Otters

Dr Daniel Allen gave an extremely informative and thought-provoking talk on otters to the Malvern local group recently.

There are 13 otter species and his particular interest is the relationship between man and otter, which differs markedly around the world. Some communities have discovered that otters can attract tourists to their country while others use tethered otters to help them to catch fish. Traditionally, otters have been valued for their skins and sensitive education is required if this activity is to be reduced.

Daniel's talk concentrated mainly on the one UK species; the British Eurasian otter. He described how our attitudes to the otter have changed over the years. They had traditionally been seen as vermin and there was much organised otter hunting between 1830 and 1880 - this led to the animal being raised for the hunt. Undoubtedly, this kept otter numbers up until the 1960s when the hunting community observed that, probably because of river pollution, numbers were depleted and there was a call to protect them. It was not until 1978 that the otter was designated a protected species in the UK.  Following this, conservation and river clean-up measures have pulled them back from the brink of extinction. Unfortunately, there are now many instances of otters raiding garden ponds and some of the angling fraternity would like otter numbers to be controlled.

Determining the number of otters in the UK is extremely difficult. They are rarely seen and one has to rely on signs such as spraint (poo), fish remains or road kill. Between 1979 and 2010 the number of these signs has increased but because otters can travel 50 – 60 km, even over land, it is difficult to relate signs to individuals without DNA testing. It is estimated that there are around 7000 otters in Scotland and 3000 in England & Wales.

Our next meeting is on September 5th at 7.30 pm, location TBD. Howard Drury will talk about The Wildlife Garden.

Derek, Malvern Local Group

A house, a garden & a village

Beefly

To most of us, insects are just irritating pests but after Bill Indge’s most enthusiastic and enlightening talk his audience was converted. Compared to mammals and birds, insects are relatively easy to find and study but there are around 23,000 species in the UK, many of which don’t have common names. Using excellent photographs, Bill took us through the seasons, concentrating on insects that can be seen in and around Alfrick.

Pied shieldbug

In winter one is mainly limited to studying insects that reside in buildings such as cluster flies, mosquitos, green lacewings, harlequin ladybirds, daddy long legged spiders and silverfish. As the year progresses and the weather warms insects become much more prolific and it is noticeable that certain insects are attracted to particular plants. Hogweed attracts earwigs, thick-kneed flower beetles, soldier beetles and many spiders including the crab spider while nettles are the favourite of moths, aphids, hoverfly larvae, bush crickets and nettle weevils. It has been shown that some plants benefit from the insect’s presence: the teasel produces a greater mass of seed the more insects that it traps. In autumn, insects cause tree galls, particularly on oak, and the horse chestnut leaf miner causes early leaf degradation in those trees as well as smaller seeds (conkers) with poorer germination potential. At this time of year, shield bugs and crickets become more common.

Dung fly

One tends to think that insects have it all their own way but that is far from the truth. Many are parasitised by the larvae of other insects and many suffer from fungal infections, particularly if they cluster together. Insects also provide the main diet of certain bird and mammal species.

The next meeting is on May 2nd at 7.30 pm at Malvern Evangelical Church. Dr Daniel Allen will talk about otters and we look forward to seeing you there.

Derek, Malvern local group

All photos (c) Bill Indge

Why Do We have Nature Reserves?

I thought the Chance Wood volunteers need a bit of a treat this month so I arrived an hour or so early, photographed the area we were going to work on and started to cut back the rhododendron.  I soon produced a pile big enough to start to cut into the small straight pieces that are essential to get a fire going; my aim was to present them with a small fire that they could soon enjoy enlarging to get rid of the rest of the rhododendron we were going to clear. Despite realising I’d forgotten the kindling, I soon had a small blaze going ready to hand over to Carl, our ex-scout and fireman.

After a couple of hours clearing, burning and cake-eating we settled down to watch the fire burn down.  We got to talking about the reserve and how long some of us had been using it.  One volunteer mentioned how, many years ago, they had often come to sit in the reserve and clear their head of problems and worries, they explained that they always felt there was a quiet spot to sit unnoticed and that they somehow felt safer in the reserve than elsewhere.  I was reminded of how surprised I was when an apparently very self-assured acquaintance confided in me that he always came to the wood to sit surrounded by ‘nature’ while he sorted out his problems.  I know of at least two other people who have told me that the wood helped them through difficult times and a couple who wanted their ashes scattered in the wood because it was so special to them.

The Wildlife Trust takes on the ownership of pieces of land and calls them nature reserves for a variety of reasons: most often to try to provide a haven for a particularly threatened species or assemblage of different species, ultimately with the hope that they may eventually return to the wider countryside. There are no rare or threatened species in Chance Wood; it does, however, provide a haven where people can regenerate and draw a little strength from the natural world, hopefully to go out and champion the natural world in their everyday lives.

...oh, and we cleared all that rhododendron too!

Roger, Chance Wood

On the Wild Side

It is easy to get excited about tigers, gorillas and polar bears but has it occurred to you that the wildlife in our cities can be just as enthralling? 

Iain Green has been a wildlife photographer for 15 years and has discovered surprises in the most unexpected places. Most of his talk was about the wildlife to be found in London. A few escaped rose-ringed parakeets in the 1960s have bred happily and there are now estimated to be 10,000 of them in the city. Over Rainham Marsh you can see owls, lapwings, kingfishers, large flocks of black-tailed godwits and even occasionally hoopoes. In Deptford Creek there are grey wagtails, black redstart and thousands of flounder fry in the water. Everyone knows that foxes flourish all over London but did you realise that south London is one of the best places in Europe to find stag beetles? Peregrine falcons nest in tall buildings, including one pair on Charing Cross Hospital. Dolphins, porpoise and seals are often seen in the Thames.

Most amusing of all were Iain’s fabulous photographs of the wildlife to be found in the garden of 10 Downing Street; ducks have nested on the back lawn, two kestrels have made their home on a drainpipe and the fledglings oversee the politics of the nation, a fox regularly passes by the night policeman and takes no notice of him.

The next meeting is on April 4^th at 7.30 pm at Malvern Evangelical Church. Bill Indge will talk about Alfrick, A Village and its Insects. 

Alison, Malvern Local Group

25 years at Broadway

25 years ago today (8th March) Colin Raven asked me if I would like to warden Broadway Gravel Pit after I had sent in my birdwatching records for the site.  Honorary Reserve Manager offer followed in November 1989 - I had a 2 year break in 1999 but remained a volunteer on site before jumping back in the hot seat in 2002.  And I'm still enjoying it!!

Thanks to all of those who have helped and supported through the years.



Mark, Broadway Gravel Pit

How to Deal With Retirement

We had a glorious morning in Chance Wood last week.  Last month's work party was cancelled because snow made it impossible to get the tools up to the wood and for weeks previously it has been so wet and dreary.  After a weekend's sunshine the snowdrops started to show well and we can expect lots of visitors; time to top up the leaflet dispenser!

Although the air is still frosty the birds seem rejuvenated by the sunshine and the wood is full of activity as the tits chase each other through the branches and the other woodland birds sing their hearts out.

The main job last week was to arrest the wood's encroachment over the boundary and across the public path; anything that will encourage the cyclists to avoid using the path through the wood.  We don't work long before our cake break and soon we were sat either side of the partially cleared path putting the world to rights  (Might the country be in less trouble if WWT volunteers took over Westminster? We certainly think so!) when a cyclist appeared struggling up the path, pushing his bike.  As he regained his breath he was drawn into conversation: "Are any of you retired?  Don't you feel guilty and a bit lost for things to do? I do."  Poor man, he was met by astonished cries: Friday had been taken in preparation for the local group meeting, today was our work party, tomorrow another local work party and a visit to Smite farm needed, later in the week some were volunteering for the National Trust, another work party on Saturday, walking to do, birds to see, sunshine to enjoy…. how can you be bored when you are part of the Wildlife Trust?

Coming up to retirement?  Don't bother with those courses - £3 a month and join Worcestershire Wildlife Trust!

Roger, Chance Wood

Searching for British orchids

As a welcome break from this winter weather, John Tilt gave us a hint of summer in a most interesting talk, accompanied by some stunning photographs, on his search for the 51 British orchid species. Finding the smaller ones in long grass is no easy matter as some, such as the musk orchid, are only 5 cm tall. However, common spotted orchids can be present in large numbers and the lizard orchid grows to a height of 90 cm.

Orchids are extremely dependent on ground fungi. Their seeds are tiny, like clouds of dust, providing little protein, so specific fungi are necessary for their germination. The widespread use of fungicide in gardens and the countryside has, therefore, been a real threat. Orchids are protected by law but those that are illegally removed rarely survive because of this fungal dependency. In culturing British orchids, Kew Gardens is doing much to ensure that rare species do not become extinct.

Orchids have three petals; the markings on the lower one, the lip, aid identification that otherwise can be very difficult, particularly as some species readily hybridise.  Orchids grow most often in calcareous, flower-rich meadows and, therefore, these meadow-types need protection.

early spider orchid (c) John Tilt

 John described a number of sites around the country, each with its own orchid species. Early purple, common spotted, heath spotted and less common species can be found in Worcestershire at Grafton Wood, Trench Wood, Hipton Hill, Castlemorton Common, Bredon Hill, Big Meadow (Knapp & Papermill) and Eades Meadow. A little further afield are Cleeve Common, Hornsleasow Meadow, Cricklade Hill and Fish Hill. However, the orchid capital of the UK is Kent where the rare lizard and monkey orchids can be found as well as fly, man and lady orchids.

In conclusion, there is much that is not understood about this beautiful plant and more recordings and biological records are needed.

The next meeting of the Malvern Group is at 7.30 pm on Thursday March 7th at Malvern Evangelical Church. Iain Green, wildlife photographer, will give an illustrated talk: On the wild side: from Downing Street to our local high street.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Derek, Malvern Local Group