Highcliffe

Waterside Natural History Society visit to Highcliffe in Dorset

The outdoor meeting for November was arranged over a year ago as a walk along the cliffs at Highcliffe on the south coast. Unfortunately part of the walk was closed in March 2017 so a circular walk along the top of the cliffs and returning by the shore was impossible. The single walk was replaced by two separate walks starting from the Cliff Hanger café car park and the Highcliffe Castle car park respectively.

Away from the car park at the Cliff Hanger Café the noise of traffic receded to be replaced by the sights and sounds of the coast. The sky over the sea consisted of high cloud with colours ranging from grey through yellow and orange to pink. The outline of the Isle of Wight and the Needles could be seen to the east with Hurst Spit almost reaching to the island. To the west Hengistbury Head and the entrance to Christchurch Harbour could clearly be seen. The walk was accompanied throughout the day by the sound of Gulls and the swell breaking onto the shingle beach.

The Dorset coast is prone to erosion and although there is a tendency to allow nature to take its course a great deal of work has been done in this area to protect the existing coastline. Large boulders of Portland stone have been laid on both sides of the coastal path and in to the sea in the form of groynes to try and stop the sea from scouring along the coast. Coarse shingle appears to have been transported to the beach rather than accumulated naturally. Time will tell if these sea defences are enough to protect the land but it certainly attracts large numbers of people and dogs going for a Sunday stroll.

Highcliffe Castle is a castle in name only unless you believe ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’ in which case it is certainly a castle. The gardens designed by Capability Brown have long since outgrown the original design but when approaching through the trees the castle towers above the viewer and makes you stop to gaze in awe.

Much of the grounds have been turned into the ‘Steamer Point Nature Reserve’ which provide an unexpected woodland setting along the top of the cliffs. The trees and vegetation are mainly green even at the end of autumn due to the Scots Pine and Evergreen Oak above and the Gorse below. Ivy and cultivated shrubs left over from the original gardens remain green through the winter but parts of the wood consist of deciduous Oak and Beech which have shed their leaves onto the woodland paths. The maritime climate also means that frost is unlikely and coastal plants thrive in the shingle on the coast. Sea Spurge and Rock Samphire were both present at the side of the path and the daisy like flowers of Sea Mayweed grew in crevices between the rocks.

The indoor meeting for November was an illustrated talk by Dominic Couzens entitled ‘Birding a local Patch’. The patch in question was a square kilometre in the area around Longham Lakes in Dorset which Dominic Couzens watched over and recorded from before the reservoirs were created in 2002. Over 180 different bird species have been recorded since its creation. The talk described some of these birds with their migratory habits and time spent over the years as the reserve has evolved.

Dominic Couzens has a relaxed speaking manner with a dry sense of humour that entertained the large audience throughout the evening. He writes regularly for publications such as the RSPB magazine and has written several books. The Waterside Natural History Society were very lucky to have such a distinguished speaker for their last meeting.

Farlington Marshes

Waterside Natural History Society visit Farlington Marshes

The visit to Farlington Marshes near Portsmouth occurred on a warm still day in October which made for a very pleasant walk. On the down side the mild weather meant that many of the autumn migrating birds had yet to arrive but there is always something to see at Farlington Marshes and quite early in the walk a Field Vole was seen in the vegetation at the side of the path. Although it looked healthy it did not scurry away but remained rooted to the spot moving only its head and front feet. The reason for this behaviour was unclear but it may have been attacked by a predator which dropped the Vole from a height before giving up the chase. Field Voles however need a constant supply of food to keep active and it may simply have been unable to feed. Nevertheless, it was a good opportunity to see the creature at close quarters.

A low tide exposed mud flats along the shore and revealed islands in Langstone Harbour. The tide receded even further during the walk which meant that many birds could feed further from the shore out of sight of the bird watchers on the sea wall. Four Little Egrets feeding in a pond on the landward side of the sea wall gave a picture postcard reflection in the still water. Canada Geese are among the first birds to arrive for the winter and could be seen in groups on the meadows. There was a large flock of Black Tailed Godwits on one of the islands which produced an impressive sight when they all took to the air at once.

When birds get disturbed they often fly in a flock before settling down again and this gives an opportunity to see birds that otherwise lie hidden on the meadows. Lapwing and Starlings show this effect and often fly together. Other birds were flying erratically over the sea wall towards the mud flats narrowly missing walkers. They were flying too fast to identify but could have been Turnstones.

A few Teal and Wigeon had arrived on the reserve but not in any great numbers. A list of birds recently sighted was posted at the entrance to the reserve and most of them were seen during the walk. Some time was spent trying to identify what turned out to be a Common Sandpiper. The Ruff mentioned on the list was however seen and proved to be a striking bird in its winter plumage.

The indoor meeting for October was an illustrated talk on ‘Brazil, The Pantanal’ by Jill Bascombe. A description of the wildlife holiday taken just before the rainy season was accompanied by photographs of birds and animals in the area. The tour was called ‘Harpy Eagles and Cougars’ referring to the main attractions. Unfortunately, the pair of Harpy Eagles which had been in the area for ten years had disappeared shortly before the visit. The Cougars on the other hand were unafraid to show themselves and photographs of this magnificent animal were the star of the evening.

Giant Anteaters, Armadillos and Capybaras also appeared together with Hyacinth Macaws and many other creatures. The rich variety of wildlife amid the glorious scenery of the Pantanal allowed the audience to escape from a dull rainy evening.

A member’s only meeting was held after the presentation to discuss the closure of the Waterside Natural History Society at the end of the year. The reason for the closure is the lack of members willing to take on the running of the society. A formal EGM will be held in December to implement the closure procedures.

Keyhaven Nature Reserve

Waterside Natural History Society visit Keyhaven Nature Reserve

The reserve between Keyhaven and Lymington is managed by the ‘Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust ‘on behalf of the local authority and consists of marshes, coarse grazing and shallow lagoons trapped behind a sea wall built in the 1990’s. The sea wall provides a footpath which is part of the south coastal path and small lanes on the landward side of the reserve enable a circular route to be followed from Keyhaven.

A trusted finger in the air to gauge the wind direction led to the decision to walk towards Lymington on the landward small lanes and return along the sea wall with a following wind. Autumn appears to have started early this year but leaves were still on the trees and the wet weather had kept the temperature well above freezing. The sights and sounds of Autumn however were never far away. A few Sloe berries were left on the Blackthorn bushes and the bright red berries of Hawthorn and Rose bushes hung in abundance. Birds will surely not want for food over the coming winter.

It was not long into the walk before the sound of Canada Geese could be heard and a flock of these large birds flew over the path a few feet above the ground. Canada Geese spend the summer in the far north and migrate southwards for the milder winters. They chatter incessantly when flying in the air, swimming on the water or feeding on the meadows as though they are catching up on all the gossip from a busy summer. Swallows and House Martins were seen effortlessly swooping low over the water in a hurry to catch any insects that would fuel their imminent flight south.

Many of the overwintering birds had yet to arrive but at least three Spoonbills were trawling through the shallow waters of one of the lagoons. These birds together with Little Egret have taken up residence in this country and others are starting to follow. It is interesting to see any new species make their home here but it is also with sadness that once common birds like the Nightingale and even the Tawny Owl are seldom heard and rarely seen. A few Gadwall have taken up residence on the reserve but it was interesting to see the large number of Black Tailed Godwit that had arrived some of which were still in their summer plumage.

On the seaward side of the sea wall in the marshes Redshank and Little Egret patrolled. Further out Cormorant relaxed in the sunshine surrounded by Dunlin and a few Ringed Plover. A small group of Grey Plover searched through the mud; one of which had a black chest from its summer plumage.

Late flowering plants such as Fleabane and Toadflax gave the ground a touch of colour but there was a surprising number of flowers on the Blackberry bushes even though the fruits still clung to the same plant. Toadflax is not a flax or a toad but the leaves resemble flax and the wide lips of the snapdragon like flower resemble a toad’s mouth. Unlike the Snapdragon the lips of Toadflax never open except when forced open by Bees with a tongue long enough to reach the nectar.

Many large hairy caterpillars were seen at the side of the path on the return to Keyhaven along the sea wall. It was thought that these were the larvae of the ‘Cream Spot Tiger Moth’ which could herald the appearance of many moths next spring. The walk from Keyhaven proved to be an ideal place to see and experience Autumn in action as the birds arrived at the change of season.

The indoor meeting for September was an illustrated talk by Graham Giddens entitled ‘Birds here are from everywhere’. The speaker started off at a cracking pace and maintained the flow of interesting facts throughout the talk. It is well known that some birds migrate to this country but it was surprising to learn how many species move around at some time or other. Resident birds such as the Blackbird or Robin are often supplemented by birds from the continent.

Many of the interesting facts given during the talk were learned by ringing birds caught in mist nets and interpreting the data from sightings all over the world. Some birds don’t migrate abroad but move from their breeding sights to warmer areas on the coast or into urban gardens. It was also interesting to learn that the Robin seen in your garden only lives for one or two years before it is replaced by another defending its patch. The photographs taken during ringing provided a unique opportunity to study many birds in close detail and compare similar varieties.

Waterside Natural History Society visit Magdalen Down

Magdalen Down is a Butterfly Conservation Reserve near Winchester. It is also quite close to the M3 and the Petersfield road which provide a constant hum of traffic on busy weekends. An army rifle practice range across the road provides a staccato accompaniment on occasions. None of these sounds appear to disturb the butterflies, insects or birds and certainly not the wild flowers which grow in abundance on the chalk soil. A Yellowhammer singing ‘A little bit of bread and no cheese’ was quite happy to compete with any road noise.

The reserve consists of an established area of downland which has been supplemented by the acquisition of adjoining fields. These additional areas were seeded with wild flowers some time ago and are in the process of becoming naturalised. Access to the new area is over a stile on the right-hand side of the main pathway up to the entrance and this was the route taken at the start of the walk.

Unusually heavy rainfall in July and into the early part of August had meant that annual plants had grown vigorously so that the narrow paths were becoming overgrown. Many of the early flowering yellow plants such as Agrimony and Birds Foot Trefoil had been superseded by the pink or purple flowers of Marjoram and both Lesser and Greater Knapweed. Lesser or Black Knapweed had almost taken over this area but on the slopes of the original reserve very little remains. Greater Knapweed flowers were also on short stalks on the older slopes indicating perhaps that grazing sheep had been eating more than just grass.

Flies too small to be seen but not too small to irritate were present in abundance so that it was easier to keep moving than remain stationary. Gone are the days when car windscreens became covered in flies and cyclists were afraid to open their mouths but the flies are a good indicator that the reserve is in a healthy state. Butterflies such as Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Common Blue were present in this area as were numerous Wave Moths and the purple micro moth.

On returning to the main path a pristine Red Admiral butterfly and the first Chalk Hill Blue appeared. A small herd of Exmoor ponies were standing on this path and attracting many flies. They were not keen to move off the path and wanted to follow any walkers maybe hoping to get food. A sign saying that the horses may bite was fortunately not seen until the end of the walk.

The steep south facing slopes of the older part of the reserve unfortunately had quite a stiff breeze which meant that many of the butterflies were not present. It was however an opportunity to see where the butterflies go when it is windy or in the rain. The answer was demonstrated by a male Chalk Hill Blue which simply went nearer the ground folded its wings and clung on to a grass stalk with its feet. Although the grass swung violently in the breeze the butterfly never budged.

A problem with sitting on the short grass of chalk downland is often that you sit on the sharp spines of a Stemless Thistle. This was not a problem during the walk as each thistle was marked by a large red flower. Tall Melilot and Hemp Agrimony competed with Marsh Thistles and the thistle like Saw Wort to attract the butterflies.

Annual flowers and grasses have set seed and are beginning to look tired at this time of year and already have a look of autumn about them but there was still an abundance of life.

Waterside Natural History Society visit Badbury Rings

Members of the natural history society who went to Badbury Rings on a warm July Sunday had the pleasure of walking through Squinancywort, Fairy Flax and Eyebright. A sharp eye on the ground also avoided walking through the cow pats produced by the herd of cows used to keep the grass short.

Badbury Rings in East Dorset is thought to have been created in the Iron Age but may have been inhabited even earlier. The rings are embankments of earth around a hill that provides a commanding view of the surrounding area. It is easy to see that the rings were some form of defence but what or who they were defending is open to speculation. They may have simply been protecting the local people against marauding gangs or they may have been protecting food stores over the winter months. Whatever the reason the embankments and hill must have been a formidable sight when built and remain so even today.

There are several well signed walks in the area and it is a popular destination for people wishing to enjoy the countryside. It is possible however to walk anywhere on the reserve and small tracks have been made over and along the embankments. The route taken was a circular walk around the edge of the reserve followed by a walk to the centre and round one side of the innermost embankment.

Most of the plants were characteristic of chalk downland but since the ground has been largely undisturbed since the rings were excavated there is a large variety of wild flowers. The Squinancywort, Fairy Flax and Eyebright are all small flowers which pepper the ground like snowflakes and are easily overlooked. Squinancywort is derived from its supposed ability to treat quinsy which was a virulent form of tonsillitis. Fairy flax, which is poisonous, was used to treat constipation and Eyebright, as its name implies, was used for eye irritations.

Many of the wild flowers had been in flower for several months and were beginning to get rather jaded. Ladies Bedstraw, Self-Heal and Birds Foot Trefoil were still in flower alongside Kidney Vetch and Wild Mignonette. They had been joined recently by the pale blue flowers of Field Scabious, Small Scabious and Harebells. Thistles which also flower late in the summer included Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Marsh Thistle and the Stemless Thistle which grows only on chalk soils. Marsh Thistles can be confused with Welted Thistles which are quite similar but Marsh Thistle is usually suffused with red and the flowers can sometimes be white. In the centre of the rings on top of the hill Scots pine had grown but in order to return the land to its natural state some of them had been removed leaving shallow depressions. The clearings allowed Willowherb and Blackberries to grow which in turn attracted insects such as Dragonflies, Bees and Butterflies.

Most of the Bees were Red Tailed Bumble Bees which are still quite common on grassland. Butterflies included Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Marbled White, Small Skipper and a few Common Blues. Gatekeeper butterflies were seen in good numbers even though the sky was overcast for most of the day. Soldier beetles with their orange/red bodies and dark rear end have had a prolific year and could be seen on most flower heads including Ragwort which also attracts the Cinnabar Moth and its striped caterpillar.

The hot muggy weather with overcast skies made exertion of any sort difficult but standing in such a beautiful spot admiring the English countryside as far away as the Isle of Wight was a very pleasant experience.

The indoor meeting for July was an illustrated talk on ‘Frisco to Vegas – the scenic route’ by Dawn Kemish. America obviously holds something of an attraction to the Speaker as this was the second talk about the western half of the country. Everything appears to be bigger in the USA and there is more of it. This is possibly true of the people and certainly of the scenery which was illustrated by the excellent photography.

Starting in San Francisco and travelling by car the route over a time period of three weeks included many well-known tourist spots such as the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Death Valley. Nature reserves in the area were also visited so that animals and birds such as Buffalo, Bears and Road Runners could be seen in their natural setting. When it comes to scenery nothing can surpass the scale and wonder of the Grand Canyon whether seen by air from a helicopter or a six hour horseback ride down the narrow paths to the Colorado River below. There was no prize for guessing which of the two the Kermish’s took.

Veals Lane Walk

Waterside Natural History Society walk at Veals Lane Hythe

Roadside verges and landscaping make up a significant proportion of our countryside that allows wildlife to flourish. Main roads, motorways and roundabouts provide a natural corridor within years of being constructed. Smaller lanes and pathways provide the same function but in addition have a long-established flora and fauna that make them rich in a variety of wildlife. The walk along Veals lane was chosen to investigate the plants, insects and birds that have made this area their home and also to walk along a little travelled part of the Waterside.

Veals Lane was accessed from West Street near the Marina in Hythe. A small footpath sandwiched between houses and a drainage channel led out past the Marina and into the countryside towards Marchwood.The man-made channel drained the low-lying area behind Dibden Bay. The Bay which was once mudflats has been filled in to about three feet above the high tide level with the intention of building a container port. The footpath follows the original coastline as can be seen by the presence of mooring ropes and hawsers sticking out of the bank. A short stretch also borders the railway line to Fawley.

Rainfall in the early part of the year and the recent warm weather has meant that annual plants have grown at a prodigious rate and the footpath at the rear of the houses was quite overgrown. Geraniums thrown out from one of the houses had also become established with patches of pink and blue flowers.

 Rushes, Sedges and Cord Grass lined the drainage channel. The Cord Grass was planted in order to stabilise mudflats and can be seen in many areas along the South Coast but has been marooned further inland along the drainage channel.

Hogweed and Hemlock Water Dropwort were seen growing in the shady areas and Corky Fruited Water Dropwort on many of the hedge side banks. The Hemlock Water Dropwort as its name suggests can be poisonous. Corky Fruited Water Dropwort is not a name heard every day but has become quite established in the local area and can be seen as a small version of Cow Parsley growing along many of the roads. The purple and yellow flowers of Bittersweet or Woody Nightshade which clambered through the hedges are sometimes identified wrongly as Deadly Nightshade which is a stout erect plant with brown flowers.

Roses have flowered prolifically in many gardens this year and the wild varieties of Dog Rose and Field Rose were in flower along the hedgerows. Hidden at the bottom of hedges wild flowers such as Lesser Knapweed, Heath Bedstraw, St John’s Wort, Red Clover and even a Broad Leaved Hellebore were seen. The short grass of the low-lying meadows allowed Birds Foot Trefoil to cover the ground alongside White Clover which attracted many Honey Bees, White Tailed Bees and other insects.

Meadow Brown Butterflies were a constant companion throughout the walk attracted to the flowering Blackberries which also hosted the occasional Large Skipper. Marbled White Butterflies patrolled the vegetation along the drainage channel. Blue Damselflies were attracted to the water with Keeled Skimmers and a Gold Ringed Dragonfly on the higher vegetation. The insistent call of Wood Pigeons around the houses gave way to the more tuneful Blackcap and Chiffchaff along the lanes.

The walk provided plenty of interest but on the hottest June spell for 40 years became hard work on the return back to Hythe.

The indoor meeting for June was an illustrated talk on ‘New Forest Ponies- more than meets the eye’ by Suzanne Kemp. What meets the eye of most visitors to the New Forest is the sight of ponies wandering freely about in all weathers without food or assistance of any kind. This could not be further from the truth as illustrated in the talk.

Owners of the ponies, of which the speaker was one, carefully manage the ponies so that the qualities of the breed are maintained and the Forest benefits from their presence. Only the Mares remain outside but the stallions are kept on the farm for most of the year and only a regulated number are allowed out in May and June of each year to maintain stocking levels.

It was reassuring to learn that ponies are well suited to the cold and wet of winter but seek shelter from the hot summer temperatures and biting insects.

With all the facts and information, the talk proceeded at a brisk trot and it was good to learn of the love and care given by the owners and Agisters to the welfare of the ponies.

Martin Down

Waterside Natural History Society visit Martin Down

Martin Down is often regarded as the jewel in the crown of Hampshire’s nature reserves and in the past it has never failed to disappoint. The visit in the third week of May occurred during warm sunny weather and started from the Sillens Lane car park. Skylarks rose into the sky and serenaded the small party as they walked out on to the rolling downland of the reserve.

 A small copse was reached a short distance into the walk consisting of a mixture of Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Gorse, Brambles and Rose bushes. The outwardly impenetrable thicket hid a narrow track which opened out into a sheltered clearing about the size of a tennis court. The sounds of a Chiffchaff and Whitethroat gave way to the purring of a Turtle Dove and the distinctive call of a Cuckoo. If the sound of a Wood Pigeon is the most irritating of the Pigeon family then the sound of a Turtle Dove must be the most pleasant. Unfortunately they are becoming more and more scarce with every passing year but remain one of the great attractions at Martin Down.

There were several butterflies in the clearing including Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Green Hairstreak and Common Blue. Small Blue butterflies rose from the vegetation at every step and seven specimens were on one plant of Common Gromwell.

Common Gromwell is a member of the Borage family with a square stem, green lanceolate leaves and small pale yellow flowers. The seeds turn into small white beads that remain on the plant over the winter looking like a pearl necklace. In the past it was thought that to cure an illness you had to find a plant that resembled the problem and as the small beads of Gromwell were taken to resemble gall or kidney stones the Gromwell was eaten as a cure. However Gromwell also caused bleeding and damage to the liver so was never a complete success.

The Cowslip flowers had mostly turned to seed but in parts the yellow of Cowslip was prolonged by the Greater Butterfly Orchid. Although not as prolific as cowslips there was quite a number in various stages of flower. Greater Butterfly Orchid can be distinguished from its Lesser variety by having diverging pollen guides in the flower.

Many other plants were beginning to flower including Horse Shoe Vetch, Kidney Vetch and Birdsfoot Trefoil. A few Hairy Violet were flowering on the chalky soil, Salad Burnet flowers sprang up everywhere and Dropwort plants were in bud. Yellow Rattle also put in an appearance.

Birds normally hide themselves in the vegetation but some sit on the highest part of the bushes to attract a mate. The Yellowhammer was one such bird which apart from being a golden yellow also has a distinctive ‘A little bit of bread and no cheese’ call. A Willow Warbler also sat on the top of a small tree with its descending warble being broadcast to all points of the compass.

It was a pleasant experience to meet people interested in nature; some looking for orchids, some for birds but all willing to pass on information. Nature was all around on the reserve; even when stopping for lunch a Raven could be heard, a Dingy Skipper butterfly flew past and Trembling grass or Briza grew on the poor soil. Martin Down provided interest and atmosphere on an abundant scale.

The indoor meeting for May was an illustrated talk on ‘The plight of the Bumblebee’ by Jenny Abery on behalf of the ‘Bumblebee Conservation Trust’. Bumblebees form only one group of the wide variety of Bees of which Honey Bees are perhaps the best known and the talk began with a comparison of Bumblebees against other types of Bee. It was not long before the subject of the decline in Bee populations raised its head.

 Honey Bees provide a clear service for humans in the form of honey and consequently are well catered for but Bumblebees in contrast are on their own. Nevertheless they provide a vital role in pollinating both wild plants and commercial farming.

There is a concerted effort at the moment by organisations such as the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Friends of the Earth to count and monitor the number of Bees and members of the public are invited to help.

The speaker gave a clearly spoken and flowing talk with a clear passion for Bees which was much appreciated by the audience even though most of the audience was over thirty years older. It was good to see the next generation taking such an interest in nature and making sure it is there for generations to come.