Moving with the times we will now be compiling all the news and information for our hard-working volunteers in this bright and shiny new ENewsletter.

Let us know what you think (but only if it is complimentary!!)

Barbara sent this message after the hard work that was done in the Forest School area during April's task:

Hi all,

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for all the work that has been undertaken in the Woodland classroom areas, it looks amazing. The mums in the group this morning really appreciated not having to fight their pushchairs through the mud or to have to clean mud off their children’s crying faces when they fell over! The new benches and fire pit will also be put to very good use, and we have already used the extended area. All your work makes things so much easier for Kim and I, we really appreciate it!

Thanks again!

Barbara

Over 50 people attended this partnership event to hear about the problems caused by invasive species on the Monks Brook and River Itchen. The speakers included Hazel, who spoke about discovering New Zealand Pigmyweed (Crassula helmsii http://goo.gl/GGo8Z ) in our two educational dipping ponds at IVCP and our plans to tackle it. Jenna also told us about her 5 year battle with Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica http://goo.gl/gbF9O ) at Lakeside and the recent unwelcome discovery of the hybrid plant (Fallopia x bohemica http://goo.gl/fQ297 )! A slap up lunch was enjoyed by all as part of the day. Thanks to all the volunteers and helpers who joined us.

Unfortunately our two dipping ponds are looking a bit black! The Countryside Service has covered them with plastic to try and control an infestation of the invasive non-native plant New Zealand Pigmyweed (Crassula helmsii). Fragments of the plant quickly reproduce, and with no natural enemies in Britain to control its spread, it covers open water with a thick green blanket, depriving birds and animals of habitat and threatening invertebrates by removing oxygen from the water.  It is thought that the plant may have arrived in the Park’s ponds via a fishing net brought in by a visitor. The plant is highly invasive and the last thing we want to do is risk it spreading to the nearby internationally important watermeadows. The plastic sheeting will be in place for a whole season and aims to stop light reaching the plant, which should eventually kill it off.

Help us control this invasive species (http://www.himalayanbalsam.co.uk/ ) by joining The Conservation Volunteers to pull and remove it from the banks of this lovely brook. We will be running weekly pulling sessions from the beginning of June through until the middle of August at various sites along the Monks Brook. Sessions run from 10am-3pm, whether you can join us for just an hour, or every week, all help will be much appreciated.

Please contact us for information on dates and meeting locations.

Email eastleigh-projects@tcv.org.uk or phone 02380 402593.

At Hocombe Mead, coppicing and other woodland management has been re-instated, to increase the structural diversity of the woodland and to allow more light in. With the sunlight penetrating to ground level, flowers such as wood anemone and primrose become more prolific and the extra warmth and nectar sources in these sheltered clearings means that insects such as butterflies benefit.

Two special woodland butterflies for which Hampshire is a national stronghold are the Silver-washed Fritillary (http://goo.gl/OSNYq ) and the White Admiral (http://goo.gl/5YWwZ ).  

The White Admiral is much rarer than the Silver-washed Fritillary, and seldom seen in great numbers. However, it is pleasing to report that over the last few years the butterfly has returned to the woodlands at Hocombe Mead. In part, no doubt, due to the positive woodland management undertaken by Eastleigh Borough Council and Friends of Hocombe Mead. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of honeysuckle, but the butterfly has a great fondness for the nectar-rich flowers of bramble, so this is the best place to look for it. You may also be lucky to see this graceful black and white butterfly gliding above a woodland path or track at any time from mid June to early August. You may even be lucky enough to have one visit your garden, as I did last year. Indeed, I know of several people living locally, who have seen the White Admiral in their garden. So I would encourage you all to keep your eyes open for this rare and beautiful insect, for a moment that you will surely treasure!

Hocombe Mead is a Local Nature Reserve in Chandler’s Ford. It is enjoyed by local people, and others, to walk their dogs; as a place of adventure, exploration and learning for children; a place to enjoy the flora -usual and less usual; or just a place for quiet contemplation.  Last year the very wet weather made parts of it difficult to access because of all the heavy rain; some of the paths were difficult to use as they were very muddy or under water.  One wet path in particular was a factor for consideration when deciding to cancel or change the site of events planned by Friends of Hocombe Mead (www.hocombe-mead.org/ ). One path in particular limited access to two others that were much used and relatively dry. This path was an obvious candidate for repair and upgrading.
On 11 April the Friends of Hocombe Mead, with the support of Countryside services accomplished the task of improving the path that had caused so much of a problem in 2012.  The impressive statistics of the job were that fifty metres of path were laid:
•  By 12 volunteers with 2 Countryside Services personnel
• With 11.5 tonnes of gravel
• In 4 hours and 50 minutes (including a coffee break!)
• Using 5 wheelbarrows and an awful lot of spades and shovels
The process required a great deal of heavy shovelling, barrowing, and raking but with the cooperation and social banter of everyone it was pleasing and satisfying work.  The two new recruits to FoHM who arrived on the day said that they had enjoyed themselves and would be joining us again.
If you would like to help us carry out maintenance and conservation tasks on Hocombe Mead please contact chairman@hocombe-mead.org.

Many thanks to all that ventured out in the awful weather to carry out much needed last minute scrub clearance in the meadows. The area is grazed each summer and is a valuable area of the park with regard to wildlife. The task helped to remove some of the low level scrub that the cattle seemed to be leaving!

Our winter schedule thankfully was completed on time and we now move on to spring /summer tasks around the park.
Recently our valued volunteers have installed benches, weeded the demo garden, fitted chestnut paling and carried out important ad-hoc tasks around the site.

Having hit the busy season with regard to wildlife the lakes are a mass of activity. The swans are sat on 6 eggs, incubation started about the 16th April and this will usually last for 42 days so a few weeks left until the signets arrive.

There are many baby mallards around the site, though numbers change daily. New broods pop up but many will not survive predation.

Sadly no sign of the grebes nesting as yet, this is after they successfully reared one young last year.

There have been many bird sightings recently with highlights including the much viewed Hawfinch’s, Garden and Willow Warbler. The swallows arrived on the 3rd April which was around the same time as last year.

Sunday May 19th - Itchen Valley Country Park

Led by Jim 023 8047 5089 james.adkins@eastleigh.gov.uk

Path laying and repairs - we will be using up the materials left over from the highly successful work in the Forest Schools area on the April Task. To lay a new surface on the paths between the car parks and also build up the section of the Forest Trail by our new 'Little Monkeys' play area which is prone to flooding when it rains.

Meeting place: High Wood Barn

Sunday June 16th - Lakeside Country Park

Led by Jim 023 8047 5089 james.adkins@eastleigh.gov.uk

Helping control and remove ragwort from the grazing meadows.

Meeting place: Outside Lakeside pavilion

Lakeside Volunteers - Every Wednesday Morning

We cover a variety of tasks from 10.00 to 12.00 every Wednesday at Lakeside.
We will always welcome extra help so if you are able to attend on an ad-hoc or regular basis, please let us know that you are coming by e mailing or calling John or Jenna.
For more information: 02380 614228 or lakeside@eastleigh.gov.uk

May

Many of the Parks resident birds have started breeding despite the late cold weather this year with Coot and Mallard already with young. Many migrant species are back about the right time or a little later than last Spring.

In the meadows  listen and look out for Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat,
Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Cuckoo and possibly Grasshopper Warbler.

In the Parks woods listen and look out for Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff and possibly Willow Warbler. Overhead Swifits, House Martins, Swallows and possibly Sand Martins will be flying about. A few later migrants could still pass through with possibly a Wheatear, Whinchat or Spotted Flycatcher being seen.

In the meadows ditches and streams look out for breeding Mallard, Moorhen and possibly Gadwall plus Grey Heron and Little Egret. Along the river look out for Kingfisher, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe and Grey Wagtail.

In the Parks woods Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits,
Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatches, Treecreepers and Goldcrests will be busy breeding. Birds of prey such as Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel will be displaying and interacting over the Parks woods and meadows.

Occasionally some wader species may be present with the fairly regular Whimbrel about early in the month plus Green Sandpiper and Lapwing in the meadows and Common Sandpiper by the river.  Near the end of the month the first young Starlings and Carrion Crows should seen be about in the meadows.

June

During this month bird song tends to drop off as most species are well into breeding or as in the case of some resident birds just finishing. In the meadows flocks of young Starlings will be about plus family parties of Carrion Crows and Jackdaws.

In the Park's woods family parties of  Long-tailed Tits,Great Tits, Blue Tits, Nuthatches, Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpeckers will be roaming about. In the more bushier areas look out for young Greenfinches and Goldfinches.

Along the meadows streams look out for Little Egrets,Grey Herons Moorhens and Kingfishers. At the river look out for young Coots, Moorhens and Little Grebes. The first young birds of prey could be heard or seen at or nearby their nest sites nearer  the months end especially Buzzards and Kestrels.

... Dave set you a target of seeing the first butterfly in the last newsletter and he received this email on 2nd April:

Taken a while this year but saw first butterflies today – 1 x Brimstone & 1 x Peacock – in a garden on Rec side of Hursley Road. I think they are the first butterflies I’ve seen this year!

Well done Alastair

However, Mick Hay tells us he saw a Red Admiral on the Reservoir Track on the 17th February.

Beat that!