News archive
February 2009
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
The Tudeley Diaries
Birds
Two nightjars have been seen on the heath, one of which was seen on the new conifer clearings, the other on the established heath where hobbies also appear to be breeding for the second year. Other bird sightings of note include common buzzards on various areas of the reserve and one sighting of ravens on the Bypass heath. Marsh tits are having a good year with greater numbers in all areas of the woods.
Butterflies
We have had little luck with our pearl bordered fritillary introduction programme, in this our second year, with no adults sighted despite successful egg production last year. The consensus is that the extremely wet summer of 2007 may have been detrimental to the adult population. Follow-up releases have been postponed until spring 2009 when more adults will be available from the breeding programme with new and perhaps better release sites discovered.
Reserve Work
Volunteers have been even more crucial to the practical management of the reserve; taking over much of the work that pregnancy prevents me from doing. Brushcutting, charcoal production and ride management have been keeping them busy while I have become a much more effective supervisor.
Other News
The bluebell walk in May attracted almost 60 visitors to the reserve and recruited two new members although there were few bluebells to look at having bloomed a little earlier than anticipated this year.
Grass vetchling has been found in the meadow in Brakeybank, a new species for the reserve.
Fore Wood
Silver washed fritillary are more prevalent on the reserve with a record 18 on one visit counted so far. A grizzled skipper was also seen at Fore Wood during a walk with the Institute of Biology.
JULY - OCTOBER - Martin Allison
Staff Changes
It has been all change at Tudeley Woods as Anna left for maternity leave in late August, giving birth to a healthy baby boy in early October. We all wish her well and look forward to her return sometime next year. Meanwhile, Richard Brown has stepped into her shoes (not literally I hope!) and is managing the Weald reserves for the winter period.
Birds
We can now, rather belatedly, confirm three nightjar territories at Tudeley Woods this summer, our best count for several years. Hobbies also bred, as did several pairs of sparrowhawk and kestrel, and two pairs of tree pipit. Marsh tit had their highest breeding population for many years, with 14 pairs in total. Common buzzard has become a regular sight, with at least three birds in late September.
A new reserve record of two ravens over the heath in late June was exciting news for us, and are probably birds drifting over from Ashdown Forest. Lesser-spotted woodpecker was heard in September, unfortunately a sound becoming increasingly rare with the passing years. The usual influx of redpoll and siskin is now upon us, with the added bonus of small flocks of crossbill.
Reserve Work
Volunteers have returned to Tudeley for the winter work programme, getting off to a good start in October with new recruits on the Sunday work party, which totalled 10 people. Richard has now started a regular Monday volunteer work day, which along with the weekend days, should result in a goodly amount of work done through the coming season. Coppicing has begun again, both by staff and contractors, and the annual round of ride cutting should keep Richard busy for a day or two.
Plans are underway for revitalising the car park interpretation material, with new modular board and trail guides planned. We will also make repairs to the height barrier and damaged fencing.
Sheep are back on the heath, allegedly to munch their way through bramble and birch regeneration - we are ever the optimists! These animals love to tie themselves in knots with bramble stems - they never seem to learn - meaning considerable time spent on lookering, as well as maintaining the estate infrastructure.
We were more than a little confused to turn up at the reserve car park one day last month, only to find someone had locked us out!
Normal behaviour will hopefully be resumed shortly.....
Other News
An archaeological survey of the heath area has been commissioned to help us understand historic land practices in that part of the Tudeley reserve. This will provide a base-line of data to help plan the next stage of our heathland extension work.
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Broadwater Warren Update
The biggest piece of work is the Environmental Impact Assessment, which identifies all the effects that a proposal might have. It is a comprehensive document, and we have compiled a draft, using all the feedback from local residents and organisations, and submitted it to the Forestry Commission. They will help us make some changes before we submit a final version that will be open for public consultation. We don't think that this process will be completed for some time and so the major forestry work will not now begin until autumn/winter 2009.
In a big project, something always pops up that you weren't expecting. We had to revise and resubmit the planning application for the car park after the archaeologists discovered an ancient trackway running close by. We are delighted that Wealden District Council has now approved our amended plans that take account of these finds and we expect to begin car park construction in the near future. The delay has meant that we are now likely to formally launch the reserve in the spring.
We are marking out a nature trail which will take visitors on a two mile circular route around the reserve and a trail guide leaflet is almost ready to replace the temporary leaflet that we have distributed up to now. The guide will be available from leaflet holders around the reserve. Information panels have already been erected at strategic points providing advice on where to go, what to see, and latest news from the reserve.
Wildlife highlights
The official nightjar count recorded 4-5 churring males on the reserve, one or two down on last year, and we had 2-3 woodcock. As for other summer visitors, spotted flycatchers bred in about six territories and chiffchaffs, garden and willow warblers, whitethroats and blackcaps were familiar sights throughout the spring and summer. Crossbills were spotted in June (the first record for 18 months) and were recently sighted again feeding on cones in the tall pines.
It was good to see the occasional adder sunning itself by the paths. One particularly fine example slid past the stand at the "Meet the RSPB" day in June. If you were fortunate you might also have seen white admiral butterflies around the ancient woodland. Its caterpillars feed on honeysuckle while the adults seek out blackberry blossom. There was also a sighting of a purple emperor butterfly, the first record in the area for several years.
Mixed flocks of blue, great, coal and long-tailed tits are now common on the reserve, as are goldcrests. Tawny owls are calling occasionally during the day as the males seek to establish their territories.
Volunteers
Our group of volunteers is growing and they have been busy collecting the old fencing and rusty rubbish that we inherited around the reserve, erecting information panels and setting up nature trail posts. Volunteer work parties take place fortnightly on Tuesdays and monthly at weekends. In the autumn/winter months these will probably involve clearing scrub and rhododendron.
If you would like to come along or are interested in discussing other volunteering opportunities at Broadwater Warren please call Alan Loweth - our volunteer coordinator and himself a volunteer! - on 01892 752434 or e-mail him at alan.loweth@rspb.org.uk.
We will keep you posted on developments and forthcoming events, but don't hesitate to contact us if you need to.
Caroline FitzGerald
RSPB Broadwater Warren project manager
RSPB Wealden Office, Sham Farm Business Units, Eridge Green
Tel: 01892 752430
Email: caroline.fitzgerald@rspb.org.uk
Thursday, 12 February 2009
