Natterer's Notes Page A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Ancient Greek proverb (...but we plant trees at all ages in Woodland Ways, whatever your gender - come and join us). On this page are a growing selection of musings and thoughts about the work of Woodland Ways and our volunteers. Written by Nick Sibbett, Chair of Woodland Ways, they illustrate not only what we do as a group, but reflect how the seasons change the landscape. Nick offers information and insight into some of the plants and animals you can see on Woodland Ways. Natterer's Notes A series of occasional articles on the work, wildlife and woodland in our community... Nick Sibbett writes for November 2006 If you’ve been for a walk around Moreton Hall in the last few weeks after dark, you may well have seen a hedgehog busily snuffling for food.  Particularly good places are the wide grass verges alongside Orttewell Road, and the verge between Bedingfield Road and the woodland.  In fact, any woodland or old hedge here is likely to have hedgehogs, as like most British mammals they were originally woodland animals.  Just like sparrows and stinging nettles, the artificial urban environment is great for hedgehogs too.  The small woods and old hedges to nest and hibernate in, the road verges, lawns and flower beds to hunt in, and the possibility of help from humans makes Moreton Hall a happy home for hedgehogs. If you see a hedgehog in November or December, it will be busy stuffing itself before the winter.  If they don’t fatten up to 600 grams, they may well not survive hibernation.  Seeing the occasional scrawny hedgehog in late autumn, and realising it won’t survive, is a perfectly natural thing.  This has happened to hedgehogs since they colonised Britain 15000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age, and will be part of their ecology for ever. There are many ways you can help. Leave big piles of branches for nests and hibernation, if there is space in your garden.  Don’t use slug pellets, as slugs are one of hedgehogs top foods.  Worms too are a favourite, so lawns rather than decking make a hedgehog happy.  Hedgehogs probably visit all our gardens on Moreton Hall, as each hedgehog walks several miles in a single night.  They get used to regular feeding; if you put out a small amount of tinned dog food or cat food (non-fish) in early evening, a hedgehog will discover it and may even regularly turn up at the appointed time!  Bread and milk are not suitable, as they make hedgehogs ill. The best way to help hedgehogs is to improve their habitat, planting woodland or bushes where they can shelter and feed.  Why not join Woodland Ways on Sunday 12 November, to help plant a hedge at Natterer’s Wood.  The hedge will support a huge amount of wildlife as well as hedgehogs.  All are welcome and we meet at 10am at the Kingsworth Road entrance to the wood.  You don’t have to have done it before! For more information, please ring Nick Sibbett on 723847, or lexplore our web site further. Nick Sibbett writes for September 2006 September is a great month for fruit in the supermarkets – the summer fruits such as peaches are still there and the new season English apples replace the imported southern hemisphere apples. September is a great month for berries too, which are vital for many birds as they fatten up for the winter.  With breeding well and truly finished, this year’s young birds and their parents spend all the time they can feeding, to build up fat reserves to help them through the barren winter months. Native trees and bushes such as hawthorn and blackberry are the best for our birds, but others are good too.  The ornamental rowan trees scattered across front gardens in Moreton Hall will be stripped of their berries by gangs of blackbirds, within just a few days of ripening. Even the hard unpalatable berries of the cotoneaster on the Moreton Hall Industrial Estate will have their place.  Although they will be rejected by the local birds in autumn, the berries last into winter.  If we get several days of snow, its worth looking out for waxwings from Scandinavia eating the cotoneaster berries; they come here when its extremely severe there. If you are planting bushes or small trees in your garden, look at http://www.wildaboutgardens.org/Gardening/ for ideas on how you can help birds. At the time of writing this, red bartsia is in flower over much of Natterer’s Wood, especially beside the natural-surface length of main path.  It has a mass of smallish pink flowers, on branched stems growing about 30cm high. Don’t confuse it with the brash purple of the willowherb, which is a bigger plant.  The red bartsia will survive into September, as will the wild carrot which grows in abundance within the long grass. Would you like to see Natterer’s Wood and find out more?  On Sunday 10 September, join Woodland Ways for a walk around Natterer’s Wood from 10.30 for around one hour.  You’ll see the wild flowers, the new trees, and the giant bat, and be able to ask any questions you like. Woodland Ways has a work party from 10am – midday, so you’ll be able to watch members in action and ask any questions you like.  People with restricted mobility are very welcome, as we can stay on the tarmac path. For the walk, meet at 10.30 at the entrance to Natterer’s Wood at Kingsworth Road.  For more information please ring Nick Sibbett on 01284 723847 or email chair@woodlandways.org.uk To join, or to make a donation to our work, you can download our  application form here. Free copy here. Our Woodland     Partners