Sussex has come alive with the sounds and sights of spring, so here's a newsletter full of spring surveys and events to get involved in.
Spring surveys
If you're looking for something new to get involved in this recording season, take a look at the surveys running in Sussex and across the UK and get in touch with the organisers if you'd like to join in.
The Steyning Downland Scheme is looking for a volunteer with an interest in aquatic ecology and invertebrates to survey their ponds. These are fed by a chalk stream and were formed in medieval times by damming the stream to feed mills in nearby Steyning. A previous survey was carried out 10 years ago and the ponds are known to support eel. The Steyning Downland Scheme can cover travel expenses. Please get in touch via email if you would like to help.
The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme has a 1km square in Sussex for someone to adopt; you can find a map of available squares in the scheme's January newsletter. To learn about what the scheme involves, CEH have made a YouTube video about the survey. If you'd like to be involved but don't want to take on a 1km square, you can still carry out the Flower-Insect Timed counts (FIT Counts), there's a YouTube video about these too, or read more about them on their website.
The Mammal Society is looking for volunteers to join in their Small Mammal Surveys in Grassland & Woodland Habitats to collect data on pre-breeding density. If you'd like more information please take a look on the Mammal Society website.
If you've seen a Bee-fly this year, do share any sightings with Bee-fly Watch via iRecord. And you can help fuel the social media bee-fly buzz by using the #BeeFlyWatch hashtag.
Image credit: C Roper
Help improve biological recording on Romney Marsh
The Fifth Continent Scheme is a partnership funded project currently running across Romney Marsh, and seeks to connect people to this enigmatic landscape by building up knowledge of the area and helping to restore its built and natural heritage.
One major part of this is all about to kick off! The Monitoring of the Marsh project aims to build up knowledge about the habitats and species present by increasing the amount of wildlife recording that is taking place, highlighting under-recorded areas and engaging with both existing recording groups and training new audiences to create a network of recorders across Romney Marsh.
To support this, the project has created an interactive map that shows where the under-recorded areas are. This data is managed by a partnership between Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre and Kent & Medway Biological Records Centre. You can check out the map on the Fifth Continent website and it will also work on mobile.
They are also running a series of workshops and training events, the full programme can be found on their events page. This includes monthly recording sessions on the second Monday of each month, beginning on 13 May, when they will be visiting different sites across the Marsh and recording whatever they can find. Visit the website for more details, if you're interested in getting involved.
The Marsh spans both East Sussex and Kent and it would be fabulous to do more in the East Sussex portion. If you or your recording group would be keen to record in this area please do get in touch with the project officer, Stan Smith; he has a network of landowner contacts so may be able to get access to areas not visited before. Or perhaps your group would like to run a workshop next year?
If you'd like to share data with SxBRC to contribute to the Monitoring the Marsh project, you can use all the usual data sharing channels, including iRecord.
Sussex Wildlife Trust is recruiting a Reserves Ecologist
Applications close on 7 May 2019. You can read the full job description and how to apply on the Sussex Wildlife Trust website.
Flies on Four
Dr Erica McAlister, who you may remember from such events as the Sussex Biological Recorders' Seminar 2018, was sharing her love of flies with a national audience this week, talking to Jim Al-Khalili on BBC Radio 4's The Life Scientific.
The first hoverfly of the year to appear is Eristalis pertinax, so keep an eye out for it while you're recording this spring and send us your records.
You can read more about the Tapered Drone Fly on our Species of the Month page. And if you fancy getting more into flies, you might want to get involved with Sussex Fly Group.
Local News and Blogs
The British Bryological Society South-East Group had a trip to view the Guermonprez bryophyte collection at Portsmouth Museum. Read their blog about it here.
Penny Green had an exciting Violet Oil Beetle find in her garden! See her photo here.
Bob Eade's been out looking for signs of spring, and got some gorgeous shots of Chiffchaffs, here.
Clare Blencowe found the rarely recorded Anemone Cup fungus on a trip to Park Corner Heath. More about this here.
Upcoming Events
Mouslecoomb Forest Garden has a programme of upcoming events including a Moth evening on the 9th May, and an Introduction to Bumblebees on the 12th May.
Sussex Amphibian and Reptile Group have a Great Crested Newt survey at Chanctonbury Ring on 3rd May and a Transect walk at Tilgate Forest on the 12th May.
Friends of Shoreham Beach have an exhibition at the Marlipins Museum, Shoreham-by-Sea from 1st May to 30th May with 'An exploration of the history, landscape, flora and fauna of this Local Nature Reserve'.
Check out the SxBRC Calendar for details of the events above.
If you have an upcoming event that you'd like to add to our calendar, please send us an email and we'll add it to our calendar.
