Wild on Wight News

Wight Summer Walks 2012

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:16:06 +0000

The Wight Summer Walks and events programme is now available.

Download your own PDF copy from here

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust co-ordinate the Wight Winter and Wight Summer Walks booklets.

These contain listings of coast and countryside events on which local experts share their knowledge and special understanding of natural and local history and conservation on guided walks and practical activities for Islanders and visitors of all ages.

It’s a chance to explore the wonderful and unique coast and countryside of the Island during friendly outings in the company of fellow walkers.

Compton Bioblitz: Wednesday 25th July

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:40:11 +0000

The Biodiversity Partnership, together with the AONB partnership, will be holding a Bioblitz event for the third year running.

On Wednesday 25th July we will be at the National Trust carpark at Compton Bay, on the Military Road all day from 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
There will be activities looking for clifftop flowers and butterflies, fossils and rock pooling. There will be displays from conservation organisations and iSpot and we will be recording as many different plants and animals as we can find during the day. Come along and take part.

If you are a recorder, please do drop by for a while to spot wildlife to add to our species list, and help others with their ID skills if you like.

Make a note in your diaries, see you down there!

Forty years on – is climate change affecting our native hedgehogs?

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:15:39 +0000

http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/pages/hibernation-survey.html

New hibernation survey starts 1 February 2012

The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) are appealing to people to take part in a new wildlife survey to help determine whether climate change is having an impact on when hedgehogs emerge from hibernation and how this might be affecting their survival.

Last year, The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs, an independent study confirmed that hedgehog populations have plummeted by at least a quarter over the last decade. The decline of the species is attributed to a number of environmental factors, but with more extreme weather fluctuations recorded in recent seasons, might climate change be another contributing issue?

The Isle of Wight Hedgelaying Competition 2012

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:02:27 +0000

http://www.iwhg.org/competition.html

The Isle of Wight Hedgelaying Competition 2012 is on Saturday 25 February 2012: 1000 until 1500. Prizes will be presented at approx. 1530.

Location: New Barn Farm, Calbourne (on main road towards Newport). Map

Interested in entering? Download the form here.

The 20th Annual IW Hedgelaying Competition is to be held on Saturday 25th February 2012 from 10:00am until 3:30pm. This year’s site is at New Barn Farm, Sunhill, Calbourne, Isle of Wight PO30 4JA, off the main Newport-Calbourne road. (Grid ref SZ43418687). The site is provided by kind consent of Mr. Chris Spence.

Entry is free for competitors and observers; spectators are welcome. As usual there will be a glittering display of prizes and a very good chance of winning one.

Competition website

Lead sponsors this year:
Landscape Therapy; IW AONB;
Hants & IW Wildlife Trust, West Wight Landscape Partnership

6th Isle of Wight Recorders’ Conference: 28 January 2012

admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:21:26 +0000

The 6th Isle of Wight Recorders’ Conference is on Saturday 28th January 2012

2 - 4.30pm at the Community Centre, Main Rd, Arreton

Speakers

ispot - an online nature community that connects beginners with experts and fellow enthusiasts: Bob Ford, OU south-east region mentor

Submitting your records: Colin Pope Chairman IWNHAS recording Committee

Marine recording projects: Dr Roger Herbert, IWNHAS marine recorder & Bournemouth University

Bioblitz at Brading Down

admin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:10:44 +0000

On a bright and breezy day, over 250 people enjoyed exploring Brading Down during the Isle of Wight Biodiversity Partnership’s second Bioblitz event.

The site which has extensive views over the east of the Island, as far as Culver Down and St Catherine’s Down has recently been declared a local nature reserve.

Where are our swifts?

Whitmore Tina — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:27:03 +0000

Swifts are in decline. They are dependent upon buildings for nesting sites but many buildings are no longer suitable for them. Natural Enterprise are trying to find out about swifts on the Island. To find out more and take part in their survey click http://www.naturalenterprise.co.uk/pages/news/46-have-you-seen-a-swift

Is your street a 'Hedgehog Street'?

Whitmore Tina — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:10:51 +0000

Hedgehog populations have declined by a quarter in the last decade, so the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) has joined forces with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society to tackle the problem.

As part of a three year project, PTES and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society are launching Hedgehog Street on 1st June 2011. This national campaign aims to help local communities, through volunteer Hedgehog Champions, to take small steps to improve their neighbourhood for hedgehogs.

Hedgehogs travel up to one mile each night within suburban habitat and so whilst improving individual gardens is great for wildlife, Hedgehog Street advises gardeners to work with their neighbours to create links between gardens so they can roam freely. More details here