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Events

Burlish Top Golf Course Reptile Surveys 2019

This year we are teaming up with the Wyre Forest Rangers to survey their newest nature reserve the Burlish Top Golf Course.

A beautiful location with very exciting prospects for the future the former site of Burlish Park Golf Club was abandoned two years ago and acquired by Wyre Forest District Council just last year.

Neighbouring Burlish Top Nature Reserve it further expands on the wonderful stretch of habitat that seamlessly links to the Rifle Range, Devils Spittleful, and WMSP.

Meeting at Burlish Top Nature Reserve car park on The Kingsway, DY13 8NA.

Please wear sturdy walking boots and dress appropriately for the weather.

Saturday 20th April 2019 – 10am

Sunday 5th Mary 2019 – 10am

Saturday 25th May 2019 – 9.30am

Sunday 23rd June 2019 – 9am

All dates and times listed are weather dependant and subject to change / cancellation at short notice so please check back regularly.

Events

Puxton Marsh Reptile Surveys 2019

Come and help us survey for reptiles on Puxton Marsh SSSI in association with the Wyre Forest Rangers.

Puxton Marsh is a species rich marsh fen, an excellent example in Worcestershire and declared a Site of Special Scientific Interetst (SSSI). The marsh has green links with other nature reserves and parks such as Stourvale marsh, Springfield Park, and areas further down the River Stour such as Wilden Marshes. It forms part of the most important and extensive wetland habitats in the Midlands. We will be surveying an area that due to its boggy nature, and populations of sensitive wildlife is not usually open to the public.

Meeting at the entrance to the reserve on Puxton Drive. SO 8277 7794

Please wear wellies and dress appropriately for the weather.

Saturday 27th April 2019 – 10am

Sunday 12th May 2019 – 10am

Saturday 15th June 2019 – 9.30am

Sunday 7th July 2019 – 9am

All dates and times listed are weather dependant and subject to change / cancellation at short notice so please check back regularly.

Events

Corfe Avenue Pond Survey – Booking Essential

Limited spaces are available to join us in surveying the pond at Corfe Avenue, Warndon.
Friday 8th June – 8pm.
We do not have any recent data on this pond so we will be looking for evidence of the presence of newts. The plan will be to torch the pond looking for newts and egg folds. If visibility is poor we may instead set bottle traps (to be released the following morning). Weather dependant.

IMPORTANT: Due to being in the middle of a housing estate and not wishing to disturb residents we are restricting this event to just 6 volunteers. Please email info@wrag.club to book your place on a first come first serve basis.

Events

Tolladine Wood Pond Survey – Booking essential.

Limited spaces are available to join us in surveying the pond at Tolladine Wood / Plantation Drive, Worcester.
Wednesday 16th May – 8pm.
We do not have any recent data on this pond so we will be looking for evidence of the presence of newts. The plan will be to torch the pond looking for newts and egg folds. If visibility is poor we may instead set bottle traps (to be released the following morning). Weather dependant.

IMPORTANT: Due to being in the middle of a housing estate and not wishing to disturb residents we are restricting this event to just 6 volunteers. Please email info@wrag.club to book your place on a first come first serve basis.

Events

Corfe Avenue Pond Survey- Booking essential

Limited spaces are available to join us in surveying the pond at Corfe Avenue, Warndon.
Friday 11th May – 8pm.
We do not have any recent data on this pond so we will be looking for evidence of the presence of newts. The plan will be to torch the pond looking for newts and egg folds. If visibility is poor we may instead set bottle traps (to be released the following morning). Weather dependant.

IMPORTANT: Due to being in the middle of a housing estate and not wishing to disturb residents we are restricting this event to just 6 volunteers. Please email info@wrag.club to book your place on a first come first serve basis.

Events

Mabb’s Orchard Pond Surveys

On the evening of Saturday 5th May we will be visiting Mabb’s Orchard / Trotshill Allotments in Warndon, Worcester to take a look at a cluster of 5 ponds and introduce you to, and practice a variety of survey techniques to record Amphibians.

Activities will include visual searches for eggs & tadpoles, torch surveys to count Newts, and hopefully we will have the opportunity to set some bottle traps (You are welcome to join us again for the trap release the following morning).

We will be working around water in the dark. Please bring wellies / waders, torches, and appropriate clothing & any refreshments you may require for the weather.
All volunteers will be required to complete a volunteer agreement form on the day for insurance purposes.

Meeting at 7pm. Location: Mabb’s Orchard Allotments, Mabbs Close, Worcester. WR4 0SY.

Important: The allotment car park is at the end of a fairly narrow cul-de-sac where children may be playing and to enter the car park you have to drive across a footpath obscured by high hedge rows, please take extra care and keep an eye out for children & dogs.

Events

Cherry Orchard Reptile Surveys

Worcestershire Reptile & Amphibian Group will be surveying Cherry Orchard Local Nature Reserve for Reptiles throughout May & June this year.
Please join us as we carry out transect & refugia surveys to record Slow-worm (Anguis fragilis) & Grass Snake (Natrix n. helvetica) on this interesting riverside site owned by Worcester City Council.

Please bring sturdy footwear, work gloves, and weather appropriate clothing & refreshments. All volunteers will be required to complete a volunteer agreement form for insurance purposes.

Meeting at 10am on Diglis Playing Fields, Waverley Street, Worcester, WR5 3DH.

These surveys will be weather dependant so times and dates are subject to change or cancellation.

Monday 7th May
Thursday 17th May
Tuesday 22nd May
Monday 28th May

June dates to be added…

Events

Perdiswell Newt Surveys

Join us at Perdiswell to count Newts by torch light.

We will be carrying out a torching survey of Perdiswell Pond on Sunday 29th of April. This is a good opportunity to witness the mating & egg laying behaviours of both GCN & Smooth Newts.
We will be following it up with an end of season survey on Saturday May 26th.

Meeting at 8pm at Perdiswell Leisure Centre, Bilford Road, Worcester. WR3 8DX

Bring wellies, a strong torch, and appropriate clothing for the weather. All volunteers will be required to complete a volunteer agreement for insurance purposes.

Amphibians

Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus)

The Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus) AKA the Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a nationally important species protected under UK & European legislation. In Worcestershire and surrounding counties it is wide spread where suitable habitat occurs.

Great Crested Newts return to their ponds in February-March and leave in July – August. They are nocturnal animals but mostly active in the crepuscular period.

At up to 140 -170mm it is the largest of our three newt species, it’s long-slender body is granular in appearance and the dorsal surface dark brown to near black in colour marked with black spots and heavy white stippling along the flanks and limbs.  The ventral surface is yellow-orange marked with irregular black blotches that form a unique ‘fingerprint’ allowing the individual identification of adults. The throat is dark and marked with heavy white stippling. The toe tips are yellow. In females the yellow-orange of the ventral surface continues down the underside of the tail, and in lightly coloured specimens a light dorsal stripe may be visible.

During the breeding period males develop a distinctive tall serrated crest that breaks at the tail, and the tail is marked with a silver-white flash.

Juvenile Great Crested Newts resemble females and reach maturity at 2-4 years of age.

Eggs of the Great Crested Newt are laid singularly folded in to leaves of aquatic vegetation. Eggs are large and pale yellow in colour.. They can number 200 from a single female but suffer from a genetic anomaly that causes a 50% mortality at the tail bud stage of development.

Great Crested Newt larvae are distinctive from our other newt species by their larger size, broad head, long toes, and large tail fin.

Amphibians

Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris)

The Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris vulgaris) is Worcestershire’s most common newt occurring in a wide range of habitats across the entire county including garden ponds.

Smooth Newts return to their ponds in February – March and typically stay there till June – July although it’s not unusual to see males remaining in ponds through to August – September. They are a crepuscular species most active at dawn and dusk.

The dorsal skin is smooth and sandy olive in colour; females being uniform while males carry large black spots. The ventral surface is a pale cream with a streak of yellow-orange and heavily marked with grey-black spotting. In females the yellow-orange streak continues down the underside of the tail. The throat is also pale cream and spotted. Reaching up to 100mm it is slightly larger than the similar looking Palmate Newt.

When in breeding condition males develop a wavy crest that starts at the back of the head and extends down the length of the body and tail. The tail is adorned by red and blue flash markings and slight webbing forms on the hind feet though not to the extent of that seen in the Palmate Newt.

Juvenile Smooth Newts can be distinguished from Palmate Newts by the light yellow-orange dorsal stripe that starts at the neck and fades away before reaching the tail.

Eggs of the Smooth Newt are laid singularly on aquatic vegetation, sometimes folded in to leaves but just as frequently deposited in the tips of oxygenating plants such as Hornwort. Eggs are a buff cream in colour and indistinguishable from those of the Palmate Newt. They can number 200-300 from a single female.

Smooth Newt larvae attain slightly larger sizes and typically metamorphose later than those of the Palmate Newt but in the field these traits are impossible to distinguish.