DARN Dispatches 5

A big thank you to everyone who has helped to makes DARN’s first year so successful despite the ongoing Coronavirus issues. Also, a special thank you to our friends at HIWARG (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Amphibian and Reptile Group) who continue to be so supportive of all we are trying to achieve.

And what a lot we have achieved!!!

*We have 10 transects set up on 3 major rare reptile sites

*We have 3 transects set up to survey for widespread reptile species and more are being  

  planned

*We have collected Frog, Toad and Newt data from numerous ponds across the county

*The SliC (Slow-worms in Churchyards) Project now has transects set up in 20 churchyards

  and burial grounds and we have permission to set up 10 more.

*Our membership continues to steadily increase

*Habitat management has been carried out to remove Pine and Birch from heather banks and

  verges

There are more habitat management sessions planned with the next one is at Hurn Forest on Sunday 3^rd January 2021. The details are on the Events page. So if you would like to come along and help to improve the habitat for reptiles you will find a warm welcome. Just make sure that your DARN membership is up to date and for insurance purposes, that you have completed the Volunteer Worker’s Agreement (VWA). The session will run from 10 – 1 but you can leave at any time. To join us just click ‘going’ on the Events page. It will be a socially distanced event in accordance with the latest Government guidelines and it will be a joint event with HIWARG members.

If you know of any areas that would benefit from some extra habitat management then let me know. Also, if you know of other churchyards, burial grounds or other areas where a reptile  transect could be set up let me know.

So, if you have some spare time, there are plenty of opportunities to join in and help conserve Dorset’s amphibians and reptiles; meet other volunteers and see some stunning scenery and wildlife.

If you have any records, historic ones are fine as well, add them to Casual Sightings on the DARN website: www.groups.arguk.org/darn  or on Record Pool: www.recordpool.org.uk or email the details to: sheiladyason2007@yahoo.co.uk

If you have any ideas for activities or for developing the Group just email me.

I look forward to hearing from you

And I eagerly anticipate great things for 2021

Keep safe!

Sheila Dyason

Chair of DARN

Conservation opportunities for everyone!

DARN Dispatches 4

Hello again!

I hope you’re all still keeping safe and well.

The SliC Project (Slow-worms in Churchyards) is progressing well. There are now 10 churches participating in Dorset and Hampshire with more joining later in the week. If you think your local church might be interested in joining in the SliC Project, just let me know and I will send them a leaflet. You could then help to monitor the site if you wanted to.

Habitat Management season is upon us. Some dates have been arranged with Forestry England for birch and pine removal at Hurn Forest:

Sunday 1^st November 2020                                         Sunday 22^nd November 2020

Sunday 13^th December 2020                                       Sunday 3^rd January 2021

Sunday 24^th January 2021                                           Sunday 14^th February 2021

If you would like to come along then make sure that your DARN membership is up to date and for insurance purposes, that you have completed the Volunteer Worker’s Agreement (VWA). The sessions will run from 10 – 1 but you can leave at any time. To join us just click ‘going’ on the Events page. They will be socially distanced events in accordance with the latest Government guidelines and they will be joint events with HIWARG members.

If you know of any areas that would benefit from a trim then let me know.

I shall be meeting up with Gillingham Town Council later this week to set up a reptile transect. Another transect was set up last week and one is planned for the beginning of November. They are all in North Dorset. If you know of other areas that could be surveyed or if you would like to set up a transect near where you live let me know and we will investigate the possibility.

So, if you have some spare time, there are plenty of opportunities to join in and help conserve Dorset’s amphibians and reptiles; meet other volunteers and see some stunning scenery and wildlife.

If you have any records, historic ones are fine as well, add them to Casual Sightings on the DARN website: www.groups.arguk.org/darn  or on Record Pool: www.recordpool.org.uk or email the details to: sheiladyason2007@yahoo.co.uk

If you have any ideas for activities or for developing the Group just email me.

I look forward to hearing from you

Keep safe!

Best wishes

Sheila Dyason

Chair of DARN

Conservation opportunities for everyone!

Hello again!

I hope you’re all still keeping safe and well.

The SliC Project (Slow-worms in Churchyards) is well underway with transects at 4 churches and Slow-worms found at two of these so far. I have also just written a Slow-worms in Churchyards leaflet for churches and to be included in DWT’s Living Churchyard information pack. If you think your local church might be interested in joining in the SliC Project, just let me know and I will send them a leaflet. You could then help to monitor the site if you wanted to.

The fire at Ringwood Forest was another devastating blow for Forestry England and the wildlife that live there. The fire was literally on the Dorset/Hampshire border. I found one crispy Toad which was a new record for HIWARG as it was on the Hampshire side. 

If you have any records, historic ones are fine as well, add them to Casual Sightings on the DARN website: www.groups.arguk.org/darn  or on Record Pool: www.recordpool.org.uk or email the details to: darn2020@yahoo.com

Wall Lizards were still being spotted in Bournemouth and Boscombe.

Some amphibian survey training was carried out in Hampshire by HIWARG. If you are interested in amphibian or reptile survey training then make sure that your DARN membership is up to date and for insurance purposes, that you have completed the Volunteer Worker’s Agreement (VWA) and we will add you to the list. HIWARG have kindly invited DARN members to their training sessions.

Habitat management season will soon be underway. If you would like to join in make sure you tick this option on the Voluntary Worker’s Agreement (VWA). If you know of any areas that would benefit from a trim then let me know.

Gillingham Town Council have agreed to a reptile transect being set up, once some signage is in place. If you know of other areas that could be surveyed or if you would like to set up a transect near where you live let me know and we will investigate the possibility.

I had a meeting with Ben Limburn (ARC) and Forestry England about sites for ARC’s SitH project and DARN’s involvement. If you would like to be involved in the reptile monitoring, let me know.

So, if you have some spare time, there are plenty of opportunities to join in and help conserve Dorset’s amphibians and reptiles; meet other volunteers and see some stunning wildlife.

Any ideas or questions just email

darn2020@yahoo.com

I look forward to hearing from you

Best wishes

Sheila Dyason

Chair of DARN

Conservation opportunities for everyone!

SliC - Slow-worms In Churchyards

One of my first jobs as Chair of DARN is to try to set up reptile transects across Dorset that are accessible to everyone who is interested and hence fulfil DARN’s motto of ‘Conservation Opportunities For Everyone’.

All communities have a church and churchyard nearby and many churches now have wildlife areas. Some churches are already involved in monitoring their wildlife and others would like to but need help to get started. So this project brings together survey opportunities, record collecting and knowledge about reptiles, in this case particularly Slow-worms, across Dorset.

Any church can participate in the project. As Chair of DARN I am concentrating on Dorset initially but I know that other counties are keen to be involved as well.

DARN is keen to work with other Groups to broaden our understanding of the distribution of reptiles across Dorset.

If you know of a church community that might like to be involved in the project then leave a message on the DARN Facebook Group, on Messenger or email: darn2020@yahoo.com

The survey involves putting 5 – 10 corrugated bitumen roofing tiles, in the sun, but out of the way, at an edge of longer grass or shrub habitat. These are then checked by either church volunteers or DARN volunteers, once a month and the records added to the DARN website via the ARGWEB. Each church or cluster of churches will have its own Land Manager portal so that they can see a map of where the reptiles are and this can then inform future habitat management. Full training will be given so there is no need to worry about lack of expertise either in reptile ID or the online recording system.

DARN looks forward to working with church communities across Dorset.

Sheila Dyason

Chair of DARN

Conservation Opportunities For Everyone

 23/07/2020

Hello again!

I hope you’re all keeping safe and well.

Naturally, not a lot of DARN surveys have been carried out over the past few months but we have just started again in Ringwood Forest. Nevertheless, throughout the lockdown, some records were still coming into the DARN database – which is fantastic! So, thank you, everyone!

If you have any records, historic ones are fine as well, add them to Casual Sightings on the DARN website: www.groups.arguk.org/darn  or on Record Pool: www.recordpool.org.uk or email the details to: darn2020@yahoo.com

The recent fires in Dorset and Hampshire, some deliberate and others through thoughtlessness, are sad and frustrating. Some people just don’t care about our precious wildlife. How species manage to survive is a miracle. On the other hand, because reptiles are difficult to find, some people do not realise they are in the area.

Amphibian survey training is just beginning in Hampshire. If you are interested in amphibian or reptile survey training then make sure that your DARN membership is up to date and for insurance purposes, that you have completed the Volunteer Worker’s Agreement (VWA) and we will add you to the list.

Just before lockdown I was about to set up transects at Motcombe and I was investigating sites in the Purbeck area. If you have any other suggestions for sites, maybe just 3 or 4 tins near where you live, just let me know and we can set it up.

Pete Gillatt took these fabulous photos earlier in the month in Dorset – thanks Pete! Pete has a rare reptile licence and was surveying under that licence.

Any ideas or questions just email

darn2020@yahoo.com

I look forward to hearing from you

Best wishes

Sheila Dyason

Chair of DARN

Conservation opportunities for everyone!