A news and events diary from wildlife and conservation groups in the Ipswich area

Produced by the

January - April 2014LocalWildlife News

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Why did the toad

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IPSWICH BEANPOLE DAY

In association with

NATIONAL BEANPOLE WEEK

Buy locally produced BEANPOLES & PEASTICKS

at

Spring Wood, Ipswich

access Belstead Brook Park Bobbits Lane IP9 2BE

Sunday 27th April 2014 11am – 3pm

For further details Phone 01473 726082

or see www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk

Facebook : Ipswich Wildlife Group

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Welcome

Contents Page

Suffolk Wildlife Trust 4

Ipswich Wildlife Group 8

Landguard Partnership 9

Greenways Countryside Project 10

IBC Wildlife Rangers 12

Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group 13

Friends of Christchurch Park 14

Portal Woodlands Conservation Group 15

RSPB Ipswich Local Group 16

Butterfly Conservation 18

Friends of Holywells Park 19

Friends of Belstead Brook Park 20

Local Wildlife News Snippets 21

Events Diary 22

Welcome to the winter/spring edition of Local Wildlife News – with news and events from at least a dozen local wildlife and community groups.

As ever there is a wonderful array of news stories and photographs to illustrate what has been happening in the conservation world in and around Ipswich. On occasions, we have to use photographs from libraries if one is not available from one of our contributors – we would far rather use local pictures from local photographers and would thus be extremely grateful if any photographers out there would be prepared to submit high-res photographs to the Production Editor or supply a list of species/subjects of photographs for possible use in future editions.

For the excellent photos of the rare Nathusius pipistrelle bat discovered in Christchurch Park (page 14), we are indebted to Jon Russ of Ridgeway Ecology, worth looking at his website www.nathusius.org.uk and Nigel Milbourne and his website www.nigelmilbournephotography.com

I hope to see you at one of the Megabashes or at the wonderful Spring Wood Day on Bank Holiday Monday 5th May.

ContributionsWe are always happy to receive articles of anything up to 600 words, photographs of local wildlife or conservation work and local sightings or wildlife ‘snippets’ – so please do send in anything which may be of interest to: Greenways Project, Stable Block, Holywells Park, Cliff Lane, Ipswich, IP3 0PG. 01473 433995. greenways.project@ipswich.gov.uk

Mailing lists – Please noteWe are aware that some who are members of several conservation organisations may well receive more than one copy of the newsletter. If this is the case we would be very grateful if you could pass on the spare copy to someone who will appreciate it and contact the Greenways Project on 01473 433995 or greenways.project@ipswich.gov.uk, stating which organisations you are a member of, so that we can ensure that you receive just one in the future.

If on the other hand you don’t currently receive LWN regularly, but would like to, please consider joining one of the groups that distributes LWN to its members (i.e. Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Ipswich Wildlife Group, RSPB etc).

Remember, for those who don’t receive a copy LWN is available online at www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/iwg

James Baker

Local Wildlife News is published by Greenways Countryside Project.

Editor: James Baker greenways.project@ipswich.gov.uk Tel 01473 433995

Production Editor: Colin Hullis colin@hullis.net Tel 01473 728674

Artwork production: Chris Saunders chris@brokehall.plus.com Tel 01473 721550

Printed by PJ Print info@pjprint.com Tel 01473 276010

Printed on recycled paper

The opinions expressed in Local Wildlife News are not necessarily those of the Greenways Project.

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Ipswich Group Newsletter

Chairman: David Munday 01473 217310 davidmun@talktalk.net Secretary: Wendy Brown 01473 259674 chriswendy@talktalk.net Treasurer: Tony Clarke 01473 741083 tonyclarke@2309hotmail.co.uk Newsletter Editor: John Ireland 01473 723179 jfrani.36@gmail.com

Group contact: ipswichswt@gmail.comWe are the Ipswich Group of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. We offer an interesting range of monthly meetings with guest speakers which take place usually on the third Wednesday of the month at 7.30 p.m. in the hall of St Margaret’s Primary School, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Trust members and non-members are equally welcome. During the summer months we offer a variety of trips,

some local, others by coach. Details of these and our monthly meetings can be found in our ‘Diary’ section which follows, or on the SWT website, www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org.

All ChangePlease note a change of programme for the evening meeting on Wed 19th March. It will now be SWT Carlton Marshes Warden Matt Gooch telling us all about the Suffolk Broads and its wildlife. We hope to reschedule Roger Hance’s “Life in the Undergrowth” for a later date.

CasualFor various reasons my allotment has been neglected lately (as I write in early October) and somewhat overtaken by the usual Fat Hen, Gallant Soldier and other weeds, but I was surprised to find an unusual and well established weed about ½ metre high growing amongst my raspberry bushes. It has a beautiful shaped calyx which when it opens up reveals a lovely bluish bell shaped flower with a white centre.

Chairman’s Letter

I struggled to find it in any of my wild flower books until I did so in Richard Mabey’s Flora Britannica.It is Apple of Peru Nicandra physaloides which as its name suggests, is native to Peru. It has spread throughout the world and is a particular pest in many parts of the Americas, Asia and Africa.

Sometimes it is used as a garden plant as its flowers, brown berries and papery seed cases are attractive, but beware it is highly poisonous !

Hickling BroadSome while ago we had a very successful coach trip to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Reserve at Hickling Broad in Norfolk so we decided to do it again! This will be on Saturday 31st May and will include a boat trip with a guide. More details follow.

YoungstersIpswich has a very successful Watch Group for children aged from 6 -12 years run by Andrew Mackay. However, he is leaving the district, so our thanks to him for all his efforts. Now the Trust is looking for someone to take up the vacancy! The Group meets once a month on a Saturday morning for two hours with activities usually based at Holywells Park. If you are interested in this satisfying job, or know someone who might be, please ring Bev Rogers Wildlife Watch Co-ordinator on 01473 892 433 or e-mail bev.rogers@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

PublicityInterested in helping the Ipswich Group? We need someone to continue the excellent job of Publicity Officer done by Leigh Williamson for several years. Essentially the job consists of e-mailing to EADT, BBC Radio Suffolk etc with details of our meetings and activities. For more details please contact Leigh for a chat on 01473 785600 or leighwilliamson@btinternet.com

Dave Munday (Chairman)

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Hill House Farm Playford, July 6thIt was a sunny Saturday in July. The Ipswich Group of SWT had been invited to visit Hill House Farm at Playford where about one hundred acres of beautiful countryside is being managed as a nature reserve. This was a unique opportunity to see a place not normally open to the public. So why was I surprised when over 60 people arrived on the day?

Mr Lofts, the owner, welcomed us all and introduced us to Geoff who had been assisting him for the last 63 years. Geoff manages the reserve and was to be our guide. The large group made its way through the shady sloping gardens, over a stream and past a field of mixed cows and calves down to the ponds. As we were walking down I realised, thankfully, that there were some knowledgeable people in the group who had visited Hill Farm before and who might be able to help out with the large group. Geoff pointed out various wide grassy paths which could be taken. So gradually the group dispersed, some talking to Mr. Lofts, others going with Geoff or off on their own. I started off along a path to the left between the ponds and the river. While we had stopped to listen to reed buntings and watch dragonflies, we heard the unmistakable cat-cry of a buzzard and had a good view of two flying above the meadow beyond the river. This was a promising start to the day. Through a wooded area and round to the right we came to an open area full of tall swaying grasses and wildflowers. This is the hunting ground of the barn owl. Geoff has built himself a hide with a perfect vantage point for watching the barn owl box and hunting area. In the tall trees beyond here we saw a hobby’s nest through our binoculars. No sign of the hobby itself though.

From here the path started to climb and we had the choice of the very steep path or the other one. The heat of the day made the choice easy. We took the right-hand path which rose slowly to reveal a glorious view down to the ponds and across to the other side of the valley. We were grateful that Geoff has placed benches at strategic locations along the route always to take advantage of a wonderful view.

Near the top of the slope was a high, yellow sand cliff studded with holes. Sand martins had been nesting here

a month before – about 20 this year, but on previous years there have been a hundred or so. As we made the final push to the summit we passed a bank of brambles. It was alive with bees and butterflies. A butterfly expert in our midst recognised small tortoise shells, meadow browns and a gatekeeper. One particular small tortoise shell took a fancy to me. It began by flying round on my hat then landed on my shirt. It eventually settled on my hand with its proboscis in contact with my skin and stayed there until we walked right back to the ponds – delightful.

As the morning was nearly over, several from the group made their way back to their cars with Mr Lofts. On spotting some people way off to the right of the ponds I went to remind them of the time and to shepherd them towards the exit only to discover that Geoff was at the centre of the group. They were all still greatly enjoying the morning but even so we gradually made our way back. While we were having a final gaze over the meadow where I had previously seen the buzzards we were delighted to spot the hobby before it disappeared amongst the trees.

We all had a really memorable morning and would like to thank Mr Lofts for his invitation and for taking the larger than expected numbers in his stride.

Leigh Williamson

Ipswich Group Newsletter

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Ipswich Group Newsletter

Coach Outing to Hickling Broad 31st May 20148.30am Crown Street lay-by Ipswich

Hickling Broad is one of the largest expanses of open water in East Anglia. It is a National Nature Reserve and a haven for rare plants and animals. There are about two miles of trails around the site which pass through reed beds, along grassy paths on the flood

Booking Form SWT (Ipswich) outing to Hickling Broad Saturday 31st May 2014

Please reserve ……… tickets for Hickling Broad + boat @ £24

Total sum enclosed £ ...........

Name ……………………………………………..............……………………............................……………

Address …………………………………......................................……………………………………………

Postcode ………..........…………..............… Telephone ……..............................………………………

Email address ……..............................………………………………………………....................…………

Please return this form toPam Ireland, 49 Mayfield Road, Ipswich, IP4 3NG (Tel 01473 723179), together with stamped addressed envelope and cheque made out to Suffolk Wildlife Trust If you give an e-mail address you do not need to include SAE

wall, and tracks lined by birch and oaks. Hides overlook the scrapes, which attract a variety of wading birds. In recent years the habitat has been improved, and bitterns breed here. The marshes, grazed by cattle and Konik horses, provide another habitat where lapwing

and snipe may be found. Swallowtail butterflies breed here, and may be seen if the weather is good.

Our trip will include a 1½ hour trip on a small silent electric boat which goes across open water and through reed beds where you may spot beautiful dragonflies and marsh harriers. There will be an opportunity to climb a 60ft tree tower, and to visit a hide accessible only by water.

There is a visitors’ centre with interpretive displays and a shop with light snacks and a tea and coffee machine, and a picnic area.

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Ipswich Group Newsletter

Dates for your Diary - January 2014 to May 2014All meetings, unless otherwise stated, will take place in St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich at 7.30 pm. There will be a charge of £2.50, which includes tea or coffee.

Wednesday 15th January 2014 at 7.30pm. Wildlife of the Scilly Isles by David HealeyThe Scilly Isles are the most isolated and possibly the most beautiful Islands in Britain. They lie 30 miles off the SW coast of Cornwall and because of the Gulf Stream rarely get frosts or snow. Their warm humid climate supports a huge variety of wildlife, much of it seen nowhere else in the British Isles. We are pleased to welcome David back to inform us about this lovely part of our country.

Wednesday 12th February 2014 at 7.30pm. Landscape and Animals of the Great Rift Valley by Robert FergusonThe Great Rift Valley stretches from Syria to Mozambique and is visible from space. It passes through Kenya and Tanzania, where humans are thought to have evolved, and which now host a huge variety of wildlife, in particular the “Big Five”- elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and cheetah. Robert has led safaris to this part of the world, so has plenty of first hand experience of its wonders.

Wednesday 19th March 2014 at 7.30pm. Living Landscape of the Suffolk Broads by Matt. GoochMatt is the reserve manager for Carlton Marshes, near Lowestoft, so knows this area well. He will give a whistle-stop pictorial tour of the nature reserves of the Waveney Valley, and beyond, looking at the species associated with this diverse place. He will tell us of some of the work being undertaken to develop a sustainable ecosystem near to a large built-up area. We hope to follow up this talk with a visit in the summer.

Wednesday 23rd April 2014 at 7.30pm. Farming with Wildlife in Mind by Patrick BarkerPatrick, together with his cousin Brian, runs Lodge Farm at Westthorpe, near Stowmarket. Their aim is to run a commercial modern business, producing high yielding quality crops while increasing biodiversity, and they have seen the return of a host of threatened plants and animals to their farm.They have won a number of prestigious awards including the National FWAG’s Silver Lapwing award for Farming and Conservation in 2009, and Countryside Farmer of the year by Farmers’ Weekly in 2010.This meeting will be preceded by a short AGM.

Saturday 31st May 2014 at 8.30am Crown St lay-by IpswichCoach Outing to Hickling Broad including a Boat Trip See article and booking form on previous page. Booking essential.

A full listing of all Groups’ events can be found from page 22

Konik ponies can be seen on the marshes at Hickling

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Ipswich Wildlife Group

Chair: Ray Sidaway 01473 259104 www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/iwg facebook.com/ipswichwildlifegroupIpswich Wildlife Group is a registered charity, relying entirely on volunteers, that promotes interest in, and conservation of,

wildlife and habitats in and around Ipswich. We seek to inform and educate the local communities of Ipswich about the wildlife and habitats that can be found in the area, and the issues affecting them, as well as involve local people in practical wildlife

conservation. We carry out practical conservation tasks, bid for grants to improve wildlife and green areas around Ipswich and work closely with the Greenways Project, Friends of Belstead Brook Park and other local groups with similar aims.

More members are now much more knowledgeable about woodland management and woodland crafts after the Teach-in held in October.

Not only was a wealth of valuable information provided by our excellent tutors for the day, James Baker, Gerry Donlon and Ray Sidaway but the chance to have a go at some woodland crafts was possible thanks to Neil Marjoram.

Coppicing was the principal topic of the day as Gerry’s monthly work parties concentrate on coppicing the hazel from November, after the dormice have gone into hibernation. The historic aspects of coppicing were explained together with the terms used, and tools employed. The safety aspects and the right and wrong ways of sawing were demonstrated along with some of the problems that may be encountered.

A fabulous walk through the ancient woodland in glorious autumn sunshine was led by Ray Sidaway. Ray has an

All photos © Colin Hullis

Super Spring Wood Teach-Inintimate knowledge of every aspect of the wood, its trees, flora and fauna and expertly pointed out many features that even the keenest nature lover would never notice.

Processing the cut hazel is an integral part of coppicing. Going back several hundreds of years, the hazel poles provided numerous items for the construction of homes, farm buildings and fencing. Now, we process the hazel into 8ft beanpoles, pea sticks and linen line props. Using loppers to cut the poles to length and a billhook to trim twigs, Gerry demonstrated processing the material which we then tie into bundles and sell in the spring to local allotment holders.

At the new Greenways workshop up at Thorington Hall, Neil Marjoram demonstrated the use of the traditional Pole Lathe and Shave Horse which were (and still are) used to fashion wood direct from the woodland into all manner of useful objects such as stool and table legs, mallets and candle sticks. Everyone was then very keen to have a go themselves - with varied success.

Spellbound in glorious Spring Wood

Mike Fisher has a go with the Pole Lathe.

Roger Leaton gets to grips with a Shave Horse

Not the easiest of examples to demonstrate coppicing

Ray Sidaway leads the group in the woodland ‘cathedral’

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rarest habitats occurring only in Northern Europe, Japan and New Zealand. It is habitat for well adapted plants such as Sea Kale and Sea Pea.

I think you are getting the idea now that the peninsular is a long way from being devoid of Wildlife. Like most things in the natural world you have to look and look again. One of the key elements of my post as Landguard Ranger is to raise awareness of the reserve’s great diversity of wildlife so that people who haven’t the time or inclination to ‘look and look again’, can be helped to appreciate the Reserve’s wildlife. Once done, requests to keep dogs on a short lead in the southern half of the reserve should be more readily appreciated and adhered to. I can also do this through guided walks and quarterly ‘What’s About With The Ranger’ walks to take in the different seasons.

Living on the reserve is also providing challenges, no nipping across the road to the corner shop any more! And if there is a breeze inland you can be sure that it is nearer a gale here. Cleaning the loo with bleach is out, as this kills the bacteria digesting our waste. The gentle throb and hum of activity through the night from the port is gently soporific. Lying in bed the other night listening to the thin ‘seep’ call of many migrating Redwings being

blown across the reserve was a delight! Volunteers play an important part in running the reserve, be it helping install a boardwalk or taking part in a wildflower survey. Please get in touch if you would like to be involved, your help would be very much appreciated.

Chris Ryde

Landguard Bungalow, View Point Road, Felixstowe IP11 3TW Tel: 01394 675283Email: ranger@landguardpartnership.org.uk www.landguardpartnership.org.uk

Ranger Blog: http://www.landguardpartnership.org.uk/nature_reserve/rangers_blog Twitter: https://twitter.com/landguardrangerThe Landguard Partnership was formed in 2009 to ensure that the Landguard Peninsula in Felixstowe is managed in a

sustainable manner, contributing to the nationally important environmental conservation, cultural heritage, educational resources and economic prosperity of the area and adding to the quality of life and enjoyment of the local community and visitors. The Partnership consists of all the organisations and a charitable trust who have either a vested interest in the Peninsula or are

concerned about conserving and protecting this valuable resource. The Peninsula incorporates the historic Fort, the important collections of the Felixstowe Museum, the Landguard Nature Reserve and the popular View Point overlooking the Orwell Estuary.

Landguard Partnership

Your first impression when you walk into Landguard Local Nature Reserve, Site of Special Scientific Interest, might be that the wildlife interest is limited. Casting an eye across the closely cropped grass and Bramble that make up the majority of the eighty acre site might lead the casual observer to come to this conclusion, but Oh how they would be wrong!

I have been the Landguard Ranger since last September and I have been enjoying how the Reserve is slowly revealing itself to me. As I have a particular interest in fungi I have been pleased to record Field, Horse and Yellow Staining Mushroom. These all indicate the pasture is unimproved ie hasn’t received artificial fertilisers or herbicides and as such is now not a common habitat. There are also species of fungi that are particularly suited to coastal conditions such as Dune Waxcap.

The reserve boasts the following records for flora: ‘In excess of 500 species of vascular and graminae species, including over a third of British grasses as well as 27 bryophyte and 48 lichen species, some of which are classified as nationally scarce including woody fleabane (Dittrichia viscosa) and the the extremely rare Stinking Goosefoot (Chenopodium vulvaria)’.

The incredible bird life that passes through the reserve is equally diverse and well recorded by the Bird Observatory. Set in the old Fort’s right battery it has an ideal outlook over the reserve. Moth trapping is carried out year round and members are quick to identify species of different taxonomic groups.

Vegetated shingle along the shore is one of the world’s

Field Mushroom on Landguard beach

Ipswich Scouts preparing for the Beach Watch event

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Stable Block, Holywells Park, Cliff Lane, Ipswich IP3 0PG Office: 01473 433995 greenways.project@ipswich.gov.ukwww.greenlivingcentre.org.uk/greenways

The Greenways Countryside Project exists to protect and enhance the countryside, landscape and open space across an area of about 100 square kilometres in and around the town of Ipswich, and home to around one quarter of the population of Suffolk, for

the benefit of wildlife and local people. The project relies on volunteers to complete much of its practical conservation work.The Greenways Project is a very successful and well-established partnership between Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk County

Council, Babergh District Council, Suffolk Coastal District Council and the local community.

Back in October, the severe storm caused considerable damage to trees on Greenways sites. The worst affected areas were the Belstead Brook Park and the Mill Stream in Rushmere, but most sites suffered some damage.

Thanks to extremely hard work by staff and volunteers, most sites were opened and made safe within a week. Bobbits Lane was the first priority on day one, to open up access to the sewage works, allotments and the car park. One of our biggest challenges was to deal with three large willows which had fallen into the Brook itself

– here the danger was not to site visitors or passing dog walkers, but a risk of causing flooding upstream! Once a tree has fallen into the channel it only takes a few days for other debris to collect and form an impressive dam – so we had to act quickly, much as the volunteers love a good bit of dam-busting!

A massive thank you is due to those volunteers who worked ‘beyond the call of duty’ for those two weeks or so and enabled us to make the sites safe and usable in such an efficient and professional way.

St. Jude Storm

If you don’t regularly take part in practical conservation work – or if you do – our winter Megabashes are a great opportunity to get stuck in as part of a large group, really making a difference on a site. Back in November, the Belstead Brook Park bash was very successful and enjoyed surprisingly warm weather! January sees the annual Purdis Heath Megabash on Saturday 18th – when Butterfly Conservation volunteers will join Greenways

Megabashesand Ipswich Wildlife Group to create an open heathland corridor from the main part of the site north to the golf club. This open corridor should allow the weak flying Silver-studded blue butterflies to spread to suitable habitat.

February is the turn of Martlesham Heath, and dozens of local volunteers will join us on Saturday 22nd to tackle large areas of gorse scrub as part of the site’s Higher Level Stewardship management agreement.

Details of these events can be found in the events listing – please do come along and lend a hand if you can – there is always a great sense of achievement with large groups of volunteers working together – and we always have baked potatoes from the bonfire to warm us up!

Another fallen tree being made safe

Dambusters at work

Friends of Belstead Brook Park hard at it

Bring on the spuds!

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Greenways - how to get involvedThe Greenways Project is always very keen to hear from people who would like to be involved in any aspect of our work – not necessarily just practical

site management work. Most volunteers help in a practical way, but we are just as keen to receive help with administrative duties, funding bids,

publicity, events, website and social media etc

It’s Toad time again!Every year, the massive population of European toads in Belstead Brook Park, migrate from their winter hibernation areas to the breeding ponds in Bobbits Lane Meadows. To achieve this, most of them have to cross Bobbits Lane – where they are at great risk of being run over by cars and sewage tankers! For several years, a fantastic group of volunteers have been out at dawn and dusk to help protect the toads (and other amphibians on a similar journey!) from danger. The Bobbits Lane Toad Patrol has been extremely successful – moving nearly 7000 toads some years!

As ever, the ‘Toad Patrol’ can only operate effectively with the help of dedicated volunteers – so if you can spare some time occasionally around dawn or dusk from mid-February through to April (very weather dependent), this is a great way to get ‘up close and personal’ with these wonderful creatures. There is an introductory training session (see above) set up for before (hopefully!) the toads start to move – please do come along for a very useful and informative evening – and then get your name on the rota to ‘Help a toad across the road’!

Wednesday 19th February 7.30 pm “Why did the toad cross the road?”

An introduction to amphibians and Bobbits Lane toad patrol.

Bobbits Lane toad patrol has been going since 2006. If you would like to help us with this or just learn about

frogs and toads please come along tothe Scout Hall, Stoke Park Drive - opposite Bourne

Park car park or drop us an email to toads@greenlivingcentre.org.uk

Bobbits Lane Toad Patrol Yearly Stats

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

Male Toads 2389 2486 6393 6227 4846 3465 1350 -

Female Toads 275 178 438 577 386 218 164 -

Misc 155 32 4 85 243 718 202 872

Total 2819 2696 6835 6889 5475 4401 1718 872

Casualties 189 204 308 238 119 369 197 200

Total Frogs 132 36 56 82 120 33 29 -

Frog Casualties 5 0 2 1 4 0 0 -

Total Newts 23 4 1 11 3 2 8 -

Newt Casualties 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 -

Start Date Mar 07 Feb 23 Feb 23 Mar 14 Feb 25 Feb 22 Feb 21 -

Peak Date Apr 12 Feb 29 Mar 13 Mar 19 Mar 12 Mar 15 Mar 06 Mar 29

Peak Number 506 386 1157 1479 837 1199 208 266

End Date Apr 18 Mar 22 Mar 30 Mar 29 Apr 03 Apr 04 Mar 11 Apr 02

Compiled by Dave Fincham

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Office : 01473 433993 park.rangers@ipswich.gov.uk Stable Block, Holywells Park, Cliff Lane, Ipswich IP3 0PGThe Wildlife & Education Rangers are responsible for the management of wildlife areas within the town’s parks and other green

spaces. As well as carrying out practical management, the team runs an events programme and works with many local schools to engage and inspire the public about the wildlife Ipswich has to offer.

Wildlife Rangers

Good news from Orwell Country Park. A recent breeding bird survey conducted by Edward Jackson of Suffolk Wildlife Trust and instigated by Ipswich Borough Council Parks & Open Spaces department has highlighted the Park as a great place to be for our feathered friends. There are a total of 49 species breeding in all areas of the Country Park making the site of county importance for its breeding bird community. Even better is the fact that over a third of the breeding bird population are birds of conservation concern!

The IBC Wildlife Team, which has a remit to protect and increase biodiversity in the town, has been completing lots of habitat management work in the Country Park, funded by Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship scheme. For example, old leggy Gorse bushes have been coppiced with fresh growth providing nesting opportunities for species such as Linnet, Nightingale, Common Whitethroat and Dunnock. The survey results show that all the hard work is now starting to bear fruit.

Encouragingly, many species that are declining both locally and nationally seem to be bucking the trend in the Country Park. For example, we have seen an increase from one breeding pair of Linnets in 2009 to nine pairs in 2013. Other species doing really well include Song Thrush (11 territories), Common Whitethroat (34 territories), Nightingale (16 territories) and Dunnock (32 territories). We have also gained both Grasshopper Warbler and Cetti’s Warbler as breeding species in the Park since 2009.

Of the 49 birds found to be breeding in the Country Park nine are UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) species (Skylark, Dunnock, Song Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler, Starling, House Sparrow, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll and Bullfinch), seven are red listed (Skylark, Song Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler, Starling, House Sparrow, Linnet and Lesser Redpoll), and 11 are amber listed (Shelduck,

Orwell Country Park Bird Report Mallard, Kestrel, Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Nightingale, Mistle Thrush, Common Whitethroat and Bullfinch.

In 2012, the UK BAP strategy was replaced by the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. Under this framework, the process of conserving biodiversity has been further devolved to local level, with each county deciding how to proceed. However, many of the tools developed under the UK BAP remain in use, as do the lists of Priority Species and Habitats. Reference is made in both the Site Overview and Individual Species Accounts to those species for which are listed as UK and Suffolk BAP.

The survey results were not all good however. There has been a decline in Skylark numbers, down to just eight territories, which are under extreme pressure from the increasing number of park users. As Skylarks are particularly prone to disturbance and will abandon their nest if continually disturbed. We would appeal to people to stick to footpaths and keep their dogs on a lead between March and July to prevent this species from being lost in the Country Park. The elusive Grasshopper Warbler - red listed

A magnificent bullfinch - an amber listed species

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Whitethroat - doing really well

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Wildlife Rangers

Butterfly ConservationSaving butterflies, moths and our environment

Secretary Phil Whittaker, Oak Barn, Pipps Ford, Needham Market Ipswich IP6 8LJ oakbarn@hotmail.com Membership Secretary Matthew Deans, 49c, Hollesley, IP12 3JY www.sogonline.org.uk Twitter: suffolkbirds1

SOG is the Group for people interested in the birds of Suffolk, and provides a network and a voice for birdwatchers in the county.

The Group is administered by Suffolk birdwatchers for Suffolk birdwatchers, keeping them in touch with what is going on and with each other. Through the Group’s Council, SOG has good links with other naturalist and conservation organisations in the region including the BTO RSPB and SWT. SOG organises an extensive programme of field meetings and indoor meetings - see Events Diary.

The Group’s magazine, ‘The Harrier’ keeps members in

touch with what’s going on with stories about birds, conservation, reserves and people.

Our work in lobbying hard for increased protection of birds in Suffolk is on-going and one of our

aims is ensuring that the local ornithological community’s voice continues to be heard loud and strong.

SOG is always keen to attract more members and we have a much to offer anyone, of any age, who has an interest in birds and wildlife at whatever level. Recent SOG guided fieldtrips for our members have included: Shingle Street and Sandlings, Open Morning at Landguard Bird Observatory and Farmland Bird Walk. Please see our website for details of our future outdoor meetings.

Membership of SOG is open to anyone with an interestin the birds of Suffolk. Membership is £15 for singles and£17 for families. A joint membership with SuffolkNaturalists Society is available for £28 for singles and£32 for families representing a saving of £2 on combinedmembership rates and entitling members to a copy of the annual ‘Suffolk Bird Report’ as well as to the SNS Magazine ‘White Admiral’, published three times a year.

Storm makes way for new trees

Photos show extensive storm damage in Alexandra Park

The damage from the storm on St Jude’s day in October was brought into sharp focus for the rangers (all work for over three weeks was put on hold in order to assist with cutting up and clearing fallen trees in parks and gardens all over the borough). As a result we have been even more keen than usual to plant our full quota of trees this year. While nature will take its course and new trees will naturally regenerate in the spaces left by the fallen, the desire to increase tree cover for future generations is all the more present in our minds after such events.

In order to achieve this we will as always need to rely heavily on the support of those local people who are willing to give up a Saturday or two to help us. So here is the rallying cry: Tree planting is good exercise, a great way to get outdoors in our fantastic parks (whilst keeping warm on a winter’s day), a good way to meet like-minded people who care about

their parks and it helps the environment too! So please come and join us. On the list of venues this year are Landseer Park on Saturday January 11th and Dumbarton Recreation Ground on Saturday January 18th. The events will run from 10:00 until 14:30, all people need bring is sturdy footwear, lunch, warm clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and lots of enthusiasm. Call the rangers for more information.

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Surely I am not the only one that thinks this autumn has produced more firework displays than in previous years. It seems that any event, large or small, is now billed as a ‘giant firework extravaganza. Whereas I feel that the Queen’s Jubilee, the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games or the birth of a future King is worthy of a few pretty Roman candles, it is not necessary to celebrate with fireworks Jonnie’s first day at school, Auntie Joan’s birthday or the cat’s first litter of kittens! Luckily, the propensity for celebrating 5 November with bonfires has diminished although it was a good way of legally getting rid of garden rubbish and, if it was not raining, a way of eating burnt sausages on the glowing embers.

Just after the Second World War, 5 November together with VE Day, would be celebrated with just a few fireworks – there was no money for frivolity – but we would build huge bonfires, particularly on waste ground such as the Rope Walk in Ipswich. All over the country, effigies of Nazis would be burnt, Hitler, Himmler, Goering, Goebbles and Lord Haw-Haw and oh Mussolini who of course, in the true Italian tradition was burnt whilst hanging upside down. With the demise of bonfires came the increase in sound and beauty of fireworks and there is no doubt that modern firework displays are both spectacular and loud. Gone are the days when people like my father would watch a rocket exploding and say ‘that was five bob’ or ‘what a waste of ten and sixpence’. We now accept that fireworks are both thrilling and expensive so this year we once again had the now traditional ‘spooktacular’ firework display in Christchurch Park.

Now I am not a party-pooper; I think it is wonderful that thousands of Ipswich folk gather in our Park to watch.

Secretary: Ann Snook 01473 251037 Membership Secretary: Robert Fairchild 01473 254255Events/Meetings: David Routh 01473 255680

The sole purpose of the Friends Group is to help look after the Park for the public good, and to promote its welfare. Anyone who shares this aim is welcome to join. For a small annual fee of £5 you can join in Friends activities all year round, including Illustrated talks and discussions, Guided Park walks and Practical conservation work. You will also receive an informal seasonal newsletter.

Friends of Christchurch Park© Tim Kenny

A bigger bang!Residents in the surrounding area are warned to keep pets hidden under beds with scarves tied tightly around their ears. Okay so that is domestic animals. What about the wildlife of Christchurch Park? How much thought is given to the birds and animals that inhabit our Park? Does it matter that diurnal birds are suddenly awakened by the beginning of World War 3. It would suggest that no thought is given to this. Why do we have to hold displays of such magnitude in the middle of a beautiful Park? Yes, Christchurch Park is central, there is space for parking cars and thousands of people can be gathered together on the grassy slopes but wildlife does abound in the Park and these days when we profess to be aware more than ever of the pressure on our dwindling wildlife and its habitat do we have to tolerate pollution of this scale? A couple of years ago, Sam Pollard the then Park Manager, was standing under Mabel’s tree on firework night. He said that as soon as the first firework exploded Mabel was off. Unfortunately, much of the Park’s wildlife is unable to do the same thing and has to remain in situ. I wonder what effect this has on these creatures. Reg Snook

On a happier note, the Friends of Christchurch Park organised a bat walk in our Park on the evening of 6 September, superbly led by Mark Smith and Sue Hooton of the Suffolk Bat Group. Forty-eight bat enthusiasts, including several children, were entertained by the sound of bats feeding in the warm late summer air. All watchers and listeners were issued with bat detectors, an extremely kind and useful gesture by the Suffolk Bat Group which turned bat sound that the normal ear could not hear into sound that we could. This held the interest of all concerned. The walk started from the Reg

Mabel, before the bangs!

Driver Visitor Centre and heading north we heard both Common and Soprano Pipistrelle but it was at the Round Pound where the action really took off.

Suddenly the air was full of the sound of what the leaders thought to be Daubenton bats and by the light of torches these bats could be seen flying low over the water, sometimes flying very close to us onlookers. It was magic. However, closer examination of the calls by Mark and Sue revealed that these bats were in fact Nathusius’ Pipistrelle.

Nathusius Pipistrelle - a first for Christchurch Park

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Nathusius pipistrelle bat

Recently BT held a two day cluster event for PWCG which meant that we had a total of 23 volunteers over two days. Their achievement was to lay a chipping path from the tumuli to the A1214 entrance and around the northern revetment. We estimate that we moved about five to six tons of chippings. They also cleared the soil back on the perimeter track from Peter’s gate round to the Hazel area. A great time was had by all with nothing but smiles and a massive sense of achievement for everyone who took part. Many thanks to the BT team for their help.

The woods were checked before St Jude’s storm arrived to make sure they were as safe as possible and again in the afternoon. On the day of the storm the woods were inspected, all pathways made safe and all hazardous areas taped off. Twenty three trees had been uprooted and six trees with crowns and/or large branches had broken away from the tree trunk. During the following week further work was carried out to make the woods safe. On 30th October Mr B. Girling from Grainger plc visited to do a safety check as one of the landowner’s representatives. He was satisfied

everything was in-hand and being managed properly.At the Nature Watcher’s small mammal trapping morning two common shrew and a bank vole were recorded. The Nature Explorers have had a productive meeting, repairing and refurbishing tools for use on the work days. The Brownies visited the woods on 22nd October for an evening of bat detecting. We saw and heard some pipistrelle bats hunting for insects before they hibernate for the winter. If you would like to bring a local group for an evening activity please get in touch.

Work Days meet at the Education Area from 10.00am – Noon on Saturday 18th January, Sunday 16th February, Saturday15th March and Sunday 20th April.Nature Explorers meet at the Education Area from 9.00am to 11.00am on Saturday 18th January and Saturday15th MarchNature Watch meet at the Control Tower from 9.00am-11.00am on Saturday 26th April

Portal Woodlands Conservation Group

Enquiries: Martlesham Parish Council 01473 612632 www.pwcg.onesuffolk.net or email pwcg@martlesham.org.ukThe group was formed to conserve the woodlands west of the Suffolk Police HQ and alongside the A1214. Volunteers meet each

month to work on a variety of projects. Anybody is welcome to join this friendly group. Training and tools are provided.

Another cherished resident of the woodland – a male bank vole (Myodes glareolus) the UK’s smallest vole

Friends of Christchurch Park continued

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Exciting news for bat people because this is a very rare record for Suffolk. This bat was only discovered in Suffolk on 2005 and of course it is a first for Christchurch Park.

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Ipswich Local Group

Membership Secretary: c/o 19, Marlborough Road, Ipswich, IP4 5AT Email: chrisc.courtney@yahoo.co.uk www.rspb.org.uk/groups/Ipswich

Ipswich RSPB Local Group is for everyone interested in finding out more about the birds and other wildlife to be found in the Ipswich area and beyond. Why not come along to one of our indoor talks, held monthly between September to April at Sidegate Primary School,

or (throughout the year), get out and experience nature first hand on one of our regular field meetings, visiting some of the best spots for wildlife in the area. Received by members three times a year the ‘Orwell Observer’, keeps readers abreast of the latest developments

at the nearby Suffolk RSPB Reserves as well as news of Group activities, along with members’ photographs and accounts of birding exploits from both home and abroad. Annual Membership costs just £3 per year (£1 for Juniors). For more information please see the

Events Diary in this magazine, visit our website or write to the Membership Secretary, all as per details above.

Upon visiting my 90 year old father the other week he asked me to get down his Christmas decorations from the attic. In one of the boxes instead of the anticipated tinsel and baubles I discovered to my delight, a number of precious objects, I had long believed to have been lost. For this box contained the remains of some of my boyhood natural history treasures as well as the bowls and stems of old clay pipes found while mudlarking with friends along the Thames.

Although admittedly somewhat gruesome, (and no doubt discouraged in this modern era of health and safety and the near universal provisioning of antiseptic hand-wash), back in the day, my friends and I would delight in coming across the hapless corpse of some moribund animal or bird washed up on the strandline. Frequently, we would actually run in our eagerness to get first dibs as we set about with penknives, swiftly dismembering the head, wings and feet!

I do remember that we did in fact draw the line at the advanced state of decay (not to mention pungent odour) of some specimens, but mostly we would divvy up the spoils, whereupon back at the youth hostel or house we would secure our smelly prizes into carefully tied plastic bags, when they would be left in a cool safe place until they could be transported back home.

Natural Connectionsby Chris Courtney

Having first joined the YOC (the Young Ornithologist’s Club), being the precursor to the RSPB’s current junior Wildlife Explorers) at the tender age of 8, from 11 onwards, I enjoyed many of the brilliant adventure holidays organised by the YOC in conjunction with the YHA (Youth Hostels Association). These took me to most corners of the British Isles and once very memorably in 1974 I spent a week in the Camargue region of southern France.

A week spent in the Isle of Man in 1971, staying at the now defunct Port Erin youth hostel, was a brilliant introduction to many of our fantastic sea bird species. I also found quite a lot of dead birds; the heads and other bits of which, were all tied up as usual into separate plastic bags. Deposited into my rucksack for the long journey home, via ferry from Douglas to Liverpool and by train from Lyme Street back south to London.

I can still recall my mother’s utter horror and despair upon coming across not only these grim objects, when she subsequently emptied out my rucksack to do the washing, but also in finding a multitude of maggots that had somehow escaped and were now wriggling throughout the contents of my bag!

With some of the ‘fresher’ bird specimens, the wings could be preserved by pinning them out to set on a board and by liberally salting the musculature. See photos of two specimens that are still preserved thus some 40 years later! Also of similar vintage from Pembrokeshire is the remarkably well preserved head of a Razorbill in full breeding plumage.Felix with Great spotted woodpecker wings

Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher

William Wordsworth (The Tables Turned)

Guillemot wings

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However, for the vast majority it was necessary to rot them down to obtain skulls and bones, most of which I would bury under the earth at the bottom of my parent’s Middlesex garden. Unfortunately, my father commissioned a patio to be built in this area during the late seventies under which the remains of many of my best specimens (including from a Scottish holiday the heads of both red and black throated divers), remain till this day!

Encouraging and enthusing today’s children and young people about the joys and fascination of the natural world in the broadest sense has without doubt become more important than ever.

There are so many ways of doing this and indeed it doesn’t even have to be in connection with living

creatures. During the half term my family spent a fascinating few hours searching the foreshore at Harkstead on the Stour, looking for fossils where we succeeded in finding a pre-historic shark tooth as well as several other interesting remains from this amazing location for geology, fossils and pre-historic archaeological remains such as hand axes and other tools. Pre-historic sharks teeth from species such as Striatolamia striata and Sylvestrilamia teretidens can also be found closer to Ipswich at places

such as Nacton shores on the Orwell.

The RSPB continues to come up with new initiatives to get children out into the great outdoors. This summer during August saw the inaugural ‘Big Wild Sleepout’ when thousands of children camped out for the night in nature’s home; in back gardens, RSPB nature reserves and in many other places. My kids built their own shelter using beanpoles from Spring wood, assorted leaves and assorted other odds and ends. They insisted in staying out all night, despite a rain shower in the early hours. Next year the event promises to be even bigger, when RSPB Ipswich Local Group is also planning to help run an event, so watch this space for more info nearer the time.

In the current season however, ideas of camping out are far from the minds of most people! But not to worry as in January (25th/26th), we will once again be out promoting the world’s largest wildlife survey! Now in its 35th year, the Big Garden Birdwatch has gone from strength to strength. Even during its first year back in 1979, when it featured on Blue Peter, so many children joined in that extra Royal Mail vans had to be put on to deal with the 30,000 plus replies sent into to the BBC! Now with well over half a million participants it’s a great fun way to spend an hour watching the birds. All that’s needed is to count the highest number of each species seen at any one time, (not the total during the hour as some birds will visit several times during this period!) Paper forms and leaflets are available from us or you can of course enter your results directly on-line at http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/

So make yourself a brew, with hopefully some nice biccies or a slice of cake on the side and get counting! It really is as simple as that! While it’s a great activity to do with children or grandchildren, everyone and anyone can take part and you don’t even need a garden to do it in. Last year people recorded counts, viewing from locations as diverse as multi story blocks of city flats, roof terraces, residential homes, local parks and from on board a narrow boat! The results really are useful in gathering a snapshot of some of the big changes taking place with some our more familiar birds. Over the past 35 years numbers of woodpigeons counted are up by 800%, and blue tits are up by 20%, whereas house sparrows are down 33% robins down by 32% and starlings are down by a staggering 80%! This data helps in turn to focus areas for further more detailed research, so as to better understand the reasons behind these changes and in helping to determine where new conservation initiatives are needed.

With regard to starlings, a lack of suitable nest sites is part of the problem, but put up a starling nestbox in your garden and you’ll be helping turn around the fortunes of these beautiful birds. And in late spring you’ll have the pleasure of watching the glossy adults feed their begging chicks, safe in knowledge you’re doing your bit for nature.

For instructions on how to make one or for a link to buying one made see http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/nestboxes/smallbirds/making.aspx

For further details and news of how you can join in with our activities during the coming months see the Events Diary as well as our website address at the top of the previous page.

Ipswich Local Group

Starling numbers fall

Razorbill’s head

Fossilised shark’s tooth probably sylvestrilamia teretidens

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Membership Secretary 01379 643665 www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk email: butterflies@sns.org.ukButterfly Conservation is dedicated to saving wild butterflies, moths and their habitats throughout the UK. All Butterfly Conservation members who live in Suffolk are automatically members of the branch and receive our newsletter, the Suffolk Argus, three times a

year. The Suffolk branch is run by volunteers and we would be very pleased to hear from you if you would like to get involved.

Butterfly ConservationSaving butterflies, moths and our environment

The Ipswich Heaths project, funded by a WREN Landfill Communities Fund grant, is a landscape-scale lowland heath restoration on 11 sites on the eastern fringes of Ipswich. The heathland habitat close to Ipswich is now much reduced and fragmented by new housing, industrial and recreational pressures, combined with a lack of conservation management, this has had a devastating impact on the number of butterflies and moths found. As recently as the 1980s the project’s main site, Purdis Heath, had over 2000 Silver-studded Blue regularly counted, tragically the peak count in 2010 was just four.

Since then, Butterfly Conservation and other groups and individuals have stepped up the level of habitat management work, focusing largely on reducing scrub from the heather areas, cutting the heather to promote a diverse age structure and creating bare ground to promote fresh pioneer heather and encourage ants. All these things are needed to improve the site for the Silver-studded Blues chances of survival. In addition to the

Ipswich Heaths – progress at Purdispractical work the site has been well studied, not least by Darren Flint, whose MSc research project involved a study of the population changes of Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) on Suffolk’s lowland heathland this year, focusing on Purdis Heath. Darren observed male SSBs actively protecting nectar sources (Bell Heather), a fact he couldn’t find noted in the literature and certainly an interesting behaviour that warrants further exploration. A transect has also been set up and so monitoring the butterflies has become much more organised.

This year the peak count of SSBs was 40, a tenfold increase from the precarious situation in 2010. But we are not in a position to sit back and relax yet! This is still a very low number and much more work is needed. However, we can take encouragement that at least things are moving in an upward trend. Other good news, as reported by Darren in his MSc research project, correlating with the increase in butterflies is that the flight area has increased. In 2009 was just 0.1ha of heathland in the north-west corner, which has now grown to cover 1.03ha spread over three sizeable patches spread across the heath. A 930% increase and not that far off the 1985 peaks of 1.3ha.

Thanks to the grant from WREN there is scope to do a lot more habitat management at Purdis Heath. Throughout the winter scrub is being cut and cleared from more areas of heather, most significantly between the heath and the adjoining golf course. This is to try and create a link between the sites and increase the SSBs availability of habitat to spread in to. The population of SSBs will again be monitored between the flight period of June-July and it is hoped that we will be reporting another increase in the next Local Wildlife News!

If you would like to get involved with volunteering at Purdis Heath please feel free to call our warden, Julian Dowding, on 07910170609. For further information about the Ipswich Heaths project contact us via our website at www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk

Matt Berry

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Silver Studded Blue

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Well, the wind blew and blew at the end of October, and most of the trees in the park survived. Some didn’t. The storm reminds us of the unpredictability of life, and the coming months and years will see fallen trees and blown-down branches decay, and the environment adapt and recover.

Meanwhile, a new non-native tree has arrived in the form of a Sugar Maple presented by Anthony Cobbold, and the cycle of life continues. The tree was grown from seed provided by the five times great granddaughter of John Cobbold, who built the original Holywells Mansion. At the planting, Anthony stylishly quoted from Cicero “He plants a tree for those yet to come”.

The HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund) bid for the restoration of Holywells park has been successful. The initial direct consequence, after a great deal of preparatory design and planning work, is that by the end of December 2013 the first phase of desilting work will be under way, with machinery removing silt from the top three ponds. The spoil will be moved, by truck, to a resting area with a containing temporary bund on the slope below the terrace. Whilst this is going on, the path from the Cliff Lane entrance towards the play area will be crossed by working vehicles. Park users should take special care whilst these works are in progress. A small number of paths will be closed for the sake of safety, but the

vast majority of Holywells Park remains open for public enjoyment.

After the excitement of the desilting, the restoration project is quiescent until March. Holywells Park will be in its winter clothes, leaves fallen, much life dormant waiting for the arrival of spring, with East winds blowing cold air across, to encourage dog walkers, photographers, nature lovers and anyone else who enjoys the Park to seek out a warm fire after their visit. Keep a sharp eye out for winter visitors and the early signs of spring!

In March the main physical activity of the restoration project starts, and will run until, roughly, December 2014. The full programme of events for 2014 is being developed, but we hope to run a Cold Fair, date to be announced. For events see the FoHP website and Facebook page.

Robin Gape, (Chair of FoHP)

In winter, the Robin is still to be seen!

Anthony Cobbold plants a Sugar Maple in Holywells Park .

Left to right: Martin Surgey (Cobbold Family Trust), Neil Wonfor (IBC), David Horne (IBC), Richard Sharp (IBC), David Burton (IBC), Robin Gape (FoHP), Anthony Cobbold.

The Group aims to work in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council to improve and promote the Park. Contact: fohpipswich@gmail.com www.holywellspark.org.uk facebook.com/holywellsparkipswich

Friends of Holywells Park

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If you go down to the woods today you are sure of a big surprise ... teddy bears picnic or no teddy bears, the Friends have spotted a chimpanzee in Belstead Brook Park!

It all happened on the 12th October when three trusty Friends got together for a ‘Cake and Rake’ session. This did exactly what it said on the tin with David Shemming, John Walsh and Adrian Garlick raking up the cut grass in the area between Bobbits Lane car park and Millennium Wood. This is an annual job which effectively starves the ground of nutrients. Too many nutrients can lead to a great crop of nettles but little else. Raking up the grass helps to restore the soil to a more natural state which in turn encourages a more diverse range of plants.

The three Friends then enjoyed a well-deserved cake break. Whilst enjoying their picnic they were surprised to see, not a teddy bear but a chimpanzee hiding in a pile of logs! OK, so not a real one, but it just goes to show with a little imagination you never know what you might come across down in the woods. Or were the cakes magic?

To see what else is waiting to be discovered and fire your imagination, why not come along to one of our monthly morning outings in the wilds of Belstead? We will supply all the tools and gloves but please wear sturdy boots, old clothes and either bring sun hat/lotion or a rain coat

depending on the vagaries of the British weather. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.

Sorry we can’t guarantee you’ll see another primate but who knows what else might be lurking in the long grass? Maybe a toad ready to turn into a prince!

Future FoBBP mornings run from 10am till 1pm and meet at Bourne Park car park, Stoke Park Drive on the following dates:

11th January 20148th February 20148th March 2014

Another very important date for your new 2014 diary is Monday 5th May 2014 for Spring Wood Day. This was a great success this year and when we get more details for next year’s event we will let you know.

We would love to see you on one of these dates but if practical conservation work is not for you, you can still help by letting us know if you see or hear of any problems in the Park, if you spot any unusual or interesting wildlife or have an idea for an event you think other members would enjoy. We would like to extend the activities the Friends do, but at the moment still rely on a small core of dedicated volunteers, so we would love to hear from you if you think you could help out.

Friends of Belstead Brook Park

Website: www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk Go to Links and click on Friends of Belstead Brook Park. E-mail: fobbp@greenlivingcentre.org.uk

Friends of Belstead Brook Park (FoBBP) was set up in 2002 to help look after the 250 acres of informal country park on the south-western fringe of Ipswich. The group runs practical work parties, helps raise funds for improvements and

acts as ‘eyes and ears’, passing information back to the Greenways Project.

Spot the Chimp

Local Wildlife News Snippets

Martin - maker of insect homesMartin Cant is a prolific maker of insect habitat homes. He has set up a dedicated workshop in his own home in Ipswich where he turns out scores of insect homes every year.

Martin, who is an active member of Friends of Holywells Park and Ipswich Wildlife Group, takes the part-finished homes to wildlife events throughout the year and encourages young people to get involved by letting them add the finishing touches and then take them home to hang in their garden.

A great way to involve youngsters and start them on the road to lifelong nature appreciation.

Invasion of the Redwings

On Thursday the 10th of October we had a very noticeable change in the weather. A ‘cold snap’ and associated north easterly winds brought in a very large fall of Redwing (Turdus iliacus). Redwings are the smallest member of the thrush family and nest in Scandinavia. An estimated 685,000 overwinter in the UK but they are on the RSPB’s red list due to their tiny breeding population in Scotland. The IBC Wildlife Team were working at Pipers Vale and saw at least 250 birds fly over during the day.

Redwings have a very distinctive flight call, I would describe it as a ‘tsee’ type of sound, and this is how the birds were originally picked up. Other features that help with their identification are a creamy stripe above the eye and orange/red flank patches. Buff or cream is very visible on the underside of the bird in flight if it’s low enough in the sky to get a decent view.

I counted another 300 or so flying over my garden in Felixstowe on Saturday morning. My Mum was happy that I was able to show her the Redwings and I also pointed out a couple of Fieldfare in the flock.

A week later I saw at least a dozen Redwings flying over Holywells Park. It is well worth having a look for these attractive birds, they hang around until March so there’s plenty of time to get out there and have a look!

Joe Underwood

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It’s the pits

So many good things have come out of the horrendous storm that hit our county last October. Whilst dealing with the fallen trees and branches in the area of Ashground Plantation in Belstead Brook Park, Greenways Ranger Peter Scotcher had the idea of using this wood to create a habitat pit. It is customary when trees are felled to use the logs to form a habitat pile on the ground rather than leave them scattered around.

However a habitat pit involves digging a trench of some two to three feet deep and then filling this with vertical logs - and that takes some effort. With a hardy bunch of Thursday Greenways volunteers supplying the muscle, the pit was dug, filled and camouflaged in a somewhat ‘out of the way’ spot and will provide a winter refuge for many insects, invertebrates and amphibians for years to come.

Looking For NightingalesSuffolk is one of the best counties in the country for nightingales and in 2013 I set myself the target of finding twenty different singing males close to Ipswich. This was achieved, with eight recorded on a dawn chorus at Foxhall Heath. The Fynn valley, another hot spot for nightingales, produced several. These included one at a new location, a tall hedge just a few hundred yards from the Anglian Water ‘barn’ at Tuddenham. It was still singing as I passed on 4th June and I waited for a sighting. I was suddenly conscious of a second nightingale which dropped down to the lane just a few yards away. Conscious of the rest of the hedge camouflaging me I kept still, not raising my binoculars. It moved closer and from the way it was collecting food in its bill this was obviously a female with young, particularly as the male was still singing nearby. Finally it had gathered enough and flew low to the far side of the hedge, where I knew there was suitable nesting habitat. This was the first time I had witnessed this normally secretive bird feeding out in the open.

Richard Stewart

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Martin enthusing another new apprentice!

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Events DiarySaturday 4th January 10 - 11.30am Landguard Partnership WHAT’S ABOUT WITH THE RANGERRanger-led walk for all the family providing a seasonal look at the Landguard Nature Reserve. Meet at the Landguard Visitor Centre/View Point Cafe. More information 01394 675283. ranger@landguardpartnership.org.uk

Sunday 5th January 10am RSPB FIELD MEETING Manningtree and Mistley for winter birds on the River Stour. Meet at Manningtree Maltings on B1352. TM109319 2-3hrs. 2miles. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel: 01473 258791.

Thursday 9th January 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Northern India and Tigers of Taj Mahal’ Bill Baston, Wildlife Photographer. Sponsored by Bypass Nurseries Capel St Mary. Hosted by the RSPB local group at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2 non-members £3. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Saturday 11th January 10am - 2.30pm Wildlife Rangers TREE PLANTINGCome tree planting in Landseer Park, it’s good exercise, a great way to get outdoors (whilst keeping warm on a winter’s day). All you need bring is sturdy footwear, lunch, warm clothes and lots of enthusiasm. More information from 01473 433994.

Tuesday 14th January 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Holywells Park (including Conservation Area). Meet at Stable Block off Cliff Lane. TM176432. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839

Wednesday 15th January 7.30pm SWT TALK: Wildlife of the Scilly Isles by David HealeyWe are pleased to welcome David back to inform us about this lovely part of our country. St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Entrance £2.50. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310

Saturday 18th January 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE EXPLORERSMeet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 email pwcg@martlesham.org.uk

Saturday 18th January 10am - 12 noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK PARTYMeet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 email pwcg@martlesham.org.uk.

Saturday 18th January 10am - 3.30pm PURDIS HEATH MEGABASHCome along and join volunteers from Greenways Project, Butterfly Conservation, Ipswich Wildlife Group and local residents for the annual work party at this valuable wildlife site. Help with scrub clearing and building habitat piles and enjoy baked potatoes from the bonfire. Meet on site, parking in Bucklesham Road lay-by and Ipswich Golf Club overflow car park. More details from Greenways 01473 433995 or 07736 826076 on the day.

Sunday 19th January 10.30am - 1pm SPRING WOOD WORK PARTYJoin Ipswich Wildlife Group and Friends of Belstead Brook Park for a morning of woodland management in this ancient wood. Meet at the stepped entrance to the wood in Bobbits Lane. Details from Gerry Donlon 01473 726082.

Saturday 25th/Sunday 26th January RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCHThe world’s largest wildlife survey - helps garden wildlife and couldn’t be easier! All you need to do is count the birds in your garden or a local park for one hour over the weekend then tell us what you see. Details at www.rspb.org.uk

Saturday 25th January 10am - 4pm IPSWICH RSPB GROUP BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH EVENTJoin the Ipswich group in Christchurch Park to record your sightings in the park.. See website for details www.rspb.org.uk/groups/ipswich or phone Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

Saturday 25th January 9.30 - 11.30am Landguard Partnership MONTHLY BEACH LITTER PICKJoin us for the monthly beach litter pick. Help keep the beach at Landguard clean and pristine. Meet at the southern end of the Observatory near the bungalow. Once we’ve finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. For more information 01394 675283. ranger@landguardpartnership.org.uk

Saturday 25th January 10am - 2.30pm Wildlife Rangers TREE PLANTINGCome tree planting at Dumbarton Road Rec, it’s good exercise, a great way to get (whilst keeping warm on a winter’s day), a good way to meet like-minded people who care about their parks and it helps the environment too! All you need bring is sturdy footwear, lunch, warm clothes and lotsof enthusiasm. More information from 01473 433994

Monday 27th January 7.30pm IPSWICH WILDLIFE GROUP AGMAll members and prospective members welcome. A chance to hear what the Group has been involved with and future plans. Visual presentation ‘A year in the life of IWG’. Venue: Thomas Wolsey pub, St Peters Street, please bring food to share. Details from Ray Sidaway 01473 259104.

Saturday 1st February 9am RSPB FIELD MEETING Iken and the River Alde for raptors, waders and wildfowl. Meet at 9am at Iken Cliff car park. TM 398562 3hrs. 3miles. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel: 01473 258791.

Wednesday 12th February 7.30pm SWT TALK: Landscape and Animals of the Great Rift Valley by Robert FergusonThe Great Rift Valley stretches from Syria to Mozambique and is visible from space. It passes through Kenya and Tanzania, where humans are thought to have evolved, and which now host a huge variety of wildlife, in particular the ‘Big Five’ - elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and cheetah. Robert has led safaris to this part of the world, so has plenty of first hand experience of its wonders. St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Entrance £2.50. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310. Thursday 13th February 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘Barn Owls in Suffolk’ Mike Swindells, Landguard Liaison Officer. Sponsored by Collins Waste Solutions. Hosted by the RSPB local group at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2 non-members £3. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213.

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Sunday 16th February 10am - 12 noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK PARTYMeet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 email pwcg@martlesham.org.uk

Sunday 16th February 10.30am - 1pm SPRING WOOD WORK PARTYJoin Ipswich Wildlife Group and Friends of Belstead Brook Park for a morning of woodland management in this ancient wood. Meet at the stepped entrance to the wood in Bobbits Lane. Details from Gerry Donlon 01473 726082.

Tuesday 18th February 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Chantry Park. Meet at car park near toilet block (Hadleigh Road). TM138443. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839.

Wednesday 19th February 7.30pm ‘WHY DID THE TOAD CROSS THE ROAD?’Introduction to amphibians and Bobbits Lane toad patrol. The toad patrol has been going since 2006, we had nearly 7000 toads in 2011 but less than 3000 in 2013. If you would you like to help with the toad patrol or just learn more about frogs and toads, come along to the Scout Hall, Stoke Park Drive opposite Bourne Park car park. More information from toads@greenlivingcentre.org.uk

Saturday 22nd February 9.30 - 11.30am Landguard Partnership MONTHLY BEACH LITTER PICKJoin us for the monthly beach litter pick. Help keep the beach at Landguard clean and pristine.Meet at the southern end of the Observatory near the bungalow. Once we’ve finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. For more information 01394 675283. ranger@landguardpartnership.org.uk

Saturday 22nd February 10am - 3.30pm MARTLESHAM HEATH MEGABASHJoin Martlesham Conservation Group, Greenways Project and other volunteers for the annual work party at this Site of Special Scientific Interest. Scrub clearing helps increase the areas of heather habitat for the Silver-studded Blue butterfly and other heathland species. Meet on site, entrance opposite the windsock on Eagle Way (parking near Douglas Bader pub). More details from Greenways 01473 433995 or 07736 826076 on the day.

Sunday 2nd March 9am RSPB FIELD MEETING Freston for waders and wildfowl. Meet at Freston Hill layby on B1456. TM175400. Then on to Harkstead and Shotley by car. 4hrs. 3miles. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel: 01473 258791.

Thursday 13th March 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING ‘A Suffolk Birder’s Quest for the endangered White-eared Night Heron in Vietnam’ David Walsh, Suffolk Birder and Tour Leader. Sponsored by Goddard & Co Estate Agents. Hosted by the RSPB local group at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2 non-members £3. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213

Saturday 15th March 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE EXPLORERSMeet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 email pwcg@martlesham.org.uk

Saturday 15th March 10am - 12 noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK PARTYMeet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 email pwcg@martlesham.org.uk

Sunday 16th March 10.30am - 1pm SPRING WOOD WORK PARTYJoin Ipswich Wildlife Group and Friends of Belstead Brook Park for a morning of woodland management in this ancient wood. Meet at the stepped entrance to the wood in Bobbits Lane. Details from Gerry Donlon 01473 726082.

Tuesday 18th March 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Bourne Bridge area and park. Meet at Bourne Park car park (Bourne Bridge entrance). TM161419 Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839.

Wednesday 19th March 7.30pm. SWT TALK: Living Landscape of the Suffolk Broads by Matt GoochMatt is the reserve manager for Carlton Marshes, near Lowestoft. He will give a whistle-stop pictorial tour of the nature reserves of the Waveney Valley and beyond. He will tell us of some of the work being undertaken to develop a sustainable ecosystem near to a large built-up area. We hope to follow up this talk with a visit in the summer. St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Entrance £2.50. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310.

Saturday 22nd March 9.30 - 11.30am Landguard Partnership MONTHLY BEACH LITTER PICKJoin us for the monthly beach litter pick. Help keep the beach at Landguard clean and pristine.Meet at the southern end of the Observatory near the bungalow. Once we’ve finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. For more information 01394 675283. ranger@landguardpartnership.org.uk

Tuesday 15th April 10am RSPB MIDWEEK WALK Bridge Wood. Meet at Orwell Country Park car park. TM188408. Leader Kathy Reynolds 01473 714839.

Saturday 19th April 9am RSPB FIELD MEETING Bourne Park reedbeds and Spring Wood for spring birds. Meet at Bourne Park car park, Stoke Park Drive TM152419. 3hrs. 5miles. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel: 01473 258791.

Sunday 20th April 10am - 12 noon Portal Woodlands Conservation Group WORK PARTYMeet at the Education Area. For details contact 01473 612632 email pwcg@martlesham.org.uk

Sunday 20th April 10.30am - 1pm SPRING WOOD WORK PARTYJoin Ipswich Wildlife Group and Friends of Belstead Brook Park for a morning of woodland management in this ancient wood. Meet at the stepped entrance to the wood in Bobbits Lane. Details from Gerry Donlon 01473 726082.

Wednesday 23rd April 7.30pm SWT AGM/TALK: Farming with Wildlife in Mind by Patrick BarkerPatrick, together with his cousin Brian, runs Lodge Farm at Westthorpe, near Stowmarket. Their aim is to run a commercial, modern business, producing high yielding quality crops while increasing biodiversity, and they have seen the return of a host of threatened plants and animals to their farm. They have won a number of prestigious awards including the National FWAG’s Silver Lapwing award for Farming and Conservation in 2009, and Countryside Farmer of the year by Farmers’ Weekly in 2010. This meeting will be preceded by a short AGM. St Margaret’s School Hall, Bolton Lane, Ipswich. Entrance £2.50. Details from Dave Munday 01473 217310

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Thursday 24th April 7.30pm RSPB INDOOR MEETING (Note 4th Thursday) AGM plus ‘A Birding Holiday in Finland and Norway’ a film by Professor Cedric Prys-Roberts. Sponsored by Fynn Valley Golf Club Hosted by the RSPB local group at Sidegate Lane Primary School, Ipswich. Members £2 non-members £3. Details from Chris Courtney 01473 423213

Saturday 26th April 9am - 11am Portal Woodlands Conservation Group NATURE WATCHMeet at the Control Tower. For details contact 01473 612632 email pwcg@martlesham.org.uk

Saturday 26th April 9.30am - 11.30am Landguard Partnership MONTHLY BEACH LITTER PICKHelp keep the beach at Landguard clean and pristine. Meet at the southern end of the Observatory near the bungalow. Once we’ve finished there is tea/coffee and biscuits back at the Bird Observatory. For more information 01394 675283. ranger@landguardpartnership.org.uk

Saturday 26th April 10am - 4pm Landguard Partnership DISCOVER LANDGUARD Come and discover more about the Landguard Peninsula at Felixstowe with a special day of displays and information at The Canopy in the town centre. Learn how you can become a volunteer, visit the ‘touch table’ and discover our fantastic events for everyone. For more information 01394 675283. ranger@landguardpartnership.org.uk

Sunday 27th April 11am - 3pm Ipswich Wildlife Group BEANPOLE DAYIn association with National Beanpole Week, buy beanpoles and peasticks produced from coppicing in Spring Wood, park at Bobbits Lane IP9 2BE. For further details 01473 726082 or see www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk

Monday 5th May Bank Holiday 11am - 4pm SPRING WOOD CELEBRATION DAYJoin the Greenways Project, Ipswich Wildlife Group, Friends of Belstead Brook Park and many others for a celebration of this wonderful area of Local Nature Reserve. Guided walks, woodland crafts, family activities, demonstrations, music, food and much more. Parking at Bourne Park off Stoke Park Drive with free minibus to the event. More information from 01473 433995 or 07736 826076 on the day. Wednesday 7th May 6.30pm RSPB FIELD MEETING Purdis Heath for nightingales and spring birds. Meet at Bucklesham Road, Ipswich (roadside parking adjacent to Trinity Park) TM213424. 2hrs. 3miles. Leader Stephen Marginson Tel: 01473 258791.

Saturday 10th May 10am - 5pm Landguard Partnership LANDGUARD COMMUNITY OPEN DAY Special free open day, a great day out for all the family. Unique guided tours and family treasure hunt. Location: Landguard Fort, Felixstowe Museum and Landguard Nature Reserve. For more information 01394 675283. ranger@landguardpartnership.org.uk

Saturday 31st May 8.30am SWT COACH OUTING to Hickling Broad including a Boat Trip Meet at Crown Street lay-by Ipswich. See article and booking form on page 6. Booking essential.

Regular EventsTUESDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTYMeet at the Stable Block Holywells Park to visit one of over 40 sites around Ipswich for a day’s practical tasks. If you have not been out with the Project before, you must contact us first to arrange an induction. Contact 01473 433995

THURSDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTYAs well as Tuesdays, the Greenways Project, has a smaller but just as welcoming group of volunteers Thursdays. Meet at the Stable Block, Holywells Park from where we travel to one of our sites around Ipswich for a day’s practical tasks. If you have not been out with the Project before, you must contact us first to arrange an induction. Contact 01473 433995

FRIDAYS 9.30am Greenways CONSERVATION WORK PARTYAs well as Tuesdays, the Greenways Project, has a smaller but just as welcoming group of volunteers most Fridays. Meet at the Stable Block, Holywells Park from where we travel to one of our sites around Ipswich for a day’s practical tasks. If you have not been out with the Project before, you must contact us first to arrange an induction. Please contact us before coming to check that we are holding the work day. Contact 01473 433995.

MOST SATURDAYS 10.30am - 1pm IWG Northgate Allotments WOODCRAFT & WILDLIFEGet involved in coppicing and woodland skills at the Wildlife area. Call Geoff Sinclair to confirm dates 01473 327720

SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH 8pm ‘Green Drinks’ Dove Inn, Ipswich DRINKS AND CHATJoin us at the Dove Inn for a drink, a chat and a bit of networking with other environmentally-minded people. Look out for the ‘Green Drinks’ sign on the table. All welcome. Details from Steve Pritchard on 07724 004272

THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH 10.30am - 1pm SPRING WOOD WORK PARTYJoin Ipswich Wildlife Group and Friends of Belstead Brook Park for a morning of work in the wood. Meet at the stepped entrance to the wood in Bobbits Lane. Details from Gerry Donlon 01473 726082

WEDNESDAYS 10am HOLYWELLS PARK WORK PARTYBesides doing positive work as part of a small team of volunteers your time will be matched by cash from the Lottery enabling further work in the Park. Meet at the Stable Block located down the driveway from Cliff Lane. Contact Martin Cant for details 07858 436003

FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH 10am - 1pm Ipswich Wildlife Group RIVER WORK PARTYA joint work party with the River Action Group along Alderman Canal and the River Gipping, maintaining footpaths and making these splendid waterways areas to be proud of. Meet at Bibb Way alongside Alderman Road recreation ground. More information from Ray Sidaway 01473 259104.

SECOND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH 10am - 1pm Friends of Belstead Brook Park CONSERVATION WORK PARTYCome and join us for a morning working in the fresh air. For further details visit our website : www.greenlivingcentre.org.uk - go to Links and click on Friends of Belstead Brook Park or email fobbp@greenlivingcentre.org.uk