Oxford Wildlife News by Oxford Urban Wildlife Group

OXFORD WILDLIFE NUMBER 96 NEWS WINTER 2012

NEWS FROM BOUNDARY BROOK NATURE PARK Pupils from Magdalen College School have been doing some valuable clearance work. We have also had a group from EF International Language School who have been a great help. One job they tackled was the annual mowing of the wildflower hay meadow. While one mowed the “hay”, four others rescued an amazing number of frogs which had been disturbed by the mowing. One after the other the students made repeated trips to put the frogs in the pond out of harm’s way. Thanks to their care, we should have a good crop of tadpoles next year.

Weather permitting we hope to plant the next area of trees on March 16th (see the last page for details). We are being given, as part of our TOE2 grant, 150 trees: 50 small-leaved lime, 50 oak and 50 ash although in view of the Ash dieback disease there may be a problem with the ash.  This photo by Terry Wood shows the submerged ponddipping platform at the end of November. Terry also took the photo below of fungi on a cut tree stump. From the photo, Judy Webb thinks it looks like a common deadwood bracket fungus, probably a species of Stereum (the curtain crusts). The most common one found is the hairy curtain crust (Stereum hirsutum) but she cannot identify to that level from a photo. She warns that it is not edible.

In the recent wet weather a lot of the park was under water and also the wet autumn has prevented the collection of the skip which was full of rubbish from the area of the northern extension which was cleared before the new fence was erected. Collection and delivery of the next skip as well as the hoggin and soil we want to order will now have to be delayed until March unless a drought starts now!

Other photos of the rain soaked site can be seen on our website as well as a rich selection of Boundary Brook sights and events over the last 22 years: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oxford_urban_wildlife_group

EVENTS Past . . .

In October Judy Webb gave a most detailed and beautifully illustrated talk on the Fascinating World of Fungi. We all learnt a lot and hoped we could just remember a fraction of what we saw and heard, then we too would be experts on fungi! You will remember that Judy took us on an equally informative and enjoyable walk through the Lye Valley so you might be interested in following this up by going to her talk to the Oxford Civic Society on Wednesday 16 January: on The Wildlife of the Lye Valley and Hogley bog and also to the Rare Plants Group talk on Thursday 24 January on Early Oxford Botanists and Rare Plants of Lye valley

Wolvercote Apple Day in October was a successful event as always. There were enough apples on the trees to allow us to pick as many apples as we wanted. We were able to taste samples of the different varieties and then pick the type we liked best. We could also drink the squeezed juice, enter an apple-peeling competition and buy, jams, cakes and other home-made produce. Our Autumn Open Day was blessed with good weather and as usual the pond-dipping was the major attraction for children.

Future events. . . We are very pleased that Stuart Mabbutt will be coming in January to Science Oxford Live to tell us about wildlife gardening. He will give advice on what we can do in our own gardens to foster wildlife. We are very pleased that he has offered to write a regular column in our newsletters (see p 5 in this issue).

When the weather is better and the trees are still dormant we are having a tree-planting day on March 16 so do come along and help. This will be in the freshly cleared area behind the new area of fencing. Our spring open day will be March 24 when we hope the weather will be even better. See page 12 for details of these events. We are taking part in several events in Oxford where we will have a stall to show what we do. Cover photo: Long-tailed tits by Peter Keene

We plan to have a winter walk, flooding permitting, through Port Meadow. Andy Gosler, the eminent ornithologist will lead us. See p12 for details.

Members’ observations Please continue to let us have some of your wildlife observations for the next issue, giving place and date.

A mystery solved I live on the main Oxford Road in Cowley surrounded by houses and car parks so when my sweet corn was all trashed overnight I thought it must be squirrels. Then holes started to appear all over the lawn. When some were filled with dung it looked more like badger but not I thought a typical place for badgers! .Janet put me in touch with the Oxfordshire Badger Group and Roy Wain came and confirmed, yes a badger coming from a sett in the Council depot on Cowley Marsh, probably attracted by the scent of sweet corn. I wonder if any one else in the area has been visited. Mary Spiller

Hedgehogs Thriving in Summertown A near neighbour of mine (Delia Twamley) has suggested that I send you this photograph of four mature hedgehogs taken on my lawn in August. We live in Summertown, where thirty or so contiguous gardens form an enclosed area which seems to suit these creatures admirably, although perhaps a daily supply of mealworms adds to the natural advantages. Another neighbour has seen as many as three together, including youngsters, but this gathering of four seems exceptional. They are much larger than the single baby that has appeared more recently on its own, arriving in the late afternoon, whereas one, or sometimes two, adults come at or soon after dusk. Keith Holmes November 4th, 2012

Flowering in North Oxford on 20th November I have noted a very unusual pattern of flowering this year. The plants listed below were all flowering at 15 Capel Close on November 20th 2012. For most of them this was unseasonal and, as a gardener, I think things generally in the garden were happening a month later than usual possibly as a result of unseasonable weather earlier in the year. Calendula Nerine bowdenii Clematis ‘Huldine’ Cyclamen neapolitanum Arabis fordinandi coburgii variegata Chrysanthemum Fuchsia Nigella Primrose Passion Flower ‘Constance Elliot’ Nepeta Polyanthus – white and blue Viburnum plicata ‘Pink Beauty’ Rudbekia Polygonum (escaped from house) Viburnum burkwoodii Mahonia ‘Charity’ Welsh poppy (escaped from wild) Ajuga reptans Jasminum nudiflorum And a couple of weeks earlier a frisky teenaged hedgehog was on the terrace in daylight.

Delia Twamley

Waxwings The birding news for Oxford City is the large numbers of Waxwings currently turning up all over town. The Waxwing is an exotic looking grey beige bird having a striking crest and yellow-edged wings with a small bright red wing-patch resembling the candle wax formerly used to seal letters and documents, hence its name. In years of a failing berry crop in the northern coniferous belt they will move in great numbers to the south and east of their range and when, as this year, we are able to see these beautiful birds in large numbers it’s known as an irruption of Waxwings. Look out for them feeding on berries and fruit often in orchards and also supermarket premises and in particular notice Rowan trees as these are often used. So far they have been and continue to be spotted all over Oxford City. Barry Hudson (OOS) Waxwing photographed close to my home last year 

North Oxford poppy and bee November 28th: a large bee was investigating a small yellow Welsh poppy which has held onto a few its petals. In fact, the poppy is still holding petals today, 30th, when temperature is 40oF (approx: 4oC). Nancy Drucker 3

A non-rolling stone gathers moss! For very many years anyone walking along the track into the south-west corner of Brasenose Wood would have passed between, and probably noticed, a pair of handsome boundary stones of considerable size and apparent vintage. For the past 15-20 years only one has remained standing and now both have fallen. It seems relevant to investigate their history before memory fades.

a parish boundary marker. In 1847, the Headington Parish boundary followed the current track and the stone possibly marked the 'triplepoint' where the Horspath and Cowley Parish boundaries met on the Headington boundary. It is recorded that very similar limestone slabs where used to mark the Cuddesdon Parish Boundary.

Two hundred years ago walkers making their way from Cowley to Horspath would pass by Bullingdon Farm (now Brasenose Farm by the Oxford Ring road) and before entering the grazier's driftway of Open Brasenose, would have to pass between the two boundary stones.

So what has any of this to do with moss or urban wildlife? In David Steel's book about Shotover, he lists a number of scarce mosses and liverworts that he considered likely to have become extinct on Shotover, including the moss Leucodon sciuroides. Then, to much surprise and delight, in 2006 Jacqueline Wright (Oxfordshire recorder for Mosses and Liverworts) found the Leucodon growing in great abundance on the back of the standing stone slab: presumably enjoying the type of stone and favourable shady microclimate. Yet alarmingly, once the stone had fallen, the moss was gone by the following year.

One of the stones was square in section and not especially tall, and this was the first to fall and now lies almost hidden in the hedgerow. The other was a tall flat slab, like a large headstone, with a hole drilled through it (see picture). Sadly this stone was hit by machinery in 2010 and the top third broke off into several pieces. However, this was an opportunity to get a piece of the stone to Philip Powell at the University Museum, who identified it as local limestone, probably from the quarries just up the road at Garsington.

However, one of the broken pieces, complete with its moss, has been expertly relocated by Jacqueline to a quiet and secluded spot, and so far, the moss has continued to grow well. Consequently at the time of writing Leucodon sciuroides, a scarce moss in Oxfordshire, is known to be growing in the County at two sites: Godstow Abbey and at a secluded haunt on old Bullingdon Green.

Permanent boundary marking has been most important over the years so why was such a handsome stone placed just there? Is it a coincidence that the stones are very close to the cross-roads where the Cowley to Horspath track met with the Dorchester to Bicester Roman road? Who knows? A nearby archaeological investigation of the Roman road confirmed its position, but little else. However, a much more likely explanation would suggest

If anyone has any further information or anecdotes about these stones, please do get in touch with Ivan at irwright@shotover-wildlife.org.uk Ivan Wright Shotover Wildlife

WINTER TREE IDENTIFICATION

Workshop SUNDAY JANUARY 20th 2013 Horspath Village Hall and Shotover SSSI, Oxford Suitable for beginners and those with some experience in identifying trees in leaf. Using a simple key to identify twigs and buds indoors, then continuing to Shotover to practice and consolidate. TUTOR: JACQUELINE WRIGHT Fee: ÂŁ15 Further details and application form jawright@shotover-wildlife.org.uk Tel: 01865 874423

Thrushes and Blackbirds in the Garden

Autumn and winter our gardens are full of Fieldfares and Redwings and spring and summer you get an influx of Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and Blackbirds. All these species are members of the Thrush family. Redwing ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Focusing on the Song Thrush and the Blackbird both these types spend many hours trying to find and eat ground-based invertebrates amongst leaf litter, grass of different lengths and in borders. They also eat insects within trees and shrubs and also rotting fruit in autumn. Both species like dense hedges and foliage within which to nest. To continue to attract these birds, make sure you have ample ground cover. This can be made up of shrubs, herbaceous plants and alpines. Slug pellets should be avoided on any level as these species in particular will be poisoned by them. As always providing a wide range of flowers, trees and shrubs will provide these birds with somewhere to feed, sleep and breed. hedges by February and then thoroughly check for further nests when you commence pruning your hedges in July time. These simple steps are all you need to encourage these thrushes into your garden.

Blackbirds very often can be seen feeding on short-mown grass very close to some dense ground cover. They prefer short grass for worms and the longer vegetation is where they get more wide-ranging food as more insects use that. Using meal worms is a good supplementary food to put on your bird tables too.

Happy Gardening! Stuart Mabbutt, Wildlife Gardening Specialist

Both species have more than one brood a year. often a Blackbird can have up to 5 broods, so finish cutting your

01864 747243

Song thrushes

Conifers course on the 9th March. This course, organised by the Ashmolean Natural History Society of Oxfordshire will deal with identifying conifers found in Britain and the terminology needed to do this. It will be classroom based at Wytham Field Station on 9th March 2013, from 10 till 4, cost ÂŁ45. Booking is essential. For more information email educationgroup@anhso.org.uk.

Sorry to badger you... ...but what's this row about culling a well-known species of our native wildlife? If you're neither a farmer, a government scientist nor an animal rights campaigner, it's all very confusing. I'll have a go at finding and presenting the facts in terms of black and white. Then I'll leave you to make up your own mind. If any of this seems to be stating the obvious, well it wasn't obvious to me, so you'll have to skip the bits you know already.

tormented by dogs during badger-baiting. They have legal protection under The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 and their setts have further protection under The Protection of Badgers Act,1992 and The Hunting Act, 2004. Natural England can grant a licence to kill badgers but only in 'exceptional circumstances'. 2. What is Bovine Tuberculosis and why is it connected with badgers?

1. How many badgers are there and what role do they play in nature?

Let's start with tuberculosis, a chronic respiratory disease. It is called chronic because it develops over a long period (anything over 3 months). It is respiratory because it infects the lungs, but it can also spread via the blood to the spine, the kidneys and other organs. The name comes from tubercles, which are small outgrowths on or in the body. In the past this disease was called consumption because it can cause a rapid loss of body weight - it seemed to 'consume' the sufferer.

According to a briefing paper given to parliament by Dr Elena Ares, there are between 300,000 and 400,000 badgers in the UK in 2012. They are not evenly spread: south-west England has the highest concentration, followed by West Wales, the south east and the West Midlands. Past national surveys took place in 1985-88 and 1994-97, leading to an estimate that the number of badgers had risen by 77% between those periods. A new survey is taking place in 2012-2013. Since badgers are nocturnal, cautious and largely identical in their markings, the survey method is to count the badgers' setts and to estimate how many creatures might be living in them. It is impossible to count badgers accurately.

Tuberculosis in humans is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 'Bacteria' by the way is plural, so 'a bacterium' is correct in Latin and in English! The bacterium Mycobacterium bovis causes tuberculosis primarily in cattle, but deer, alpacas, llamas, pigs, sheep, horses, cats, dogs, moles, mice and rats can also be infected. Mycobacterium avis causes tuberculosis in birds.

Badger skulls from Otmoor

Humans can catch Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) but pasteurising milk and cooking meat generally kill the bacterium, so that less than 1% of human TB cases today are caused by Bovine Tuberculosis. A six-month course of

The European badger (Meles meles) is an omnivore

anti-biotics is the common remedy. Just out of interest now, humans with weak immune systems can also catch Avian Tuberculosis from handling infected birds or cleaning up their waste. A disease which normally infects animals but which spreads to humans is called a zoonosis.

whose diet is up to 80% earthworms. They also eat small rodents, frogs, slugs, grubs, bulbs and carrion. They have been blamed for the decline in ground-nesting birds and hedgehogs, but changes in farming and gardening methods could also be responsible. In the past the natural predators of badgers would have been bears and wolves, but now road traffic is said to kill 20% of badgers each year. They have excellent senses of smell and hearing but poor eyesight.

In Europe, the first badger infected with bTB was found in Switzerland in the mid-1950s. In the UK, the first case was found in Gloucestershire in 1971. Cattle suffered from bTB long before those times, so it's reasonable to think that cattle first gave the disease to badgers rather than vice versa. Now badgers are described as maintenance hosts of bTB or the primary wildlife reservoir of infection. In other countries, other species take the blame: deer and elk in the USA, foxes and wild boar in Spain and possums in New Zealand for example.

The name badger probably comes from the French word 'becheur' meaning 'digger'. The verb 'to badger somebody' comes from the way captured animals are 6

Why badgers in the UK? The answer is that bTB doesn't kill them quickly. If it did, and they died underground, the problem would solve itself. Instead, infected badgers may forage over farmland and scavenge around farm buildings for months or years before the disease disables them. Infection spreads by breath, saliva, urine, faeces or pus from abscesses. DEFRA, the government department, suggest that when the ground is dry, badgers find it difficult to catch earthworms and visit farmyards for food. That leads to the buzz-word of the badger debate and of the Ash Die-back dilemma: biosecurity. It means keeping cattle and their food apart from badgers with gates and fencing. The field water trough may also need a new design to stop badgers drinking there.

4. Can it be cured? No, there is no cure for an animal that is already infected. Vaccination can reduce the rate of infection among badgers by 50 to 74% (it depends whom you believe) and among cattle by about 50%. The only licensed vaccine is called BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin). Research may produce an oral vaccine in future but at the moment vaccine has to be injected. Trapping, injecting and releasing wild animals is of course difficult. Apparently unsalted peanuts (as sold for bird-tables) are the best bait to lure badgers into a humane trap. So why not vaccinate the cattle? The current bTB testing method cannot tell the difference between an infected animal and one that has been vaccinated. The European Union forbids vaccination for that reason. You may recall that in the Foot and Mouth crisis there was a similar reason not to vaccinate livestock. Farmers are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

3. How harmful is Bovine Tuberculosis? To the cow: if cattle lived their full natural span (15 - 20 years), bTB could be fatal. Modern dairy cows are worn out by calving and milk production within about 5 years, so they are slaughtered before bTB becomes a major threat. The RSPCA report that lameness and mastitis, an inflammation of the udder, are far more serious welfare issues. Beef cattle are slaughtered much earlier - often within 24 months of life.

5. In October 2012, the cull of badgers was delayed. Why? The plan was for trained marksmen to shoot at night 70% of badgers in two trial zones in Somerset and Gloucestershire. Different people offered different reasons for the delay: wet weather, more badgers than expected, more cost than predicted, an online petition with 164,000 signatures opposing the cull, scientific evidence quoted both for and against it, doubts about shooting at night, fears of a backlash against farmers, and the perturbation factor. That last one means forcing infected badgers out of their regular sett and into farmland outside the shooting zone.

To the farmer: DEFRA pays compensation at market rates when a farmer's livestock is culled due to bTB. There is no payment for lost milk sales, stress, the extra cost of isolating an infected animal and of a movement restriction on other cattle. The average cost of a breakdown (a bTB incident) is put at ÂŁ33,000 by the National Farmers' Union.

Add to this Dr Brian May, rock guitarist and figurehead of the protest campaign, plus David Attenborough speaking out against the cull and we have a truly British stalemate until summer 2013. This has happened before: between 1975 and 1982 badgers were poisoned using cyanide gas piped into the setts. Some badgers were injured but not killed, so that method was dropped. 6. What can a Wildlife News reader do about this? Vegans say we should all stop drinking milk and eating meat. The RSPCA want us to look for the Freedom Food label when we shop because farm animals kept in better conditions are less open to infection. The National Farmers' Union want a cull to spare you the tax-payer the cost of compensation for bTB: ÂŁ91 million last year. BBOWT and The Badger Trust oppose the cull and ask you to write to your MP. Andrew Smith, MP for Oxford East, voted against the cull on 25th October. Nicola Blackwood, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, didn't vote. The full result was 127 against and 28 in favour, but this is not binding on the government.

To the badger: they can carry infection without suffering until bTB combines with old age, bites from other badgers or malnutrition to weaken the animal. At this stage they become super excreters of the bTB bacterium and are forced out of the sett and the territory by other badgers. Without food or shelter, a super excreter is more likely to enter farm buildings. To the customer: DEFRA allows infected cattle carcases to enter the human food supply if the Meat Hygiene Service find lesions (damaged tissue) in just one organ or one part. If you eat beef, you may already have eaten meat from an infected animal. Milk from an infected dairy cow cannot go for human consumption whether heat-treated or not. One option DEFRA allows is that it be mixed with slurry and spread on farmland. This could be a source of infection for badgers.

Looking into this topic threw up a few surprises. For example, there is in the world a creature called the Indonesian Stink Badger. It sprays vile-smelling fluid at its enemies, rather like a skunk. Our own badgers can climb four feet off the ground - on 30th October several papers published the photo of a badger on a bird table in 7

Cambridge. And there are puns: 'Badgers sett to remain', wrote The Oxford Mail about damage to a road on

Cumnor Hill. Most people don't know that a social group of badgers is called a clan, which scotches any joke about that.

ASH DIEBACK TREEWATCH SURVEY Sylva Foundation newsletter The outbreak of ash dieback caused by Chalara fraxinea is a serious threat to the future survival of ash in Britain. We want volunteers to Adopt an Ash in readiness for a major survey that we will launch in late Spring 2013. This is a new TreeWatch survey that is being developed with our partners. As one of Britain’s most common trees, the loss of up to 90% of ash trees, across of our countryside and our streets, is expected to have a massive and long-lasting impact on the landscape and woodland ecology. You can help find ‘resistant’ ash trees across the country and track the development of the disease. Your data will be shared with a consortium of forestry and horticultural experts. By adopting your ash tree now you will be ready to take part in a robust scientific survey to be launched early spring, by which time the disease will be easy to spot. We recognise that there are other volunteer projects in existence, such as Ashtag, but we believe that we are well-placed to collect and share data with partners through our tried and tested TreeWatch initiative with the following unique and important objectives: - the main objective will be to try and identify ‘resistant’ trees that could be used in a breeding programme to secure a future for ash in Britain; - the Adopt an Ash tree method supports a relationship with the volunteer and allows repeat assessments to be undertaken; - by asking volunteers to identify and report both the presence and absence of Chalara fraxinea, we will be able to track the progress of the disease on individual trees and across the country over coming years. For now we are asking volunteers to select trees that they will be able survey next year, and to ‘adopt’ them in the usual way at www.TreeWatch.com/chalara. By late Spring 2013 the disease will be easier to identify in our ash trees and we will open our survey in time to allow volunteers to report their findings. We will share tree data (note not personal data) with a consortium of leading forestry and horticultural experts. http://www.sylva.org.uk/blog/adopt-an-ash-and-help-secure-a-future-for-ash-trees-in-britain/

For description of symptoms of ash dieback see http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/ash_dieback_how_you_can_help.htm? and for interesting information on Oxfordshire’s woodland http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/big_picture_for_woodland_in_England.htm

Forest of Oxford Projects Planting of mixed native flowering trees has recently been undertaken at Cutteslowe Community Woodland with the Friends of Cutteslowe Park, North Oxford Low Carbon Group and children from Cutteslowe School. This represents the final phase of planting after 6 years. Future work will comprise maintaining the woodland areas, amounting to nearly 5 hectares, and the creation of a flowery meadow.

and Crab, native shrub planting and bluebells and snowdrops. A contribution towards the work has come from the Doris Field Charitable Trust. The intention is to create a series of wildlife habitats around the fringe of the playing field. The Forest of Oxford would like to see a policy of establishing wildlife corridors around all the playing fields in the City. A similar project is being undertaken at Goose Green in Wolvercote, with the Wolvercote Tree Group and Wolvercote Commoners. John Thompson

A further phase of planting is being carried out at Botley Recreation Ground with the Low Carbon West Oxford Group, with the creation of an avenue of Wild Cherry

EVENTS FOR OTHER ORGANISATIONS (For contacts see page 11 unless otherwise listed) JANUARY Wednesday 9: Private Woodland Owners in Britain – who are they and what do they want? A talk by Gill Petrokofsky who has worked in several local forestry-related fields and is now heading a Survey of British Woodlands for Sylva. Meet at “The Coach House”, Quarry Rd, Old Headington, OX3 8NU. 7.30pm. All welcome - annual subscription £10, single attendance £3. Further information, contact Bruce 01865 331289 or Ian 01865 245864 (OTC) ‘l’’non-members donation. Details: Barry Hudson 01993 852028. (OOS) Thursday 10: The Burren and Cliffs of Moher. An illustrated talk by John Wyatt on flowers, butterflies and birds. The Burren is an area of limestone rock on the west coast of Ireland. It has an extraordinary array of flora and wildlife, megalithic tombs and monuments older than Egypt's pyramids. Close by are the Cliffs of Moher, up to 214 metres high, that are home to one of the major colonies of cliff-nesting seabirds in Ireland. 7.45pm. Sandhills School, Terrett Avenue, 8

Oxford.OX3 8FN. Free to local group members. Visitors welcome, £3 on the door. Contact Tel: 01491 612600 E-mail: wendypyrton@btinternet.com (RSPB) Sunday 13: North Oxfordshire farmland. Hook Norton, Field Outing:. Details contact Steve Alley 01608 659628 (OOS) Sunday 13: Coach Trip - Rainham Marshes RSPB, Essex. Location: Coach leaves Headington Hill Hall (Brookes University) at 7.30am. This reserve on the Thames estuary has only been open about 6 years and for the past 100 years was a military firing range. Today the marshes attract large flocks of wild duck, a range of waders and lots of small passerines. There is always a chance of seeing rare birds here. On site is a shop and café along with an innovative visitor centre with huge picture-windows that look out across the marshes. Price: About £20 depending on numbers attending. Booking essential: 01865 723868 E-mail: anne@anclark.force9.co.uk (RSPB) Wednesday 16: The Wildlife of the Lye Valley and Hogley bog: part of Oxford’s Rich Natural Heritage by Dr Judy Webb. This talk will discuss the treasure trove of species still found in the Lye Valley, which has rare alkaline wetland areas, including the Hogley Bog, that date back thousands of years, and how future development in Headington seriously threatens these areas of important natural heritage within the city. Coffee/tea 7.30pm, talk 8pm. Oxford Civic Society, Magdalen College Auditorium, Longwall Street, Oxford. Saturday 19: Nature Tots. An opportunity for your pre-school little ones to interact with and learn from nature. Come along for an outdoor nature play, games, stories and craft on our wild and wonderful nature reserve. BOOKING ESSENTIAL. Dress for the weather. Suitable for wheelchair users. All children must be accompanied by an adult. £3 donation/participating child. Tea, biscuits and mud provided. 9:30am - 11:30am at Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre, nr Didcot, Oxon OX14 4TE, Book on: 01235 862024, christinedonaldson@bbowt.org.uk (BBOWT) Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24: Nature Tots - as 19 January. (BBOWT) Thursday 24: Early Oxford Botanists and Rare Plants of Lye valley a talk by Dr. Judy Webb in the Schlich lecture theatre, Plant Sciences Dept. South Parks Rd at 1.10pm. Rare Plants Group (ANHSO) Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31: Nature Tots - as 19 January. (BBOWT)

FEBRUARY Saturday 2: Outdoor Adventure Day. Join us for a morning of exploration, excitement and mud! Build shelters, make model boats and learn the skill of fire making. BOOKING ESSENTIAL. 10am - 12pm £5 donation per child. Venue: Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre, nr Didcot, Oxon. Book now on: 01235 862024. No dogs please. Suitable for wheelchair users. Children 8yrs+ welcome. (BBOWT) Saturday 2: Have a Hoot. 11am - 3pm. Come along to the East Oxford Community Centre Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1DD and have your photo taken with owls and other birds of prey; be entertained by a wildlife themed puppet show; get involved with a variety of arts and crafts; discover where to find the nature reserves and open spaces that Oxford has in abundance and get prepped for spring with seeds. No need to book, come and go as you please. No dogs please. Suitable for wheelchair users. Children welcome. (BBOWT) Tuesday 5: Fungi: Friends or Foes? The Warburg Memorial Lecture by Ray Woods. Fungi are central to the life support systems of planet Earth, yet our attitude towards them is generally ambivalent, often antagonistic. They are often regarded as parasites but the role fungi play in nutrient cycling is generally appreciated. Their complex chemicals have already provided us with antibiotics, statins, anti-inflammatory drugs and cancer-fighting agents. 7:45pm - 9:15pm. At Nissan Lecture Theatre, St Antony's College, 62 Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6JF. Admission: £2. (BBOWT and ANHSO) Thursday 7: The Biking Birder. Illustrated Talk – by Gary Prescott who spent a year on an epic fundraising adventure, raising money for the RSPB as well as the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust and Asthma UK. His mission was to cycle the length and breadth of the UK, stopping off at every RSPB reserve and WWT site on the way. It proved to be a wonderful experience but not always easy, with some mishaps on the way. Join us for this talk and find out what Gary observed and what kept him going! 7.45pm. Sandhills School, Terrett Avenue, Oxford.OX3 8FN. Free to local group members. Visitors welcome, £3 on the door. Contact Tel: 01491 612600 E-mail: wendypyrton@btinternet.com (RSPB) Thursday 7: Re-creating Meadows in a Floodplain landscape a talk by Dr. A.W. McDonald in the Schlich lecture theatre, Plant Sciences Dept. S. Parks Rd., at 1.10.pm Rare Plants Group (ANHSO) Saturday 9: Conifers course See page 5 for details (ANHSO) Sunday 10: Saline marshland Newhaven/Pennington, Hants. Field Outing: contact Steve Alley 01608 659628 (OOS) Tuesday 12, Wed 13, Thurs 14 and Fri 15: Family Fun – Birds and Beasts . Discover some of the amazing animals that live on the nature reserve. Make bird feeders and follow trails. Fun activities to get the whole family excited about nature. Just drop in - no need to book. Activities take around two hours. All ages welcome. Picnics welcome. 10am 4pm, Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre, nr Didcot. £3 donation/child. Assistance dogs only. (BBOWT) Wednesday 13: Nicholson’s Trees + our AGM Roderick Nicholson, founder of probably Oxfordshire’s oldest and best known tree nursery, will talk about his passion for trees and in particular the private arboretum that he has built up at his 9

home in North Aston. Meet at “The Coach House”, Quarry Rd, Old Headington, OX3 8NU. 7.30pm. All welcome -annual subscription £10, single attendance £3. Further information, contact Bruce 01865 331289 or Ian 01865 245864 (OTC) Wednesday 13: Swans and Swan Upping Prof. Chris Perrins. 7.45pm Stratfield Brake Sports Ground Kidlington. Members free, non-members donation. Details: Barry Hudson 01993 852028. (OOS) Saturday 16: Nature Tots - as 19 January. (BBOWT) Sunday 17: Coach Trip - Chew Valley Lake, Somerset. Chew Valley Lake is a semi-natural reservoir with vantage points from two causeways. Along with large numbers of wintering wildfowl it regularly attracts smew and bittern and has a reputation for drawing in rarities. There is also a woodland trail and a visitor centre serving hot drinks and snacks. Coach leaves Headington Hill Hall (Brookes University) at 7.30am. Price: About £17 depending on numbers attending. Booking essential Telephone: 01865 723868 E-mail: anne@anclark.force9.co.uk (RSPB) Wednesday 20, Thurs 21, Wed 27 and Thurs 28: Nature Tots - as 19 January. (BBOWT) Thursday 21: The Medicinal Collection at the University of Oxford Botanic gardens, a talk by Dr. Alison Foster in the Schlich lecture theatre, Plant Sciences Dept. S.Parks Rd., at 1.10pm Rare Plants Group (ANHSO) Sunday 24: Winter Walk at Sydlings Copse, Beckley, a treasure trove for wildlife enthusiasts. A place of sheer magic for all the family - yet small enough to ensure that young or old legs don't get tired as you take a circular wildlife walk through different habitats. Some steep steps. BOOKING ESSENTIAL. Admission: Free. Meet: Sydlings Copse Nature Reserve OX3 9TY.Grid: SP 553 094. Contact: Shirley Jarvis 01865 371297 shirley88jarvis@gmail.com. No dogs please. Children welcome. 10am-12noon. (BBOWT)

MARCH Thursday 7: Conservation of Greater Water Parsnip on the Somerset Levels, a talk by Steve Parker in the Schlich Lecture theatre, Plant Sciences Dept., South Parks Rd., at 1.10pm. Rare Plants Group. (ANHSO) Saturday 9: Conifer Course see details on page 5. (ANHSO) Sunday 10: Small is beautiful - moss walk at Dry Sandford Pit , nr Abingdon 10:30am - 12:30pm Last in a series of short walks to discover the beauty of mosses. Join Peter Creed for a non-expert’s look at the incredible variety of mosses to be found by the fen and cliffs at Dry Sandford Pit. Muddy in places and wet ground. Some gates. Bring walking boots or wellingtons. Magnifying glasses and hand lenses will be provided but bring your own if you have them. Admission: Free. Meet: Dry Sandford Pit car park, 100 metres west of Honeybottom Lane/Church Lane junction in Cothill village. OX13 6JW. Grid: SU 467 997. Contact: Peter Creed 01635 550380 peter@naturebureau.co.uk. No dogs please. Suitable for people with limited mobility. Children welcome. (BBOWT) Sunday 10: Middleton Lakes, Warks. RSPB Reserve, opened 2010. Field Outing: details contact Steve Alley 01608 659628 (OOS) Tuesday 12: Meadow Clary. Habitat maintenance at Ardley lay-by at 10.0am. Contact: Camilla Lambrick 01865 735161 camilla@oxfordrareplants.org.uk Rare Plants Group (ANHSO) Wednesday 13: A Nightingale by any Other Name a talk by Dr Andy Gosler. 7.45pm Stratfield Brake Sports Ground Kidlington. Members free, non-members donation. Details: Barry Hudson 01993 852028. (OOS) Tuesday 19: Corn Cleavers. Weeding plots at Wytham. 2.00pm. Alison McDonald alison@oxfordrareplants.org.uk Rare Plants Group (ANHSO)

01865 556651

Thursday 21: Corn Cleavers. Planting out seedlings at Wytham 2.00pm.There will be regular checks on this species throughout the spring and summer. As on 19th March.

OXFORD URBAN WILDLIFE GROUP Don't forget that we are here to help. Please contact any member of the committee for help or advice on wildlife matters and we will attempt to help or to put you in touch with someone who can answer. Alan Hart (Warden) Boundary Brook Nature Park Janet Keene: Newsletter

07979608013 Oxford 820522

Delia Twamley: Planning

Oxford 554636

Website: www.ouwg.org.uk

CONTACTS FOR OTHER ORGANISATIONS Ashmolean Natural History Society of Oxfordshire (ANHSO): Alison McDonald 556651 Botanic Garden: Oxford 286690 British Trust for Conservation Volunteers 01296 330033 Butterfly Conservation: David Redhead Oxford 772520 Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) Christopher Gowers Oxford 512047 City's Countryside Sites or Biodiversity in Parks Oxford 252240 email: parks@oxford.gov.uk Forest of Oxford: John Thompson Oxford 513528 Friends of Aston’s Eyot (FAE) Ruth Ashcroft 01865 248344 Friends of CS Lewis Reserve (FoCSL) Helen d'Ayala Oxford 775476 Friends of Oxpens Meadow (FOM) Margaret Maden Oxford 721372 Friends of the Earth (Oxford): Jackie Walkden 07981 572629 Friends of the Trap Grounds (FoTG) Catherine Robinson Oxford 511307

Friends of Warneford Meadow (FoWM) Sietske Boeles Oxford728153 Local Wildlife Trust (BBOWT): Oxford 775476 New Marston Wildlife Group Curt Lamberth 07763-191072 Oxford Conservation Volunteers www.ocv.org.uk (OCV): Jo 07887 928115 Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum (ONCF): Oxford 407034 Oxford Ornithological Soc. (OOS): Barry Hudson 01993 852028 Oxford Tree Club (OTC): Ian Gourlay Oxford 245864 Oxfordshire Badger Group: Julia Hammett Oxford 864107 Oxfordshire Bat Group: David Endacott 01235 764832 Rare Plants Group (RPG): Sue Helm 07774205972 Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB): Peter Wilkinson Oxford 452579 Science Oxford Live (SOL) St Clements: Oxford 728953 Shotover Wildlife (SW): Chair: Ivan Wright Oxford 874423 SS Mary & John Churchyard Group, Ruth Conway, tel 723085 Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) Gavin Bird Oxford 815411

UNIVERSITY of OXFORD – Department for Continuing Education DAY COURSES New Economics and Living Sustainably in the Twenty First Century Ewert House on Saturday 02 Mar 2013. This day school will introduce and review new approaches in economic thinking, policy and practical action and how they can help us in the transition to a new kind of economy and a more sustainable future. Grassland Ecology and Management Saturday 27 April from 10am-5pm. A one day course at Chimney Meadows Nature Reserve. Dr Kerry Lock will give overview of grassland types in the UK, their importance and ecology Fees £60. Bugs in your home and garden Saturday 22 June 2013. Rewley House. Fees from £60. Invertebrates or bugs (i.e. animals without a backbone) account for more than 95% of all animal species. Although the majority are found in the tropics and in oceans, members of these hugely successful groups can be found in all habitats ranging from Antarctica to the Sahara desert. Even our houses and gardens are home to an impressive range and diversity of invertebrates. During this day school we will uncover some of their many secrets. WEEKLY MEETINGS An Introduction to Genetics: 10 weekly meetings on Tuesdays from 15 Jan to 19 March 2013 at Ewert House 7-9 pm. Fees From £165. In this introduction to genetics course we look at the science of genes, inheritance and variation in living organisms. We use examples ranging from plant pigments to human diseases to illustrate these principles. Animal behaviour 10 meetings on Tuesdays. 16 Apr to 18 Jun 2013 at Ewert House. 10.30am-12.30pm. Fees From £165. Why do animals behave the way they do? In this course we will look at the full range of behaviours found in the animal kingdom from simple escape behaviours to complex tool use and their evolution. Landform Ecology 10 weekly meetings on Thursdays. 18 Apr – 20 June 2013 at Ewert House 7-9 pm. Fees From £165. The multiple interactions that give rise to landforms and their ecology are explored holistically in a practical way allowing a more in-depth interpretation of how eco-, hydro- and geological processes shape our environment. There are so many excellent courses coming up these are just a few of the details so visit Rewley House for leaflets or for more information contact the Administrator, Day & Weekend Schools, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JA. Tel 01865 - 270380 or by email: pp@conted.ox.ac.uk. Website: www.conted.ox.ac.uk.

OUWG EVENTS www.ouwg.org.uk JANUARY WORK PARTIES Sunday 13th and 27th. Refreshments provided.

Boundary Brook Nature Park: between 10am and 1pm.

Monday 21: A new way to enjoy Gardening with Wildlife in Mind a talk by Stuart Mabbutt. Stuart specialises in wildlife gardening. He makes wildlife programmes for Radio Cherwell Oxford Hospital Radio and writes articles and features in other local media. He gives lively talks to groups showing how small and large gardens can be a haven for wildlife and gives simple tips of how to attract wildlife into the most basic of gardens. 7.30pm at Science Oxford Live. Individuals £5, SO Friends and OUWG members free. Booking in advance is recommended tel: 810000 or online www.scienceoxfordlive.com/whats-on. Science Oxford Live, 1-5 London Place, Oxford.

FEBRUARY WORK PARTIES Sunday 10th and 24th. Refreshments provided.

Boundary Brook Nature Park: between 10am and 1pm.

Saturday 2: OUWG stall at “Have a Hoot” see page 9 for details. Saturday 9: A winter walk through Port Meadow. Andy Gosler, an eminent bird researcher from the Edward Grey Institute in Oxford, is taking us on a walk through Port Meadow to see the overwintering birds. We will meet at the entrance at the bottom of Walton Well Road at 2pm. Car park by the entrance now charges. Waterproof footwear recommended! Contact Janet on Oxford 820522 if you would like a lift or to check details. Saturday 16: Conservation and Recorders Conference in County Hall. 10 am – 4.30 pm. This is the annual updating and networking event for species recording and nature conservation in Oxfordshire. The aim of the conference is to promote the sharing of information and exchange of ideas with other wildlife enthusiasts. The programme will include a series of short talks and presentations, poster displays and updates from local groups. BOOKING ESSENTIAL on: 01865 815451.

MARCH WORK PARTIES Sunday10th and 24th. Refreshments provided

Boundary Brook Nature Park: between 10am and 1pm.

Saturday 9: Launch of Oxfordshire Science Festival. OUWG stall in Bonn Square 10am-4pm Saturday 16: Tree planting in the Northern Extension at Boundary Brook. We will be planting the 150 trees donated by our TOE2 grant and grown by Ollywood. 10am. Do come and help – wear warm clothes and stout footwear, refreshments will be provided. Sunday 24: Spring Open Day 2-5pm. Come to see the spring flowers in all their glory, the active frogs and, if the weather is good, there may be early butterflies. There will be guided walks, and stalls with native wild plants, cottage garden plants and seeds, to attract wildlife to your garden this year, as well as booklets about wildlife for sale. Wheelchair access, admission free. Children under 14 to be accompanied by an adult. WORK PARTIES Boundary Brook Nature Park: work party fortnightly in winter between 10am and 1pm. Refreshments provided.

BOUNDARY BROOK NATURE PARK. Come and help us to manage the Nature Park. You can choose your task from a variety of jobs. A warm welcome guaranteed. You need not come for the whole time. Please ring on the day of the work party to ensure it has not been cancelled through bad weather etc. Contact: Alan Hart 07979608013. There is often someone working at Boundary Brook so, if you want to come at other times, find out who will be there and when by ringing Alan Hart but check before setting out to make sure it is still on.Bus route: Stagecoach Route 3. OXFORD URBAN WILDLIFE GROUP If you wish to contact OUWG or would like to become a member write to the editor: Janet Keene, 7 Norwood Ave, Southmoor, Abingdon OX13 5AD or Tel: Oxford 820522. E-mail: keene@ouwg.org.uk Registered charity no 1101126.