Wild Magazine Winter 2023

Discover Wildlife Explore Nature in Essex Page 28

Signs in the snow

How to identify wildlife prints and tracks The magazine for Essex Wildlife Trust members Issue 125 | Winter 2023

Page 8

Year in review

Celebrating our wildlife wins of 2023

Page 34

Essex’s top winter walks

Page 22

Help us save

Fir Tree Wood A critical piece in the puzzle for nature's recovery in essex

Powering the future with food recycling

When you recycle food in your kerbside caddy, it is collected by your local council, taken for processing and turned into fertiliser and energy!

Find out how to recycle your food at home by visiting loveessex.org/food-recycling or scan the QR code using your smartphone’s camera

Together we can make a difference

Working in partnership with Essex County, District, Borough and City Councils.

Welcome

Issue 125 | Winter 2023

Welcome

‘Some of our closest

encounters with wildlife can be in the winter.’

M

any people view the winter months as a rather bleak period, and they are generally counting the days until the spring. But to me, the winter is a magical time, and the Trust’s nature reserves provide the perfect opportunity to get out on a fresh winter’s day, to see what wildlife you can stumble upon.

As a small boy I used to get so excited about the arrival of winter and I would dream of the possibility of seeing smew at Abberton Reservoir, from the Layer Breton causeway.

I literally begged my parents to drive me there at the weekend. The real irony is that I now drive across that very causeway every week to get to my office at Abbotts Hall Farm. Had you told me as a 12-year old that this would happen, I would have considered it an ecological fairytale, beyond my wildest dreams.

Some of our closest encounters with wildlife can be in the winter, often because animals are so hungry and they lose their inhibitions, whilst in search of sustenance to get them through a cold night. I’m sure most of you feed the birds in your garden over the winter and it’s so heartening to see all that effort be appreciated – even if they do get through the nut feeder like a plague of locusts.

Join the conversation: Essex Wildlife Trust @essexwildlifetrust @EssexWildlife EssexWildlife @essexwildlifetrust Essex Wildlife Trust www.essexwt.org.uk

We need

your

help!

Volunteer with us

Make volunteering your New Year’s resolution. We have a variety of roles available for all abilities and interest.

Discover our current opportunities at www.essexwt.org.uk/volunteer

Dr. Andrew Impey Chief Executive Officer WILD is the magazine of Essex Wildlife Trust and is published four times a year: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

The Trust is a corporate member of The Wildlife Trusts.

No. 125 Winter 2023 ISSN 2756-0066

We are the county’s leading conservation charity, committed to protecting wildlife and inspiring a lifelong love of nature.

All enquiries to: Essex Wildlife Trust, Abbotts Hall, Great Wigborough, Colchester, Essex, CO5 7RZ T 01621 862960 E enquiries@essexwt.org.uk www.essexwt.org.uk Reg Charity No. 210065 VAT Reg No. 945745977 Company Reg No. 638666 England

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Trustees of Essex Wildlife Trust.

We manage nature reserves and discovery parks across the county, providing outstanding outdoor learning and preserving places of wonder.

Founded in 1959 by volunteers, we protect over 100 sites across Essex and are supported by 40,000 members.

MEET THE WILD TEAM Editor-in-Chief Lauren Cosson Executive Editor Rich Yates Editor Bailey Tait Editorial Assistants Charlotte Mugliston, Francesca Chantry and Gemma Cosson Art Director Lottie Hall Designer Tasha Mound Assitant Designer Laura Watson

Our climate is in crisis and nature needs our help. Together we can protect the future. Join us.

Advertising Jamie Watt To advertise in WILD magazine contact Jamie on marketing@essexwt.org.uk

We are one of the largest Trusts that work together throughout the British Isles as The Wildlife Trusts.

Printing The DS Group

Front cover photo: Lesser spotted woodpecker - Jussi Murtosaari, naturepl.com

WILD magazine includes adverts from third-parties. However, services offered by advertisers are not specifically endorsed by Essex Wildlife Trust.

The income from advertisements goes towards the cost of printing and postage. This means that more of your membership donation goes directly towards conservation. Adverts must conform to the British Code of Advertising Practice.

Copyright © Essex Wildlife Trust 2023

Dreaming of an eco-friendly Christmas Thinking of sprucing up your Christmas decorations this year? Origami stars, crochet baubles, rosemary mini-wreaths, salt dough Santas and dried fruit rings are a great place to start.

Leave a gift in your Will

To help safeguard our county’s wildlife and allow future generations to experience the joys of nature, contact Lizzy Steward at legacies@essexwt.org.uk

Transform your garden

Make shelters, create mini-ponds or stock up on bird feed to make your outside space a winter wonderland for wildlife. Find your perfect project at www.essexwt.org.uk/actions We really hope you enjoy receiving your magazine.

If, however, you would prefer to convert to our digital-only Green Membership, please contact the Membership Office on 01621 862964 or by email at members@essexwt.org.uk. We will be delighted to help you manage how we communicate with you.

WILD Winter 2023

| 3

A year in review

Updates from across the Trust on our work to protect wildlife and inspire a lifelong love of nature in 2023.

Page 8 4 |

WILD Winter 2023

Section title here

WHAT’S INSIDE 6 YOUR WILD ESSEX

We’ve picked our favourite photos of yours to showcase from across Essex.

14 Winter events and spectacles

Your winter wildlife checklist is here with all the events you won’t want to miss this season.

27 Our wonderful

22 Under the spotlight:

Danbury Ridge nature reserves

A mosaic of woodland, heathland, grassland, streams and bogs that together create a nature network of over 100 hectares.

garden

Hear from Essex Wildlife Trust Ambassador, Harriet More, on her quest to make wildlife feel at home in her garden.

28 Signs in the snow

Become a nature detective and see what mammal tracks you can spot in your garden or on winter walks.

34 Top winter

Wrap up warm and grab your wellies. Don’t miss these wintertime walking hotspots across the county.

42 Coastal creations

In celebration of National Marine Week, take a look at the entries of this year’s marine-themed art competition.

50 National news

Updates from The Wildlife Trusts movement on national projects and campaigns for wildlife.

52 Time Tunnel

The historic past of our nature reserves is revealed in this World War II special feature.

18 Eyes to the skies

Know how to spot a kestrel from a red kite?

Learn how to identify some of our most common aerial predators.

Wintering 7-spot ladybirds © Premaphotos, naturepl.com

walks in Essex

30 Pressing pause

Where do insects go in winter?

Entomologist Dr Ross Piper reveals how insects have their own hibernation strategies.

Your Wild Essex

Autumn’s paintbrush transformed the landscape into a breathtaking mix of warm hues, setting the stage for wonderful wildlife moments. Behind the lens, a great wildlife photo might be captured in a quick click during a fleeting moment, or it may require patience and perseverance. Here are some of our favourite snapshots sent in by members and supporters over the past few months.

Fancy an owl photo? ‘Ear you go! Photographer Kevin Beales snapped this shot of the majestic long-eared owl.

‘Adder’ hard time spotting this one. Ian Dewsnap managed to find this camouflaged adder on a trip to Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park.

This kestrel is so beautiful, it framed itself.

A picture-perfect moment captured by Steve Liptrot, @steve.liptrot_photography.

'There’s not mushroom on this tree for all of us!’ Margaret Roberts, @Margaretroberts5111, photographed these lovely jelly ear fungi.

If you would like to feature in our next edition of WILD, please email your favourite images of Essex’s wildlife and wild places to magazine@essexwt.org.uk or tag Essex Wildlife Trust on social media.

6 |

WILD Winter 2023

Your Wild Essex

‘Excuse me, have you seen my mum?’ Samantha Gibbs had a lucky encounter with this adorable fox cub.

Never underestimate the hind wings of a moth, they often reveal a colourful surprise. John Hercock snapped this increasingly common Essex visitor, the Jersey tiger moth.

Wildlife’s version of 'mum’s net’. This wasp spider appears to be protecting her egg sac, which could produce over 600 spiderlings. Photographed by Kevin Clark, @kevinclark9014.

Caught on camera by Robert Farrow, @wrinkledbadger.

This dazzling pair of southern migrant hawker dragonflies are entangled in a mating stance.

#essexwildlifetrust WILD Winter 2023

| 7

Wildlife Wins

Wildlife Wins in 2023 With 93 nature reserves, a 350-mile-long coastline and rivers running through almost every part of our county, it has been another busy year for conservation. Although there’s still a long way to go, it’s time to reflect on what we have achieved for wildlife in 2023.

40 3,030

of squishy and squelchy wetland restored at Blue hectares House Farm

hectares 3,500 of nature reserves managed by our team and volunteers

10,155

beautiful butterflies spotted by citizen scientists

37,511

wildflower observations contributed to climate change research

8 |

WILD Winter 2023

plastic tree guards collected and recycled

62 84 7,000

nightingales recorded across 11 reserves

wildflower patches planted in gardens

400

toads, toadlets, and toad crossings recorded through our Toad Watch

barriers identified across Essex’s rivers as part of The Essex Fish Migration Roadmap

Wildlife Wins

240

seagrass cores collected to create new seagrass sites

600

native oysters closely monitored at Brightlingsea Harbour with the help of 100 school children

42

pairs of little terns recorded breeding on our shores

60

University of Essex students surveyed saltmarsh restoration in action

24

radio and TV interviews conducted by our conservation experts

Lapwing photo: Sander Meertins - stock.adobe.com

WILD Winter 2023

| 9

Wildlife Wins

People are at the heart of wildlife conservation. We have 203 members of staff, over 2,000 volunteers and almost 40,000 members taking action for wildlife every day.

Thanks to you, we have all of this to celebrate...

22

town and parish councils committed to taking action for nature on their turf

30

Urban Wildlife Champions being advocates for wildlife where they live

192

100k 354

41

7

people attended Team Wilder webinar and workshops

river champions and surveyors taking action along our waterways

77 1st

confident and inquisitive children enrolled at the Nature Nursery to date

WILD Winter 2023

businesses signed up as Investors in Wildlife

Local Groups hosted events and talks to support the Trust

25,020

individuals across the county experienced wildlife at over 600 wilder learning events

119,100 97%

Random acts of Wildness outstanding report awarded carried out during 30 to the Nature days wild Nursery 10 |

hours of hard work logged by our incredible volunteers

1.6m

of event attendees reported a deepened connection to nature wellies, walking boots and wheels came through our nature discovery centre doors

Wildlife Wins

7.5

million people read about our campaigns and projects in magazines and newspapers

45%

of our dedicated members have been with us for 10 years or more

100

members helped us become more sustainable by switching to a green membership

157

artists battled with paintbrushes and pencils to be crowned the winner of our coastal creations art competition

135,000 Child photo: Finn - stock.adobe.com

people tuned in to watch live bats, badgers and birds through our webcams WILD Winter 2023

| 11

Local Group news

News from our Local Groups Colchester Local Group

Braintree Local Group

Our current Local Group committee has been successfully working together for over three years now and our Chair, Diane Cattermole, and husband Pete have been active on the committee for around ten years.

This autumn, we have enjoyed a fascinating talk on glow worms by Tim Gardiner from the Environment Agency and talks on the ‘Serpents of Essex’ by Jon Cranfield and ‘The Unnatural History of Rivers’ by Darren Tansley from Essex Wildlife Trust.

Diane Cattermole, Chair

We all enjoy our roles very much and offer a varied programme of events each quarter ranging from walks to quizzes, talks to plant sales. This year, we’ve worked with a local primary school to green their school grounds.

Our fundraising has also enabled the improvement project at Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park.

We couldn’t do any of this though without you, our Local Group members whose generous donations enable us to continue.

Marion May, Secretary

Our Events Coordinator, Tracey Kay, will be taking a break from arranging our events so we have no further events due to take place. If anyone would be interested in taking on the role of Events Coordinator, please contact Tracey at kay.tracey@yahoo.co.uk. We would like to thank Tracey for all the wonderful talks she has arranged over many years and for all her hard work in arranging them.

Havering Local Group Tendring Local Group Kevin Marsden, Chair

Our first event of 2023, with queues at the gate, was our always-popular plant sale at Barnes Spinney raising over £1,000! Weeley Hall Wood Bluebell Open Day was also well supported, raising over £900. This was followed by pond dipping at Great Holland Pits nature reserve, with the wonderful bonus of an attendant nightingale.

The Open Day at Wrabness, with guided walks, was not so well supported but enjoyed by all who did attend. In September, we held a beach cleaning event at Colne Point.

We are looking forward to delivering a host of winter talks.

David Marshall, Chair

We currently have monthly walks and talks on offer throughout the year. Walks are on the first Saturday of each month. The talks for 2024 are likely to change from afternoons back to evenings each month, subject to finding a suitable venue, in anticipation of being more inclusive. Recent walks have included both Hanningfield and Abberton, and informative talks include the wildlife of Costa Rica and the vital nature of our soils. A future walk at Rainham Marshes nature reserve might be of special interest.

All are welcome to events.

Brentwood and Billericay Local Group Graham Clegg, Chair

Chelmsford Local Group Sue McClellan, Secretary

Following a successful series of guided walks and illustrated talks in 2023, we’re happy to announce dates for the beginning of our 2024 programme Wednesdays 24 January, 28 February, 27 March and 24 April. It would be great if you could pop these in your diaries early and support our events at Great Baddow Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road CM2 9RL. Contact Sue via suem@idnet.com or 01245 471576 for details.

In October, we met up with members of the Norsey Wood Society for a fungi foray in Norsey Wood. We were invited to split up into groups and forage for fungi. About 40 different species were laid out on the display table for identification by the expert, Tony Boniface, assisted by other knowledgeable members. Later that same month, we learnt more about this ancient woodland and the work of the Norsey Wood Society when Ken Richmond gave us an illustrated talk, which we all enjoyed.

I would like to welcome Heather Holmes (Secretary) and Maria Cuthbert (Publicity) to the Local Group committee.

All Local Groups events can be found on the Trust's website.

12 |

WILD winter 2023

Fly agaric photo: Guy Edwardes/2020VISION

Help us nurture nature forever with a gift in your Will today

Just a 1% gift in your Will to Essex Wildlife Trust will protect nature and the wild places you love.

For more details on leaving a gift in your Will, call our Legacy Team on 01621 735233, visit www.essexwt.org.uk/gifts-in-wills or scan the QR code.

Love Essex • Love Wildlife

Registered Charity: No 210065. Blue tit photo: ondrejprosicky - stock.adobe.com

What’s on this Winter

Winter What’s

T

he final season of the year is upon us and the magical transformation that winter carries with it is underway. The sun-lit days give themselves up earlier to the darkness of night. Hibernating animals gather the last of their food stores and add finishing touches to their winter dwellings. The most stubborn leaves on our trees finally let go, laying bare the elaborate branches and trunks for all to see. Hawthorn and holly resemble the festive trees in our own homes, decorating themselves with bright red berries.

For many, winter is a time of tranquility. Tranquility and an opportunity to hide away and slow down. What better occasion to reconnect with nature and the wildlife that shows such strength and resilience through the wind, rain and snow outside our windows? Although many of our local animals will be tucked safely away in a burrow or a den, look to the skies and you might catch a glimpse of a stunning starling murmuration. Or, move your gaze to the ground, where you’ll see snowdrops tilting their heads down to admire the carpet of fallen leaves on the woodland floor. Take the time to appreciate nature’s new appearance.

With many hiding spots unmasked, birds are easier to see in the bare trees, and you can often hear their winter chorus amongst the whistling winds. Try to spot some of our winter birds singing away while you embark on a crisp walk or opt for a slighter warmer approach by looking out into your own garden. We’ve created a list of birds for you to check off as you go, whether they’re noticed by your eye or ear.

Discover things to do and spot in

December, January and February 14 |

WILD Winter 2023

on this

What’s on this Winter

Winter nature to spot

Robin

Chaffinch

Long-tailed tit

Dunnock

Bullfinch

Redwing

Great tit

Barn owl

Nuthatch

Fieldfare

Waxwing

Goldcrest

Spotted some of these? We'd love to see. Tag us in your photos and videos on social media or send us a picture of your finds to magazine@essexwt.org.uk Bullfinch background photo: Jesus - adobe.stock.com

WILD Winter 2023

Barn owl: Russell Savory, bullfinch, chaffinch and great tit: Bob Coyle, dunnock: MarkHamblin/2020VISION, fieldfare: RichardSteel/2020VISION, goldcrest: Chris Lawrence, long-tailed tit and nuthatch: Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography, redwing: Margaret Holland, robin: Chris Maguire, waxwing: Donald Sutherland

We’ve created a handy checklist to cut out and keep, featuring some of winter’s most iconic birds. Get ready to wander through wintery woodlands, pace through puddles and gaze across the garden to spot as many as you can.

| 15

winter Events and activities

Dates for your diary Wreath Making • Wednesday 13 December • 10am-12.30pm • Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Park, CM11 1WT Enjoy a morning of creativity and make works of art for your home using natural materials and processes such as willow and foliage. £25 per person, please book in advance online.

Watercolour classes: Painting Nature • Fortnightly Wednesdays from 17 January • 10am-12.30pm • Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park, CO5 7DN Join watercolour artist, Vivien McGuinness, for a relaxed, friendly and fun filled six week course. Everyone is welcome and no previous experience is necessary. The course is £108 per person for 6 weeks.

Illustrated Talk: Wilderness & Wild Places • Wednesday 24 January • 7.30pm-9.30pm • Great Baddow Millennium Community Centre, CM2 9RL

Christmas Doors Trail • Saturday 16 December Sunday 7 January • Abberton Reservoir Nature Discovery Park, CO2 0EU The Christmas doors are back around Abberton this festive period. Come find them and answer the questions to redeem your prize. Just visit the front desk on arrival to purchase your trail sheet for £3 per person.

Chelmsford Local Group are hosting a talk by Jo Roberts, CEO of Wilderness Foundation, who will discuss the importance of nature, and how it improves people’s mental, social and physical wellbeing.

Monthly Walk Heybridge Basin • Saturday 3 February • 10am-12pm • Heybridge Basin, Basin Road, Maldon, CM9 4RW Take in the sights of Heybridge Basin at our monthly Havering Local Group walk, where we will take in splendid views of the Blackwater Estuary and Osea Island. This event is free to attend but please book by phone on 07802 212 151 or email ts15457@netscape.net

Ladybirders Walk • Tuesday 6 February • 10am-12pm • The Naze Nature Discovery Centre, CO14 8LE Come and join our expert guide Liz Huxley and our group of lady birders on the first Monday of every month to walk and learn all about the birds at The Naze. This is suitable for complete beginners with a thirst for knowledge or for more experienced birders and is £7 per person.

Quiz Night • Friday 9 February • 7.30pm-9.30pm • Bardswell Social Club, CM14 4TJ Come along for a fun evening of great quizzing. Come alone and join a team or bring along some teammates and test your knowledge. Tickets priced at £12, including a light supper, are available from John Allen on 01277 231 305 or chainbridge1009@gmail.com

Wivenhoe Winter Walk • Sunday 25 February • 11am • High Street Car Park, High Street, Wivenhoe, CO7 9AZ Join us for this walk in Wivenhoe.

We will walk and take in the views of the riverside, woodlands and marsh, keeping an eye out for winter waders and other wildlife.

No booking is necessary for this event and tickets are £4 per person.

Discover many more events, find details and book online through our website, www.essexwt.org.uk/events 16 |

WILD winter 2023

winter Events and activities

Events winter

and activities Grab your wellies and waterproofs, as we have a packed calendar of activities to encourage you to get out and about this winter. Join Essex Wildlife Trust for guided tours, expert talks and creative workshops all around the county.

Our regular events for children and families: Nature Tots

Join our weekly parent and toddler group where young children can explore, play and learn through nature, suitable for ages 18 months to five years.

Home education

Our Forest School home education sessions are a series of specialised, play-based, learning activities.

SEND Forest Fun

Our regular forest outdoor learning sessions for SEND children, where they can learn bushcraft skills, enjoy making natural arts and crafts and go for a nature walk.

School holiday events

Throughout the school holidays, we are offering a wide range of wildlife-themed events, from family activities to drop-off days, at each of our Nature Discovery Centres.

Birthday parties

Are you looking for an exciting and hassle-free party with a difference? Our Nature Discovery Centres offer wildlife-themed birthday parties for all ages.

Red deer stag photo: Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

WILD winter 2023

| 17

eyes to the skies

Eyes to the skies Female sparrowhawk

Female kestrel

Much larger than males

Uniform brown colouration

Fanned tail while hovering

Brown above but grey bars underneath

Male sparrowhawk

Dark bars across whole tail

Male kestrel

Blue-grey black and orange barred chest

Blue-grey feathers on head

Rounded wings

White underparts 18 |

WILD Winter 2023

Buff-coloured chest

Grey tail, deep black band

Fanned tail while hovering

eyes to the skies

There are 16 birds of prey species that are regularly seen in the UK. These well-adapted majestic birds are classed in this category because they hunt for other living things for their food such as rabbits, rodents, lizards and fish.

Characteristically, birds of prey have fantastic vision, sharp talons and hooked beaks. Often, birds of prey soar overhead or perch patiently, so it may be hard to identify them quickly.

Here are some identifiers to help you distinguish a few of Essex’s frequent visitors.

Tawny owl

Buzzard

Dark wingtips

Rounded brown face

Broad, rounded wings

Dark eyes Stocky body

Brown or grey underparts

White underside

Yellow legs

Barn owl

Red kite

Mainly white feathers

Varying brown streaks

Black tips

Angled, red wings

Orange/buffer upper parts

Forked tail

Angel-like wing shape Heart-shaped face

Females have black spots on chests and darker colourations

White patches after ‘hand’ WILD Winter 2023

| 19

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Care for

wild birds this winter

Established in 1825, Henry Bell & Co Limited is a fourth-generation family-owned British business that produces high-quality pet and wild bird food and accessories.

The company first operated in the farming industry, supplying feeds, fertilisers and trading cereals and pulses. In the early 1980s, with the introduction of three micronisers, Henry Bell became one of the leading suppliers of flaked cereals and pulses to the animal and pet food industry. In 1998, the installation of a computerised mixing plant further increased flexibility and enabled Henry Bell to expand its capacity and create mixes for a wide range of wild birds and small animals, catering to a varied customer base.

Knowledge and understanding are key to the creation of excellence in pet food. With over 175 years of expertise in choosing quality feeds, Henry Bell products are designed with care, understanding and consideration for the wellbeing of wild birds and pets.

You can purchase items from this range at all Nature Discovery Centres. Find your nearest centre here: www.essexwt.org.uk/ visit/centres

21 | WILD SUMMER 2022 Love Essex • Love Wildlife Registered Charity No. 210065

Danbury Ridge nature reserves

Danbury Ridge nature reserves

Danbury Ridge nature reserves are a mosaic of woodland, heathland, grassland, streams, and bogs that together create a nature network of over 100 hectares.

22 |

WILD Winter 2023

Danbury Ridge nature reserves

What to look out for this winter at Danbury Ridge Barbastelle bat Recognised as a bat hotspot by Natural England and Essex Bat Group, Danbury is home to one of the rarest UK mammals. With pug-like faces, they are easily differentiated from other bats.

Find them in woodlands, where streams and ponds are close by.

Towering trees

From magical ancient woodlands to newly-emerging buds from coppiced trees, discover different species across this complex. Look for conifers, ash, broadleaf and oak.

Badger

When the sun starts to set, these social mammals come out to explore their surroundings. With distinct black and white stripes that decorate their long faces, badgers snuffle and sniff looking for worms and other tasty treats.

Billie’s facts Lesser spotted woodpecker

Similarly patterned to the great spotted woodpecker, these rarer species have black and white barring all the way across their backs. Powerful beaks allow them to hunt for hidden insects within dead wood.

Danbury Ridge nature reserves

Size: Over 100 hectares Address: Runsell Lane, Danbur y, Chelmsford, CM3 4NZ Access: Limited parking off the road at the main entrance. Some inclines and uns urfaced paths can be muddy in winter, particularly the bridle path.

Dogs: Dogs permitted under effe ctive control.

Grazing animals on site from Ma rch-October.

Lesser spotted woodpecker: phototrip.cz - stock.adobe.com, barbastelle bat: remus20 - stock.adobe.com, oak tree: Ben Porter, badger: Russell Savory

WILD Winter 2023

| 23

Danbury Ridge nature reserves : Don Sutherland

ary Silver-washed fritill

a mosaic of habitats The nature reserves within Danbury Ridge are unique, boasting a variety of habitats and wildlife for you to explore.

Protected heathlands are being restored at Woodham Walter Common and Little Baddow Heath, which boast colourful arrays of pink ling heather in the summertime.

Within the grassland meadows, look out for common spotted orchids, heath milkwort and fluttering butterflies like the peacock and holly blue. In the winter, hedgerows of blackthorn, hawthorn, hazel and dogrose act as corridors for wildlife to travel safely through Pheasanthouse Farm.

Across the UK, 80% of peatland bogs have been lost or damaged. At Pheasanthouse Wood, you will find a rare peatland in action, supporting bright-green mosses and ferns and attracting insects such as the silver-washed fritillary. This isn’t the only area for water-loving species. At Little Baddow Heath, gravel-covered slopes curve downwards towards a stream valley, where the sunshine-yellow flowers of celandine pepper the banks in spring.

Ling heather: Ro

ss Hoddinott/20

20VISION

Keeping nature connected Woodlands are an important part of the Danbury Ridge nature complex. They form a green lung in the community, and an oasis for wildlife. Across the landscape, butterflies flutter through the canopies, while colonies of wood ants work busily on their dome-shaped mounds. In springtime, the sweet perfume of lily-of-the-valley fills the trees, with drooping white bell-shaped buds.

These are all indicators of ancient woodlands.

Sadly, Fir Tree Wood in Little Baddow, near Danbury, is under threat of being sold and divided into plots. Just a stone’s throw away from the ever-growing urban environment surrounding Chelmsford and Maldon, there is a risk that this enchanting woodland will be degraded, and restrictions introduced for both people and wildlife. Across Danbury Ridge, elusive and scarce barbastelle bats with their flattened pug-like faces and dark, silky fur forage through the woodlands on the lookout for moths, midges and beetles.

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WILD Winter 2023

Wood ant nest: Mark Hamblin/ 2020VISION

Dormouse: Ian Pratt

Lesser spotted woodpecker, the rarest of Britain’s woodpeckers, nest within the trees. Adorable dormice, when they’re not hibernating safely in their woven nests near the base of trees, climb throughout the woodland complex looking for hazelnuts, berries and insects. These species rely on nature networks, to travel and move safely between.

In Essex Wildlife Trust's hands, Fir Tree Wood will become a new nature reserve: a key piece in the jigsaw of habitats collectively known as the Danbury Ridge. Together, Danbury Ridge will become one of the largest woodland complexes in Essex, and essential for nature recovery in Essex.

Lily-of-the-valley photo: lumikk555 - stock.adobe.com

Danbury Ridge nature reserves

A critical

piece of

the puzzle

HELP save fir tree wood

in Little Baddow

With increasing pressure on our natural resources and habitats, this enchanting complex is fundamental to nature recovery in Essex and must be protected.

Please help us raise £200,000 to help us secure this woodland’s future. Your donation will ensure this mosaic of habitats across Danbury Ridge are managed together for wildlife and Fir Tree Wood is protected as woodland.

"Fir Tree Wood

is under threat of being sold and divided into plots."

Donate today Visit www.essexwt.org.uk/fir-tree-wood Phone 01621 735399 Text FIRTREE followed by your donation amount to 70085* Send a cheque** Scan the QR code Your donation will be used for the purpose of purchasing Fir Tree Wood, protecting it as woodland in perpetuity and ensuring it is managed as a woodland habitat. Should we not reach our appeal target, or the sale of the land is unable to proceed, funds raised through this campaign will be used to further enhance our conservation work in Danbury Ridge. If we exceed our target, we will be able to increase our impact and invest further resources into the management and restoration of woodlands across the Danbury Ridge area. *You can donate any whole pound amount between £1 and £20. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from us. If you would like to donate but don’t wish to hear more from us, please text FIRTREENOINFO instead. **Cheques are made payable to Essex Wildlife Trust and sent to Fundraising Team, Abbotts Hall, Maldon Road, Great Wigborough, Colchester, CO5 7RZ.

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One of the UK’s rarest mammals, the elusive barbastelle bats – with their pug-like face and dark, silky fur – have chosen Danbury’s expanse of woodland to call their home. The bats move freely across Fir Tree Wood, utilising its network of woodland rides and streams, roosting in multiple trees and foraging through the woodlands on the lookout for moths, midges and beetles.

One of the UK's rarest mammals

There are as few as 5,000 in the UK

Adopt a barbastelle bat Money raised through bat adoptions will be added to our Fir Tree Wood appeal. So, by adopting a barbastelle bat – either for yourself or as a gift – you will be helping this unique species have a safe and viable future.

Simply visit

www.essexwt.org.uk/adopt-species

Love Essex • Love Wildlife Registered Charity No. 210065

Barbastelle bat photo: ondrejprosicky - stock.adobe.com

Essex wildlife trust’s ambassadors

Essex Wildlife Trust’s Ambassadors

Harriet More I'm very excited to support the Trust and make a difference for wildlife in Essex. Our wildlife is really suffering from decisions others have made in the past. We need to take action now before it is too late.

Our wilder garden I really enjoyed being out in our garden in the summer, looking at the butterflies, bees and other insects hopping from flower to flower. I find it really relaxing being outside, particularly after a day at school.

When we first moved into our house the garden looked nice and tidy, but there was very little to attract wildlife. There were tall dark leylandii hedges which were dead in the middle and with nothing growing under them.

Over the last few years, we have tried to transform the garden into a wildlife haven a little bit at a time. It's still a family garden with areas of short grass for us to sit out, with space to throw a ball for the dog, and of course space for my trampoline.

The big leylandii hedges have now gone. In their place we have planted a mixed hedge with species we see locally when walking the dog. We sowed wildflower seed around the hedge saplings to create wild edges for butterflies, bees and other insects. They are great for wildlife, and they look and smell amazing when in flower. There are lots of different species which flower from early spring throughout the summer providing food and shelter for passing insects.

During lockdown I made some short videos for Essex Wildlife Trust's Wildlife TV with my dad, using things we had lying around in the garden or we could find on our walks. We made a hedgehog house using some bricks and paving slabs. We put this behind the shed next to the new hedge and wildflower borders. We made some hedgehog holes through and under the fences so the hedgehogs could get into the garden and roam freely to feed at night.

We’ve seen a few hedgehogs since doing this, both on trail cams we set up overnight and when Fern, our golden retriever, found them late in the evening. We even had a neighbour's tortoise visit using the holes.

We’ve made bug hotels using offcuts of wood and some logs which we drilled holes into. My dad attached them to the fences above the wild edges. These are full every year, used by solitary bees and other insects.

We made a small wildlife pond using a butler sink, some stones and bits of wood so hedgehogs can escape if they fall in when drinking.

Under the trampoline, we sowed wildflower seeds and left them to go wild. This was claimed by the dog in the hot weather but was still alive with insects and other bugs and beasties. In the inaccessible corner behind the trampoline we created a small log pile and planted some silver birches.

It's amazing how even small changes can make a big difference in just a few years. It doesn’t have to cost much and you don’t need lots of space. Imagine if everyone did their bit, what a difference it could make for nature across the country.

Harriet is a 12 year old secondary school student and Junior Ambassador for Essex Wildlife Trust. She loves exploring nature outside and has made videos with her dad for Essex Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife TV. These show people how to help wildlife such as creating wildlife ponds and making hedgehog houses.

Hedgehog photo: Tom Marshall

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Wildlife tracks

Who’s been dashing through the snow?

No one wishes for a white Christmas more than a wildlife detective! If not snow, then the muddier the better. Why? Because snow and mud covered landscapes are the perfect blank canvas for hooves, paws and claws. Indentations underfoot can paint a colourful picture of which animals have been tiptoeing through the trees. Take note of our mammal tracking tips and lower your gaze to the ground, there are all sort of clues to be found.

Blooming brilliant! Hedgehog prints feature four feet, each long and thin with three middle toes pointing forward and two side toes that point outwards, making a flower shape. When investigating hedgehog tracks, keep in mind that often only four of their toes are visible.

To see whether hedgehogs visit your garden, why not set a hedgehog footprint tunnel? Scan the QR code to find out how to make your own.

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s

Hed

o h e g

Searching for Billie Badger? Billie’s prints are rather broad (6.5cm wide). Look out for long claw marks in front of their five toe pads and wide rear pad. Upon closer inspection, you may even be able to tell which prints are front paws as these have longer claws for digging. Back paws have inner toes which are slightly further forward.

Badgers are known to retrace the same paths again and again so tracks on clear paths through vegetation and woodland may hint to badgers!

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Mi

Ot t

Found large, webbed footprints close to a river?

These could be from an otter. Their prints can be up to 9cm long and 6cm wide and feature five toes and a large rear pad. Often claw marks can’t be seen in their prints and, like hedgehogs, sometimes only four toes imprint. If it’s a muddy area, you might just see the distinctive ‘drag’ of a tail.

Don’t mistake mink, weasel or stoat prints for otter prints. Although similar, their prints will have a fifth toe and their claw marks may be visible. However, the most obvious clue is that mink, weasel and stoat prints range from 1 to 4cm whereas otter prints are a gigantic 9cm in comparison.

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Happy hoppers have hind feet at least twice as large as their front feet creating two pairs of prints, one smaller, staggered pair and one longer, narrower pair. Each foot will have four pads. The way they hop will leave Y-shaped tracks. Rabbits are social characters and therefore, many overlapping Y-shaped tracks will point towards a fluffle of rabbits, especially in wooded areas. Singular, much larger tracks found in more open spaces can be credited to a hare.

R

Wildlife tracks

A star-shaped print, water voles have five toes that splay outwards with the two outer toes perpendicular to the three inner toes. Their entire foot measures about 3.5cm long with short heels.

Muntjac, roe, fallow or red deer hooves will each leave a pair of long, pointed toe impressions in the ground. Some say their tracks can look like an upside-down heart. The different deer species will each leave footprints of a different size.

Small but mighty muntjac prints are about 3cm long, roe deer prints are roughly 5cm, fallow deer leave 7cm tracks and the impressive red deer l eave 9cm long tracks.

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You can tell water vole prints from rat prints as rat prints are usually one centimeter longer. Rats also have longer heels and all their toes on their hind feet sit parallel.

er

Sheep tracks are often mistaken for deer tracks but you can tell them apart as the tracks of sheep tend to be much more rounded at the top.

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WINTERING 7-SPOT LADYBIRDS © PREMAPHOTOS, NATUREPL.COM

presssing pause

Insects have an incredible trick for surviving the harsh weather of winter, as entomologist Dr Ross Piper reveals.

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Magazine Name | Summer 2023

WILD Winter 2023

presssing pause

H

uman ingenuity and technology have enabled us to thrive in every corner of the globe, from the chilly polar regions to the sweltering tropics and everywhere in between. Insects might lack our technology, but this hasn’t limited their own ability to colonise and thrive in just about every terrestrial and freshwater habitat there is.

How are these animals able to survive extremes of temperature: the cold winters of temperate locations and periods of intense heat and drought? These six-legged marvels have evolved a number of ways of dealing with extremes, from waxy exoskeletons that minimise water loss to behaviours such as migration. However, they also have an ability that makes them more-or-less immune to the vagaries of the environment. It is known as diapause. This phenomenon is easily overlooked and is as remarkable as it is subtle; a

period of seeming calm and inactivity that belies extreme changes at the cellular level.

In response to challenging environmental conditions, insects can stall their development, effectively pressing the pause button until conditions improve. The diapausing animal is still alive, but its cellular machinery shifts from cells dividing and organs developing to a state of ‘tick-over’ and maintenance. With that said, some diapausing insects may even remain active, but they feed less and their reproductive development will be slowed or halted.

How does this differ from the hibernation we see in mammals? In hibernation, metabolism slows and body temperature drops, but in essence, it is a very deep sleep. In contrast, diapause is a much more extreme form of inactivity, as the life of an insect in this state is effectively ‘paused’.

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pressing pause

Hide to survive In a deep state of diapause, the insect can’t respond to danger and flee from predators, but usually diapause takes place in the soil, behind flaking bark, deep within a plant stem or in some similar sheltered location, offering a degree of protection from these external threats. If you go out searching for insects in the depths of winter, it’s not difficult to find lots of examples of diapause. You might discover beetles, wasps and lots more besides under the bark of a dead tree, a whole community of diapausing species in a grassy tussock, or eggs and myriad larvae in the upper parts of the cold soil.

Across the vast diversity of insect life, diapause is extremely common; however, for any given insect species the phenomenon only typically occurs in a single stage of the life cycle. Often, diapause happens in the immature stages of the life cycle – the eggs or the larvae – but it can also occur in the pupae as well as the adults. Take, for example, the peacock butterflies you might find in your garden shed in the depths of winter.

These are in diapause and in really cold snaps you can even see ice on them. Shutting down for the colder months, the bodies of these diapausing

butterflies will undergo some radical changes, such as the production of anti-freeze chemicals and the shrinkage of their flight muscles, which will grow back to normal size as diapause comes to an end.

How is this strange state triggered? It’s not as though a jaded insect suddenly decides one day that it needs a long rest. The actual triggers are environmental and rather subtle.

In insects that need to survive the winter, it is falling temperatures and shorter day length that trigger the cellular changes needed for diapause. For example, blowfly maggots frantically feeding on a carcass in autumn will respond to the decreasing day length and falling temperatures by guzzling the decaying matter they need, before crawling out of the carcass and burrowing into the soil. Normally, the maggots would pupate straight away, but the physiological response to the shortening days and lower temperatures is stalled development, so the maggots don’t pupate until the following spring. The raft of changes that occur inside the body of the diapausing insect can include the production of compounds and proteins that protect delicate cellular structures from the ravages of extreme temperatures.

Dr Ross Piper is an entomologist, ecologist, author and presenter. His pursuit of insects, especially beetles, has taken him around the world.

ROOSTING PEACOCK BUTTERFLY © GARY K SMITH, NATUREPL.COM

In some insects, flight muscles get smaller at the onset of diapause and then increase in size again towards the end

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WILD Winter 2023

pressing pause

PRESSING PAUSE

The UK’s insect populations have suffered drastic declines, with far-reaching consequences for wildlife and people. Find out how you can help reverse these declines at

wildlifetrusts.org/action-for-insects

EGGS ON A PUSS MOTH CATERPILLAR © ROSS PIPER

Biding their time With its life on pause, a diapausing insect is capable of some extremely impressive feats of survival.

Take the large copper butterfly (which was once found in the UK but is now sadly extinct here); the caterpillars of this fenland species can handle being completely submerged in fresh or brackish water for 28 days with no impact on survival. They can go on for much longer too, at least 84 days, but beyond 28 days fewer of them make it through the ordeal. This underscores just how little metabolism is going on in the diapausing insect; it must be using a vanishingly small amount of oxygen to survive underwater for such a long period of time.

Perhaps the most nefarious exhibition of diapause is in parasitoid wasps and flies. The female parasitoid will deposit her eggs, either singly or en masse, into or onto the unfortunate host. Depending on the species, the development of the eggs or young parasitoid larvae will be stalled until the host becomes acceptably plump and ripe for being devoured. As well as the normal triggers of diapause, these parasitoids may be able to pause their development by detecting levels of certain hormones in the host that indicate when development should be stalled and when it should be kickstarted.

The active larva of the remarkable, albeit ghoulish small-headed flies seek out their host, a spider, and tunnel into its body, often through the leg joints.

Once inside, the larva will make for the book lungs (the spider’s respiratory system) and there any further development will be halted, sometimes for many years, until the spider is sufficiently sized for the fly larva to grow and pupate. When the spider is pleasingly plump the larva jolts into action, swiftly consuming the innards of the doomed host.

Sometimes, and adding insult to injury, the larva induces the host to spin a protective web that will shelter it during pupation.

This ability to slow or halt development is one of the cornerstones in the success of the insects.

It allows them to sit out extreme conditions, sometimes for very long periods, waiting for the better times to return.

A parasitoid wasp (Netelia vinulae) laid these eggs on a puss moth caterpillar.

Development of the larvae within the eggs will be paused until after the host has spun a cocoon to pupate in Magazine Name | Winter 2023

WILD Winter 2023

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Winter walks

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Winter walks

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Thameside Nature Discovery Park Mucking Wharf Road, Stanford-le-Hope, SS17 0RN

What was once one of the largest landfill sites in Western Europe is now unrecognisable as a thriving nature reserve at the mouth of the Thames Estuary. Across Thameside, a network of trails overlook Mucking Mudflats and Stanford Wharf. At the top of the site, our Nature Discovery Centre boasts an accessible rooftop, allowing everyone to enjoy panoramic views of the site to the mouth of the estuary.

Make sure to take a moment to look up and admire the starling murmurations that swirl across the sky like shape-shifting clouds.

If you are lucky, you may also witness a short-eared owl, with its piercing yellow eyes, gracefully hunting over the grasslands.

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Two Tree Island nature reserve Belton Way, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2GB

Take a breath of salty fresh air and escape from busy life by tuning into nature and enjoying a coastal walk. Look out over the mudflats, which are the ideal habitat for thousands of waders and wildfowl. Take a moment to stop and listen for the large shuffling flocks of dark-bellied brent geese that graze on the thick beds of eelgrass, having completed their epic journey from the Arctic to this small island in the Thames Estuary. Wander around the western section and you will reach the Lagoon Hide, where hundreds of waders such as curlew, dunlin, avocet, redshank and black-tailed godwit flock to.

Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park

South Green Road, Fingringhoe, Colchester, CO5 7DN Once a barren and lunar landscape after years as a quarry, Essex Wildlife Trust’s first reserve is now a haven for many species. Set in a spectacular position overlooking the Colne Estuary, even on the dullest of days the views from Fingringhoe Wick are stunning. Many wildlife hides are dotted around the site that offer refuge of peace and quiet. Look out for the thousands of waders and wildfowl that migrate to the estuary every winter, including the scarce avocet that sweeps its bill from side-toside in shallow water searching for tasty treats.

Numerous walking trails lead you through the different habitats that this site has to offer, where you can explore woodland, scrub, heathland and ponds.

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Bedfords Park Nature Discovery Centre Broxhill Road, Havering-atte-Bower, RM4 1QH

The parkland is filled with a myriad of habitats including mature woodland, marshes, meadows, ponds and streams to explore. At the heart of the site is the Nature Discovery Centre, where you will be met with a warm welcome and the chance to fuel up with a snack and look out over the spectacular views across London and into Kent. Keep your eyes peeled as you walk through the park and glimpse wild deer including roe, fallow and muntjac. If you aren’t lucky enough to catch a peek of the shy wild deer, you can admire the captive red deer herd grazing in the parklands.

Blue House Farm Nature reserve Fambridge Road, North Fambridge, CM3 6GU

Blue House Farm nature reserve is a wildlife haven that transforms with the seasons. In winter, you'll be treated to the incredible sight and sound of dark-bellied brent geese, having completed their remarkable 2,500-mile journey from Siberia. Plus, you'll be able to witness the stunning 40-hectare wetland which was created as part of a recently completed conservation project. This wetland provides a perfect habitat for a variety of wildfowl and wading birds, including lapwing, oystercatcher and redshank. Keep your eyes peeled for barn owls gracefully soaring over the fields on the look out for scurrying rodents. With its picturesque countryside views, coastal views, bird hides and even herds of grazing sheep, Blue House Farm promises an unforgettable winter adventure.

Common toad photo: Tom Marshall

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Abberton Reservoir Nature Discovery Park

Church Road, Layer-de-la-Haye, Colchester, CO2 0EU Winter is the perfect time to enjoy the wonders of this wetland site of international importance for wildfowl. You might be lucky enough to spot exciting visitors including smew and goldeneye birds soaring across the sky. Wander the circular trail round the reserve to the two bird hides and enjoy the chorus of migrating birds as you shelter from the elements.

Afterwards, head to the Nature Discovery Centre where you can enjoy a warming hot chocolate while taking in the views across the reservoir. Children can also enjoy the Brambly Hedge Trail and find Wilfred and his fellow mice including Primrose, Lord Woodmouse and Lady Woodmouse, hidden around the reserve.

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Coal tit photo: John Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

HOW TO HELP WILDLIFE

Deck the halls with home made fat balls

For our native birds, winter is a challenging time. During cold snaps, they need to eat almost constantly to maintain their bodyweight and reach the spring in healthy condition, ready to breed. Making homemade fat balls are a cheap, fun and easy way to support them through the harsher months. Packed with high-energy ingredients, you’ll have garden visitors swooping in for a snack in no time!

What you will need

Step 1

Gather all your ingredients.

Step 4

• Empty yoghurt pots • Garden twine or string • Sticky tape • A saucepan, kettle and bowl • Lard or dripping • Breadcrumbs • Seeds (sunflower or niger) • Stale breakfast cereal or mealworms

Step 2

Melt the lard in a saucepan on a gentle heat. Add all your ingredients and stir to get a good mixture.

Fill each pot with mixture. Once set, lower each pot into a bowl of hot water for 30 seconds and pull the ball out using its string.

WILD Winter 2023

Make a small hole in the bottom of each pot and thread a length of twine through each one. Cover the hole with sticky tape.

Step 5

Hang your fat balls in the garden, where you can see it from a window and keep your eyes peeled for garden visitors.

If you make your own fat balls, we’d love to see.

Send your pictures to magazine@essexwt.org.uk 36 |

Step 3

Our vision is for a Wilder Essex: a place where conservation spills over the boundaries of our nature reserves and expands across the whole county. To achieve this goal, we must think globally while acting locally.

Whether you live in a village, town, city or rural area, everyone has a role to play in helping wildlife bounce back. From rivers to road verges, woodlands to ponds, and gardens to city parks, we must all help restore our landscape and connect wild spaces.

Team Wilder is a movement of people, just like you, who want to take action for wildlife.

Visit www.essexwt.org.uk/team-wilder or scan the QR code to map your action.

Business

We want to hear from companies or other organisations taking action for wildlife on their grounds or buildings, from green infrastructure to wild edges.

Community group

Add a pin if you are a network of community members or volunteers that are taking action for wildlife in your own local area, from pocket parks to meadow creation.

Love Essex • Love Wildlife Registered Charity No. 210065.

School

Schools or eco-councils who are taking action for wildlife in and around their school grounds, from tree planting to classroom vegetable patches.

Faith group

Tell us if you are a faith group or network taking action for wildlife on your grounds or building, from swift box installation to community gardens.

Leaving behind a wilder world

Leaving behind a

wilder world It's thanks to our generous legacy pledgers and their wonderful loved ones that we are able to carry out our work and help inspire future generations to engage with local wildlife.

Glyn & Jean Baker’s story We recently received a very generous donation from Glyn Baker, in loving memory of his mother Jean.

Jean, who sadly passed away this year at the age of 94, was an inspiring woman who helped found the Essex Dyslexia Association. Jean was a determined woman who left such a positive legacy for both her loved ones and also on a much wider scale with her work and studies in helping to found the association, which began whilst she was seeking answers for her son, Glyn.

Glyn had been a member of the Trust for a number of years and has managed to photograph nearly all of our reserves. Upon retirement, Glyn became a life member and began taking his mother to our Nature Discovery Centres whilst visiting her at weekends. She thoroughly enjoyed her visits; the centres were ideal as they provided “a view, a brew and a loo!”.

Glyn has a long-standing connection with the Trust, having been a member for over 18 years, volunteering for over 10 and confirming so generously that he has left a gift in his Will to benefit us.

This connection to our charity prompted him to donate a wonderful amount in memory of his loving mother. This kind donation in her memory will help support the work of the Trust and our wildlife conservation.

We are enormously grateful to all our amazing pledgers and volunteers.

Glyn (right) with Cranham Crew volunteers

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WILD Winter 2023

leaving behind a wilder world

Helen Steel’s story Over the summer we were delighted to oversee the installation of some wonderful new signage and educational play equipment within the Badger Discovery Area at Fingringhoe Wick nature discovery park reserve.

The play area has benefitted from a beautiful and colourful new entrance sign, two new magnifying posts for children to get a closer look at all the wild and wonderful nature that surrounds them and a pair of binoculars that overlook a mosaic of different habitats.

These brilliant new additions were made possible thanks to some very kind donations made in memory of the late Helen Steel.

Helen had a real fondness for both our Fingringhoe and Abberton sites and enjoyed using Fingringhoe’s Lake Hide to spot birds; some of her favourites included swallows and swifts.

Helen was passionate about nature and loved seeing her great nieces and nephews searching for bugs, frogs and birds and so this new equipment is a very fitting tribute and will be used for both play and within our education programmes.

Helen was one of five siblings and the whole family came together to explore the new equipment, enjoy this special spot, and celebrate the installation in her memory.

It's thanks to people like Helen and their wonderful families and loved ones that we are able to carry out our work and help inspire future generations to engage with local wildlife.

For more information on leaving a donation in memory of your loved one or a gift in your Will, please don’t hesitate to contact the Legacy Team at legacies@essexwt.org.uk. You can also visit www.essexwt.org.uk/celebrate-commemorate or scan the QR code to find out more.

Lizzy Steward, Legacy Officer

Becky Jedrzejewski, Individual Giving Assistant

Swift: Mircea Costina - stock.adobe.com

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Nature Discovery Centres

Nature Discovery Centres Seek refuge from the cold, windy and frosty weather after a winter walk by visiting one of our 10 Nature Discovery Centres. We have wild events, activities, gifts and cosy cafés at each site. Make sure to drop in where you will receive a warm welcome.

Abberton Reservoir

Abberton Reservoir Nature Discovery Park

Bedfords Park Nature Discovery Centre

The return of dark nights might not enamour many of you, but here at Abberton it means amazing sunsets and the return of our stargazing events. Stargazing evenings are being run by our amazingly knowledgeable volunteers; there’s nothing that they don’t know about stars and planets. Look on Facebook or our website for dates and more information.

Jo Wray, Site Manager

We have been very busy at Bedfords transforming and enhancing our centre’s layout and have now introduced a new seating area. Our new seating area leads out to recently laid decking which has been very popular since we reopened to the public. This amazing new area can also be closed off and hired for any work or personal events so please enquire with us for more information.

Ben Stokes, Site Manager

Belfairs Nature Discovery Centre

Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park

After a wonderful summer, and our 10 year anniversary at Belfairs, we are looking forward to our Christmas festivities. Expect occasional appearances from 'The Man In Red'! Wellbeing walks led by Lizzie take place every Tuesday and are free to all. Full details on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EWTBelfairs Greg Borgartz, Site Manager

Winter is a great time on the reserve, as we enjoy the spectacle of large overwintering flocks of waders on the estuary, including brent geese and avocet. Then get cosy by the fire with some tea and cake and enjoy our monthly artists exhibitions.

Verity Hales, Site Manager

Church Road, Layer-de-la-Haye, Colchester, CO2 0EU 01206 738172 / abberton@essexwt.org.uk

Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 4LR 01702 477467 / belfairs@essexwt.org.uk

Broxhill Road, Havering-atte-Bower, RM4 1QH 01708 748646 / bedfords@essexwt.org.uk

South Green Road, Fingringhoe, Colchester, CO5 7DN 01206 729678 / fingringhoe@essexwt.org.uk

Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Park

Hawkswood Road, Downham, Billericay, CM11 1WT 01268 711001 / hanningfield@essexwt.org.uk

Hanningfield is a wonderful place to visit in the winter, come and take a crisp winter walk through the woodland and around the Wind in the Willows Trail then head back to the Nature Discovery Centre for a gingerbread latte to warm you up and a bit of retail therapy.

Justin Collins, Site Manager Fingringhoe Wick

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WILD Winter 2023

Abberton sunset: Peter Bowden, brent goose: Andrew Armstrong, fieldfare: Richard Steel/2020VISION, father and son: Syda Productions.

Nature Discovery Centres

The Naze

Hanningfield Reservoir

Langdon

Langdon Nature Discovery Park

The Naze Nature Discovery Centre

Winter is most certainly our favourite time of year, as the reserve transforms into a beautiful wintery landscape. Watch the early morning sun break through the mist and fog uncovering our breathtaking views.

Spot some of our migrant birds as they feast on an abundance of berries from the winter foliage. Shelter from the cold inside our visitor centre and browse our gift shop; from bird care to unique gifts, you may leave with more than you bargain for!

Charlotte Goodman, Site Manager

Come and join us for a weekend of festivities on 9 and 10 December, as well as a fantastic raffle, Christmas storytelling and crafting; we will be hosting local choirs and Santa himself! We will also have plenty of guided walks to blow away the cobwebs as the new year begins. We look forward to seeing you in 2024!

Helen Daw, Assistant Centre Manager/Visual Merchandiser

Lower Dunton Road, Basildon, SS16 6EJ 01268 419103 / langdon@essexwt.org.uk

Old Hall Lane, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8LE 01255 679379 / naze@essexwt.org.uk

Thameside Nature Discovery Park

Mucking Wharf Road, Stanford-le-Hope, SS17 0RN 01375 643342 / ttnp@essexwt.org.uk

Although wildlife might be in a dormant phase of the year, there is still plenty to see and do at Thameside over the winter months. As well as welcoming the return of Mother Christmas to her unique grotto in the woods as the festive period approaches, young families can take part in festive crafts and marshmallow toasting over an open fire. Out on the reserve, you will still be able to enjoy the sight of fieldfare, redwing and many of our winter waders will still be active.

Jimmy Allan, Site Manager

Thameside

arest centre e n r u o y r e v o c Dis isit/centres rg.uk/v www.essexwt.o

Follow each of ou r Nature Discovery Centre s on Facebook

WILD Winter 2023

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Coastal Creations Art Competition

Coastal Creations

Close to Home Showcasing the marine life and habitats of Essex’s very own magnificent coast.

Art Competition This National Marine Week (22 July – 6 August) we asked you to get creative and celebrate the sensational sea life we have along Essex’s diverse coastline. From the squishy, squelchy mudflats, to the swaying seagrass beneath the surface. The world was quite literally your oyster! Armed with pencils, paintbrushes and PVA, you took to this challenge like a seabird taking flight. Thank you to everyone who entered and a huge congratulations to our three winners: Alistair Fiddes, Eliza Vernitski and Stanway Green Lodge Residential Care Home.

Our winners were awarded fin-tastic prize bundles bursting with marine and art-themed goodies, thanks to the generosity of local artists and businesses including Michelle Parsons (@easelandcanvas), Laura Young (@laurayoungartdesign), Charlotte Frost (@charl_lucy_art) and Crafty Arts (@craftyartsuk). The winners and runners up were also showcased in an art exhibition, giving a splash of colour to The Naze Nature Discovery Centre until the end of October.

Winner: Eliza Vernitski, 11, Colchester

Runner-up: Philippa Murphy

Entry: Jacob Tout

Entry: Hazel Ebohon

Runner-up: Claire Bartlett

Gemma Cosson, Campaigns Assistant

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WILD Winter 2023

Coastal Creations Art Competition

Waves of Colour UK marine life isn’t all grey and dull, just look at these pieces!

Runner-up: Cotty Vicary

Entry: Eva Zaidi Malone

Winner: Alistair Fiddes, 69, Writtle

Runner-up: Rebekah Weatherhead

Entry: Reese Merrifield

Sea-stainable Re-use litter from a beach clean or rip up an old magazine, let’s mix art with sustainability.

Winner: Stanway Green Lodge Residential Care Home

Entry: Markos Spooner

Runner-up: Annabel Barry

Runner-up: Lynne Brown

Entry: Jesters Beaulieu Nursery

WILD Winter 2023

| 43

animal attraction

Animal Attraction Dip into the world of Essex Wildlife Trust’s podcast, The Wildlife Explorer. Here are some highlights from our interview with zoologist and author, Jules Howard, about the weird and wonderful stories of reproduction in the animal kingdom.

What are some of your favourite wildlife flirting techniques?

I’m a big fan of nuptial gifts. So, scorpion flies collect spiders as a gift for the female.

For them, a spider is such a nutritious meal, and to forego eating a spider to have a go at passing on your genes is a big evolutionary surprise. It gives a feel for how big a passion reproduction is for a lot of animals on earth.

Females are often pictured as quite a passive agent when it comes to courtship, but is this really the case?

Not at all, females are massive drivers of change.

In some ways the reason that males have ended up like this is because of millions of unseen choices of females over the years.

Can you give me an example of something a female might look for when choosing a mate?

Research shows that a drake that has had his way with lots of females will often carry diseases. A greener, murky coloured beak indicates a diseased male, whereas healthier males have bright, yellow beaks. So, yellow beaks are more attractive to the females! If an undesirable male forces himself upon a female she can control her complex inner system to

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WILD Winter 2023

animal attraction

Fun facts: misdirect his advances, which can make her less vulnerable to disease. Due to this ability, despite forced copulation making up a third of duck matings, only 3% of the eggs produced come from these pairings.

Can you tell me an example of a reproductive strategy that might surprise us from what might seem like the everyday animal?

Male house spiders approach females and carefully drum a tune onto the web, which the females use to assess the male’s size. The stronger the drumming, the more the female is going to go ‘Wow, he is going to be really big and muscly, let’s go for this!’. I love the fact that we think of our buildings as houses but really they’re just modified caves and the spiders that live in our houses are essentially cave spiders.

Why are some species monogamous, despite it not seeming like a beneficial way to spread genes?

Monogamy is much rarer than we used to think.

It’s a phenomenon that appears when it’s the only way in town to spread genes. So, if you have populations of albatrosses for instance, messing up the social dynamics by cheating essentially is going to be more damaging to your kids than having a stable, long bond with another individual. Though situations like that are ecologically quite rare.

Prize or guise? Some male spiders will present fake nuptial gifts, instead wrapping up worthless objects such as a rock or flower to trick the female!

Love on the brain: Studies show that some animals, such as the prairie vole, produce the same ‘love’ hormones in their brains as humans.

A pregnant pause: Some animals, like badgers, can pause pregnancy in its early stages until conditions are better for bearing offspring.

Please note, some of the above content has been paraphrased for concision purposes.

Want to learn more? Scan the QR code to listen to the full interview on our podcast now.

Cupid’s arrow: Garden snails fire ‘love darts’ into each others’ bodies while mating to increase their chances of fertilising their mate’s eggs.

Nursery web spider: David Longshaw, prairie voles: Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott/Minden Pictures, badger: Paul Browning - @macro.paul, garden snail: John Bridges Great crested grebes photo: Simon Stobart - adobe.stock.com

WILD Winter 2023

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Win for

Wildlife Play your local lottery to protect the future for wildlife and win cash prizes.

From £1 a week, you have a 1 in 50 chance to win a prize each week, with a top prize of £25,000. It could be you - sign up to the Essex Lottery and help keep Essex wild.

win a head turning

House sparrow photo: Fergus Gill/2020VISION

£25,000! www.essexwt.org.uk/wildlife-lottery Players must be 16 or over and located in the UK. The Essex Lottery is set up to support community projects in the local area.

By supporting Essex Wildlife Trust, 50% of your ticket will be used to fund the work of the Trust and 10% will help other good causes in Essex.

Always play responsibly. For more information on responsible gambling, please visit www.begambleaware.org.

The Essex Lottery is promoted by Essex County Council, a Local Authority Lottery licensed by the gambling commission. (Gambling Commission Account No: 49258)

Love Essex • Love Wildlife Registered Charity No. 210065

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12 days wild

ke a T

n y i o e ur str r u t a n id

e

t m s i r astid h C s i e h t As the colder temperatures and shorter days draw in, it may be tempting to follow suit with our wildlife and nestle in for the winter. We say farewell to the colourful wildflowers, fluttering butterflies and buzzing bees as winter paints our landscapes with frosty, crisp mornings and early sunsets.

For many animals, winter is the most challenging time of year. Luckily, there are countless ways to do your bit for nature and help our local species. A log or leaf pile might not seem appealing to us but are cosy spots for small mammals and amphibians. Providing seeds or fat balls is another small wildlife-friendly gesture and visiting birds will be extremely grateful for the energy boost.

Staying connected with wildlife in the darker months is invaluable for your health and wellbeing, with numerous studies boasting benefits such as feeling less stressed, being more physically fit and feeling happier. Why not enjoy a burst of winter sun on a walk, join a local litter picking group or meet like-minded people through volunteering with us?

Let’s leave hibernation to the wildlife and enjoy our wonderful wintery landscapes.

We want to see all your Random Acts of Wildness! Each day a 'wild' winner will be entered into our draw to win a festive prize. To be in with a chance to win, share your ideas with us on social media using #12DaysWild.

EssexWildlifeTrust

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WILD Winter 2023

@EssexWildlifeTrust

@EssexWildlifeTrust

12 days wild

12 days wild

Join our 12 Days Wild challenge from 25 December to 5 January and have a nature-filled start to the new year. Use our guide below for inspiration or think of your own wild activities.

1. Wintery walks

4. Swimming wild

8. Pick it up

Grab your gloves, lace up your boots and head to your local green space for a walk. We have over 100 nature reserves across Essex, perfect for a winter ramble (see page 36 for top winter walks).

Good for your mental and physical health, wriggle into your wetsuit and go for an outside swim (or just a dip!).

Set yourself a challenge of picking up 10 pieces of litter on your next walk or have a competition with friends.

9. Make a splash An unused plant pot is perfect for a mini garden pond. It will establish quickly over winter and be ready to welcome garden visitors come spring.

2. Draw the wild Use inspiration from around you to sketch, draw or paint your favourite scene or animal.

5. Catch up on our podcast

3. Nature’s carols If you’ve had your fill of festive songs, listen out for bird calls instead. Robins, chiffchaffs and long-tailed tits all sing proudly in winter.

Want to hear about Steve Backshall’s orca encounter or discover behind-thescenes secrets from Wild Isles? Now’s the time to catch up on The Wildlife Explorer podcast.

6. Fungi finding Create a spotter sheet with your favourite mushrooms and see how many different species you can locate.

10. Keeping up

with the badgers Tune in to our live webcam to see what the Fingringhoe Wick badger sett is up to.

After dark is the best time to catch them.

11. Clear out for nature By getting rid of any old and unwanted items at a car boot sale and fundraising, you can get organised and help wildlife at the same time.

7. Book worm

12. Recycle and re-use

Cosy up on the rainy days and immerse yourself in a wildlife book. Our favourites are ‘An Atlas of Endangered Species’ by Megan McCubbin and ‘Be a Birder’ by Hamza Yassin.

Get creative and make next year’s gift labels using your Christmas cards.

Short-eared owl: Danny Green/2020VISION, robin: Mark Hamblin/2020VISION, small pond: Penny Dixie.

WILD Winter 2023

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Uk news

UK NEWS UK UPDATE

Nature for the people

River restoration should be high on the agenda, with pollution threatening wildlife like kingfishers

he coming year will bring with it a general election, with the people of the UK given the opportunity to choose their representatives in government. One thing is clear: whichever party forms the UK Government, they must make it a priority to tackle the nature and climate crisis.

The Wildlife Trusts have created a set of asks detailing what we want to see – and what nature needs – from the UK Government. Our asks are broken down into five key sections, each with three simple steps outlining how it can be achieved. The Wildlife Trusts are calling for whomever makes the next UK Government to:

Bring back our lost wildlife

Nature is declining at a speed never previously seen and shows no signs of slowing. We need the Government to reverse this trend and put nature into recovery. They must ensure that at least 30% of land and sea is protected for it by 2030.

They must also stop the damage to our seas through sewage discharges and river pollution, as well as safeguarding Marine Protected Areas from development and destructive fishing methods. Finally, we want to see wild beavers in every major river catchment in England, Scotland and Wales – restoring wetlands and making space for nature.

End river pollution

Many of the UK’s rivers are polluted beyond legal limits, and less than half are in good condition ecologically – but the Government can take action. Firstly, they must ensure that environmental watchdogs have the powers and resources to enforce the law, with regular monitoring and commensurate penalties for parties who knowingly break it. They must halve nutrient pollution from sewage, wastewater and agriculture by 2030. Finally, we need stronger protection for chalk streams, one of the world’s rarest habitats.

Fund wildlife-friendly farming

Farming is one of the main causes of wildlife declines, but it doesn’t have to be. Government can support farmers to grow in harmony with nature and help bring wildlife back. They need to double the budget for wildlife-friendly farming, halve the use of pesticides and protect farming against climate change. The extreme heat and droughts in 2017 and 2022 provided a taste of the reality to come; farmers need more support to adapt to climate change.

Green our communities

Too many of us live in polluted, nature-deprived neighbourhoods. These poor quality living conditions are damaging people’s health and cutting lives short. We need a Natural Health Fund to reduce the strain on the NHS and public services. We need a legally mandated right to a clean and healthy environment, protecting nature and the health and wellbeing of us all. And we need all children to be given the opportunity to learn outdoors.

Tackle the climate emergency

Climate change is driving nature’s decline, whilst the loss of wildlife and wild places leaves us ill-equipped to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to change. It’s a vicious cycle that demands immediate action. We need the UK Government to help nature and people adapt to climate change, protect the blue carbon in our marine environments, and make our homes more energy efficient.

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WILD Winter 2023

uk news

UK HIGHLIGHTS

In hot water Summer saw global sea surface temperatures reach an all time high, with worrying implications for the world’s wildlife. In August, the Copernicus climate modelling service reported that the global average daily sea surface temperatures hit 20.96°C, breaking the record of 20.95°C set in 2016.

The changes to sea temperature we are already seeing as the climate warms are particularly dangerous to unique and threatened ecosystems, such as warm water coral reefs. This risk was demonstrated this summer in Florida, where corals were not only bleaching at alarming rates, but dying very quickly.

The UK’s seas will not be immune to the changes we are seeing now. June saw an extreme marine heatwave develop off our coasts. Sustained high temperatures can lead to the death and changes in behaviour of fish and other marine wildlife, with significant impacts on food webs.

Alongside the record sea surface and land surface temperatures, the last year has also seen unprecedented changes in the extent of Antarctic sea ice and wildfires. Other extreme weather was also widespread, with many catastrophic heatwaves and flooding incidents around the world.

As the impacts of a warming planet become more obvious, the Wildlife Trusts are urging this UK Government to accelerate action on climate change.

It’s vital that we reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, but also that we do more to adapt to the changes we are already seeing. The impacts of climate change will keep getting worse until the world hits net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Global emissions are still increasing, and haven’t started to drop yet.

Find out more about combatting the climate and nature emergency at wildlifetrusts.org/emergency

Grey partridges are just one of the threatened species that will benefit

New fund for nature’s recovery The Wildlife Trusts are ramping up plans to combat the nature crisis thanks to a £6 million investment from the Ecological Restoration Fund. The money will support rewilding projects, the reintroduction of keystone species and better protections for marine and coastal habitats.

The programme will work towards creating bigger and more connected wild areas for nature’s recovery, which

are essential to protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030. Projects that will benefit include a coast-to-coast nature recovery programme along Hadrian’s Wall, peatland restoration in Northern Ireland, and wetland restoration across the River Severn catchment.

Find out more at wildlifetrusts.org/6-million-ERF

Discover how The Wildlife Trusts are helping wildlife across the UK

A model approach The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is growing a sustainable alternative to goose-feather down. BioPuff®, which can replace feathers in padded jackets, is made from the fluffy seadheads of bulrushes. The Trust plans to re-wet agricultural peatland to grow the bulrushes, protecting the carbon in the peat and reducing emissions. wtru.st/bulrush-clothing

The buffalo-down Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has introduced a herd of water buffalo to improve rare fen habitat at Thorley Wash Nature Reserve. These hardy animals will graze the ditches and marshy areas that cows prefer to avoid, preventing the need for heavy machinery to clear scrub and improve the site for wildlife such as water voles. wtru.st/herts-buffalo

Seeing reddish Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has rediscovered one of the UK’s rarest moths. The reddish buff is only found on one site in the country, a Wildlife Trust nature reserve on the Isle of Wight, but had not been recorded since 2019. This year, the Trust’s annual survey revealed two adult moths. wtru.st/seeing-reddish

WILD Winter 2023

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GREY PARTRIDGE © DAVID TIPLING/2020VISION; WATER BUFFALO © ROBERT PHILLIPS; KINGFISHER © JOSHUA COPPING

UK UPDATE

Time Tunnel

We travel back to...

WWII

Did you know, some of our nature reserves are filled with history as well as wildlife? Some boast unmissable evidence from the past, where others have hidden gems to be explored. Uncover the hidden traces of World War II and explore Essex's rich military history at our sites...

Whether you are at Colne Point nature reserve by the coast, or Ingrebourne Nature Discovery Centre towards London, you can witness fortifications that guarded the county, including pillboxes, gun emplacements, and anti-tank barriers, which stand as silent reminders of the past.

At The Naze Nature Discovery Centre, spot the Naze Tower, which once had a huge radar aerial on top to detect enemy advances. As you wander through the area, you can imagine the army huts, protective scaffolding and trenches. You can still see the pillboxes, though now on the beach, where gunmen would keep their eyes on the horizon for oncoming attacks.

Naze Tower

For those who seek a deeper connection to history, Gunners Park and Shoebury Ranges nature reserve is a must-visit. This site holds echoes of artillery training, and Winston Churchill himself observed Z Rocket AA Battery firings here. As you explore the park and garrison ruins you can almost feel the energy and excitement that once filled the air during these military exercises.

Pillbox The Haven

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WILD Winter 2023

What was happening globally during WWII: • Winston Churchill was Prime Minister.

• The Thames froze over for the first time since 1888.

• Essex Wildlife Trust did not yet exist but The Wildlife Trust was already established.

• Oppenheimer invented the atomic bomb.

• Microwaves were invented.

Another intriguing spot is Roding Valley Meadows nature reserve, an old RAF site, where you can spot iron rings that Air raid shelter at Langdon held barrage balloons to protect North London. They’re a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the people who lived through those challenging times.

Don't forget to visit Bedfords Park Nature Discovery Centre, a site which was used by the National Auxiliary Fire Service and where members of the military lived in the park’s mansion house. Here, you can imagine the brave firefighters who worked tirelessly to protect the community from the ravages of war. Today, you can enjoy a cup of coffee at the café that stands in the very spot where the house once stood.

Nowadays, our reserves are a refuge for wildlife, but Langdon Nature Discovery Park once acted as a refuge for people. It used to be filled with holiday (or plotland) homes from the 1930s, and during the war, many people returned here on a permanent basis to escape the Blitz. You can see Britain’s last remaining plotlands home at the site.

Lastly, Abberton Reservoir Nature Discovery Park offers a chance to delve into the legacy of RAF's 617 squadron, famously known as 'The Dam Busters'.

This squadron honed their bouncing bomb flights in thrilling dress rehearsals here, leaving an indelible mark on history. It's a story of courage and determination that deserves to be remembered.

So, feed your curiosity and embark on a journey through Essex's rich military history to connect with the past. Each site holds a unique story waiting to be uncovered. Enjoy your exploration!

Native Bareroot Trees & Hedging Choose plants online... Delivery to your door Bareroot plants available in single variety or mixed packs, fruit trees also available.

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PLANT PROTECTION

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EVERGREEN SCREENING TREES

BIODEGRADABLE SHELTERS & GUARDS

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Tel: 01376 340 469 Email: sales@kingco.co.uk King & Co The Tree Nursery, Dunmow Road, Rayne, Nr Braintree, Essex, CM77 6RY

Wildlife quiz time Answers from Autumn 2023: Across: Down 2. Drake 1. Marsh 5. Chlorophyll 3. Acorn 6. Magpie 4. Form 10. Harvest 7. Evergreen 11. Bunting 8. Fall 9. Fungi

How is your general knowledge on wildlife and the wild places of our country? Test yourself with our nature crossword.

Billie’s

Wildlife facts...

Wildlife Crossword

Rudolph the female reindeer

1

Reindeers are the only female deer with antlers. The males lose them by Christmas, whereas females retain them for longer. So, Santa’s reindeer are female!

2

3 4

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Clues Across

Clues down

4 The fastest mammal in Britain. (5,4)

1

6 Through which process do plants get energy? (14)

What species is given on the second day of Christmas? (6,4)

2

10 When animals or plants spend winter in a dormant state. (11)

The only bird species to form murmurations. (8)

3

11 What animal is Beatrix Potter’s Tiggy Winkle? (8)

What is the collective name for a group of owls? (10)

5 The mating ‘hug’ of frogs and toads. (8)

12 What is the most diverse group of insects? (7)

7 Bee, slipper and pyramidal are examples of which wildflower? (6) 8 The rise and fall of the sea. (4) 9 What is a female fox called? (5)

The answers will be revealed in our Spring 2024 edition of WILD. 54 |

WILD Winter 2023

Robin not so red-breast

The ‘robin red-breast’ actually has an orange breast, but the UK didn’t have oranges yet so there was no word for the colour orange.

the nutty professor

The memory part of a squirrel’s brain gets bigger during colder months so they can better remember where they have stored their nuts.

Reindeer: DANIL - stock.adobe.com, red-breast robin: Mark Hamblin/2020VISION, squirrel: Terry Whittaker/2020VISION

5

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07/08/2023 14:28

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Reserving a plot in advance is also possible.

A caring and compassionate experience through a difficult time.

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HELP save Fir Tree Wood

in Little Baddow

Please help us raise

£200,000

Donate today Visit www.essexwt.org.uk/fir-tree-wood Phone 01621 735399 Text FIRTREE followed by your donation amount to 70085* Send a cheque to Essex Wildlife Trust** Scan the QR code *You can donate any whole pound amount between £1 and £20. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from us. If you would like to donate but don’t wish to hear more from us, please text FIRTREENOINFO instead. **Cheques are made payable to Essex Wildlife Trust and sent to Fundraising Team, Abbotts Hall, Maldon Road, Great Wigborough, Colchester, CO5 7RZ.

Love Essex • Love Wildlife Registered Charity No. 210065.