Wildlife Magazine Summer 2019

Wild Life Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Golden days of summer The best places to spot bumblebees and other summer wildlife

Summer 2019

MAKING SPACE FOR SAND MARTINS

Our innovative solution creating safe havens for these summer visitors

THE STORY OF ST CATHERINE’S HILL

Join us on a journey through the ages at Winchester’s most historic nature reserve

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Welcome

It’s incredible how quickly things can change.

When we first set out our Wilder vision last autumn, the idea of 1 in 4 people standing up and acting in support of nature seemed wildly ambitious (but very necessary). But that was before Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion. That was before thousands of Wildlife Trust members and other supporters came together at the Mass Lobby of Parliament last month to call for action to tackle the climate crisis and secure nature’s recovery.

That climate and biodiversity have now become inextricably linked in the minds of policy makers and the public is also a significant change. The bridges between these issues, interest groups and solutions are vital. We know that tackling climate breakdown and building resilience is fundamental to the future of our wildlife. We also know that restoring nature, investing in wetlands, woodlands, saltmarshes and seagrass meadows, has to be part of the answer to the dramatic decarbonisation needed if we are to meet the net zero target set by Government. There is much to be done and the Wildlife Trusts have an essential role to play.

I’ve spoken to hundreds of members in the past few months – at our Wilder events and conferences and by email – who have helped to shape our thinking about what our role should be in the coming years and how we can make the most difference for wildlife locally.

As we get ready to launch our new strategy at the end of October, it’s so encouraging to see the swell of public support, the recent political commitments and the convergence of policy agendas. But most of all, it’s so important to know that our members back our ambition and are ready and willing to help deliver a wilder future for our two counties.

Debbie Tann, Chief Executive Follow me on twitter @Debbie_Tann

MIKE READ WWW.MIKEREAD.CO.UK

Change is in the air

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Wildlife is the membership magazine for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Email feedback@hiwwt.org.uk Telephone 01489 774400 Address Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane, Curdridge, Hampshire SO32 2DP Registered charity number 201081.

Company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales No. 676313.

Website www.hiwwt.org.uk

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Get in touch

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is the leading nature conservation charity in the two counties. With your support, we strive to create a wilder future for our local area and make nature part of life, for everyone. ● We manage over 50 nature reserves. ● We are supported by 24,000 members and 1,500 volunteers.

We are part of a UK-wide network of 46 Wildlife Trusts; together we are the nation’s most active and influential nature conservation partnership protecting wildlife in every part of the UK.

Wildlife Magazine Editor Alice Ashcroft, 01489 774400 Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is registered with the UK Fundraising Regulator. We aim to meet the highest standards in the way we fundraise.

You can change your contact preferences at any time by contacting Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust via email: membership@hiwwt.org.uk, telephone: 01489 774400, or write to us at: Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane, Curdridge, Hampshire SO32 2DP. For more information on our privacy policy visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/privacy-notice

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KEN DOLBEAR

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Contents

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4 Your wild summer

Including the best local nature reserves to see kingfishers.

ALEXANDER MUSTARD / 2020VISION

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The story of St Catherine’s Hill Take a step back in time on a walk through this beautiful and historic nature reserve.

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Wild news We are celebrating two new Marine Conservation Zones.

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Focus on marsh fritillaries The ambitious project aiming to bring this iconic butterfly back from the brink.

16 At home with nature

How you can make your home more wildlife-friendly.

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Space for nature How connecting nature hotspots can help species to survive and thrive.

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Six places to see water voles Water voles are wonderful creatures and there are places to spot them all over the UK including our very own Winnall Moors nature reserve.

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ALEXANDER MUSTARD / 2020VISION

Making space for sand martins How man-made sandbanks on a Trust reserve are helping a special summer visitor.

30 My wild life

Introducing Natalie Harris who, at 21, has already made a big difference helping to clean plastic from our beaches.

6 ways to get involved with your local Wildlife Trust Volunteer

Could you donate your skills and time to look after wildlife? Visit our website to find exciting opportunities near you.

Donate to an appeal

From purchasing land to protecting species, exciting projects near you need your support.

Campaigning

You can play a vital role in raising awareness, and lobbying, on local and national issues.

Local groups

Join one of our network of local groups and help make a difference to nature where you live.

Events

Join us for a walk, talk or activity near you. Our events are organised by knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff and Local Groups.

Leave a legacy

If you’ve had a lifetime’s pleasure from nature, help ensure its future by leaving us a gift in your will.

For more information visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/get-involved

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Your wild Summer The best of the season’s wildlife and where to enjoy it.

As blue as the sky; as orange as the sun. Kingfishers represent the best of the British summer. See if you can spot one at a nature reserve near you.

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T h a n k y ou

Thanks to your su pport, we are able to create habitat fo r kingfishers across our two co unties. Find out more about how your support is helping local wild life. www.hiwwt.org.u k

SUMMER SPECTACLE

Kingfishers Stroll along a river or stream this summer and look out for the distinctive azure blue and metallic copper of a kingfisher. For the best chance of seeing one, focus on low branches overhanging the water and listen for their distinctive ‘peep peep’ call.

SEE THEM THIS SUMMER  Sandown Meadows nature reserve The diverse mix of wetland habitat and abundance of small fish create the perfect environment for kingfishers on the Isle of Wight. We secured this nature reserve through generous gifts in Wills from local wildlife lovers.  Winnall Moors nature reserve These beautiful birds thrive at Winnall Moors in Winchester.  Blashford Lakes nature reserve Our brand new hide provides panoramic views of the lakes. Make yourself comfortable and see if you can spot a kingfisher mid-hunt.

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YOUR WILD SUMMER

Eco rockpooling A low tide can reveal a treasure trove of marine wonders. Discover our coastal wildlife and spend some time rockpooling this summer – whether young or old, exploring beaches and bays can be a truly magical experience.

You will need sturdy footwear, a few buckets to fill with seawater and, if possible, a coastal ID guide to help you identify your discoveries.

TRY IT THIS SUMMER  Compton Bay, Isle of Wight Keep your eyes peeled for fossilised dinosaur footprints, and discover a great diversity of animals and seaweed.  Colwell Bay, Isle of Wight Venture onto the beach between the tides and look out for burrowing anemones peeping out of the sand.

Summer fun: rockpools hold a myriad of treasures for junior explorers.

MATTHEW ROBERTS

URBAN FIELDCRAFT

Young foxes start to make an appearance in the summer.

Be on red alert Red foxes are an iconic species in the UK, immortalised in stories and legend for their cunning and stealth. This orangey-red dog, with its famously bushy tail, can be seen in town and country, day and night. Right about now, adults are looking thin, having spent the last three months providing for their cubs; they also look very tatty because they are moulting. In late summer adult foxes stop feeding their cubs and start competing with them for food, forcing the cubs to explore beyond their natal sites.

How to

ANDREW WHITMARSH

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SPOT A RED FOX  Take an evening stroll Foxes are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk.

 Look down Keep your eyes peeled for a flash of red and a white tipped tail if you’re out for an evening walk.

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SEE THIS

DO THIS

Find yourself a grassy hillside and look out for our beautiful, blue butterflies.

Visit a local woodland and listen for the melodic singing of warblers and thrushes.

VICKY NALL

CHRIS GOMERSALL / 2020VISION

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Bumblebees

Summer is the best time of year to get to know our beautiful, bumbling pollinators.

Pollen sticks to bumblebees’ hairy bodies, and they inadvertently leave a few grains behind each time they visit a new flower.

This is how they pollinate.

Bumblebees use their antennae to smell, and are able to detect the direction a scent is coming from.

This long tube is called a proboscis. It acts as a straw-like tongue, allowing the bumblebee to reach into narrow flowers and access the nectar with in.

BUMBLEBEES LOVE LAVENDER They use their long proboscises to reach the nectar within the small, tubular flowers.

Bumblebees in decline Sadly, bumblebees have suffered from the loss of wildflowers and changes in land use and management, including the use of pesticides and herbicides. Of the 24 species of bumblebee recognised to inhabit the UK, three species are now extinct and five have suffered considerable declines in distribution.

However, there are lots of simple ways you can help bumblebees at home.

Common carder bee Common carder bees emerge in early spring and can be seen feeding on flowers right through to November.

DER EK

MO ORE SEE THEM THIS SUMMER  Martin’s Wood nature reserve This reserve on the Isle of Wight is very popular with the local bees – keep your eyes peeled for all the different species.  Blashford Lakes nature reserve The green roof atop the new tern hide at Blashford Lakes in Ringwood is a welcome rest stop for bumblebees.  Barton Meadows nature reserve We transformed Barton Meadows in Winchester from an agricultural field into a wildflower haven for pollinators.

Garden bumblebee Garden bumblebees have long proboscises, which allow them to visit larger flowers with deep tubes such as foxgloves.

Visit our website to find out more about how you can help bees in your garden. www.hiwwt.org.uk/take-action-for-bees

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RACHEL SCOPES

Gardening for bumblebees Choosing pollinator friendly plants for your garden or window box is an easy and effective way to help bumblebees – lavender, primroses and ox-eye daisies are all popular choices.

Buff-tailed bumblebee This bumblebee is named after the queen’s buffcoloured ‘tail’. They can be found in a diverse range of habitats, even highly urbanised areas.

RACHEL SCOPES

Flying high Bumblebees spend a great deal of their time flying, which takes up about a third of their daily energy intake.

By shivering their muscles under a thick layer of hair, bumblebees are able to stay warm and active even in dull conditions, setting them apart from honey and solitary bees.

3 SPECIES TO SPOT PEN NY FRIT H

CHRIS GOMERSALL / 2020VISION

Making a buzz No summer would be complete without the dulcet hum of bumblebees plodding from flower to flower. With their bright colours and round, fluffy bodies they are one of our most distinctive garden visitors, as well as being highly effective pollinators.

Top tips

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The story of St Catherine’s Hill With show-stopping views and close proximity to the high street, St Catherine’s Hill nature reserve in Winchester attracts thousands of visitors every year. However, few people are aware of its rich history - at approximately 12,000 years old it could tell some truly spellbinding stories. We will now set off on a guided walk of this stunning nature reserve to discover the treasures hidden within.

At the heart of Hampshire’s most ancient city, St Catherine’s Hill stands in quiet splendour.

Discover its wildlife and rich history as we uncover the secrets of this fascinating nature reserve.

Yellowhammer

DAMIAN WATERS

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AMY LEWIS

Brown argus

A guided walk We’ll begin our tour at Garnier Road car park and walk clockwise around the nature reserve. Walk through the tunnel that passes underneath the Handlebar Café, through the kissing gate and past the two coppiced walnut trees. You will see a series of steps, which will take you all the way to the top of the hill.

Ascend the steps, and when you reach the halfway point take a moment to admire the view - you should be able to see Winchester Cathedral nestled in a frame of greenery. Continue climbing upwards and you will soon find the remnants of a significant milestone in the history of St Catherine’s Hill: 12,000 years ago, in the Neolithic era, some of the area’s earliest inhabitants clambered up the steep slopes and built an imposing fort at its summit.

You can still see where the ramparts once stood - they circle around the cluster of

beech trees at the top of the hill.

Turn left, and then turn right where the trees part to reveal the hill fort entrance.

Head to the group of beech trees (known locally as The Clump) and you will find the Mismaze, a turf-cut labyrinth dating from before 1710. It is unclear who carved the Mismaze into the hilltop, although some believe it could have been formed as part of a penitential ritual. The mound at the centre of The Clump protects the remains of the Chapel of St Catherine – the hill’s namesake. The largest trees in this cathedral-like space are more than 150 years old, and many of them house jackdaws which nest in holes in the tree trunks.

Having admired the views over the Itchen valley, continue south away from the city. You will notice the turf gets shorter and more flower-rich as

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OUR BEST SUMMER RESERVES

NOW YOU DO IT

T h a n k y ou

Visit St Catherine’s Hill

Thanks to your su pport, we can look after St Ca therine’s Hill and all the flor a and fauna that depend on it.

this area creates a unique micro climate - thyme and rock rose favour the slight elevation of these mounds, as do green woodpeckers which raid them to feast on the ants inside. Some of the anthills are around 300 years old, and their size is a sure sign that the land has remained unploughed for centuries. The thorn bushes and thickets provide ideal nesting sites for a number of finches and warblers, including yellowhammer, bullfinch and whitethroat.

Head down the valley and you will find St Catherine’s Lock, now just a weir. The land inside this entrance used to be the A31 Winchester bypass, but was restored to chalk grassland when the M3 was built.

25 years on, and it is the best place to look for fragrant, pyramidal and bee orchids.

Turn right at the cycleway, and you will find yourself back at the car park, your tour completed.

Your support allows us to make sure that wildlife will always have a home at St Catherine’s Hill. As the story of this special place continues to unfold, we know future generations will be able to enjoy its wonders for many years to come.

DID YOU KNOW British White cattle

LIANNE DE MELLO

graze St Catherine’s Hill, and their selective eating helps to create the right conditions for a wide range of insects, birds, reptiles, mammals and plants. You can read more about conservation grazing on our website: www.hiwwt.org.uk/conservation-grazing

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Location: Garnier Road, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9PA OS Map Reference: SU 484 276.

How to get there: Winchester train station is two and a half miles away from the nature reserve. You can take a bus to St. Catherine’s park and ride from there, and then follow the cycleway that takes you to the main road. Go through the small car park, and then join the path for a third of a mile with the river on your right until you reach St Catherine’s lock entrance.

TOP WILDLIFE TO SPOT Look out for some of the 25 species of breeding butterfly that call St Catherine’s Hill home, including chalkhill blue, brown argus and marbled white. Keen eyed visitors might also spot some of the rare orchids dotted across the hill’s slopes and meadows, including pyramidal orchid, musk orchid, common spotted orchid and autumn lady’s tresses.

JOIN US ON A GUIDED WALK

LIANNE DE MELLO

wildflowers take advantage of the chalkrich soil. On a sunny summer day, it is clear to see why St Catherine’s Hill is renowned for its wildlife - pause a while and you may be lucky enough to see a cloud of butterflies tumble over the hill.

Between them, the different butterfly species found at this reserve create an aerial mosaic of colour. You may see the soft orange and fawn of small heaths, the chocolate colour of brown arguses, and the pastel shades of chalkhill blues.

Some of these butterflies have a symbiotic relationship with the resident meadow ants: the larvae of the Adonis blue butterfly, for example, feed the ants sweet secretions from their ‘honey glands’ in exchange for protection from predators.

The ants nest on a part of the reserve which pertains to a dark chapter in human history. In 1666 countless plague victims were laid to rest just west of the reserve – an area we now know as Plague Pits Valley.

The presence of thousands of ant hills in

ED MERRITT

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 Join Susan Simmonds on guided walk looking at the chalk downland plants which grow on St. Catherine’s Hill. You will need to be able to walk three miles on rough, uneven, and often very steep ground. Booking is essential.

Date and time: Monday 12 August, 2-4pm Cost: £5 per person Contact: Membership team on 01489 774408 or membership@hiwwt.org.uk

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WILD NEWS

All the latest news from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

2,500 The number of local people who got in touch to help shape our strategy for a Wilder Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

The time is now The Time Is Now Lobby on 26 June saw thousands of people descend on Westminster to talk to their MPs about tackling the climate and biodiversity

crisis. The Wildlife Trusts were out in force with hundreds of staff, volunteers and supporters carrying placards, and bringing messages for their local politicians. We were

pleased to see so many people turn up from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight including a couple who had cycled all the way from Botley, near Southampton!

Shaping the vision for a wilder future Since we published our ‘Wilder’ discussion paper at last year’s AGM, setting out our ambition to tip the balance in favour of nature’s recovery, we have heard from thousands of members. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our survey, attend one of our Wilder events or contacted us directly. We have been 10

overwhelmed by your passion, enthusiasm and brilliant ideas for how we can make a real difference for local wildlife in the coming years. We are now working hard to bring all these thoughts together and will be launching a new ten-year plan in the autumn. We are also making a few changes at the Trust in order to increase

our impact and better support you to help nature in your own lives, businesses and communities. It is so important to us that our members are at the heart of shaping and delivering this strategy, and we look forward to creating a wilder future together.

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NEWS

Together

we’re stronger Here are some of the ways your membership has been helping to protect your local wildlife

6,956

The number of new records of invasive species, gathered by volunteers for the New Forest ‘Our Past, Our Future’ project.

A fresh new look for Blashford Lakes nature reserve The improvement works at Blashford Lakes are complete, and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported us and made the project a success, including the Rural Development Programme for England, the New Forest LEADER Programme (funded by Defra and the EU), Veolia Environmental Trust, the Pig Shed Trust and the local community.

Thanks to their support, a larger, more accessible tern hide is open for business, and it has been a joy to see visitors enjoying the enhanced view over Ibsley Water. Our new welcome hut is fully staffed with knowledgeable volunteers, and the sculpture trail is proving very popular with our younger wildlife enthusiasts.

Our new pond was quickly colonised and is well used by the resident fauna, and brand new signage across the whole site makes

navigating the nature reserve simple.

We look forward to welcoming you to Blashford Lakes this summer.

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The number of local companies that showed their support for our wildlife and wild places by being corporate members of the Trust.

Thank

you!

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3,000

The number of native broadleaved trees that will be planted in Roydon Woods nature reserve thanks to gifts in Wills.

The secret’s out at Blue Reef Aquarium As part of our Secrets of the Solent project, we have teamed up with Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth to showcase the Solent’s spectacular marine life. Over the next few months we will create exciting new displays for visitors to the aquarium to enjoy.

Secrets of the Solent is a four-year project that is showcasing the inspirational people and wildlife that share our waters. Find out more: www.hiwwt.org.uk/SecretsoftheSolent

14,491 The number of children who engaged with the Trust last year to learn about wildlife.

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WILD NEWS

On 30 May our vibrant local waters gained greater recognition and protection, with the designation of two new Marine Conservation Zones off the Isle of Wight.

The government announced the designation of 41 new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) around the coasts of England and Northern Ireland, and we are very pleased that two of these are in the Solent.

We have called for the inclusion of local sites since the process of designation began in 2009.

The government has now designated 91 Marine Conservation Zones in total.

Our new zones – Yarmouth to Cowes and Bembridge – join The Needles, which was awarded MCZ status in 2016.

Responding to the announcement, Debbie Tann, CEO of the Trust, said: “We are very pleased to see two local areas given this level of recognition.

We have some incredible marine species and habitats here – from colour-changing cuttlefish and magnificent seagrass meadows to seahorses and stalked jellyfish – and we know that, with such busy local waters, our wildlife 12

can really struggle.

“Properly managed, these new underwater ‘nature reserves’ around the Island should provide much needed safe havens and will form part of a wider Nature Recovery Network across English waters.

“Thank you to everyone who backed our campaign to secure these vital protections. Over the past decade or more we have gathered evidence and public support for these Marine Conservation Zones. With three local areas now designated, the task ahead is to ensure that the management and conservation measures live up to this promise and really play a part in restoring our marine life and livelihoods.

“We are, of course, disappointed that we don’t yet have a complete local network, as we are still missing protections for other important habitats and areas such as the seagrass meadows found between Norris and Ryde and the native oyster beds at Fareham Creek. However, this announcement does take us a significant step closer to creating a wilder future for our seas.”

ALEXANDER MUSTARD / 2020VISION

Solent receives two new Marine Conservation Zones IN A NUTSHELL ■ England’s 91 Marine Conservation Zones have been designated to protect a range of nationally important, rare or threatened habitats and species.

■ Locally, we now have three MCZs off the Isle of Wight - Bembridge, Yarmouth to Cowes, and the Needles.

These protect a highly diverse range of marine features including subtidal chalk, seagrass beds, maerl beds, and soft clays and muds - supporting special marine wildlife such as stalked jellyfish, short-snouted seahorse and native oyster.

■ Together these sites form part of the Nature Recovery Network at sea.

Find out more Visit our website and read more about our new MCZs www.hiwwt.org.uk/news/new-marineconservation-zones

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NEWS

LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS

Watercress & Winterbournes survey

Discover how Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is working for you.

Watercress & Winterbournes is an ambitious landscape partnership that is celebrating and enhancing our chalk streams. As we continue to develop our plans, with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we want to hear the views of local communities to learn more about what their chalk streams mean to them.

These special waters are enjoyed by many for their great beauty and have a vibrant industrial history spanning everything from gin distilling to paper production.

They are also a globally rare habitat and home to a whole host of fascinating species, including water voles, brown trout and endangered white-clawed crayfish.

If you live near the streams that feed the Rivers Test and Itchen, you can take our short online survey to help shape the activities in your area: www.hiwwt.org.uk/WatercressAndWinterbournes/Survey

1 30 Days Wild

A record number of 2,802 people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight took part in 30 Days Wild this June, making 2019 our wildest year yet! Thank you to everyone who joined in – it was wonderful to see so many local people enjoying the wildlife on their doorstep.

2 Technical Fish Pass In April we attended the All Along the Riverbank event on the Isle of Wight, and used a mini golf course to represent a technical fish pass - a system used to help fish travel upstream to their spawning grounds when there are obstacles in place that may prevent this occurring naturally. Technical fish passes have been installed in a number of rivers across the Island as part of the Down to the Coast project (of which we are a part) to help fish make their way up-stream to their spawning grounds.

LINDA PITKIN / 2020VISION

In memory of Michael Bryant (1934-2019) Michael Bryant was one of the founding members of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust when it was first established in November 1960. Back then it was known as the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Naturalist’s Trust, and Michael was the last of the cohort of founders who committed themselves to building a better world following the Second World War. The archives of the founding meetings reveal the concerns of the day: ‘We cannot keep back the economic tide but it should be one of the prime duties of the Trust to become aware of these potential developments and to make developers aware of conservation needs’.

As it was then, so it is now.

Micheal was a man of quiet charm, great energy and a true friend to wildlife.

He leaves a proud legacy.

3 Marine Citizen Science Day We celebrated World Oceans Day this June with our own Marine Citizen Science Day. We were joined at Royal Victoria Country Park by representatives from Just One Ocean, Bird Aware Solent, Citizan, and Surfers Against Sewage who are all running citizen-led projects to improve our data and understanding of our marine environment. Find out about the fun ways you can get involved: www.hiwwt.org.uk/ SecretsoftheSolent/CitizenScience

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Did you know...

Over the past year, 1,500 volunteers contributed 48,218 hours of their time - equivalent to 6,888 days! If you’re interested in volunteering with us, you can find our current opportunities on our website at www.hiwwt.org.uk/volunteering-opportunities

News in brief Isle of Wight Biosphere The Isle of Wight was crowned as an Unesco Biosphere Reserve, making it the seventh UK destination to be awarded this special status. The designation recognises the Island as one of the best areas in the world for managed landscapes and celebrates the positive balance between nature and human activity.

Go wild for ponds!

An invitation to our AGM and conference We give members notice of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s 58th Annual General Meeting. This will take place on Thursday 24 October between 10am and 11am at The Middle Brook Centre, Hope Church Winchester, Middle Brook Street, Winchester.

The AGM is free to attend. To book your place or request a proxy vote if you are unable to attend, please visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/agm or call 01489 774400.

The AGM will be followed by a conference to launch our ten year

vision and strategy for a wilder Hampshire and Isle of Wight. We do hope you will join us to learn more about our ambitious plans and hear from fantastic speakers, including Sir Charles Burrell, re-wilding pioneer and owner of the Knepp estate, and Philip Lymbery, well known author and CEO of Compassion in World Farming. The conference costs £5 to attend (including lunch) and full details can be found on the leaflet included with your magazine or by visiting www.hiwwt.org.uk/ wilder-conference

Investing in a wilder future We would like to thank all of our generous supporters who have so far collectively donated nearly £30,000 towards our Wildlife Investment Fund for Hampshire. These kind donations will enable us to quickly respond to opportunities and unlock large-scale funding. We plan to use these donations as 14

the ‘matched funding’ contribution often required when seeking large grants. Your gifts could now help us secure up to £270,000 in additional funding. We will keep you updated on how the Wildlife Investment Fund is helping us do more for wildlife across the county.

The Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Horticultural Society set up Wild About Gardens to celebrate wildlife gardening and to encourage people to use their gardens to take action to help support nature. This year we’re going wild about ponds! Creating a pond is one of the best things you can do for wildlife in the garden.

Visit www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk and download your free pond booklet.

Aggregate Industries cement a better future for wildlife We are delighted to have been successful in securing £23,000 in funding from the Aggregate Industries Local Partnership Fund to deliver restoration work at St. George’s Down and Prospect Quarry on the Isle of Wight. This funding will enable us to carry out habitat improvements including scrub management and non-native invasive species control, which will restore heathland and limestone grassland habitats. Red squirrels, dormice, Dartford warblers and a number of chalk downland plants are set to benefit from this work and we plan to carry out a variety of species surveys to inform future management of the site.

Brand new signage is now in situ at St George’s Down, illustrating the great range of wildlife that visitors may find there.

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FOCUS ON...

Marsh Fritillaries

Thank you

Your support makes projects like this one possible.

KEN DOLBEAR

Fritillaries in decline The marsh fritillary is one of our brightest and most beautiful butterflies, and was once widespread across Britain.

Sadly, like many insects, the species has suffered from years of habitat loss, and became extinct in our region two decades ago.

captive breeders in Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, who looked after them as they grew and pupated. The first generation was released successfully in the spring of 2018, and since then over 27,000 caterpillars have been released on a number of Ministry of Defence sites in north-east Hampshire.

Working together to bring marsh fritillaries back from the brink Over the past few years, we have been involved in an exciting partnership with Butterfly Conservation to return the species to its former haunts. This was made possible by generous support from our own members and those of Butterfly Conservation, as well as the Farnborough Airport Community Environmental Fund and the John Spedan Lewis Foundation.

The future for marsh fritillaries This ambitious plan was not without its risks: marsh fritillary populations are notoriously volatile and subject to local colony extinctions, and we can’t know how successful the releases have been

until we undertake detailed surveys later this year. But so far our observations have been promising: for the first time in decades, marsh fritillaries have bred and flown above Hampshire soil.

With the partnership’s substantial expertise in creating networks of suitable habitat, we have given the marsh fritillary the best possible chance of establishing a resilient new population in its former strongholds.

6,500

the number of plants purchased and nurtured to provide larval food, basking sites, web-making habitat, shelter and adult nectar sources for the larvae.

27,000

the number of marsh fritillary caterpillars released in Hampshire since the project began in 2016.

Marsh fritillary eggs on leaves.

ANDY BARKER

How we did it A two year breeding and release programme began in September 2016, with the careful collection of 300 marsh fritillary caterpillars from several strong colonies in Dartmoor, Devon. They were then transferred to experienced

“This ambitious plan was not without risks”

Keep an eye on our website for updates www.hiwwt.org.uk

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10/07/2019 09:52

At home with nature We put a lot of effort into making our gardens wilder, and rightly so. But what about the buildings we live in?

In a world where wild places are shrinking, every inch of space we can make for nature is vital.

Whether it’s the joyful song of a robin drifting through an open window, or the colourful flash of a peacock butterfly just beyond the glass, it’s always a delight to glimpse the wild world just beyond our walls.

But our wildlife is in trouble. Natural habitats are shrinking, becoming fragmented and isolated by roads, developments and intensive land use. With every tree that is lost, there are fewer natural cavities in which bats and birds can roost and nest. Nature no longer has the space it needs to thrive.

Nature reserves are invaluable, but to keep these protected areas from becoming wild oases in an impoverished landscape, we need to use every single space to help wildlife. Our gardens, streets, road verges and even houses can become part of a wild network, creating vital green corridors and stepping stones that connect larger wild spaces.

Every home, new or old, can play a part. The Wildlife Trusts have a vision for future housing, and work with some developers to make new builds as green as possible, with built-in features that complement the habitats around them. But existing homes can do their bit, too. With just a few mostly inexpensive adjustments, we can make our roofs, walls and even windows a little more wildlife-friendly.

From bee bricks and bat and bird boxes that provide safe roosting and nesting spots, to walls blooming with climbing plants, there are lots of great ways to turn the outside of your house into a wildlife sanctuary. The best results will come when they complement the surrounding landscape, so take a look at the habitats around your house and choose the best features for your location – bats are more likely to use a roost close to a hedgerow or line of trees, and birds need to be able to find enough food to feed their hungry chicks.

Together, our homes and gardens take up more space than all of the UK’s nature reserves put together. So let’s make every inch count!

Visit our website for handy guides to helping wildlife, from building bat boxes to attracting bees www.hiwwt.org.uk/take-action-wildlife 16

Window-mounted feeders Even with no garden you can still feed the birds. A window-mounted feeder gives them a helping hand and lets you enjoy their antics from your armchair.

House martin nest cups Invite house martins to move in under your eaves with a specially made nest cup. They’re especially useful when martins can’t find enough mud to build their own.

Hanging baskets and window boxes Wildflower-filled hanging baskets and window boxes make the perfect pit stop for passing pollinators.

Hedgehog holes Hedgehogs can travel over a mile each night as they forage and look for mates.

A 13cm x 13cm hole in your fence helps keep the hedgehog highway open.

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CLOSER TO NATURE

Bat boxes By fixing a bat box to your wall you can provide the perfect resting spot for your local bats. It’s important to avoid directing any artificial lighting onto the box.

Swift box Modern houses leave little space for swifts to nest, but swift boxes create a home for these summer visitors.

Broadcasting a recording of their calls encourages them to move in.

Green wall From a simple climbing plant to a trellis laden with different species, a green wall adds colour to a house, creates vital habitat and helps regulate pollution and rainfall.

Water butt Using less water helps keep our wetlands healthy, so set up a water butt to catch rainfall.

You can use the water to clean your car and water your plants.

Window stickers Placing stickers on your windows gives birds a better chance of spotting the glass, reducing the chance of a fatal collision. You can buy them or cut out your own.

ILLUSTRATION: SAM BREWSTER

Bee box Bee boxes offer nesting space for some species of solitary bee. If you’re having work done on your house, you can even fit a built-in bee brick!

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Space for nature Today, the UK is one of the most naturedepleted nations in the world, but it’s not too late to help our wildlife recover.

Simon Barnes finds out how the fortunes of three much-loved species can be transformed by protecting and connecting their wild habitat.

If we think we can live without insects, we’re wrong: 80% of our crops, as well as fruit trees, herbs and most garden and wild flowers are pollinated by bees, wasps, beetles and flies. It’s said that if bees died out, we would follow four years later.

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A WILDER FUTURE

O

“

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RED-TAILED BUMBLEBEE: NICK UPTON/2020VISION

nly connect!” EM Forster’s words – from his novel Howard’s End – are about the need to improve human relationships, but let’s borrow them, for they say a great deal about the world we live in today. “Live no longer in fragments,” Forster added – the perfect motto for bees, toads and water voles. And just as good for our own relationship with nature.

We need more connections. Just as more and better connections enrich human lives, so we need exactly the same things to keep the wild world wild.

It’s a problem that’s been sneaking up on us across the years. We can visit a fantastic nature reserve, but when it’s surrounded by industry, houses, roads and intensive farming, it’s an island – lovely but doomed. We have allowed the human world to take over our countryside.

But we can fight back, and the way we can do so is by joining up the good places, by softening and freeing our landscape, by allowing wild places and wild things to connect. We can, for example, make flower-filled roads for bees.

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BUFF-TAILED BUMBLEBEE CUT OUT: VICKY NALL, BUFF-TAILED BUMBLEBEE: CHRIS GOMERSALL/2020VISION

Space for bees We have grown rightly worried about the decline of the insects that pollinate plants. Without pollinators the countryside dies; pollinators provide every third mouthful of food we consume. Bees are not great travellers: they prefer to potter from flower to flower.

What they need is connectivity.

So Kent Wildlife Trust is making it possible for bees to travel by road. Roadside verges can be treated as long, thin nature reserves, places that allow bees to travel small distances, spread and increase.

“We look for sites where you can find some of the rarer species of bee, and where there’s the best connectivity,” says the Trust’s Rosie Earwaker.

She’s been working with Kent County Council and Swale Borough Council to establish the right sort of conditions. In most sites, this is a matter of clearing, mowing and removing the clippings: a process that allows wild flowers to regenerate. If it doesn’t work naturally, you can spread seeds or insert plant plugs.

The scheme had a target of eight hectares of land under management; they are already at 11.5 hectares and hope to add more sites. Which is all very well, but it involves another kind of connectivity – connecting wildlife and conservation organisations with people.

Many roadsides are managed by mowing them “within an inch of their lives,” as Rosie describes it.

We have somehow developed the idea that the ideal green space looks like the fairway on a golf course: which is like saying that the ideal sitting room is an airport lounge.

We have an unfortunate mania for tidiness, forgetting that we call an untidy house ‘lived-in’.

If we want a lived-in countryside – one lived in by

bees (and toads and water voles and everything else), we must persuade people to accept a little roughness around the edges. So communication with local people matters. You can’t impose conservation, it has to be carried out with the will of us all. So that again is about connecting.

Developing a long-term vision There’s another crucial move: connecting the present with the future. It’s no good making a series of lovely bee roads if you leave them to fend for themselves.

Soon they will become overgrown and lose the very thing that bees love them for. There’s no point to the scheme unless it has a long-term legacy – and that is done by recruiting and training local volunteers to monitor and care for sections of the bee roads.

After that we must look for further connections.

“Small actions make a difference,” Rosie says.

“We need people to be aware of that. What you do in your garden matters.” Kent Wildlife Trust have started awards for the best gardens for bees and for other wildlife. So they’re joining up people and bees.

Bees are part of our lives.

We need them; many of our crops depend on them. They are essential for a wild and living countryside. So we need to make a mental adjustment and see them in a different light: creatures that we must connect with, and whose connections we need to cherish and enlarge.

Bees are part of our lives. We need them. They are essential for a wild and living countryside.

Bees, such as this buff-tailed bumblebee, can do well in cities due to the variety of trees and flowers available.

Gardens help to connect flower-filled foraging areas.

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A WILDER FUTURE

SIGN: LINDA PITKIN/2020VISION, TOAD: SAM HOBSON

Space for toads Live no longer in fragments, eh? A hard thing to achieve when many areas of our countryside have been split down the middle with roads. There’s a classic example in Herefordshire, where a road cuts off an area of woodland from Bodenham Lake.

That’s not good news for toads, which hibernate in the woods and, in spring, travel down to the lake to get on with the crucial business of mating and spawning and making more toads. Toads are not swift and sure crossers of roads. It’s ironic: Mr Toad in The Wind in the Willows is the great mad driver of fiction, but in practice toads are the constant road casualties of Mr and Mrs Human.

Sophie Cowling of Herefordshire Wildlife Trust coordinates a team of lollipop people for toads. They go out on spring nights with buckets and torches as toads, mad with desire, make their way to the lake. In its first year, the team helped 200 toads to the other side. Last year, the score was 1,300 – not because they’re better at catching toads, but because, thanks to their efforts in previous years, there are now more toads needing to cross.

As a simple example of connectivity in action it could hardly be bettered.

On warm, damp evenings in early spring, toads migrate back to their breeding ponds. But busy roads often block traditional routes.

An estimated 20 tonnes of unlucky toads are killed on the UK’s roads every year.

Toads have declined by 70% since 1985, due to a complex combination of reasons. But saving them from being run over is a swift and effective counter-blast to the fragmentation of our countryside. Yet it’s only the beginning.

In an ideal world there would be no need for toad patrols. And so work is underway to improve the landscape around the lake for the toads. Plans include making places where toads can hibernate without needing to cross the road to do so.

Creating new ponds for toads One of the problems toads suffer from is the loss of the old farm ponds. On the wooded side of the road, farmers are being encouraged to install new ponds, so that toads will be able to mate and spawn – again without crossing the road. “It’s all about improving the quality of the connecting landscape,” says Sophie.

More ponds: part of a gentler and softer landscape that joins up the best places and so brings the wider countryside back to life. It’s good for wildlife and good for humans. A wilder countryside is a better place for us all, reconnecting us with nature and making our lives richer.

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Space for water voles

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Protecting natural river banks Sometimes the solution is as simple as the toad bucket, requiring little more than common sense and goodwill. I spoke to Darren Tansley of Essex Wildlife Trust. “In several places we’ve erected fences to protect stretches of river bank from cows and create the perfect habitat for water voles.”

When a local landowner introduced a regimen of light grazing at Lodge Farm, the water voles living on the river there disappeared within a year. Darren advised the owner to fence off a section of river and the voles returned, all along the bank.

Lock gates on rivers and canals are also problematic for water voles. But with ‘soft engineering’ solutions to the problems they create, including coir matting instead of concrete and the planting of willows, they can become water-vole friendly once again – and the connecting nature of the river can be restored.

This is not, as you will no doubt have observed,

YELLOW IRIS: LIZZIE WILBERFORCE

with wildlife and making it harder for wild animals to make a living. An idyllic bucolic scene – cows with sweetly vacant expressions staring at a dreamy riverside landscape while chewing the cud – actually represents a life of hell for poor Ratty.

In just 10 years, 30% of the water vole’s waterside habitat has been lost to agricultural intensification and development.

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WATER VOLE: TERRY WHITTAKER/2020VISION,

Ratty in The Wind in the Willows is not a rat but a water vole. He is also a poet, a dreamer and a waterman. Here he is talking about the river: “It’s my world, and I don’t want any other. What it hasn’t got is not worth having, and what it doesn’t know is not worth knowing. Lord! The times we’ve had together…”

You can interpret this as Ratty’s plea for connectivity, for not breaking up the system of waterways on which water voles depend for their lives. But we have dredged them and concreted them, polluted them and generally bullied them, until it’s a wonder they’re able to support any life at all.

Now we’re beginning to rethink, and to adjust the way we live to make for greater connectivity, with more consideration for what wildlife needs to survive.

You might think that, at least in rural stretches of river, water voles would have it their own way. But that’s not the case. Riverside meadow is traditionally good for cows, and as they crowd onto the bank to drink or to graze the riverside vegetation, they munch away on water vole food. Worse, they trample the banks and make it impossible for the voles to make the tunnels they live in.

Wherever we look, even in the heart of the British countryside, it seems that we’re losing our connection

A WILDER FUTURE

VITAL STATISTICS

£430m 1km 80% The estimated value of services by pollinating insects for agriculture

Most bumblebee workers forage within a kilometre of their nest

63%

WATER VOLE: TERRY WHITTAKER/2020VISION,

YELLOW IRIS: LIZZIE WILBERFORCE

Our new 10 year study of water voles shows that national treasure ‘Ratty’ needs urgent help, and sensitive management of river banks, to survive. rocket science. It requires no great eureka moment in technology: rather, a subtle shift in the minds of humans. We have relegated wildlife to the backwater of life – and it should be mainstream.

We have made wildlife a luxury item, the first thing we lose when we chase that will-o’-the-wisp we call progress. But as we start to live with notions of connectivity, we can make for a kinder and richer landscape, a better countryside and a better country.

It starts, often enough, with small individual decisions: not using pesticides in your garden, accepting that a tidy landscape is a dead landscape and letting part of your lawn grow wild as a flower meadow, supporting measures taken by conservation organisations such as your local Wildlife Trust, and speaking up for wildlife whenever you get the chance, over cups of coffee and pints of beer.

It’s also about our connections with wildlife and our connections with other people. We can do it.

Only connect. Let’s resolve to live no longer in fragments.

Simon Barnes is an author with a passion for wildlife.

He was awarded the Wildlife Trusts’ Rothschild medal in 2014.

With a bit of ‘soft engineering’, the voles have returned and the connecting nature of the river has been restored.

The increase in road traffic between 1980 and 2005

The increase in area treated with pesticides between 1990 and 2016

2km

4 in 5

Toads can travel two kilometres to reach their breeding ponds

Four out of five rivers (80%) in England and Wales fail to achieve ‘good ecological status’

1–2km The distance most water voles travel to find food, shelter and mates

Join our campaign for a Wilder Future and help us put nature into recovery www.wildlifetrusts.org/wilder-future

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6 places to see Water voles

WATER VOLE: TERRY WHITTAKER/2020VISION

W

ater voles once thrived across the UK, but in the last 30 years they’ve declined by 90% due to habitat loss, pollution and predation by mink. However, thanks to the hard work of Wildlife Trusts, water voles are making a comeback in some areas. We’ve pulled together a list of some of our top places to spot them.

Water voles can be secretive, but tell-tale signs can signal their presence. Look out for burrows in the riverbank, piles of nibbled grass and latrines of small, cigar-shaped droppings. If you’re quiet, you might hear the distinctive ‘plop’ of a vole dropping into the water.

With a bit of patience, you can enjoy wonderful views of this water-loving mammal.

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With your suppor t, we’re helping wate r voles to recover across the UK. You can find out more abou t our work at wildlifetrusts.org/ water-voles

T h a n k y ou

3

See the spectacle

for yourself

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1

5

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1 Winnall Moors nature reserve, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Follow the water vole trail and look for these enigmatic mammals in the clear waters of a beautiful chalk stream.

Where: Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8DX 2 Sandown Meadows nature reserve, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Visit this beautiful wetland reserve and listen for the tell-tale ‘plop’ of a watervole hopping into the water.

Where: Isle of Wight, PO36 9PS 3 Cromford Canal, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Water voles are regularly spotted on this former working waterway, now a haven for wetland wildlife.

Where: Cromford, DE4 3RQ 4 Upton Broad and Marshes Norfolk Wildlife Trust A network of pristine dykes crisscrossing swathes of reedbed and fen creates the perfect home for water voles.

Where: 2.2 miles northwest of Acle, NR13 6EQ 5 Thorley Wash Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust Water voles are thriving on this reserve following a successful reintroduction programme by the Wildlife Trust in 2015.

Where: Spellbrook, CM22 7SE 6 Ben Mor Coigach, Scottish Wildlife Trust The water voles on this large highland reserve have black fur, noticeably darker than those found further south in the UK. Where: 10 miles from Ullapool, IV26 2YJ

Did you see one?

We’d love to know how your water vole search went.

Please tweet us your best photos of a water vole from your day out @wildlifetrusts

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White out strap Name here White out strap White out strap White out strap White out strap White out strap White out strap White out strap By line for words or photos

Sand martins migrate to the UK every summer. They start to arrive from early March, and flock together in large colonies.

MIKE READ www.mikeread.co.uk

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CONSERVATION

Making space for sand martins These lively birds can only nest in certain places, but suitable sites are few and far between. At Blashford Lakes, our special sand martin banks are giving them the space they need to flourish.

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T

About the banks In 2008, Reserves Officer Bob Chapman and his faithful group of volunteers set about building a haven for sand martins.

Using a steep section of shore overlooking Ibsley water and materials donated by Hanson Concrete Plant, they built a wall on the edge of the lake. 183 carefully sized holes were inserted into the wall, and behind each one they placed a metre-long plastic pipe filled with sand. Each pipe was filled by hand and fixed in place, and the wall was rendered to give it a more natural

DON’T MISS the chance to see sand

martins this summer! Visit Blashford Lakes nature reserve and make yourself comfortable in Goosander Hide. On a clear day, the resident sand martins can be seen flitting around their summer home.

While you’re there, take a look at the nature reserve’s exciting new features, including a brand new welcome hut, a sculpture trail and a new and improved Tern Hide. Find out more about the new developments on page 11.

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The man-made nesting bank at Blashford Lakes. There are 183 pipes altogether, each one filled with sand.

Every summer the view from Goosander Hide is alive with the dainty fluttering of these industrious little birds. look. The end result was an outstanding nesting site fit for a colony.

Just a few months after the bank was completed sand martins started visiting the holes, and pretty soon about 40 pairs were nesting. By summer the following year, numbers had more than doubled – over 100 pairs set up home. This year about 150 pairs are nesting, and every summer the view from Goosander Hide is alive with the dainty fluttering of these industrious little birds.

To ensure the banks retain their five-star rating among our visiting sand martins, every winter our volunteers prepare them so they are ready for our summer arrivals.

The holes are cleaned out and refilled with fresh sand, which clears the nest of parasites and allows the birds to dig a new tunnel. Despite the many hours spent filling the holes, watching the sand fly out again as a bird tunnels its way through the wall is a comical sight, and one we look forward to year after year.

ALL PHOTOS: MIKE READ WWW.MIKEREAD.CO.UK

he sight of sand martins soaring overhead is one of the many joys of summer at Blashford Lakes nature reserve. These sprightly little birds are a welcome sign of the season, and every year they arrive in their hundreds to make use of custom built nesting banks overlooking Ibsley Water.

Sandbanks occur naturally on eroding riverbanks and cliffs, and provide expansive areas in which sand martins can build their nests and rear their young. However, suitable nesting sites are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Riverbanks are often reinforced with man-made materials to reduce flood risk, leaving little space for sand martins to make their burrows. Quarries are also popular nesting spots, but these are often subject to large scale extraction techniques - this means that the sand faces are not left in place for long enough to allow for nesting.

With this in mind, we set out to help our local population of sand martins at one of our flagship nature reserves. We built specially designed nesting banks at Blashford Lakes, and the results have been spectacular.

About the birds Sand martins are fairly common summer visitors to the UK and one of the earliest to arrive, the first turning up in early March or even late February. These gregarious birds nest in large colonies which may contain hundreds of pairs. The tunnels they bore have a chamber at the end, where an average of four or five eggs are laid in a cosy nest of grass, feathers and leaves. Both parents will incubate the eggs until they hatch, which usually happens after two weeks.

The juvenile birds from the first brood will set off south in late June, leaving the parents free to rear more young.

The last birds will make their way back

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On a clear day, sand martins can be seen flitting in and around the bank or perching on tree branches nearby.

Sand martin pairs tend to have four or five chicks per brood. The adults remain in the UK all summer before flying back to Africa.

to warmer climes in October when flying insects (their primary food source) start to dwindle in numbers in the UK. Most are thought to spend the winter in the

Sahel, the zone south of the Sahara where the hot, humid climate offers a plentiful supply of invertebrates.

WHERE TO FIND THEM

Sand martins If you are not local to Blashford, any sandy cliff-face may be home to a colony of sand martins. Odd pairs may even nest in tree root plates (the round disk of roots and soil which is exposed when a tree topples over) or pipes in walls.

Breeding sites in our two counties have become few and far between, so we would be delighted to receive records of any you find. To report a breeding site, please email us at feedback@hiwwt.org.uk.

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MY WILD LIFE

SOPHIE EVINGAR

Natalie Harris

Natalie is a 21 year-old personal trainer and volunteers as a Marine Champion on our project Secrets of the Solent. She tells us why she is fighting for our marine wildlife and how young people can help shape the future of conservation.

I spend as much time as possible being out in nature whether that’s on the beach, in the forest, or just in my back garden. I have always lived on the coast and love being down by the sea, doing my bit to save this vital environment. With more than half of our oxygen coming from the ocean we must look after it. As Sylvia Earle puts it, “No blue, no green” – it’s that simple. But it’s not just about survival: it’s about the beauty of nature and respecting the fact that we share our planet with all other species.

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It fascinates me that many species have been around for millions of years, but it saddens and angers me that our impact is having such a detrimental effect. Some species that have been on this planet long before us simply can’t cope with how we as humans are mistreating it. This fuels my passion to help these animals, and to encourage others to live in a sustainable way. I want future generations to experience the same joy I do when I spot a seal bobbing in the water, a hedgehog exploring the garden at night, or even a bumblebee flying past.

After noticing plastic washing up on the beach whilst on holiday I carried out my first ever beach clean. Loving the sea so much I thought it only right to look after my own local beaches as well, so when I got home I started cleaning several beaches in my area. But as much as I love doing it I knew the task was too great to tackle on my own, so I set up a page called Clean Our Seas on Instagram in 2017.

I share photos of my beach cleans, pieces of rubbish I find, and plastic-free alternatives to help stop the problem at its source.

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OUR WILDLIFE CHAMPIONS

Find Natalie on Instagram at @cleanourseas Beach cleaning is really easy - all you have to do is collect anything unnatural that doesn’t belong on the beach and dispose of it properly. This means that anyone who is down on the beach can give it a helping hand by clearing even one piece of rubbish.

As part of Clean Our Seas I also organise and run beach cleans both locally and at events further afield like the Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall. I plan to run five in my area this year and have run three so far, which together have collected 250kg in rubbish. At my recent one in Barton I had 70 people helping out which was fantastic.

I started my page as a way to find out more for myself on how I could help our beaches, but it soon became a page where I wanted to inspire others. As a way of spreading the message I write the words ‘Clean Our Seas’ in the sand after every beach clean, which is a non-destructive way of encouraging everyone on that beach to think about this issue. I ask followers of my page to do the same, and have now received photos of this from 18 countries; it’s fantastic to think my message has gone international! I have also recently started a series of species identification posts to inform people about the wildlife they can help to save by carrying out beach cleans.

This summer I started volunteering with the Wildlife Trust as a Marine Champion on their Secrets of the Solent project.

So far my experience has been fantastic – I went into it with no conservation qualifications but buckets of enthusiasm and eagerness to learn, so it was a real learning curve. I have attended two training sessions, and am going on one about biodiversity later this year. I’m particularly enjoying doing wildlife safaris on the Wightlink ferries, where I talk to people about our marine life, and I look forward to organising my own events in the future with the aim of educating and inspiring others. I love being hands-on, so am keen to do more intertidal surveys to find out what we have living on our shores, and to help organise more beach cleans in my area.

I decided to become a Marine Champion because I really believe that if people are made aware of what amazing wildlife we have locally then they are much more likely to want to protect it. Before I started Clean Our Seas I was unaware of plastic pollution, so was contributing to the problem without even knowing. Since then I have changed my lifestyle to be more sustainable, but that was possible simply because I have more knowledge about the issue now. If I can help teach and inspire others about our wildlife then hopefully they too will make more sustainable choices. Two years after starting the page I’m more enthused than ever to protect our coastlines and encourage others to feel the same connection I do with our oceans.

“The more people we have on board, speaking up for nature, the more hope there is of restoring it.”

If you truly want to make a difference for nature I would say don’t hesitate in taking action. With threats like global warming, deforestation, illegal poaching, and pollution, our planet needs as many people as possible on its side going forward. The more people we have on board, speaking up for nature, the more hope there is of restoring it. In the next 10 years we need to drastically change how we treat the planet, and young people need to push for these changes if they want to secure their future.

No matter how small you think your contribution is remember that it all helps: we can’t all do everything, but everyone can do something.

Get involved...

Natalie is one of the many brilliant people helping to protect wildlife as a Marine Champion. If you are passionate about our marine environment, why not consider joining her?

You don’t need special knowledge or experience, just enthusiasm for our marine wildlife and a willingness to learn. We provide bespoke training, and will support you in developing your strengths.

There are several different roles available, and you can change between them or take on more than one depending on your interests: ● Ferry Safaris Marine Champion – highlight the incredible wildlife above and below our waves on local ferry crossings. ● Inspiring People Marine Champion – spread the word about marine wildlife and inspire others to take action. ● Intertidal Surveys Leader Marine Champion – discover our local marine species and lead surveys of our shorelines. ● Marine Ambassador – be a shining example and create positive change within a club, group, or organisation.

Not sure which role is right for you?

Want to chat about your options?

Learn more at www.hiwwt.org.uk/ SecretsoftheSolent/MarineChampions

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife | Summer 2019

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Invest in a wilder future Leave a gif t in your Will

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Gifts in Wills have enabled us to buy land and continue our vital conservation work, helping to pull species back from the brink. Once loved ones have been taken care of, could you do something amazing and leave a gift in your Will for local wildlife?

PHOTO: TOM MARSHALL

To find out more, please visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/leave-gift-in-will or contact Steph Watson on Steph.Watson@hiwwt.org.uk or 01489 774412.

OCTOBER WILL WRITING OFFER

A number of local solicitors are offering free or reduced cost Will writing services this autumn to Trust members and supporters.

Please visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/will-for-wildlife or contact Steph Watson to find out more.

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