MDT talk Wed 17 October "Orchids & other flora of MDT reserves"

Common Spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza

Graeme Lyons, Sussex Wildlife Trust's ecologist, will be presenting the results of his survey of the flora of the MDT's South Downs nature reserves at 7pm on Wednesday 17 October in the Cobden Hall, Heyshott GU29 0DJ. 

His talk is open to all and there will be refreshments. The flora of the reserves, particularly Heyshott Escarpment, is very rich with over a dozen orchid species, and some considerable surprises are expected.

Ramsons Wild Garlic, Allium ursinum

Work Party dates for season 2018-2019

The work parties are held on Wednesdays on Heyshott Down Escarpment.

The next season will start on 3rd October 2018 and continue to April 2019.

Quad bike and trailer with equipment will leave Upper Cranmore at 8.45 am. Finish time about 1.00 pm.

Requirement: Good working boots and stout gloves. Loppers, rakes and forks supplied.

There will be a fire site to burn up arisings.

Some people bring a packed lunch and tea/coffee in a flask. We normally have a break around midday.

Please be aware that the work site will have sloping ground.

If you would like to join a work party please phone or email John Murray at the contacts below for details on the location.

Note that there are occasions when work parties will be cancelled due to inclement weather so phone John prior to setting out if you have any doubts about this.

Telephone:   01730 812 325

email: johnmurray0905@gmail.com

Heyshott's butterflies give a magnificent show

This is a report and photos by Neil Hulme posted on https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/

"Fifteen intrepid explorers turned up for today's (20 May) BC Sussex 'Rare Species Landscape Walk', involving the ascent of Mount Heyshott (good views were had by all), a dip into Charlton Forest, and a circuit of the beautiful Graffham Down Trust reserves. We were out from 10.30 am until 4.30 pm and probably lost a few pounds, but the effort was well worthwhile. I know that others enjoyed it immensely, and for me this was the third in a sequence of truly memorable days out butterflying; already this is a May I'll cherish for a very long time. My thanks to all who attended, and to Will Langdon for keeping the tally (which once listed will go into our database), and for giving up his lunch break to help with the frenetic counting of Dukes! The highlights were undoubtedly 86 Duke of Burgundy and 19 Pearl-bordered Fritillary (we saw both species laying eggs). Other species included Dingy Skipper (very many), Grizzled Skipper (many), Orange-tip, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Small Heath, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Green Hairstreak, Holly Blue, Brown Argus and Common Blue; a total of 18 species. The impressive flora included Fly Orchid (several dozen), White Helleborine (including a whopper) and a few Greater Butterfly Orchid. Will and I later returned to the slopes, to drink in the magic that Heyshott Escarpment provides at this time of year. Most of the Dukes had turned in for the night, but the Duchesses were now out in force. (Neil Hulme)"

Fly orchid

White helleborine

Murray Downland Trust garden event on Saturday 12 May

All are invited to the Murray Downland Trust garden event on Saturday 12 May, 11 am to 3.30pm, in Philip Jackson's garden at Casters Brook, Mill Lane, Cocking, Midhurst GU29 0HJ.

There will be a sale of plants and an exhibit of MDT's work and Butterfly Conservation members will be able to answer your questions about our work at Heyshott escarpment.

There will be a demonstration of bee-keeping and a performance by the Midhurst Band, which was very popular last year.

World renowned sculptor Philip Jackson will conduct a tour of the sculptures in his garden and explain the process of their creation.

Refreshments, cake, produce stalls and a raffle will also be on offer.

Proceeds will go to the Murray Downland Trust to further the trust's conservation work.

Some photos from previous years events can be viewed here:

http://colinknight.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/sculpture-garden-and-rewell-wood.html

http://colinknight.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/philip-jacksons-garden-and-butterfly.html

Work parties continue

Rain has disrupted some of our recent scheduled work parties on Wednesday mornings. Yesterday's work party was sunny and we had a full complement of volunteers working away on Heyshott escarpment clearing scrub and preparing the way for primulas and violets to burst through in the coming months. We are hopeful that the Pearl-bordered Fritillaries will appear again and share the Duke of Burgundy's success story. A buzzard soared over the hill and called while we worked.

First work party of 2018

This morning I resumed work with the Murray Downland Trust at Heyshott escarpment. This was the first work party of the year after last week’s rain prevented the scheduled work party. The slope at the west side of the main hill has been cleared of scrub and looks good for the primulas and violets that we hope will attract the attention of the Duke of Burgundy and Pearl-bordered Fritillary. The weather was excellent but the wet leaves and grass proved a challenge for the fire meisters. Attendees were Butterfly Conservation members Paul, Garry and myself, new  volunteer Kay and MDT members John, Mike H, Greg, Andy and Alan. We welcome new volunteers -

see https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/ for details.

the crew

Annual Talk 'Birds of the Heyshott Reserves' Wed 18 October

You are invited to the MDT annual talk in the Cobden Hall, Heyshott, West Sussex GU29 0DJ on Wednesday 18 October. Paul Stevens, well known naturalist from Arundel WWT, will be speaking on the 'Birds of the Heyshott Reserves', presenting the results of the breeding bird survey on Heyshott Scarp and Heyshott Down which he carried out this Spring. Drinks will be from 7pm with his talk beginning at 7.30pm.

Dukes Off To Strong Start

An afternoon visit (23 April) to Murray Downland Trust's fabulous Heyshott Escarpment reserve was conducted under almost complete cloud cover, with only a couple of five minute bursts of sunshine being just sufficient to encourage a couple of Duke of Burgundy to open their wings.

No other species of butterfly were seen, but I still managed to locate 18 Dukes at rest on low scrub, including two mating pairs. I suspect that they've been out for a while here, as St Mark's Fly was everywhere, and the emergence of this species is closely coordinated with the appearance of the first Dukes.

To find so many, so easily, does suggest that the Duke of Burgundy is going to have another good season.

Murray Downland Trust garden event on Saturday 13 May

All are invited to the Murray Downland Trust garden event on Saturday 13 May, 11 am to 3.30pm, in Philip Jackson's garden at Casters Brook, Mill Lane, Cocking, Midhurst GU29 0HJ.

Besides the sale of plants, demonstrations of bee-keeping and a performance by the Midhurst Band, world renowned sculptor Philip Jackson will be conducting two tours of sculptures in his garden. Refreshments, cake and produce stalls and a raffle will also be on offer.

Proceeds go to the Murray Downland Trust to further the trust's conservation work.

Some photos from last year's event (halfway down among the insect pics):
http://colinknight.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/sculpture-garden-and-rewell-wood.html

Second work party of 2017

Today we had our second work party of the year. Many have been cancelled due to either ice or wet conditions making work too hazardous. It was good to get stuck in again on the east slope. A shrew popped out of the undergrowth. We gathered around to see it, but it had disappeared into a hole at the base of a tree trunk. It reappeared briefly to tell us what it thought of our gardening efforts. A small birds nest was also found on the ground.

The work continues

October 26th

The past month has gone well - we only lost one Wednesday - on November 9th the slopes were too slippery after the previous night's rain. So far this year we have concentrated on clearing vegetation to create suitable habitat for the primroses and cowslips to appear as food plants for the Duke of Burgundy next Spring.

  We have volunteers performing various functions: starting and tending the fire, tree cutting using chainsaws and handsaws, cutting tall plant growth using brush cutters, dragging cut wood to the fire, raking and carrying cut brush to the fire using forks. The use of brush cutters and chainsaws requires specialist courses, certification and personal protection equipment so we have a limited number of volunteers who can use these tools. Some more volunteers will attend training courses soon to increase our specialist work force.

October 26:

November 2:

a hame, part of a horse harness, turned up in the undergrowth

November 16:

First work party of the winter season

Heyshott escarpment at its best

Yesterday 13 volunteers climbed Heyshott escarpment to begin the new season's weekly clearance programme. Last year we had an excellent showing of the butterfly that this work is designed to benefit - the Duke of Burgundy.
  We welcome newcomers to our weekly work parties which are mostly held on Wednesday mornings. More information can be found here:
http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/volunteer/workingparties/heyshott.php

Heyshott is one of the great success stories of butterfly conservation in the UK and further information about the Duke of Burgundy and all the Sussex butterflies will be found in the new Butterfly Conservation Atlas of Sussex butterflies which will be published in 2017:-

http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/features/atlas/

Andy K, John, Peter, Colin, Katrina, Nick, Mike H, Nigel, Garry
missing from photo: Mike E, Greg, Paul, Andy S 

Mike E inspects his brush cutter and Greg tends the fire

2 supervisors...

Paul, showing his raking skills