Odiham Biodiversity Group Newsletter - February 2010

Odiham Biodiversity Newsletter

Thank you to Sue Bennett for these pictures of Rooks, already paired up and building nests in Chamberlain Gardens, just after the great snowfall of the 5/6th January. Spring can’t be far away!

Five Years of the Loddon and Eversley Heritage Area

Thursday 25th March. It hardly seems possible that it was over three years ago that Alison Cross from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust gave us our first talk on the Loddon and Eversley Heritage Area project. This project is now five years old and Amanda Bassett is returning to update us. She will also talk about the small projects grants (one of which we have obtained for the restoration of the pond at Broad Oak) and the Wildlife and Heritage Walks (the books may be available for sale on the evening). The evening will include a showing of the DVD which has been produced recently. The talk will start at 7.45 pm at the Cross Barn and will cost £2.

Adder watching at Hook Common

Sunday 21st March and Saturday 27th March (tbc)
Peter Vaughan will be taking small groups for a short walk on Hook Common to look for Adders – and possibly Slow Worms and Common Lizards. These will be bookable events and cost £1. To book and for further details please phone Sheila Bates on 01256 701187.

Polecat?

It was Mark and Sheila Forrester who spotted the (late) ‘polecat’ on the A287 near Crondall. Paul Hope dutifully scooped it up to get it verified by Martin Noble of the Hampshire Mammal Group. Polecats virtually became extinct many years ago due to persecution but since WW2 they have gradually spread back into England from their last stronghold in Wales. The first sighting in Hampshire was in the mid 1990s in the south of the county so a confirmation here is important.

Egrets, Egyptian Geese and a Waxwing

Thank you to all of you who have contributed bird sightings. Several people have spotted the (almost certainly Little) Egret on the River Whitewater in the Fire Show field and there was also another one up at The Firs. It was only 20 years ago that the first Little Egrets became established on Brownsea Island, now they are spreading throughout the country. Philip Riley and Lynda Hampton saw two pairs of Egyptian Geese in Dogmersfield Park. One pair has been there for a couple of years and probably are escapees.

The recent cold weather has attracted more unusual visitors to gardens. Mike Reggler has had Fieldfares (flocks), Blackcaps (several single visits) and a Bullfinch (once). Sue Bennett has also had Blackcaps. Jill and Gerald White have a hen Pheasant as a regular visitor and Mandy Jackson in South Warnborough saw a Waxwing in her garden.

Odiham Common Update

The Management Plan Advisory Steering Group last met on 17th December. The meeting was largely a consideration of the Draft Management Plan for the common, looking at its structure, then a section by section run through in preparation for its eventual public consultation.

The Odiham Biodiversity Group feel that grazing by cattle would be an important tool for the future management of Odiham Common. Grazing has significant conservation benefits over many other options. Benefits of the uneven grass height across a site that can be achieved with carefully managed conservation grazing will help provide a more diverse habitat for insects such as butterflies and moths. Also insects associated with cattle dung provide for insectivorous birds and bats. Our aim is to support and promote management practices that would lead to a sustainable increase in the biological diversity of the common, with particular emphasis on those practices that would provide most benefits.

Highgrove Visit in the Spring

Lynda Hampton has kindly offered to organise a visit to Highgrove in the spring. Please contact Lynda on 01256 702109 by Friday the 19th February if you would be interested in such a visit. Admission is £15.

RSPB Evening walks

Peter Hutchins of the Basingstoke RSPB has offered to arrange an evening walk (May/June) in the Odiham area. Please contact him on 01256 770831 if there is a particular area which you think would be good for an evening walk and/or you would like to lead a walk.

HWT Work Party Sun 31st January at 10.00am North Warnborough Greens

The work party will be cutting bramble scrub on the edge of the Southern Meadow, opposite the Jolly Miller pub. The scrub is encroaching on the flower rich grassland and also shading out a stream that runs alongside the meadow. For more details please e-mail Tim Ransom [transom@btinternet.com] or phone on 01256 764541 or Mike Morton on 07786 678604

HWT Wildlife and Heritage Walk at Eversley

Thursday 4th March Please contact Sarah Broadhead on 01256 381103 for more information.