennomos erosaria September Thorn Macro-moth 70.237 Selenia dentaria Early Thorn Macro-moth 70.239 Selenia tetralunaria Purple Thorn Macro-moth 70.241 Crocallis elinguaria Scalloped Oak Macro-moth 70.244 Colotois pennaria Feathered Thorn Macro-moth 70.245 Alsophila aescularia March Moth Macro-moth 70.246 Apocheima hispidaria Small Brindled Beauty Macro-moth 70.247 Phigalia pilosaria Pale Brindled Beauty Macro-moth 70.248 Lycia hirtaria Brindled Beauty Macro-moth 70.251 Biston strataria Oak Beauty Macro-moth 70.252 Biston betularia Peppered Moth Macro-moth 70.253 Agriopis leucophaearia Spring Usher Macro-moth 70.255 Agriopis marginaria Dotted Border Macro-moth 70.256 Erannis defoliaria Mottled Umber Macro-moth 70.257 Menophra abruptaria Waved Umber Macro-moth 70.258 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty Macro-moth 70.265 Alcis repandata Mottled Beauty Macro-moth 70.267 Hypomecis roboraria Great Oak Beauty Macro-moth 70.268 Hypomecis punctinalis Pale Oak Beauty Macro-moth 70.270 Ectropis crepuscularia Engrailed Macro-moth 70.275 Ematurga atomaria Common Heath Macro-moth 70.277 Cabera pusaria Common White Wave Macro-moth 70.278 Cabera exanthemata Common Wave Macro-moth

80 70.280 Lomographa temerata Clouded Silver Macro-moth 70.283 Campaea margaritaria Light Emerald Macro-moth 70.297 Pseudoterpna pruinata Grass Emerald Macro-moth 70.299 Geometra papilionaria Large Emerald Macro-moth 70.300 Comibaena bajularia Blotched Emerald Macro-moth 70.305 Hemithea aestivaria Common Emerald Macro-moth 71.001 Thaumetopoea processionea Oak Processionary Macro-moth 71.005 Furcula furcula Sallow Kitten Macro-moth 71.011 Drymonia ruficornis Lunar Marbled Brown Macro-moth 71.012 Notodonta dromedarius Iron Prominent Macro-moth 71.013 Notodonta ziczac Pebble Prominent Macro-moth 71.017 Pheosia tremula Swallow Prominent Macro-moth 71.018 Pheosia gnoma Lesser Swallow Prominent Macro-moth 71.020 Pterostoma palpina Pale Prominent Macro-moth 71.021 Ptilodon capucina Coxcomb Prominent Macro-moth 71.025 Phalera bucephala Buff-tip Macro-moth 71.027 Clostera curtula Chocolate-tip Macro-moth 72.001 Scoliopteryx libatrix Herald Macro-moth 72.002 Rivula sericealis Straw Dot Macro-moth 72.003 Hypena proboscidalis Snout Macro-moth 72.010 Lymantria monacha Black Arches Macro-moth 72.011 Lymantria dispar Gypsy Moth Macro-moth 72.013 Euproctis similis Yellow-tail Macro-moth 72.015 Calliteara pudibunda Pale Tussock Macro-moth 72.017 Orgyia antiqua Vapourer Macro-moth 72.019 Spilosoma lutea Buff Ermine Macro-moth 72.020 Spilosoma lubricipeda White Ermine Macro-moth 72.022 Diaphora mendica Muslin Moth Macro-moth 72.024 Phragmatobia fuliginosa Ruby Tiger Macro-moth 72.030 Euplagia quadripunctaria Jersey Tiger Macro-moth 72.031 Tyria jacobaeae Cinnabar Macro-moth 72.035 Miltochrista miniata Rosy Footman Macro-moth 72.043 Eilema depressa Buff Footman Macro-moth

81 72.044 Eilema griseola Dingy Footman Macro-moth 72.045 Eilema lurideola Common Footman Macro-moth 72.046 Eilema complana Scarce Footman Macro-moth 72.047 Eilema caniola Hoary Footman Macro-moth 72.049 Eilema sororcula Orange Footman Macro-moth 72.053 Herminia tarsipennalis Fan-foot Macro-moth 72.055 Herminia grisealis Small Fan-foot Macro-moth 72.066 Parascotia fuliginaria Waved Black Macro-moth 72.069 Laspeyria flexula Beautiful Hook-tip Macro-moth 72.076 Catocala fraxini Clifden Nonpareil Macro-moth 72.078 Catocala nupta Red Underwing Macro-moth 72.081 Catocala sponsa Dark Crimson Underwing Macro-moth 72.083 Euclidia glyphica Burnet Companion Macro-moth 72.084 Euclidia mi Mother Shipton Macro-moth 73.001 Abrostola tripartita Spectacle Macro-moth 73.012 Diachrysia chrysitis Burnished Brass Macro-moth 73.015 Autographa gamma Silver Y Macro-moth 73.024 Deltote pygarga Marbled White Spot Macro-moth 73.032 Colocasia coryli Nut-tree Tussock Macro-moth 73.040 Acronicta leporina Miller Macro-moth 73.045 Acronicta rumicis Knot Grass Macro-moth 73.047 Craniophora ligustri Coronet Macro-moth 73.059 Calophasia lunula Toadflax Brocade Macro-moth 73.063 Amphipyra berbera Svensson's Copper Underwing Macro-moth 73.065 Asteroscopus sphinx Sprawler Macro-moth 73.068 Allophyes oxyacanthae Green-brindled Crescent Macro-moth 73.082 Cryphia algae Tree-lichen Beauty Macro-moth 73.084 Bryophila domestica Marbled Beauty Macro-moth 73.092 Caradrina morpheus Mottled Rustic Macro-moth 73.095 Caradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow Macro-moth 73.096 Hoplodrina octogenaria Uncertain Macro-moth 73.097 Hoplodrina blanda Rustic Macro-moth 73.099 Hoplodrina ambigua Vine's Rustic Macro-moth

82 73.101 Charanyca trigrammica Treble Lines Macro-moth 73.105 Dypterygia scabriuscula Bird's Wing Macro-moth 73.107 Mormo maura Old Lady Macro-moth 73.109 Thalpophila matura Straw Underwing Macro-moth 73.113 Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades Macro-moth 73.114 Euplexia lucipara Small Angle Shades Macro-moth 73.120 Eremobia ochroleuca Dusky Sallow Macro-moth 73.123 Hydraecia micacea Rosy Rustic Macro-moth 73.128 Amphipoea oculea Ear Moth Macro-moth 73.131 Luperina testacea Flounced Rustic Macro-moth 73.144 Denticucullus pygmina Small Wainscot Macro-moth 73.154 Apamea remissa Dusky Brocade Macro-moth 73.158 Apamea sordens Rustic Shoulder-knot Macro-moth 73.162 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches Macro-moth 73.163 Apamea lithoxylaea Light Arches Macro-moth 73.169 Mesapamea secalis Common Rustic Macro-moth 73.170 Mesapamea didyma Lesser Common Rustic Macro-moth 73.172 Mesoligia furuncula Cloaked Minor Macro-moth 73.173 Oligia strigilis Marbled Minor Macro-moth 73.174 Oligia latruncula Tawny Marbled Minor Macro-moth 73.175 Oligia versicolor Rufous Minor Macro-moth 73.176 Oligia fasciuncula Middle-barred Minor Macro-moth 73.179 Tiliacea citrago Orange Sallow Macro-moth 73.180 Tiliacea aurago Barred Sallow Macro-moth 73.181 Xanthia togata Pink-barred Sallow Macro-moth 73.182 Cirrhia icteritia Sallow Macro-moth 73.189 Agrochola lota Red-line Quaker Macro-moth 73.192 Agrochola circellaris Brick Macro-moth 73.193 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing Macro-moth 73.194 Conistra vaccinii Chestnut Macro-moth 73.195 Conistra ligula Dark Chestnut Macro-moth 73.197 Conistra rubiginea Dotted Chestnut Macro-moth 73.201 Lithophane socia Pale Pinion Macro-moth

83 73.202 Lithophane ornitopus Grey Shoulder-knot Macro-moth 73.206 Lithophane leautieri Blair's Shoulder-knot Macro-moth 73.210 Eupsilia transversa Satellite Macro-moth 73.216 Cosmia trapezina Dun-bar Macro-moth 73.217 Cosmia pyralina Lunar-spotted Pinion Macro-moth 73.219 Atethmia centrago Centre-barred Sallow Macro-moth 73.221 Parastichtis suspecta Suspected Macro-moth 73.224 Griposia aprilina Merveille du Jour Macro-moth 73.225 Dryobotodes eremita Brindled Green Macro-moth 73.231 Aporophyla lutulenta Deep-brown Dart Macro-moth 73.233 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic Macro-moth 73.242 Orthosia incerta Clouded Drab Macro-moth 73.243 Orthosia miniosa Blossom Underwing Macro-moth 73.244 Orthosia cerasi Common Quaker Macro-moth 73.245 Orthosia cruda Small Quaker Macro-moth 73.246 Orthosia populeti Lead-coloured Drab Macro-moth 73.247 Orthosia gracilis Powdered Quaker Macro-moth 73.249 Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character Macro-moth 73.250 Anorthoa munda Twin-spotted Quaker Macro-moth 73.252 Tholera cespitis Hedge Rustic Macro-moth 73.253 Tholera decimalis Feathered Gothic Macro-moth 73.254 Cerapteryx graminis Antler Moth Macro-moth 73.257 Anarta myrtilli Beautiful Yellow Underwing Macro-moth 73.261 Polia nebulosa Grey Arches Macro-moth 73.263 Lacanobia w-latinum Light Brocade Macro-moth 73.267 Lacanobia oleracea Bright-line Brown-eye Macro-moth 73.288 Mythimna turca Double Line Macro-moth 73.291 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot Macro-moth 73.293 Mythimna impura Smoky Wainscot Macro-moth 73.297 Mythimna albipuncta White-point Macro-moth 73.298 Mythimna ferrago Clay Macro-moth 73.301 Leucania comma Shoulder-striped Wainscot Macro-moth 73.317 Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart Macro-moth

84 73.319 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth Macro-moth 73.320 Agrotis clavis Heart and Club Macro-moth 73.325 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart Macro-moth 73.327 Agrotis ipsilon Dark Sword-grass Macro-moth 73.328 Axylia putris Flame Macro-moth 73.329 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder Macro-moth 73.333 Diarsia mendica Ingrailed Clay Macro-moth 73.338 Lycophotia porphyrea True Lover's Knot Macro-moth 73.342 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing Macro-moth 73.343 Noctua fimbriata Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Macro-moth 73.345 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing Macro-moth 73.348 Noctua janthe Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Macro-moth 73.356 Xestia agathina Heath Rustic Macro-moth 73.357 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic Macro-moth 73.359 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character Macro-moth 73.361 Xestia triangulum Double Square-spot Macro-moth 73.365 Eugnorisma glareosa Autumnal Rustic Macro-moth 74.002 Meganola albula Kent Black Arches Macro-moth 74.003 Nola cucullatella Short-cloaked Moth Macro-moth 74.004 Nola confusalis Least Black Arches Macro-moth 74.007 Bena bicolorana Scarce Silver-lines Macro-moth 74.009 Nycteola revayana Oak Nycteoline Macro-moth

85 APPENDIX 7 Wildlife Reports April to September 2020

Mammals: Species Location Date

Weasel Inner Windmill Road 02.03.20 & 30.05.20 Brown rat Telegraph Road 07.05.20

Badger Parkside South, Thatched Cottage, Windmill Road Various dates

Muntjac deer Woodland between the Gravelly Rides. 29.05.20 A Muntjac deer was also found dead on the A3 near the Common during September 2020. Common Shrew Found dead on heathland near Ladies Mile 02.10.20

Rabbit Near the Nettle patch beside The Plain 16.07.20 (rt)

Grey Squirrel Throughout year (rt)

Fox Throughout year (rt) and JC camera spring surveys

Invertebrates:

Species Location Date

Speckled Wood Putney Heath, woodland near Green Man 07.05.20

Peacock butterfly Putney Heath, woodland near Green Man 07.05.20

Small Copper butterfly Hookhamslade Pond 01.06.20

Purple Hairstreak Hookhamslade Pond & Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 22.06.20 & butterfly 13.07.20

Meadow Brown Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 22.06.20 butterfly

Marbled White butterfly Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 01.07.20

Red Admiral butterfly Various woodland areas on Wimbledon Common & No exact dates: end Putney Heath of June / beginning July 2020

Common Blue butterfly Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 19.07.20

Gatekeeper butterfly Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 19.07.20

Brown Hairstreak 7 Post Pond 05.08.20 butterfly

Cinnabar caterpillars Various locations between the large mounds on Putney No date: July & Heath and Tibbet’s Corner Meadow. August

86 Knot Grass Moth The Plain 05.09.20 caterpillar

Meadow grasshopper Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 22.06.20 nymphs

Meadow Grasshoppers Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 15.07.20

Southern Oak Bush Near Scio Pond 05.09.20 Cricket

Malachite beetles Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 16.05.20

Golden Bloomed Tibbet’s Corner Meadow & Centre Path 16.05.20 & Longhorn beetle 01.06.20 (Agapanthia villosoviridescens) Leaf beetle (Chrysolina Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 16.05.20 oricalcia)

Native Cockroach Near to the Telegraph Pub 01.06.20 (Ectobius lapponicus) Soldier beetle (Cantharis Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 16.05.20 rustica)

Soldier beetle (Cantharis Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 01.06.20 lavida)

Longhorn beetle Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 13.07.20 (Rutpela maculate)

Black Clock Beetle Northern west section of heathland near Ladies Mile 31.08.20 (Pterostichus madidus)

Tortoise Shield Bug Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 01.06.20

Bishop Mitre Shield bug Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 15.07.20

Tortoise Shield Bug Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 15.07.20 nymphs

Rhophalid Bug The Plain 15.09.20 (Rhophalus maculatus)

White Crab Spider Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 15.07.20

False Widow Spider Queensmere silt trap 22.09.20

7 Spot Ladybird Tibbet’s Corner Meadow 01.06.20

Large-Headed Resin Bee Windmill Car Park 08.08.20

Ivy Bee (Colletes Path behind Clock House 14.09.20 hederae)

European Hornet Path behind Clock House 14.09.20

87 Emperor dragonfly Hookhamslade Pond & 7 Post Pond 01.06.20 & 23.06.20

Ruddy Darter dragonfly Hookhamslade Pond 05.09.20

Common Emerald Bluegate Gravel Pit 30.07.20 damselfly

Willow Emerald 7 Post Pond & Bluegate Gravel Pit 15.09.20 Damselfy

Ivy waspgrabber Path behind Clock House 14.09.20 (Leopoldius signatus)

Grey-backed Snout Path behind Clock House 14.09.20 Hoverfly (Rhingia rostrata)

Fish:

Species Location Date

Chub Beverley Brook, Wimbledon 18.05.20 Common Dace Beverley Brook, Wimbledon 18.05.20 Common Pike Queensmere Spring 2020

Information on amphibians and reptiles is available from Haldane, P. (2020) Reptile and Amphibian Survey 2020. A summary of spot sightings reported to the Conservation and Engagement officer. Available from WPCC Rangers Office.

Available Photographs:

Various photographs have been taken by two regular visitors to the Commons (David Element and Caroline Woodley) and permission will need to be provided by these individuals if any of the following photographs were to be used.

• Ivy Waspgrabber (DE) • Willow Emerald Damselfly (DE) • Ivy Bee (DE) • Grey-backed Snout Hoverfly (DE) • European Hornet (DE) • Rufous Grasshopper (DE) • Large-Headed Resin Bee (DE) • Rhophalid Bug (DE) • Common Emerald Damselfly (DE) • Common Emerald Damselfly (DE) • Brown Hairstreak (DE) • Agapanthia villosoviridescens (CW) • Ruddy Darted (CW) • Black Clock Beetle (CW)

88 APPENDIX 8 Putney Lower Common

(List taken from information until end of September 2020 – Peter Haldane) Wildlife sightings – January to December 2020

All records for wildlife on Putney Lower Common during 2020 were either collected by P. Haldane as part of a routine programme of monthly visits or from occasional reports provided by staff or visitors to the Common. Depending upon weather conditions and the time of year, regular monthly visits to the Common lasted between one and two hours and all visits were carried out towards the end of each calendar month.

As a result, the information only provides a snapshot of what may actually be found on the Common.

Species list:

Mammals:

Brown rat – all areas but mainly around the Rangers compound – seen all year.

Grey squirrel – all areas – seen all year round

Fox – near Ashlone Wharf – April

Hedgehog – 4 found during volunteer torchlight survey - September 2020

Plant life:

Bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) woodland plateu – April

Bramble – various locations – May, June,

Common Hogweed – Passchendaele – May, June

Common mallow – Lower Richmond road – May

Cow Parsley – Various areas – April, May, June

Crocus – junction of Lower Common South & Willow Farm Lane - January

Field bindweed – various areas - June

Figs – Commondale - May

Green alkanet – various areas – May

Hedge bindweed – various areas – June

Himalayan balsam – riverbank – summer

Honesty – Fairground site – May

Horse radish – Main Field – May

Japanese knotweed – various locations – summer

Lesser celandine – junction of Lower Common South & Willow Farm Lane – Jan, March

89 Ox-eye daisy – various locations – May

Red clover – various meadows – May

Rough Chervil – Fairground site – May

Spear thistle – June

Stinging nettle – various locations – May

Three cornered leek – near Van Buren’s Cottage - Feb

Wild Garlic – near Van Buren’s Cottage – Feb

Wild rose – tow path – May

Woody nightshade/Bittersweet – north of footbridge - April

Yarrow – mainly on the Fairground site – May, June, July

Yellow sun spurge – Fairground site – May

Invertebrates: Comma butterfly – Beverley Brook – March, April

Peacock butterfly – location unknown – March, April, May, July

Common Blue butterfly – April

Small tortoiseshell butterfly – April

Orange Tip butterfly - April

All three different types of white butterfly (John Dean) April

Brimstone butterfly – April

Speckled wood butterfly – April

Meadow brown butterfly – Main Field – June, July

Small white - July

Gatekeeper butterfly - Main Field - June, Aug

Red Admiral - October

Ringlet butterfly – north of Foot bridge – June

Essex skipper – July

Marbled white butterfly – July

Purple Emperor butterfly - July

Cinnabar caterpillar – north of Foot bridge – June, July

Emperor dragonfly – Main Field - May

90 Black tailed skimmer dragonfly - June

Banded demoiselle seen near Tractor bridge – May, June

Six spot ladybird - edge of Beverley Brook – May

Thick legged flower beetle – north of foot bridge – May, June

Ruptela maculate beetle – Jack’s Bridge - July

Rose chafer – July

Dock shield bug – north of Foot bridge – June

White tailed bumblebee – various locations – May, June

Red tailed bumblebee – north of Foot bridge – June

Common Cadre bee – edge of Beverley Brook

Honey Bee – north of Foot bridge - June

European wasp – various locations - Aug

Bee wasp – near Foot bridge – June

Grasshoppers – Main Field and Fairground site – July

Aphid (species unknown) damage on elm tree leaves May

Sycamore Aphid – various locations - May

,

Galls:

Common spangle gall – oak tree – Aug

Knopper gall – oak tree - Aug

Birds

Blackbird – various locations – Jan, Feb, April, May

Blue Tits – various locations – Feb, March, April

Canada Geese – Barn Elms – Jan, Feb

Carrion Crow – various locations – Jan, Feb, March, April, June, Aug

Dunnock – tow path - April

Egyptian Geese – Main Field, Barn Elms – Jan, March, July

Goldfinch – Main Field - Feb

Greater spotted woodpecker – riverbank – Feb, April

Great tit – various locations - Jan, Feb, March, April, May, July

91 Green Woodpecker – near Ashlone Wharf - July

Jackdaw – Barn Elms – Jan

Jay - October

Kestrel – Fairground site – June, July

Long tailed tit – woodland plateau – Jan

Magpie – various locations – Jan, Feb, March, April, May, June, July, Aug,

Mallard – Beverley Brook – Jan, March, April

Moorhen – Beverley Brook – Jan, March

Parakeet – various locations – Jan, March, April, May

Peregrine – seen flying over the Common - March

Redwing – Main Field – Feb,

Robin – various locations – Jan, Feb, March, April, May, June, July, Aug

Song Thrush – woodland plateau – April

Sparrowhawk - April

Starlings – Commondale - March

Teal – Beverley Brook – Jan, Feb

Tawny owl – dead near Footbridge - March

Wood pigeon – various locations – Jan, Feb, March, April

Wren – various locations – Feb, March, April, May, June, July

Reptiles

Terrapin – Beverley Brook - July

92 Appendix 9 - Riverfly Survey ...... October Results '.\'I south east i rivers "..,,-Richmon· trust l�:�.: / Rk:.trmo.nd ""'' "' ; ,Klngs�on • upon "Jhames Total number of surveys Thornton llon t16-alh l<'lll\&S • :_ \ P9,ydC.l\- - rJ""'car'sfiano\n . Sutton s;-,Jouph Hood I t SO\llh Croi 64 Pollution Triggor• 4 {OXC$pl Sir Jo.sophHood • 3) , / l,1.J-".r,,pdr..._ 2 n,,l'IV.:U� ;___+;-!, I Esri,.,, UK... E1,i HERE.... Gtt,-nil)�,.,. . JJSGS.

8 • • ' .C...nduddu 93 0 M")' '"' L ... 2020 ,_, Appendix 10 - RAINFALL FIGURES FOR SW20 8DX, 2005 to the present

ALL JAN. FEB. MCH. 3 MTH. APR. MAY JUNE 3 MTH. 6 MTH. JULY AUG. SEPT. 3 MTH. OCT. NOV. DEC. 3 MTH. 6 MTH. 12 MTH. FIGURES TOTAL TOTAL TOTAL TOTAL TOTAL TOTAL TOTALS IN MM.

2005 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 36 71 64 171 80 36 40 156 327 n/a

2006 17 46 41 104 39 75 23 137 241 31 66 82 179 81 62 70 213 392 633

2007 62 93 45 200 4 88 69 161 361 113 47 35 195 39 92 49 180 375 736

2008 67 11 83 161 61 71 35 167 328 62 49 48 159 40 78 40 158 317 645

2009 70 60 35 165 27 34 27 88 253 70 30 23 123 31 154 77 262 385 638

2010 51 98 31 180 30 34 20 84 264 7 94 51 152 91 38 38 167 317 581

2011 83 40 14 137 3 19 88 110 247 55 84 24 163 20 33 59 112 275 522

2012 42 18 17 77 116 27 125 268 345 101 38 48 187 100 66 105 271 458 803

2013 52 26 55 133 40 45 24 109 242 27 71 56 154 82 64 106 252 406 648

2014 156 87 28 271 38 101 44 183 454 44 90 13 147 76 107 29 212 359 813

2015 64 43 21 128 20 53 13 86 214 57 87 79 223 31 51 48 130 353 567

2016 73 38 69 180 37 60 162 259 439 21 20 28 69 36 94 7 137 206 645

2017 68 37 21 126 4 61 38 103 229 102 74 40 216 17 43 88 148 364 593

2018 68 26 69 163 55 74 3 132 295 14 64 33 111 49 93 54 196 307 602

2019 28 37 51 116 15 27 93 135 251 76 33 67 176 93 65 101 259 435 686

2020 58 90 44 192 42 1 46 89 281 31 89 20 140 145 45 84 274 414 695

Averages 64 50 41 155 35 51 53 140 295 54 62 43 160 63 72 63 198 358 653 01/2006 – 12/2020 inclusive

n/a = not available Monthly averages since 01/2006: wettest – Nov/Jan/Dec/Oct/Aug/July/Jun/May/Feb/Sep/Mch/Apr – driest.

94 Appendix 11 Gravel Pit Cottage Bird Data

Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 09/02/2020 16/02/2020 23/02/2020 01/03/2020 08/03/2020 15/03/2020 22/03/2020 Feral Pigeon 0000023 Stock Dove 0001002 Woodpigeon 3333342 Sparrowhawk 1000111 Buzzard 1000000 Tawny Owl 1011222 Great Spotted 1111222 Woodpecker Green Woodpecker 0000111 Kestrel 1000101 Ring-necked 2213413 Parakeet Jay 2212222 Magpie 2312222 Jackdaw 0000025 Carrion Crow 2202322 Coal Tit 2222222 Blue Tit 58977119 Great Tit 6 8 11 6998 Long-tailed Tit 8534524 Chiffchaff 0000011 Blackcap 0000004 Goldcrest 000000Pr Wren 1011112 Nuthatch 1102222 Blackbird 2232332 Redwing 0 8 3 12 15 25 15 Song Thrush 1111111 Mistle Thrush 2222222 Robin 2222222 Dunnock 2122222 Chaffinch 2210222 Greenfinch 0000011 Goldfinch 0000013

Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Week 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Week 22 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Week 26 29/03/2020 05/04/2020 12/04/2020 19/04/2020 26/04/2020 03/05/2020 10/05/2020 17/05/2020 24/05/2020 31/05/2020 07/06/2020 14/06/2020 21/06/2020 Stock Dove 0010000000002 Woodpigeon 1222222333444 Sparrowhawk 0110000000000 Tawny Owl 2100000100000 Great Spotted 2211010101022 Woodpecker Kestrel 0000011111121 Ring-necked 1342200200000 Parakeet Jay 1211021220233 Magpie 2222120222322 Carrion Crow 2123323332200 Coal Tit 2000000000000 Blue Tit 4444444442022 Great Tit 5342222222101 Long-tailed Tit 2223202463976 Chiffchaff 1111110111211 Blackcap 4555522265533 Wren 1211112122212 Nuthatch 2210000022102 Treecreeper 0000000010000 Blackbird 2332322222342 Redwing 2000000000000 Song Thrush 1110000022002 Mistle Thrush 2221020220100 Robin 2222222222333 Dunnock 2222212222221 Chaffinch 2222200000000 Goldfinch 0300000000000

Week 27 Week 28 Week 29 28/06/2020 05/07/2020 12/07/2020 Stock Dove 0 0 2 Woodpigeon 2 2 1 Great Spotted 120 Woodpecker Green Woodpecker 0 0 1 Kestrel 1 1 1 Jay 0 3 0 Magpie 2 2 2 Carrion Crow 2 1 2 Blue Tit 4 5 7 Great Tit 1 0 2 Long-tailed Tit 4 3 5 Chiffchaff 1 0 1 Blackcap 2 2 4 Goldcrest 0 0 1 Wren 1 2 2 Nuthatch 1 1 1 Treecreeper 0 0 1 Blackbird 1 2 1 Song Thrush 1 2 0 Robin 3 3 3 Dunnock 2 2 2

Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 Week 45 Week 46 Week 47 Week 48 Week 49 Week 50 Week 51 Week 52 11/10/2020 18/10/2020 25/10/2020 01/11/2020 08/11/2020 15/11/2020 22/11/2020 29/11/2020 06/12/2020 13/12/2020 20/12/2020 Woodpigeon 23232333347 Sparrowhawk 01000111122 Buzzard 00010001001 Tawny Owl 02010000000 Great Spotted 12121111122 Woodpecker Green Woodpecker 00000000001 Kestrel 00000000001 Ring-necked 22222245366 Parakeet Jay 10000222122 Magpie 22022222232 Carrion Crow 1 Pr 000111111 Coal Tit 12123222222 Blue Tit 9 11 7 8 9 11 13 9 13 9 9 Great Tit 6967798911109 Long-tailed Tit 5 8 Pr 3 4 7 14 6 7 13 4 Goldcrest 10010111211

95 Wren 21110111111 Nuthatch 12112212122 Blackbird 22122222233 Redwing 030002377914 Song Thrush 00010101101 Mistle Thrush 00000000002 Robin 12111111122 Dunnock 12211111111 Grey Wagtail 10000000000 Chaffinch 53023222232 Goldfinch 00020000000

96 Appendix 12 Gravel Pit Cottage Butterfly Data

Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Species Records Abundance Records Abundance Records Abundance Records Abundance Records Abundance Records Abundance Records Abundance Records Abundance Total records Total abundance Brimstone 8145 5 13 19 Comma 2 3 16 25 10 13 15 34 13 21 1 1 57 97 Gatekeeper 914715 16 29 Green Hairstreak 55 55 Green‐veined White 11 20 11 19 4 5 15 32 8 10 1 1 50 87 Holly Blue 17 35 11 18 2 2 11 16 9 11 50 82 Large Skipper 13 16 10 12 1 1 24 29 Large White 55331117122111 32 47 Marbled White 11 11 Meadow Brown 9 1011154 4 24 29 Orange‐tip 1111 22 Painted Lady 11 11 Peacock 562043771169 39 66 Purple Emperor 11 11 Purple Hairstreak 9 162 16 476 7 67 32 705 Est. Red Admiral 10 10 12 13 12 17 12 18 5 6 51 64 Ringlet 9123 4 12 16 Silver‐washed Fritillary 2211 33 Small Copper 1122 33 Small Heath 1111 22 Small Skipper 12 12 Small Tortoiseshell 3322 89 13 14 Small White 663381445 23 23 31 Speckled Wood 89111434676103411 38 49 White Admiral 12 12 101210417080102110310131654511287911 494 1386

Records = no. of days the species was seen Abundance ‐ approximate numbers seen

97 Appendix 13 Gravel Pit Cottage "Other" Insect Data

Taxon Common name Taxon group Date interpreted Comment Verification status 1 Verification status 2 Verifier Verified on Nyctalus noctula Noctule Bat terrestrial mammal 24/03/2020 Late afternoon flying over the garden tree Accepted Considered correct Baker, Ross 16/09/2020 13:11 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 25/03/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 25/03/2020 22:39 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 04/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 04/04/2020 23:32 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 05/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 05/04/2020 20:45 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 07/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 14/04/2020 00:20 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 09/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 14/04/2020 00:20 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 10/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 14/04/2020 00:20 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 11/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 14/04/2020 00:20 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 12/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 14/04/2020 00:20 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 13/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 14/04/2020 00:20 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 19/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 20/04/2020 21:09 Panorpa communis insect ‐ scorpion fly (Mecoptera) 24/04/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Bibio marci St Marks Fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 24/04/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 24/04/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 26/04/2020 23:18 Bibio marci St Marks Fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 06/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 06/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 26/05/2020 14:35 Malachius bipustulatus Malachite Beetle insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 09/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Pyrochroa coccinea Black‐headed Cardinal Beetle insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 09/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 09/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 26/05/2020 14:35 Malachius bipustulatus Malachite Beetle insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 10/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Panorpa germanica insect ‐ scorpion fly (Mecoptera) 10/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 10/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 26/05/2020 14:35 Arge cyanocrocea insect ‐ hymenopteran 10/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Green, Andrew 24/05/2020 17:49 Malachius bipustulatus Malachite Beetle insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 12/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Epistrophe eligans insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 12/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Morris, Roger 13/05/2020 07:58 Misumena vatia spider (Araneae) 12/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 15/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 26/05/2020 14:33 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 16/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 26/05/2020 14:35 Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 17/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 26/05/2020 14:35 Pisaura mirabilis Tent Spider spider (Araneae) 17/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Zootoca vivipara Common Lizard reptile 20/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Bombylius major Dark‐edged Bee‐fly insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 20/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Harvey, Martin C. 26/05/2020 14:35 Libellula depressa Broad‐bodied Chaser insect ‐ dragonfly (Odonata) 20/05/2020 Garden. Accepted Considered correct Pryke, Linda 21/05/2020 00:45 Cetonia aurata Rose Beetle insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 20/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Mann, Darren 09/06/2020 22:39 Vespa crabro Hornet insect ‐ hymenopteran 21/05/2020 Accepted Considered correct Smith, Matt 02/06/2020 12:02 Amblyteles armatorius insect ‐ hymenopteran 21/05/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Anax imperator Emperor Dragonfly insect ‐ dragonfly (Odonata) 29/05/2020 Female. Accepted Considered correct Pryke, Linda 29/05/2020 17:07 Aceria dispar acarine (Acari) 09/06/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Libellula depressa Broad‐bodied Chaser insect ‐ dragonfly (Odonata) 13/06/2020 Accepted Considered correct Pryke, Linda 12/11/2020 13:09 Anax imperator Emperor Dragonfly insect ‐ dragonfly (Odonata) 13/06/2020 Accepted Considered correct Pryke, Linda 12/11/2020 13:12 Rutpela maculata insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 20/06/2020 Accepted Correct Heeney, Wil 28/07/2020 19:57 Anax imperator Emperor Dragonfly insect ‐ dragonfly (Odonata) 21/06/2020 Accepted Considered correct Pryke, Linda 30/06/2020 12:58 Geum urbanum Herb Bennet flowering plant 21/06/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Amphimallon solstitiale Summer Chafer insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 21/06/2020 Accepted Correct Mann, Darren 24/06/2020 15:52 Amphimallon solstitiale Summer Chafer insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 21/06/2020 Accepted Correct Mann, Darren 24/06/2020 15:52 Anax imperator Emperor Dragonfly insect ‐ dragonfly (Odonata) 28/06/2020 Accepted Considered correct Pryke, Linda 22/08/2020 17:40 Harmonia axyridis Harlequin Ladybird insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 28/06/2020 Accepted Correct Brown, Peter 09/08/2020 15:06 Chorthippus parallelus Meadow Grasshopper insect ‐ orthopteran 03/07/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Epilobium hirsutum Great Willowherb flowering plant 03/07/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Liocoris tripustulatus insect ‐ true bug (Hemiptera) 16/07/2020 Accepted Correct Justamond, Maria 16/07/2020 16:15 Anthocoris nemorum Common Flower Bug insect ‐ true bug (Hemiptera) 17/07/2020 Accepted Correct Justamond, Maria 20/07/2020 16:18 Sciurus Squirrel terrestrial mammal 18/07/2020 Unconfirmed Not reviewed Aeshna grandis Brown Hawker insect ‐ dragonfly (Odonata) 18/07/2020 Accepted Considered correct Pryke, Linda 12/11/2020 13:06 Anax imperator Emperor Dragonfly insect ‐ dragonfly (Odonata) 18/07/2020 Accepted Considered correct Pryke, Linda 12/11/2020 13:06 Volucella pellucens insect ‐ true fly (Diptera) 18/07/2020 Accepted Considered correct Morris, Roger 19/07/2020 00:51 Rhagonycha fulva Common Red Soldier Beetle insect ‐ beetle (Coleoptera) 18/07/2020 Accepted Considered correct Skipp, Stephanie 15/08/2020 13:31

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