Wildlife Durham Summer 2020 by Durham Wildlife Trust

DURHAM SUMMER 2020

WWW.DURHAMWT.COM

WILDLIFE DURHAM SUMMER 2020 | 1

News

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Leading The Change The Return of ‘Ratty’ Seascapes Gets The Green Light Annual General Meeting 2020 Going Even Greener Wild@Home

National

SUMMER 2020 ISSUE @ durhamwildlife

@ durhamwildlife

Reserves

Firstly, an apology. Production of this summer magazine has been challenging and as a result the number of pages is reduced. Hopefully normal service will be resumed for the next edition.

50@50

Wildlife

The Caterpillar Curriculum

Events

Summer 2020

If you would like to opt in to receiving a digital copy of Wildlife Durham instead of your printed copy, please email mail@durhamwt.co.uk with your name and membership number and we will update your preferences.

VISITOR CENTRES Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve Chilton Moor, Houghton-le-Spring Tyne & Wear, DH4 6PU Tel: 0191 584 3112

Low Barns Nature Reserve Witton-le-Wear, Bishop Auckland County Durham, DL14 0AG Tel: 01388 488 728

The Meadows Coffee Shop Angela Watson and Team Tel: 0191 512 8940

Low Barns Coffee Shop Angela Watson and Team Tel: 01388 488 729

We have all faced many challenges over the last few months and have had to find ways of dealing with them and carrying on, the Trust included. Sites have remained open and available to visit when restrictions allowed. Events and activities have moved online, with Wild@Home for families and wildlife ID and information sessions via Zoom. Some sites have been busier than ever as many people have realised just how much they value wildlife and wild places when they were denied them. Unfortunately, a minority used the lockdown as cover for their criminal and anti-social behaviour and we are dealing with the fly-tipping, vandalism and damage that has resulted. But enough of that, they are problems we are able to address with the support of our members and the great majority of the people who visit the Trust’s sites and behave responsibly. The Trust’s attention is now focused on the future. In July 2021 Durham Wildlife Trust will be 50 years old. A time to celebrate and plan for the next 50 years! During lockdown nature took the opportunity to re-assert herself, showing how wildlife can recover if we just give it a chance. Sights like the sparrowhawk shown on the front cover became much more commonplace in our gardens and parks. There’s no reason why more abundant wildlife can’t be the new normal, we just need to make it happen and then we can all experience the benefits that will bring.

MAGAZINE Paper: FSC approved, 100% recycled

Jim Cokill - Director

Cover Image: G wynneth Heeley

Design & Print: www.intimation.co.uk

@ durhamwildlifetrust

Hidden Meadows

NEWS

Leading The Change Craig Bennett joined as Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts in spring this year. Read his reflections on the organisation and his vision for the future: “I’ve long seen The Wildlife Trusts as the most powerful movement for nature in the UK. We are embedded into the heart of our communities. “Much as we like to imagine we live in a green and pleasant land, the truth is that the UK is currently one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. Species that were once common have become

rare and with that the role or function they are performing in our ecosystems has also declined. “Our vision is one where nature is in full, healthy abundance all around us; skies filled with birds, snowstorms of butterflies and moths, armies of invertebrates, vast expanses of wetland and wild landscapes, and seas teeming with life.” Read the full article online: durhamwt.com/news

The Return of ‘Ratty’ The long hours of sunlight invite growth of lush, dense and varied vegetation along the banks of rivers and streams. A quiet observer may notice a slight quiver in the tall stands accompanied by a comically audible munching. Suddenly, all hidden activity ceases until the stillness is broken by a distinctive ‘plop’ as the water vole makes its exit beneath the water surface.

The good news is help for these charismatic mammals is within touching distance as earlier this year we compiled a region-wide strategy to halt the decline and aid recovery of water voles across the Tyne, Wear and Tees river catchments. We are delighted to announce that a National Lottery Heritage Fund application to deliver this work (in partnership with Northumberland Wildlife Trust and Tees Valley Wildlife Trust) over the next three years has been successful, with more than £500,000 awarded to the Naturally Native project.

The Trust is thrilled to announce that National Lottery Heritage Funding (NLHF) has been secured for the coastline between the rivers Tyne and Tees. Tyne to Tees, Shores and Seas or SeaScapes Partnership for short is the UK’s first marine landscape partnership scheme. It comprises a group of local, regional and national partners that work in the coastal, marine and heritage sectors. This funding will allow the development and delivery of 23 projects set to benefit our coastal heritage, the marine environment and local communities along our amazing magnesian limestone seascape. As part of the partnership, Durham Wildlife Trust will be hosting a Marine Natural Heritage Officer. They will run a number of project events such as wildlife groups, engagement activities and citizen science programmes; developing a better understanding of our unique marine resource and securing its protection for the future. NLHF funding is additionally supporting the Trust’s wardening and monitoring of the internationally important breeding colony of little terns at Crimdon and Seaton Carew. This work is already underway with large numbers of birds returning after 2019’s successful breeding year. The future looks bright for Tyne Tees Shore to Seas. l © Mandy Bel

Sadly this idyllic impression of bankside summertime is an all too rare occurrence in the 21st century. The native water vole, Britain’s fastest declining mammal, is on the brink of survival in the lowlands of the North East. Last year our team of trained volunteers and ecologists gathered data on the condition of water vole populations and their habitat across the Tyne, Wear and Tees river catchments. Their findings concluded that in the upland areas known populations of water voles remain stable, although they

are not expanding their ranges. Sadly, the lowland water voles are not faring so well and remaining populations are becoming increasingly isolated and vulnerable. The combination of loss of suitable habitat and predation from non-native American mink has devastated water vole populations across the UK; our local water voles are no exception.

Seascapes Gets The Green Light

Let’s hope summers to come will bring serene moments in which we can enjoy and celebrate the return of ‘Ratty’ to our region.

WILDLIFE DURHAM SUMMER 2020 | 3

NEWS

Trustees have taken the decision to push the AGM back to later in the year to give more time for preparation and in the hope that a face-to-face meeting may be possible for those wanting to attend. The 2020 Durham Wildlife Trust Annual General Meeting will be held on the 23rd November at 5pm. If restrictions allow the meeting will be held at Rainton Meadows, but if that is not possible provision will be made for an online meeting using video conferencing. There is also the option for a combination of attending in person or online.

Planning for the 2020 Annual General Meeting is obviously difficult as restrictions on face-to-face meetings are still in place and the production and auditing of accounts has been disrupted.

The agenda will be:

Notice of The Annual General Meeting 2020

• Apologies for absence

• Chair’s remarks

• Minutes of the 2019 Annual General meeting

• Election of Members of Council

• Adoption of Annual Report and Consolidated Accounts

• Election of auditors for the ensuing year

Due to disruption caused by Covid-19 restrictions, 2019-20 financial information is not available at the time of publication. When finalised, financial information will be available on the Trust’s website (www.durhamwt.com/financials) and full audited accounts will be available to members upon request.

Going Even Greener

Wild@Home

In the spring edition of Wildlife Durham we asked for your feedback on our magazine.

Since Monday 30th March, over two thousand children have been going Wild@Home with Durham Wildlife Trust!

The Trust is committed to maximising our efforts to tackle climate change and, as a printed document that is posted out to more than 4000 households, the magazine is one part of our business that needs greater scrutiny.

Each week, families across the North East have been visiting www.durhamwt.com/ wildathome and learning all about nature and discovering wildlife in their gardens and nearby green spaces. New wildlife themed activities, videos, colouring sheets, species surveys and all sorts of ‘how to’ guides have been created and shared by the Education Team at Durham Wildlife Trust. We’ve counted birds’ nests, studied the anatomy of earthworms, dissected flowers, played bumblebee bingo, surveyed butterflies, foraged for feathers and more. We’ve also been crazily creative if the weather hasn’t allowed us to get outside, making wild art, salt dough creatures, painting rock insects, pressing flowers and petal painting.

Overwhelmingly those of you who responded were positive about the possibility of receiving a digital magazine in place of a printed copy. However, your feedback also made it clear that the magazine is something you value receiving and enjoy reading. The impact of Covid-19 will be felt across the charitable sector for some time and the Trust has been affected financially through cancelled events, visitor centre closures, halting all in-person fundraising activities as well as fewer people than usual signing up to membership. Reducing the costs associated with printing and posting the magazine will enable us to focus our spend on conservation activities instead.

Hundreds of gardens have been transformed by children using our ‘how to’ guides and planting wildflowers to entice butterflies, making bird feeders with yoghurt pots and plastic bottles, creating wildlife hidey holes, hedgehog havens and bumblebee nests. The fun isn’t over yet though, as we’re going to be Wild@Home all the way through the summer holidays, so visit www.durhamwt.com/ wildathome to discover how you can learn all about slimy slitherers, sun-seeking reptiles, dazzling dragonflies, marvellous mammals and terrific trees!

NATIONAL

Seagrass meadows are important habitats for many of our marine species, including spiny seahorses.

Hidden Meadows Marine Biologist Nia Hâf Jones introduces a hidden world beneath the waves, where seahorses roam fields of seagrass. I float weightlessly on the surface, swaying back and forth as the gentle waves carry me over the meadow. Fish dart in and out and I notice snakelocks anemones clinging to the thin, bright green leaves, the seagrass seemingly unaffected by their weight. I’m enthralled and my focus softens — there’s something auroral in the way the light dances and the seagrass sways. It occurs to me that I had never really appreciated how lucky I was to live so close to one of the UK’s greatest habitats. Underwater meadows Globally, there are around 60 species of seagrass, though only four are native to the UK and only two of those are considered ‘true’ seagrasses. These incredible species are the only flowering plants in the UK that can live and pollinate in seawater. They have long, green, ribbon-shaped leaves and can grow in small discrete patches or vast beds spanning hectares. Like other plants, they flower, develop fruit, produce seeds and are anchored by a network of interwoven roots that extract nutrients from the sediment. These traits distinguish them from seaweeds, which are often mistaken for plants, but do not have roots, and instead anchor using a holdfast and take nutrients directly from the water. For seagrasses to thrive, they need lots of light and shelter from waves and currents. When conditions are right, the beds they form create a fantastic habitat for a host of wildlife. They stabilise and oxygenate the sediment, slowing down water flow and making the area more hospitable

for other species. The leaves themselves provide a surface for marine life to live on, such as anemones, hydroids, sea-squirts, sea mats and brown, red and coralline algae. Some of the rarer ‘hangers-on’ include the weird and wonderful stalked jellyfish with their alien-like appearance. Exploring a seagrass bed, you might spot two of the UK’s rarest and much loved species — the seahorses. Both short-snouted and long-snouted seahorses are associated with seagrass, where they cling on to the leaves with their prehensile tail to stop themselves from being swept away by the tide. Long-snouted seahorses, also known as spiny seahorses, live amongst the seagrasses, whereas short-snouted seahorses prefer sandy and rocky areas nearby. Seagrass also provides the perfect nursery for many fish, like pollack, cod, and dab, thanks to the high level of shelter provided by the seagrass itself and an abundance of food available for young fish to eat. Other species, like lobsters, have also been shown to shelter in the sediment during their early life stages and you don’t have to look for long to see signs of burrowing creatures, such as lugworm or sea potato. Hermit crabs, anemones, pipefish, shore crabs, cuttlefish and all sorts of sea-snails also call this diverse habitat home. It’s easy to see why these rich habitats are sometimes referred to as underwater meadows. Just like their more familiar, terrestrial namesakes, healthy seagrass meadows are a wonderful place to enjoy the diversity of wildlife we have in the UK. WILDLIFE DURHAM SUMMER 2020 | 5

NATIONAL

In Numbers

more species can be found within a seagrass meadow than on the bare sand next to it.

Estimates show that one hectare of healthy seagrass can support up to

The Canary Of The Sea

of its annual carbon storage. 6 | SUMMER 2020 WILDLIFE DURHAM

N O

Globally, even though seagrass occupies only 0.1% of the seafloor, it accounts for between

Hermit crabs, lobsters, shore crabs and other crustaeceans call seagrass meadows home.

Naturally, the extent and distribution of seagrass changes with seasonal and annual cycles. Physical disturbance in the form of the occasional storm may help keep it healthy and productive, but persistent disturbance and added human pressures have taken their toll. In the 1930s a significant proportion of seagrass in the UK died from a wasting disease , which attacks the leaves and prevents photosynthesis, killing the plant. With added human impact it is estimated that we have lost 92% of our seagrass in the last century. Researchers have dubbed seagrass beds the canaries of the sea — they reflect the general health of our oceans and human impact is becoming increasingly clear. The threats are varied. Nutrient run-off is a double-whammy: whilst toxic to seagrass it also stimulates growth in algae which competes with the seagrass for space and light. Invasive alien species also compete with seagrass and, in many places, it’s a competition

NATIONAL

The colour-changing little cuttlefish can sometimes be found in seagrass.

Snakelocks anemones are one of the many species that can be found living on seagrass leaves.

Seagrass meadows are important nurseries for young fish, like these juvenile cuckoo wrasse.

they’re winning. Coastal development creates sediment that smothers the beds and damage by anchor chains, moorings, propellers and launching vehicles is also evident where boating activity is prevalent. Even trampling by coast users can be an issue at low tide.

“

It is estimated that we have lost 92% of our seagrass in the last century.

Blue Carbon By losing seagrass we also lose the diversity of species that live there. But there’s even more at stake. Seagrass beds provide a whole host of essential ecosystem services. They filter pollutants, cycle nutrients, stabilise sediments and reduce coastal erosion. They also absorb huge amounts of carbon and because of this are increasingly recognised in the attempt to tackle the climate crisis and are considered an important natural

solution. Seagrass beds sequester carbon — known as ‘blue carbon’ — in two ways: through photosynthesis and by trapping and stabilising particles from the water column. If undisturbed, carbon can be locked into seagrass sediments for millennia. It is therefore incredibly important that this special habitat is protected. Luckily seagrass is resilient and given the chance can recover. Whilst habitat management is not easy in the sea it is possible! Seagrass restoration projects are being piloted in the UK, with the help of The Wildlife Trusts. Seeds are being collected from various sites and cultivated, ready for replanting to create new meadows. Other work includes looking at mooring systems that reduce the physical impact of boating and educating people around the importance of seagrass. Whilst these meadows may remain unseen by many, they have a crucial role in bringing about nature’s recovery in the sea. Fortunately, they feature in a number of our Marine Protected Areas, but designation is just the first step — to ensure their long-term future active management is essential before they lose the capacity to recover altogether.

Nia Hâf Jones is the Living Seas Manager for North Wales Wildlife Trust. One of her favourite snorkel sites is the seagrass beds of Porthdinllaen.

Find out more about our wonderful seagrass habitats in the UK and the projects to save them wildlifetrusts.org/seagrass

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RESERVES

Celebrating 50@50 r u o o t e t a n o D help us to d n a n ig a p m a c reserves re u t a n w e n re u sec ery for the v o c re e f li d il w and onate here D ! s r a e y 0 5 t nex /fifty durhamwt.com

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50@50

RESERVES

This summer Durham Wildlife Trust enters its 50th year. On the 30th July 1971, the charity was established to serve the old County Durham which stretched from the Tees to the Tyne. Since then, thanks to you: our members, donors, partners, colleagues, and Trustees we’ve become a major force leading the fight to conserve and protect the region’s wildlife. Fifty years is a big milestone for any organisation and one that needs to be celebrated, so plans were developed that, for very obvious reasons, can’t now be rolled out. Given the unprecedented times should the anniversary be celebrated at all? Yes, now more than ever is the Trust’s response to that. Now more than ever is the time to think about the future and lay the foundation for the next 50 years. Our wonderful nature reserves In five decades the Trust has created 37 nature reserves and managed another five, with a suite of sites stretching from Darlington to Gateshead and covering over 2000 acres. From former mine works, quarries and industrial sites to ancient woodlands, meadows and heathlands, all the Trust’s reserves now provide havens for wildlife.

A turning point Now, more than at any time in Durham Wildlife Trust’s 50 year history, we all recognise the urgent need to overcome the challenges nature faces. The continued loss of species and their habitats, made more devastating by the effects of a changing climate, means we have only a short time in which to act to turn the tide and deliver nature’s recovery. The next 50 years How best can Durham Wildlife Trust take action? By using the experience gained over the last 50 years. To deliver more places where wildlife comes first; places where habitats soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and people can find peace and tranquillity. To celebrate its Golden Jubilee, Durham Wildlife Trust aims to increase the number of its nature reserves to 50 in its 50th year. This ambitious objective will involve acquiring new sites and raising the funds needed to manage them in the future. To deliver this the Trust will need the support of all its partners and a willingness to work in new ways.

Make space for nature – Help us identify a new nature reserve. Lockdown has shown that the smallest patch of green in the town can be as valuable to people as the rarest habitat, perhaps your special place could become a registered nature reserve? Join our 50@50 club – Get updates on the anniversary, we have lots of plans to develop wild schools, get fruity @ 50, grow our community groups, welcome new volunteers and have a big birthday celebration! For updates on the 50@50 anniversary, sign-up here: durhamwt.com/fifty

With Us

Get nature growing – We have already identified some sites that we think would be perfect for us to develop as a place to nurture wildlife, but we need some help to get started. Can you donate to our anniversary campaign and help us to grow these natural spaces and develop for the next 50 years? To donate visit: durhamwt.com/fifty

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WILDLIFE

The

Caterpillar Curriculum

A Case Study in Managing Change with Style I wonder how many children have foregone the school curriculum during lockdown in favour of lessons in nature exploration and specifically, caterpillar husbandry. From talking to others, I know we are not the only household where any suitable container is intercepted before it gets to the recycling bin and turned into a comfortable abode for butterflies and moths during their often-overlooked larval phase. Walks in the park are now spent inspecting the underside of foliage for lurking caterpillars or looking for the tell-tale signs of rolled up leaves held together with silk to form a protective bivouac. As gardeners will no doubt attest, once you start looking, the signs of decimated leaves are everywhere. Yet caterpillars themselves are far harder to find. I suspect a part of this is because I’m not the only one looking for them, and the competition is far better at it than me. The downside of being a hungry caterpillar is that you yourself are an energy rich snack. Although a caterpillar may ultimately consume 27,000 10 | SUMMER 2020 WILDLIFE DURHAM

times its own body weight, it still takes a lot of them to feed a growing Blue Tit chick. In fact, nest monitoring has shown that a single chick may consume up to 100 caterpillars a day. This could equate to as many as 20,000 caterpillars to fledge a single brood! Of course, caterpillars don’t take this onslaught lying down (figuratively speaking). Defences include good old fashioned camouflage, being unpalatably hairy, aposematism (where they use bright colours to alert predators to their toxicity), Batesian mimicry (where they pretend to look like something more dangerous than they are) and thanatosis (where they play dead and tumble to the ground and safety as soon as they are disturbed). As caterpillars grow, they regularly need to shed their skin to enable them to expand. Each stage between moults is known as an instar and the caterpillar’s appearance may change dramatically as these instar phases progress. At the final stage, the caterpillar will unzip its skin for the last time revealing the chrysalis shell underneath. There are a variety of strategies for staying safe while in this state of frozen animation, from being well hidden, to creating protective silk cocoons, or even hiring some minders to take care of you. For example, the Common Blue butterfly chrysalis produces honeydew which is attractive to ants who harvest these pupae and take them underground to keep them safe in return for a sugary energy drink.

The really clever stuff is happening on the inside though. Throughout the caterpillar’s body it has smuggled blueprints and building materials in readiness for its ultimate magic trick. Imaginal discs are groups of undifferentiated cells, there is one disc for each body part that the moth or butterfly will need – wings, legs, thorax, abdomen. Along with the caterpillar’s nervous system, these discs are all that remain after it literally dissolves itself inside the chrysalis. The soup provides the energy and medium to fuel these imaginal cells to develop into its adult form. Most amazingly, it is believed that the experiences and memories of the caterpillar are retained by the adult moth or butterfly, which is now able to disperse far and wide to breed and find suitable habitat for the next generation of leaf munchers. So, if you are looking through your garden, out on reserve, or in a local park, don’t just admire the butterflies when you see them zipping past, but get to know them in their ugly duckling phase. Because the truth about managing change, is that the beautiful end result is best appreciated when you understand the trials and tribulations it took to get there. Not sure where to start? Check out Common Nettle, it is a larval food plant for Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock and Painted Lady butterflies.

WILDLIFE

Hi everyone, I’m Phill, the new Living Landscapes Officer (North). I started with the Trust just before the lockdown began, so it has been an unusual start to the role, but I’ve been busy in the background getting up to speed and helping manage our reserves and response to the COVID-19 crisis. Prior to starting with Durham Wildlife Trust, I worked with the RSPB on reserves on Islay and in Devon and Cornwall. I’m excited to be back in the North East and enjoying getting to know the reserves and local area as well as looking forward to meeting members and volunteers. As a Living Landscapes Officer, I will be working alongside the team and many dedicated and passionate volunteers to create places where nature can thrive, and people can get to enjoy it. If you are interested in supporting us, either by volunteering or by becoming a member, please visit our website for more details: durhamwt.com

R T HE KI

S ..

FRIDAY 31ST JULY 2020

CHECK WEBSITE FOR DATES

FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER 2020

‘Wands, Witches and Wizards’

Friday Family Forest School

Bats and Bangers

SATURDAY 8TH AUGUST 2020

SATURDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2020

Hunt for the Heath Bumblebees

Mammal Tracking

R THE AD S .. LT

M E T HI NG

METHING

Over the past few months we have run a series of online workshops to help people learn more about the wonderful variety of wildlife that exists across the Durham Wildlife Trust area.

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To book your sp ace and to find de tails of more events vi sit durhamwt.com /events

Our online workshops will continue throughout the summer. Why not spend an evening at home learning about late summer butterflies, trees, amphibians, nocturnal animals and more? We have a number of free talks and events available online each week, please see www.durhamwt.com/events for details. We are also planning some walks, talks and family events. Find full details online: www.durhamwt.com/events