Reserve Update

The RSPB logo

a million

voices for

nature

Barn Owls

The RSPB Maidstone Local Group - Reserve Update

Summary
As I write this on 13th July, the view from my window is murky and a light rain is falling softly. The energy-sapping hot spell is over for the time being, and nearly an inch of rain yesterday was the first significant amount for exactly a month, good news for some of the shallower-rooted plants in the wood which were beginning to droop, lending the reserve an appearance more usually associated with late summer. So, the rain is most welcome but, of course, it interferes with reserve management work which, at this time of year, largely revolves around the control of chestnut and bracken by spraying, and I would be happier if the rain were to come in definite blocks, followed by days that you could guarantee were going to remain dry, with no rogue showers to wreck my work programme.

Last month I was extremely despondent about the prospects for the heath fritillary season; numbers had remained extremely low for three weeks, with the likelihood that this rare butterfly would soon sink back into oblivion for another year, prompting me to write "I am therefore resigned to this being the poorest season for many years". How wrong can you be? If butterflies could pull a rabbit out of a hat, that is what they would have been doing recently for, just as it looked as though the population had reached its pimple of a peak, numbers began to increase, then rocketed upwards. Each day I thought this must be it, but numbers continued to rise, producing the second best season in my 28 years here - pushed into second place by 2009, when one amazing colony boosted the figures dramatically. As described in an earlier article, the failure of cow-wheat in last year's mega-colony meant that very few fritillaries appeared there, but numbers on a nearby ride were far better than usual, and in fact most colonies did well.

Another butterfly to put in an appearance recently is the marbled white which, despite its name and black-and-white appearance, is actually a member of the browns - along with meadow brown, gatekeeper and the like. It is typically a species of rank chalk grassland, and is not normally associated with the acid soil of the Blean but, over the years, I have periodically seen this attractive butterfly on the reserve. Intriguingly, the sightings are so sporadic, with none being seen some years, that I am left wondering if they are simply migrating in from an established colony a mile or two away rather than actually breeding on the reserve.

Reptiles are easily overlooked and fast-moving in hot weather, so my only registration of them is generally a brief rustle as a common lizard scuttles off over the dead leaves. This summer, though, I have seen more slow worms than usual, often basking on paths, where they are vulnerable to the wheels of any passing vehicles. Several grass snakes have also been seen swimming across the pond, which had been silting up badly, largely owing to the build-up of decaying plant material, most notably the alien New Zealand pygmy weed. I'm pleased to say that two years of digging out the sludge by hand has had an impact, and once more there is open water where these semi-aquatic reptiles can hunt.

Events
Details of our usual programme of walks can also be found in local libraries and noticeboards, or check out the local RSPB Group's website at www.rspb.org.uk/groups/canterbury/events.

Michael Walter
RSPB Site Manager
Blean Woods National Nature Reserve
Email: michael.walter@rspb.org.uk
Tel: 01227 455972

All of the above events will begin at RSPB Broadwater Warren car park in Broadwater Forest Lane (map reference TQ554372, postcode TN3 9JP)
The walks will last 2-3 hours, apart from the nightjar walks which will be about an hour and a half.

All these events are free, but places are limited. To book please contact:
Alan Loweth
RSPB Wealden Office
Unit 10
Sham Farm Business Units
Eridge Green
Tunbridge Wells
TN3 9JA
Tel: 01892 752430 or e-mail: alan.loweth@rspb.org.uk

April 2010
Jason Mitchell has joined us from Kent Wildlife Trust bringing with him a wealth of experience gained at Sandwich Bay and RSPB Aylesbeare Common. He will be focusing on the management of the North Kent Marshes reserves around the Hoo Peninsula.

Some of you may have also have met our Information Assistant Elliott Lockyer who will be with us until August on a six month placement form the Future Jobs Fund been with Elliot has been doing valuable work including organising volunteers to patrol Cliffe Pools at weekends.

Tia Sweeting is currently a residential volunteer with us and has been working with Andy Daw, Assistant Warden, at Cliffe.

New warden for Cliffe Pools
On a very sunny day in August, we held the Cliffe Pools Safari Fun Day and opened the new car park. We were delighted that well over 2000 visitors came and we also welcomed the Leader of the Medway Council, Cllr. Rodney Chambers, the Mayor of Medway, Councillor David Royle, and the Chairman of Cliffe and Cliffe Woods Parish Council, Ken Kentell, to formally open the car park. The RSPB laid on free activities for kids, ranging from safari trips and rainforest puppet shows to making kites and bird feeders.

We are still making improvements to the car park and this winter volunteers are helping us with its landscaping. We used the national event 'Tree O'clock' to kick-start this work. Tree O'clock was an attempt to plant as many trees as possible in a single hour across the UK. We contributed 1000 trees to the total, which got the car park planting off to good start. Work has also started on two winter-long projects: one is to remove invasive buddleia to allow plants more attractive to wildlife flourish and the second is to clear vegetation from some of the islands to make them more attractive to breeding birds.

Wildlife sightings
In recent weeks we have been pleased to see shore larks at the reserve along with ringed ouzels. Garganeys have been prospecting and mediterranean gulls are possibly breeding in amongst the black-headed gulls. Last weekend some visitors may have been lucky to see a spoonbill. Barn owls are around and we think short-eared owls are breeding on site. The most exciting news is probably the positive sightings by visitors of adders including a lucky person who saw a pair of males jousting.

Improving your visit to Cliffe Pools
Regular readers will know that we now expect the habitat restoration work to take place over a much longer term that we had previously hoped. This is because the river dredgings we need to make some of the pools shallower (and so much better for wildlife) are not currently available. Nevertheless, the site still has lots to offer visitors now whether your interest is wildlife, walking or just enjoying the great views of the Thames from the Pinnacle or the sea wall.

In the meantime, we want to make your visit even more enjoyable. One thing you may have seen already is more staff and volunteer presence at the site at weekends when most visitors come. This is helping to reduce the vandalism and illegal motor biking riding that still occasionally happens. We are asking visitors to help by reporting any such incidents to the police on 01795 477055. Also please let us know at the Northward Hill office 01643 222480 or jason.mitchell@rspb.org.uk as we want to keep a record of any problems so we can plan an effective response. We are particularly concerned that mini motorbikes don't use the site during the lighter evenings we are all starting to enjoy.

We are also looking at what other visitor facilities we can provide as funding allows. In the next 2-3 years, we anticipate we will improve the Thames and Flamingo viewpoints and review the connection between the car park and the trail network and signage so new visitors can find their way more easily around the site. We will also ensure there is consistency in the sort of fencing, gates and other structures we may need to put in.

We are lucky to have the support of the Douglas Glanfield Memorial Trust and Greening the Gateway in Kent and Medway (GGKM) to help fund our visitor related work in 2010/11. GGKM are also helping to fund the visitor surveys currently underway at Cliffe Pools and Northward Hill. This will help us plan improvements over the few years and ensure we target whatever funding we can raise in the most effective way.

More planting in the car park
Since the snow went, we have been planting more bushes around the car park, and the swales and ditches there will be planted with reeds over the summer. Volunteers did a great job on a litter pick around the car park, so it is all beginning to look very pleasant. We have also been clearing some scrub where the new sluices will be going in but we will be ensuring that this grows back quickly and of a better quality for the wildlife that use this area.

New fence along our boundary
With financial support from SEEDA we recently put up a fence along our boundary with the adjoining privately owned Francis Quarry. We owe it to our visitors to make it clear that the quarry is not part of our reserve - it may look enticing, but it contains many steep drops and unsafe buildings, and the fence is to prevent people trespassing from the public byway along our boundary into the quarry.

The fence is quite visible at the moment but nature will take its course. Within a couple of years, plants will have grown up over the fence to make it less noticeable. If you see any damage to the fence or people trespassing into the quarry, please can you report this to the police on 01795 477055 and let our Northward Hill office or Jason know you have done this.

Public Inquiry at Thameside Terminal
The inquiry into business developments in the adjoining Thameside Terminal which have no planning consents closed in February and the Planning Inspector will publish her report sometime this year. Until then we do not know what the outcome will be.

Events
A full events programme is online at www.rspb.org.uk/events, or call the reserve for a free leaflet

Sarah Cooper
Cliffe Pools Project Manager
RSPB South East England Regional Office
2nd Floor, Frederick House,
42 Frederick Place,
Brighton.
BN1 4EA
Mob: 07843 513298
Tel: 01273 775333 fax 01767 685540