Welcome to my first blog!

The summer survey season is in full swing, and one of our newest surveys on the common is the Anglers Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) for the Beverley Brook, with South East Rivers Trust (SERT).  The Riverfly monitoring programme uses kick samples to collect invertebrates from the riverbed. There are 8 groups of invertebrates which are of interest to the survey and a score is calculated based on the numbers found. Going forward this data can then be used to indicate any pollution events that may happen on the watercourse. As an added bonus we’ve also been catching some juvenile flounder and roach!

Recent sightings

Every few weeks I’ll try and keep you all updated with a selection of our most recent sightings, ranging from the smallest to the biggest!

• Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) nesting across the common, 1 pair can be found down along the brook
• Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) has taken up residence in one of our birdboxes in the woods near Ranelagh Avenue
• Buzzard (Buteo buteo) has been seen soaring high above the common
• Green Hairstreak butterflies (Callophrys rubi) spotted in abundance last weekend. The larvae feed on the plentiful gorse on the common
• Black headed cardinal beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea). Look out for the bright red body and black head