Nature in the Wilder Blean
This winter, we celebrated more good news alongside project partners Wildwood Trust: the birth of two more calves, just four days apart! Now with a herd size of eight, this growing family needs more space. We have started construction of four bison bridges, giving them access to even more woodland and providing visitors with unparalleled viewing opportunities.
Red-billed chough ©Tim Horton
The sky’s the limit for the red-billed chough
In July, we discovered that a pair of choughs released in 2023 had built a nest at Dover Castle and appeared to be preparing for the arrival of chicks. The birds managed to successfully hatch a chick and although it did not make it to adulthood, likely due to unseasonal high winds, this was a remarkable milestone for the project, and one we were not expecting for years to come.
This summer also saw the release of the second cohort of red-billed choughs to Dover. The county now has a population of 19 wild birds, and we can’t wait to see what happens next.
Reserve Updates
Coombe Downe Nature Reserve
Coombe Down
After being purchased with the generous support of our members in 2017, we have worked hard to restore the open chalk grassland that would have existed here 20 years ago. After lots of scrub removal and fencing of the boundary, we reintroduced grazing for the first time in decades. Coombe Down was the last location for the frog orchid in Kent, and we hope that the return of our magnificent longhorn cattle will create the habitat needed for many orchids, flowering plants and the insects that live on them.
Candelabra fungus ©Tim Horton
Hothfield Heathlands
First recorded in Kent in 2012, the beautiful candelabra fungus popped up at Hothfield Heathlands in 2021. After three years without any further sightings, we have been rewarded this year with several of these fungi fruiting across two sites: Hothfield Heathlands and on the outskirts of our South Blean reserve.
This area in Canterbury is at risk of being lost to the proposed Winterbourne Fields development; the candelabra fungus is yet another species further at risk.
Sea Wall Hide roof repair
Oare Marshes
Our amazing team of volunteers have been busy replacing the roof on the Sea Wall Hide, wrapping up this year’s re-roofing work on both bird hides. The Sea Wall Hide is popular for watching birds feeding on the exposed mud at low tide and for sea watching across the Swale. This winter brought many passing migrants, including several skua species, sandwich, little and common terns as well as rarer visitors like the Manx shearwater, black tern and osprey.
Visitor Notice
As winter approaches, you may notice tree felling taking place at some of our woodland sites.
This planned management is crucial to improve habitats for wildlife and to ensure the health and safety of our visitors. By carefully removing selected trees, we create space and let in light, boosting biodiversity and helping plants and creatures to thrive. We must carry out this work in the winter to minimise wildlife disturbance.
You can support this urgent conservation work by supporting our new Legacy Landscapes programme enabling you to sponsor a plot on our reserves in the name of your loved ones.
