From our Archive 2006-2008 2009-2010
Pages from our archive ...
December 2008 Pictures from our recent litter pick and Christmas party:
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... with friends and family.
September/October 2008
At last, I've found it ... the iconic Fly Agaric fungus (Amanita muscaria - sometimes called Pixie Mushroom). For several years I've been searching for this and here it is!
A couple of weeks ago, Martin and I were walking Rosie and Katie (the Springer Spaniels) in Micheldever Wood, at the same time looking at the fantastic carpet of fungi that is so prolific at this time of year, when we came across what looked like the remnants of this wonderful (although quite deadly!) species. We left it as it was, as I was sure the spores would give rise to new shoots. So tonight I went back to the spot and after some searching in the bracken and bramble I found this (see left photo) lying under its favourite tree, the birch.
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It was getting dusk, the light conditions being quite low, and not carrying a tripod, I squatted low resting the camera on a few sticks. The shot was taken on a 2 second exposure, hence is a little fuzzy, however it was my first encounter, therefore worthy of this posting. I'll no doubt return at the weekend, and hopefully get a few better shots ...
Note: this species is very poisonous.
Bruce Graham, 25 September 2008
... well I did go back but it was gone. However, Martin, doggies and I have since found another site not more than 50 metres from the original, which is abundant in Fly Agaric. The right photo is just one of several new shoots. Fantastic! Why not go see them for yourself at this grid reference SU 534 380, locate the birch trees towards the edge of the field, keeping just a few metres from the fence - good luck! Send an email to let me know how you get on.
Bruce Graham, 8 October 2008
September 2008
Slow worms and lizards!
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July/August 2008
Twelve species of butterfly have been recorded on Top Field during a survey conducted on 20 July. Here is a montage of some of the species recorded - a full report can be seen here Top Field Butterfly Field Study Task Report - July 2008.
The increasingly rare hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) has been found amongst the hedgerow on Mount Pleasant, and clearly Worthys Conservation Volunteers is very excited by this news. The dormouse is an attractive and cuddly little mammal, golden and fluffy with a furry tail to match, which lives high amongst the trees, loves hazel nuts, berries and other seeds, generally hibernates for long periods, and with no unappealing characteristics. They are an important bio-indicator - their presence indicating a healthy habitat and wide range of other species too. Once very common across England, the dormouse is greatly declining even in its traditional stronghold of southern counties including Hampshire. Dormice now have full legal protection, and where present they and their habitat must be left undisturbed. The group will be investigating how it can help preserve and improve this special local habitat - watch this space for more news. (Here is Dormouse Conservation Handbook.)
Today (28 June) I spotted this wonderful male stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) sitting motionless on a paint-splattered fence in the cut-through between Gillingham Close and the recreation ground.
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Also in decline, the stag beetle is Britain's largest terrestrial beetle, if not seen it can be heard noisily (and perhaps a little eerily, although quite harmless) flying around on warm sunny evenings, looking for a mate! Fantastic!
Bruce Graham, 28 June 2008
May 2008
Listen to this dawn chorus recorded at Avington Park SU528321 on Sunday 4th May 2008 5 - 5.40am. The morning is still, cool and overcast (as it was last year), daylight steadily heralding the beginning of a new day. The recordings are taken in stereo using a Zoom H4 mounted on a tripod, situated by a large medium-sized in front and to the left with parkland behind and to the right. There are several large trees close by, with a large wooded area some 400 metres further behind. Several bats are flying overhead, with a barn owl on the prowl totally silent in flight but unmistakeable in its brilliant white feathers, indeed not perturbed by my presence at all, swooping past as close as 2 metres - fantastic (click left picture below for a close up of the owl in flight).
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A group of campers has pitched in the park, one of whom was gently snoring (not picked up in the recording, thank goodness) when I passed by. In the recordings, ducks, coots, moorhens and geese are clearly heard, so is the resident peacock and a pheasant, but as well as the smaller birds listen carefully for a cuckoo (beginning of 1st recording), a tawny owl, and a woodpecker (4th recording). Several jets play havoc in the 1st recording - I almost felt like jacking it in! But the 4th recording is a delight, as a gaggle of geese fly in causing a flurry of activity with the overnight residents, and the woodpecker is heard ever so faintly. Lastly, four little egrets swoop down from the treetops to land in the lake, unfortunately too distant to be audible; and a couple of horses emerge to take a gentle stroll, also too distant to be audible. As I leave, several deer are in the park; the campers are completely unaware of my visit and what they have missed, although the cacophony of bird song continues unabated in my departure. Enjoy!
Bird Dawn Chorus Avington Park 4 May 5.00am - 8mins, mp3, 8.43MB
Bird Dawn Chorus Avington Park 4 May 5.08am - 8mins, mp3, 8.43MB
Bird Dawn Chorus Avington Park 4 May 5.20am - 7mins, mp3, 6.56MB
Bird Dawn Chorus Avington Park 4 May 5.27am - 7mins, mp3, 6.56MB
Bruce Graham, 4 May 2008
April 2008
Worthys Conservation Volunteers joined Winchester Rotary Club at their Environment Awareness event staged in Winchester on Saturday 19th April 2008. Our stall was set up next to Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, so we were in good company chatting away with fellow environmentalists. Many passers-by had a look at our photos and task reports, and even the Mayor of Winchester Councillor Chris Pines came by for chat and the obligatory photo opportunity!
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The event seemed to be a success for all, and I am told a similar event will be held next year. The downside is I managed to get roped in to giving a talk at one of the Wildlife Trusts evening club meetings, but not till next year, so I have plenty of time to prepare!
February 2008
The second of our wildlife seminars was again a resounding success. This time we were given the challenge of a bird quiz organised by Sue Fox.
We are hoping to run our next wildlife seminar in May, the subject of which will either be 'British Butterflies' or 'Chalk Downland Wildflowers'. Please join us after our regular monthly meeting, on 13 May 2008, 8.30pm, at Tubbs Community Centre, Fraser Road, grid reference SU 491 336. A special welcome to all new comers. Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided.
December 2007
On 16th December, a cold but sunny day, Worthys Conservation Volunteers discovered, measured and recorded seven, yes 7, new trees for the The Ancient Tree Hunt, visit www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk - five majestic old oak pollards all in a line, at Cowdown, Chilland, probably forming old boundary of some sort; another oak pollard elsewhere in on Cowdown and an well-known yew tree at St John the Baptist Church, Itchen Abbas.
Here is the report Martyr Worthy Tree Hunt Survey - December 2007. A special thanks to Martin Bown for finding these special oak pollards - we shall call them the Cowdown Pollards! If you know of any old trees in and around the area, please let us know. See Surveys for more details.
October 2007
The winner of our Photographic Survey is this wonderful picture of Dryads Saddle Fungi found on a lime tree at Martyr Worthy, taken by David Graham. Congratulations!
Don't forget we are still looking for any old trees in our area for the Ancient Tree Hunt project. Go to Surveys for more info.
August / September 2007
Can you help us 'discover' all the ancient and veteran trees in our area?
"The Ancient Tree Hunt is a five year project to find and map all the fat old trees across the UK. The online interactive project is led by the Woodland Trust in partnership with the Ancient Tree Forum and the Tree register of the British Isles. .. Visit www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk for more." - The Woodland Trust's 'The Ancient Tree Hunt' leaflet.
Maybe you know of a majestic oak, hollowed and knobbly, or a yew standing venerable in an old churchyard, even old dead trees still alive with insects and fungi, all holding the secrets of time and history spanning many, many hundreds of years!! If so, we can help measure up, record details and take photographs, and register these online, for all to see. Go to Surveys for more info.
July 2007
See us in the press!!
Firstly, we are mentioned in the current edition of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Natural world (a Wildlife Trust periodical) Summer 2007, in the WILDNEWS section a few pages after the middle of the magazine . The picture shown is of us working on Winnall Moors back at the beginning of this year. And indeed we will be returning to do more work in November.
Secondly, The Hampshire Chronicle (Thursday, July 19, 2007) have also written a feature about the group in the Town & Country section, page 16.
June 2007
Spectacular red-poppy field at Well House Lane, Headbourne Worthy - truly wonderful. Last year white poppies were grown here and harvested for medicinal purposes, but I think this year the red poppies have grown from wild!
Want to buy this photo? Send email to enquiries@worthysconservationvolunteers.org.uk
Bruce Graham, June 2007
May 2007
Listen to the dawn chorus recorded at Worthy Down Station Bridge on Sunday 6th May 2007 5 - 5.20am. The morning is still, cool and overcast. The recordings are taken in stereo using a Zoom H4 standing on the bridge at the same height as the trees lining the disused railway line below. There is some road (A34) background noise, but nothing that deters from the overall beauty of what you hear. Enjoy!
Bird Dawn Chorus 1 - 7.36mins, mp3, 7.13MB
Bird Dawn Chorus 2 - 8.58mins, mp3, 8.4MB
September 2006
Congratulations to Michael Edwards, our wildflower expert, awarded Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Volunteer of the Year for his work at Micheldever Spoil Heaps.
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