Neil Hulme

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Paul. I must confess to not knowing Bookham Common well. Does the recent work here involve rotational coppicing, or is it more about the wider creation of permanently open space?

Hi Otep. It's great to hear that your local woods are being coppiced; this traditional management is sadly all-too-rare these days, which is why species such as Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Fringe-horned Mason Bee and Hazel Dormouse have declined so spectacularly. On the other hand, it won't suit Speckled Wood, which thrives in shaded and semi-shaded, unmanaged woodland. The boxes you are seeing are almost certainly for monitoring the Hazel Dormouse population - the openings face inwards, towards the stem to which they're attached. People are often surprised at how late coppicing sometimes continues into the spring, given that hedges should not be trimmed, and trees neither felled nor pruned after end-February. However, the strictly enforced rules of 'cross compliance', which apply to SSSIs and sites supported by e.g. Countryside Stewardship grants, allow coppicing to continue to end-April.

BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

A Host, Of Golden Daffodils

On 17 March I started the day looking for post-hibernators at Southwater Woods, and unsurprisingly bumped into Ben Greenaway. Aside from Peacock, Comma, Brimstone, Red Admiral and the odd Small Tortoiseshell, there had clearly been a sizeable emergence of Orange Underwing. These pretty day-flying moths, of which I saw perhaps a dozen, mainly lay their eggs quite high in Silver Birch, so Ben's trusty stepladder came in handy.

I then headed off to a private site where I've been advising a famous producer of English sparkling wine on the rewilding of some of their land. Last year, while setting up baseline butterfly and bird surveys, I discovered an exceptionally large population of Wild Daffodil here. Aside from being hidden away and far from public footpaths, access to the best carpets requires the climbing of a deer-fence, but this effort is rewarded by views otherwise unseen by the human eye.

[David M]

Those daffodils are sumptuous, Neil. Must admit, round my way, most are now on the way out and being replaced by bluebells!

[Chris L]

Hi Otep. It's great to hear that your local woods are being coppiced; this traditional management is sadly all-too-rare these days, which is why species such as Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Fringe-horned Mason Bee and Hazel Dormouse have declined so spectacularly. On the other hand, it won't suit Speckled Wood, which thrives in shaded and semi-shaded, unmanaged woodland. The boxes you are seeing are almost certainly for monitoring the Hazel Dormouse population - the openings face inwards, towards the stem to which they're attached. People are often surprised at how late coppicing sometimes continues into the spring, given that hedges should not be trimmed, and trees neither felled nor pruned after end-February. However, the strictly enforced rules of 'cross compliance', which apply to SSSIs and sites supported by e.g. Countryside Stewardship grants, allow coppicing to continue to end-April.
BWs, Neil

Thanks Neil. I often wonder about the coppicing that takes place locally, the strategic thinking behind it. I had an area on one of my transects, a path in the middle of woodland, that I called 'Speckled Wood Alley' as it had so many of them. In the winter of 2020 / 2021, some coppicing took place on either side. 'Speckled Wood Alley' ceased to be throughout 2021, apart from the occasional appearance of 1 or 2 specimens.

[bugboy]

Hi Neil, The current work at Bookham seems to be mostly of widening existing rides, many of which didn't get much sun once the trees came into leaf. The attached image is probably the most extreme example, the red lines are an approximation of the where the path was last year.

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, David. I can't get enough of Wild Daffodils, so here are a few more images taken either on the Angmering Park Estate or at the new rewilding scheme near West Chiltington, on 19 and 20 March. Sadly now waning, but Bluebell carpets coming soon.

Hi Otep. Those recently coppiced areas will hopefully start producing a nice ground flora this spring.

Hi Paul. Yes, it looks like permanent ride-widening, rather than coppicing, at Bookham, as the stumps appear to have been removed or cut flush. The idea will probably be to let a three-zone ride structure develop, with annually mown centre, herb-rich bands either side, and outer scrubby margins. From the pics in your diary, it looks like NT has done a good job; it should look great within a couple of years.

BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Small Tortoiseshells, Ferring Rife

On 19 March I did my annual March count of Small Tortoiseshell along the banks of Ferring Rife. Following a good season (by 21st century standards) last year, plenty are being seen in Sussex this spring, but unfortunately this does not apply to this usually excellent site; I counted only 18. The banks and levees have recently been regraded (necessary flood-prevention work), so the nettle-beds clearly took a big hit last year. Fortunately, this site will recover very quickly, as nettles are not slow in coming forward.

[Neil Hulme]

Spring 2022

My own 2022 spring sprung on 24 March this year, with the sighting of two Orange-tips at North Stoke. These were joined by Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma (loads), Red Admiral, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Small White and Holly Blue. Harry Secombe was in full voice:
"If I ruled the world
Every day would be the first day of Spring
Every heart would have a new song to sing
And we'd sing of the joy every morning would bring"

I've since seen Orange-tips at Wiston and Knepp, but it might be a few days yet before they, and spring, return.

[Neil Hulme]

Rewilding In Lincolnshire

I recently returned from a couple of days in Lincolnshire, with a group of people from the Knepp Wildland project. The main purpose was to walk over a large area of farmland which is to be rewilded, and to discuss various ideas for its future. We stayed at the spectacular Doddington Hall, which itself is taking steps in a similar direction. In the gardens beside the hall are three huge, ancient Sweet Chestnut trees - the largest and most impressive I've ever seen and between 450 and 500 years old.

On the way back we stopped at Grimsthorpe Castle, to look at a stunning area of medieval deer park and wood-pasture, containing oaks of up to 1000 years old. Here, the estate's ranger for the last 24 years, Chris Howes, is doing his best to hold onto the last colony of Duke of Burgundy in Lincolnshire. Part way through the visit, we both realised that we had a strong connection; Chris being the 'Pip' Howes, as I knew him by reputation, who had done so much good work with the old Sussex Downs Conservation Board, trying to save the Duke from peril in Sussex, before I took up the same challenge in the early 2000s. It was great to be able to give him so much good news. It's a small world!

[Neil Hulme]

Orange-tips

A break from the recent run of foul weather provided the opportunity to go hunting for Orange-tips at North Stoke (near Amberley) on Tuesday (5 March). I saw five males and my first female of the year; her repeated rejection of males showed that she had already been mated.

The supporting cast included a dozen Green-veined White, the full set of regular over-winterers, Holly Blue and Speckled Wood. I also enjoyed prolonged and close-range views of an immature White-tailed Eagle.

In the evening I headed to Mill Hill, to monitor numbers of the rare Barred Tooth-striped moth. An hour searching by torchlight produced a disappointing count of just one. I suspect that the bitterly cold early spring of 2021 may have knocked their numbers back.

[trevor]

A for those Orange Tips, gorgeous!.

Stay well,
Trevor.

[SarahM]

Lovely Orange Tip photos Neil.

I am hoping the weather improves very soon up here (North Cumbria). The garden Cuckoo Flowers have taken a battering in the wind and heavy rain. 11th April is the earliest I have had them in the garden so I need to stay patient for a little longer!

Sarah.

[David M]

Those Orange Tips are such a pleasure to see, Neil.

Once this dismal spell is behind us hopefully we'll all get chance to enjoy them similarly.

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks, Trevor, Sarah and David. I always think of Orange-tips as Nature's Prozac - every sighting lifts the spirits. Fingers crossed that plenty emerge for all of us to enjoy by mid-April.
BWs, Neil

[Chris L]

Thanks, Trevor, Sarah and David. I always think of Orange-tips as Nature's Prozac - every sighting lifts the spirits. Fingers crossed that plenty emerge for all of us to enjoy by mid-April.
BWs, Neil

I like that nature's Prozac thought Neil. The Blackthorn budding and then gradually starting to flower lifts my spirits too.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Otep. What an uplifting time of year it is. Not just Orange-tips and Blackthorn blossom either; it's just one shot-in-the-arm after another at the moment. On 9 April I visted the woods where I've been coppicing Hazel for the last six years - Primroses and Common Dog-violets were now carpeting the one-year-old coppice coupes, and Lesser Celandines were reaching peak in the dappled shade along the banks of a nearby stream. And now it's Bluebell time again!

[Neil Hulme]

Barred Tooth-striped Moth

On 11 and 13 April I again risked life and limb on the steep chalk scree slopes of Mill Hill, to monitor numbers of the rare Barred Tooth-striped by torchlight. After a worryingly slow start this year, I was pleased to find ten over the two dates. Perhaps more surprising, was the discovery of two sleeping Grizzled Skippers on Wild Privet.

[Neil Hulme]

Bluebell Time!

It's that time of year again, when a two-week holiday should be declared by all employers, to allow their staff to fully enjoy the Bluebell season. The timing of this wonderful event varies significantly every year (late, last year, early, this), but that shouldn't be a problem if every company's Climate Change & Biodiversity Officer were to be consulted.

Yesterday (15 April) evening, I visited one of my local Bluebell woods, in my annual attempts to do justice to this natural beauty - an impossible task. This sequence, taken between 7.15pm and 7.45pm, demonstrates that magical colour change created as the sun drops down to the horizon.

[David M]

..It's that time of year again, when a two-week holiday should be declared by all employers, to allow their staff to fully enjoy the Bluebell season.

A special time, Neil...maybe the best time, and that evening light shows the beauty exceptionally well.

The roadsides are intoxicatingly superb right now; the stitchwort, campion and primroses adding to the splendour of the emerging bluebells.

Without doubt an immediate cure for any woes accrued throughout winter and early spring.

[Wurzel]

"It's that time of year again, when a two-week holiday should be declared by all employers, to allow their staff to fully enjoy the Bluebell season." - if this is in your manifesto Neil then you've got my vote

Have a goodun

Wurzel