The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is launching a new project to promote ponds on the Isle of Wight. In partnership with the Environment Agency, West Wight Landscape Partnership and Kitbridge Enterprises, they are currently trying to find out more about newts on the Isle of Wight.

If you’d like to take part in a simple (and fun!) torch survey to look for newts the survey form is attached here.

For further info please look out for the article in our Spring Gift to Nature newsletter.

Heather Cooper kindly sent in these photos of the Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies she saw last summer.  Remember the 2009 ‘invasion’ of Britain by millions of Painted Lady butterflies from North Africa?  Who knows what the wildlife highlight of 2010 will be ……..?

Richard Quigley owns and runs 2 fish and chip shops – Corries Cabin in Shooters Hill, Cowes and Corries Cabin in Oakfield High Street, Ryde.  We asked him recently about his involvement as a Gift to Nature Business fundraising member;
“For over 18 months Corries Cabin has been a member of Gift to Nature. Our involvement started following a local press report about what they did.  As we own businesses that rely on the local community, it made perfect sense to support them.  One of the fundraising events we have in the shops is a week where 50p from every meal goes to a selected charity.  In 2009 Gift to Nature was one of them.  I also perform stand-up comedy so was more than happy to perform and compere the recent Twestival in aid of Gift to Nature.  We all need to do at least a little bit to protect the fantastic environment we have on the Isle of Wight and Gift to Nature is a good way of doing this.”

Over in Newchurch, David Hughes, who runs Rosemary Cottage B&B has recently put up 3 Squirrel Feeders in the B&B’s garden and diligently keeps these fully stocked with hazelnuts.  And David’s efforts have paid off, with squirrel visitors to all the feeders on a daily basis!  David has been poised waiting to snap a squirrel in nut-munching mode, but as soon as he reaches for a camera they’re gone!  But as soon as one is available we’ll post it up ……..in the meantime here’s one we prepared earlier.

If you are interested in composting, and would like to be part of a team helping others to compost at home, you could be a Composting Champion. You don’t need to have prior knowledge or even a compost bin, just enthusiasm an a little time.

Book your place on the free training day at Aldermoor Farm, Ryde on 6^th March 2010.  For more information or to book, contact 823777, recycle@iow.gov.uk www.iwight.com/waste

January Sunday 24      10.30am
It’s free and it’s fun, you bring spades and buckets, we’ll supply the carrots, coal and hot chocolate. Visit http://owfhow.xrt.me/ to see fab pictures of past events.
Meet at Small Hope Beach Shanklin
Leader Island 2000 Tel 298098

Ventnor wild food walk

February Sunday 7       1 – 4pm
Explore Ventnor’s land and seascapes and find out about edible and useful plants. Circular walk of about 5 miles. Booking essential.
Leader Rowan Adams Tel 298098
Meet Ventnor Botanic Garden reference library GR 547 768
Cost Donation to Friends of Ventnor Botanic Garden

Celebration: The origin of the Origin

February Friday 12       1 – 4pm
Walk between the hotel and the villa where Charles Darwin (born 201 years ago today) wrote the first chapter of the Origin of Species. There-and-back-again walk of about 5 miles
Booking advised
Leader Rowan Adams Tel 298098
Meet outside the seaside entrance to the Ocean Hotel, Esplanade, Sandown GR 600 841
Cost Donations welcome

Appley birdwatch

February Sunday 28      10.30am
On this bird walk, we’ll look for grebes, divers and gulls before exploring Appley Park for winter thrushes and finches.
Leader Island 2000 Tel 298098
Meet Ryde seafront behind the Waterside pool
Cost £2 donation to Gift to Nature

Gift to Nature Spring Walk – Members Only

March Sunday 28        10.30am
Guided Walk down through Alverstone Marshes and back along the cycleway – woodlands and wetlands full of flowers, bugs and birds
Meet in Newchurch parish Car Park (by the school)

Ventnor wild food walk

March Sunday 7        1 – 4pm
Explore Ventnor’s land and seascapes and find out about edible and useful plants, circular walk of about 5 miles
Booking essential
Leader Rowan Adams Tel 298098
Meet Ventnor Botanic Garden reference library GR 547 768
Cost Donation to Gift to Nature

Put out high-energy food such as fat balls, pastry, cheese, nuts and seeds, fruit (apples, pears, sultanas).  Don’t forget to keep the food topped up daily though, as once birds start to associate a garden with food they’ll waste needless energy flying there if on arrival the table is bare!  Different species have different requirements in terms of how the food is ‘served up’ – so mix and match with hanging feeders, bird tables, food like cheese or pastry wedged into cracks in walls, or scattered on the ground. You might even put out any left over dog or cat food!  It’s a good idea too to ensure they are able to access unfrozen drinking water even if it’s just some warm water in an upturned bin-lid.

Fieldfare by Wikimedia user MPF

Conservation work in January this year

Excellent news from Parkhurst, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary population is recovering. This is in part thanks to conservation work Gift to Nature funded. Green Gym volunteers cleared swathes of ride edges to provide the essential habitat for this rare little butterfly.  The Pearl-bordered Fritillary is one of our most threatened species, principally due to the reduction in coppicing, the butterfly responds well to clearing work which provides their favourite food sources.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary courtesy of ukbutterflies.co.uk

Parkhurst is now back in Forestry Commission management after a lapse of a few years and has already undergone quite a transformation in 2009 which will lead to some interesting changes in the future.