Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire - Summer 2023

Wild

Summer 2023

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire

UPPER RAY MEADOWS

More space for nature Explore the latest piece in our wild jigsaw puzzle of meadows LAZY, HAZY DAYS Reconnect with your wild side this summer BOUNCING BACK Iolo Williams shares his views on reintroducing wildlife

Berkshire Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust

Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive

JON HAWKINS/SURREYHILLSPHOTOGRAPHY

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Time to explore Ladybirds, toadstools and departing migrants

Completing the puzzle Discover the magnificent Ludgershall Meadows

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Western woods The remarkable rainforests of our wild west

BEN PORTER

RIC MELLIS

As a charity we rely on the goodwill and selfless contributions of so many incredible people.

Members like you are what make us tick. You give us the resources we need to protect nature and fight for a more wildlife-filled future.

Lots of people also offer up their time by volunteering with us.

We are remarkably fortunate in this regard, with more than 1,700 volunteers helping us to achieve our goal of bringing nature and people together to create more nature everywhere.

It’s been wonderful to meet so many of our fantastic volunteers at our series of thankyou events on our reserves this summer. It is always heartening to hear about how much time people dedicate to BBOWT and their enthusiasm for wildlife really shines through.

Volunteers of all abilities help us every day. Whether carrying out practical conservation tasks, helping to inspire young people at one of our education centres, or inputting data at head office, volunteers are the lifeblood that keeps us moving forward.

I would like to thank all our volunteers for the work they do.

You too can get involved, or turn to page 14 to read about our green talent of wildlife trainees who have decided to make a career out of caring for wildlife.

Mobilising mass action through behavioural change is a powerful way to solve the nature and climate crisis. If everyone did their bit to help on their own doorsteps it would make a huge difference, particularly given that gardens make up around 5% of the country’s land area.

Our show garden at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival showed what can be done to help wildlife at home using a mix of wildlifefriendly perennials and by creating habitats from rubble, metal and deadwood. The garden looked stunning too! We are ecstatic to have won Best in Show.

As always, thanks for your support. I hope you have plenty of opportunity to get outside and enjoy the glorious summer.

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust Get in touch Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon is the membership magazine for Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust Contact 01865 775476, info@bbowt.org.uk Membership 01865 788300, membership@bbowt.org.uk Address The Lodge, 1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XT Website www.bbowt.org.uk President Steve Backshall Chair George Levvy Chief Executive Estelle Bailey

Wherever you are in the country your Wildlife Trust is standing up for wildlife and wild places in your area and bringing people closer to nature.

Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon is brought to you by Editor Ben Vanheems UK Consultant Editor Tom Hibbert UK Consultant Designer Ben Cook Design Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Design Studio Print CKN Print Ltd Cover Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION

Registered Charity Number 204330 Company Registered Number 006800007

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Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

A large-print version of Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon (text only) is available on request. Call 01865 775476 or email info@bbowt.org.uk Enjoy the extended version of Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon online at bbowt.org.uk/publications

ANDREW MARSHALL/GO WILD LANDSCPAES

Welcome

Your wild summer The best of the season’s wildlife and where to enjoy it on your local patch

SUMMER SPECTACLE

Don’t call me Ratty!

Chestnut-coloured water voles aren’t to be confused with rats, which are larger and have a more pointed head. This water-loving mammal is altogether ‘cuter’, with its smaller ears, blunt nose and furry tail. Water voles prefer more open stretches of water with plenty of vegetation – no surprise given they must eat around 80% of their body weight every day!

Habitat loss and fierce predation by the introduced American mink have hammered their numbers, though BBOWT’s Water Vole Recovery Project has helped local water voles to buck this trend. Areas of known water vole activity expanded to more than 600km2 by 2018, a 78% increase in just ten years.

You’re helping!

Your membership helps to fund our Water Vole Recovery Project, which has achieved a steady increase in local water vole sites through habitat enhancement and mink control.

TERRY WHITTAKER/2020VISION

SEE THEM THIS SUMMER Water voles are hard to spot but you may hear the ‘plop’ of a water vole as it dives into the water. Look and listen out for them along the following stretches of water: Berkshire: Kennet and Avon Canal in West Berkshire, River Kennet Buckinghamshire: River Chess Oxfordshire: River Thames at Chimney Meadows, River Windrush in Witney, River Ock in Abingdon

Signs of water vole activity include stems gnawed off at a 45-degree angle, neatly grazed ‘lawns’ around their burrows and piles of Tic Tac-sized droppings.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer Winter 2022 2023

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YOUR WILD SUMMER

Did you know?

Toadstools are the above-ground fruiting bodies of a fungus. Other toadstools include the fairy rings found in lawns and common inkcaps.

Time to explore

Discover the natural world around you

Fairytale fungi

JON HAWKINS/SURREY HILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Read more about the often secretive and always fascinating world of fungi at bbowt.org.uk/secret-world-fungi

14-spot This small ladybird has up to 14, sometimes merging, spots on its wing cases. One of three yellow ladybirds in the UK.

JON HAWKINS/SURREY HILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

AMY LEWIS

Flying visit Summer migrants like cuckoos and swifts flew up from Africa to take advantage of our longer days and abundant insects, but soon it will be time to head back south.

Birds are now busy gorging themselves to pile on the fat that will fuel their journey.

They will depart during a calm, clear spell of weather.

TRY THIS

Warm nights are the perfect excuse for a garden campout. Watch the bats as they emerge to feed, enjoy the glow of a campfire and wake up to birdsong.

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7-spot No awards for guessing how the 7-spot ladybird got its name! Like the equally common 2-spot, it can congregate in large numbers.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

SEE THIS

Harlequin It varies in appearance and can be black with red spots or vice versa. The number of spots varies too. Now a common sight.

AMY LEWIS

SEE THEM THIS SUMMER Foxholes More than 200 species have been recorded here, making Foxholes a fungus fancier’s paradise!

Snelsmore Common This sprawling reserve of heathland, wet mires and woodland supports an equally wide range of fungi, including fly agaric.

JON HAWKINS/SURREY HILL SPHOTOGRAPHY

Say hello to the instantly recognisable fly agaric from late summer, a fungus steeped in legend and fairy tales. The shaggy, wart-like spots are in fact the remains of tissue that covered the cap as it emerged. Heavy rains can wash them off, fully exposing the smooth, scarlet cap beneath.

Fly agaric gets its name from its traditional use as an insecticide. The caps can be crumbled into saucers of milk where the ibotenic acid they contain dissolves, attracting flies which come to drink but then succumb and perish. It is highly toxic to humans too, inflicting severe stomach cramps and hallucinations if eaten.

Despite their questionable attributes, these charismatic toadstools are always a joy to come across and a clear sign of the changing seasons.

Look for them on heaths and in woodlands, especially those with pine, spruce or birch, with which it forms a symbiotic relationship. The fly agaric’s mycelium attaches to the tree’s roots to transfer nutrients, while the tree returns the favour by passing sugars to the fungus.

Spot on

Ladybirds are the gardener’s best friend, devouring vast numbers of aphids and other pests. The UK is home to more than 26 different species, including the harlequin ladybird, an Asian ladybird first observed here 20 years ago.

Jays love to feast on acorns as they fatten up ahead of the colder months. Judicious jays will also bury excess acorns to dig up and eat later on in the winter.

WILD THOUGHTS

Iolo Williams @IoloWilliams2

ILLUSTRATION © KIRSTY “CROWARTIST” YEOMANS

From beyond the brink Reintroduction is a hot topic in conservation. It’s essentially bringing a species back to an area from which it has been lost. In my opinion, reintroduction should be a last resort. We should be working hard to hold on to what we’ve got without letting it get to that stage.

We should have a government doing an awful lot more to stop wildlife from being lost, and to help threatened species recover.

But our wildlife is in a sorry state. It’s been said many times that we are one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – when I look around now and think about what we’ve lost since I was a young lad walking the fields of mid Wales, I can believe it. Curlews, lapwings, yellowhammers, linnets; pools full of frogs, toads, and newts – so many have now disappeared. It’s not too late to save these species, but for others, last resorts are all we have left.

Where species have gone extinct from an area because of human activity, I think reintroducing them is very much justified.

Especially so when species have a hugely positive impact on the environment, bringing benefits for a whole host of other plants and animals. Take beavers, for example.

They create and maintain incredible wetland habitats, providing ideal conditions for many species, from water plants to amphibians to fish. This habitat creation is more important than ever as hot, dry summers become more frequent.

Thanks to reintroductions, there are now wild beavers back in Scotland, with a few in England too. But Wales is lagging behind.

Beavers are back in Wales, but legally only in

enclosures. I was privileged enough to be there when they arrived. It was an amazing feeling to be a small part of this event, but imagine how much better it would be to see them in the wild.

I’ve been quite shocked at the opposition to reintroducing beavers. I think a lot of it comes from a lack of understanding of beaver behaviour and how many benefits they bring.

Yes, there may be one or two areas of conflict, but there are plenty of measures to mitigate this. It’s already been done successfully in countries across Europe, where people now live happily alongside beavers. Any mention of reintroducing lynx raises even more opposition in some places, but I also think there’s a place for lynx in the UK. We have big problems with overgrazing as a result of high deer populations, and lynx could help with that. I’d be very interested to see them return and what effect they would have.

I’m obviously concerned about wildlife across the whole of the UK, but as a Welshman what I would really love to see is the reintroduction of both beavers and golden eagles to Wales. We had an escaped golden eagle set up home here for over 10 years and it had a fantastic reception from the local community, including farmers.

Some were overawed by the beauty and the sheer size of her. It would be fantastic to see golden eagles back in Wales for good.

Find out all about Wildlife Trust reintroduction projects: wildlifetrusts.org/reintroductions

TRIED AND TRUSTED

The Wildlife Trusts have been involved in many successful reintroduction projects across the UK, including the return of beavers. We’ve also helped bring back water voles, pine martens, dragonflies, and butterflies to parts of the UK from which they’ve been lost.

Iolo Williams is a Welsh ornithologist, conservationist, and popular wildlife presenter, known for programmes including BBC’s Springwatch and Wild Wales.

He has been supportive of The Wildlife Trusts for a long time and in 2021 took on the role of vice president of The Wildlife Trusts.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

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WILD NEWS

All the latest local and national news from The Wildlife Trusts

Wild on the farm

FLOWER SHOW WINNER

Garden’s golden touch Our show garden at this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival struck gold, winning Best in Show, Best Construction, a gold medal and even the prestigious People’s Choice Award! We are thrilled and would like to thank everyone involved.

The Wildlife Trusts: Wilder Spaces, led

by BBOWT and our ecological consultancy Future Nature WTC, showed how wildlife habitats can be designed into a garden, using reclaimed materials, untreated timber, and natural landscaping.

Nature-friendly features included a stream, pollinator-attracting flowers, a partially submerged amphibian reef,

leaf-cutter bee towers, and even clumps of nettles! The garden, designed by Jamie Langlands of Oxford Garden Design, was praised by judges for its atmosphere, flair and impact.

After the show, all the plants were handed out to community groups and charities across our three counties.

Structural elements of the garden, such as the living roof-topped pavilion, have found a new home at College Lake.

You can bring the golden touch to your garden too. Contact Future Nature WTC for advice: bbowt.org.uk/future-nature-wtc

CHRIS DOBBS

Birds in hand

Bats, birds, voles and insects are set to benefit from a £46,000 project to demonstrate how farming can be more wildlife-friendly. Arable land will be reseeded with a diverse grassland and herb mix for winter grazing of our Dexter cattle on 20 hectares at Woolley Firs, Maidenhead. New hedgerows, trees and woodland will offer additional habitats.

Working for wildlife

Welcome to our newest Investors in Wildlife: The Castle Hotel, Windsor, and Oxford Pharma Genesis. Huge thanks to A Menarini Diagnostics, Blenheim Palace, Johnson Matthey, QuickMoveNow, Sophos IT, University College Oxford, and the Vale Brewery for renewing their memberships. Special thanks to Berkshire Botanicals as we enter their fourth year supporting nature as an affinity partner, distilling sustainable botanical spirits and liqueurs inspired by local botanicals.

Food for thought

Our AGM will be held online on Saturday 14 October, when Prof. Tim Lang will give a talk on why fixing our food system is critical for us and wildlife. We will reveal the winners of the 2023 Photography Competition and celebrate our amazing volunteers through the Volunteer Awards.

More in the leaflet with this magazine.

CHRIS GOMERSALL/2020VISION

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

CLIVE NICHOLS

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Yellowhammer TOM MARSHALL

Farmland birds in the Bernwood Forest, Otmoor and Upper Ray region have received a boost thanks to a project to offer supplementary feeding across 28 farms. The project, funded by Natural England, targets mainly seed-eating species such as yellowhammer and finches, with each farm receiving up to half a tonne of seed to help birds overwinter.

Initial results are promising with 46 species seen separately on two farms. The project is also a fantastic opportunity for BBOWT to develop relationships with a large group of farmers and land managers who we hope to work with on future projects for the benefit of nature.

Want more?

Stay up to date with all the latest news. Sign up to our newsletter at bbowt.org.uk/ newsletter

UK NEWS

We love our volunteers!

In June we marked Volunteer Week with a series of special thankyou events to celebrate our hard-working volunteers across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Volunteers are vital to everything that we do for nature in our region.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to all our volunteers,” adds Chief Executive Estelle Bailey. “We have more than 1,700 volunteers across BBOWT, who do all sorts

of tasks for us – going out to undertake practical work on our nature reserves, working at our education centres or in our visitor centres, helping us with fundraising and HR – all really critical work that adds up to help put nature into recovery.”

If you or anyone you know is interested to find out more about our awesome army of volunteers, please visit bbowt.org.uk/volunteer

UK HIGHLIGHTS Discover how The Wildlife Trusts are helping wildlife across the UK

Birds not birdies The Scottish Wildlife Trust is part of a coalition of seven environmental organisations fighting to save rare coastal dunes from the construction of a golf course. Proposals to develop Coul Links in East Sutherland threaten irreparable harm to a vital and protected habitat. The proposals come just three years after a previous application was turned down due to the damage it would cause nature. wtru.st/coul-links-proposal BUTTERSCOTCH WAXCAP © LIZ CHARTER/ISLE OF MAN FUNGI GROUP; SWETTENHAM MEADOWS © ALISON HITCHENS

Fungi find Celebrating volunteers at a Woolley Firs thankyou event.

Long may they bloom This year marks the tenth anniversary of Coronation Meadows, a restoration project launched in 2013 to celebrate 60 years since the coronation of Elizabeth II. The Coronation Meadows included three of BBOWT’s nature reserves: Chimney Meadows in Oxfordshire, Moor Copse in Berkshire and the Upper Ray Meadows in Buckinghamshire.

Wildflower meadows are essential habitats for pollinators.

As part of the project, many Wildlife Trusts, including BBOWT, provided seeds from their own meadows to create or restore meadows in other areas. A new audit has revealed the success of the project, with 101 new wildflower meadows created or restored over the last decade.

An incredibly rare fungus has been discovered in a survey by Manx Wildlife Trust and the Isle of Man Fungus Group, working with Manx farmers.

The butterscotch waxcap, Gliophorus europerplexus, had never been recorded on the island before, with only 70 specimens of the species recorded worldwide. wtru.st/new-waxcap

Healing nature Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has launched a new 10-week nature-based therapy programme for veterans and service leavers living with mental health issues. Wild Transitions will take place at the Trust’s Green Lane Wood nature reserve, providing a space for veterans to connect with nature and learn skills to help them transition into new employment or volunteer roles. wtru.st/WildTransitions

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

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EVENTS DIARY

LUCY COLSTON

WHAT’S ON

Highlights from our busy events diary. For full and up-to-date listings or to book visit bbowt.org.uk/events

TOP PICK

Photography Competition 2023 There’s still time to enter the BBOWT Photography Competition – but not much time! This year we are inviting entries for 12 categories, from flora to mammals, fungi to nature reserve landscapes, and with categories for children and teens too.

Our overall winner can look forward to receiving a camera and A3 canvas print of their photo. There are prizes for category winners, including a workshop with Steve Gozdz of GG Wildlife Experiences, and rewards for runners-up and highly commended entries too. Give it your best shot and your photo could feature in our 2024 wildlife calendar!

The closing date is 1 September. For all the details visit bbowt.org.uk/photocomp23

Family events and trails n Butterfly and Moth Day. Marvel at moths and butterflies at Windsor Great Park. Thurs 3 & Fri 4 Aug.

n Our Green Planet. Learn about the magical world of plants, join Team Wilder and get crafting. At Woolley Firs (Berks) on Weds 2 & Fri 4 Aug.

n Family Pond Dipping. Discover a pond bursting with life at Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre (Oxon).

Mon 7 Aug.

n Wild Discovery. What can we do to protect wildlife? Find out at Windsor Great Park. Tues 15 & Weds 16 Aug.

n Summer Nature Trail at Sutton Courtenay. Explore an exciting nature trail around the reserve. Mon 14, Tues 15, Thurs 24 & Fri 25 Aug. n Mammoth Day Out and Dino Day. Explore College Lake’s (Bucks) prehistoric past. Weds 16 Aug & Weds 30 Aug. n Sutton Courtenay Open Day. Enjoy a walk around the reserve and wildlife garden. Fri 4 & Fri 18 Aug. Day camps n Nature Explorer’s Day Camp. Explore the outdoors through activities, games and crafts. Runs at College Lake, Tues 8, Thurs 17 & Thurs 24 Aug and Windsor Great Park, Thurs 17 & Fri 18 Aug.

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n Young Rangers. A packed day of wildlife activities at Sutton Courtenay. Tues 22 & Weds 30 Aug. n Wild Zoologists. Discover the pond, meadow and woods of Woolley Firs.

Thurs 31 Aug & Fri 1 Sept.

For teens and youngsters n Wildlife Gardening Workshops. For ages 12-16 with accompanying adult. Discover what’s growing in Sutton Courtenay’s wildlife-friendly kitchen garden, Weds 16 Aug. Or check out the trail cam and footprint tunnel on a Garden Wildlife Detectives day, Weds 23 Aug. n Teen Rangers. Learn about nature and how to look after it at College Lake’s Wildlife Club. For ages 11-17. Sat 19 Aug.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

n Young Rangers. College Lake’s wildlife club for ages 8 -11. Sat 19 Aug. n Teddy Bears’ Picnics. Bring your teddy for nature play and fun activities. At Sutton Courtenay, Tues 8-Thurs 10 Aug and Woolley Firs, Fri 11 Aug. n Mini-beast Bop. Join Windsor Great Park’s exciting trail, followed by funfilled activities. Mini-beast costumes encouraged! Thurs 24 Aug. Adult walks and workshops n Wild Connections. Connect with the wild and each other during a walk and refreshments at Sutton Courtenay.

Fri 11 Aug. n Scythe Training. A hands-on introduction to the use and maintenance of an Austrian Scythe at Sutton Courtenay. Weds 23 Aug. n Invertebrate Surveying. Learn how to collect and identify insects at Woolley Firs. Weds 30 Aug.

PEOPLE & WILDLIFE

Let’s grow wild!

TERRY WHIT TAKER/2020VISIO

N

Find out how your church could do more for wildlife and download the Caring for God’s Acre Action Pack at bbowt.org.uk/team-wilder-churches

Nurturing through nature We’ve teamed up with West Berkshire Council to teach children how keeping themselves healthy can help the natural world. Wild West Berkshire teaches pupils about eating nutritious food, taking more exercise, and how that can help wildlife and tackle climate change.

The Trust’s Emma Hine is working with 218 children across nine classes at the Willows Primary School, Newbury and Lambourn CofE Primary. Through her visits Emma is hoping to inspire the children to eat more fruit and veg, move more, and visit natural spaces more often.

Flower power Primary school ‘police officers’ helped us plant flowers to brighten up Reading’s Coronation Square this spring. The Year 6 pupils from Southcote Primary got their hands dirty as part of Thames Valley Police’s Mini Police progamme, which helps children do good works in the community. The scheme at Coronation Square is guided

by BBOWT as part of our Nextdoor Nature project, helping locals create space for nature and wildlife.

To find out more about Nextdoor Nature or to see if your community

Fun activities such as wildlife bingo and a Price is Right-style game to guess the carbon footprint of produce are designed to ignite the children’s curiosity. The project is funded by West Berkshire Council.

group could get help from us, please visit bbowt.org.uk/nextdoor-natureprojects #teamWilder Get closer to nature and join in at bbowt.org.uk/team-wilder

PETE HUGHES

Wilder Churches The Diocese of Oxford covers a similar area to BBOWT and with more than 800 churches offers an incredible opportunity for wildlife. Churchyards are among the oldest enclosed pieces of land and often support a wealth of wildlife, from swifts nesting in the bell tower to old trees providing food and shelter for birds, bats and bugs.

The Diocese is encouraging churches to explore simple ways to make their churchyards havens for wildlife – and people – through its Wilder Churches partnership with BBOWT. One example of what can be achieved is in the Chinnor area, where volunteers from five local churches have formed the Chinnor Churches Go Wild! group.

BBOWT began offering advice and training to the group in 2019 as part of our Rough Around the Edges project.

The group has undertaken plant surveys, created reptile and amphibian habitat, changed mowing regimes to leave more areas of longer grass and wild flowers, and has run several community events.

PETE HUGHES

Our mission to connect local people with local nature

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

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COLIN WILLIAMS

GO EXPLORE THIS SUMMER

Because of you

Nature reserves are precious places for wildlife and people. Your support gives us the resources we need to protect them.

Letcombe Valley

Immerse yourself in nature

THINESH THIRUGNANASAMPANTHAR

Warm, hazy days and calm, still evenings invite us to get closer to wildlife. Where better to do so than on one of our nature reserves?

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1 Letcombe Valley Postcode OX12 9JU Great for… Tranquil stream Best time to visit Spring and summer Size 7.5 hectares Map ref SU 378 862 Chalk streams are a rare breed. There are only 161 of them across the entire country and the Letcombe Brook is one of only a few in Oxfordshire.

Their crystal-clear waters support a wealth of wildlife, including here at Letcombe Valley where you might find signs of water vole activity (see page 3) or catch the blue flash of a kingfisher darting across the stream.

The clean, steady flow of the stream is ideal habitat for fish like the brook lamprey and brown trout, patiently anticipated and eagerly dined on by expert fishers like herons. You might spot another member of the heron family, the little egret, a smaller

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

species that happily nests alongside its bigger cousin. Little egrets only started breeding in Britain from 1996 and have since spread across the South. If you are lucky enough to see one, look closely for its bright yellow feet in stark contrast to its black legs, which it uses to flush out prey.

Springs emerge alongside the stream to create a moist environment that is home to a dazzling array of insects, including rare and specialist flies. Visit at dusk on a warm summer’s evening to experience the aerial antics of the local Daubenton’s bats emerging to feast on the bounty.

Towards the eastern edge of the reserve is an altogether drier habitat: a steep bank containing fragments of chalk grassland, scrub and large ant hills among wild flowers such as field scabious and bird’s-foot-trefoil, also known as ‘granny’s toenails’ due to its claw-like seedpods! Having admired the bats down at the water’s edge there’s a fair chance of witnessing the stealth-like swoop of a barn owl in this area. Mice and voles among the grass are no match for the barn owl’s silent flight and pin-sharp hearing.

GO EXPLORE THIS SUMMER

Lend a hand

BANBURY

We all know that being immersed in nature is good for mind, body and soul!

Volunteering is a great way to take your love of wildlife a step further. Meet new people, learn new skills and, of course, help local wildlife while connecting more people with nature. You don’t need lots of experience and there are volunteering opportunities at all levels.

Curious? Discover more at bbowt.org.uk/volunteer

MILTON KEYNES BUCKINGHAM

BICESTER

AYLESBURY WITNEY THAME

OXFORD

CHESHAM AMERSHAM

ABINGDON

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DIDCOT

There’s more!

BEACONSFIELD

Enjoy the extended version of Wild Berks, Bucks & Oxon online at bbowt.org.uk/ publications

SLOUGH WINDSOR READING THATCHAM

BRACKNELL

NEWBURY

2 Seven Barrows

Postcode RG17 8UH Great for… Archaeology and chalk grassland Best time to visit Spring and summer Size 3.5 hectares Map ref SU 330 828 Seven Barrows is incredibly atmospheric. Stand to face the breeze, close your eyes, and take a deep breath as you are transported back to the Bronze Age. This open grassland in the rolling

Berkshire Downs contains seven burial mounds, or ‘barrows’ – and there are more nearby. The raised mounds will have hindered modern farming, saving this precious fragment of flower-rich grassland from the plough.

Horseshoe vetch, chalk milkwort and bellflowers are just a few of the more than 150 plant species recorded here, in turn supporting butterflies such as the brown argus, small blue and marbled white.

Plan your visit to these nature reserves and others at bbowt.org.uk/reserves

3 Millfield Wood

Postcode HP14 4LA Great for… Chiltern woodland and views Best time to visit Spring to autumn Size 7.5 hectares Map ref SU 870 956 What makes this beechwood so special is its unusual assortment of additional tree species, including whitebeam, field maple, wild cherry, yew, and the wayfaring-tree,

so-named because of its preference for growing close to paths and other open areas.

Recent storm damage has allowed light to flood into the wood, giving a new lease of life to carpets of wild flowers. As we head towards autumn it’s the turn of the fungi, including saffrondrop and rosy bonnets, and the splendid star-shaped collared earthstar, which puffs its spores out when raindrops land on its spore bag.

KATE DENT

BJÖRN S.../FLICKR (CC BY-SA 2.0

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

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CONSERVATION IN ACTION

Completing the puzzle

I

t was an opportunity we couldn’t miss – the chance to purchase a unique and historic meadowland site adjoining Leaches Farm, part of our Upper Ray Meadows nature reserve. Ludgershall Meadows was at risk of being lost forever, but through your generosity we managed to secure this remarkable time capsule of precious floodplain meadow habitat before it was too late.

The 31 hectares of Ludgershall Meadows are vitally important for wildlife and the climate. They include an area of lowland meadow, a type of wildflower-rich land that has suffered devastating losses over the past century due to development and agricultural intensification. This type of habitat is now exceptionally rare – less than 1,500 hectares remains across the entire country, an area equivalent to just one third of the city of Oxford. The

stark reality was that if we didn’t buy the land, it could be turned into pony paddocks, resulting in overgrazing and an irretrievable loss of wildlife.

The response to our appeal was humbling, with hundreds of donations accompanied by heartfelt messages of hope and encouragement. We are so grateful! In June we held two thankyou days, welcoming around 280 members to Ludgershall to soak up the peace and beauty of a colourful meadow in full bloom, waving in the gentle breeze and alive with the movement and buzz of insects. We want everyone who contributed to know they have made a real difference for local wildlife.

Wild jigsaw puzzle The three fields making up Ludgershall Meadows are just the latest piece of a wild jigsaw puzzle of sites managed by

The top field at Ludgershall in full bloom.

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Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

JULIE BELLINGHAM

In 2021 we launched an appeal to rescue Ludgershall Meadows. We wanted it to form another piece of our ‘wild jigsaw puzzle’ of sites managed in the heart of the Upper Ray Valley. You answered our call and today these three fields have joined our suite of meadows in the area, offering even more space for wildlife to thrive. Buckinghamshire Land Manager Mark Vallance tells us more.

Enjoying Ludgershall on a recent thankyou day.

BBOWT between Bicester and Aylesbury.

The Trust has been building up a network of reserves along the Upper River Ray since 1981, creating wildlife corridors that encourage wildlife to thrive.

Ludgershall is a truly special place that was worth striving for. It still bears evidence of Medieval ridge-and-furrow ploughing. These centuries-old banks and ditches show that the three fields have escaped the worst of any damage from

CONSERVATION IN ACTION

Billowing hedgerows and wetter areas offer diverse opportunities for all manner of wildlife.

KATE T

Wetter areas offer habitat for dragonflies.

intensive agriculture. Today the meadows are host to an invaluable population of two of the UK’s rarest butterfly species – black and brown hairstreaks – as well as protected great crested newts and important birds such as yellowhammer, reed bunting and skylarks.

By actively acquiring more land like this, we are taking positive strides towards our goal of 30% of land well-managed for wildlife by 2030. We want more nature everywhere, for both wildlife and people.

More space for nature With Ludgershall Meadows now safely secured, we can look to build on its wildlife value, making these fields the best they can possibly be.

The top field, closest to Leaches Farm, is the most wildflower rich. Our plan here is to continue cutting the meadow for hay, following this with grazing. We may look to spread freshly-cut green hay from Leaches Farm onto this field to help improve its diversity still further.

The rough pasture fields can provide prime hunting ground for birds of prey like the short-eared owl.

The other fields have excellent potential as permanent rough pasture, an increasingly rare feature of local farmland. Well-managed, this tussocky grassland offers ideal habitat for nesting birds such as meadow pipit as well as

hedgerows, and the brown hairstreaks, the younger growth. We want numbers of both butterflies to increase throughout Ludgershall Meadows, so are managing

“With Ludgershall Meadows now safely secured, we can look to build on its wildlife value, making these fields the best they can possibly be.” small mammals, which in turn attract hunting barn owls and kestrels. We have already begun more sympathetic grazing in these pasture fields, which together with thistle control is starting to make an impact.

Later this autumn we are looking to cut wet scrapes into the ridge and furrow features, effectively deepening the wetter furrows to create more habitat for the wading birds like curlew and snipe found in other parts of the Upper Ray Meadows.

This will help to improve both nesting and wintering opportunities for these scarce birds, while creating more habitat for dragonflies and rare aquatic plants.

ANDREW MARSHALL

Hedging our bets The hedgerows surrounding the fields offer shelter to all sorts of small mammals, as well as farmland birds like reed bunting, linnet, meadow pipit, and yellowhammer.

It is hoped that blackthorn within the hedgerows will support both black and brown hairstreak butterflies, the former preferring taller, more mature

the hedgerows in a way that creates a mosaic of growth of varying ages.

Hedge-laying will help to encourage fresh, young growth, while in the pasture fields we are stepping out fencing so that the hedgerows can spill further out, creating a wider, wavy margin that’s great for both birds and butterflies. An ongoing surveying programme has been started to track the impact of all this work.

Two years on from acquiring Ludgershall Meadows and the initial results are promising. But this is only the start, and we expect the wildlife value of this precious site to only improve over time.

We would like to say a huge thankyou to everyone who supported the appeal.

It’s been incredibly exciting to see how far this site has already come and we are really looking forward to seeing how things develop in the coming years as our work here continues.

Come and see Ludgershall Meadows for yourself. Plan your trip at bbowt.org.uk/upper-ray-meadows

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

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PEOPLE & WILDLIFE

Our green talent To protect nature, we need people. BBOWT has a proud tradition of nurturing new green talent. These conservation trainees go on to make a huge difference, all while inspiring others to do the same. Three former trainees share their experiences and where they are today Anne Jackson, Learning Officer

After completing the progamme my husband and I went off to New Zealand, where I was offered a position as an education ranger at the Zealandia Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellington. Then back in the UK I continued my outdoor education career. My current role as a Learning Officer at Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre sees me lead visiting school groups and run Young and Teen Ranger groups, where young people learn wildlife ID and practical conservation skills.

My initial time at BBOWT was hugely important in giving me a foundation in environmental education and a broader understanding of conservation methods,

CONNIE BUTLER

I am happiest outdoors and this, together with my interest in education drove my decision to apply for the Developing Green Talent progamme.

Mine was a primarily education-based position, but with time allocated for practical conservation activities too.

My time was split between the education team, getting up to speed with environmental education programming, and delivering to school groups. There was so much to learn: how to coppice, trim sheep hooves, run work parties, manage chalk grasslands, and many other activities! These activities were quite new and some challenging.

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which could be applied wherever I went.

I would certainly encourage others to consider a career in this sector. You can help improve the plight of our planet, and there are many ways to do so!

Many young people want to help but are unsure how they can make a difference, especially when all they hear is doom and gloom. I find working with them so rewarding as we can talk about their interests and encourage them to take positive action for wildlife. It’s good for them to know that if they are not necessarily into practical conservation, they can take on roles in advocacy, marketing and communication to get others involved.

PEOPLE & WILDLIFE Rob Cooke, Reserves Officer, West Berkshire

for a position in conservation strategy.

This required learning about the rapidly changing world of environmental law and new ideas such as Nature Recovery Networks.

Today I work as a Reserves Officer.

It’s a varied role; one day I’ll be working with our livestock, the next cutting back scrub to maintain habitat for species like adders and nightjar. In the end I got the ideal job, one where I can indulge my enthusiasm for the natural world.

Daniel Akam, Senior Reserves Officer, Oxfordshire

The progamme saw me join the team at Woolley Firs in Maidenhead where I assisted with teaching in the environmental education centre, delivering events and educational outreach, as well as practical hands-on management of nearby nature reserves.

This gave me a well-rounded experience.

When my mentor decided to move on, I was lucky enough to take on her role of Community Officer, which morphed into a Reserves Officer role as my responsibilities shifted more to working

on nature reserves. Then in 2022 another opportunity came up for a more senior role in the Oxfordshire Reserves Team, which is where you’ll find me now!

The training I originally received provided a bridge from unpaid volunteering to full-time employment, enabling me to develop my skills and gain real-life experience.

As we tackle the nature and climate crisis, we need more people to join the conservation movement, especially those from different backgrounds and with varied views, experiences and skills. We need to bring communities together and find common ground so we can move forwards. This can only be achieved though inclusion – we need a united and powerful voice to influence the decision-makers.

It was while completing my degree in Animal Biology and Conservation at Oxford Brookes University that I realised I wanted to work outdoors, so in my final year I applied for a Wildlife Conservation Traineeship at Greenham and Crookham Commons. I had already been volunteering with BBOWT for eight years, working one day a month on Inkpen Common where I helped preserve the lowland heath habitat.

What started as a fun father-son activity helped set me on the journey to where I am today.

I thoroughly enjoyed my traineeship, thanks to the variety of tasks and the time spent outdoors. I gained skills in habitat management and an increased knowledge of wildlife while undertaking regular surveys. It’s no understatement to say that the traineeship launched my conservation career.

After taking up a role as a warden then completing a Masters degree, I applied

I’ve always had a passion for wildlife and the landscapes it lives in, an interest nurtured by family holidays to wild places like the Scottish Highlands.

After completing university, I quickly realised I needed to gain experience within conservation organisations and took up an unpaid traineeship at another Wildlife Trust before joining BBOWT’s Developing Green Talent progamme.

Grow yourself

Kickstart your career in conservation as a Wildlife Trainee. Find out more at bbowt.org.uk/wildlife-traineeships Volunteer with us! There are opportunities for every level of experience and interest: bbowt.org. uk/volunteer

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

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WILDLIFE GARDENING

Gourmet gardening Traditionally, fruit and veg growers view wildlife as something that should be prevented from eating the food we grow for ourselves. We net berries to protect them from birds, remove ‘cabbage white’ caterpillars from our brassicas. Some growers haven’t got the memo about insect declines and still use harmful bug sprays.

But what if we learned to share? I realise I may be in the minority here, but one of my favourite things about growing food is sharing it. There are enough blackberries, raspberries and tayberries to go around. I laugh at the caterpillars eating my brassicas and I always leave some to flower, along with some ‘spare’ parsnips and onions, so there’s food for pollinators in spring. If I cut only half of my herbs such as mint, oregano and thyme, I can encourage flowers to grow

for bees and butterflies, and if I avoid cutting back the mildewed leaves of my courgettes I provide food for 22-spot ladybirds.

There is a line between providing food for wildlife and having your crop destroyed, and only you can decide where that line sits. For me, there’s not really a line. I’m happy for other species to enjoy the food I grow and I go out of my way to provide a little bit more for them. I may have a reduced crop, but I never lose a crop – one of the great things about gardening for wildlife is knowing the ecosystem will take care of itself.

This means there’s always something for everyone.

Get more tips for helping nature at home from bbowt.org.uk/actions

Brassicas Veg like broccoli and kale will flower after harvesting, providing food for early spring mining bees. ourgettes C 22-spot ladybirds are very polite, leaving the fruit for you and eating only the leaf mildew.

Oregano Leave some unharvested so it flowers for butterflies and bees.

Raspberries Buy canes in autumn and plant into rich, moist soil.

The blackbirds will leave you some, I promise!

Broad beans Avoid removing aphids and you’ll provide food for ladybirds, lacewings and hoverfly larvae that eat them.

Rosemary Flowering in spring, rosemary provides nectar and pollen for queen bumblebees.

Carrots Sow direct in pots or the ground from spring to summer. Leave some to flower for pollinators.

Nasturtiums Leave some for ‘cabbage white’ butterflies to feast on – you can move caterpillars from brassicas onto nasturtium leaves to protect them.

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY HANNAH BAILEY

Grow a garden full of food both you and your wild neighbours can enjoy, says Kate Bradbury.

TALES FROM THE WESTERN WOODS

Tales from the

Western Woods The British Lichen Society’s April Windle explores a precious habitat that has long been overlooked by many of us – the British Isles’ very own rainforests…

W

western Scotland down and through to the south-west of England, is a spectrum of forested habitats, where Atlantic woodlands can be categorised into temperate rainforests and oceanic woodlands. This wooded landscape is of huge global significance and supports an exceptional diversity of wildlife, most notably the lichens, bryophytes and ferns.

These rainforests are a world unto themselves and have such a mystical and enchanted feel to them. They are dramatic and prehistoric, with twisted and gnarled trees growing amongst the craggy terrain, with rivers that cut through the ancient treescapes and broadleaf canopies locking in humidity as a result of the high rainfall. The age of the forests and the high rainfall has resulted in spectacular habitats which are absolutely teeming with wildlife.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

TEMPERATE RAINFOREST © STEVE NICHOLS, NATUREPL

hen you hear the word rainforest, your mind probably wanders to exotic lands thousands of miles overseas, to places such as the Amazon or Borneo, but unbeknown to most people, we have our very own rainforests right here on our doorstep.

Along the western seaboard of the British Isles we have a network of internationally important woodlands, elegantly termed Atlantic woodlands.

These are typically ancient woods, in clean-air situations that are strongly influenced by the oceanic (wet and mild) to hyper-oceanic (very wet and mild) climate. Some of these woods are remnants of the ancient wildwood that started appearing across the landscape after the last ice-age, making them some of the oldest living ecosystems found in the UK. This series of woodlands, from

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TALES FROM THE WESTERN WOODS

TUMBLING KITTENS © APRIL WINDLE; TREECREEPER © BEN PORTER; REDSTART © MARK HAMBLIN/2020VISION

Lichen the location

What truly defines these rainforests (alongside the rain of course), are the lichens, bryophytes and ferns that make these woodlands so special. When you walk into these woods, the first thing that you notice is every available surface is covered in life. The rocks are carpeted in mosses and the trees cloaked in lichens. Many of the species found here are as rare, if not rarer than the habitat in which they grow. Lichens and bryophytes are fantastic indicators of temperate rainforest, because they have a distinct geographic shift from east

trachyna Tumbling kittens (Hypo acid, leached taylorensis), a lichen of tions. ua sit bark in high rainfall

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to west as a result of the wet and mild climatic conditions. This isn’t necessarily witnessed with other groups such as

meaning they lack ‘true’ roots and a vascular system. The bryophyte diversity in temperate rainforests is claimed to

Lichens are a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner (algae and/or cyanobacteria) flowering plants, trees, or animals.

Lichens are among the most bewildering lifeforms on the planet.

Despite their plant-like appearance, lichens sit within the biological kingdom Fungi, where genetic studies show that fungi are more closely related to humans than they are to plants. Within our rainforests, lichens can be encountered as mosaics of hieroglyphics on the ancient hazel stems, or as rich, leafy tapestries covering the twisted oak trunks.

This lichen diversity is complemented by a medley of plant life. The rocks and trees are laden with a luxuriance of mosses and liverworts (collectively referred to as bryophytes) and ferns. Bryophytes are non-vascular plants,

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

rival that found in the cloud forests of their tropical counterparts.

Lichens and bryophytes are a beautiful and important component of these wooded ecosystems, where species, communities and climatic conditions bridge our British and Irish rainforests with other temperate rainforest habitats across the globe. It is these bespoke bioclimatic features that make our rainforests... rainforests.

A rainforest resurgence

Temperate rainforest and oceanic woodlands more widely are an extraordinary aspect of our British and Irish countryside, and they are right here on our doorstep waiting to be explored.

These woodlands are habitats of great conservation value, yet are subject to a variety of threats, ranging from habitat loss and degradation to tree pests and diseases, inappropriate management,

TALES FROM THE WESTERN WOODS

Restoring Britain’s Rainforests in partnership with Aviva

Temperate rainforests are the perfect habitat for many species, including treecreepers. and climate change to name a few. Over the years there have been concerted efforts from various individuals and conservation organisations to raise the public profile and ensure the conservation of these globally significant woodlands.

The British Lichen Society (BLS) has a long history of working with charitable and government organisations, using the collective of expertise to generate evidence-bases that underpin management and decision-making.

Collecting biological information is at the heart of the Society, with a national lichen database of over two million records and over a thousand survey reports listed on our literature inventory, many offering appropriate management advice. A significant proportion of this data has been generated in these western woodlands of Britain and Ireland.

In February 2023, The Wildlife Trusts announced their exciting and ambitious 100-year project to restore and expand temperate rainforests along the western seaboard of Britain and Ireland. The BLS would like to thank The Wildlife Trusts for taking lead on this important initiative and looks forward to collaborating with the Trusts in driving forward these important works.

The Wildlife Trusts care for a network of Atlantic rainforest nature reserves.

These beautiful sites, from the Dart Valley in Devon to Pengelli Woods in Pembrokeshire, or Shian Wood near Oban, Scotland, are incredibly important for wildlife, but also for people. We know that the simple enjoyment of wonderful greenspace is more than just fun – it has a medical value, reducing stress and increasing exercise, in turn reducing cost to the NHS. This is an ecosystem service of immense value. Another valuable ecosystem service is carbon, and that’s where The Wildlife Trusts’ new rainforest programme comes in.

Aviva are on a journey to net zero that they hope to achieve in the 2040s. They are making great strides to reduce their direct emissions, but also want to reduce their indirect emissions within their investment portfolio. They have strong plans but struggle to identify the last part of the journey – the technical solutions are not quite in place. For this, they aim to insure themselves by investing in a nature-based way to suck carbon out of the atmosphere and put it back into nature over the next few decades, counter-balancing any remaining indirect emissions in the 2040s. By donating funds to The Wildlife Trusts to establish new Atlantic rainforest nature reserves in the 2020s, Aviva is investing in both climate solutions and the many other benefits of nature reserves.

This represents a rachet up of ambition for The Wildlife Trusts as we focus on the intensifying climate and nature emergency before us.

We know our marginal soil farmers are going to struggle as agricultural subsidies reduce and new trading relationships allow the import of lamb and beef that is cheaper to produce elsewhere. Planting new rainforests might be part of the answer as we seek a just transition for farming on the western fringe. If meat production is no longer economic, agro-forestry

(very low intensity grazing producing conservation grade meat) tied to nature tourism and carbon payments might provide a better prospect for the next generation of farmers.

By working with partners – farmers and other nature conservation bodies, especially Plantlife and the Woodland Trust in this case, we can create a grand alliance to restore the lost rainforests of the west. This April, we announced the first two sites to benefit from this programme. Creg y Cowin on the Isle of Man will see over 70 acres planted with native tree species, with around 20 acres allowed to regenerate naturally.

Manx Wildlife Trust anticipates the return of redstarts and other oakwood birds, whilst the rainforest will also increase water purity for a nearby reservoir and help with flood prevention. At Bryn Ifan in Gwynedd, North Wales Wildlife Trust aims to establish over 100 acres of rainforest, through a mix of sympathetic native planting and natural regeneration.

Find out more about this special habitat at

wildlifetrusts.org/rainforest

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

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6 places to see

FOUR-SPOTTED CHASER © ROSS HODDINOTT/2020VISION

dragonflies & damselflies

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See the spectacle

for yourself 1

Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria Wildlife Trust This stunning wetland has been restored for wildlife over recent decades and is now home to many dragonflies and damselflies. You could see emerald damselflies, emperor dragonflies, or even the rare white-faced darter – they were reintroduced in 2010 and are now thriving.

Where: Near Witherslack, LA11 6SN 2

Carlton Marshes, Suffolk Wildlife Trust This nature reserve is a mosaic of marshes, meadows, pools, and scrub. An impressive 28 species of dragonfly have been recorded here, more than anywhere else in the UK. This includes the Norfolk hawker – a dazzling dragonfly with emerald eyes.

Where: Lowestoft, NR33 8HU 3

Amwell, Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust One of the best places in the region to see dragonflies and damselflies, with 21 breeding species, including red-eyed damselflies. The dragonfly trail features a boardwalk for close encounters with these enchanting insects.

Where: Ware, SG12 9SS 4

Magor Marsh, Gwent Wildlife Trust This beautiful area of fenland in the Gwent Levels is ideal for dragonflies and damselflies, including four-spotted chasers and hairy dragonflies. It’s also home to banded demoiselles and ruddy darters, who share the waterways with water voles.

Where: Magor, NP26 3DN

ragonflies and damselflies are some of our most enchanting insects. They’re large, often colourful, and have a fascinating, flickering flight. They dart above the water, starting and stopping like little clockwork toys as they hunt or patrol their territory. Both dragonflies and damselflies belong to an order of insects called Odonata, which means ‘toothed jaw’ – named for their serrated mandibles. Damselflies are generally slender, with their eyes on either side of the head, never touching. Dragonflies are usually bigger, bulkier and have much larger eyes that normally touch each other.

You can find them on all kinds of wetlands, from garden ponds to canals, chalk streams to bogs – and sometimes far from any water. They’re best looked for on still, sunny days in spring and summer, when they’re warm enough to fly. Here are six of our favourite nature reserves for spotting them…

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Higher Hyde Heath, Dorset Wildlife Trust Exploring the ponds, woodland, and heathland can reward with a variety of species, including downy emeralds and golden-ringed dragonflies – females of which are the longest dragonfly in the UK. Where: Wareham, BH20 7NY 6

Windmill Farm, Cornwall Wildlife Trust The ponds of this scenic nature reserve are great for dragonflies and damselflies, including red-veined darters, migrants from continental Europe. Windmill Farm also has a good reputation for attracting rarer migrant visitors, like the lesser emperor.

Where: The Lizard, TR12 7LH

Did you spot any dragons or damsels?

We’d love to know how your search went.

Please tweet us your best photos! @wildlifetrusts

09/05/2023 13:36:49

POLYCERA QUADRILENATA © DAN BOLT

Sea slugs add a spectacular splash of colour to our rockpools.

Delicate, vibrant, enchanting: these might not be words you normally associate with slugs, but sea slugs have no respect for normal. There are several groups that you may come across on UK shores and even the most familiar looking of these, the sea hares, are quirky. These plump brown slugs have tall ear-like rhinophores (scent-sensitive tentacles) and a hidden shell. They lay a tangle of eggs that resemble pink spaghetti and produce a ‘smoke-screen’ of violet ink if disturbed. The solar powered sea slug, on the other hand, belongs to the sap-suckers group. It eats seaweed, retaining the photosynthesising parts – the chloroplasts – in its body, where they supplement the slug’s diet with sugars, like a built-in snack bar.

The largest group of sea slugs, the nudibranchs, are the strangest and most visually stunning of all. With dozens of species to be found in our rock pools and shallow seas, they have become my delight and obsession.

Heather Buttivant is a Cornwall Wildlife Trust volunteer, proud ‘nudi’ fanatic and author of the award-winning blog, cornishrockpools.com.

She has published two books: Rock Pool and Beach Explorer.

Wild Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire | Summer 2023

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YELLOW SLUG-MARINE

Gills and frills Nudibranchs, or ‘nudis’, as they are affectionately known by their evergrowing fan club, are shell-less sea slugs. Their name comes from the Latin, nudus branchia, meaning ‘naked gill’.

Nudibranchs are a flamboyant bunch, so they turn their gills into stylish accessories.

One of our most common rocky shore nudibranchs, the sea lemon (Doris pseudoargus), is a case in point.

When underwater, this bumpy yellow animal unfurls a glamorous, feathery circle of honey-yellow gills on its back.

Other nudibranchs, like the bright purple Edmundsella pedata, have spiky projections called ‘cerata’, providing a large surface area through which they breathe in oxygen.

Tiny Doto spp. slugs win my prize for the craziest body shape. Their white cerata, shaped like towering jelly moulds adorned with cherry-red spots, are so high that they wobble precariously.

Their heads sport two

You are what you eat If you are used to peaceable garden slugs, it can be unsettling to discover that nudibranchs are devout carnivores.

While each species has a preferred diet, between them they eat sponges, barnacles, hydroids, anemones, bryozoans, sea squirts and more.

Some nudibranchs change colour. The sea lemon, for instance, turns into a ‘sea orange’ after eating orange sponges. Great grey sea slugs (Aeolidia spp.) dive in headfirst to feed among the treacherous stinging tentacles of anemones, their pale grey bodies and cerata often turning bright pink as they eat.

Inside their cerata, great grey slugs retain the anemone’s stinging cells, which fire toxic harpoons at any predator that tries to bite them. Other slugs, like Geitodoris planata, have acid glands that burn attackers.

Most incredible of all are the Calma slugs. The vivid blue and yellow Calma glaucoides feeds on clingfish eggs, while its relation, Calma gobioophaga has

cerata the shape of goby eggs, allowing it to evade the male goby’s efforts to guard its brood. The fish eggs are so efficiently digested that Calma slugs have no anus and never poo.

Slug safari For the best chance of finding sea slugs, join an organised event or Shoresearch survey, where experts will be on hand to help you discover more. Look for pale spirals of sea slug spawn on rocks and seaweeds in spring and summer. Sea slugs are hermaphrodites, meaning that they are both male and female at once, so they all lay eggs.

Nudibranchs are often found on their favourite foods, but even the brightest slugs can be well camouflaged. If possible, place your nudibranch in water and watch it magically puff up. Be gentle as sea slugs are delicate. Always put the nudibranch back where it came from, leave everything as you found it and watch the tides.

Finding your first nudibranch is like discovering a sparkling gem. Their exquisite colours and eye-catching shapes make them true treasures of the rock pools.

Magazine Name | Summer 2023

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: AEOLIDIA PAPILLOSA © ALEX HYDE, NATUREPL; FACELINA AURICULATA © ALEX MUSTARD/ 2020VISION; POLYCERA QUADRILENATA © ALEX MUSTARD, NATUREPL

tall rhinophores sheathed in a wide dish, as though they are trying to detect alien radio signals.

Amphorina spp. slugs inflate and deflate their cerata, Facelina spp. have ringed rhinophores like unicorn horns, while Polycera spp. slugs’ heads are fringed with colourful tentacles. Anything goes when you’re a nudibranch.

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Berkshire Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust

On Wednesday, John helped protect water voles.

On Thursday, he helped sow a new wildflower meadow.

On Friday, he helped change the law to safeguard our natural environment.

On Saturday, it was five years since John passed away.

Make your love for nature live on by writing us into your Will.

John’s gift to BBOWT in his Will has left a lasting legacy, ensuring his wishes are kept alive.

You can make a difference too.

To find out more contact Legacy Officer Miriam Murphy in confidence on 07795 645770, email miriammurphy@bbowt.org.uk or visit bbowt.org.uk/legacy

JON HAWKINS/SURREY HILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Once you’ve taken care of your loved ones, please consider including a gift to BBOWT in your Will. No matter how big or small, you can be sure it will make a powerful difference to local wildlife and future generations’ enjoyment of it.