Author Archives: David Bettiss

May Practical Activities

Posted on by

On Thursday 7 May (election day) we’ll hold our monthly practical activity starting at 10am – this time at Warren Pond. If you can spare an hour, please come along and lend a hand to trim back some of the growth there, and if you have them, please bring loppers, secateurs, trowel/spade/ fork etc.

On Sunday 17 May,  there will be the first of 2 beach cleans this year. This starts at 11am at the east end of the Bluebird Cafe car park as usual. Bags, pickers and high vis jackets are supplied. It’s important to find and pick up the small pieces of plastic and fishing gear there (as well as the larger items), so please help us do this. Again this should only take an hour to complete, and if any doubt about the weather on the day, please check this website in case of any late changes.

March meeting – Richard Jefferies and WH Hudson

Posted on by

The March meeting heard a fascinating account of the life and writings of Richard Jefferies, a Victorian author and country-lover who spent the last years of his short life in Goring and is buried in Broadwater Cemetery. Chris Hare told the story of his upbringing on a small farm in Wiltshire, his work as a journalist in London and his move to Sussex in 1883 for the sake of his health., first to Crowborough, then to Hove, and finally to Goring. His house is still there, in Jefferies Lane, off Sea Lane, with the blue plaque set up in 1939.

Jefferies wrote many articles and a few novels about the countryside, but he was not a scientific naturalist. His writing is more an evocation of country life as it was lived by the shepherds, farm labourers and woodsmen, their dignity and simplicity. He refused to patronise or romanticise them but showed how they experienced the natural world in a direct and transcendental way that townsmen and city dwellers could only feel when they were in intimate contact with the fields, woods and streams and opened their minds to the beauty around them.

He loved the South Downs, as an almost primeval landscape still haunted by the ancient peoples that lived and worked there .He hated Brighton for its vulgarity, and Hove even more so for its mean streets and grandiose town hall. Jefferies died in 1887, at home in his cottage, of the tuberculosis that had plagued him for many years. He was just 38. In 1899 the naturalist and writer WH Hudson stayed in the house where Jefferies died, and here he started writing his book Nature in Downland, which he believed Jefferies would have written had he lived longer.

The well-attended meeting had a review of local wildlife from Graham Tuppen, including sightings of Peregrine Falcons, the Kingfisher on the Rife, early Bluebells and anemones in Patching Woods, and butterflies appearing everywhere. Stephen Abbott gave an update on local planning decisions appeals and applications – the most alarming of which was for a large housing estate on the fields opposite Sainsbury’s in Rustington.

Patching Woods Bluebell Walk – April 2026

Posted on by

On Thursday 9th April 13 group members, and 2 dogs, met in the sunshine on France Lane, Patching for a walk in the woods, led by Graham Tuppen. The object was to admire the sight and scent of the lovely carpet of native Bluebells, which were at their best. Alongside these, there was a good show of lovely Wood Anemones, Wild Primroses, Celandines and Violets. We also found a good colony of Early Purple Orchids, but they were only just beginning to come into flower.

We also saw Greater Stitchwort, Dogs Mercury, Garlic Mustard (Jack by the Hedge), Lords and Ladies (Wild Arum), Ground Ivy, Red and White Dead Nettle and Red Campion.There were few butterflies despite the sunshine, but we did see a Comma, Orange-Tip and a Peacock.

5 Buzzards were circling above Angmering Park woods, and we also saw a Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Cock Pheasant, Yellowhammers and Linnet. Merlin, the birdsong app, picked up Wrens, Chiffchaffs, Goldfinches, Rooks and Carrion Crows.

Sadly we were asked to leave Jewshead Wood by representatives of the owners because, unknown to us, it is privately owned, and it appears that it is likely to be fenced off in the near future, which will deny us and other responsible people access to view this wonderful spectacle in years to come.

The Story of a Ferring Wildlife Garden – our January 2026 meeting

Posted on by

Dr Tim Freed, a dedicated entomologist of many years and a Group member, gave an enlightening presentation on how he has transformed his private garden in Ferring into a carefully managed refuge for wildlife.

What began as a conventional garden has been steadily reshaped into one designed purely as a sanctuary for the widest range of wildlife possible.

Tim’s lifelong fascination with insects prompted him to take a gradual and experimental approach. Firstly, small areas of lawn were left uncut and Tim was encouraged by the many native species of wildflowers that quickly established themselves.

This motivated Tim to allow larger areas of lawn to naturally grow further areas of wildflowers. This very soon resulted in attracting many pollinating insects. Advice was taken on which shrubs to plant to add value to pollinators and specialist insects. Dead wood was retained rather than cleared, providing habitat for beetles, fungi, and nesting bees. Ponds and damp areas were introduced to support aquatic insects and their predators.

Tim’s vision extended beyond insects alone: the garden was intended to support interconnected food webs, from soil microorganisms to birds, amphibians, and small mammals.

This approach demanded patience and a willingness to accept visual disorder in favour of biological complexity.

The process was not without difficulty. Establishing a wildlife-friendly garden required significant physical labour, ongoing observation, and continual learning. Progress was often slow, and setbacks such as plant failures, extreme weather, or invasive species were frequent. Social challenges also arose: neighbours sometimes viewed the untidy appearance of the garden as neglect rather than intention, requiring Tim to repeatedly explain and defend his approach.

The many stunning photographs of the species now present in the garden helped to illustrate the importance of Tim’s work and to encourage the audience to try this technique in areas of their own gardens.

After the usual break for tea and biscuits Stephen Abbott took to the floor to discuss local planning issues. A new planning application has been submitted for a dwelling to be built on a small piece of land on the corner of Brook Lane. The Ferring Men in Sheds group are proposing to build a wooden shed behind the pumping house on the Glebelands playing field. Roundstone Pick Your Own Farm is now closed due to the retirement of the proprietors.

To conclude the meeting Graham Tuppen advised members and visitors on local wildlife sightings with news of several Goldfinches in his garden. Clive Hope had spotted a Mistle Thrush and a Goldcrest near to the farm ruins in Sea Lane. Peter Dale had seen Great Tits and Goldcrests locally plus Oystercatchers, Sanderlings and a Lapland Bunting had all been seen on Ferring beach in the last week or two, as well as a Snow Bunting at the Witterings.

 

Sea Water Quality – November 2025 meeting

Posted on by

At our November meeting, Ferring Conservation Group was pleased to welcome Cllr Vicki Wells, Worthing Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, who provided an informative update on the latest sea water quality findings along the Worthing coastline.

Drawing on her background as a science producer for the BBC, Vicki is committed to strengthening community involvement in local environmental monitoring. She recently joined members of a local swimming club to take part in seawater testing, helping to ensure that citizen-collected data contributes to a fuller and more accurate picture of coastal water conditions.

Thanks to equipment supplied by Southern Water, three designated sampling points have now been established to support local campaigners in tracking water quality. These complement the Environment Agency’s weekly testing programme carried out from May to September each year.

While water quality at Goring Beach and Heene Road has improved and is now officially rated “good”, the stretch near Beach House Grounds remains classified as “poor.”

Vicki explained that multiple pollution sources may be contributing to the issue, including urban run-off carrying litter, chemicals, mis-connected or damaged sewer infrastructure, natural waste from wildlife and dogs, as well as human impacts such as improper waste disposal on the beach.

Investigations are ongoing, supported by improved signage and the launch of the Yellow Fish campaign, which aims to raise awareness that pollution entering roadside drains flows directly into the sea.

Following Vicki’s presentation, Alex Finch, Water Quality Specialist at Southern Water, spoke about the company’s efforts to support Worthing Borough Council in improving coastal water quality. He acknowledged the company’s past challenges—including illegal sewage discharges that resulted in fines and regulatory red ratings—but highlighted progress made through the identification of pollution sources.

Using a bell-curve chart, Alex illustrated the risks posed by harmful bacteria such as E. coli and viruses like norovirus, which can cause gastrointestinal illness in humans. He reaffirmed Southern Water’s commitment to reducing storm overflow releases and continuing work to tackle contamination concerns.

Seasonal mince pies accompanied cups of tea during a short break followed by Nature Notes, presented by Graham Tuppen. The following birds had all been spotted at Widewater, a man-made lagoon at Lancing, including Turnstones, Coots, Black Swans, Cormorants, Goosander, Heron, Little Egrets, Little Grebes, Moorhens, a silver Appleyard (a domestic breed of duck) as well as an unusual visit from a Slavonian Grebe.

Clive Hope had seen waders on the beach at Ferring and Goring consisting of over 60 Oystercatchers, 40 Sanderlings, a few Turnstones and the odd Grey Plover, Dunlin and Ringed Plover. On the sea Clive spotted 12 Great Crested Grebes and 8 Red-breasted Mergansers.

On the west side of the Ferring Rife an influx of Blackbirds, Reed Buntings and Chaffinches joined a good number of Linnets and Goldfinches there. Also one Blackcap and a couple of Song Thrushes.

Stephen Abbott concluded the meeting by updating members with local planning news. Change of use for industrial units on the slopes of Highdown Hill have been submitted. The application for a footpath registration submitted by Ferring Conservation Group had been formally accepted and would be decided in due course.

Emergency beach clean

Posted on by

Many thanks to our team of volunteers who turned out this week to help clear our beach at Ferring of all the rubbish

Part of our clean up team with the rubbish collected

that has washed up here recently. There was a significant amount of polystyrene from the ship incident in the Channel plus more items such as fishing gear, nylon rope and others bits as a result of the stormy weather.

We did escape the worst of the incident, which sadly has affected the beaches at Selsey, Pagham and Bognor in a serious way, but at least for the time being, we have a clean beach again. The cleansing offcer at Arun DC is very grateful for all our efforts and wanted to pass on his thanks.

We’ll continue to monitor the area and if necessary, we will again call for an impromptu clean up.

Swift nest boxes in Ferring

Posted on by

This week, the first two Swift nest boxes in Ferring were installed at Greystoke Manor Residential Care Home in Church Lane by one of our local Swift Champions, Paul Stevens. The owner of the home, Mr Bradley, kindly funded these and we are very grateful to him.

We have also got agreement from four other properties in the immediate area to install a further 8 boxes and it is hoped this will happen in January. These include at the St Andrew’s Church Centre.

As many of you will know, Swifts are in serious decline and one of the main reasons is the loss of their nesting sites, so we hope that by providing these boxes, we can build a colony of birds around the Ferring Conservation Area over a period of time. Alongside the boxes, we hope to put in a number of “callers” – small speaker devices that put out the bird’s call and these have proved successful elsewhere in attracting the birds to nest in the first place.

This is only the start of this project, which we hope to develop further in other suitable nearby properties and start a real “Swift Street” here in Ferring.

Moth Trapping Exercise at St Oscar Romero school

Posted on by

Students from St Oscar Romero School in Goring-by-Sea, along with their teachers, were recently treated to a fascinating overnight moth-trapping experience, thanks to the expertise of Dr Tim Freed – a leading entomologist and member of the Ferring Conservation Group.

This event is part of a growing partnership between Ferring Conservation Group and the school’s Fingerprint Ambassadors – a dedicated group of students passionate about environmental issues. For the past two years, this collaboration, overseen by Phil Dean, the school’s Careers, Enrichment and Outdoor Learning Leader, has helped foster greater awareness of local biodiversity and conservation efforts within the community.

On the evening of 16th July, Tim set up two Robinson moth traps within the school grounds. At 6pm, students and staff gathered in a classroom to hear an engaging introductory talk from Tim, who explained the vital role moths play in the ecosystem. He introduced the group to a variety of species, their habits, life cycles, and the importance of biodiversity.

Following the talk, the group enjoyed a barbecue—cooked to perfection by Phil Dean on the school grounds—as they made final preparations for their overnight camp, securing tents and discussing the evening’s activities.

As dusk fell, Tim led the students and teachers to the first moth trap, positioned among some rough grassland near one of the classroom buildings. The group was delighted to find a healthy variety of moths had already been attracted to the trap’s bright light. The second trap, located in a darker corner of the school playing field, near a row of poplar trees and away from light pollution, proved equally successful.

With high hopes for a rich haul in the morning, the students and teachers retired to their tents, eager for an early start.

After a night under canvas, the group rose early to join Tim who had returned at first light to check the traps and make a quick assessment of the catch. Together with the students he reviewed the final contents of the traps. His expert commentary brought each species to life, making for an unforgettable learning experience that combined hands-on science with real-world ecology.

In total, over 135 species were recorded across the traps. Star attractions were several Poplar and Elephant Hawk-moths and a solitary Pine Hawk-moth. A number of migratory species were present including the rare Golden Twin-spot, and well-over 1000 Willow Ermine were noted. Interestingly, 98 species were recorded at both the Classroom site and the Poplars site, reflecting the ecological richness of each location. Both traps produced a number of interesting finds, including moths typically associated with riverbank habitats—an indication of the influence of the nearby Ferring Rife corridor, which intersects the broader Chatsmore Farm landscape.

The Classroom site, with its rough grassland, scrub, and proximity to gardens, proved to be a surprisingly valuable area with numerous grassland species present as well as a good variety of butterflies seen there during the day. At the Poplars site, which features railway-side vegetation and mature woodland, several uncommon and local species were recorded including the Olive, Cnephasia longana, Gypsonoma minutana, Sitochroa palealis and Synaphe punctalis. Several species were common to both traps.

(Pictured – female Poplar Hawk-moth)

Big Butterfly Count report

Posted on by
On Tuesday 29 July, 9 members (plus a dog) met up in the Bluebird cafe car park for a second Big Butterfly Count near the Ferring Rife. This followed on from our previous one at Cissbury Ring.
Although the weather started very dull, it gradually warmed up, and we managed to count a total of 42 butterflies, with 16 Large Whites, 14 Gatekeepers,  9 Speckled Woods,  and 1 each of Small White, Comma and Red Admiral. These numbers were split into 3 counts, and entered onto the national database.
We also spotted a couple of “woolly bear” caterpillars, which we identified as being those of the White Ermine moth.
We also saw a Grey Heron, a flock of at least 10 Little Egrets (24 had been seen there the previous day), and a possible young Great White Egret, plus Moorhens, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk, as well as some feeding Swallows and Swifts.

Protecting the Goring/ Ferring Gap

Posted on by

(Photo by John Vaughan)

Please see the following statement that gives an update on the situation regarding the Gap:

The open space between Goring and Ferring — known as the Goring/Ferring Gap — is
a designated “Local Green Gap” and deeply valued by our community.
In recent months, planning applications to develop part of this land triggered strong
concerns and widespread objections. Thankfully, Worthing Borough Council rejected the proposals — a victory for local voices.
Subsequently the land was put on the market, which raised a new possibility: could the
community buy and protect it for good?
So local amenity groups got together and decided to create a proposal, which was to set up a Community Trust to purchase the land, funded by a Crowdfunding campaign.
Unfortunately, the proposal was rejected by the landowner, who decided to take a
different route. We understand that the land will be put back on the market, although the
final plan is unclear.
The same local amenity groups came together again to explore the options. The result?
A decision to continue and form a Community Trust, ready to purchase land if the
opportunity arises, funded by a future crowdfunding campaign.
� More updates will follow soon — watch this space.
Want to help shape the future of the Gap?
We’re looking for people to get involved — including potential Trustees.
Contact any of the following groups to express your interest:
– Ferring Conservation Group
– Goring and Ilex Conservation Group
– Goring Residents Association
– The Worthing Society
– Transition Town Worthing CIC