Dawn Chorus

We have had two fantastic dawn chorus guided walks this Spring at Knettishall Heath, with Suffolk Ornithologists Group offering their expertise, and Suffolk Walking Festival helping to promote and get involved. Both walks have been fully booked with a wonderful group of people coming along to discover the reserve.

Left: Walkers exploring the riverside trail at 5am. In this area of the reserve we both heard and saw Cuckoo and Whitethroat, and also heard Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and Reed Bunting amongst other species. A Barn Owl also put in an appearance first thing on the first walk.





Standing on the edge of Peddars Way (below left); watching the Skylarks over our most western edge of Breckland heath. Other species along the heathland and woodland edge included Curlew, Gold Crest and good views of Marsh Tit. Turtle Dove have also been calling at Knettishall Heath this week but we didn't pick them up on the dawn chorus walks. This area of the reserve is also very rich in flora (below right) due to the unique geological, peri-glacial feature of patterned ground. Now is a good time to come and see the emergence of Purple Milk Vetch, as well as striking colours of Sheep's Sorrel and Wavy Hair Grass around most of the heathland blocks.


 





























Foxgloves are always quite spectacular in certain parts of the woodland at the heath, and they are all just about to emerge. To see them take the Peddars Way North of Peddars Way car park at Knettishall Heath, follow the path and the Foxgloves are on your right hand side. The groups of them here are particularly awash with white variations of the plant.

We always welcome any of your species sightings from Knettishall Heath or any of our other nature reserves, so please don't hesitate to get in touch!

Fencing Changes

Contractors are currently on site carrying out work on the new fencing infrastructure for the heathland restoration project.

After a slight delay in proceedings cattle grids aren't due to be installed until after this summer, and so the final larger grazing enclosure, bordered in bright green on the map below, cannot be created until then. However in the mean time we are able to install some of the new fencing in readiness, as well as create a temporary summer grazing enclosure. Therefore changes at the moment include:

-  Removal of the internal fencing between the main heath and western heath at Peddars Way.
Along with this and the imminent inclusion of some temporary roadside fencing connecting these two blocks, this will provide a larger grazing enclosure for the Exmoor Ponies for this summer. This can be seen in the map below as the dark green lined area, which will also make up a large amount of the final block.

Map showing the whole planned new grazing enclosure for the end of this year, with the fencing in bright green, The dark green hatched areas show the temporary grazing enclosures for this summer, linking up parts of the main heath.

- The most Easterly grazing block has been re-fenced on the Northern and Eastern boundary in readiness, whilst the old fencing bordering the rest of the block has been left just to enable us to graze that block again this summer. The access gate into this block has been moved further South down the roadside fence.

Volunteers installing a new temporary access gate into the Eastern block

- The bridleway along the Southern strip of the reserve has be re - routed slightly to keep it outside the grazing enclosure. This is currently being re - waymarked.

We will endeavour to keep you as up to date as possible as changes like this happen. Please don't hesitate to contact us for more information:

Samantha Gay
07717 156601
samantha.gay@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

Spring work on the reserve

Our winter work programme has come to a halt on the reserve now that Spring is with us, and an early one it is at that. Ground nesting birds such as Woodcock and Common Curlew have been seen and heard more regularly, whilst the Skylarks are setting up territories on the western end of the site. They have in previous years bred successfully on the meadow that borders Peddars Way, the County Geological Site pictured below, and this year seems no different.

In order to avoid disturbing ground nesting birds we stop any scrub clearance or work on the heath and in the woodlands. Instead, our Spring and Summer work programme for our volunteer work parties focuses more around site maintenance and improving access and interpretation for visitors. Some fencing jobs planned will enable us to continue preparing the site for the upcoming project (see consultation document on post dated 23rd November 2013), whilst at the moment we are also taking the opportunity to finish off the children's natural play space in the main car park.

This small project was started last year with input and inspiration from Hopton school, followed by practical days creating objects in the play area by the sites Junior Ranger group and volunteers. The most recent instalments are some wooden toddlers seats carved in the shape of mushrooms, courtesy of Bradfield Woods, as well as an extension of the willow bird viewing screen.



Wooden table and seat for toddlers in the foreground. The bird viewing screen in the background is to encourage children to watch for wildlife in the wild area and in the bug hotel.

Volunteers doing temporary willow weaving

The bug hotel in the wild area, with a hedgehog hole at the base.

We are also hoping to include a natural bird feeder in the wild area, interpretation for the wild area with the bug hotel, and a larger mound around the pipe for children to play on.













The play space has all been created with natural materials from our nature reserves, or from donated items, and so is gradually coming together over time. Once it is completely finished we are hoping to have a small family afternoon to celebrate!






Current site management

Work is well underway at Knettishall to prepare the site for the heathland restoration project that will hopefully begin this season. Our volunteer work parties run every Thursday and the hard working team are currently focusing on the roadside work.

 
As is detailed in the consultation document the programme centres around removing internal fencing and installing a new perimeter fence line, along with cattle grids, to allow livestock greater access to the reserve. Their movements and grazing will have a significant impact on gradually retaining and reinstating a more open Breckland landscape.

As the Exmoor ponies will have access to the roads within the reserve, our first priority is to improve visibility along the roadside for motorists. This involves removing scrub and small trees, and raising the canopy on larger trees so that livestock can be seen approaching the road from some distance.


  

Visibility here is greatly improved by removing scrub, whilst mature trees that have had their canopy raised still line the roadside

The area in the foreground has just been completed with the scrub in the background demonstrating the visual impairment it would cause to motorists.

The team are undertaking the work sensitively, leaving standing and lying dead wood to provide natural habitats, and leaving trees with berries on until the birds have cleared them. Some of the wood is set into log piles whilst the majority is chipped on site to be sold at nearby Redgrave and Lopham Fen.

 
To find out more please read the consultation document in the post below, or contact the ranger Samantha Gay. We also always welcome new volunteers if you are interested in joining the team, and as always keep up to date with work on the site through this blog.

A Vision for the Future

We are now well underway with our public consultation period for our new 5 year heathland restoration programme that is beginning this Winter. Funded by WREN it will be going hand in hand with taking the reserve into Higher Level Stewardship through Natural England. This exciting project aims to gradually develop our long term vision to maintain and restore Breckland habitats, thus improving the reserve for both people and wildlife.

For a more detailed view of the project and the practicalities of how this will be achieved, please follow the link below:

Autumn and Fungi!

Autumn has announced it's arrival this week with a bonanza of fungi on our reserves across the county. Warm weather with spells of rain were perfect to instigate a wealth of species, great timing for our fungi foray at Knettishall Heath on Sunday 6th October.

The morning was kicked off with our Junior Rangers hunting for different species on the reserve along with other signs of Autumn. We then had great fun making autumn decorations and Halloween creatures for the trail on the 31st.

The Junior Rangers Autumn boggarts!

Fungi!

From 2pm Jonathan Revett, an expert in fungi identification, lead a large group of enthusiastic visitors around the site. We covered various habitats including the acid heath, grassland and the yellow woodland trail. It has been the best year for fungi at Knettishall for many years, along with some species that haven't been recorded on the site before! The list below shows the full 68 species found:

Agaricus silvaticus	Blushing Wood Mushroom
Amanita citrina var. citrina	False Deathcap
Amanita muscaria var. muscaria	Fly Agaric (pictured below left)
Amanita rubescens	Blusher
Auricularia auricula-judae	Jelly Ear
Baeospora myosura	Conifer Conecap
Boletus badius	Bay Boletus
Boletus edulis	Cep
Boletus luridiformis	Scarletina Bolete
Chroogomphus rutilus	Pine Spike Cap
Clavulinopsis fusiformis	Golden Spindles
Clitocybe candicans	Funnel Cap
Clitocybe clavipes	Club Foot
Clitocybe nebularis	Clouded Agaric
Clitocybe odora	Aniseed Funnel Cap
Collybia dryophila	Russet Toughshank
Collybia maculata	Spotted Toughshank
Coprinus comatus	Shaggy Inkcap
Cyathus striatus	Fluted Bird's Nest
Cystoderma amianthinum	Saffron Powder Cap
Daedaleopsis confragosa	Blushing Bracket
Entoloma serrulatum	Rose Gill
Ganoderma applanatum	Artists Fungus
Gymnoplius penetrans	Flame Cap
Hebeloma crustulinifome	Poison Pie
Helvella lacunosa	Black Saddle
Hygrocybe psittacina	Parrot Waxcap
Hygrocybe reae	Waxcap
Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca	False Chanterelle
Hypholoma fasciculare	Sulphur Tuft
Hypoxylon fragiforme	Beech Woodwart
Hyrocybe ceracea	Waxcap
Laccaria amethystina	Amethyst Deceiver
Lactarius blennius	Slimy Milkcap
Lactarius quietus	Oakbug Milkcap
Lactarius rufus	Rufous Milkcap
Lactarius turpis	Ugly Milkcap
Leccinum scabrum	Brown Birch Bolete
Leucocoprinus brebissonii	Skullcap Dapperling
Lycoperdon perlatum	Common Puffball
Macrolepiota procera	Parasol Mushroom
Macrolepiota rhacodes	Shaggy Parasol
Meripilus giganteus	Giant Polypore
Mycena galericulata	Angels Bonnets
Mycena pelianthina
Mycena pura	Radish Bonnet
Oudemansiella mucida	Porcelain Mushroom
Paxillus involutus	Brown Rollrim
Phallus impudicus	Stinkhorn
Pholiota aurivella	Golden Scaly Cap
Piptoporus betulinus	Birch Polypore / Razorstrop Fungus
Pleurotus ostreatus	Oyster Mushroom
Pluteus cervinus	Deer Shield
Rhytisma acerinum	Sycamore Tarspot
Russula amoenolens
Russula fragilis
Russula heterophylla
Russula nobils	Beechwood Sickener
Russula ochroleuca	Yellow Brittlegill
Scleroderma citrinum	Common Earthball
Stropharia aeruginascens	Blue Green Slimehead
Stropharia semiglobata	Dung roundhead
Suillus granulatus	Dotted Stalk Bolete
Suillus luteus	Slippery Jack
Taphrinia betularum	Witches Broom
Xerocomus chrysenteron	Red Cracking Boletus
Xerocomus porosporus	Yellow Cracking Boletus
Xerula radicata	Rooting Shank

Fly Agaric

 

 

The photo above shows a Parasol serving as a basket for other species including the Amethyst Deceiver

 



Summer of wildlife!

This summer has been, and still is, in full swing at the heath with wildlife and visitors both enjoying the site, and throughout the summer holidays the pool in the main car park has been attractive in this hot weather!

Visitors can enjoy a paddle and an ice cream a seconds walk from their car, or explore the reserve further on its waymarked trails. Many visitors have been attending the free, lottery funded, summer holiday family activity days, tailored to help children and adults alike explore the wildlife and habitats of the reserve in an organised session. These have included:
River dipping: Species found included great diving beetles, caddis fly larvae and crayfish

 Minibeast discovery and woodland discovery:

Despite all these visitors, the site is plenty large enough to accommodate all, and the wildlife has been buzzing, hopping and singing all over the sites variety of habitats. Joint events have also been organised and run at Knettishall with Butterfly Conservation, Suffolk Naturalists, Suffolk Ornithologists Group and Suffolk Bat Group getting involved in surveying days and night walks, along with the reserves fantastic team of volunteers.

Some of the summers more memorable wildlife experiences:

• The night walk where Suffolk Bat Group and 30 visitors were rewarded with good views of Woodcock, Glow worms and Barbastelle bats!

• Regular visitor sightings have included Kingfisher, Dipper and Yellow Wagtail on the Little Ouse

•  Joint taster day: the public joined the experts to survey the reserves wildlife in one day

- Over 20 species of terrestrial invertebrates
- Over 35 bird species seen or heard
- Over 130 species of flowering plants including many Breckland speciality species
- 6 species of damselfly or dragonfly
- 38 aquatic invertebrate species
- Geo Suffolk excavation of periglacial stripes - see photo below showing chalk soils on the left dipping down into the acid soils

•  Butterfly day with butterfly conservation recorded 20 species of butterfly including white admiral, purple hairstreak and white-letter hairstreak. The conservation charity also confirmed that this year has been a bumper year for white admirals.
  
   

A fantastic summer of wildlife that is still on going, so do come and explore it!