Froyle Wildlife pond ‘an absolute pleasure’ 3rd June 2021

Carol sent us photos and wrote about their visit to Froyle …

I am a newish member having joined in 2020 to watch a Froyle Wildlife talk last November, and I’d been meaning since then to venture out from Alton to have a look at the pond on Gid Lane.  So when the Orchid walk in North Warnborough Greens was cancelled this week, myself and my husband decided it would be a good opportunity to do something ‘Froyle Wildlife’ connected and visit the pond!

What an absolute pleasure it was.  So beautifully peaceful while seated on a tree stump and surrounded by yellow and pink – a froth of Buttercups, and patches of Ragged Robin.  The pond resplendent with swathes of Water Crowfoot on either side.

Walking round the mown paths I came across new discoveries for me – subsequently identified as a Common Carpet moth, Azure Damselflies, a Large Red Damselfly and some Bladder Campion.   In the pond itself I saw a tiny Ramshorn Snail, and a Greater Water Boatman. Finally, seated again, I spotted what turned out to be a Thick-legged Flower Beetle on a nearby buttercup.  Previously seen once before in Devon, a few years ago.

What a joyful experience in a delightful sanctuary of wildlife and flowers.

 

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North Warnborough Greens, walk 3rd and 7th June 2021

Update: Having visited the Greens on 2nd June and found only 2 orchids in leaf, we are cancelling the planned walks -as in flower was the aim. It’s a late season -cold April, wet May and flowering dates and orchid numbers will differ each year.
The Natural England condition report from 2020 says ‘Large numbers of southern marsh orchid are present throughout’.
It a pleasant location to visit now with Highland cattle are grazing part of the SSSI and Marsh Marigolds in flower.

Join us for a leisurely walk at North Warnborough Greens SSSI on either Thursday 3rd June 10am-12 or Monday 7th June 7pm. Managed by Hampshire Wildlife Trust, these flower rich wet meadows are adjacent to the River Whitewater and are home to a great variety of flower species. We hope to see both Early and Southern Marsh Orchids in flower. Please note that there are two dates because of limited parking nearby and small group size, so please let us know if you plan to attend by email to info@www.froylewildlife.co.uk.

Please observe social distancing and also as it may be wet underfoot do wear appropriate footwear. After our wander through the Greens, you can take an optional self-guided pleasant walk of about 1km over the ford to the Basingstoke canal footpath and then along to King John’s castle ruin.

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‘Wildlife Photography – Tips and Experiences’ talk 15th April 2021

Join us on Thursday 15th April, 7.30pm for a talk via zoom about ‘Wildlife Photography – Tips and Experiences’ by Stephen Powles.

In this talk Stephen will look to inspire you to take up wildlife photography in its simplest form. He will then go on to give tips as to how one might progress to more challenging subjects and achieve better results. No need for a neck draped in fancy kit! It’s incredible what you can do using relatively simple equipment/mobile phones and by going no further than your garden. There is no need to be passionate about taking wildlife photographs to enjoy this presentation.

Formerly a vet, Stephen changed career to pursue a lifelong passion for wildlife, wildlife photography, filming and conservation. Stephen’s material has made a number of TV appearances, featured in the national press and won major awards. His photography concentrates on interesting and challenging wildlife subjects, many of which are in and close to his home.

Note: The zoom invitation will be emailed beforehand to members and to those on our mailing list. Anyone who would like to join the meeting can request an invitation.

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Nesting birds around Froyle in March 2021

March –‘In like a lion out like a lamb’
The gradual transformation from winter to spring

Many birds will begin nesting this month however Long-tailed Tits will have started nest construction in February; this is because it takes so long to create their cosy, stretchy, feather lined nests. They are made from moss, hair and cobwebs and then covered with lichens for camouflage. Other early nesters include Rook, Heron and Raven.
Three favourite species of farmland ground nesting birds which I look forward to seeing on walks in Lower Froyle are Skylark, Lapwing and Yellowhammer.

  • Skylark – Males seemingly deliver their liquid nonstop song with effortless ease whilst hovering, sometimes so high up they are hard to spot. On the ground these brown birds are equally hard to see. Their diet consists of invertebrates, weed seeds and leaves and grain.
  • Lapwing – also known as Peewits due to their call, appear black and white in flight however their backs take on an iridescent greeny purple in sunlight; hence Green Plover is yet another name for them. Males perform spectacular diving, tumbling and swooping aerial displays in the spring. One pair is able to raise one brood of up to 4 chicks a year. The chicks can walk and feed themselves within hours of hatching, the parent birds, ever vigilant, will mob predators but this isn’t guaranteed to keep them away. Lapwings prefer damp fields to breed on with ruts or depressions holding water. They feed on invertebrates in or on the ground. Later in the year quite large feeding flocks can be sometimes be seen in Froyle.
  • Yellowhammer – males are an easily recognised and their ‘Little bit of bread and no cheese’ song sung from hedgerows is a giveaway. They prefer to nest on the ground under or low down in thick hedgerows adjacent to damp/watery ditches. The nature Poet John Clare writing in the 19th century described this in his poem ‘The Yellowhammer’s Nest’. Mainly seed eaters, these birds can be found in winter stubbles, wild bird cover and anywhere with spilt grain. Chicks of this species must have a good supple of insect food and adults also benefit from this additional fare during the breeding season. Wide Native grass and wildflower margins can provide this. In Lower Froyle last year it was fantastic to see butterflies and bees where this had been created.

Skylark, Lapwing and Yellowhammer are included on the UK ‘Red List’ for birds, meaning they are in need of urgent conservation action having suffered major population declines. Sixty seven species – one in 4 of UK birds are now on the Red List.

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New nest boxes in Froyle Feb 2021

In February 2021 twelve RSPB nest boxes were put up on trees in Froyle. These will provide more nesting opportunities for small birds around Froyle recreation ground and near the wildlife pond area. The ‘standard’ boxes are for birds such as blue tits and great tits. The open fronted are for robins and wrens typically.

The natural pale wood will soon weather and darken to be less visible and some will disappear from obvious view when the leaves are on the trees. Thanks to the local volunteers that helped and who worked during lockdown as individual households.

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‘HART Wildlife Rescue’ talk 4th March 2021

Join us on Thursday 4th March 7.30pm for a zoom talk by Paul Reynolds about ‘HART Wildlife Rescue’ -working in Hampshire to rescue British wildlife. Paul will introduce the work of Hampshire Animal Rescue Team (HART) and cover some interesting case studies as well as what to do if you find an animal in distress.

Located at Medstead near Alton, HART Wildlife runs a wildlife hospital, providing a rescue, treatment and rehabilitation service for wildlife from all over Hampshire and surrounding counties. Over 3,000 animals were treated by HART in 2020 including hedgehogs, wild birds, foxes, owls, ducks, rabbits and mice.

Note: The zoom invitation will be emailed beforehand to members and to those on our mailing list. Anyone who would like to join the meeting can request an invitation.

A write-up after the talk follows:-  On 4th March via Zoom we enjoyed a really wonderful talk by Paul Reynolds, Hospital Manager of HART Wildlife Rescue.  We are very fortunate that we have this resource for sick and injured wildlife so near to us in Medstead. Originally founded by June and Bob Gibbs, the charity has been helping local wildlife for 25 years.

In 2020 3233 patients were admitted to the hospital and ranged from deer, foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, rodents and rabbits to bats, reptiles, amphibians and birds. The top three animals were garden birds and summer visitors (1086), doves and pigeons (794) and hedgehogs (604). Each patient on average costs £150 to treat and rehabilitate. Mostly the centre deals with local native wildlife but sometimes more exotic species come in. More unusual patients have included a Rhea, a North American Corn snake and an albino budgie!

Animals are admitted for a number of reasons which include: cat attacks, being orphaned, injured on the roads, being injured by litter, being poisoned, getting stuck in a hole, pond or sports net and getting a disease. Sadly animals can also be hurt from gardening hazards such as strimmers/mowers, bonfires, cutting hedges or trees. The aim is to release healthy animals back into the countryside either near where they were found or at sympathetic sites.

Hedgehogs. Despite doing relatively well in Europe, hedgehogs are in decline in the UK and now classified as Vulnerable to extinction. Indeed it is thought that they could even become extinct in the U.K. in the next fifty years! They suffer from habitat loss, road accidents, pesticides killing their food source (invertebrates), dog attacks, parasites, gardening related injuries and a lack of connectivity between their habitats. They breed from April to September and hibernate from November to March.

What can we do to help hedgehogs?

  • create ‘hedgehog highways’ in other words cut small holes in fences or other boundaries so that hedgehogs can travel between gardens
  • check that drains are covered and that ponds and cattle grids have escape routes so they can climb out
  • feed hedgehogs – preferably cat food (biscuits) or food from Riverside Woodcraft

What should I do if I find an injured wild animal or bird?

  • try to contain the animal if you can
  • be cautious with deer, foxes, seals or badgers, ring HART Wildlife Rescue for advice and if suggested then cover the head with a jacket or towel
  • if it is a young animal step back and look around for any parents or other orphans
  • call HART Wildlife Rescue 01420 562335 or the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999

How can I help HART?

  • Donate towels, newspapers, cat food (biscuits or wet food)
  • Donate when you buy goods on Amazon – instead of going to Amazon, go to Smile Amazon and then select HART Wildlife Rescue as your chosen charity – a percentage of your purchase price will go straight to HART
  • Buy an item from HART’s Amazon wish list (there is a host of items which range in price, recently I bought some puppy milk powder for fox cubs) see this page for more details
  • host a fundraiser
  • when Coronavirus is no longer an issue, volunteer to help at the centre or at the HART charity shop in Alton (near Alton library in the Bank Car Park)
  • become a regular donator

You can find out more about the wonderful work at HART Wildlife Rescue by doing the following:

  • follow Hart Wildlife on Facebook
  • follow hartwildliferescue on Instagram
  • go to the website and sign up for their newsletter.

The talk was really interesting so thank you to Paul!

Jenny

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‘Hampshire -Nature in Trust’ talk 20th Nov 2020

Oystercatchers Farlington Marshes, by Mike Read

Join us on zoom for an entertaining talk by Mike Read, a freelance nature photographer specialising in birds, flowers, mammals and other wildlife as well as landscapes.  Living near the New Forest, he visited one Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust reserve each month through the year to capture the scenery and wildlife of each reserve.  The wide spread of locations produced a broad variety of habitats and showcases the great work that the HIWWT is doing.

Much wildlife features in this talk, from birds to butterflies, flowers to fungi and mammals to mites and it is delivered alongside Mike’s entertaining commentary. All welcome to attend this virtual meeting on Friday 20th November 2020 at 7.30pm.

Dark green fritillary Broughton Down by Mike Read

Note: The zoom invitation will be emailed beforehand to members and to those on our mailing list. Anyone who would like to join the meeting can request an invitation.

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Tree planting on Froyle Rec Nov 2020

Several trees have died in recent years leaving gaps on the eastern edge of Froyle recreation ground (see photo) that could be filled. The tree species planned are Wild Cherry, Whitebeam and Rowan, these would be purchased from British grown stock. Planting by volunteers would then be done November 2020 at the earliest. Information about these tree species can be found in the proposal approved by Froyle Parish Council.

Small young trees will transplant better and after several years will outperform large planted trees. So this will not be an instant effect project but one that should benefit wildlife in the future as well as adding interest for people. Native trees provide food and shelter for local wildlife and give seasonal interest throughout the year. From cascades of blossom in spring to a blaze of autumn leaf colour and fruits.

Update: Volunteers planted 6 new trees on Froyle recreation ground on Saturday 28th November 2020. This was largely done with one household per tree, using their own tools and with social distancing to others. The standard trees were 2 each of Whitebeam, Wild Cherry and Rowan, 2.4m to 3.0m tall, native trees grown in Hampshire. The bare rooted trees were only lifted from the ground the previous day and delivered fresh from Mill Farm Trees, Winchester. We look forward to seeing buds of growth next Spring and the seasonal changes through the year.

   

 

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ACAN talk Protecting the River Wey in Alton, 4th Nov 2020

Talk organised by Alton Climate Action and Network (ACAN) on Wednesday 4 November 7.30 pm. Information below is copied from their website.

PROTECTING THE RIVER WEY IN ALTON: TALK AND DISCUSSION BY GLEN SKELTON, SURREY WILDLIFE TRUST

Zoom event – email altonclimatenetwork@gmail.com for the link.

Glen Skelton is the Wetland Landscapes Officer at Surrey Wildlife Trust. For the past 7 years he has been supporting local communities and groups across the River Wey catchment to monitor the health of their local river and apply practical measures to restore degraded stretches. In this talk he will look in detail at the River Wey as it runs through Alton, why this is a particularly important stretch of river and highlight some of the issues and opportunities for restoring our river to something we can be proud of.

Spring-fed rivers like the Wey in Alton are seriously threatened by climate change. Glen will suggest what we all can all do to protect this magnificent resource.

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White-tailed eagle visits Froyle October 2020

A number of white-tailed eagles were released on the Isle of Wight in August 2020 (having been born in Scotland) as part of a reintroduction program under license from Natural England. We received an exciting report that one of these white-tailed eagles had roosted overnight in woods at Upper Froyle during the first week of October 2020.

The next morning Keith Betton (Hampshire County Bird Recorder) took photos of it being mobbed by crows before it flew to a wood in Lower Froyle. Its GPS tracker showed that later it had flown towards London, before returning to the Isle of Wight via Sussex.

The reintroduction program only takes a chick when there are two in the nest – because usually one dies in that situation.

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