SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND
Through bioacoustics we can listen to a secret world
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Flocking together provides a strategy for survival
Seas of plenty
Can the North Sea recover and thrive again?
22 Welcome
Over the course of the Trust’s 60+ years, there have been (and continue to be) extraordinary individuals who give so much of their energy and talent to the natural world. One of these was Steve Piotrowski, a tour de force of Suffolk birding who we sadly lost over the summer.
Steve had an irrepressible mix of knowledge, passion and humour, and an innate ability to inspire, entertain and gently cajole those around him to do just a bit more for wildlife. As the author of The Birds of Suffolk and The Butterflies of Suffolk, Steve has a place on bookshelves around the county. He was an exceptional naturalist, author, campaigner and mentor.
Recognising the lack of nesting sites as a critical factor in the decline of barn owls, Steve founded the Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project and enlisted the Trust’s support to coordinate a countywide programme of nest boxes – those now familiar triangular boxes we see perched on boundary oaks across Suffolk. I will remember him with an armful of barn owl chicks, surrounded by a class of awestruck primary school children, checking the nest box on the edge of their school field.
The Barn Owl Project mobilised communities and individuals to play their part in bringing back barn owls to their part of Suffolk. Like its successor, SOS Swifts, it’s a model of what can be achieved when we all play our part for nature and the unstoppable collective impact we can have.
Christine Luxton Chief Executive
Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Wild Suffolk is the membership magazine for Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Email teamwilder@suffolkwildlifetrust.org
Telephone 01473 890089
Address Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Brooke House, Ashbocking IP6 9JY
Registered charity number 262777
Website suffolkwildlifetrust.org
Facebook & X @suffolkwildlife
Instagram, Youtube & TikTok @suffolkwildlifetrust
Get in touch
Our Membership Manager, Nicola Martin, is happy to help with any questions about your membership on 01473 890089 or membership@suffolkwildlifetrust.org.
Wild Suffolk Magazine Team
Editor Lucy McRobert
Designer Clare Sheehan
Content editor UK Tom Hibbert
Cover: Crystal jellyfish © Alex Mustard, naturepl.com
Suffolk Wildlife Trust is one of a national network of Wildlife Trusts dedicated to safeguarding the future of wildlife for the benefit of all.
32
4 Your wild autumn
Share in the best of the season’s wildlife and where to enjoy it nearby.
10 Our nature reserves
Special wild places to discover this autumn and winter.
13 Wild thoughts
Julia Bradbury on the benefits of Vitamin N(ature).
14 Wildlife gardening
What to do for wildlife in the winter months.
16 Wild news
Read what’s happening for Suffolk’s wildlife and across the UK.
21 The best for nature
Enjoy our new regular column on how we’re advocating for nature.
22 Birds of a feather
Find out how flocking behaviours are a strategy for bird survival.
28 Sound of the underground
Through bioacoustics, we can listen to a secret world.
32 Seas of plenty
How Wildlife Trusts are working to bring the North Sea back to life.
36 Black Bourn Valley
Celebrating 30 years of change for wildlife.
6 ways to get involved with
Volunteer Donating your skills, time and knowledge to wildlife can leave you feeling happier, healthier and more connected to local nature. suffolkwildlifetrust.org/volunteer
Wild your school Work with us to embed nature in the curriculum and ‘wild’ your school grounds or arrange a visit to one of our nature reserves. suffolkwildlifetrust.org/schools
Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Team Wilder Spread the wildlife message through your community by setting up a local wildlife project. suffolkwildlifetrust.org /team-wilder
Wild your land Be inspired by our Farm Wildlife Advisers who can give expert advice on making your land great for nature. suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ landscape-recovery
Business
for wildlife
Bring wildlife into your business and place of work with volunteering, away days and investment in wildlife. suffolk wildlifetrust.org/wild-my-business
Events Discover courses, activities, badger watches, birthday parties, walks and talks, all designed to bring you and your family closer to nature. suffolkwildlifetrust.org/events
Your wild autumn
The best of the season’s wildlife and where to enjoy it in Suffolk.
Swoon for a shorteared owl
Winter is the perfect time to admire many birds of prey, as several species – like harriers, buzzards, owls and hawks – gather together at roosting points. Shorteared owls are a spectacular species to watch in winter, partly because they are active during the day and partly because the cold winter months see an influx of birds from Scandinavia, Russia and Iceland. They breed in the uplands and on moorlands but migrate to coastal locations for the winter. They glide on silent wings across saltmarshes and wetlands, hunting for small mammals and birds, their wide, yellow eyes surveying the area whilst their excellent hearing can pick out the tiniest movements in the grass. They have long, rounded wings and mottled brown bodies. The pale under-wings give them a ghostly appearance, especially in the winter light.
Short 'ear tufts' provide its common name. Spot them hunting, perched on the ground, or even coming in off the sea.
SEE THEM THIS AUTUMN
Worlingham Marshes is perfect for short-eared owls and other raptors, the mosaic of grazing marsh, fen and broadland offering ideal winter hunting.
Carlton Marshes is a magical place to watch short-eared and barn owls, as well as marsh harriers and a winter egret roost.
Trimley Marshes is a wonderful spot, home to wintering short-eared owls, wildfowl and waders.
Reserve info & maps suffolkwildlifetrust.org/nature-reserves
Short-eared owls are one of five species of owl that breed in the UK, including barn, tawny, little and long-eared.
AUTUMN SPECTACLE
Wonder at waxcaps
Waxcaps are a beautiful group of fungi that spring from the ground in the autumn. They are characterised by their colourful, waxy caps and have descriptive, evocative names: scarlet and crimson, golden and ballerina, splendid, date-coloured and honey are all species of waxcap. The grasslands of the UK are amongst the most important in the world for grassland fungi, including waxcaps. They favour ancient, unimproved pastures, meaning that many species are declining. They vary in size, with the parrot and glutinous waxcaps coming in with a 30mm cap, compared to the leviathan crimson waxcaps that sport a 150mm cap. The family also includes striking coral fungi and alien-looking earthtongues.
SEE THEM THIS AUTUMN
The spectacle of multicoloured waxcaps is an important indicator of ancient grasslands rich in carbon and soil biodiversity.
Ivy bees and other pollinators need patches of wildness including gardens, parks and community areas.
Work with neighbours to create wildlife habitats suffolkwildlifetrust.org/team-wilder
Knettishall Heath is an ancient landscape of lowland heath, grassland and woodland, supporting a variety of fungi in the autumn.
Captain’s Wood benefits from a mosaic of small, unimproved meadows, that are kept open and biodiverse by grazing from fallow deer.
Be buzzed by ivy bees
Ivy bees are a recent arrival to Suffolk and the UK, first recorded just over 20 years ago in 2001. Since then, they have spread steadily northwards. A small, solitary bee from the family known as ‘plasterer bees’, ivy bees look similar to honeybees, with an orangey, hairy thorax, and distinct black and yellow stripes. Ivy bees nest in loose, light or sandy soil on southernfacing banks and cliffs with ivy nearby for foraging. When conditions are suitable, there may be thousands of nests in the same area. Clumps of ivy literally buzz with life, as hundreds of ivy bees feed at once.
How to SPOT IVY BEES
Look around clumps of ivy. Ivy bees time their emergence to fit in with the flowering period of this common plant.
Timing is everything. Whilst most bees are settling down for the winter, ivy bees only emerge between September and November and so are more obvious.
Nurture their foodplant. Lots of species rely on ivy as a food source, including bumblebees and butterflies. The later flowering date makes it important as an autumn food source, and the berries are great for winter thrushes and finches.
HEAR THIS
Step outside on a clear night in October and listen for the ‘tseee’ of a redwing flying over. They migrate at night and it’s easy to recognise their ‘nocmig’ calls.
SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
Oak trees
Revel in the majesty of our most iconic tree.
A national treasure
The majestic oak is one of the most well-loved and recognisable trees in the UK, steeped in culture, history and biodiversity. But did you know that there are over 600 species of oak worldwide, and only two of these are native to the UK? You might see other species in parks, urban areas or botanical gardens, but the English oak and sessile oak are the only indigenous species. As far as supporting biodiversity, ancient oaks are the most important tree in the UK, supporting an incredible 2,300 wildlife species, from bats and birds to fungi and insects. Over 300 species are completely dependent on native oak trees for survival.
The almighty acorn
HEIGHT can grow 20-40m tall.
SEE THIS
Check hedgerows and trees for the different species of nuts and seeds in fruit in the autumn. You might spot hazelnut, beech nut, walnut and more.
LEAF
LITTER is soft, rich and biodiverse.
OVER 1,100 INVERTEBRATE
use oak, including rare butterflies and stag beetles, and 257 insects rely solely
Acorns are one of the most iconic yet underappreciated seeds in the UK. Along with conkers, they are surprisingly recalcitrant, meaning that they are hard to dry, freeze and store for nature conservation purposes. They are a vital food source for our wildlife. Over 30 species of mammals eat acorns, including badgers and wood mice, and they’re a favourite food of birds, too, including woodpeckers, nuthatches and rooks. Jays are a real acorn enthusiast, caching hundreds of acorns in the autumn to eat throughout the winter. Those that don’t get eaten might germinate.
Sacred species
The oak was sacred to many gods from
Top tips THREE SPECIES TO SPOT
Sessile oak
ACORNS
2–2.5cm on long stalks and in cupules.
LEAVES
Around 10cm long with 4–5 deep lobes
different ancient cultures, including Zeus, Jupiter and the Celtic Dagda. Ancient kings and Roman emperors wore crowns of oak leaves. Now, in England, it is a national symbol of strength and the emblem of many environmental groups, including the National Trust. Oaks produce one of the hardest timbers on the planet. However, it is slow growing and takes around 150 years before it is ready to use in construction. Leaves, bark and acorns were used historically as they were believed to heal many medical ailments.
LOOK FOR THEM THIS AUTUMN
Reydon Wood has an air of fairy magic about it, with the ancient trees supporting hundreds of invertebrates, birds and fungi.
Martlesham Wilds is home to many ancient oaks and hedgerows, that support an array of species, including many bats.
Arger Fen & Spouse’s Vale is home to a mix of trees including oak, ash, field maple, holly, crab apple, alder, cherry and hazel stools.
Reserve info & maps suffolkwildlifetrust.org/nature-reserves
The opposite to English oaks, sessile leaves have long stalks and acorns have very short stalks.
Ash
35m when fully grown. Identified in winter by smooth twigs that have black, velvety buds.
Beech
Grows to over 40m. Leaf buds sharply pointed. Can hold their leaves throughout winter.
SMELL THIS
Fungi can smell very varied, but one of the most infamous is the stinkhorn. The phallic fungus attracts blowflies and other insects with its smell of rotting meat.
NOT JUST FOR KIDS
TASTE THIS
Rosehips, the seedpods of roses, can be made into delicious syrups, jellies, jams and cordials. Look for them from September to November.
TASTE THIS
Rosehips, the seedpods of roses, can be made into delicious syrups, jellies, jams and cordials. Look for them from September to November.
Seven ways to enjoy nature
Seasonal activities for big kids and little people.
1 LISTEN FOR BARKING FOXES
Red foxes call year-round and are particularly active and vocal in the breeding season at the end of winter. Listen for them in the dead of night in towns, villages, and rural areas.
4 BE BEGUILED BY BUNTINGS AND FINCHES
As the hedges begin to thin and food becomes scarcer, some birds become more obvious. Check scruffy field margins and rural bird feeders for reed buntings, redpolls, linnets, bullfinches and even hawfinches.
3
LEARN A WILD WORD: EARTHSTAR
The earthstar is an evocative name for a beautiful and distinctive fungus that you might spot in woodlands. The spores come from a hole in the top.
Explore our nature reserves this autumn and winter suffolkwildlife trust.org/nature-reserves
2
CHECK YOUR BONFIRE FOR WILDLIFE
As 5th November approaches, if you’re planning on building a bonfire, remember to check it for hedgehogs, frogs and other wildlife that may have made a home there. Ideally, don’t construct it until the same day.
5 MAKE WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY REINDEER FOOD
If Father Christmas is visiting your little ones this Christmas, have a go at making wildlife-friendly reindeer food to scatter on the lawn. Mix chopped apple, raisins, little bits of cheese and seeds for the reindeer – and the birds and mammals in your garden!
Explore more ways you can help nature suffolkwildlifetrust.org/actions
Earthstar fungus
6 IDENTIFY ALDER CONES
The cones of an alder tree are female catkins. They start off green, but as autumn progresses, they become dark brown and wood-like, looking like tiny pinecones.
7 HOW TO MAKE AUTUMN DECORATIONS
Brighten up a grey garden this autumn and winter.
YOU WILL NEED
l Recycled ribbon or string
l Scissors
l Natural objects: cones, leaves, twigs, feathers and shells
l Coloured wool and wooden beads
1 Use twigs and string to create a mobile shape.
2 Decorate with natural objects, wool and wooden beads.
3 Get creative! Make them as beautiful as possible.
4 Use string or ribbon to hang from a tree.
10 wild ideas
Check out some of our top events happening this autumn/winter. More details and events online.
1 Learn a new skill
Browse our programme of teen and adult learning courses. There is something for everyone. We also offer accredited Forest School and Wild Beach training.
2 Bring up a wild child
Come to one of our Wild Tots sessions for children aged 18 months to 5 years with an accompanying adult for wild play.
3 Make a difference for wildlife
Join a Young Wardens session for young people aged 11-16 years or one of our adult volunteer work parties and help to care for our nature reserves while learning practical conservation skills.
4 Wild families
Book a family pond or dyke dipping, invertebrate investigation or night walk session with us and become family wildlife experts!
5 Wild birthday parties
Book a birthday party with a difference. Find out more at suffolkwildlifetrust. org/wild-birthday-parties
Find out more wildlifewatch.org.uk/activities
6 Walks, talks and more
Our nature reserves are free to visit. Enjoy a wild day out, explore our nature reserves on a guided walk or learn about Suffolk’s wildlife from home in a Wildlife Live webinar.
7 Share your enthusiasm for wildlife
Volunteer with us and share your love of nature. Get in touch to find out about other volunteering opportunities.
8 Shop wild
Support us with a purchase from our online shop. Send a gift voucher and let them choose. Vouchers are also available for our adult learning courses.
9 Transform your local patch
Create a haven for wildlife in your garden. Visit suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ gardeningadvice for ideas, inspiration and information.
10 Wild Reads
Put your feet up with one of our Wild Reads. Wild Reads is a partnership project with Suffolk Libraries. Visit suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ wild-reads
For details of our events and activities across the county visit: suffolkwildlifetrust.org/events
Discover Captain's Wood
Captain’s Wood offers over 63ha (155 acres) of precious ancient landscape full of rare plants and a superb mix of natural habitats for wildlife, including fallow deer, barn owl and bats.
Step under the ancient, open canopy of Captain's Wood and you step back hundreds of years into a woodland habitat where fallow deer browse the scrub, barn owls hunt the clearings and ten species of bat feed amongst the trees. Areas of dense trees are interspersed with open grassland, giving home to a variety of species and the whole place an airy, spacious atmosphere.
This is among the last surviving pieces of a medieval wood pasture in Suffolk. The woodland is exceptionally important for its ecological, landscape and historic heritage, and the gnarled oak pollards, some thought to be more than 500 years old, are a direct link to the past. Shown as 'Cutmore Wood' on ancient maps, the name has evolved to
'Captain' over the years.
Over the past 1,000 years, the wood has passed through the hands of various bishops, noblemen and moneyed families. Early maps show a landscape around Sudbourne radically different to that found today.
A mosaic of wood pasture (typically grazed by deer or livestock) and heathland once extended for several thousand acres. However, much of Sudbourne Great Wood to the north and the heaths to the east and south were cleared for agriculture and forestry over the past 70 years.
The woodland habitat varies from open oak and birch to a large stand of almost pure hazel, clumps of mature
Thank you
A legacy from Gloria Ford and a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund enabled us to buy the wood in 1995. suffolkwildlifetrust. org/will
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Captain's Wood
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Location: Sudbourne, Woodbridge IP12 2BE.
what3words location: falls.clerk.hillsides How to get there: From J51 on the A14, head east on the A140 and then east on the B1078. Cross the A12 and head through Tunstall. Turn left on the B1084, then left to Sudborne. Turn right on School Road. There is a small car park on your right, 400m from reserve entrance (north of the road). Do not park on School Road. Opening times: Open all year.
Access: Circular 3km walk around reserve. The reserve is unsuitable for wheelchairs or bikes, and there are no toilets or facilities on site. Assistance dogs only.
Step back hundreds of years into an ancient woodland habitat.
Scots pine and lines of planted sweet chestnut. Veteran oak trees are common, supporting hundreds of fungi and invertebrates. A variety of fungi spring up amongst the rich leaf litter in autumn. Look for earthstars, stinkhorns and fly agarics under the trees, turkey tail and chicken of the woods on the trunks, and puffballs and shaggy inkcaps in the
DID YOU KNOW The purchase of Captain’s Wood in 2005 was helped by a legacy from Gloria Ford. In the adjacent fields, we have planted a new generation of oaks grown from the acorns of the oldest trees. By making it possible for us to buy the land, Gloria has saved it for future generations.
grassland. Of note is the oak polypore, known from here and only six other sites in Britain.
You might not see them, but bats thrive in the ancient trees, hunting up and down the rides in the evening. There are over ten species present, including barbastelle, brown long-eared, Leisler’s, Natterer’s and Daubenton’s. They join a
The gnarled oak pollards are a direct link to the past
host of animals that make the most of the woodland after hours, including barn owls, tawny owls and foxes. Autumn is the principal time for rutting fallow deer, where males proclaim their territories with a loud belch and fight over females. The area is home to an array of woodland birds, including treecreeper and great spotted woodpecker. In the spring, Captain’s Wood boasts one of the most spectacular displays of bluebells in the whole country, along with a
Phone for information: 01473 890089
Email: teamwilder@suffolkwildlifetrust.org
Website: suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ captainswood
TOP WILDLIFE TO SPOT
Fallow deer: medium-sized deer.
Males have broad, palmate antlers. Whilst fallow deer are mostly pale ginger with white spots, some individuals in Captain's Wood are dark brown and spotless. Some may be black or white, too. Scots pine: Scotland, which has been widely planted elsewhere in the UK. Tall and straight with distinctive orange-brown, scaly bark and blue-green needles.
Barn owl: With a distinctive heart-shaped face, pure white feathers, and ghostly silent flight. Look out for it flying low over the grassland.
THINGS TO DO NEARBY
Alde Mudflats is just a couple of miles away from Captain’s Wood and offers a totally different nature experience.
Visit Orford Ness National Nature Reserve, just three miles away. The area is steeped in history and wildlife, with coastal grazing marshes and vegetated shingle. Also visit Hazlewood Marshes a few miles away.
There are several pubs and cosy Suffolk towns and villages to explore nearby, perfect to warm up on an autumn day.
PAUL
YOUNG
LEFT: Daubenton's bat
Treecreeper
Why now?
Winks Meadow has some diverse and rich hedgerows that share their bountiful berries every autumn. Look for bright red hawthorn, deep blue blackthorn (or sloes), sweet dog rosehips and juicy blackberries, that in turn entice winter thrushes like redwing, fieldfare and migratory blackbirds.
Know before you go
Location: Harleston IP20 0JZ. what3words location: much.weeps.staple Open: Open all year at all times. Wildlife to spot: Bullfinch, redwing, fieldfare, hawthorn, dog rose, blackthorn.
The lowdown
Winks Meadow is known for its spring and summer wildflowers, supporting a wide range of plants characteristic of ancient unimproved grassland. This includes a number of species that are scarce in Suffolk such as spiny restharrow, sulphur clover and quaking grass as well as several species of orchid. In the autumn, the hedgerow and scrub, which includes spindle, field maple, dogwood, bramble, hawthorn and blackthorn, erupts with berries, enticing thrushes and finches, including the beautiful bullfinch. Listen for it peeping from the dense hedgerows.
Why now?
Part of an incredible network of nature reserves all within a few miles of each other, Hopton Fen is a 15ha (37 acres) gem of restored fenland. In the winter, check the hedgerows for flocks of colourful winter thrushes and finches, including siskins feeding on the alder.
Know before you go
Location: Hopton, Diss IP22 2QZ what3words location: scrub.belly.silly Open: Open at all times.
Wildlife to spot: Redwing, fieldfare, siskin, reed bunting, roe deer.
Find out more: suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ hoptonfen
The lowdown
The footpath into the reserve slopes gently into a world of waterlogged peat and bristling stands of saw sedge, reed and rushes. Although protected from drainage by the Hopton Combined Charities, the lack of demand for fen products such as sedge and reed led to a slow scrubbing over of the site. Woodland clearance and the introduction of grazing has restored an open fenland landscape, and fendependent species have begun to reappear. This small site lies within three miles of Market Weston Fen, Thelnetham Fen and Knettishall Heath.
Ipswich
Lavenham
Hadleigh Sudbury Haverhill
Aldeburgh
Lowesto
Felixstowe
Newmarket Ixworth
Stowmarket Needham Market
Mildenhall
Halesworth Southwold
Bury St Edmunds Woodbridge
Julia Bradbury
@JuliaBradbury
Nature is there for you
Vitamin N (for Nature) is good for you physically, mentally and physiologically, and walking is one of the most accessible activities and the easiest way to immerse yourself in it. You don’t need much expertise or equipment, or even an epic landscape; you just put one foot in front of the other. All my life, but even more so through my cancer diagnosis, and other challenging episodes, nature has been there for me. It’s brought me strength and mental clarity. And, as well as the obvious health benefits it brings, the outdoors is a treasure trove of inspiration and really gives me the space to think things through.
Yet, we know that one in two children spend less than a single hour outside every day. One of the barriers I’ve seen through my work with The Outdoor Guide and our Waterproofs and Wellies project is that, in many cases, children simply don’t have the appropriate clothing to spend time outdoors at school. Kids grow out of clothes so quickly, and with the difficult economic times we live in, it’s no surprise that many families struggle to keep up with constantly buying new items. We’re trying to remove this barrier by supplying schools with waterproofs and wellies to aid outdoor learning, enabling children to gain access to nature. Properly equipped, I hope that by spending more time outdoors, children will develop a meaningful connection with the natural world, as well as bringing those enriching experiences that I’ve found have been hugely beneficial in later life.
Nature may be the answer to the climate crisis, but it can also help us to deal with things in our personal lives. The benefits of being out in nature are tangible. When we’re out walking, we have the power to change
our pace and our mood. We can find union with nature, camaraderie with friends, and a form of inner peace with ourselves. Walking balances the soul and acts as a confidante and therapist and has been proven to soothe anxiety and stress. A mountain or a tree, a bird or a beetle, can keep you company in times of grief, celebration and solitude. Building nature into your everyday life creates many positive feedback loops, encouraging exercise, which in turn improves your diet, and enables you to sleep better and have better, more meaningful interactions with the world and the people around you. If you can’t escape for an hour, try five or 10 minutes in your lunch break. I call them Nature Snacks – just a few minutes every day is enough to revive and restore (although the longer the better in my opinion).
I worry that there is a real feeling of disconnection from nature in the current generation of children and young adults. So it’s important to try do our bit to remove barriers. There are many communities doing amazing work supported by The Wildlife Trusts community activities. Schools, individuals and community groups are taking action for nature all across the UK, creating more and more small green spaces, which are especially important in urban areas. That little bit of treasured green space to grow food on and play in gently encourages children to see nature and nurture the spirit of working together.
Find out more about how Wildlife Trusts are helping to support community groups, thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. wildlifetrusts.org/nextdoor-nature
MAKING TIME
To help you get into the habit of spending a little bit of time in nature this winter, take part in 12 Days Wild – The Wildlife Trusts' midwinter nature challenge. Find out more wildlifetrusts.org/ 12DaysWild
Julia Bradbury Sunday Times Best Selling author of Walk Yourself Happy shares her passion for walking towards happiness with nature by her side. The Outdoor Guide Foundation has a simple aim; to make the outdoors more accessible for all – particularly children. Find out more theoutdoorguide.co.uk
Winter wildlife gardening
Our gardens all but go to sleep in winter, as plants become dormant and most species are overwintering, but there are still ways to help your garden wildlife.
Kate Bradbury is passionate about wildlife-friendly gardening and the author of Wildlife Gardening for Everyone and Everything in association with The Wildlife Trusts.
Hedgehogs and amphibians may be tucked beneath a large pile of leaves or in your compost heap, while insects may be sheltering beneath tree bark, in the folds of spent leaves and seedheads, or amongst leaf litter. Avoid disturbing
these habitats until mid-spring as any interruptions could cost valuable energy that isn’t easy to replenish at this time of year; insects may also be vulnerable to fungal diseases if exposed to damp conditions.
Indeed, the best thing you can do for most wildlife at this time of year is to not garden at all! Leave plants in borders to rot down into themselves, avoid clearing leaf litter from your garden’s edges (but
do sweep leaves off paths and the lawn), and leave habitats such as log piles and compost heaps intact. If you have a meadow or other area of long grass, leave a ‘buffer zone’ uncut throughout winter, so caterpillars, beetles and other invertebrates can shelter in the thatch. Of course, not all animals hibernate. Birds battle through the short days and cold nights, searching for food that’s often hard to come by. If you have fruit trees, like crab apples, let windfall fruit remain on the ground so thrushes such as redwings and fieldfares can help themselves. If the ground isn’t frozen, you can add to your collection of fruit and berrying trees. Now’s the time to buy bare-root trees and shrubs – hawthorn,
rowan, holly, apples, crab apples, and pyracantha all produce fruit loved by birds, while birches and alder, along with plants such as Verbena bonariensis, lavender and teasels, offer seeds for a wide range of smaller species.
Filling supplementary feeders benefits smaller species like tits, which need to feed almost constantly in the daylight hours. Calorie-rich food such as fat balls, sunflower hearts and peanuts gives them the energy they need to shiver to keep warm at night. Leave scraps of seed at the back of borders for ground-feeding species like wrens. And don’t forget water – not only do bird baths provide drinking water, but by regularly topping up your bird bath you will also help birds
to clean their feathers and regulate their temperature, vital on cold winter nights. Do make sure you keep bird baths and feeders clean, as the number and variety of birds visiting them can spread diseases. Regular cleaning can help keep your garden birds healthy.
Get more wildlife gardening tips on our website sffolkwildlife trust.org/gardeningadvice
WILD NEWS
Highlights from Suffolk and national news from The Wildlife Trusts
cuckoos have been satellite-tagged by the BTO since 2011. Two of these were at Worlingham Marshes this year!
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Positive influences for North Sea
Suffolk Wildlife Trust, in partnership with other North Sea Wildlife Trusts, has secured a role to influence large scale offshore wind infrastructure projects that present the greatest risks to marine biodiversity. One such project includes a major offshore wind project on Dogger Bank South, which lies within a Marine Protected Area home to sand eels and other key species, which we hope to positively influence.
The role will allow us to feed into major planning applications and work with developers and government agencies to secure the best outcomes for biodiversity and climate. This will involve taking an overview of development happening across the North Sea and
forming relationships with key stakeholders, particularly Natural England and developers. We will also be able to push for appropriate compensation and mitigation for wildlife where necessary.
We hope to develop resources, knowledge and training opportunities across the North Sea Wildlife Trusts, enabling us all to do more work in the marine environment in the future. The work has been made possible thanks to the Esmee Fairburn Foundation and John Ellerman Foundation, as well as our members.
KENNETH
EDWARD LEWIS
Birds like terns and puffins rely on sand eels for food.
ADOBE STOCK
It
Cuckoos tagged
Two cuckoos have been tagged at Worlingham Marshes as part of a research project into the incredible trans-Saharan migration of this endangered species, conducted by British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).
The UK’s breeding cuckoo population has declined by more than a third since the 1960s. Hoping to better understand the decline, the BTO has fitted state-ofthe-art satellite tags to nine cuckoos across the UK this year, including two males at Worlingham Marshes in the Lower Waveney Valley, nicknamed Nick 2 and Wilfrid.
Since BTO's Cuckoo Tracking Project began in 2011, more than 100 cuckoos have been tagged. The data has revealed that many English cuckoos migrate via Spain, a route associated with higher mortality than that through Italy, which is typically used by Scottish cuckoos. They then cross the Mediterranean Sea
MARTLESHAM WILDS
Grazing begins
The first Belted Galloway cattle and Herdwick sheep started grazing on the marshes at Martlesham Wilds this summer, as part of a rolling schedule of conservation grazing. This creates, maintains and diversifies marsh habitats supporting a wider range of fungi, wildflowers and invertebrates, that in turn support wading birds. Thanks to the generous support from Biffa Award, we have installed troughs (powered by a solar-powered water pump), livestock shelters and fencing.
before traversing the Sahara Desert, where they will travel at altitudes of up to 5km to avoid the extreme daytime heat.
Early research has shown that the Lower Waveney Valley is an important area for cuckoos, with large areas of the landscape successfully managed for wildlife under our care, and with collaborations with local farmers and landowners.
Follow Nick 2 and Wilfrid live bto.org/cuckoos
Wilfrid has been tagged by the BTO.
112
events for children, young people, adults and families over the summer holidays.
Here are some of the ways your membership is helping to protect local wildlife. Thank you!
16
donor sites on our green hay register that donate wildflower and grass seeds.
60,000
people marched for nature in London ahead of the General Election.
650 black-tailed godwit roosting at Hazlewood Marshes.
lapwing
11 chicks hatched and doing well at Trimley Marshes.
WORLINGHAM MARSHES
LEWIS GIDNEY
BTO
Nature’s recovery powered by communities A success story
In two years, the UK-wide Nextdoor Nature project, backed by a £5million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has empowered over 400 communities to restore and enhance nature in their local areas. This achievement far exceeds the original target of engaging 200 local groups, demonstrating the project’s impact.
At the heart of Nextdoor Nature is the dedication to equipping individuals and communities with the skills and resources needed to take meaningful environmental action. To achieve this, community organisers were funded in every UK Wildlife Trust, with a focus on reaching communities that have traditionally been excluded from environmental and conservation efforts.
The Nextdoor Nature project has much in common with the grassroots of The Wildlife Trusts movement where passionate local people come together to create positive change for nature. For those who get involved, they also create heart-warming connections, experiences and memories too.
The stories shared here are just a glimpse of what has been achieved through Nextdoor Nature. From a mental health support group in Durham finding solace in newly accessible gardens, to schools in Kent, the Isles of Scilly, and North Wales engaging in
species reintroduction and habitat creation – each success story is a testament to the power of communitydriven conservation.
A key measure of Nextdoor Nature’s success lies in its sustainability. The project has established connections with other organisations and resources to ensure the continuation of this vital work. Notably, 86% of UK Wildlife Trusts have secured or are actively seeking funding to retain community organisers, ensuring the momentum built during these two years continues to grow.
Thanks to Nextdoor Nature, Wildlife Trusts have made a cultural shift as a movement towards a community organising or ‘Team Wilder’ approach, that is helping to make environmental conservation project more open and accessible to a diverse range of communities. The legacy of Nextdoor Nature is clear: empowered communities, equipped with the knowledge and passion to protect and restore nature, are now driving lasting environmental change across the UK.
Find out more suffolkwildlife trust.org/engagement
EXAMPLES OF NEXTDOOR NATURE PROJECTS ACROSS THE UK
l Gwent has trained the Newport community in bee and butterfly surveying, enabling them to contribute valuable data to citizen science initiatives.
l Hertfordshire and Middlesex facilitated AQA accreditation in River Management for eight young people, opening doors to future conservation opportunities.
l In Radnorshire, a thriving grassland and verges group successfully negotiated reduced mowing with the local council, fostering healthier ecosystems.
Warwickshire inspired local people to take ownership of their green spaces, leading to the independent launch of a Tree Mapping project to address the impacts of ash die-back. Gloucestershire supported the Guardians of the River Chelt, helping them move toward becoming a fully autonomous, constituted group.
Suffolk worked in Ipswich helping community groups develop their outside spaces into places people can enjoy and connect with nature.
JESSE WALKER
Gardening session at The Hive community space in Ipswich.
UK NEWS
New report reveals massive carbon stores in UK seabeds
A pioneering series of reports have revealed the vast amount of carbon stored within UK marine habitats, and the importance of protecting UK seas for tackling climate change.
The seas around the UK and Isle of Man cover nearly 885,000 square kilometres – over three times the size of the UK’s land mass. This vast area is host to different habitats that sequester and store carbon, known as ‘blue carbon’. They include seabed sediments, seagrass meadows, saltmarshes, kelp forests, intertidal seaweed beds, maerl beds and biogenic reefs, such as mussel beds and honeycomb worm reefs.
The Blue Carbon Mapping Project, completed by the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) on behalf of The Wildlife Trusts, WWF and the RSPB, is the first time a country has provided a
comprehensive estimate of the carbon captured and stored in its seas, including within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
tonnes of organic carbon are stored in just the top 10 centimetres of seabed sediments – principally made of mud –plus coastal habitats including saltmarshes and seagrass beds. The reports identify bottom trawling and offshore energy installation as the biggest potential threats to blue carbon stores.
The Wildlife Trusts, WWF and RSPB are calling on governments across the UK to strengthen protections for the most valuable and vulnerable blue carbon stores.
Find out more at wtru.st/blue-carbon-report
Sir
David Attenborough celebrates 60 years with The Wildlife Trusts
Sir David Attenborough has been awarded the Rothschild medal in recognition of the extraordinary leadership, inspiration and indefatigable support he has given to The Wildlife Trusts federation of charities over the past 60 years.
Charles Rothschild founded the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves which would later become The Wildlife Trusts. He was ahead of his time in recognising the need to protect natural habitats and the wildlife that lived there.
His daughter, Miriam, was a visionary scientist who dedicated her life to the natural world.
Sir David Attenborough credits Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust’s Tilton Cutting Nature Reserve with giving him his love of the natural world – he would explore it and search for fossils there as a young boy. Since then, Sir David has championed the work of the Wildlife Trusts across the UK for six decades.
UK HIGHLIGHTS
Discover how our neighbouring Wildlife Trusts are helping wildlife across East Anglia
Osprey return
Norfolk Wildlife Trust were thrilled to have a male osprey returning to Ranworth Broad and Marshes nature reserve again this spring, seen from their floating visitor centre chasing off a white-tailed eagle. A white-tailed eagle and osprey were also spotted above Hickling Broad and Marshes. norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk
Rise of heath fritillaries
Over the summer, Essex Wildlife Trust reported record-breaking numbers of heath fritillary butterflies at one of their nature reserves, managed especially for the recovery of this delicate species. Once close to extinction in the UK, conservation efforts are seeing this butterfly's numbers on the rise. essexwt.org.uk
Wetland creation
The first stage in a huge wetland creation project has begun in Cambridgeshire. Led by The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridge and Northamptonshire, the project at Speechly's Farm in the Great Fen hopes to transform the agricultural land into a wildlife and carbon rich wetland whilst securing peatland soil. wildlifebcn.org
We bet you didn’t know...
Invertebrates have different strategies for surviving the winter. Whilst some hibernate or migrate, some can produce an 'anti-freeze' chemical that allows them to withstand freezing temperatures.
Osprey translocation update
We have been working with the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation (RDWF) for some years on an osprey translocation project on the Blyth estuary. RDWF is also leading the ongoing English whitetailed eagle reintroduction project, based on the Isle of Wight.
Unfortunately, additional collection protocols to mitigate the risk of avian influenza for this project extended the eagle chick collection period, meaning it overlapped with the time when young ospreys would have been collected from nests in the Rutland Water area for translocation to Suffolk.
This is highly specialised work needing expert input and we decided it was not possible to run the two projects alongside each other as originally planned, without risking the welfare of the translocated birds. So, in the best interests of the birds, we postponed the osprey translocation and will review again in the autumn.
In the meantime, with the agreement of the donors, we are putting some of the funds raised to good work, to support other rare species and we will share news of these when the projects are up and running.
New ponds attract newts
Using novel DNA analysis of pond water, we hope to confirm the presence of great crested newts in new wildlife ponds we have created over the past 12 months at Foxburrow, Arger Fen & Spouse’s Vale, Groton Wood, Combs Wood, and with farmers and landowners on land beyond our reserves. Great crested newts are the UK’s rarest newt, recognisable by their wavy crest, black warty skin, and bright orange belly. They spend most of the year feeding on invertebrates in woodland, hedgerows, marshes and tussocky grassland, favouring clean ponds during the breeding season.
AGM invitation 2024
Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s 63rd AGM will be at 4pm on Thursday 21 November 2024 at Lackford Lakes and on Zoom. AGM includes the annual appointment of Trustees to the Board. You can vote in person or using the proxy voting papers included with your magazine.
Prior to the AGM there will be an opportunity for an afternoon guided walk around Lackford Lakes and we will conclude with a talk by Dr Dan Wade about the Waveney and Little Ouse landscape recovery project.
Thank you
Full details and AGM booking information suffolkwildlife trust.org /AGM-2024
LEGACIES
We are grateful to the families of the following friends of the Trust who have recently remembered us in their Will or through an In Memoriam donation.
Margaret Batten
Daniel Beaumont
Christopher 'Rob' Brown
Patricia Brown
Nicholas Carter
Sharon Carter
Pauline Clement
Theodore Cutting
Brian Deane
Hugh Edgecombe
Simon Everitt
Marguerite
Ivor-Jones
Geoff Knight
Hazel Leggett
Doris Matthews
Jill Mortiboys
Winifred Partridge
Joan Peck
Diana Purchase
Arthur Sibbons
Norman (Jack)
Stocking
ALAMY
STANDING UP FOR NATURE Getting the best for wildlife
How do we get the best for nature in the face of major infrastructure?
BY RUPERT MASEFIELD
Rupert
Masefield is Planning and Advocacy Manager for Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
Over the next decade, more major infrastructure projects of national importance (known as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, or NSIPs) are planned in Suffolk than anywhere else in England. Being on the east coast, we are close to large new offshore wind farms in the North Sea and the Government has selected the Suffolk Coast to host a new nuclear power plant, Sizewell C.
Development on this scale has huge implications for wildlife and the natural environment, as well as people living on its doorstep and raises difficult questions about how we as a Wildlife Trust respond to and engage with these projects to get the best outcomes for nature.
For years, Suffolk Wildlife Trust has opposed the construction of Sizewell C as the wrong project in the wrong place to meet the UK’s future energy needs without harming already beleaguered wildlife. It is still the wrong project in the wrong place, but it was given the green light under the last Government and is supported by the new Government as part of their commitment to make the UK a 'green energy superpower'. Subject to the required investment being raised, it seems likely it will be built despite unresolved concerns about environmental impacts.
Whilst we opposed Sizewell C and worked with partners and local communities to prevent it being built, we also fought for wildlife to be given greater priority should it go ahead. We wanted to avoid damage to habitats and asked for improved measures to compensate for any wildlife loss.
If we had not done this and instead focused all our energy on trying to stop the development, it seems highly unlikely that we could have could have
changed the successive Government's support and prevented Sizewell C from being built. What is certain is that the construction of Sizewell C would have done more harm to nature, less to minimise impacts, and delivered less compensatory habitats for affected wildlife.
The work is far from over though. We still need to make sure that EDF is doing the best for nature throughout the long construction period and beyond, over the operating lifetime of the power station. The same is true for other major infrastructure projects. We must push the new Government to consider wildlife when deciding what to build and where and will oppose the most damaging proposals. And we will continue to advocate for the best measures to protect and increase wildlife from the projects that do come forward.
Read more about our advocacy work suffolkwildlifetrust.org/ planning-advocacy
feather of a Birds
The sight of thousands of birds roosting, feeding and taking to the sky is one of Suffolk’s most beautiful spectacles. It’s also a strategy for survival.
BY BEN MCFARLAND
Ben McFarland is Director of Wildlife Conservation & Recovery for Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
A flock of European golden plover will seem to shimmer in the winter light.
GOLDEN PLOVERS: ALAMY
Suffolk’s habitats support a rich array of birdlife throughout the year. One of the most impressive sights is when these birds flock together in huge numbers. Among the stars are lapwing, with as many as 3,000 birds roosting at Carlton Marshes last winter. Golden plover, another beautiful wader, will often be seen in their hundreds on the young mudflats of Hazlewood Marshes, showing the value of allowing areas of intertidal habitat to develop beyond the confines of river walls.
Of all our birds, starlings are the most famous for their remarkable flocking behaviour, creating some of the most awe-inspiring natural phenomena in the region. As dusk falls over a coastal reedbed, it is hard to beat the sight of a ‘murmuration’, transforming the sky into
a swirling, living tapestry.
These murmurations can involve thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of starlings moving in synchronized patterns. The science behind these formations reveals a complex interaction of simple rules followed by individual birds. Each maintains a specific distance from their neighbours, aligning their direction with the group and avoiding collisions. These simple behaviours lead to the emergence of complex, coordinated movements, creating a breathtaking visual spectacle.
Magical murmurations
Researchers have used mathematical models and computer simulations to understand these movements, and it has
Starlings can gather in flocks of thousands or even millions of birds in
winter.
As dusk falls over a coastal reedbed, it's hard to beat the sight of a murmuration
been discovered that each bird in the flock responds to the movements of seven of its closest neighbours, allowing the group to react swiftly to changes and potential threats. This decentralised coordination is a remarkable example of self-organisation in nature and precisely how they do this is not yet fully understood.
Why birds flock is rooted in evolutionary
advantages that enhance their survival and ultimately their reproductive success. For a starling murmuration, a primary driver is likely to be predator avoidance. Flocking provides safety in numbers and when birds group together, it becomes far more difficult for predators such as peregrines to single out an individual bird. The sheer scale of a swirling, unpredictable mass of a murmuration can confuse a peregrine, making it hard for them to focus on their prey. Another important reason for starlings flocking is thermo-regulation. During colder months, birds flocking together can conserve body heat and the tight formation reduces heat loss, helping them survive harsh winter conditions. Numerous studies have
Murmurations are one of the natural wonders of the world.
ABOVE: Brambling can gather in huge, colourful flocks.
shown the heat within a reedbed can be raised by several degrees by the presence of thousands of starlings; this can make the difference between life and death.
Strategies for survival
Away from the coast, across farmland, the winter months will see large flocks of mixed finches moving along hedgerows. This type of flocking behaviour enables birds to locate food more efficiently. By flying in groups, they can cover larger areas and share information about the location of food sources. This is particularly important in winter when food is scarce.
Another common species that displays this behaviour is the long-tailed tit, sometimes mixed with blue tit and great tit, which will often move through gardens looking for food, suddenly appearing at feeders in numbers, only to move on as quickly as they arrived. It is likely this highly mobile approach is the best balance. It reduces the risk of attracting a predator, in the case of tits usually a sparrowhawk, whilst also covering a lot of ground to find food.
Some birds flock during the breeding season as a strategy to avoid, or reduce, predation of their chicks. This is a high-risk strategy though, as a large group of birds can deter some predators, but for others it simply acts as a ‘honey
Rookeries can be obvious in the winter, high in the tops of naked trees.
By flying in groups, finches can cover larger areas and share information about the location of food sources
pot’, attracting them to a source of food. For example, a large group of avocets might be successful in deterring a black-headed gull from their chicks but will have little impact on a fox.
In a highly complex and diverse habitat,
this flocking approach will often be successful. For example, in natural rivers and estuary systems in Eastern Europe and Russia, rivers are free to create complex, multi-braided channels with large shingle ‘fans’. Communal ground nesting birds are very successful in these habitats because the complexity of the environment massively reduces the risk of a mammalian predator finding them. Flocking works as it enables birds to
Oystercatchers flock together on beaches.
Blue tits and great tits flock to a garden feeder.
LAURIE CAMPBELL
Siskins
fight off threats from the air, where predatory birds are more likely to still be able to locate them. In our simplified environment this strategy is compromised, and mammalian predators often gain an unnatural advantage.
Natural wonders
Other species use a combination of numbers and accessibility for nesting which is an excellent evolutionary strategy. Rooks have perfected this, with their rookeries on the top of tall clusters of trees. This strategy is in stark contrast to their territorial cousins. As the old rural saying goes, ‘if you see a crow in a crowd, it’s a rook’!
‘Loose’ flocking is a common strategy for many of our migratory birds, such as warblers, and it is thought that flocking can aid in navigation. Younger birds can learn migratory routes by following experienced leaders, ensuring that they reach their breeding and wintering grounds successfully. Many passerines will learn their bird sounds on their
Flocking birds, can be awe-inspiring and underscore the importance of conservation
migrations, including picking up sounds from other species as well as their own – often causing confusion for budding birders!
Flocking birds, whether out on a mudflat at dusk, or a mass arrival after a long migration, can be awe-inspiring, but it also underscores the importance of conservation efforts. Habitat loss, climate change, development and some agricultural practices can all pose significant threats
to bird populations in Suffolk.
The flocking behaviour of birds is a captivating example of nature's intricacy and beauty. Not only do they provide a visual feast for us to enjoy but also highlight the delicate balance of ecosystems and the need for ongoing conservation efforts. As we marvel at these natural wonders, it is a reminder of the vital role we play in preserving the habitats that support such extraordinary wildlife phenomena.
Avocet
Goldfinches flock around farmland food sources in winter.
Sound of the underground
Using pioneering sound recording techniques, we are analysing the impacts of our conservation work below the ground at Martlesham Wilds.
BY HELEN BYNUM
If you stand still and listen, there are three sorts of sounds in any landscape. Geophony, biophony and anthropophony. Together, these lovely words make up the soundscape.
Geophony is the sounds that the non-living world makes, the pure sounds of the elements. Think about wind rushing through the air, water splashing over stones, the ice of a glacier grinding its way downhill. The elements also interact with the living world; the sound of the wind rushing through leaves is quite different to wind rushing through air.
The living world – the noises of the biophony – by itself makes a cacophony. Vocalisation is very common in the animal kingdom, and it is used for many kinds of communication, navigation and finding and catching prey. Water is a great medium for transmitting sound. Water dwellers use this to great effect, and this goes far beyond haunting whale songs. Drop a hydrophone in a pond and listen to a world that is fizzing with life.
Plants also emit sounds, often in response to stresses such as having their leaves eaten or being short of water. We may not hear them because of the ultrasonic frequencies used, but the sound is still there. There’s also a huge amount of passive or incidental sound. It is hard to hear the wren flying into her nest, but wood pigeons pushing clumsily into a shrub are not so discreet. Unaided we don’t hear the budburst in spring or the petals of a flower unfold, but there is unintentional noise aplenty in the plant world, too.
Anthropophony is the noises that we
Helen Bynum is Farm Wildlife Adviser for Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
If you stand still and listen, there are three sorts of sounds in any landscape
make. Our songs and laughter and the sound of dancing feet. It’s also traffic and trains and machine-generated sounds of all sorts, many of which now dominate and interfere with the natural world.
Underground acoustics
All this is happening underground too. When you do stand still and listen, the earth beneath your feet is full of those three kinds of sounds. It is understanding this soundscape – or the practice of soil ecoacoustics – that has caught the attention of ecologists. They have transferred listening techniques to a new medium and the results hold much potential.
Since November 2023, with the help of volunteers we have been listening to soil at Martlesham Wilds. Because this new nature reserve has been undergoing a radical transformation (from an organic farm to a natural haven for wildlife), we
wanted to know what it was like underground and to find ways of assessing change in the soil. This is surprisingly simple. You need a metal probe sunk into the ground, a contact microphone to attach to the probe and a recorder. It’s a good idea to soundproof the probe and mic during recording to help reduce unwanted aboveground sounds, and it’s better when it’s not raining (although sound analysis software can help).
The rate of change in soil can be very slow compared to the immediate and obvious changes to wildlife and habitats above ground. Measuring that change can be difficult, particularly if you want to go back to repeat the exercise month by month, season by season, year by
GEOPHONY
Sounds that the nonliving world makes, the pure sounds of the elements.
BELOW: Helen soil recording at Martlesham Wilds.
year. Sampling the soil by most conventional methods involves ‘destructive’ sampling: taking out a soil core or a spit dug up with a spade. The structure and integrity of that sample can never be recreated. The best that can be done is to take another sample from a location close by. For example, if you want to repeatedly and intensely take samples to look for changes from the edge of a field to the middle, there can be a lot of damage. Soil ecoacoustics, in contrast, causes very little disturbance of the soil once the probe is in place.
Secret world
Ecoacoustics is giving us a glimpse into a secret world underground, and by recording and analysing those sounds,
BIOPHONY
Noises of the living world, that collectively make a cacophany.
ANTHROPOPHONY
Noises that we make - songs, laughter, dancing feet, traffic, machinery.
ABOVE: Carder bees busy in garden soil.
we can begin to understand the amount of activity beneath our feet. Unlike the soundscape aboveground, it’s currently much harder to match the sounds we record to the species we are listening for, but there are other ways we can interpret the data. We are listening for the sounds of movement and eating. The more activity, the greater the sound. And the greater the diversity of organisms making the sounds – worms, ants, beetle larvae, springtails – the greater the differences in the soundscape from one location to another.
This pioneering technique is in its infancy, so it is important to match the
Earthworms are soil engineers.
sound profiles to what we physically find in the soil. By comparing what we can see to what we can hear, we can calibrate the data. This involved working throughout the winter and spring with a team of volunteers to dig, sort and record what we found in the soil. The next step is comparing the analysed sound files with the invertebrate counts. What is certain is that we are confident that our work at Martlesham Wilds will benefit wildlife below ground just as much as it benefits wildlife above ground.
To find out more visitsuffolk wildlife trust.org/martleshamwilds
Soil sampling team at Martlesham Wilds.
Moles are one of the few mammals that spend their lives underground, so healthy soil benefits them.
Sounds fed back to recording equipment
Highly sensitive contact microphone
Arthropods
Woodlice
Epigeic worm
Anecic worm
Biophonic activity in the soil
20cm probe 10cm probe
Beetle larvae
Soil centipede
of plenty Seas
Over the past century, the North Sea has seen devastating declines in wildlife, health, and abundance. But it’s not too late to turn back the clock and restore this once bountiful environment.
BY BEX LYNAM
Our oceans play a vital role for societies around the world, providing food, transportation routes, energy, recreation and much more. They are also busier than ever, facing growing pressures, and consequently we are witnessing a worrying decline in their health and wildlife. The loss of global wildlife is being signalled by some scientists as the sixth mass extinction event. Seabird populations are dwindling, so-called common species like common seal and skate are no longer so, and onceabundant predatory fish populations (like cod) have been significantly reduced in the North Sea.
But within living memory, we have tackled formidable environmental hurdles. From ceasing whaling activities to mending the ozone layer hole and
combatting acid rain, history attests to our ability to overcome huge ecological problems on a national and international scale. We have proved we can change, and we can do it again.
We are making progress. National policies implemented many years ago are yielding results. Limits on how much fish we can catch are helping depleted stocks recover. We are witnessing the gradual return of some marine megafauna, like Atlantic blue fin tuna. Recovery of wildlife and habitats inside protected, well managed marine reserves has been impressive, in some cases, spectacular.
A vision for recovery
We could see the same in the North Sea if we have the ambition. Tales from early explorers and seafarers tell of the North Sea brimming with life. Imagine the sea
Bex Lynam is Marine Advocacy Manager for the North Sea Wildlife Trusts.
Our oceans are busier than ever, facing ever-growing pressures
Scientists are already finding creative solutions to help restore our oceans
teeming with whales, dolphins and seals, sharks, rays and much more. Picture the seabed, once barren, now bustling with wildlife, hosting diverse communities of invertebrates like ocean quahog and sea pens, and acting as foraging grounds for fish species. In our estuaries, oyster beds and seagrass meadows provide a home for a plethora of animals and clean the water, reduce wave energy, and minimise erosion.
Our vision also recognises nature can play a role in effectively managing many of the challenges we face. Embracing the use of nature-based solutions will help to protect, enhance and restore our marine wildlife and wild places.
We possess most of the solutions needed to realise this vision. We can reintroduce species and restore habitats to bolster ecosystem services and create space for recovery through Marine Protected Areas and sustainable management of our wider seas. Innovative solutions, in collaboration with fishing communities and oceanbased industries, will help us overcome unsustainable practices. Effective planning is imperative for managing our seas for people and wildlife. And as we embark on the transition to clean energy, we must ensure it's done with wildlife in mind.
Ocean optimism
Scientists are already finding creative solutions to help restore our oceans. For example, engineers are designing artificial reefs to mimic the structure and function of natural reefs. These reefs can
ABOVE: Cuttlefish can change colour to merge into their background, distract predators or attract mates.
anemones and sea urchins on a rocky reef.
be made from recycled materials and placed in areas where natural reefs have been damaged or destroyed. They provide habitat for fish and other marine life, promote biodiversity, and can even help to protect coastlines from erosion.
Scientists are also studying natural materials like the adhesive properties of mussels or the strength of spider silk to develop new, eco-friendly materials for
use in marine infrastructure. These materials can be used for things like coatings on ships to reduce fuel consumption or in underwater structures that mimic coral reefs to provide habitat for marine life.
Couple scientific innovation with effective marine spatial planning and sustainable development, and there is every reason to be optimistic. We
OYSTER REEFS
The architects of the sea, oyster reefs provide homes for marine creatures and filter and clean the water. Restoring oyster reefs will improve water quality and provide habitats for marine life.
Brittlestars, starfish,
Nature has a remarkable ability to bounce back if given the chance
SEAGRASS RESTORATION
Seagrass provides habitats for marine animals, stabilises the seabed, and absorbs carbon dioxide. Restoring seagrass beds enhances biodiversity and protects coastlines from erosion.
The inquisitive tompot blenny lives in crevices in rocky reefs and is highly territorial.
know what needs to be done and we largely possess the technology to do it. Societies are more environmentally knowledgeable and empowered than ever before. By drawing inspiration from nature and designing innovative solutions, we can reduce environmental pressures on marine ecosystems while also creating new opportunities to support coastal economies, recreation,
SALTMARSH CREATION
Saltmarshes reduce coastal erosion by absorbing wave energy and trapping sediment. Restoration provides wildlife habitats and protects coastal communities from storms and flooding.
and sustainable development. Nature has a remarkable ability to bounce back if given the chance. The North Sea holds immense potential for recovery and regeneration. Let's seize this opportunity to ensure we leave it richer in wildlife than we found it.
Find out what we're doing suffolkwildlifetrust.org/northsea
LIVING SHORELINES
Living shorelines use natural materials like plants, sand, and rocks to stabilise the coastline. They provide habitats for marine life, reduce erosion, and improve water quality by filtering pollutants.
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAs)
MPAs provide the space for sustainable use and protection of marine ecosystems. If effectively managed they brim with wildlife and provide multiple benefits to society.
Lion's mane jellyfish.
Edible crab.
Black Bourn Valley is entering the most exciting phase of its 30 year history as a Suffolk Wildlife Trust nature reserve.
BY STEVE AYLWARD
Celebrating 30 years of Black
Steve Aylward is Head of Project Development for Suffolk Wildlife Trust.
Black Bourn Valley nature reserve started life as Grove Farm, a 60ha (148 acre) farm of arable fields and marshes gifted to the Trust in 1995 by Laura Cooper. Through two further acquisitions, it has since doubled in size.
The arable farming operation that the Trust inherited continued until 2017. During that time, hedges were planted and gapped up, a small wood was planted, ponds were restored, new ponds dug, and field margins and other spaces were left for wildlife. And while these measures resulted in more wildlife, there wasn’t the real step-change we had hoped for. Therefore, in 2017, a much
Nextdoor Nature projects across the UK have brought communities closer to nature.
Bourn Valley
Maximising habitat diversity is the simplest way to maximise species diversity
bolder decision was made: to stop arable farming altogether and follow a more natural nature-led approach of rewilding. Rewilding is a much used (and abused) term and it is important not to become bogged down in terminology. Instead, we simply recognise that rewilding (or wilding) can mean many things depending on the situation – most importantly, allowing natural processes to be the main driver of change.
At Black Bourn Valley, that has meant
fencing parts of the reserve and then allowing livestock (in this instance cattle) to graze through the marshes, woodlands and former arable fields, reflecting natural grazing behaviour. The grazing is vital as it will create the mosaic of grassland, scrub and woodland we want, and through adjusting livestock numbers it will be possible to prevent any one habitat type becoming overly dominant. Maximising habitat diversity is the simplest way to
maximise species diversity, and this is exactly what we are now seeing at Black Bourn Valley.
Abundance and diversity
Following the last cereal harvest, the first obvious change was the sudden abundance of birds. Huge flocks of up to 150 linnets and 300 yellowhammers along with goldfinches and other farmland species descended on the reserve attracted by the expanses of stubble, spilt grain and ruderal plants. In 2018, the first turtle dove established a territory quickly followed by nightingale. Today, there are three purring turtle doves holding territories and up to four
singing nightingales, each attracted to the dense scrub habitats that are evolving.
The vegetation is also going through a rapid phase of development and change.
Ruderal ‘weeds’ such as bristly oxtongue, thistles and ragwort initially took hold across many of the former arable fields, but they are slowly being ousted by perennial grasses and wildflowers including oxeye daisies and knapweed. Cowslips are already popping up in the
As the land lies fallow, seeds that jays, squirrels and badgers have spread about will germinate and develop
middle of what were arable fields and this year the first green-winged orchid was found.
Shrubby species such as hawthorn, dog rose and sallow are similarly becoming established and while many are being suppressed by browsing, they will quickly reach a tipping point where their growth outpaces the impacts of livestock, and we will see the most extraordinary explosion of growth.
A new direction
The Black Bourn River runs through the reserve and has a naturally functioning floodplain, which demonstrates how important natural river corridors are for wildlife and local communities. Winter
flooding attracts large numbers of wildfowl including wigeon, teal and tufted duck that constantly move between Black Bourn and Mickle Mere just downstream. In spring, lapwings –despite many challenges – successfully breed on the wet scrapes, a rare occurrence these days for central Suffolk. Great white egrets, buzzards and red kites are seen year-round, drawn to this large oasis of wildness in what is a very intensively farmed mid-Suffolk landscape. Livestock are not only valuable vegetation munchers, but their hooves also create micro-habitats that provide some quite unexpected benefits. Turtle doves are attracted to feed on the seeds of plants growing in the sparsely vegetated muddy pond margins that cattle create by churning up the soft ground. A large number of stoneworts (primitive algal plants so named for the calcium carbonate encrusted on their surface), some very rare, can be found
Blackcaps are a warbler species, which are thriving in the breeding season.
BEFORE
OTTER
Otters benefit from wilder landscapes. Healthy waterways provide routes for them to move across Suffolk, as well as healthy and plentiful food.
TUFTED DUCK
In the winter, flooded grazed areas at Black Bourn Valley become a magnet for wildfowl, including ducks like tufted duck, wigeon and teal.
SLOW WORM
Slow worms are often elusive and hard to see, but in late spring and summer may be spotted basking in the sunshine on bare patches of ground.
Before our wilding mission, Black Bourn Valley was an area of arable fields.
growing in the hoof-sized mini ponds that cattle create.
Along with Arger Fen & Spouse's Vale and Martlesham Wilds, Black Bourn Valley is setting a new direction for wildlife conservation in Suffolk, demonstrating how quickly nature can
recover at scale when given the space and opportunity to do so. To create another 70 Black Bourn Valley nature reserves would require just 3% of the least productive arable farmland in Suffolk. Pockets of wildlife diversity and abundance like Black Bourn will be crucial to drive the nature recovery we all want to see across the county. These will be the places that produce a surplus of birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and many other species to help ‘rewild’ Suffolk.
For more information suffolk wildlifetrust.org/blackbournvalley
Black Bourn Valley is benefiting from a diversity of habitats.
RIGHT: Eurasian jays cache acorns, some of which will germinate into oaks.
Remembering George
Worlingham Marshes
George Batchelor
BARTY
LINDY
George Batchelor was one of those people who left an impression on the people around him – for his deep commitment to the natural world and for the kind and generous way he shared his knowledge and practical skills. As the Volunteer Warden for Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Castle Marshes nature reserve for 35 years, he was an energetic force for good, leading conservation efforts on his patch in the Waveney Valley and beyond.
George was involved in the reintroduction of osprey to England at Rutland Water in the 1990s and more recently the success of the fen raft spider introduction to Castle Marshes and Carlton Marshes.
George remembered Suffolk Wildlife Trust in his Will and we are delighted his gift will continue to support his patch on the Waveney, helping to buy Worlingham Marshes, just up the valley from his beloved Castle Marshes.
To find out how a gift in your Will could help Suffolk's wildlife, please contact Sarah Archer 01473 890089
