Join us for a 7.30am morning walk on Saturday 2nd May to see and hear some of Froyle’s birds. Keith Betton, chair of Hampshire Ornithological Society, will be leading this guided bird walk. Keith is an entertaining and highly knowledgeable guide. The walk will start at The Anchor Inn in Lower Froyle, (parking permitted), at 7.30am, and is expected to last approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. We will explore Hussey’s Lane and some surrounding fields.

Do you recognise the silhouettes of a wren, red kite and house martin? Binoculars will be useful for bird spotting, and appropriate footwear in case it’s muddy. The Anchor Inn will be open for optional coffee and breakfast on our return. Both Froyle Wildlife members and non-members are welcome on this walk that is during the weekend of the International Dawn Chorus Day. No dogs please.

Come along to a talk about Swifts by Catharine Gale a trustee of Hampshire Swifts, a charity set up in 2016 to address the decline in Common Swifts in the county. In the first part of her talk she will tell us all about this iconic bird species covering its identification, how it differs from Swallows and Martins, feeding habits, migration, breeding behaviour, trends in population status in the UK, and potential reasons for its dramatic decline. In the rest of her talk she will describe what Hampshire Swifts has been doing to try to reverse Swifts’ decline, including some illustrations of the positive effect of providing swift nest boxes, and finishing with some recommendations for how we can all help Swifts.
All welcome, Froyle Wildlife members free, non-members £3, teas and coffees, doors open 7pm for talk to start 7.30pm, Friday 20th March at Froyle Village Hall.

Hampshire Swifts website says: These beautiful and charismatic birds have declined across Hampshire and the UK by approximately 65% over the past 25 years. They continue to decline at approximately 5% per annum. Hampshire Swifts was formed in 2016 in response to the on-going decline of this iconic bird across Hampshire. Our objective is to reverse the decline of Swifts in our county. This is best done by ensuring we provide an ever-increasing supply of suitable nest sites for our Swifts. We can achieve this by conserving existing nest sites and by providing nest sites on existing and new buildings.

Summary after the talk: One of the yearly highlights for nature lovers in Froyle is the return of a favourite bird migrant, the Common Swift.  They return from their wintering grounds in Africa to breed here in the UK.  Catharine Gale gave us a fascinating talk in the village hall, reminding us how fortunate we are to be visited by this iconic bird. There are 92 swift species worldwide.  Despite the Common Swift’s association and similarities with our other summer visitors, the Swallow and House Martin, their closest bird relatives are in fact Hummingbirds!

The Common Swift is blackish-brown with a small grey patch on the chin, with a short forked tail and long swept-back wings.  They are most prominent when they form “screaming parties” that fly at high speed between buildings near their nesting area. Swifts spend almost all their lives in the air, only landing to nest.  They sleep, mate and feed on the wing.  They are the fastest bird in level flight, clocking up to 69 mph.  They feed on aerial plankton, insect and spider species found up to an altitude of several hundred metres.

Swifts migrate to our temperate region which provides a seasonal abundance of aerial insects and longer daylight hours enabling them to forage and feed their chicks.  They arrive typically in May and return to Africa in late July/August after the peak abundance of aerial food passes.  Swifts are tracked using micro data loggers which have demonstrated that their Spring migration route to the UK is very fast – one swift took 5 days to travel 5,000km from West Africa.

Swifts breed from 4 years old and they live on average between 6 and 10 years.  The oldest known swift was 21 years.  They pair for life, meeting up in spring after a winter in Africa to hopefully produce a single brood of chicks.  They make nests out of material they can catch in the air such as feathers and bits of grass.  Swifts store caught insects for their chicks as a bolus (a round mass bound together with saliva) in a pouch in their throat.  Each bolus contains up to 1,000 insects comprising up to 35 insect families. Rearing chicks takes 9 weeks and as the chicks get near fledging, they spend time looking out of the nest and exercising and strengthening their wings by doing press-ups in the nest (video shown!).  After fledging, it is usually 3 years before they land again to start nesting themselves.

Swifts use the same nest site every year, which is one reason why swift numbers are declining (between 2018 and 2024 swifts declined by 30% in the UK).  As they nest primarily on buildings, swift nests are lost each year due to building demolition and roof repairs/renovations, including the installation of UPVC soffits/facias. Returning in Spring to find their nest is no longer available may mean a pair of swifts are unable to reproduce that year.  So, to help conserve this species we must try to preserve their existing nest sites while creating new ones by installing swift nest boxes and encouraging builders to make provision for swift nests in new builds or extensions.

‘Hampshire Swifts’ (www.hampshireswifts.co.uk) can help supply and install nest boxes, comment on planning applications to increase provision of swift bricks and provide advice on all things associated with swifts.

Alan Dyos

Join us for a talk by Pete West about the volunteer conservation work carried out by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Amphibian and Reptile Group (HIWARG) with a special focus on Froyle and surrounding areas. We will be looking at the eleven species known to be in the area (including at least two non-native species), the surveys we have carried out and key target species we are monitoring.
All welcome, Froyle Wildlife members free, non-members £3, teas and coffees, doors open 7pm for talk to start 7.30pm, Friday 27th February at Froyle Village Hall.

HIWARG focuses on conservation of native UK species essentially around habitat management, surveying, public engagement, volunteer training and doing as much as possible to understand and protect the native species in the county. Pete West is the Amphibian Officer and has carried out surveys locally. In the last 15 years there have been a number of newly constructed ponds in Froyle with some in gardens and fields. Work has also started to restore an historic dew pond. These ponds help to increase local biodiversity and provide habitat for species such as amphibians and dragonflies.

Come along to a talk about Beaver and Water Vole Reintroduction on Tuesday 25th November. David Elliott, the National Trust’s Lead Ranger for the South Downs West, will give a talk on beavers and water voles and their return to the landscape. He will give an update on the progress and work of the River Wey Water Vole Recovery project, and will also talk about where we are currently at with regard to the return of the Beaver, locally and nationally, as well as discussing their respective ecology and why they are such important species to consider when thinking about the future of our wonderful local rivers. He will be happy to take questions and participate in discussion.
All welcome, Froyle Wildlife members free, non-members £3, teas and coffees, doors open 7pm for talk to start 7.30pm at Froyle Village Hall.

Having once been an important part of the ecosystem, beavers became extinct in Britain in the 16th century because of hunting for their fur, meat and scent glands. This release follows a successful pilot at Holnicote on Exmoor in early 2020, where the beavers have thrived. In spring 2021 two beavers were released on the edge of the South Downs into a 15-hectare fenced area. A male and female were re-introduced, in the hope they will become a breeding pair. The exact location is not disclosed to give them very best chance of establishing themselves in their new home.

Some 150 water voles have been reintroduced into waterways in parts of southern England after being declared locally extinct over the last 20 years. They were released in August 2025 at six sites along the River Wey in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire, and further reintroductions will take place over the next two years. The species is the country’s fastest-declining mammal because of habitat loss and predation by the non-native American mink. The population plummeted by 93 per cent in England during the course of the 20th century and has been in further rapid decline since 2000.

Summary of the talk

David Elliot set the scene by reminding us that wildlife in the UK is struggling, with insects reducing by a massive 60% over the last few years and one in six species are at risk of extinction.  The main two drivers for this are agricultural change and climate change.

A water vole’s lifespan is about 12 – 18 months, they have 4-5 litters a year and are vegetarian, eating reeds, grasses, rushes and sedges.  Female territories are roughly 20-30 metres wide with males overlapping several females.  Water vole numbers have been decimated over the last 50 years.  Unfortunately, water voles have a variety of predators, but the primary culprit for their disappearance is the North American Mink.

The River Wey Water Vole Recovery Programme is aiming to address the disastrous 90% decline in water voles in the River Wey catchment area (indeed a recent assessment considered the water vole extinct in the area).  The programme is following the approach of an initiative in East Anglia which has resulted in a very successful water vole reintroduction.  It is being achieved by the placement of 89 traps across the Wey network which have so far captured and removed 107 mink across the catchment.  It is soon expecting to have eradicated all mink from the River Wey.  So far, the programme has reintroduced 192 water voles in sibling groups across 6 sites between Haslemere and Liphook.  Monitoring will take place next year to assess how the water vole population is doing and to determine any further reintroductions.

Beavers have not been around in the UK for roughly 200 years because humans killed them.  They are a large riparian mammal with a vegetarian diet, the size of a labrador, and a lifespan typically of 8-9 years but can reach 11/12 years. They breed late Autumn/early Winter with young born in Spring.  Their predators include bears, wolves and (historically) humans.  Beavers are now coming back across Europe, with in the UK a small recent introduction in the South Downs area following a successful pilot introduction on Exmoor in 2020.

Beavers are well known for building dams in river headwaters creating wetland areas which provides a safe habitat for themselves.  However, this also provides a beneficial environment for other native wildlife species, while reducing flooding risk further downstream by effectively ‘storing’ water and reducing the water flow.  They are also earth movers and canal creators, again with beneficial flood risk effects.  Beavers fell trees providing a food source for themselves as well as building materials for their lodges and dams.  Fortunately, they fell only a few trees within each area, so they don’t create treeless landscapes.

Admittedly, depending on the location, beaver’s construction activities may not always desirable, but mitigation measures are available to us such as water pipe installations to address any issues such as controlling water levels when necessary.

Alan Dyos

Simon Porter will be explaining how Regenerative farming has the potential for the first time to produce the needed quantities of high-quality food to feed the world, whilst reducing inorganic sprays and fertilisers. At the same time, Regen farming can successfully store atmospheric carbon in the soil, improve wasteful water runoff and reduce harmful leaching of pesticides into our water supply. Regen farmers are also seeing a return in the numbers of beneficial insects and red-listed birds. Sounds too good to be true? Come and find out how it has been working successfully on a nearby farm for over 20 years. There will be time for your questions during the talk.
All welcome, Froyle Village Hall doors open 7pm, a brief Froyle Wildlife AGM starts at 7.30pm followed by the talk, entrance free for members, £3 non-members, teas and coffee.

Family fun –join us for a 1h dipping session on Sunday 20th July starting at 10am or 11.15am to see what underwater creatures we can find in the wildlife pond near Gid Lane, Upper Froyle. Children will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. All equipment will be provided and numbers are limited so it is essential to book by emailing info@froylewildlife.co.uk, stating preference for 10am or 11.15am session.

A successful morning pond dipping

Several families enjoyed a lovely morning of pond dipping at the wildlife pond. Due to the lack of rain we were concerned that the pond level would have dropped too much for safe dipping so we had a smaller group this year. Despite this, we managed to collect a range of tiny creatures and examined them using our new portable wireless microscope. The microscope proved very popular with the children who quickly learnt how to use it to view water beetles, boatmen, dragonfly nymphs and young newts in greater detail. We created short videos, some of which are available to view on our Instagram site @froylewildlife.
Despite the lower water level of the pond, it was teeming with life and we enjoyed spotting dragonflies and damselflies too. The children and adults were amazed to see a ‘wasp spider’ with very long legs and vivid black and yellow stripes. Thank you to Barry Clark for bringing all of the equipment along and finding the wasp spider! We had a great time and hope to run our annual dip again next year.

Some photos taken on the day.

Call in anytime between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 19th July to see what’s flying and flowering at the wildlife pond and meadow, near Gid Lane, Upper Froyle. There should be plenty to see especially if it’s a sunny day.

Members of Froyle Wildlife will be on hand to assist with identification of wildflowers, dragonflies and butterflies. Wildflower species to look out for include; knapweed, lady’s bedstraw, meadowsweet, self heal, purple loosestrife, water figwort and bird’s-foot trefoil. Ladybirds, hoverflies, bees and grasshoppers may also be seen. No need to book, anyone can just pop in and see what you can spot.

What did we see on the day?

After weeks of hot dry weather, we had drizzle on this July morning that deterred any visitors. It brightened in the afternoon for the dragonflies and butterflies to start fliting among the wonderful wildflower meadow that surrounds the pond. Butterflies counted were Gatekeeper 29, Meadow Brown 27, Large White 3, Green-veined White 3, Common Blue 4, Comma 2, Small Copper 1, Small White 1, Small Skipper 1. Odonata seen included Emperor dragonfly, Blue-tailed damselfly, Common darter, Small Red-eyed damselfly, along with bees, ladybirds and hoverflies. Among the vegetation was a metallic green Rose Chafer beetle, a wasp spider and a new species for the location a Turnip sawfly. The area is maintained by Froyle Wildlife volunteers and is definitely a hotspot for biodiversity in Froyle.

Join us for a walk on Tuesday 8th July, 10am-12 in Alice Holt forest for woodland butterflies. We should see Silver-washed Fritillary and may be fortunate to see the elusive Purple Emperor and White Admiral. Fetch binoculars for a better view of butterflies that are futher away. Meet at Abbotts Wood Inclosure car park GU10 4HA, off Dockenfield Street, just south-east of the former Halfway House pub. what3words landowner.likely.splendid.

How did our walk go?

A morning of warm sunshine was ideal for woodland butterflies in Alice Holt forest. We enjoyed seeing the variety and numbers of butterflies at Abbotts Wood along with close encounters while they were nectaring. The 17 species spotted are listed in the order that they were seen.
Silver Washed Fritillary (many), Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Small White, Large White, Ringlet, Holly Blue, Comma, Large Skipper, Gatekeeper, Small/Essex Skipper, White Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Purple Hairstreak.
There were no positive sightings of Purple Emperor, although there were tempting flutterings occasionally high up in the trees.
We had not seen as many Silver Washed Fritillaries for a several years and it was lovely to see their courtship flights as well.