| RESERVES |
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We have three reserves totalling 130 acres, Magdalen Hill Down & Yew
Hill near Winchester & Bentley Station Meadow adjoining the Alice Holt
Forest, near Farnham. They are open to the public all the year round,
without charge. Forty of the county's forty-six butterfly species may
be seen on these reserves & their sensitive management is recognised
by Countryside Stewardship Agreements. All reserves have educational
access agreements. Visits are welcomed from other conservation
bodies, photographic societies, U3A, WI's and children's groups like
Brownies and Cubs. Please contact our Reserves Officer, whose details
can be found in the
Committee
section.
If you would like to know more about the
management of our reserves, then please contact our
Reserves Officer, Jayne Chapman , whose
details can be found in the Committee
section. Jayne is employed by the branch to oversee policy regarding
the management of our reserves and to ensure that they provide a
suitable habitat for the conservation of butterflies and moths. From
time to time she has announcements to make to the members of the
branch and this web site is one of the suitable mediums to ensure that
these quickly reach those with computers.
Click on the links below for more information on our reserves.
Spring 2012 Reserves Bulletin
Sorry folks – the work just keeps piling up! Just when I thought
I had the whole thing sussed and the 2011 summer walks were
coming to the end, the winter grazing then began in earnest.
Thankfully the weather was kind to us and I am pleased to report
that the grazing all went to plan. The Reserves are looking good
as a consequence in preparation for some light rain and spring
sunshine to kick everything into action. And yes, you’ve guessed
it I have come full-circle and am currently putting the
finishing touches to this years’ programme of walks!
So…here we are -
another belated update!
Magdalen Hill Down
September saw Patrick and Colin fixing the new system of
snap-board frames to the gates around the Reserve. These are far
easier than the previous system and are used to inform our
visitors of what animals they can expect to see grazing there,
and for how long. We use a series of laminated signs, and merely
change them over when necessary. These have proved very popular
and we have received many positive comments from the public.
When the livestock have left we add information explaining about
the conservation work we carry out and why.
The
other big change was to number all the gates and stiles across
the Reserve (all 47 of them!!!). This system will ultimately
make it easier to report damage – either from members of the
public, or to C&S Fencing when repairs are necessary.
Once the signs were up, the cattle duly arrived, and spent
September and December grazing Area 4 of the Original Reserve.
Young Charolais x Simmental store cattle are preferred because
their smallish size and weight are more suited to the steep
slopes of the Original Reserve.
Below are pictures of ‘Gerry’ with our volunteer ‘Lookerer’
Colin Beyer.
 During
the winter months over 30 cattle grazed Areas 1&2, and 4 of The
Original, before moving on to The Extension and North Down, and
finally returning home to a warm barn on 4th
February.
‘Lookering’
Our
volunteers also play another important role over the winter
months - that of
‘lookering’. This oddly named role involves nothing more than
routinely checking the grazing animals on a daily basis for
signs of ill health and stress. This gives us a mechanism to
report back to the graziers if we have any reason that might
give us cause for concern over the animals’ wellbeing.
It
is a requisite that ‘lookers’ attend a training session to
acquire the necessary skills. This is a costly exercise, and
unless a volunteer is going to guarantee to stay for a while,
the costs can be prohibitive. However, The Hampshire and Isle of
Wight Wildlife Trust came to our aid and very kindly offered us
places to attend the in-house ‘looker’ training session held at
their Pondtail Nature Reserve near Fleet.
Jenny Mallett,
Colin Beyer and I spent a very informative morning on the 28th
February with Vicky Phillips, learning the skills necessary to
become competent ‘lookerers’.
Colin and Jenny brushing up on their ‘Lookering’ skills with the
Dexter cattle at Pondtail Nature Reserve in Fleet.
New
Recruits
We
will be recruiting two new volunteers to help us in the
2012/2013 grazing season - full training will be given. Details
can be found on our website. This would suit someone who
regularly walks at MHD (dog walkers are fine). If you feel that
you might be interested, please do call me for a chat.
Partner Organisations and Sharing Resources
Butterfly Conservation are always keen to forge strong links
with partner organisations. This can lead to a sharing of
knowledge and resources, particularly important in today’s
current economic climate.
We
are extremely grateful to The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife
Trust therefore, for lending us 20 of their Shetland Rams. This
was a slight change to the usual grazing regime, but this
particular breed of sheep are browsers rather than grazers, and
have done a great job tackling some of the woody scrub species
that constantly threaten to take hold.
Conservation grazing is a very important part of the work that
we do on the Reserves, and the livestock play a crucial role in
creating the structured and diverse habitats necessary for
butterflies and all manner of other species. I will be sorry to
see them leave at the end of February, and would like to say a
big thank you to Mike Allen for the loan.
‘The Boys’ - Shetland sheep courtesy of The H&IOW Wildlife Trust
Winter work-parties
 The
winter work-parties have been in full swing on all three
reserves, with volunteers helping to carry out a range of
different conservation tasks. Here are some of our regulars
undertaking some scrub-block coppicing on the Original Reserve
at MHD. This ensures the scrub retains a degree of uneven age
structure across the reserve, which is beneficial to other
wildlife, providing shelter and habitat for birds and
invertebrates.
The Wednesday Conservation Volunteeers taking a well earned
rest!
Work-parties wouldn’t be the same without homemade cake! As I am
not the best baker in the world, Phil Budd very kindly offered
to bring a cake along to a work party to tackle the Ash saplings
in chalk-corner in October. Here he is with his masterpiece
(below) –unfortunately no one told him he had to share it!
Diverse Tasks
The
work carried out by volunteers is diverse and important. We rely
on people from all walks of life who have different skills and
bring with them an understanding of nature, a love of being
outdoors and the ability to make a difference. They certainly do
that.
Colin clearing the fallen trees from the bridleway brought down
in the January
winds.
Colin is one of our long-standing volunteers and also does a
great job in maintaining the tools required for the conservation
tasks.
MHD
sightings
On 12th February, Patrick Fleet reported a Lapwing on North.
This is believed to be the first sighting of this species. Also
that day, Patrick saw a Golden Plover on the Extension, and two
days later on the 14th, I counted 6 more!
At a work-party to tidy up the Jubilee Clump on the 17th
February, David Thelwell spotted a Woodlark flying overhead.
Recent sightings include a male Brimstone spotted by Colin Beyer
in the Tumuli area of Magdalen Hill Down on 23rd February as he
was carrying out his usual lunchtime checking of the sheep.
Yew Hill
This has to be one of my favourite photo’s taken on a late, hot
and hazy day in October.
From one Reserve to another….a view of Magdalen Hill Down taken
from Yew Hill.
Four young Friesians were delivered courtesy of our graziers –
Chris and Sarah Jackson. They remained on the Reserve for a few
weeks in October, before being moved to Hilltop until the end of
January.
Ragwort
 Sadly
Ragwort is always going to be a contentious issue, balancing the
need to weigh up the benefits as a larval foodplant and nectar
source to many species, particularly the Cinnabar moth
Tyria jacobaeae and
the need to control it because of the risks it poses to
livestock - horses
in particular. The plant contains Pyrrolizidine alkaloids which
specifically cause damage to the liver, and can lead to death.
As a part of our Natural England funding agreements, we are
obliged to eradicate ragwort from our Reserves.
Ragwort Tyria jacobaea
Conservation tasks at YH have included removal of Ragwort from
Hilltop. Pictured below is volunteer Lyndn Gauntlett wondering
if anyone else is going to turn up?
Luckily 15 volunteers turned up and they cleared the lot!
Herby, Ben and George heading home after a long, hot day
eradicating Ragwort.
Sightings at Yew Hill included a Woodcock on the Reservoir area
on the 20th January seen by David Thelwell, and a
pair of Crossbills flying overhead as we cleared the scrub on
Hilltop.
Bentley Station Meadow
The
meadow at Bentley is distinctly different from the chalk
grasslands of the other reserves. Again, the winter work parties
have been in full swing, with a mix of volunteers and tasks.
On
the 8th November The Blackwater Conservation
Volunteers arrived, as they do every year to maintain the area
between the Reserve and the railway.
The
final clearing and burning of the Blackthorn that had collapsed
under the weight of the 2010/2011 snow fall took place at a
winter work-party on 23rd November. Kelvin and I managed to
salvage enough berries to make 2 litres of sloe gin each!
Burning the Blackthorn in November
Reports
Reports are important in providing us with evidence to show how
the flora and fauna are faring.
In
2011 Philip Budd carried out the following survey ‘Vascular
Flora & Diptera (Syrphidae) Survey of Bentley Station Meadow
SSSI’. Initially, this was primarily to update the hoverfly
surveys – the previous one being carried out by Matthew Oates in
1987.
Phil’s report found that 52 species of previously recorded
vascular flora were not seen in 2011, including an ancient
woodland indicator species the Goldilocks buttercup
Ranunculus auricomus.
This might be due to the suckering tendencies of the blackthorn,
leading to a drying out of the meadow.
Phil’s reasons for the disappearance of some species range from
a possibility of being extinct at BSM, to non-permanent species
on disturbed ground such as Water pepper and Redshank (Persicaria
sp). Some might simply have been over looked. Interestingly, the
report also recorded 23 new species previously not seen at BSM
including Marsh Woundwort
Stachys palustris and the not so welcome Common Ragwort
Senecio jacobaea and
Taveller’s-Joy Clematis
vitalba.
It
is always interesting talking to people who have a close history
with the meadow and the changes they have observed over the
years. One such change was noticed by Thelma Smalley, a transect
recorder, who remembers cuckoo-flower
Cardamine pratensis –
an important food plant for the Orange –tip butterfly, as being
far more prevalent when she first visited the meadow a number of
years ago than it is now. Coincidentally, recent management has
included clearing a 3 metre wide area to either side of the
stream to allow some light to filter through that in time will
recreate the necessary conditions for this beautiful flower to
recolonise. If you do see cuckoo-flower in April and May in the
meadow, especially near stream margins, please do let me know.
Cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis
South Downs National Park
Magdalen Hill Down and Bentley Station Meadows both sit within
The South Downs National Park (SDNPA). We are very grateful to
both Jonathan Bills and Elaina Whittaker-Slark – Rangers with
the SDNPA - for allowing us to benefit from the skills of their
very friendly and professional group of Conservation Volunteers.
They visited our Reserves on three occasions, carrying out a
range of tasks including removing fallen trees at MHD following
the high winds, cutting and pruning the new hedge near the
Jubilee clump, and clearing an large area of Salix scrub at
Bentley Station Meadow to allow light to filter through for the
Butterflies.
 The
SDNPA Conservation Volunteers. Able and willing men (and women),
who turn up with all the tools and knowledge and do a cracking
job and cover all aspects of conservation volunteering. And all
for a slice of my (getting better every time I make it) fruit
cake!
Pictured here at BSM with the lovely Tilly the Lurcher!
Sharing Resources
Part of our success depends on sharing resources, and we are
indebted to both The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
and The South Downs National Park Authority, and would like to
send them both a very big thank you from us all at Butterfly
Conservation for their unstinting help over the last few months.
As
I write this, the sheep will be heading home to St Catherine’s
Hill. It will be sad to see them go, but it heralds the
beginning of a new season – Spring, Skylarks, Cowslips and the
lead up to the summer, where hopefully, many of you will come
and join us in our season of walks and talks on the Reserves… I
look forward to meeting more of you at these events.
Volunteering
Remember, we would love to hear from you if you feel you have a
spare few hours to help volunteering in any capacity –
work-parties, administration, leading walks – do you have a
knowledge of wild flowers, butterflies, moths, birds, trees,
shrubs or berries? There are many ways to volunteer, for
instance, baking a cake to sustain our winter work-party
volunteers. This would be certain to gain you ‘volunteer of the
year’ status - well certainly with me at least!
Final Update!
Butterfly Conservation have decided to take the plunge and
embrace social media – so if any of you have a Facebook account
you can find our new Branch Facebook page here:
www.facebook.com/ButterflyConservationHampshireAndIsleOfWight
Please have a look and be sure to ‘like’ our page!
All of our ‘friends’ will be able to upload photo’s and report
sightings, as well as staying in touch with frequent updates.
Hantsmoths are already up and running with frequent updates of
moths, plus a useful forum for questions and answers. Visit them
on Facebook here:
www.facebook.com/groups/137013809748338/
Thank you for reading this.
If you have any questions or you would like to find out how you
can become involved with our Reserves please feel free to
contact me either by phone – 01962 808400 or email me at:
jchapman@butterfly-conservation.org
All
photographs are © Jayne Chapman unless otherwise stated.
Autumn 2011 Reserves Bulletin
Getting started…The copy deadline for the
Reserves newsletter came and went and so too the months which
slipped by at an alarming rate. I expect you were all wondering
if there was ever going to be a Reserves news update? Well, I am
pleased to say that I now appear to be up-and-running following
an induction period that included a fairly major hand-over from
Lynn Fomison to me. As you are aware, Lynn has now retired after
a very successful 14 year ‘reign’ with Butterfly Conservation,
and has left me to tread carefully in her footsteps. It is not
an easy task taking over from someone so well respected and
knowledgeable, but I hope to be able to do as good a job as Lynn
has over the coming years, and I would like to thank everyone I
have met so far for their support and understanding and above
all their patience while I have been settling in. I am
especially grateful to Jenny Mallet, Peter Eeles and Penny
Jefferys- who all went that extra mile for me.
Something I will remain mindful of is a snippet I happened to
read in an earlier publication that went something like this…”If
you get the management wrong, entire local populations [of
butterflies] can be wiped out”!
So, no pressure there then!!
Introduction
By way of an introduction, I have spent the majority of the last
33 years in the manufacture and retail of ceramics - managing
potteries, including running my own business for 19 years,
alongside a lifetime interest in the outdoors leading to many
years of working with, and owning, horses, cattle and sheep.
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| Photo: (c) Jake Gauntlett 2011 |
In 2007 I had a mid (late)-life crisis and attended Sparsholt
College, graduating three years later with a Foundation degree
in Conservation and Wildlife Management.
For those who do not know me, here is a photograph taken of
me on MHD by my 13-year old son, Jake. At least you will
be able to recognise me now when you see me out and about on the
Reserves.
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| Photo: (c) Jayne Chapman 2011 |
The last 6 months have certainly been a roller-coaster ride, and
getting to know and understand all three Reserves – Magdalen
Hill Down, Yew Hill and Bentley Station Meadows.
There have inevitably been ups and downs – the ‘ups’ included
witnessing the life-cycle and emergence of millions (?) of
Six-spot Burnet Moth Zygaena filipendulae from the larval stage
at MHD around May 21st through to their flight period from June
onwards. The photo on the right was taken on the 26th June at
Magdalen showing the moths on Field Scabious Knautia
arvensis.
The downside has been that there have not been the hours in the
day or days in the week to take it all in………
However, I am very much looking forward to the challenges ahead
and to meeting and working with you all, and I will endeavour to
do the very best job I can to manage the Reserves for the
benefit of all Lepidoptera that inspired me as a 5 year old in
1965 and still continue to do so today. Enough about me!
Now for some Updates!
July
It all started with the volunteer work-parties and
Lynn’s comment about how important volunteers are to the success
of the Reserves….
Ben and his ‘Wheels of Steel’ seen below mowing paths through
the flowery meadows for the benefit and enjoyment of our
visitors.
 One man went to mow…
Went to mow a meadow….
 Heigh ho, Heigh ho its off to work we go!!
Kelvin Richards, another regular volunteer, clears Ragwort on
6th July at MHD.
 There have been many ‘Wednesday Wanders’ which happen on the
first Wednesday of each month and apart from being very
enjoyable, these walks have also given me an opportunity to get
to know some of the more regular attendees. We had a lovely walk
on the 22nd July to celebrate St Mary Magdalene day (here we all
are having a rest on the Original Reserve).
The first walk I led alone was for a group who went by the name
of ‘John Negus and friends’. After the initial nerves wore off,
I ‘waffled’ for 2 hours and was pleased with how the walk had
gone. John and his friends thanked me for an enjoyable visit and
emptied their pockets insisting on making a donation to
Butterfly Conservation, I was delighted.
Then John presented me
with his card – John Negus – Horticultural Journalist! Thank you
Lynn for not telling me who John was before the walk – ignorance
is bliss!!
August
Steve Goodwin from The Kempshott Conservation Group held a
seed-training afternoon for members of the group. Seed was
collected from MHD for the group to use in future conservation
projects.
On the 17th we welcomed a group of children from the Winnall
district of Winchester. These visits are arranged by volunteers
and the travel costs are subsidised by a local group of people
who organise a variety of outings for the children during the
course of the year. Apart from experiencing spiders and rain,
the children were delighted to see Chalkhill blues and Meadow
Browns – at least one child expressed a desire to return -
this is what makes the educational visits so worthwhile.
September
On the 28th, Steve Goodwin returned to MHD to give a training
day to members of the Kempshott Conservation Group in the
Identification of the three species of Scabious - Devil’s-
bit, field and small. Marjoram and Thyme seed was collected for
their own, local conservation efforts.
 19th – I saw this Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae basking on
a pile of flints near to Chalk-corner.
October
Peter Clarke was joined by Patrick and Colin Beyer in the tumuli
area of MHD on Saturday 1st October for a moth evening. Five MV
lights and one Actinic attracted over 170 moths of an estimated
30 species. The most noteworthy of these being: Large Wainscot,
Blair's Shoulder-knot, Figure of Eight and Deep-brown Dart.
And finally some well-written words from Patrick, which I think
beautifully sum-up all Lynn’s astonishing achievements:
"Our first Autumn work-day for volunteers took place on Wednesday
October 5th. We concentrated our efforts on our bare chalk area
known as chalk-corner where Ash saplings, wild Clematis and
other scrubby invaders threaten to take hold. Around 2005,
plug-plants of Scabious, Rock-rose, and both the vetches –
horseshoe and kidney – were planted. All are doing well and
producing their own seedlings. A bonus at the end of a rather
cloudy day was a brief appearance of a Humming-bird Hawk-moth
near the cemetery.
On our 2 most recent moth evenings, we have recorded 20 species,
not bad for early Autumn. These included Deep-Brown Dart, Figure
of Eight, Dusky Thorn, and Beaded Chestnut. All of which have
declined nationally by 90% or more.
A late Clouded Yellow was spotted at MHD by Herbie, one of our
regular volunteers. This migrant species has been scarce here
this year with only a couple of sightings earlier in the summer.
Each of the Reserves seemed to be saying ‘Thank you’ to Lynn in
their own special way:
At Yew Hill, the Dingy Skipper seems to have re-established
itself for the first time since 1994. At Bentley Station Meadows
the Pearl-bordered Fritillary appeared in numbers for the first
time since the Reserve opened in 1992. At Magdalen Hill Down
Green Hairstreak, Grizzled Skipper and Chalkhill Blue enjoyed
one of their best years ever in 2011."
REF: The State of ‘Britain’s Larger Moths’ Butterfly
Conservation, Rothamsted Research
And a message from Lynn, which I apologise in not getting to the
website before now, but I think it will be well received by you
all regardless….. “I am overwhelmed by all your kind comments &
good wishes for the future. Together with Reserves Sub
Committee, Patrick, Colin & all the other volunteers, we have
been a good team and the Reserves show the benefit of that. I
hope your involvement will long give you pleasure.
Basil Thyme Some of you will remember that when the Extension
first sprouted plants in 1998 after being sown in 1997 one of
the arable weeds that grew just an odd plant or two was Basil
Thyme. Tim & I were able to collect some seed off a disturbed
roadside in Andover & I sowed this in the chalk corner on MHD N
on 16th September so it will be nice if a few plants grow”.
4th September 2011
August 2011 Reserves Newsletter
HERE...
2nd August 2011
And now a fully up to date July 2011 Reserves Newsletter
HERE...
31st July 2011
A rather late May 2011 Reserves Newsletter available
HERE... (Delay
due to Webmaster not Lynn)
16th May 2011
Lynn Fomison's Reserves Newsletter for March and April
2011 can be
obtained
HERE... (348 KB PDF file)
15th February 2011
Lynn Fomison's January 2011 Reserves Newsletter can be
obtained
HERE... (126 KB PDF file)
29th December 2010
Lynn Fomison's December 2010 Reserves Newsletter can be
obtained
HERE... (433 KB PDF file)
19th April 2010
Lynn Fomison's Spring 2010 Reserves Newsletter
(including work party dates) can be obtained
HERE... (273 KB PDF file)
28th September
Lynn Fomison's new style Autumn 2009 Reserves Update
(including work party dates) can be obtained
HERE... (2263 KB PDF file)
Friday 13th February 2009
Bentley Station Meadow
We had a really successful work party on Wednesday 11th
February. A contractor had felled a number of oak trees in the
oak copse by the railway line and nine of us cleared up the
branches & twigs & had a well controlled bonfire.
 The
photo ( taken by Janet Jones) shows how good the area is
looking. All the bramble was cut down and raked up by Blackwater
Valley Conservation Volunteers on 27th January.
The area is developing splendidly to be superb habitat for
Silver-washed Fritillaries. The oak trees are being thinned out
over a number of years to give several room to grow as good
specimens & in the meantime to create dappled shade - the ideal
growing conditions that violets need. We shall be watching for
breeding activity in this area this summer - courting flights,
females flying low searching for violets before hopefully laying
eggs on the tree trunks.
Our next work party & final one of the 2008/9 season is on
Wednesday 4th March. If you have thought about coming along to
help this winter & have not yet managed it we hope to see you
then.
Lynn Fomison Branch Reserves Officer
Archive
Reserve news from previous years are available to download
as a PDF file. An indication of the file size is provided.
If you do not have a PDF file reader, then click this image for a
free download:
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