Group Meeting – 30th June 2017

The Group heard from Yvonne Fenter, who is one of the charity’s volunteer speakers, but is also a trustee and wife of the founder of the hospital. It had been set up originally in the village of Eartham, but moved to its current site in 1985 where it continues to this day. There is work going on currently to improve the facilities, which are so well used for wildlife in need, and in fact our local WADARS organisation transports many rescued birds and animals there if necessary for their treatment and recuperation.

The hospital treats some 3000 patients a year, of which approximately 2500 are birds of all species. Many of these are of course baby birds, which have to be fed constantly, and staff make use of liquidised dog and cat food fed on the end of a paint brush for this purpose. It should be noted that members of the Group on the night stepped up to the mark and answered the hospital’s request to bring along meat based dog and cat food with them as a donation. Scores of cans and packets were passed on for their use, as well as some generous cash donations. All of these were gratefully received by Yvonne.

The principle of the hospital is that if any animal or bird is in need, then they will treat it. To complete the talk, Yvonne gave members useful advice on what to do if they found an animal requiring help, and she outlined the particular problem of discarded fishing hooks and line which can easily be ingested by sea birds. Continuing the sea theme, she told the Group that oiled birds were not the problem they used to be with the practice of ships illegally flushing out their tanks in the channel having virtually stopped.

We are very lucky to have such a facility near to us in the county, and it deserves our support. They do have their own charity shop in the Guildbourne Centre in Worthing, where they will happily receive items to sell, as well as items such as towels, newspapers etc to use in the care of their patients.

Ferring Conservation Group Orchid and Bird Walk 13th June 2017

A group of 20 members from Ferring Conservation Group, and Shoreham District Ornithological Society turned out on Tues 13th June in glorious sunshine to walk along the Rife from the Bluebird Cafe up to the Ferring Country Centre with the aim of enjoying the varied wildlife, expertly led by Tricia Hall.

Notable trees and shrubs, some in flower, included Elder, Hazel, Sea Buckthorn, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Wild and Guelder Rose, and a sizeable patch of the shrubby herb Deadly Nightshade.

Flowers along the Rife itself included Comfrey, Cow Parsley, Willow herb, Meadowsweet and Horsetail.

In the lagoons, the show of orchids was not at its best, but good numbers of Marsh Orchid, both Incarnata and Pulchella, were seen, with some Common Spotted, but no sign of any Bee Orchids. However, there were numerous other flowers of interest, from the brilliant yellow Flag Irises to the dainty Water Plantain, and Tufted Vetch, Meadow Vetchling, Fleabane, Yellow Loosestrife, Coltsfoot, Self-Heal and Everlasting Sweet Pea. Grasses, Sedges and Rushes were in abundance.

Birds included Buzzard, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Swallow, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap, but the stars of the show were a group of 4 little Egrets and a Grey Heron all perching in the trees just north of the upper lagoon.

Wildlife in the ponds included Newts (either common or palmate), Froglets, Water Boatmen, Pond Skaters, Whirligig Beetles, tiny Flatworms and a Leech, and several Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies put on an aerial display over the water.

The butterflies spotted were Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue and Speckled Wood and the moths were Five-spot Burnet and Burnet Companion.

The walk was rounded off with refreshments at Ferring Country Centre.