"On the dam in June": Sunday nature video
26th Jun 2016 by jools
Visit our Videos page to watch our latest offering!
⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘ ⚘⚘⚘
Dog’s vomit slime mould and other organisms
21st Jun 2016 by jools
We have never shied away from showing you the messy side of nature. We previously brought you an unidentified scat, now we bring you the world of slime moulds exemplified in what might initially look like a pile of dog’s vomit. You may be pleased to read more of Laurie Forsyth’s June findings in the Seasonal Diary – there is some prettiness, too!
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
Ermine moth caterpillars' predator protection
19th Jun 2016 by jools
At first glance, walking along the blackthorn hedgerow at Fromus, you might think there were some impressive spiders at work creating enormous webs. Look closer at the video, and you think the spiders have got themselves a feast of caterpillars! But instead, these ermine moth caterpillars are making the silk web to protect themselves from predators, while they munch their way through the blackthorn leaves on the way to becoming ermine moths. Hopefully, we’ll have fine enough weather before our August open day to trap some ermine moths that survive the transition.
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
Orchids on the 90th Birthday Open Days
13th Jun 2016 by jools
This weekend saw the Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations – as well as our Open Days! – and our visitors to Orchid Glade were able to see our glorious orchids. The southern marsh orchids were fine, but the twayblades were the stars – flourishing and spreading and flowering without being nibbled by deer this year. Another welcome sight was the adder’s tongue fern growing quietly and low down pushing up from its underground rhizome – an indicator of ancient pastures, according to Laurie Forsyth.
Just as we closed, the birthday flypast rolled overhead in waves heading from Southwold to Buckingham Palace.
At Simpson’s Fromus Valley, despite the rain, we were able to see the amazing increase in orchid numbers from 25 last year to 41 this year — watch the orchids video — but no sign of the early purple orchid. There are some new images from the Open Day in the Summer gallery.
The patch of ragged robin is also spreading, and blackcaps were out in force warbling away to serenade us as we roamed the site.
Our next Open Days are in August, when you can see the summer meadow at its height at Fromus Valley, and the sea of yellow at Orchid Glade. Both reserves will be full of insect life, with butterflies and dragonflies the stars of the show.
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
"Field maple in leaf at Fromus"
22nd May 2016 by jools
Calmly enjoy our latest short video …
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
The grass is greener
20th May 2016 by jools
Laurie Forsyth has now paid his May visit to the Fromus Reserve and found the grass to be much greener there! You can admire his photos and prose in the updated Seasonal Diary.
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
Wildlife
19th May 2016 by jools
It’s all happening at Orchid Glade this Spring – many babies being born, and much visiting wildlife that you can read about in Laurie Forsyth’s most recent Seasonal Diary offering.
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
Fromus in May on a sunny Sunday
8th May 2016 by jools
Suddenly it’s sunny and our reserves know it. Butterflies, bee flies, blossoms and blooms are suddenly on show – have a look in the Spring gallery at the recent images. The birds are happy too – make sure you turn up the sound for the video and let us know what you recognise!
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
"Fromus in the Gorge"
1st May 2016 by jools
Welcome to May, and watch our next video!
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
April in Orchid Glade
28th Apr 2016 by jools
Laurie Forsyth had a sunny day at Orchid Glade to bring us his April report, now published in the Seasonal Diary. However, he still needed wellies! If you want to find out more about the reserve, get involved in the Trust — come and hear about moths and wildlife recording, then join us at our AGM, in Hasketon Village Hall on 7th May.
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
Fromus in full flow: Sunday serenity
24th Apr 2016 by jools
Be calmed by the reeds in the stream in our "Fromus in full flow" video …
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
April report from Fromus
23rd Apr 2016 by jools
Laurie Forsyth has got quite excited about a seemingly ordinary buttercup (shown below centre). You can read why in the Seasonal Diary.
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
Moth obsessions
21st Apr 2016 by jools
SFPT is pleased to invite you to a talk “Citizen Science and Moths” by Pete Rowberry U3A tutor on Saturday 7th May at Hasketon Village Hall.
Pete Rowberry, the Moth Recorder for the Suffolk Flora Preservation Trust, will be discussing the value of ‘Citizen Science’ and why he became a wildlife recorder. He will be explaining his passion for wildlife, the psychology of obsession and why he would encourage others to become a little more ‘obsessive’ themselves. All are welcome.
⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
April Open Day
17th Apr 2016 by jools
Guardians headed out to SFPT’s first Open Day of 2016 in drizzly, gusty weather and were greeted at the long pond by two swallows swooping about and flying past very close. This cheered the troop for our visitors who were able to enjoy the sight of cowslips straight away on the bank near the Fromus.
The Spring flowers were out to be enjoyed, despite the weather — including primroses, ground ivy, celandine, false oxlips and plenty of violets. As visitors walked up to the earthwork, John Rainer was there to enlighten them with all his recent archaeological findings but waders were needed to negotiate the aptly named “Meremeade” which was swimming in water. As you followed the self-directed tour of the reserve you could detour past our vigorous hybrid (of primrose and cowslip) the false oxlip, and arrive next at the round pond with some lady’s smock blooming happily in the flooded area. The riparian strip has two new bluebell plants — as yet they are not in bloom — but visitors could inhale the pungent aroma of the great expansion of ransoms from one clump last year to many, about to bloom along the fast flowing Fromus.
Guardians and visitors could convince themselves that the bird droppings and straw on the shelf outside our new owl boxes suggested signs of owlish inhabitants, and as you returned through muddy ruts and puddles the lucky could spot a bullfinch in the blackthorn thicket singing his heart out.
