I'ts sometimes said that "the RSPB is only interested in birds". It isn't actually the case - our reserves provide a home for a huge variety of wildlife, and our reserve management work aims to protect all nature. Here at Farnham we've been busy protecting scarce plants, creating homes for reptiles, and watching butterflies.
The plant concerned is Heath Cudweed. Frankly, it isn't much to look at, but it is scarce, so we need to look after it. Last year was a bit of a disaster, as every single flowering head was eaten off by something (possibly muntjac deer). So, this year my trusty volunteers build a barricade around a group of plants, to ensure that some of them at least would be able to flower and set seed. So far, it seems to be working, but Heath Cudweed flowers late in the season, so we'll have to wait and see. We'll also have to wait and see if our reptile work is a success. One possible factor in the national decline in Adder numbers is a lack of suitable places for them to hibernate, so we've built one for them here at Farnham. Essentially it's a pit full of rubble, topped with logs, then smaller branches, and finally soil, with a few openings so that the animals can get in and wriggle their way down to the nooks and crannies between the stones and logs. If it is used, we'll be able to find the snakes basking around the hibernation site in the spring.
The butterflies have been Silver washed fritillaries, just one of the 25 species that have been recorded on the reserve (so far - we keep finding new ones!) They are the largest of our fritillary species, with a powerful, swooping flight. They roost high up in trees but come down to the ground to feed on bramble flowers and for the females to find patches of violets. This is their caterpillar's main food plant, so when a female finds a good patch of suitable violets she will lay her eggs on the nearest tree.
Of course, I couldn't write a blog piece and not mention birds at all...so, I've been especially please to have confirmation of not just one, but two successful pairs of redstart this year. We had one pair on the southern section, Tankersford, and one on the main block. Both have been seen feeding recently fledged chicks. Brilliant.