Surrey Nature Issue 189: Summer 2024

ISSUE 189 | SUMMER 2024

There be Dragons PLUS: Save Surrey’s Nature: let’s raise £1m for wildlife!

How you’ve helped restore Pirbright Ranges In defence of the Magpie Waite’s Wonders

Surrey

Wildlife Trust

Afternoon Tea A treat with friends £22.95 Available daily from 2pm

Book online Advanced booking required, visit squiresgardencentres.co.uk

Robust and pragmatic ecological and land management surveys & advice for landowners and developments of all sizes

Find out more at swtecologyservices.org

A new era?

Surrey Wildlife Trust’s membership magazine, published three times a year.

Surrey Wildlife Trust, School Lane, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0JN. T. 01483 795440 E. info@surreywt.org.uk Editorial enquiries and contributions should be sent to the editor: Oliver Fry T: 01483 795440 E: oliver.fry@surreywt.org.uk © Surrey Wildlife Trust 2024 DESIGN The Way Design E: hello@thewaydesign.co.uk W: thewaydesign.co.uk WRITER Simon Prichard E: simon@zurito.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT ENQUIRIES: Charlie Thefaut E: charles.thefaut@surreywt.org.uk MEMBERSHIP New memberships, gift memberships, change of address, change of bank details, cancellations and amendments should be sent to the Membership Department at the address above, or telephone the Membership helpline: T. 01483 795445 E: membership@surreywt.org.uk CHARITY Patron: Dame Judi Dench Chair: Angela Swarbrick Chief Executive: Sarah Jane Chimbwandira Director of Finance: Sarah Glasspool Director of HR, Culture & Support Services: Catherine Roberts Director of People Engagement: Aimee Clarke Director of Reserves Management: James Herd Director of Research & Monitoring: Mike Waite Director of Nature Based Solutions (NBS) and Partnerships: Zoe Channon Surrey Wildlife Trust is a member of the Wildlife Trusts Partnership.

Registered Charity No 208123 Registered Company No 645176 VAT No 791 3799 78 Cover image: Golden-ringed Dragonfly © Mike Waite. All images © SWT unless stated FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR WORK: Like us on Facebook

SUMMER WELCOME

We need to think and act bigger to Save Surrey's Nature In the last issue of Surrey Nature I suggested an election might be around the corner – and only a few days ago we cast our votes.

We now need to hold our new government to the five targets set by The Wildlife Trusts: to restore nature, clean up our waterways, fight climate change, support sustainable farming, and give more people access to green spaces. I hope you will join us in this important task.

It’s clear that now is the time to think and act bigger. Nature’s decline must stop here – and this is is why SWT has launched our most ambitious fundraising appeal ever. As the enclosed letter from Mike Waite sets out, Save Surrey’s Nature aims to raise £1 million to reverse the loss of biodiversity in the county. We also plan to do more to meet the nationwide goal of restoring 30 per cent of UK land and sea for nature by 2030.

It’s a large sum but it’s desperately needed to help fund work on our reserves and with our partners.

Together we will restore and expand some of Surrey’s most diverse and threatened habitats – from heathland to chalk grassland, from woodlands to wetlands – and help the wildlife that lives there.

© Jon Hawkins

butterflies. Our recovery plans for these and others involve partnering with specialist conservation, recorder and community groups. This will also contribute to our target of encouraging one in four people to take action for nature.

We will act to improve habitats on a landscape scale – and this will mean working closely with businesses, landowners and public bodies to make sure that wildlife doesn’t just thrive in protected pockets of habitat, but also in the places in which we live and work. This will increase the beauty and diversity of our green spaces, reduce the harmful effects of global heating and pollution, and give people of all ages and backgrounds a much better quality of life.

It is such an important appeal - and whether you want to become a regular donor or only give a small amount, please consider making an investment in our future. To find out more, including a film explaining why our mission is so urgent, please visit surreywildlifetrust.org/appeal Thank you – and here’s to a brighter future for nature.

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surreywildlifetrust.org

These include species in particular need of conservation action, including the Nightingale, Yellowhammer, European Eel, Harvest Mouse, Marsh Gentian, Sand Lizard, and hairstreak

Sarah Jane Chimbwandira Chief Executive

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SUMMER CONTENTS

IN THIS ISSUE...

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HOW YOU’VE HELPED RESTORE PIRBRIGHT RANGES © Jon Hawkins

© Jon Hawkins

Goshawk © Andy Mason

DEFENCE OF THE MAGPIE 14 IN

RETURN NATIVE 20 TOFHETHE

FEATURES

24 Parakeets Pest or pleasure?

9 Wilder Schools Growing a relationship with nature 12 Surrey winemakers A blend of quality and biodiversity 16 A reserve safari Unstead Wetland Nature Reserve 18 Ambitious approach Helping nature thrive around the greens 19 Winged Wonders at Nower Wood 22 There be Dragons

26 Weaving nature

REGULARS 3 Sarah Jane Chimbwandira 6 News 28 Business supporter news 32 Introducing Peter Charles

NATIONAL

Congratulations… …to Oliver Wilamowski, 13, from Godalming for providing this lovely picture of two happy Common Frogs in his grandparents’ garden.

A shady spot like this is ideal and much-needed habitat for these amphibians.

33 UK news 34 Secrets of success with peat-free compost

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT Want to have your image featured as our next ‘Photo of the season’? Share your best photos of autumn with us.

Email them to: oliver.fry@surreywt.org.uk or share them on social media: @surreywt #surreynature © Oliver Wilamowski

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SUMMER CONTENTS

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER

Male Great Spotted Woodpecker, taken at its nest site in Tice's Meadow near Farnham by the great Jon Hawkins. © Jon Hawkins

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SUMMER NEWS

OUR NEWS © Jon Hawkins

Space4Nature targets new sites Space4Nature, the groundbreaking habitat mapping and conservation project led by Surrey Wildlife Trust and University of Surrey has started its second year of operation by deploying teams of volunteers to study the plants and animals found at two of Surrey’s most beautiful locations – Sheepleas nature reserve near Guildford and Painshill Park in Cobham.

The volunteers will use a speciallydesigned app to assess and record which plants, animals and types of habitat exist on specific areas of these sites – two rare chalk grassland meadows and an area of scrubbier meadow in Sheepleas and two areas of semi-cultivated grassland at Painshill Park. These results will then help complete the design of Artificial Intelligence software that will be used to accurately match specific types

of habitat with similar habitats close by, using satellite Earth Observation images. In this way, large-scale plans to connect and protect these green spaces in a way that works best for wildlife can be developed.

Space4Nature Project Manager Andrew Jamieson says: “Sheepleas and Painshill Park are very different habitats, but both represent important aspects of our county.

We’ll be closely examining the terrain in these special places to both test our evolving Artificial Intelligence capabilities and help inform immediate and longer-term conservation plans. With the climate and nature crisis becoming more severe, these solutions are urgently needed to ensure that wildlife has access to everything it needs to feed, travel and reproduce safely.”

In 2023, Space4Nature deployed more than 130 volunteers to some of the county’s most important heathland habitats, including Chobham Common and Puttenham Common to help inform the initial development of its AI programmes. Working with Buglife, it created or connected more than 36 hectares of habitat for pollinators, including at Quarry Hangers near Caterham and Rosamund Meadows and St Martha's Hill outside Guildford.

Learn more about Space4Nature, which is made possible by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, at: surreywildlifetrust.org/whatwe-do/conservation-projects/ space4nature

Heath Week 2024 Monday 29 July – Sunday 4 August What’s your heathland highlight? The return of the Nightjars from Africa, the blooming of the heather, or perhaps the glimpse of an Adder? The Thames Basin Heaths Partnership will be celebrating these and more with a family-friendly line-up of treasure hunts, butterfly walks, nature trails and reptile roadshows. It’s all FREE, so please do come and have some fun, try something new and learn why local heathland is so special.

Details are at tbhpartnership.org.uk/heath-week

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Heath Week 2023 - Adder crafts ©Thames Basin Heaths Partnership

SUMMER NEWS © Chris Gomersall 2020 VISION

© Mike Waite

‘Dear Prudence’ comes out to play on Pirbright Ranges

Nightingales return

Evidence provided by sharp-eared citizen scientists is helping SWT plan a comeback for the much-loved Nightingale.

With a vocabulary of more than 1,000 individual sounds, these migrants from West Africa once provided a romantic soundtrack to summer evenings across much of Britain. But recent years have seen a 90 per cent decline in populations of this wonderful bird, which is part of the chat subfamily of Old-World flycatchers. Habitat destruction and climate change have hit Nightingales hard; Nightingales need woody scrub to breed in and climate change disrupts migratory patterns and arrival times, putting the birds at a disadvantage against nonmigratory competitors. But all is not lost for the species – and we believe that by mapping where the birds still hang on, and providing safe corridors between these hotspots and other places where the birds still breed, we can help restore them in Surrey.

Citizen Science Officer Dan Banks says:

“Our volunteers have already logged evidence that these birds are still present at Chiddingfold Forest, Milford Common and Horton Country Park in Epsom – and we can use that information to help manage their habitats to help them breed safely and successfully.

Nightingales have made a fantastic recovery on the rewilded Knepp Estate just over the border in West Sussex, and this gives us strong evidence that with the right combination of recording and rewilding, we can enable the birds to spread more deeply into Surrey.”

Connecting habitats on a county-wide scale will become an increasingly strong focus for the Trust in the coming years, and you can support this work by donating to our Save Surrey’s Nature campaign.

This tiny spider, Centromerus prudens – nicknamed ‘Prudence’ – is believed to be the first of her kind to be recorded in Surrey since 1971.

Congratulations to Director of Research and Monitoring Mike Waite for spotting her while exploring Pirbright Ranges. Mike says “although not a nationally endangered species, these heather-lovers are far commoner in the UK’s northern counties than they are in southern areas.

Uncovering surprises like this is one of the great pleasures of natural history; you never really know what’s out there!” With a body size of only 2.5mm, this species won’t be easy to spot without a decent hand lens, but if you are visiting an accessible reserve there are plenty of more striking spiders to see in late summer and autumn.

Visit surreywildlifetrust. org/blog/marcus-wehrle/ surrey-spider-central for some tips on what to look out for.

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SUMMER NEWS

Conference unites conservation researchers Researching the state of nature and evaluating the success of conservation measures could not be more important these days. In May, Surrey Wildlife Trust hosted its first Research and Monitoring Showcase at Royal Holloway University of London. Speakers included Dr Silviu Petrovan from the University of Cambridge, Dr Ana Andries from the University of Surrey, and SWT’s Mike Waite and Ben Siggery.

The Annual General Meeting of Surrey Wildlife Trust will be held on Saturday, 16 November at 10.00am and will be a Hybrid meeting.

Agenda: 1. Approval of the Minutes of the

GIS, Research and Monitoring Manager Ben Siggery said: “Research and Monitoring may not sound very rock-and-roll, but it's the cornerstone of effective conservation. Surrey Wildlife Trust is committed to being an evidencebased organisation which uses the best possible scientific research to inform its actions. A key part of this is to work with expert partners whose skills can help us to gain a full picture of the state of nature in Surrey and best understand how to restore it.”

2023 AGM.

2. Receiving the Company’s Report

and Accounts and Auditor’s Report.

3. Re-appointment of Saffery LLP

as Auditor of the Company and authorising the Trustees to agree the Auditor’s remuneration.

Academic and action man Ben Siggery spoke on Paleoecology

Thank you to everyone who came along – we hope to see you next time! Watch the full showcase here:

All aboard the HMS SWT!

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SURREY WILDLIFE TRUST

Members may attend and participate in person at Sandown Park Racecourse, Portsmouth Rd, Esher KT10 9AJ or virtually by Zoom webinar full details of which will be available on our website from 7 October.

Student researchers supported by SWT presented project results with subjects ranging from the impact of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANGS) on biodiversity, to what motivates SWT volunteers, to mathematical models for placing Automated Monitoring of Insects (AMI) systems on Pirbright Ranges.

Many of our reserves feature wetland areas that need to be maintained to keep them in the best condition for nature, or inspected to see how plants and animals are faring. To help us reach the places that people in waders can’t, we’ve launched a new 12ft boat. Here’s Conservation Manager Emily Jupe aboard

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

the craft, which is being used in this instance to investigate and plan winter coppicing works on an island at Newdigate Brickworks.

4. Election and re-election of Trustees.* 5. Any other business notified to members in accordance with the Articles of Association of the Trust.

Voting by proxy: Members may appoint another person as a proxy to exercise all or any of the member’s rights to attend and to speak and to vote (either in person or electronically) on the member’s behalf at the meeting. To appoint a proxy please complete your proxy vote online or obtain a postal Proxy Form by contacting finance@surreywt.org.uk.

To help us direct these emails please include your name and membership number where possible. To be valid Proxy Forms must be completed and lodged with the Company Secretary, Surrey Wildlife Trust, School Lane, Pirbright, Surrey GU24 0JN not less than 24 hours before the time fixed for the meeting.

The Company’s Report and Accounts, list of Trustees standing for election or re-election, proxy voting information and draft minutes from last year’s AGM will be on the Governance section of surreywildlifetrust.org.uk from 7 October.

Incorporated in England and Wales with registered company number 00645176. * Members joining after 8 November 2024 will be unable to vote online. New members are welcome to physically attend the AGM and vote in person. Proof of membership may be required to allow voting rights.

Growing a relationship with nature

SUMMER WILDER SCHOOLS

The return of a classroom favourite?

Louise Shorthose, SWT outdoor learning manager

SWT’s Wilder Schools team has been working with Dr Matteo Giusti of the Institute of Sustainability at the University of Surrey to develop a practical guide to nature connection. Relationships with nature grow with time and experience, and go through different phases, just like any relationship we have. Caring and acting for nature only comes naturally once people have become comfortable and curious about the world around them.

This got us thinking about the key things in our own lives that helped us develop a meaningful relationship with nature and led us to the jobs we do now. It turned out that one thing played a big part in our formative years: the classroom nature table. It added purpose to our walks to school and it gave nature a certain value and importance. And it was something we could all participate in – suddenly those without a car had an advantage in finding the best treasures!

change, and finding a little offering for the table. This also encourages family outings to local green spaces and the wider countryside in search of seasonal wonders. A nature table complete with magnifiers, display boxes (even egg boxes), identification aids, a ruler and perhaps a flower press can turn a stone, a broken bit of blackbird eggshell, a few feathers, a clump of moss and a fallen blossom into amazing resources for scientific enquiry, art and creative writing.

These days, we recognise it is harder to find time to walk the children to school, as we are often dropping off on our way to work. However, schools recognise the value of brain breaks – so taking these outside in the school grounds would be the perfect opportunity for exploring, noticing

One of our Wilder schools, Hurst Green Infants, has taken it to a whole new level. Their reception class has been an inspiration for us, and teacher Ellie Douglas is determined to replace all of the plastic with pre-loved wooden furniture and fill the room with exciting finds. She encourages children’s

natural curiosity through simple questioning, and they are given time to explore the objects using all their senses. This fosters a sense of wonder and respect for the world around them.

So we are now on a mission to reinstate the nature table in classrooms, school reception areas or even the library if classroom space is an issue. Why not encourage a school you know to do it? And if you have a family or if you’re now remembering the joy of your own school nature table, why not set one up at home? ■

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SUMMER PIRBRIGHT RANGES APPEAL REPORT

Nature

© Jon Hawkins

BOUNCES BACK

SWT members enable a new beginning

The wildfire on Pirbright Ranges that raged for several weeks in summer 2022 burnt more than 650 hectares of pristine heathland, destroying the homes of many threatened species of plants, invertebrates, birds, and reptiles.

It also affected SWT’s herd of Red Deer, which grazes the heathland to prevent scrub from encroaching on this precious habitat. Hundreds of metres of fencing had to be replaced, and the deer required supplementary food and veterinary welfare checks.

Thanks to the generosity of SWT members and supporters, an appeal raised nearly £45,000 to fund this work. Almost two years on, we are seeing promising results.

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Recovery mode SWT’s Ben Habgood is the site manager at Pirbright and has witnessed its recuperation since the fire. “Overall, it’s in remarkably good shape,” he says. “The vegetation won’t completely recover for another few years because the fire spread so slowly, damaging the dormant seedbank.

However, we now have very good conditions for breeding Woodlark, a pioneer heathland species that favours open habitats and usually does well following fires in heather.

“For other ground-nesting birds it’s a different story. Dartford Warblers are less abundant now because they need more mature heather and Gorse plants that will take some years to regrow.

And Nightjars numbers are difficult to measure because they are nocturnal – easy to hear, but hard to see – and require a complex mosaic of habitats to really thrive.”

Marsh Clubmoss making a comeback

SUMMER PIRBRIGHT RANGES APPEAL REPORT

The deer nip Rhododenron in the bud

Restored fencing

New beginnings

A healthy stag

Monitoring the herd Tracking deer is more straightforward. Thanks to our appeal, all the deer fence lines are back up and running – and upgraded along key sections from wooden posts to more robust Clipex fencing. Thermal detection drone surveys carried out with Defence Deer Management revealed that the size, characteristics, and dynamics of the herd seem to be unaffected.

Natural death within a herd is obviously normal, especially through late winter, but the percentage loss at Pirbright across all age ranges and both sexes appears to be much lower than in

a “wild” red deer herd. This may be down to the abundance of food, no vehicle traffic, and very low disturbance with no public access.

Red Deer also do well on lowland habitats compared to uplands and the highlands, and we maintain a relatively low stocking density.

This reduces the competition for food and territory and enables the same-sex herds to be more mobile within the Range Danger Area (RDA).

During the calving season in May and June, we will use camera traps to hopefully find the new calves and track their progress through the year.

Pirbright Ranges… is a live military firing range with

areas that are completely out of bounds with no public access at any time. SWT facilitates safe, restricted access into the RDA with the Ministry of Defence and the National Rifle Association to allow us to monitor and manage the Red Deer herd. Look out for more updates in future issues of Surrey Nature.

“A healthy and well-balanced deer population brings other benefits,” adds Ben. “For example, in September we found a large area of Marsh Clubmoss Lycpodiella inundata along deer slots on the edge of humid heath.”

By wallowing, pawing and walking, the herd has established a network of bare ground, which creates ideal conditions for this rare species, as well as Round-leaved Sundew, one of the UK’s few carnivorous plants. The deer also appear to be impeding the growth of invasive rhododendron, by nipping off the shoots as they browse, and will continue to control new Scots Pine scrub as it emerges. In other words, despite the fire the Red Deer are doing what they do best – creating a mosaic of heathland habitat that sustains many specialist species.

This “reboot” is an opportunity to focus on measuring the ecological value of Pirbright. We use advanced technology to count and monitor a range of species on the site and provide baseline data to inform effective conservation. This includes fixed-point photography, audio monitors, satellite imagery, and drones. We are also currently working with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology to trial the automated monitoring of insects (AMI) for the first time on heathland.

“The fire was devastating, and we will never know the full extent of the damage,” says Ben. “However, the Red Deer are providing a nature-based solution that is increasing Pirbright’s resilience to climate change. Thanks to hundreds of generous donors, we are giving them a helping hand.” ■

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SUMMER SWT IN THE COMMUNITY © Tom Hibbert

Balanced and herbaceous Surrey winemakers create a blend of quality and biodiversity

Wine from Surrey is making its mark on the international stage. Famously sharing the chalky lime and sandstone geology of the Champagne region, our local vineyards have won many awards. In this issue we focus on two that are also pioneers of biodiversity.

Denbies Wine Estate First planted in Dorking in 1986, Denbies is one of England’s largest single estate vineyards, comprising 380 acres, of which 265 are currently under vine. CEO Chris White has owned and operated the vineyard for the last 20 years.

“The commercial and environmental aspects of our business go hand in hand,” he says. “This year we were delighted to become the first vineyard and winery in the UK to achieve Net Zero status to the UK Carbon Code of Conduct standard (UKCCC).”

Denbies’ conservation projects include installing beehives, bat boxes and bird boxes, planting wildflowers and trees, digging scrapes for invertebrates, and setting aside meadows to encourage biodiversity.

“We also recognise that we can’t operate alone,” explains Chris.

“We work in harmony with our neighbours on wider environmental projects. In nature, pockets don’t thrive, but corridors do.”

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B-Lines in the Mole Gap In February, Denbies helped bring this approach to life by hosting a workshop for fellow landowners and community groups in the Mole Gap to discuss Buglife’s B-Lines solution to the loss of flowers and pollinators. B-Lines are habitat corridors that connect and improve the best remaining wildlife habitat across the UK. Louis Harrington-Edmans, Space4Nature conservation officer for B-Lines explains: “We discussed everything from grassland restoration to the dos and don’ts of tree planting.”

More than 50 people attended, including representatives from Mole Valley District Council, Friends of Boxhill, Surrey Botanical Society, Headley Warren Nature Reserve, Inholm Claypit, Dorking Community Orchard, Westhumble Fields, Patchworking Garden Project, and Mickleham Church Fields eco group.

For more information visit denbies.co.uk and buglife. org.uk/our-work/b-lines/

Sustainable cultivation means more food for predators

© Jon Hawkins

SUMMER SWT IN THE COMMUNITY

Albury Organic Vineyard Nick Wenman first planted vines on the Albury Estate in 2009.

He and his team are committed to organic and biodynamic principles, growing fruit without the use of herbicides and fungicides, and producing highquality rosé and sparkling wines.

“Sustainability is vital to what we do here, and we work closely with our partners and neighbours to promote biodiversity,” says Nick. “For example, SWT helped us create a wildlife walk around the perimeter of our new vineyard, including species identification boards, bat and barn owl boxes, bug hotels, beehives, butterfly scrapes, an insect highway, compost pits, and wildflower meadows to attract pollinators.”

Mega-rows Albury also encourages nature to flourish among the vines – to the benefit of both. Estate manager Alex Valsecchi explains: “We’ve made every twelfth row of vines a ‘mega-row’ by planting a specially created wildflower seed mix. The resulting habitat encourages predatory insects that kill parasites and pests, but we don’t let the vegetation grow too high in case it retains excess moisture that leads to disease.”

Signage to inspire

Cycle of life Away from the vines, management work continues. “We recently dug a pond and allowed it to fill naturally with rainwater,” says Alex.

“The invertebrates it attracts are eaten by larvae, birds, newts, frogs, and bats. In turn these provide food for Hedgehogs and rodents, which sustain other mammals and birds of prey. We’ve also planted Crab Apples and hedges to provide food and habitat for more species.

“It’s one big cycle of life. You might think of a vineyard as a monoculture, but we’re committed to bringing the balance back.

Promoting biodiversity is another way of nurturing our wine.”

The pond at Albury

For more information, including opening hours for the wildlife walk, visit alburyvineyard.com ■

Green-eyed Flower-bee © Jon Hawkins

The floral cover encourages biodiversity at soil level, including bacteria, fungi and worms that act on the organic matter in the soil to create humus. Alex focuses on reducing tillage, or agitation of the soil, to encourage a network of mycorrhiza to develop.

These fungi grow in a mutually beneficial relationship with plant roots, taking sugars from them ‘in exchange’ for moisture and nutrients. They effectively act as extensions to the vine’s root system and seem to provide protection against root diseases.

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SUMMER SPECIES FOCUS

Personal view

Magpie In defence of the

It’s not always black and white says Dan Banks as he defends a much maligned and misunderstood character…

Above: Magpie © Jon Hawkins

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SUMMER SPECIES FOCUS

Above: A gathering of clever omnivores © Jon Hawkins

‘Good morning, Mr Magpie, how’s your wife and kids…one for sorrow, two for joy…etc’ is a common rhyme that my siblings and I used to recite when we saw Magpies from the train window. But should the Magpie really incite sorrow?

For me it incites joy.

Below: Looking superb in flight © Jon Hawkins

Perhaps more than any of the UK’s seven other corvid species, Magpies have garnered a reputation for thuggery, often accused of seeking out the nests of our more beloved garden birds and devouring the occupants. However, before we throw stones we might consider that the Jay, which people love thanks to its exotic colours, fills a similar niche and enjoys snacking on chicks just as much. Moreover, research has shown that Magpie predation does not significantly impact the songbird population, because the number of chicks they take is comparatively small. Habitat destruction, global warming, and disease are creating a devastating decline in songbird populations – and we should save our anger for these evils. The Magpie’s beauty should be savoured; from a distance it might look black and white, but many of its feathers are iridescent and turn green and purple in the sunlight, presenting a majestic effect. The Magpie is exceptionally clever and adaptable, taking advantage of any food source it possibly can as it visits our gardens, open areas and woodland habitats of all types.

The nidopallium, which is the part of the avian brain used for higher cognitive tasks, is roughly the same size in a Magpie as it is in Chimpanzees or indeed in humans.

There’s evidence that a Magpie can recognise itself in the mirror, and these birds’ formidable memories enable them to store and return to multiple different food sources throughout the season. There is also evidence to suggest that they can intelligently master portion control when feeding their young, cutting food up into sensible sizes for the young to swallow and avoiding any kind of choke hazard – a skill that many other species do not possess.

Finally, they will often mob birds of prey, especially in groups, driving them away.

Few other birds demonstrate such a wide combination of very complex behaviours.

British Trust for Ornithology ringing records demonstrate that these birds are long lived, with the current record standing at twentyone years old. One of my favourite facts is that not one single UK Magpie has ever been recovered abroad, making it a true British resident and a bird for all seasons.

When it is grey and dull outside, and I need a flash of colour, or during the summer when I enjoy its charisma and chatty personality, this bird enlivens my life.

As common birds (there are more than half a million breeding pairs in the UK) Magpies are taken for granted, but when you next see one, do take a moment to admire its colour and cleverness. We don’t tend to stop and appreciate all parts of nature as much as we should. ■

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SUMMER OUR RESERVES

A reserve safari on

Unstead Wetland Nature Reserve On a dazzling May morning, Digital Marketing Executive Billie Pearce set out with Buglife’s Space4Nature Conservation Officer Louis Harrington-Smith for a stomp across Unstead Wetland Nature Reserve.

Unstead is a an 11-hectare site situated in the heart of the River Wey valley near Godalming. Made up of mixed and wet woodland, reedbeds, open areas of water and both wet and dry meadows, it truly is a rich mosaic. This once species-rich wildlife haven is being systematically restored by Unstead Nature Community Group – formed in September 2020 – in conjunction with Thames Water’s Biodiversity Team. The group aims to create “the best small wetland reserve in Surrey”, and they’ve already made significant headway towards their target.

Conservation Officer Louis’ involvement with Unstead stems from his habitat delivery work as part of Buglife’s B-Lines initiative. B-Lines are a series of ‘insect pathways’ which run through our countryside and towns. Buglife are creating a pollinator network by establishing areas of wildflowerrich habitat along these pathways in the hope of reversing habitat and connectivity loss in a strategic way. Not only is Unstead on a B-Line, but it’s also a potential Space4Nature test site: teams of volunteers could soon take to the reserve to collect valuable habitat data that will be used to perfect S4N’s habitat-mapping technology.

Harvest Mouse © Amy Lewis

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SUMMER OUR RESERVES

Hide with Reedbed © SWT Our site excursion began at an expansive area of wet meadow to the south of the reserve. Immediately, the tucked-away spot offers a transportational sense of escapism the site was abuzz with the melodic thrum of invertebrate life, while vibrant flowers broke free among tufts of dominant grasses. You wouldn’t know that just four years ago the site was unkempt, overgrown and inaccessible – its transformation is testament to the power of community spirit, local volunteering, and perseverance. Louis said, “It's quite exciting that there’s an empowered community group here - they’re a fantastic example of how communities can work with NGOs and other organisations to do something positive for nature.”

In 2023, Louis helped sow wildflower seeds to improve the diversity of the grassland – while bio-abundant grasslands and wildflower meadows are some of the most diverse habitats for wildlife in general, they’re also particularly valuable for pollinators and other invertebrates. Louis explained, “Unstead used to be used as a drainage bed by the sewage works, so it is clearly nutrient-rich, which is why it’s got rampant grass and nettle growth.”

The group has introduced Yellow Rattle to the site, which they hope will parasitise dominant grasses and reduce such vigorous growth. While areas of wildflower meadow can take two to three years to properly establish, the early signs of success were already evident in the smattering of bright buttercups, cranesbill and forget-menots bordering the path.

Marsh Tit © Amy Lewis At the centre of the meadow, we stood on the bund of a newly-created wetland feature. From our vantage point, we observed Egyptian Geese sunning themselves on the sandy water’s edge. A pathway lined with re-laid and recently planted hedgerow led to a community viewing hide overlooking the north meadow.

Noticeboards dotted with extensive lists of species sightings adorned the outer hide – the pride the community take in the site’s restoration is heartening. Unstead was formerly an oasis for a plethora of bird species some of which are gradually making their return to the site. Fieldfare, Greenfinch, Raven, Skylark, Mistle Thrush, Marsh Tit and Snipe have already been spotted this year. Notably, Brown Hairstreak butterfly eggs and Harvest Mice nests were also identified during a recent survey, confirming the presence of these conservation priority species.

Beside the hide, a small pond and areas of deadwood offer refuge for an abundance of invertebrate life

including the Ashy Mining Bee, Broadbodied Chaser dragonflies, ruby-tailed wasps and Beautiful Demoiselles. The path opened into a scrubby woodland glade which hosted a sizeable bugmansion – we spotted jumping spiders, grasshoppers, Red-headed Cardinal Beetles, ladybirds and further solitary bees in and around the structure.

Louis noted, “the community group is considering clearing some of the nutrient-loving species (such as nettles) in this section to create a pollinator garden - they’d love to get local Scout and Cub groups involved too!”

Community really is at the heart of Unstead. Small-scale, local movements like Unstead Nature Community Group can create real change and make a significant impact on our landscapes. If you’re interested in taking in this remarkable reserve for yourself, partial access is available via a public right of way. Alternatively, attend a volunteer session with Unstead Nature Community Group to see the site in all its glory. Find out more at unstead-reserve.org ■

Right: Louis goes visiting © SWT

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SUMMER SWT IN THE COMMUNITY

Ambitious approach From Woking to Wentworth, SWT is helping nature thrive around the greens

Ben Habgood

Keen on the green

© Joshua Copping

Surrey’s golf courses are renowned for their design and beauty. With the support of SWT, many clubs are also developing a reputation for investing in habitats and wildlife. As golf courses account for 4% of the county’s land, this is a necessary step for nature.

“We’ve been working with golf clubs for many years, says SWT Naturebased Solutions (NBS) Manager Ben Habgood. “For example, we have excellent partnerships with Woking and with Wentworth, which manages Broomhill Heath, part of the Chobham Common SSSI. They’re doing meticulous work that encourages heathland plants, birds, and reptiles.”

Funding and connections

On the case

Much of our collaboration with clubs was piecemeal until 2022, when we successfully bid for a grant from the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF2). This enabled us to help six landowners, including West Surrey and Woking Golf Clubs, to develop nature restoration projects based on natural capital investment plans.

The NEIRF2 funding enabled SWT to produce case studies to take to other landowners. As a result, we are now working with two new golf clubs, looking at how to restore and enhance priority habitat and connections with the wider landscape.

As Ben says, “The great thing is that our NBS team, Ecology Services colleagues, and planning advice service can all work on the same site, in collaboration with one another.”

The Trust carried out baseline ecological surveys and biodiversity net gain (BNG) assessments, and the clubs now have 10-year management plans.

“Because we understand Surrey’s habitats on a landscape scale, we can also link them with opportunities for connectivity and biodiversity through NBS, Biodiversity Opportunity Areas, and Surrey County Council’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Providing this level of detail helps them make more informed decisions and links ecological opportunities with financial ones.”

The SWT NBS team has engaged with more than 20 golf clubs so far, and there are more to come.

“We increasingly find that course managers, committees and members all recognise the value of their land to wildlife and the local community,” says Ben. “They want to make long-term plans to benefit both, often as part of an overall drive for sustainability.

This means developing new skills, exploring new funding opportunities, and basing decisions on scientifically valid and robust information. We can help with all three.” ■

Thank you to Surrey Cricket Club, Chessington World of Adventures, Christopher Smith Associates, Plant Passion, Vestel, Woking FC, Toyota, Guildford Shakespeare, Hampton Estates and Hedges & Hurdles for contributing to SWT’s first charity golf day at West Surrey Golf Club, organised in partnership with CREST business awards. The event raised over £4,000 to support nature. Thanks also to speaker Nick Hollis and event coordinator Terry Tidbury.

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SUMMER OUR RESERVES

Winged Wonders at Nower Wood Youth Action Committee member Zara Rashid enjoys a visit to a butterfly glade…

Nestled within the tranquil embrace of Nower Wood lies a hidden gem — a sun-dappled glade where the delicate dance of its butterflies weaves a tapestry of life and colour. As I stepped into this enchanting clearing, the warmth of the sun filtering through the surrounding trees bathed the glade in a golden glow, casting dappled shadows that played upon the forest floor. This was a great place to develop a better appreciation of Surrey’s butterflies and the habitats that support them.

Glades are openings in the forest that supply warm, sheltered spots for butterflies, like where you might find a circle of mushroom toadstools in a child’s fairytale. These clearings, where mature trees have been harvested, or young trees cleared out, allow the plants that caterpillars consume to grow. The Nower Wood Butterfly Glade itself is testament to a careful stewardship of nature.

Openings in the forest canopy allow sunlight to reach the earth, nurturing a rich tapestry of flora. The mixture of, shaded, sun dappled, and sun rich patches throughout the glade created the perfect microclimate and an ideal environment for butterflies to thrive.

Among the fluttering inhabitants of this serene space, the Green-veined White and the Brimstone butterflies were the most commonly spotted.

The Green-veined White, with its delicate, almost translucent wings veined in green, flitted gracefully from flower to flower. These butterflies are not only a visual delight but also a crucial part of the woodland ecosystem, acting as pollinators for a variety of plants. Their presence is a reminder of the intricate web of life that thrives in England's woods. Equally captivating were the Brimstones, their pale yellow wings a striking contrast against the verdant backdrop of the glade.

These butterflies, often one of the first signs of spring, are vital signifiers of the health of the woodland. The Brimstone's early lifecycle, closely tied to the availability of specific plants like Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn, highlights the need for the conservation of biodiversity within these habitats.

As I stood in awe of this vibrant display of life, I reflected on the responsibility we bear to protect such sanctuaries. The people of Surrey can play a pivotal role in ensuring the preservation of these glades. Active participation in local conservation efforts is paramount. Surrey Wildlife Trust offers numerous opportunities for community involvement, from volunteering in habitat restoration projects to participating in citizen science initiatives that monitor butterfly populations.

Reducing pesticide use in gardens, supporting organic farming, and planting native species can create a network of butterfly-friendly habitats beyond the boundaries of nature reserves. Education is also crucial; by fostering a deeper understanding of the importance of these glades, we inspire future generations to become stewards of the natural world. Planting nectar-rich borders and climbing Ivy and shrubs for overwintering insects will bring Green-veined Whites to your garden, and Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn will supply foodplants for Brimstone butterfly larvae, hopefully ensuring a ballet of Lepidoptera (butterflies) outside your window!

Nower Wood’s butterfly glade is more than just a picturesque clearing; it illustrates the intricate balance between flora and fauna. It reminded me of the beauty and fragility of our natural heritage. By embracing our role as guardians of the environment, we can ensure that these enchanting butterflies continue to grace our woodlands, a living testament to the enduring wonder of nature. ■

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SUMMER WAITE’S WONDERS

The return of the native

Species reintroductions come under the microscope of Director of Research and Monitoring Mike Waite It seems everyone these days wants to return something previously lost, however long ago, to its natural environment. It is like a fever, and the cuddlier, or conversely fiercer, the better. Beaver, Water Vole, Bison, Lynx, Wildcat, Wolf, Pine Marten; all are presently in the frame… Although understandable enthusiasm drives this, it is important to fully recognise its justification before launching-in. For example, is there a genuine ‘keystone’, ecosystemic role for the proposed reintroduced plant or creature, or in all honesty is it nothing more than a ‘vanity’ project? And what’s wrong with that, I hear a few of you ask..!

If we think back to perhaps the most successful reintroduction project of recent times, this must surely be that involving the Red Kite, now some 30 years ago. Not only is this success highly visible, it is also symbolic of just what may be achieved given the required will and resource. I wonder what would be made of such a proposal now, though. Yes, the Kite is a natural scavenger and thus a useful disposer, albeit on a limited scale,

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of rural detritus in the countryside, but what else? It is, pretty much, simply that symbolism. Which speaks more of a variance within the founding spirit of the main executive body - then English Nature, now Natural England.

What exactly is a keystone species? It could be as a habitat-manipulator (and natural flood manager), as in the case of the Beaver, and the Red Deer doing their bit for heathland restoration and maintenance on Pirbright Range. Or as a critical provider and regulator in the food chain - such as in the role of the spiders, and also the ants. This is where replacing ‘apex’ predators, sadly cleared-out from so much of the British landscape in the past, comes in (regrettably this killing still continues, slowing progress in any natural recovery of, for example, the Hen Harrier). This is the thinking behind proposed reintroduction of the Whitetailed Eagle, Wolf, Wildcat and Lynx, to address over-large deer populations (where locally appropriate), as well as to offer novel solutions to Grey Squirrel tree damage in the case of Goshawk and Pine Marten.

Beaver © Nick Upton, Cornwall Wildlife Trust

This is one prime justification, posed in the form of a proven nature-based solution for recovering lost ecosystem function.

But what of the pure biodiversityconservation reasoning for attempting reintroduction?

Although entirely valid in itself, in the case of the Water Vole one could argue that Kenneth Grahame’s ‘Ratty’ holds such strong cultural resonance, he has importance in our endemic British well-being (well, at least for those who can remember him, that is).

Where a species is just about clinging-on in the wild, say as a diminishing population within a single site, we are often presented basically with an ethical question.

If the species is of ‘Least Concern’ (in global status parlance), being common enough elsewhere in its range; to throw limited resource at what is already a biodiversity ‘lost cause’ locally or nationally may be a hard choice to justify.

SUMMER WAITE'S WONDERS The Black Redstart is one such case.

Often though, the British races of certain species are themselves unique, and worth the effort for that alone. Operating in the background here is something of a parallel with the Hippocratic Oath, that dictates prevention of local or regional extinction at any cost, as a first principle at least.

So, in the unique remaining population situation, it is especially beholden to attempt to establish more site populations as an insurance measure to ‘spread the risk’ of extinction in the wild. This took place successfully in Farnham with the regionally threatened Field Cricket, and has also involved creating new sites for the Heath Tiger-beetle. Taking a leaf from a similar conservation strategy directed at the iconic Ladybird Spider in Dorset, the same is now intended for the Great Fox-spider in Surrey.

Anonymous, ‘fly’ introductions have long been a feature of British nature conservation. This has traditionally involved rare butterflies, sometimes in wholly inappropriate situations well outside the natural distribution of the species. This is so with the Black Hairstreak, appearing twice in Surrey although its natural British range is restricted to the English Midlands, between Oxford and Peterborough. The Glanville Fritillary is another favourite, despite its present distribution around the eastern Solent and Isle of Wight. Thoughtless fish releases are also notorious and often this involves unwelcome non-native species. The Great Crested Newt is sometimes suspected as being deliberately introduced to some sites, given its protected status when a site is threatened by development.

Finally, there is a cautionary lesson for careful consideration prior to any proposed reintroduction, in that once this has taken, you can never know whether the species might have achieved this on their own.

Related in a way to this, the Trust was put in an embarrassing position some years ago when two Otters turned up in the River Wey, first detected on a camera trap. Our public relations team enthusiastically announced the long-awaited return of the Otter to Surrey, only to discover later that both (related) Otter cubs had been ‘dumped’ in the Wey from a wildlife hospital in Somerset. Surrey having yet to be naturally re-colonised and thus considered one of the few remaining counties with the available territorial ‘space’. ■

Reintroduced Goshawk might help control Grey Squirrel populations Great Fox-spider © Mike Waite

© Andrew Mason

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SUMMER SPECIES FOCUS

There be Dragons….

High summer is the time to look out for Dragonflies.

Mike Waite introduces us to some real beauties…

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Southern Hawker © Mike Waite

SUMMER SPECIES FOCUS

Downy Emerald © Mike Waite

The Odonata – collectively the dragonand damselflies – are an excellent group to start with if planning to widen one’s interest in invertebrates.

They have been called ‘the birders’ insects’, as they require close attention to detail in both appearance and behaviour, but for the most part readily advertise their presence and are not too large a group to aspire to seeing the full set (of British species).

They are amongst the most mobile of flying invertebrates, although not all species’ lifestyles require the use of that mobility. Their strong flight on relatively large wings sees many species quite able to cross continents, especially if using seasonal prevailing air currents to assist them. In consequence they are some of the first to profit by ecological and habitat enhancements, including that driven by climate change. There have been no less than seven examples of new species colonising the UK from continental Europe in the last decade and a half.

In Surrey, as with so many other species groups, we are blessed with a high diversity of species. We have lost a few, but gained significantly more in recent times. Moreover, we have several nationally recognised hotspots for the group, including Thursley National Nature Reserve, the Basingstoke Canal, and Boldermere lake on Ockham Common. Thursley celebrates this fact with its imposing polished steel sculpture of a Black Darter – one of the heathland specialities.

Our biodiversity within the group is due to our rich habitat diversity, of course. There are the heathland specialists of acidic pools on mires, as well as more widespread generalists of more eutrophic wetlands. Their varied preferences in water chemistry enables an indicator role in terms of water quality, as one of the collective ‘river-fly’ group alongside Mayflies, Stoneflies and Caddis. One of our local extinctions, the White-faced Darter, was an acid bog species, that represented a disjunct, relict population of former cooler and wetter climatic conditions.

It finally disappeared in the early 1980s and must now be sought closest to us in the Staffordshire ‘mosses’. A dragonfly with a similar ecology is the mis-named (for us at least) Common Hawker. This has not been seen for some time in Surrey, and may have gone the same way. Other wet heathland species include the stunning Golden-ringed Dragonfly, which conversely seems to be doing quite well.

Black Darter © Mike Waite

An anomaly to the comparative visibility of the group is one of the smallest of the damselflies, possibly extinct in Surrey but such is the difficulty in finding it, it is quite possibly still present on the larger, least-surveyed MoD range sites.

Another mire species, this is the Scarce Blue-tailed Damsel, an enigmatic damselfly of the same broad niche as the Small Red Damsel, but may partly be so elusive due to its relatively temporary, itinerant ecology and population dynamics.

Not only are new species arriving, but formerly rare and more locally restricted species are becoming commoner. Typical of this are the Downy Emerald and Hairy Dragonfly, and to an extent also the Scarce Chaser, recently colonising Surrey from the River Arun in West Sussex.

Amongst the continental additions are the now widespread Small Redeyed Damsel, and the Willow Emerald damselfly first noted at the Trust’s The Moors nature reserve in 2017. One to watch out for is the specially-protected Norfolk Hawker, formerly very restricted in Britain to just a few of the wilder Broads. This species is commonest in the Mediterranean basin and has been advancing north for some time. It has colonised eastern Kent in recent years; but not as a fresh expansion of the original British population, but as a new arrival from the south. It has even been seen at the London Wetland Centre and may be steadily making its way up the Thames.

Blue-tailed Damselflies

Surrey has a singular responsibility for a largely inexplicably threatened species, the Brilliant Emerald. This beautiful dragonfly has always had an odd distribution in the UK; the north-western Weald and in lowland Scotland, believed the result of two separate colonisation events. It is apparently in decline but is not in the same category as the other abovedescribed ‘relicts’, as its close relative, the Northern Emerald fills that niche on true moorland. It occurs in quite a range of wetlands too, from heathland ponds to slow-moving canals. Our Vann Lake reserve supports the species, as does Esher Common (a classic site for it), and it is also present along the Basingstoke Canal at Pirbright. ■

© Mike Waite

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SUMMER INVASIVE SPECIES FOCUS Male Ring-necked Parakeet © Jon Hawkins

Parakeets Pest or pleasure?

SWT’s Communications Manager and Parrot Society UK Trustee Oliver Fry investigates an invasive species which is now ubiquitous in Surrey In the early 1950s, a consignment of unhappy extras for the Humphrey Bogart/Katharine Hepburn movie The African Queen fled Shepperton Studios and took up a feral existence in the wilds of Surrey. In the late 1960s, they were joined by a pair of exotic fugitives deliberately released in London by rock guitar genius Jimi Hendrix, and still later, this band of immigrants was swelled by detainees who made their escape during the chaos unleashed by the Great Storm of 1987. This composite tale contains three of the most popular explanations for the existence today of thriving naturalised populations of Indian Ring-necked or Rose-ringed Parakeets Psittacula

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krameria – and while not necessarily untrue, it omits the primary reason for the presence and remarkable success of this species throughout Surrey.

The sad and banal reality is that these noisy and intelligent creatures were for many decades among the most heavily-traded pet animals worldwide, with consignments of many hundreds of wild-caught birds arriving in the UK from Pakistan and Northern India during the 19th and 20th Centuries, latterly via Heathrow airport. Cheap to purchase, not easy to tame and possessing a strong bite and a loud shriek (used with great frequency), it’s no wonder that many of these

unhappy characters were released by their exasperated owners. They also escaped from importation centres during transfer from one enclosure to another or simply chewed their way out of wooden aviaries. While the importation of exotic birds for the pet trade was quite correctly outlawed in 2007, the species is still popular and easy to breed in aviculture and the feral UK population (now estimated by the RSPB to exceed 50,000) will be topped up with many dozens of fresh escapees each year.

SUMMER INVASIVE SPECIES FOCUS Given that many other species of parrot, including African Grey, Senegal, and Orange-winged Amazon parrots, not to mention their smaller cousins the Budgerigars and Cockatiels, have been very heavily traded and have escaped into the wild in their hundreds over the years, why have Ring-necks become so successful in the south-east of England, while other Psittacines (apart from the Monk Parakeet of South America, which briefly established colonies in London) failed to find a foothold?

Our green guests are:

Hardy, omnivorous and smart Found over vast swathes of the Indian subcontinent, the range of the Ring-necked Parakeet extends into the lower reaches of the Himalayas, where temperatures can reach freezing. These birds have evolved to climatic conditions and mixed terrain not wholly unlike our own. They are problem solvers, quickly adapting their diets or habits to survive and building up a strong bank of local knowledge over their 30-year lifespans. If one food source such as beech mast, hawthorn berries or hazel nuts runs out, they’ll explore the ground, the upper canopy and the hedgerows for alternatives, raid garden bird feeders or eat buds or bark until there’s more nutritious fare around. Their strong zygodactylic feet (two toes pointing forward, two backwards) enable them to hang upside down to reach tasty morsels and are also used to hold and manipulate tough casings such as nuts, while the powerful bill finds a weak point. This makes these ‘feathered monkeys’ fascinating to watch.

Fast and pugnacious With long wings, small light bodies and a long tail which acts as a rudder, these 15-inch, four-ounce parrots are comparatively swift and manoeuvrable on the wing, and can evade most human and avian pursuers with ease (although Peregrine Falcons and Sparrowhawks do predate them with success). If one escapes from your aviary, you probably aren’t going to get it back. While many Psittacines are gentle and seek to avoid conflict where they can, our Ring-necked friends won’t hesitate to gang up and attack potential mammalian or Corvid predators and drive them off.

Alexandrine Parakeet using its foot to manipulate food © Parrot Society UK

Fecund and free-breeding Most parrots mature slowly, mate for life and can be extraordinarily choosy when selecting a partner. Many require very specific conditions or food types to nest successfully and take many months to raise their young. Small wonder that they can’t establish easily in alien conditions. In contrast, Ring-necks are less sentimental (the females are dominant over the males and won’t hesitate to change partners if not fully satisfied) and will pair up to breed without much ceremony. In a very good year, a pair can raise two or even three broods of up to five chicks, which take a mere seven weeks to fledge.

I love these birds, but that is an emotional rather than a scientific response. As conservationists, what should we think of them?

Sadly, almost no environment on earth is now a natural Eden, and humans must make complex decisions on how best to preserve a healthy ecological balance. In the case of parakeets, there seems to be no clear-cut answer. I have seen no conclusive evidence that these birds have significantly impacted native bird populations, although there is plenty of anecdotal evidence of them competing with Nuthatches and woodpeckers for tree cavities. It’s also possible that in some gardens, they out-compete smaller and meeker native species for food (although the deployment of squirrel-proof bird feeders largely solves this issue). It is now possible for landowners to shoot parakeets under a General Licence and there is periodic speculation that ministers are considering a cull. In

deciding whether such action should take place, we must also consider that such efforts would probably fail at containment given how widespread and cunning these birds are. There is also an animal welfare issue here as these creatures exhibit high levels of sentience. Studies show that other parrot species possess a sense of self, are genuinely altruistic and can solve puzzles that would defeat a human child), and the long history of cruelty towards parrots of all kinds, begs us to also ask ourselves if it would be right to wage war upon these remarkable survivors when more ambitious habitat management and creation to benefit native species might be another, more positive way forward. n

Rarely seen in Surrey…

A close cousin of the Ringnecked Parakeet, the Alexandrine Parakeet Psittacula eupatria, has also been occasionally sighted in Surrey – including in Esher. These heavy-billed birds measure an impressive 24 inches, have an even stronger tolerance for cold and a much deeper call. Hugely intelligent, and correspondingly popular as pets, escaped Alexandrines have established strong populations in some European cities, including Cologne where they are seen in good numbers in the city parks. (If you really like parrots - and Germany, check out the feral population of 50 globally-endangered Yellowheaded Amazons Amazona oratrix in Stuttgart).

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SUMMER ADULT LEARNING

Weaving

nature INTO 21ST CENTURY LIFE Ditch the plastic and join a growing community of craftspeople Sue O’Regan, SWT Adult Learning Officer I was wandering the storage section of a DIY store, avoiding the oceans of plastic where possible, when I noticed that each willow basket was slightly different. While the shape and colour were very similar, small variances in the weave were apparent. I was subsequently surprised to learn that every single willow basket we buy on the high street has been crafted by hand. While there are some turning mechanisms in factories that will rotate an item, the actual weaving is still done by a living, breathing person. Oddly, there is very little information about this lack of mechanisation, but it appears that the inconsistency of the natural materials means no machine can match the accuracy of the human hand.

Long tradition

Take the plunge

So much for my parents’ 1960s description of people who have opted out of society as “basket-weaving hippies”’. In fact, these gifted craftspeople have always been part of our daily lives, simply following in the footsteps of our ancestors. Woven baskets made from coiled grasses were discovered in King Tut’s tomb.

Closer to home, evidence has been unearthed of bronze age baskets and matting created from corn husks, sedges and grasses, bark, honeysuckle and willow. These materials are still very much used today.

I am not surprised by the increasing popularity of weaving courses. There is a growing appreciation of learning how to craft practical items that will last for years – and sometimes generations.

Whether it is a basket, a bird feeder, a garden ornament, the furniture in the conservatory or even a casket for a loved one, people have a desire to learn how to weave quality items using natural, locally sourced materials that don’t leave a legacy of pollution.

Above: Berry baskets Left: A willow obelisk

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SUMMER ADULT LEARNING If you want to be part of this growing group of conscientious learners, take a look at the variety of weaving courses offered by the Trust.

With even more courses scheduled for 2025, you have a multitude of opportunities to avoid the high street and still obtain that coveted woven item.

Natural material There are more than 60 varieties of willow grown in this country. Species such as White Willow Salix alba, Basket Willow Salix viminalis and Goat Willow Salix caprea have thrived here since the end of the last ice age. Most willow is grown in wet or marshy ground along rivers and streams. Once established it grows very quickly, but is only harvested during the dormant season between November and March, when the sap is down and the leaves have fallen off. Once cut, it must be used before it dries out, but it can be stored for long periods of time in water tubs, troughs

Willow cuttings or ponds. The abundance of this sustainable material, coupled with the ease with which it can be cultivated and worked, makes it perfect for creating items that will last. n

Sam Hockad

ay

Upcoming Adult Learning Courses Photography - Close Up and Macro Saturday 6 July 10am-4pm Forest Bathing - Light Your Spark Friday 12 July 10am-1pm Heathland - A Rare & Beautiful Habitat Friday 9 August 10am-2pm

Painting Nature through Watercolours Saturday 7 September 10am-4pm

Create a Wildflower Meadow Friday 30 August 10am-3pm

Create a Willow Foraging Basket Friday 13 September 10am-5pm

Bats for Beginners Monday 2 September 7pm-10pm

Insect Societies Friday 20 September 10am-1pm

Book at surreywildlifetrust.org/courses & claim your member discount 27

SUMMER BUSINESS SUPPORTER NEWS

Luke Western Art We’ve partnered with Luke Western, an independent artist who designs and creates nature-inspired images and sculptures. Luke has committed to donating 15% of the price of each wire sculpture he creates to the Trust. These contributions will directly support the Trust’s work

in conserving local habitats and connecting wild spaces across the county.

Find out more: visit LukeWesternArt.com/SurreyWildlife-Trust.

SES Water supports Surrey Wildlife Trust with vital hedgerow building Earlier this year, a team of volunteers from SES Water joined us for a day of hedgerow planting at West Horsley Place.

A core part of SES Water’s purpose is to enhance nature and so, as corporate partners of the Trust, this was an excellent opportunity to work together and make a real difference to the local countryside.

Hedgerows are vital for UK wildlife, serving as biodiversity hotspots and wildlife corridors which offer food, shelter, and nesting sites for insects, birds, and mammals.

Over the course of the day the SES Water team helped plant a total of 850 whips (young trees), helping progress Surrey Wildlife Trust’s ambition to plant and lay 6.5 kilometres of hedgerow in Surrey, mainly in the North Downs area.

SES Water’s Chief Executive Officer, Ian Cain, said: “We’re a proud partner of Surrey Wildlife Trust and admire the great work it does to maintain and preserve the natural beauty we’re all privileged to enjoy in this part of the country”.

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Red Kite detail © Luke Western

New partnership with Chessington Garden Centre In May this year, Chessington Garden Centre became a Gold Corporate Member, showcasing a commitment to safeguarding Surrey’s wildlife.

to make informed choices about plant selections, sustainable gardening practices, and how to create gardens that will attract and support wildlife.

The partnership will see the Trust and the garden centre collaborating on a range of talks and activities.

Throughout the year, we hope to inspire and inform their customers

Learn more about the partnership by visiting: chessingtongardencentre.co.uk/ blog/surrey-wildlife-trustpartnership/

SUMMER BUSINESS SUPPORTER NEWS

Join Back on Track for their next riverside walk along the Fox Way Earlier this year, Back on Track, a fitness community offering running, hiking, and exercise classes on the very best trails in Surrey became an SWT small business supporter.

Together, we’ll be hosting a range of collaborative hikes, where you’ll have the chance to explore the Surrey countryside and its wildlife and enjoy picturesque views with like-minded people.

Join Back on Track’s hike leader Simone Dill, for our next collaborative hike, and enjoy a spectacular eightmile riverside walk along the Fox Way.

The hike will take place on Friday 13th September 2024 and all proceeds from the event will be donated to Surrey Wildlife Trust.

Godalming. The route then heads back along a peaceful river path and across farmland, before returning to the scenic Fox Way.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced hiker, this walk is for you!

Simone is passionate about helping more people to enjoy the mental and physical benefits of walking and encourages beginners and experienced hikers to join the walk. You can also find a Hiking Guide available for free with tips on what to wear and bring on the Back on Track website.

The riverside route will take you via the lesser-known footpaths of Unstead Woods and Wetlands, a diverse habitat and a haven for bird watching. You’ll then continue along the River Wey, often described as Surrey’s best kept secret, before meandering past the historical Titanic Memorial just outside

Book your place online: backontrack.live/events

Thank you to all of our business supporters!

Gold members

Bronze members

 Chessington Garden Centre  Chessington World of Adventures Resort  KIA UK Ltd  Premier Miton Investors  Toyota (GB) PLC  Vestel UK  Woking Football Club  Woking Golf club Ltd

 Sibelco  Wild By Design Landscapes

Silver members  Affinity Water Ltd  Eiger Trading Advisors Ltd  Oander  SES Water  Thames Water  UK Power Networks (UKPN)  Weybridge Vehicle Consultants

Small Business supporters  Back on Track  Clandon Wood  Landscaping Solutions Ltd  Luke Western Art  Novex Solutions  Hit the Trail

Business supporters and donors

 Cotswold Outdoor Clothing  GiveaCar  Novuna  Network Rail  Ringway  Surrey Choices  Surrey County Council  Surrey Green Burials  Surrey Hills Photography  University of Surrey  Vine House Farm  Wild! About Coffee

 Albury Vineyard  Benevity  BUPA  Car Take Back  Co-op

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SUMMER CELEBRATING OUR PEOPLE

IN MEMORY Liz Edwardes It was so sad to hear our lovely friend and volunteer Liz had lost her battle with cancer. She was always a joy to work with and spent many days post-retirement volunteering with the education team at Nower Wood.

Liz was so enthusiastic right from her first visit to Nower Wood, and it was infectious: even the most nervous children soon settled into their day under her care.

Liz was always willing to give up weekends and evenings and was perhaps our jolliest and best dressed elf at Christmas in the Woods.

At holiday club she was forever resourceful and patient. One wet afternoon I saw her teaching the boys how to knit with their whittled sticks as needles – they loved it!

She was a great advocate for both education and volunteering and always willing to talk to people about opportunities with the Trust, attend recruitment days and help train volunteers. We will miss her greatly and think of her spirit dancing among the bluebells that she loved so much.

Louise Shorthose

Thank you

for supporting SWT © Jon Hawkins

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" I've rewilded myself!"

SUMMER INTRODUCING

INTRODUCING...

Schools have a vital role to play in conservation, says Wilder Schools Team Leader Emma Rothwell I originally trained as a primary teacher and taught in the UK, Milan, Moscow, and Istanbul. Then ten years ago I changed course and did a second degree in animal behaviour and welfare. I think I had my eye on a job in a zoo as an education officer.

However, back in 2015 I did work experience at SWT and loved it. When I discovered that British children knew less about badgers than meerkats, my focus shifted to a different kind of wildlife education. I became a volunteer here and, with the support of the amazing education team, began a massive learning curve. After a couple of years I got a job as a full-time education officer – and it’s been lifechanging.

Change of plan The ride hasn’t always been smooth.

When Covid put a stop to our traditional school visits to Nower Wood, we had to rethink our approach.

We developed the Wilder Schools programme, which encourages teachers to integrate outdoor learning into the curriculum, so children can enjoy the many benefits, from better mental health to improved social skills.

Schools apply to join and an SWT tutor works with three or four each year.

For the first year we go into school regularly, leading assemblies and showing the children how to improve their school grounds for nature, by creating wildflower meadows, building luxury bug hotels, digging ponds, planting saplings, and laying hedgerows. In years two and three we provide follow-up support and hopefully watch them embed nature into the normal school day.

Celebrating nature Nower Wood still welcomes hundreds of children every week, and we hold an annual celebration day for all our Wilder Schools, when we nominate the school that has spread the word most effectively within its community.

These days I line-manage three of the Wilder Schools tutors, as well as coordinating our 43 amazing education volunteers. But I’m very happy that I still teach at least one day a week. It’s what I’ve always loved – and being able to do it in nature makes me feel like I’ve rewilded myself! ■

I’d like to see more schools taking a similar approach, as the scale of the climate and nature crisis demands that every young person develops a more positive and caring relationship with the natural world.

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SUMMER CELEBRATING OUR PEOPLE River restoration should be high on the agenda, with pollution threatening wildlife like kingfishers

 YOUR SWT

Peter Charles Inspiring the next generation is priority for a valued member of our Nower Wood team When did you first join or start volunteering with the Trust?

I believe I started on the education side at SWT Nower Wood around Autumn 2022. I had been doing practical conservation work before that with SWT hedge planting team but had always wanted to see if I could help on the education side of the Trust’s work.

What has been your most memorable moment?

I like any time spent at Nower Wood as it’s such a great habitat to experience, but to share and enjoy it with the visiting school pupils is especially rewarding. My favourite moment so far was helping to lead part of a reception class on their first ever visit to a woodland. Their excitement and wonder at this first, ‘wild’ encounter, made a mark on all the volunteers that day.

What do you think is the most important challenge facing Surrey's wildlife?

It has to be protecting existing habitats under the Trusts management and working with other conservation organisations and landowners to best connect more of these habitats. It’s so important to get the public to access and care about these often unique and rare habitats. I strongly believe that many people only learn to care for nature once they get to regularly experience it.

How has being a member helped you protect nature in your own right?

What is your favourite species?

I’m fascinated by fungi but if I had to choose I would have to say bees. I realised that I really knew so little about them when I started at Nower Wood. That’s the great part of volunteering; you learn from the knowledgeable staff and experienced volunteers.

Do you have any advice to other members or supporters of the Trust?

What is your favourite Surrey habitat?

Tell everyone you know about the Trust’s latest initiatives and successes. We have all become accustomed to the gloom about habitat and species loss across Britain. The situation is not good and much more needs to be done.

But there are great success stories of habitats and species brought back from the brink and we all need to keep working toward more.

It’s very difficult to choose but it would have to be chalk grassland. Walking on the North Downs on a sunny, late spring day and taking in orchids, insects, a Kestrel and so much more is a joy.

If you have any time volunteer in whatever way you can. If you can make any donation, however small, you will be investing in a better environment for all species.

My interest in nature and the need to protect often felt like a fruitless one-man struggle to convince others to care for our embattled natural world. But by passing on my interest, knowledge and enthusiasm to the visiting schools I feel that I might just help create a few more future wildlife advocates.

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UK NEWS UK UPDATE

Pyramidal Orchid on a brownfield site being cleared for development

Biodiversity Net Gain falls short new era beckons as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) – a requirement on developers to ensure wildlife habitat is left in a better state than it was before the building project began – has become mandatory for all major and minor developments in England. The Wildlife Trusts have actively contributed to the evolution of this legislation for many years, recognising that development is often necessary, but does not have to be achieved in a way that harms nature.

This legislation has the potential to transform our planning systems whereby developers deliver more for nature contributing to its recovery - rather than accelerating its decline. This is vital if we are to meet our international obligations to restore 30 per cent of land and sea for nature by 2030.

Biodiversity Net Gain could not only make a positive contribution towards nature’s recovery but also help address the climate emergency in the process.

However, The Wildlife Trusts are concerned that Biodiversity Net Gain is not currently on track to address the severity of the continuing nature crisis.

We believe that UK Government needs to set more ambitious targets.

ORCHID ON DEVELOPMENT SITE © TERRY WHITTAKER/2020VISION

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Magazine Name | Summer 2024

Rachel Hackett, planning and development manager at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “It’s extremely disappointing to see that some of the rules and guidelines for Biodiversity Net Gain fall short of their intended ambition.

Given the uncertainties surrounding habitat creation, a gain of 10% will at best hold the tide against nature loss to development and provide a contingency to ensure no overall loss of biodiversity.

But if we want to secure real recovery for nature, we need to see at least 20% gain.”

We will continue to call for regulations and guidance to be more effective and strive for a gold standard for Biodiversity Net Gain. Afterall, there is a nature crisis in the UK – one in six species are at risk of extinction and the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. We propose developers and local authorities go beyond the minimum requirements and aim for at least a 20% gain for nature.

We’d like to see the UK Government changing policy and guidance so the sale of excess biodiversity units is prevented.

We’d like no further broadening of permitted development rules and Government to provide policy guidance to ensure Biodiversity Net Gain for

permitted development is made a matter for local consideration rather than a blanket exemption.

Local Planning Authorities also need to be resourced with the right level of skills and capacity across departments to oversee the Biodiversity Net Gain process to ensure it is properly implemented, monitored and enforced. Finally, Biodiversity Net Gain must be ‘additional’ to existing mechanisms for nature conservation and enhancement.

When it comes to protecting, restoring and managing the natural environment, The Wildlife Trusts up and down the country have unmatched experience, knowledge and expertise. Nature conservation is our primary charitable objective. So, for decades we have delivered high-quality Biodiversity Net Gain habitat and offered specialist advice and consultancy to developers, local planning authorities, partners and communities.

All our funding is invested with the purpose of delivering gains for nature.

For more information visit wildlifetrusts.org/ biodiversity-net-gain

Surrey Nature | Spring 2024

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Secrets of success with

peat-free compost

ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIE ARTEMIS

Selecting plants is one of the most exciting parts of gardening, but compost choice can determine a great deal of success in the garden.

When selecting a compost, the most important thing is to look for a peat-free label. Taking peat out of the ground destroys important habitats and releases large amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere, so gardening peat-free is an easy way to take positive action for wildlife and climate. If you can’t find peat-free stated on the bag, then the chances are the product contains peat. Something marked as organic or environmentally-friendly doesn’t necessarily mean it’s peat-free.

Peat-free mixes contain more microbes, many of which are beneficial for your plants but can change how the compost performs the longer they are left in the bag. To get the best from your compost, we recommend using it in the growing season you bought it or within a year of the manufacture date.

If you are using smaller amounts of specialist mixes,

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Surrey Nature | Spring 2024

such as ericaceous compost for acid-loving plants, you could share with a friend or local gardening group to save on cost.

Not every peat-free mix will be a perfect fit for every gardener, so try a couple of different types to find one that suits your plants and growing environment. Peat-free compost has come a long way, with a wide range for every need and plant type available. All peat-free mixes are different, so you might also need to adjust watering and feeding a little. As a general rule, peat-free may need to be watered little and often compared to peat.

Getting to know what you need from your compost and which products give healthy, longlasting plants can unlock a whole new world of gardening success for anyone, even if you don’t have the greenest fingers!

Claire Thorpe is the peat-free campaign manager for the RHS, and is passionate about helping people garden sustainably.

GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE

Meadows A wildflower patch full of native annuals like ox-eye daisy won’t need any compost at all, as these plants prefer low nutrient soils, so you can sow directly into bare ground.

Veg Soil improvers and manures, which contain lots of organic matter, can add nutrients without the need for lots of fertiliser.

Seeds Seed and cutting compost is specially mixed to suit these young plants, being much finer and containing less slow-release feed than multipurpose compost. The fine texture is especially important for small seeds like foxglove.

Trees and hedges As well as being brilliant for wildlife, trees and hedge plants often come bare root (not in a pot), so you can plant in the ground, just adding some mulch. Home compost or leaf mould are easy mulches to make yourself.

As well as in compost, peat can be found in bedding plants and potted house plants. Help us raise awareness of ‘hidden peat’ by becoming a peat inspector: wildlifetrusts.org/ban-sale-peat

Baskets, containers and boxes Peat-free compost is prone to a dry top so check with your finger to see if there is moisture lower down in the container and aim to keep compost just moist, stopping watering before it runs out the bottom.

Specialist plants Look for products labelled as working for plant groups that need specific soil conditions (e.g. carnivorous sundews or ericaceous cranberries), as multipurpose compost won’t provide the conditions they need to grow well.

Pond plants Use special aquatic mixes to fill pond basket planters, these are formulated to ensure nutrient release is slower, stopping leaching into the pond which can cause algal growth.

Houseplants One of the biggest killers of houseplants is overwatering. Mixing houseplant-specific compost with grit or fine bark will help stop root rot by improving drainage.

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Chris Gomersall/2020VISION

Make a difference for local wildlife with a gift in your Will From safeguarding precious heathland, to creating new homes for wildlife across Surrey, just a 1% gift in your Will can help us protect nature and inspire future generations We’d love to hear from you, so if you’d like to discuss leaving a gift in your Will or to find out more information, please contact us on 01483 795 445, or by emailing jennifer.mason@surreywt.org.uk

surreywildlifetrust.org/legacies Registered Charity No. 208123 Surrey Wildlife Trust is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no. 00645176. Registered office School Lane, Pirbright, Surrey, GU24 0JN

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