FCG Visit to Pagham Harbour

At the end of March, a party of Ferring Conservation Group members made their way to the Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve for their annual spring time visit and in order to savour all that the area has to offer in terms of wildlife and tranquility. The day was led as normal by member and local bird expert, Clive Hope, whose skills allowed us to spot and identify a large variety of birds and other animals.

In total, a very impressive 40 different bird species were seen around the area of the North Wall, including some which had just arrived in the country after their migratory journey. One Chiffchaff for example was seen and heard in the top of a tree, both singing loudly and catching insects at different times.

Many of the usual suspects were found, including Curlew (a large flock of over 30 seen in an adjoining field) Black Tailed Godwit, Redshank and Little Grebe amongst others, and views of Buzzards and Kestrels as well. The strident call of a Cetti’s Warbler was heard several times, a couple of Mute Swans treated us to a low-level fly past before landing on the nearby water, and several Grey Herons were seen moving in and out of the regular Heronry nest site. We even saw a Roe Deer moving across the fields to the north.

After a couple of hours taking in the sights, we repaired to the nearby café for a spot of lunch before a brief visit to Pagham beach where some of the highlights were Great Crested Grebe and a close-up Brent Goose swimming near the water’s edge. On the way home, we noticed a large number of signs put up by local people protesting at plans to build housing estates in this precious area. What an absolute tragedy this would be for such a special place with the likely harm to the wildlife that it attracts. We do have something in common with Pagham though, as it seems that we in Ferring are also constantly under attack by predatory developers!

Group Meeting – 29th March 2019

For their March meeting Ferring Conservation Group welcomed Mike Russell a former Sussex Wildlife Trust warden at Woodsmill, and although now retired Mike still helps out there on occasion. Mike gave an interesting and informative talk entitled ‘The Wonder of Migration’ illustrated with many excellent photographs.

Mike began by explaining that bird migration is all about survival. Land areas change with the seasons and what may seem like a perfect summer home can become a death-trap in winter. Unfortunately most insects disappear in winter during cold weather whereas in the warm climate of Africa there is an endless supply. The urge to migrate is stimulated by the change in temperature, lengthening daylight, the urge to breed and prevailing conditions in wintering grounds. Birds prepare for migration by spending many hours stocking up with food ready for the long journey ahead and their bodies have a special ability to turn food quickly into fat. The fat forms a layer beneath its skin, which is converted into energy as the birds fly and this gives them enough strength to migrate all the way to Africa.

A spell of calm weather with clear skies is usually the signal to start migration and birds navigate by using the position of the sun and stars with most birds migrating at night. Using the magnetic fields to guide them to familiar landmarks and traditional stopping off points and genetic imprinting enables birds to instinctively know to fly south. Birds have to deal with all kinds of dangers on the way – from bad weather and predators to exhaustion and starvation. Storms at sea can drive birds into waves where they drown and sandstorms or wildfires can cause similar problems.

Over one million birds have been ringed in the UK, 41,600 here in Sussex in an attempt to learn more about this incredible wonder of the natural world and Mike surprised the audience by explaining that the concept of bird migration is relatively new. It is only a hundred years or so since people have come to recognise this bird behaviour but even with all the advantages of modern technology, we still have lots to learn.

Tricia Hall followed the break for tea with her Nature Notes slot and advised the Group that the many trees planted along the banks of the Rife are looking healthy. She suggested that the vegetation that had grown up between the trees should be left to encourage birds to breed. Bees had been seen feeding on Blackthorn blossom and Celandines, Red Nettle, Daisies and Speedwell were all looking pretty around the village. Tricia had also noted that the leaves on the willow trees in Little Paddocks were already visible and the Cormorant had once again taken up residence there. Also many Greater Spotted and Green Woodpeckers had been seen and heard in the Plantation at Goring and a Reed Bunting had been heard along the Rife.

Ed Miller concluded the meeting by keeping the Group up to speed with planning news and informed the audience that the planning application for the demolition of a 2 bed bungalow and the building of a 2 bed house at 11 Ocean Drive had been refused by Arun DC. There is a new application for a 10th apartment at Southpoint in South Ferring; a proposal for a house to be built in the side garden at 30 Rife Way and a bungalow to be built in the back garden of 2 The Grove. A revised plan for a smaller bungalow to be built in the garden of Elm Lodge in Tamarisk Way has also been submitted to Arun. ASDA have submitted an early application to secure 24 hour opening over the next Christmas period. Ed also advised the Group that appeals were still pending at 4 Sea Lane, 11 Telgarth Road and 21 Ocean Drive.

FCG’s Latest Activities

Beach Walk

On February 26th, a glorious sunny day, twelve members of the Conservation Group met at the south end of Sea lane in Ferring for a walk to Goring. An initial excitement was the spotting of a Merlin, our smallest raptor. David Cambell, a local expert, pointed out the bird which was sitting in a tree half way up Sea Lane. This is a very unusual sighting for the Gap and illustrates just how important this green space is for birds.

We set off towards the sea which was a long way off and the going was tricky with slippery rocks and pools of water. We stopped to examine the end of a breakwater which revealed a mini habitat of Spiral Wrack, Cladophora (a green seaweed), Common Limpets, Barnacles, Mussels and Periwinkles. We searched under rocks and collected a variety of organisms stranded on the beach. This flotsam included Ray and Shark egg cases, Cuttlefish ‘bones’, Slipper Limpets and other mollusc shells and the colonial animal Hornwrack which looks like a dried seaweed.

We eventually abandoned our efforts to reach the sea and made our way to the Sea Lane cafe for coffee along the top path. On the return trip, the sea was coming in and so we were able to observe Oystercatchers, Dunlin and Sanderling on the tide line and Turnstones camouflaged against the rocks.

 

Presentation of cheque to Chestnut Tree House Hospice

Artist  Tricia Hall  painted a Christmas card of Ferring for members to purchase at their  meetings. It featured the beach huts in the snow. Many of the cards were also sold by Margaret Metcalf at St. Andrew’s Church after Sunday services. A total of £560 was raised and the cheque presented to Chestnut Tree house Hospice by Tricia and our chairman, David Bettiss. Many thanks to everyone who bought cards and thus contributed to this worthy cause. This is the eighth year that we have supported this charity through the sale of Christmas cards.

Conservation Work

Nine members met on the Village Green for their regular 1st Tuesday of the month conservation work. This session involved the trimming and cutting back of various shrubs and weeding the herb bed. If any other members would like to join this group, they would be very welcome.

A ‘Medieval’ Herb Bed

As a contribution to St. Andrew’s Church’s 1250 anniversary, FCG have constructed a herb bed based on a cartwheel design. The bed is on the village green and is just in front of the children’s playground. The bed is for fun but we hope to provide informative labels and the herbs have been selected for their attractiveness to bees and other insects.

We have planted medicinal herbs which were made into tonics, potions, purges and salves (ointments). Feverfew, for example, was used to treat headaches and was also for joints and digestive problems. It is also a good nectar and pollen source for bees.

Dyeing plants were those from which the medieval housewife extracted dyes for colouring cloth. Woad was an important source of blue dye and was used to colour clothes and tapestries and was also a pigment for blue paint.

A thousand years ago homes, of both poor and rich people, were remarkably smelly and dirty. Strewing plants were those that were scattered on floors, with rushes or reeds, to mask smells and keep insects at bay. The rushes and reeds helped to soak up all manner of  spilt liquids (animals usually shared the homestead), but, were often only changed twice a year! Lavender was strewn on floors for this purpose and was supposed to repel moths. It was also a personal scent and was used in baths when one was lucky enough to get one!

We have planted many culinary herbs which were used in cooking and most of these are familiar to us today.  These had important other uses as well so the medieval housewife had to be very knowledgeable. It was her duty to sow, plant and tend her garden. Mint, for example, was an aid to digestion and was made into a sauce.  It was also used for cleansing wounds, as a cough mixture, and was added to vinegar to make a mouthwash. It also deterred vermin.

We are grateful to Benton Weatherstone who gave us free bricks for the construction, Ferring Nurseries for the compost and Culberry Nurseries at Angmering for their advice and providing many of the herbs at very reduced prices.

Please come along to see our herb bed and watch how it develops. When it is growing well, we may even allow you to snip a few herbs for your own use as long as you promise to pull out half a dozen weeds at the same time!

Worthing Conservation Volunteers

The above group which carries out excellent practical conservation work around the Worthing area are looking for more volunteers to help them. Their regular work parties start at 10am and end by 3.30pm on the designated day, but they welcome any help at all for however long.

The next work party is on Sunday 17 March at Cissbury Ring, where they will be working with the National Trust warden to maintain the chalk downland flora.

For further details and also to confirm venue and meeting place of each work party, please contact Jay on 01903 762064.

Group Meeting – 22nd February 2019

Andrew Cleave MBE is a Hampshire based natural historian with a lifelong passion for wildlife and has written over 20 books on natural history and co-authored many more. Andrew was given a warm welcome to Ferring Conservation Group’s February meeting and gave a fascinating, illustrated lecture entitled ‘Life between the Tides’ to this well attended event. Andrew explained how fortunate we are in Britain to have an opportunity to see and study many species of sea life exposed on our beaches at low tide. Andrew demonstrated how privileged we are to have access through rock pools and rocky shorelines to observe sea creatures and learn about their habitat and behaviour, illustrated with many superb photographs that he had taken over the years. A number of these photographs were used in the Collins Complete Guide to British Coastal Wildlife.

The rise and fall of the tide is due to lunar influences but not all seas are subject to these stimuli. Neither the Mediterranean nor Baltic seas are tidal so therefore they keep their secrets hidden, and it is only the intrepid diver or adventurous snorkeler that is privy to this captivating world.

The sea life found in rock pools at low tide must be tough and adaptable to the force of the waves and the changes in temperature as the water remaining in the pools will heat up at low tide. Seaweeds are a good example of this as these non-flowering plants glue themselves to rocks and can withstand the tidal forces. The Common Blenny is a small fish that is abundant in rocky coastal inshore waters around the UK (sometimes referred to as the Shanny), and being out of water is not a problem provided the environment is damp and moist. The Greenleaf worm, Sea Slugs and Periwinkles can all live out of water for a length of time and the round shell of the Flat Periwinkle enables these adaptable creatures to roll around in seawater and not get damaged. The many species of crab are always an interesting discovery as they are found in numerous shapes and sizes and can be easily found hiding under rocks and will scurry quickly away if disturbed. Interestingly creatures such as the Limpet have teeth that consist of the strongest biological material ever tested and they use these to cling on to a rock at low tide. Our glimpse into this captivating world is available to all those that are interested to take a look and marvel at what ‘Life between the Tides’ can reveal.

Tricia Hall presented her popular Nature Notes after the usual break for tea and advised the audience that Tawny Owls had been heard in several areas of the village and encouraged members to record any sightings of these birds on the RSPB website. Tricia reported that several signs of spring were evident with Celandines, Primroses, Snowdrops, Rosemary and White Heather covered in Honey Bees feeding on nectar had been spotted, as well as frog spawn in ponds and the lagoons near the Rife. Many birds had been heard singing in the area including Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Dunnocks, Great Tits and Chaffinches as well as signs of birds starting to nest.

To conclude the meeting Ed Miller updated the Group regarding the latest planning news. Ed advised the audience that the recent planning application for two houses in the back garden of 21, Ocean Drive had been refused by Arun DC along with the proposed Bluebird Café expansion. The ninth apartment at Southpoint in South Ferring had been approved by the Planning Inspectorate after an Appeal by the developers.

Group Meeting – 25th January 2019

Transporting the audience nearly 5,000 miles across the Atlantic to British Columbia (BC) on the west coast of Canada, Lee Morgan from Lutra Wildlife and Wilderness gave a fascinating presentation on the diverse and exciting wildlife found along this remarkable coastline. Lee, together with his partner Lindsay Janes, run professionally guided wildlife, natural history and photographic tours in this area. Their itineraries are carefully crafted to include the best locations for quality wildlife viewing away from the usual tourist hotspots.

Lee explained that BC is Canada’s most westerly province and stretches from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Rockies in the east and is the size of France and Germany combined. It has a population of around 4.5 million people and over 27,000 miles of coastline with many sheltered fjords, sprawling forests and mountainous peaks it is ideal territory for the diverse wildlife this area has to offer. It has pristine ecosystems and vast tracks of wilderness and it is along the coastline that you may catch a glimpse of an orca, pause to marvel at a moose, or simply watch eagles soar. Pacific Grey whales are regular visitors from March to October and other marine sightings may include humpback whales, minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions and sea otters.

Seasonal migrant birds are attracted by the abundant fish; including barrows golden eye ducks in winter and in summer pigeon guillemots, belted kingfishers and ospreys. Bald Eagle sightings coincide with the movement of salmon making their way back to their places of birth to spawn. Grizzly bears are also fond of salmon and can be spotted along the shoreline ready to help themselves to the plentiful supply. Mink may be seen hunting for crabs among the rocky outlets.

Bird watchers can appreciate the diversity of wild birds this area has to offer with a variety of songbirds, waterfowl, raptors and marine birds, from turkey vultures to species of hummingbirds.

This beautiful natural environment as portrayed by Lee makes a visit to this part of the world an attractive proposition.

After the usual break for tea and biscuits, in Tricia Hall’s absence, Graham Tuppen presented the ever popular Nature Notes. Graham advised us that unusually at this time of year roses, fuchsias, daffodils and gladiolus had been spotted in flower in the village and also a large white-tailed bumblebee. Graham asked if any of the audience had seen or heard any tawny owls and to record their findings on a weekly basis. Over the month Clive Hope had recorded sightings of many birds in the area, including guillemots, razor-bills, red breasted mergansers and gannets. Graham announced that the clean-up of the banks of the Rife will take place on Saturday 23rd March meeting at 11am in the Bluebird Café car park.

To conclude the January meeting Ed Miller gave an update on planning news in the village. He advised there had been a refusal by Arun DC of the planning application to build a house in the back garden at 4, Sea Lane, and also the 2 houses in the garden at 21, Ocean Drive. The planning application at 11, Ocean Drive to demolish a 2 bed bungalow and build a 2 bed house was still to be decided. Two new planning applications were highlighted; the proposed building of a house in the garden of Elm Lodge in Tamarisk Way and the proposed conversion of a bungalow to a four bed house in Midhurst Drive.

A Walk to identify Ferring Village trees in winter on 4th December

A cloudless blue sky greeted 14 members of Ferring Conservation Group when they met up with Tricia Hall, their guide for the morning, on the Village Green. Tricia set a challenge and distributed a list of eleven trees which she asked the group to identify during the walk. On the Village Green itself an impressive Oak was the first point of interest. These large deciduous trees grow between 20-40m tall and their smooth and silvery brown bark becomes rugged and deeply fissured with age. On the eastern edge of the Green a pretty Silver Birch tree was admired by the Group. This tree looks attractive in all seasons but its wood is of little commercial value in Britain because the trees do not grow as large as they do in other parts of Europe. A Lime tree was noted on the corner of Rife Way and the flowers of this tree are hermaphrodite, meaning both the male and female reproductive elements are contained within one flower.

As the Group walked through Little Twitten recreation ground they stopped at a small Field Maple that was recently planted in memory of Joyce Cooper, a founder member of Ferring Conservation Group. Tricia explained that these trees can grow to around 20m and live for up to 350 years. Before leaving the recreation ground the Group marvelled at a majestic Monterey Pine tree situated near to the eastern boundary. This tree is found naturally in the coastal area around Monterey in California but can be found in milder parts of the UK (where it grows faster than in its native habitat). This is the tallest tree in Ferring and can be easily spotted from Highdown Hill. Within the same copse of trees several bird and bat boxes were sighted and Tricia was pleased to inform the Group that these had been occupied during this year’s nesting season.

The group progressed south along Sea Lane where an Ash tree stood proud on the grass verge parading its many conspicuous winged fruit or keys, which fall to the ground in winter. Another feature of this common tree at this time of year are the smooth twigs that have distinctively black, velvety leaf buds arranged to face each other.  Looking eastwards from Sea Lane a Sparrow Hawk could be seen circling above the field looking for prey and as the Group proceeded southwards a Horse Chestnut and an attractive Maple stood out amongst other trees along the route. A chirpy Robin and several Magpies were making their voices heard at the edge of the field as the route continued into Beehive Lane where a large Scots Pine tree stood next to the bus stop and a row of Poplars stood erect outside of Scotch Dyke Residential Home.

Taking a short cut through to Little Paddocks the Group savoured the tranquility of this oasis in the heart of Ferring and took pleasure viewing the duck pond and surrounding area where Mallards, Moorhens, Squirrels, and a Woodpecker could all be seen in the vicinity. An elegant Weeping Willow at the water’s edge completed the picture. A resplendent Sweet Chestnut tree greeted the Group at their final destination in Ferring Grange. The bark of this tree in winter is particularly attractive as the older trees have fissures which spiral round the trunk. Chestnut blight has unfortunately arrived in the UK recently which causes cankers and can lead to die-back and death.

Thanking Tricia for a very enjoyable and informative walk, the Group made their way to Kingsley’s Coffee Shop for some well earned refreshment.

 

 

Group Meeting – 30th November 2018

To a record audience of over 100 members and visitors Professor Fiona Matthews from the University of Sussex and Chairman of the Mammal Society, presented an illustrated talk entitled ‘Hedgehogs and their Conservation’.

Professor Matthews explained that hedgehogs are one of our most appealing mammals but they seem to be in long-term decline in Great Britain, and there is an urgent need to shed light on where they are most scarce and where they could and should be thriving. This critical information will help conservationists understand what can be done to reverse this decline.

Using the Mammal Society’s HogWatch2019 online survey Professor Matthews encouraged members to record their hedgehog sightings and, just as importantly, where hedgehogs are no longer in evidence to give a clearer picture of the overall position and to contribute to the latest conservation research. There is also a Mammal Mapper App that can be downloaded which is an easy way to record hedgehog sightings and especially good for interested children.

Climate change, loss of habitat, use of pesticides and changes in agricultural practice have all had a devastating effect. Road deaths are also putting pressure on the hedgehog’s survival. It is also possible that badgers, whose numbers have increased in some areas in recent years, compete for the same kind of food and it may be that they are actually feeding on hedgehogs when food becomes scarce.

The modern British garden with its extended patios, decking, and minimalist style of planting has left little to attract hedgehogs. Professor Matthews urged members to leave appropriate corners of their garden untidy with piles of leaves and twigs for bedding, and to leave small gaps under fences or gates to allow hedgehogs the freedom to move around. She emphasised the need for us to do our bit and help turn the tide for this charismatic little mammal.

As is traditional at the last meeting of the year, warm mince pies were served with the usual cup of tea and Tricia Hall followed this welcome treat with her ever popular Nature Notes. This month she introduced a delightful film entitled ‘A Few Birds around Ferring’, made around 5 years ago by her late husband Mike. With Mike’s valuable commentary the star of the film was undoubtedly a Snow Bunting that took great pleasure from preening itself with almost comical precision, as well as numerous waders, ducks and geese which made welcome appearances, including a brief glimpse of a Kingfisher.

A planning update followed to conclude the meeting with Ed Miller advising the Group that the planning application from the Andalucía Restaurant for two outside tables and chairs was refused by Arun DC. The office conversion at McIntyre’s Lane and the old Police Box conversion to a small residence were given approval. The decisions regarding the expansion of the Bluebird Café and the ninth apartment at Southpoint are due this month.

Goring Gap Bird Walk – 28th October 2018

On a cold and breezy October Sunday morning, a healthy turn out of Ferring Conservation Group members met at the sea end of Sea Lane, Ferring for a guided birdwatching walk around Goring Gap with new member and local bird expert, David Campbell.

The morning started with a scan of the beach at a number of vantage points on the Greensward, and a good variety of sea and wading birds were seen and identified. There were Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Little Egret and even a number of Knot all on the beach. Off shore, Brent Geese, Cormorant and Wigeon were seen either flying past or on the sea, and flocks of Goldfinches and Starlings were flying inland probably from the Continent, as well as some Siskin and Linnet.

The group then sought sanctuary from the breeze for a while amongst the trees of the Plantation, and a number of woodland birds were either seen or heard there – Robin, Chaffinch and a very obliging Stock Dove, amongst others.

For the final part of the walk, the group moved back out into the open farmland of the Gap, which is such an important roost for many birds, especially at high tides. A number of gulls were seen, including the impressively large Great Black Backed Gull, and at least one Mediterranean Gull, as well as some Skylarks.

However, the highlight of the morning was right at the very end, when in the distance and at some height, our guide spotted, managed to identify and even photographed a rare Hen Harrier bird of prey roughly above the point where we had started the walk. We then watched it fly northwest across Ferring before disappearing out of sight towards the Rife. This was an unusual sighting for our area and capped off an enjoyable morning, which wouldn’t have been possible without the skill and knowledge of David Campbell. The Group is extremely grateful to him.

Autumn Fruits Walk at Highdown Hill on 15th October

Taking advantage of a glorious sunny and warm afternoon 18 members of Ferring Conservation Group met at Highdown Hill car park. With Tricia Hall as their knowledgeable guide they were led along the upper path and asked to consider the different ways in which seeds disperse throughout the countryside. Tricia explained the various ways that trees and plants attempt to distribute their seeds to maximise their chances of survival. Noting the kaleidoscope of colours, red, russet and yellow as the leaves of Ash, Sycamore, and Holm Oak were changing colour.

As the Group progressed along their route they spotted the long, silky hairs which form the grey tufted balls that are known as Old Man’s Beard that are so conspicuous in hedgerows in autumn. These silky hairs assist in seed dispersal and interestingly the French name for this plant is ‘herbe aux gueux’ – the beggar’s herb. Beggars were said to use its acrid sap to irritate the skin to give it a sore and ulcerated look in order to induce sympathy and encourage a donation from passers-by.

Among the hedgerows the vivid pink fruits of the Spindle, the blue-black fruit of the Sloes and the red Rosehips could all be seen to add to the colourful autumn display. A nearby Robin was in good voice as the Group came across several Red Admiral butterflies resting on a bush enjoying the heat from the sun. Bracket fungus could be seen attached to the trunk of a large Holm Oak tree and Tricia explained that autumn is the time when the fruit of this important group of living organisms releases thousands of billions of microscopic spores into the air to distribute and reproduce. As two Buzzards were spotted circling high above, Magpies and Woodpigeon were seen on the ground foraging for food. The small green catkins of a Hazel tree made an interesting contrast as well as the black clusters of Privet fruit.

Jane Hayman from the Group said ‘we were fortunate indeed to have such a glorious sunny day for our walk and thanks to Tricia we came away with more knowledge of how to identify trees and plants and an understanding of the ways in which they reproduce themselves’.