Subject: Recorders Seminar

Helena, John and I  had an excellent day at the recent Recorders Seminar . We took the FoSB display boards and  several people commented . In particular appreciative comments were made by David Lang of the Sussex Botanical Recording Society. He is an authority on orchids and has written 8 books including Orchids of Britain: A Field Guide, He twice said how good the picture of the Starry Clover is. So high praise to Jan who took the photo!

The Seminar was a great opportunity for FoSB Networking:-

Clare Blencowe of the SxBRC was tackled about our need for a committee member with training in some biological science with a potential to become chair.  She said she would contact Olle Akesson who is the Living Seas officer at SWT as to whether he could advise us re our monitoring etc. He is now meeting with us on March 3rd at the Shoreham Fort Beach to offer some  scientific input  on how to record our findings particularly with the rock pooling,  in particular, advice re using iRecord. mapping of our results etc.

Rachel Bicker  is Gatwick Airport’s ecologist and she referred us to Thomas Simpson  thomassimpson@sussexwt.org.uk  who is SWT’s Worthing project officer and could provide  useful support . FoSB will also approach Peter Wish  at the AGM about removing Three Cornered Garlic from the beach . 

Ben Rainbow and Henri Brocklehurst gave a very interesting talk on the fact that SCNIs are now called Local Wildlife Sites and Ben has been surveying some of these sites in Wealdon District in  his new job. Henri and  Graham Roberts talked of getting our the Childing Pink area at Silver sands designated as an SCNI as  this support had stopped after Ben left West Sussex. There is an ongoing review of all the Sussex sites but Henri wants to get the Childing Pink site registered as a LWS when they are registering new sites and FoSB will be sending appropriate documentation.

There was superb talk about the Plight of the Bumble Bee and also about the project to try to do something about the massive decline in turtledoves. We ended with a talk about bugs and a request to report any bugs like shield bugs that we see to iRecord.

Two comments were made about the 4 nationally rare moths found by Tim Freed. One was that an area with 4 national rarities ups the status as an area to be conserved. The other was that we must look after the flowers on which they feed.

In all a very good day with super food. Jacky