DARN Dispatches 18

Thanks to everyone who is currently carrying out reptile surveys for DARN. It is always exciting to lift a tile and see what is underneath.

Habitat management was a great success; although looking at the bracken that has been shooting up in the last few weeks it is hard to believe. At least the trees don’t regrow as fast.

Forestry England have appointed a Wildlife Ranger for North Hampshire but they are readvertising for the Ringwood area.

New water bodies have been created near and in Ringwood Forest. A steep sided gravel pit is attracting birds and dragonflies. A small strip of reptile fencing remains in place but as it is so short any reptiles can easily go around it. The site is fenced off with barbed wire and planted with hawthorn and blackthorn hedging. Hopefully once the vegetation gets established and the banks stabilise some access will be allowed. There is a small meadow strip between the pit and the forest track that is alive with insects at the moment.

A second site that is currently being created has a shallower edge. It is fenced off and there is a warning notice about quicksand at one end. Birds are already using it and once the vegetation grows it could be a good amphibian site.

One of the original ponds had 50 – 100 clumps of frog spawn this year. Hopefully the Frogs managed to develop before this section of the pond dried up.

We have just counted the reptile records for May 2025 that have been recorded by our surveyors during their monthly site visits:

104 Slow-worms

34 Common Lizards

17 Sand Lizards

9 Smooth Snakes

14 Adders

15 Grass Snakes

7 Wall Lizards

There will also be casual records and sightings by members of the public on Record Pool. So well done everyone!

As usual casual sightings of amphibians and reptiles can be added to Casual Sightings on the DARN website: www.groups.arguk.org/darn  or on Record Pool: www.recordpool.org.uk. Historic records are fine as well.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Keep safe!

Sheila Dyason and Cathy Dyason

Chair of DARN         Secretary of DARN

Conservation opportunities for everyone!

* Habitat management has been progressing well – when the weather permits. Our tree work last year has made it quicker and easier to clear the bracken and regen. Thanks to everyone for their help.

* 24 Palmate Newts were seen in the Alderholt garden ponds (11/12/2024) one hour after sunset. All 4 ponds were occupied with 10 gathered in a group in the larger pond.

* Thanks especially to Cathy, Tina, Larry and Paul for your surveying efforts over the year. The 15 Smooth Snakes tally found by Paul was impressive.

* Frogs have been seen crossing roads on their way to their wintering sites.

* Wall Lizards are still being recorded on Bournemouth Cliffs (December).

* There are still some issues with ARGWEB but most are manageable.

As usual casual sightings of amphibians and reptiles can be added to Casual Sightings on the DARN website: www.groups.arguk.org/darn  or on Record Pool: www.recordpool.org.uk. Historic records are fine as well.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Keep safe!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all our members

Sheila Dyason and Cathy Dyason

Chair of DARN         Secretary of DARN

Conservation opportunities for everyone!

DARN Dispatches 16

Thanks to everyone who has carried out reptile surveys over the spring and summer. It has been a hectic few months.

There are lots of juvenile reptiles and amphibians about at the moment. Gardening is difficult as the compost bin is full of Slow-worms; there are Grass Snakes under the hedge, tiny Frogs leap out when we try to weed a flower bed; Palmate Newts are in the soil and under rocks and tiles. The only ones missing are the Toads. No sign of them since breeding began.

Congratulations to Larry for being awarded his Natural England Rare Reptile licence. He has completed lots of surveys and added numerous records to the DARN and HIWARG databases over the last two years so it was well deserved.

Habitat management will be starting again in a few weeks. The bracken we cleared last year has regrown but not as tall as before and more sparsely which will make this year’s clearance a lot easier. The heather and gorse are looking beautiful and many walkers have commented on it.

We still have not heard if a new Forestry England Wildlife Range has been appointed but it does not affect our surveys or habitat management. It is just good to keep in touch.

As usual casual sightings of amphibians and reptiles can be added to Casual Sightings on the DARN website: www.groups.arguk.org/darn  or on Record Pool: www.recordpool.org.uk. Historic records are fine as well.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Keep safe!

Sheila Dyason and Cathy Dyason

Chair of DARN         Secretary of DARN

Conservation opportunities for everyone!

DARN Dispatches 15

We are halfway through January already so a bit late to say ‘Happy New Year’. The weather has been fairly kind to Dorset so far. Mild and windy before Christmas but it did allow for plenty of habitat management opportunities. Bracken clearing has been the main focus at one site. Where the bracken has been left for a few years without management the heather is still fairly healthy underneath but where the bracken has not been managed for 6-8 years the ground is basically bare underneath once the dead bracken has been removed. Hopefully heather seeds have remained viable in the soil and will soon germinate. Habitat management is continuing but with the milder weather continuing we are also looking out for reptiles enjoying a bit of warmth in more sheltered areas.

Newts and Frogs are already arriving in ponds throughout the county and in our garden ponds. We have not heard of any Toad sightings yet. We wonder who will report the first spawn clumps of 2024.

Congratulations to Tina and Paul for being awarded their Natural England Rare Reptile licences. They have both completed lots of surveys and added numerous records to the DARN and HIWARG databases so they were well deserved. Two more DARN members are working towards their licences as well.

BBC’s Winterwatch starts tomorrow and is being broadcast from Arne so it will be interesting to see if the Team find any amphibians or reptiles on their wanderings.

As usual casual sightings of amphibians and reptiles can be added to Casual Sightings on the DARN website: www.groups.arguk.org/darn  or on Record Pool: www.recordpool.org.uk. Historic records are fine as well.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Keep safe!

Sheila Dyason and Cathy Dyason

Chair of DARN         Secretary of DARN

Conservation opportunities for everyone!