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Three counties, three days, three reserves.

Now if you’re a friend in the real life, or you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed that I’ve been having some adventures since I came back from South Africa. One of these took place last week when I headed southwest to Dorset from the big city (London) and decided to make the most of the trip by visiting a couple of places.

On the way down I took the opportunity to visit the RSPB reserve, Farnham Heath, since my route was taking me quite close anyway. I knew nothing about this reserve before I picked it out on a map and had a quick read about it and its history on the RSPB website. As part of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this reserve is being restored back to heath and acid grassland. Through felling the conifer plantations and managing the heath through traditional grazing, the heath is being brought back to this area along with its associated wildlife. Some of the coniferous and deciduous woodland has been retained, in which traditional practices are again used – coppicing (sweet chestnut trees) and encouraging wet woodland (willow and alder trees). The wildlife on the site is diverse with a range of bird species throughout the year, and over 150 species of fungi during autumn.

Unknown fungi from above

Unknown fungi from above

Unknown fungi from below

Unknown fungi from below

As a mid-autumn day, the weather was perfect. A little chilly, but sunny and clear. I had a nice wander through the reserve on the orange route, watching some birds and making friends with a couple of dogs. I also found this fungi which I am attempting to identify (suggestions on ID are welcome).

This pool was lovely to sit by, I even saw a dragonfly though it was gone before I could take a photo.

Great spot to relax, wish I'd got a photo of that dragonfly though!

Great spot to relax, wish I’d got a photo of that dragonfly though!

Walking through the heath, I saw a couple of little birds dropping down from branches to the heath and the ground, but didn’t recognise the species. Naturally, I’d brought my bird ID book with me but left it in the car (I also had my moth ID book, in case I should come across one). Once I got back to the car park, I looked it up and found it was a stonechat, Saxicola torquata. I’d heard of this species but never seen one (or at least, I have no memory of seeing and identifying one), so I was rather pleased. They often perch on the top of bushes or on overhead wires, and drop down to pick up invertebrates.

Stonechat

Stonechat resting on a branch

The next day I was down in Dorset at the Urban Wildlife Centre near Poole with the Wildlife Trust. This was for a day of activities and meeting mentors and current trainees to get a better idea of the Skills for the Future traineeship that they run. One activity was scrub-bashing which was very good fun – lots of cutting of birch trees and having arguments with brambles (I won – I was definitely more stubborn!). These were used for a fire in which jacket potatoes were cooked for our lunch.

The scrub-bashing area with the fire on the right

The scrub-bashing area with the fire on the right

Later on, we took part in a Forest Schools session where we made forest friends (i.e. figures made out of sticks, clay, leaves etc). Mine was a warrior who defended the forest from the baddies, though he didn’t have a name. My group all agreed that the session was brilliant and felt rather like a group therapy session!

Materials for the Forest Schools session

Materials for the Forest Schools session

On my last day away from the big city, I was in the New Forest as I’m lucky enough to have a friend who lives there and let me stay the night. I was leaving early, but managed to fit in a dog walk through the heathlands. We didn’t see much wildlife but did meet a couple of ponies who were completely unbothered by both us and the dogs. Driving back was lovely as the sun peeked through the clouds to show the autumn colours of the forest. Shame I didn’t have a passenger who could take a photo for me!

Ignored by a horse ...

Ignored by a horse …

NB: the three counties in order were Surrey, Dorset and Hampshire.

A green surprise in the centre of London

Earlier this week, I left my leafy suburbia and headed deep into urban environment. Rushing through dark tunnels on a Tube train where everyone was consciously avoiding each others’ eyes, walking through a swish but very grey Kings Cross train station and along a busy city street – which was also rather grey.

But then I came to Camley Street and suddenly, there was colour! A wall of green extending perpendicularly from the corner along Camley Street and along Goods Way, shining a lovely mix of bottle green, emerald, and olive green in the warm autumn sun. Trees towering above (though that’s not difficult at my height!) and plants spilling out over the fence.

A wall of greens!  (taken from Goods Way looking at the junction with Camley St / Pancras Rd)

A wall of greens!
(taken from Goods Way looking at the junction with Camley St / Pancras Rd)

I was fascinated by the number of wasps buzzing in the sunshine, evidently interested in ivy flowers. Despite a fear of these insects (the result of a traumatic experience a few years back!), I went up close to take some photos and get a better look. Unfortunately I am lacking in my ownership of invertebrate identification keys (except moths, I love my moth book!), but fellow Twitterers helped me out. Apparently they were the females of the common wasp, V.vulgaris. I love the one in the photo below. She was very content to sit in the sunshine and groom herself for a while, completely unfussed about me trying to find the best angle for a photo!

Relaxing in the sunshine

Relaxing in the sunshine

So Camley Street Natural Park itself. The first thing that struck me was this amazing dragonfly artwork! I especially love the use of a stereo for the head, that’s inspired and actually makes perfect sense! I took a wander down the paths, taking a sneak peek at the Growing Out section with all the vegetables. They have a great pond dipping area, and I bet it’s full of interesting wildlife! I also scampered amongst the log piles, intrigued by the fungi growing there. I have limited identification skills with fungi so I don’t know what they were but I had good fun looking at them and taking photos.

Great dragonfly

Great dragonfly sculpture!

Fungi from below!

Fungi from below!

The park is one of many reserves by the London Wildlife Trust (and somehow, it may possibly the only one I’ve been to!) and is the hub for their volunteers, as well as being a great spot to escape the busy city rush. I’m definitely bookmarking it for a return visit!

 

My favourite photo from the day:

Traveller's joy seed head on the fenceline along Camley Street - did you know they're also known as Old Man's Beard?

Traveller’s joy seed head on the fence line along Camley Street – did you know they’re also known as Old Man’s Beard?! Looking at it, you can see why!

 

Check out Camley Street Natural Park at http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/reserves/camley-street-natural-park

Thanks to @RichardComont, @bugmanjones and @Bex_Cartwright for helping with the wasp ID!