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We have only a few places left for our field trip on 31st May to Lower Pertwood Organic Farm, so don't forget to email us if you'd like to go, details found in this month's newsletter. This is a limited field trip and you will need to receive acknowledgment of a space to be included. Take a look at their website for panoramic views of their farmland and information about their dedication to conservation and providing a healthy ecosystem for crops and wildlife.  We recently had a fantastic excursion to Longleat, where we saw an impressive beaver territory, under the expert guidance of Dr Tom Lewis, Conservation Manager at the Estate.
We observed a series of dams and ponds, feeding stations and food caches, a lodge, a coppiced area… all the result of beaver activity since 2020, when these mammals - once extinct in Britain - were recorded in the area for the first time in hundreds of years. Tom explained how beavers interact with the environment and each other and the transformation of the landscape since their arrival. We had heard beavers are ecosystem engineers and we saw how well they live up to the name! A once temporary stream which used to dry up in the summer now has a permanent flow of water, thousands of tadpoles were swarming in the ponds, groups of spotted fly catcher families congregate in autumn to feed on the insects and the high canopy woodland now supports openings of freshly coppiced trees which provide lots of grazing opportunities for herbivores. We felt very privileged to be there and see it all and we are very grateful to Longleat and Tom for letting us visit and guiding us there. We hope to be able to visit again in future to witness further beaver progress in the landscape! This trip was not advertised on social media as numbers were limited and spaces were quickly filled from our mailing list. If you missed out, get in touch so we can add you to our mailing list and be the first to find out about our activities! Inés López-Dóriga We have reached our limit of 15 people for the Longleat field trip on Sat 3rd May. There are only spaces for those of you who have already received an acceptance from Andrew.
If you can no longer make this trip, please let us know. We can open a waiting list if there are others who'd like to put their names down. The document which gives more detail about each Field Trip has now been uploaded and can be found on the Field Trips page. Our first one "Beaver walk in Longleat" is in the afternoon of Sat 3 May and has limited numbers. Please contact us if you'd like to book a space.
Please note the updated times for our AGM next week in the previous Blog item. There is a new programme for 2025 and you can find the lists of our talks, films and field trips on the relevant pages of this website. We just need to complete the document which holds the details of the field trips and we'll let you know when it's ready.
Photos: Debbie & Andrew Carter
Andrew Graham is leading a field trip to Rushmore Park on Saturday 21st September starting from the Rushmore Golf Club car park at 10.00 am. It will be an autumnal walk through the woods which spread out near the Golf Club. We will be looking to see how many different fungi we can find in this ancient semi-natural woodland. We will not be able to take any home. No dogs. Meet at the Nadder Centre car park for 9:30am departure so that we can car share. Please let us know whether you will be joining us at the Nadder Centre or driving there direct. Anticipated end time: Concluding at 12:30 at Rushmore with return to Nadder Centre by 1pm. One evening last week Esther and Matthew Phillips kindly showed us around their nature reserve which they started two and half years ago when they moved to Swallowcliffe.
With a torrential downpour half an hour before we arrived we were fortunate that the sun came out and the warmth returned. As we gathered, we were shown two occupied Housemartin nests under the eaves as well as a very active Hornets' nest further along. Although Hornets are not aggressive and rarely sting they often cause problems in roof spaces by chewing plasterboard and roofing felt! Esther and Matthew are members of The Wiltshire Small Rewilders. It is a volunteer-run network providing support and knowledge sharing for small rewilding projects (of up to 50 acres) across Wiltshire and the surrounding area. One of the founders is Jonathan Thompson who is well known to our society. Esther and Philip have planted about twenty native trees in their first winter and have steadily increased the number of differing habitats for wildlife, with extensive swathes of grasses - home to two deer which happily spend most of their days in the reserve, and a perfect home for small mammals such as field voles which attract bird of prey. There are perches provided for them, an important detail as there aren't many large trees around the field. Also, they created an additional dewpond which will take a couple of years to become fully established but is already attracting more bird life. With vines, soft fruit, a forest garden and plenty of space to grow vegetables the Phillips are developing a reserve which will also support their enthusiasm for sustainable living. Our Chair especially enjoyed sampling a Szechuan pepper, with a lovely tangy long lasting flavour! We were invited in for refreshments at the end of the evening and had a lovely time chatting and seeing photos of the reserve taken during the spring and summer when it was awash with colour.  (c) Robin Drayton / Viewpoint on the RSPB Arne reserve via Wikimedia Commons Andrew Graham will lead us on a walk around Arne RSPB Reserve where we will pass through varied habitats of heathlands, woods and wetlands with views over Poole Harbour. Arne is a terrific place for wildlife and BBC Seasonwatch has been broadcast from here a number of times, it is so good. It would therefore be a shame not to see a good part of its varied habitats. So, weather permitting, we will aim to spend the day here and we will be walking 4-5 miles.
Please let us know if you are planning to join the trip and where you will meet us. No dogs. Meet at the Nadder Centre car park at 9:30am or at the Arne car park at 11:00 am (OS Grid reference SY972 878) or What3Words wings.poetic.crown. The car park (charges for non- RSPB members) is located on the right at the beginning of Arne village from the Stoborough direction. Distance, Difficulty and Footwear: There is relatively easy walking on paths and tracks with some slopes. Stout shoes should suffice unless wet. Bring binos, a packed lunch and refreshments. Anticipated end time: Conclude at Arne by 3pm returning to Nadder Centre by 4pm. https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/arne/location Despite the gales and torrential rain, a cheery band of intrepid explorers headed off to Wild Woodbury in deepest, darkest Dorset.
We were spurred on by memories of the enthusiastic and interesting talk given by Rob Farrington in January about Wild Woodbury, near Bere Regis and this was to be our quest: what had happened to this site, acquired in 2021 by Dorset Wildlife Trust? Our guide for the day was Seb Elwood and, as we turned into the car park, the rain stopped, Seb greeted us and all would be well. Since 2021, the area of farmland has been allowed to rewild. From bare earth have sprouted meadows, completely naturally, no seeding has taken place apart from nature’s own handiwork. Standing at the top of the site, surveying the surrounding fields, it is hard to comprehend where the flowers and plants have come from as the view shows neatly planted crops all around, but nature brings its own. Seb explained how this part of the site will become an open area of meadow, accessible to everyone (and their dogs!) and so providing an amenity to the nearby village of Bere Regis. There are plans for a farm shop and picnic areas to encourage locals and visitors from further away to enjoy the site and to refresh their spirits. The main project over the past three years has been to return the waterways that traverse the land to their natural courses. A lot of work has gone into removing the agricultural drainage (from the top of the hill it appears that the stream ran uphill!) and allow the streams to run where nature intended. Fauna has begun to return to the site, all carefully logged and recorded in order to show how the rewilding is benefiting the natural order of things. Seb told us that the fields were bare earth when Dorset Wildlife moved onto site. This soon changed and became covered with signs of mice and after that, signs of owls, predating on the mice! Seb was a knowledgeable and interesting host and guide. He answered the many questions from our interested members. Seb’s enthusiasm was infectious and we were all stimulated and our quest was complete. We hope to go back in the future to see what happens next. So much has been done in three years. What will the next three years hold? by Emma Procter. On Saturday 6th July, we have a visit to Wild Woodbury, Bere Regis, with a walk of approximately 4km/2.5 miles across uneven ground around this rewilding community project guided by Dorset Wildlife Trust Ranger, Seb Haggett. There is a portaloo on site at the car park.
If you are used to walking poles it will be worth bringing them. Walking shoes/boots are advised and please bring a packed lunch and refreshments. The weather is looking good for Saturday, with dry, sunny spells forecast. There are ticks on site, along with longer vegetation, so trousers are recommended. Also bring along any wildlife spotting equipment, binoculars, cameras etc. Please let us know if you are planning to join the trip and where you will meet us. No dogs. Meet at the Nadder Centre car park at 9:30am or at 10:30am up a short track off Southbrook Road, opposite Eldon Road in Bere Regis. https://maps.app.goo.gl/qXbC482vgk4pZ6Qt6 What3words: permanent.kings.chef Those of you that came along to our meeting in January will recall the fascinating presentation by Rob Farrington of the work he has been leading for the past two and a half years to re-wild the 170-hectare site, south-east of Bere Regis. The plot acquired by Dorset Wildlife Trust was In September 2021 with plans to return what was previously intensively farmed arable land to its natural state. The goal was to create an example of sustainable land use, contribute to tackling the climate and ecological crises, reduce high nitrate levels in the area (and prevent them from entering Poole Harbour), and to engage the local community. In the first year of the project, the land was allowed to naturally regenerate: there was an immediate increase in biodiversity and abundance, with the site list reaching 1300 species. During 2023, the second year of the project, work was carried out to ‘re-naturalise’ the headwaters of the River Sherford that run through the site. More information: https://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/blog/tag/wild-woodbury Anticipated end time: Returning to Tisbury by 3:30pm |
Photo: Avocets (Izzy Fry)
The headers display photos taken by our members. Do get in touch via the Contact Form if you'd like to submit a photo for selection.
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