WINTER - WORK GOES ON IN 2015

Our first scheduled group meet for 2015 took place on Sunday 25th January. 

With the earth hardened by frost, at least on the surface, the going was slightly less muddy than usual.

Some of the group are experts at removing trolleys from the river:

Here's an example of how to remove one in three easy steps.....

Step 1 - First locate the trolley in the fast flowing water and aim to

throw a line across the river to catch onto it.

Step 2 - If at first you don't succeed......approach from the opposite bank:

This worked, using two ropes and hooks, as the trolley was 

firmly embedded - not as easy as it looks.

Step 3 - Once the trolley is on the bank, extract the hooks,

which are actually small anchors.

First one retrieved, now where's the next one -

about half a mile away on the Arun....

Plans for the New Year 2015

Crab Apples last autumn 2014

The end of 2014 was quite hectic with planting activity taking priority. 15 trees were planted and about 1000 native spring bulbs went in along the verges under the hedges before the extremes of winter weather could prevent any further work.

Now the ground has become unworkable - after only 25mm of rain overnight - about an inch - the river burst its banks today and filled its natural wide river bed to the brim at about 11.00am - but the tide had turned down on the coast at Littlehampton, and the rain had ceased earlier in the morning. By the afternoon the water was quickly receding. With the Arun valley brooks full and the fields saturated, we wait for the low tides to allow the river water into the sea.

The river spreads to fill its natural and ancient river bed, the water

carrying mud from bare fields far upstream.

Looking ahead.

Birds this winter have rapidly finished off most of the available berries and fruits

and are busy on the ivy berries now, which have ripened just in time.

Our aim will be to increase the numbers of native berry and fruit-bearing plants and trees

along the river to sustain wildlife during the autumns and winters and also to increase the pollination corridors, using native blossoming trees and plants and early-flowering spring plants which can provide a continuous source of foraging for pollinating insects such as bees. Insects attracted to plants provide early food for birds too and are an essential energy source for hungry and exhausted spring migrants landing on our shores and making their way inland along the river.  

Hawthorn Berries - usually the first to be eaten!

Guelder Rose Berries - usually one of the last to go

There are still some hanging on to the bushes in January

How old are the Oaks?

MEASURING THE OLD OAKS

On our meet on 26th October we made a start on measuring the girth of the old oaks along the river in order to calculate their approximate age.

SEE

 Hills Farm Wildlife Conservation 

'Oaks in October'  record dated 28th October for all trees measured so far.

This oak is about 175 years old, middle aged, certainly not the

oldest on the riverside.

Detail of the trunk of an older oak.

We aim to measure all the old oaks eventually - their ages vary a lot, by hundreds of years, indicating an ancient woodland origin rather than a deliberate planting by a land owner to mark a boundary. During woodland and forest clearance in order to create space for agricultural use, trees were always left on the edges of the clearings to form natural boundaries, as part of hedgerows.

A Fine end to September

          MAKING THE MOST OF THE FINE WEATHER     

On Sunday September 28th the Group met to clear rubbish from the river and banks of the river Arun as well as covering the usual riverside area and footpaths. Here on the Arun the banks are steep and the river depth was tested and found to be too deep for anyone without waders.

Here is the result - an old rusty trolley found in the river (with 

some wooden fencing), a large red plastic trolley found on the

river bank and a double mattress which had been cut in half and 

thrown onto the steep river bank.

It was very hot work, even in the river

At last the trolley is hauled up - this was probably the last opportunity to remove things from the river before autumn and winter rains 

Other items recently recovered from the riverside by members of the group included a padlock and chain to the gate of the Green and parts of a nearby Bus Stop.

On the riverside this August

YOU ARE BEING WATCHED!

Not just two large compound eyes but three more smaller eyes in the triangle on top of the head - which are used as light sensors (which way up am I flying? where is the horizon?) enable me to fly in the dusk.

Two very thin short antennae act as wind direction and wind speed detectors. A masterpiece of engineering.

Thanks for the ponds over there - and the rough debris - without them I would not be here....I'll be off soon to catch some assorted gnats and midges. Another photo on Hills Farm Wildlife.

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea)

The July Group Meet - what a haul!

OUR AIM IS TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE HABITAT THAT IT PROVIDES FOR WILDLIFE

Note - an Annual Summary of our work can be found on the TO DO page.

A good turnout - group members prepared to start work on a hot summer day.
27th July 2014

Look back to the entry for our meet on December 22nd 2013  and compare!

The Group Meet on Sunday 27th July was very productive. An exceptional haul of unwanted items were pulled up from the river today at the Guildford Road bridge where the river was running clear, apart from the rubbish. Our main area is downstream of the bridge.

Using ropes and hooks slung over the parapet, one rusty bicycle, a discarded football goal net, a supermarket trolley, two large blocks of polystyrene and assorted cans and bottles were hauled up directly from the river bed. Other members of the group collected large amounts of 'picnic' litter found along the whole of our stretch of the riverside. Perhaps for such a large area it wasn't at all excessive.

Two large blocks of polystyrene, part of the base of a scrapped garden shed

- they almost filled the river.

and a rusty bicycle -

A supermarket trolley, fortunately the wheels were still good -

The complete haul retrieved from the river

at the Guildford Road bridge, being wheeled to the collection point

from where HDC Parks and Countryside Rangers removed it. 

MIDSUMMER

Changes along the riverside were quite marked this year, with more diversity in wild flowers and grasses evident, all attracting a diversity of bees and butterflies in larger numbers and good numbers of early Damselflies emerging from the water where they have spent as long as two years in larva form. Most of the species seen need healthy, unpolluted river water in order to survive as predators in the larva stage, therefore their presence in adult form is good news, indicating good river ecology , not just of the river itself but of the river bank vegetation and surroundings.

  

This warm bank attracts butterflies - Small Skippers, Meadow Browns, Small Tortoiseshells, Commas, Ringlets and Green-veined White - with Beautiful Demoiselle and Banded Demoiselle damselflies, Large Red damselflies and more. Bumble bees, Honeybees,  Hover flies, Ladybirds are attracted too.

The fresh nettles have been full of caterpillars, mainly of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies.

We have seen good numbers of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies emerge along the river and should soon see the Peacock butterflies. Mixed with the nettles this year, adding to the diversity of the riverbanks, Meadowsweet and Bramble flowers attract even more bees and large numbers of small insects. 

We aim to protect and regenerate the diversity of all the native wild riverside species, flora and fauna alike.