MGLG - 2000 Annual Report

The past year, 2000 to 2001, has seen the start of our more systematic and planned approach to conservation work and wildlife recording on the reserve, as heralded in our last annual report.

During the summer of 2000 our first major and comprehensive survey of breeding birds was undertaken for the Group by Kevin Briggs. This was carried out in accordance with British Trust for Ornithology recommended guidelines for a common bird census and has, for the first time, provided us with data on the number of species breeding on the reserve and, most importantly, where they are on the reserve and in what numbers. This will now allow us to examine their distribution throughout the reserve in relation to habitat and help in the formulation of specific management proposals for maintaining or improving particular habitats. The number of breeding species (at least 57) and the number of territories they occupied (over 400) is a measure of the ornithological importance of the reserve. One of Kevin's key findings was that the reserve is supporting nine pairs of Reed Buntings, a Red Data Book species over which there is national concern, because of their declining population.

At the same time, Ken Crick has begun work on preparing a new management plan for the reserve to direct and guide our conservation work in the future. The plan to which we have been working so far was drawn up when the reserve was first opened and no longer provides a suitable framework. for our current and future work programmes.

This eighth annual report describes the conservation and management work carried out over the period from spring 2000 to spring 2001 and provides information on the birds, plants and other wildlife groups recorded on the reserve for the period from. January to December 2000. For those not familiar with the reserve a profile is provided at Appendix A and there is a map at Appendix H.

The progress we have made over the last year with the management of the reserve could not have been accomplished without the hard work of a small number of Group members and the substantial support of conservation volunteers from the Blackwater Valley Countryside Service (BVCS). This report provides me with the opportunity of placing on record our thanks and appreciation to all those who have helped with this work. Particular thanks must go to Steve Bailey and Amanda Simpson-Atkins of the BVCS, both for organising working parties and for actively participating in them. Sadly Amanda has left the BVCS but has still continued to help us with conservation work.

The collection of records of the flora and fauna of the reserve has continued and reports of the major wildlife groups appear later in this report, including on this occasion some new information on the invertebrate's to be found on the reserve. We are particularly grateful yet again to Ian Brown for processing all the many bird records to produce for us the ornithological summary.

Use has again been made of the records members have submitted by completing the record sheets provided for this purpose in the hides. This help is greatly appreciated - do please keep using the forms.

Clearance of vegetation will again be one of our main tasks in 2001, both from around the lakes and from the islands. We would welcome your help with this work, even if only for an hour. For details and dates of our work parties please ring Steve Bailey on 01252 331353 or check our latest Newsletter.

Survey work in 2001 is expected to include our first detailed look at the aquatic plants on the reserve. This survey forms part of our new rolling programme of census work designed over a five-year cycle to cover the major wildlife groups. By following prescribed guidelines for the conduct of these surveys it will be possible to compare the results with the results of subsequent surveys conducted in precisely the same way. so that changes (improvements or declines) can be detected and their implications for reserve management considered. If you would like to participate in monitoring the wildlife of the reserve, and particularly if you have knowledge of a wildlife group we have not yet covered (e.g. wasps, ants, spiders) please let Steve or any committee member know.

Any review of our future plans would not be complete without a reference to the Manor Farm site immediately to the west of our reserve from which mineral extraction is now beginning. Revised plans for the extraction and restoration processes have just been approved by the Wokingham District Council Planning Department. An important condition of that approval is the requirement for the restoration of the site to include a “significant area of reed bed” A sub-committee of the RMC Steering Group, comprising members of RMC and. our management committee, has been set up to respond to the need to present Wokingham District Council planners with a detailed restoration plan showing how the requirement for such an area of reed bed or marsh could be met. Although the time scale for mineral extraction at Manor Farm is probably at least 10 years, it is important from the outset to determine how the site needs to be worked and restored to produce the desired reed bed habitat. The importance of this development for the Moor Green Lakes Group is that it opens the way to extending our reserve to include the Manor Farm site and for us to be involved in the running of the combined reserve. A considerable challenge.

Our eighth annual general meeting, kindly hosted yet again by RMC Aggregates (Southern) Ltd., was held at Finchampstead Memorial Hall on the 16th February 2001 and was well attended. At that meeting I retired as Chairman and was succeeded by Ken Crick, who has nobly taken on this role in addition to his already significant involvement in management work on the reserve, monitoring the reserve's dragonflies and damselflies and producing our newsletters.

There were a few changes in the composition of the management committee, as you will see from the new list of committee members at Appendix G. We welcome to the committee Sue Proudley (our new Butterfly Recorder), and Sheila Farmer (Membership Secretary). Retiring members Chris Taylor and Chris Gent were thanked for all the work they have done for the Group over the years. Chris Taylor’s retirement means that the committee is without a secretary and we are looking for a volunteer from members to help us in this respect. Additionally Jim Bennett has volunteered to act as the Group's Invertebrates Recorder. For further information about the Group and its activities the contact is the Blackwater Valley Countryside Service (BVCS) telephone 01252 33.1353. If any member notices something happening at the reserve which might result in damage or threaten wildlife, would they please inform the BVCS on 01252 331353, or Gerry Bryant on 01252 875952.

Finally I am grateful to Chris Rose for her help in the production of this report and to RMC Aggregates (Southern) Ltd. For copying the report for circulation.

As this is the last introduction I shall provide as Chairman I could not end it without expressing my thanks to those committee members, past and present, who have supported me with their help and advice. I wish the Group well in the years ahead.

An interesting year on the conservation front with much achieved despite a few problems along the way.

For the first half of the year work progressed well, with numbers attending the conservation work parties slightly up on last year. We were also able to organise the surfacing of the section of footpath between Colebrook Cut and the river a job needing doing for a number of years. This was only possible due to RMC providing materials for free and Wokingham DC ROW team paying for the labour required. With RMC also agreeing at an early stage to pay for contractors to carry out the heavy work of cutting the lakeside trees and viewing slots, the volunteer work parties were able to concentrate on island clearance and other more detailed jobs. This volunteer input included, The Blackwater Valley midweek Conservation Volunteers, and Reading YOC group, many thanks to them.

At the turn of the year Amanda Simpson-Atkins who had been organising and leading the conservation programme left the Blackwater Valley Countryside Service. I would like to record my thanks for all the work she has achieved over the last few years on the Reserve and so was delighted that she was able to carry on leading the Sunday Work parties as a fully paid up volunteer.

The good progress up till February was just as well, for in March the Foot & Mouth outbreak struck Britain and the site was closed so preventing further access for work parties. The year-end total was 131 volunteer workdays (not including cattle cheeks, gate-locking etc.) with all big jobs completed and a few minor ones left waiting next winter.

My thanks go to all of you who have given up time during the year to help with the management of the Reserve.

We were fortunate this year in again procuring the services of the BBOWT Highland Cattle herd and having them on site in the early winter. 11 cows and one young calf and a 1-day-old calf were brought onto the reserve in 1 November 2000. Whilst on site a further 2 calves were born and another young animal that had required extra care re-introduced to the herd. The animals left the reserve on 12 January.

As usual much effort was placed on controlling vegetation on the reserves islands.

Tern, Plover & Sandpiper islands have all been cleared of bramble and the patch of buried plastic sheeting on Tern Island was extended. This sheeting is proving its worth in restricting vegetation growth, making clearance very much easier. Posts to bear a mink-proof fence were specially made to our own design, but the cancellation of tasks required the postponement of the installation.

The dead hedge alongside the Colebrook Lake Hide scrape was bulked up to maintain its screen function.

The path hedge along the western boundary of the site was cut back by contractors, but not until a couple of volunteer tasks had been required to cut back the most invasive sections encroaching on the footpath.

A contractor carried out tree, scrub and bramble clearance along the north shore of Colebrook Lake North. Selected gorse bushes and patches of bramble were left. Many of the trees cut by both the contractor and volunteers were later treated with herbicide to prevent regrowth.

Volunteers cleared bramble patches from the north and west shores of Colebrook Lake that were invading the grassland by this lake. Work parties also cut scallops in the trees on the North shore of Grove Lake to prevent excess waterside shading.

Two patches of lakeside rushes on the North shore of Colebrook Lake were cleared to allow easy access/egress for Wigeon and geese wishing to graze the grassland.

I am pleased to say the hides have only required regular minor maintenance this year, applying preservative to Colebrook hide being the largest job,

2 viewing slots were cut by volunteers early in the winter a further 7 by a contractor finished the job.

The section of path between Colebrook Cut and the river was resurfaced by contractors and 2 access restriction barriers placed to prevent misuse of the path by motorcyclists and horse riders. Unfortunately despite careful research the barriers proved impassable to the motorised scooter used by one of our members, and so have had to be bypassed. Can any one who experiences problems due to motorcyclists and horse riders using the path please report this to a member of the committee.

Some small-scale clearance work took place in the car park finishing off the work on police advice designed to discourage car break-ins.

This year's report includes details of the Common Bird Census conducted on the Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve by Dr Kevin Briggs. The aim of the survey was to produce a distribution map of breeding birds on the reserve that would then be used to assist in identifying management requirements whilst also providing a baseline for subsequent surveys to look at population dynamics. I thank Kevin for allowing me to use the data in this report.

In the early winter period there were average numbers of surface feeding duck. There were good numbers of Goosander roosting on the site, but the early winter highlight was the second site record of Little Egret. This bird often gave obliging views from the hides and was present on the site intermittently for seven weeks. The other early year highlight was Pintail.

Early spring started with two records of Osprey in April followed by 2 Whimbrels and 2 Red Kites that were no doubt wandering birds from the captive breeding program. Wader passage was generally light except for very good numbers of Greenshank. Undoubtedly bird of the year was an A too brief stay in May of a Red Necked Phalarope on Colebrook Lake North before being flushed by a Hobby! All witnessed by our conservation consultant!!

Breeding success was mixed with waders again faring poorly. Redshank were unsuccessful and left the site early but Lapwing did continue to prosper despite some losses to predators. Little and Great Crested Grebes had successful years particularly the former with 14 young raised mainly on the Hants side of the complex. However the best success of the year was Common Tern with six pairs rearing a total of 14 young on Tern Island! This is the best year since breeding first began in 1991. Mandarin were again successful in nestboxes and Woodlark bred on the site for the third year running.

Little Ringed Plover raised two young away from the reserve. A record total of 161 occupied nest holes were located in the Sand Martin colony. A total of 12 Hobbies were seen together in the reserve area in June.

Late summer/autumn saw a scattering of interesting waders with Oystercatcher, Ruff and a popular Wood Sandpiper. Other highlights included Scaup, a remarkable 5 Honey Buzzards together plus one other record, two more Osprey's, Peregrine, Mediterranean Gull and a Kittiwake. The year closed with returning waterfowl including a site record count of 353 Wigeon and a group of Pintail.

The flight season weather records associated with the Odonata population survey figures are not indicative of the poor summer I remember, each week it was possible to find a day with full sun but often accompanied by a stiff breeze.

The five transects remain as defined in previous reports, they were surveyed once a week between the 1st April and the 31st October. The survey methodology remains unchanged. During the winter and spring the opportunity was taken during conservation work party activities to sample the water life in search of larva, in order to generate a more complete picture of the Odonata life cycles on the reserve. Dragonfly and Damselfly location charts are included at the end of this chapter, plus a map of the site with matching co-ordinates to help readers see where the different aspects of Odonata activity have been observed. This map or a derivative of it will also be used by our freshwater specialist Dr. Jim Bennett who is responsible for its production.

The year has proved very productive; eight species of Odonata larva have been caught and positively identified. With Jim joining the group as an active recorder the chances of finding and identifying further larva have been greatly increased.

Blue-tailed, Large Red and Common Blue Damselflies along with the Banded Demoiselle have all retained a strong presence on site. However, the small number of Red-eyed Damselflies seen on previous years seems to have packed their bags and moved next door to Horseshoe Lake. The Emerald Damselfly population seems to be barely hanging on and the hoped for increase in Azure Damselfly numbers did not materialize.

On the dragonfly front, Four-spotted Chaser numbers have recovered well after their decline of the last two years. The Emperor Dragonfly, albeit only males were seen, is staging a comeback. Black-tailed Skimmers and Common darters were as active as ever. There was a further increase in Migrant Hawker numbers, the presence of Golden-ringed Dragonflies and Ruddy Darter were also noted.

Downy Emerald has been recorded within the population survey for the first time; mature adults, exuvia and a newly emerged adult were all seen.

The numbers of Brown Hawker have declined from their previous best year but numbers are still at an acceptable level.

Once again my thanks to those of you who have taken the trouble to record your sightings on the hide charts. It is appreciated.

The season started on the 29th April when two teneral form Blue-tailed Damselflies were observed on the bank of Colebrook cut. The population at Moor Green peaked at 140 during the second week in June. Throughout June and early July the population was always in excess of 100. Copulation was frequently observed and. all four colour forms of female were recorded as present. The final sighting occurred during the 1st week in September on Colebrook Lake North. Larva were found at two sites on Grove Lake, map ref 13V & 12W, and another on Colebrook Lake, map ref 11J.

This species was about ten days late in making an appearance this year. A single male was observed on the riverbank adjacent to Grove Lake during the second week in May and was last sighted during the last week of September. The population peaked only once with a count of 211 on the 26th June. Throughout June the population count remained in excess of 150 individuals. Despite the prolific nature of this species and a good sexual mix, at no time was copulation or ovipositing witnessed. The unusual sight of two males attempting copulation with one another was photographed, the male dominant having successfully grasped the male submissive by the prothorax, i.e. behind the head. Larva for this species was found in Colebrook Cut by the footbridge, map ref 10A

The 29th April also produced four teneral form Large Reds in the vicinity of Colebrook Cut. For the last three years this species has appeared first on or around Colebrook Cut during the last week in April. Both exuvia (shed larval skin) and larva were found at this site, map ref. 10A. In line with previous years, at Moor Green, the flight period was over by the end of June neither population survey or hide charts listing any as present beyond this date. However, the conservation working party of the 20th July I found five exuvia at map ref.2A. Large Red Damselfly lama and exuvia can be identified by a clear “X” mark on the caudal lamellae, three leaf like appendages at the rear of the insect. Pond dipping with Jim Bennett provided more larva at Goose Island, map ref. 11J.

During the population survey not a single member of this species was seen. The survey figures for previous years indicate that the population on site is always in single figures. The hide charts also failed to offer any recorded sightings. However during the winter a single larva was found at Grove Lake, map ref. 13V, and a single male was seen on the wing near Goose Island while in the presence of Dr Bennett.

This species came in with a bang, 232 were counted at its first showing on the 10th May. By the last week in May the population peaked for the year at over 1600 and averaged around 1200 for all of June. Numbers steadily trailed off until mid-August when a small population peak of 250+ was recorded. The subsequent decline reached single figures in mid-September with no sightings in October. Just off site on Horseshoe Lake a single male was seen on the 17th October. Common Blue can be seen copulating just about anywhere on site and in almost any weather conditions. Ovipositing is regularly observed on the lakes and was also seen in the river this year, when the water level was particularly low. Larva were found on site at map ref 2A, 11J & 12W. Exuvia, were also found in good numbers along the northern shoreline of both Colebrook and Grove Lakes.

After last years promise the numbers reported for this year were very disappointing. A male and female in tandem were seen on the 24th May followed by solitary individuals found on the 26th June and 8th July. The hide charts indicate better fortune for Alex Twyford who had 16 on the 18th May, with single specimens seen on two days in each of the months of June, July and August. Towards the end of February an Azure larva was caught in Colebrook Cut.

This species seems to have packed its bags and moved to Horseshoe Lake where they could be found throughout the season in the vicinity of the White Water Lily (Nymphae alba) recently established on site. Six males were found on the river on the 24th May and two males and one female were found within the bounds of the Reserve on the 3rd June. There were no independent sightings from members for this species and no exuvia or larva have been found to date. However, the BFBC Invertebrate Survey for 2000 recorded nymphs of this species from all six of the aquatic samples.

This is another species that disappears early from our site each year. Having emerged early in May they had gone by the 1st July. Elsewhere in the valley they could be seen on the wing throughout July. The highest number seen on a single visit was eleven individuals, exuvia were found and copulation and ovipositing observed both in the scrape in front of Colebrook hide and in the extreme northwest corner of Colebrook Lake, map ref. 2A. The numbers present this year have almost doubled over the previous best year of the ongoing population study

Seen for the first time on this Reserve its presence was independently noted by Steve Bailey, the contract entomologist Matthew Smith and myself. An exuvia was found with a newly emerged Downy Emerald in close proximity. Mr. Smith took the exuvia for positive identification off site. Photographs were taken of both the exuvia and the insect. The Downy Emeralds were active over Colebrook Lake North from the l0th May until the 7th June.

This resident species made its debut for the year on the 31st May. The population peaked at 18 during the last week in June and in common with previous years, the last sighting within the survey occurred during the third week in August. Overall the population on the Reserve appears stable. Larva have been found off Goose Island, Long Island and in the Grove Lake scrape system, map ref. 11J, 11G & 12W respectively.

The Emperor has made something of a comeback this year, as previously reported only one was seen in 1998 and four in 1999. This year nine were recorded over a 10-week flight period. Outside the constraints of the population survey the hide charts indicate 7 sightings during July and August. All the population survey sightings were of patrolling males. No larva or exuvia have been found to date.

The first Brown hawker appeared early this year, during the forth week in June. In previous years we have been well into July before they have made an appearance on the Reserve. The overall pattern of population peaks and troughs across the flight season has remained remarkably static over the last three years, the only difference being that this year the numbers seen are significantly down on 1998 & 1999. This leads one to speculate that the recovery in Emperor Dragonfly numbers with its aggressive territorial habit may have reduced the number of acceptable hawking sites for this species.

Our best year for this dramatic large black and yellow dragonfly. During the workparty of the 20th July a single male was seen at rest on vegetation bordering Colebrook Cut. Both Amanda Simpson-Atkins and Gerry Bryant had good views. On the 22nd July two males were recorded as present on the River Blackwater on the 15th August, a single male was recorded during a population survey visit. Therefore only one of these Sightings appears in the population survey. The importance of completed hide charts and data collected by members other than the recorder cannot be over-emphasized, particularly in respect of the casual non-resident dragonflies such as this species.

This species can be found without much effort locally on Yateley Common but it is rarely seen at Moor Green. An immature specimen was found during the 14th June population survey visit. The only other sighting for the year came from the hide charts and was recorded by Mr. J. E. Warren on the 10th June.

The numbers for this species have steadily increased over the last three years. The 1998 flight season recorded a total of 29 individuals, the 1999 total was 47 and for 2000 the figure increased to 61. The population was at its strongest throughout September with a maximum of 19 individuals on the wing on the 19th September. Copulation was observed on two occasions with some excellent photo opportunities materializing just outside the entrance to Colebrook hide.

There were no recorded observations of this species from the population survey visits. Alex Twyford recorded two as being present on the 16th September and on the 5th August; one was seen over Grove Lake and a second on Horseshoe Lake.

This not so common insect was not seen at all during the course of any population survey visit. Alex Twyford is credited with a single sighting on the 18th August.

The first Ruddy Darter was seen on the wing at the beginning of August. None were seen then until the 23rd August when 17 were observed at various points around the Reserve. The species were active on the Reserve throughout September with copulation and ovipositing witnessed over the scrape in front of Colebrook hide. In all there were 33 sightings of Ruddy Darter, the highest previous total was 6 for 1999.

Over the Reserve this species was on the wing from late June until the end of October. The population remains healthy and they can be found almost anywhere on site, the walk from the car park to Colebrook hide is particularly popular with this species, on warm sunny days in September and October. Small population peaks occurred during the last week in July and the last week in August as in previous years, followed by a large peak in the second week in September when 90 individuals were counted during a single 11/2 hour visit. The good numbers of Common Darters present was reflected in the records members provided via the hide charts. Copulating couples were often seen on the wing and ovipositing was frequently observed. Strangely as yet, no larva have been found.

Map Ref	2A	10A	River A to J	River K to V	9A	13W	14N	9B	11G	11J	12W
Four Spot Chaser WR	M F T C O E	M	M	M
Black-tailed Skimmer WR & B	M F L	M F T C	M F T C	M F C				M F C O	L	L	L
Common Darter WR	M F T C O E	M F T	M F T C O*	M F C		M F C O		M F C O
Emperor Dragonfly 7 & <7	M F O	M	M	M							L
Brown Hawker WR	M	M	M F	M F C
Migrant Hawker 7 & <7	M	M F O	M F C	M F		M		M
Common Hawker <7	M	F		M
Ruddy Darter	M		M	M
Southern Hawker 7 & <7	M		M		M		M F
Golden-ringed Dragonfly <7			M F				M
Downey Emerald	T M E

Map Ref	2A & B	10A	River A to J	River K to W	9B	13W	8R	13V	13U	11J	12W
Large Red Damselfly WR & SB	M F C O E	M F T C O L E	M F	M F						L
Banded Demoiselle 7 & <7	M F C	M F L	M F C	M F C O*
Blue-tailed Damselfly WR	M F C E	M F T C O	M F C	M F T C					L	L	L
Common Blue Damselfly WR & B	M F T C O L E	M F T C O	M F T C O*	M F T C O*	M F C O	M F C O	M F T E			L	L
Azure Damselfly WR	M F O	L
Red-eyed Damselfly	M F O		M
Emerald Damselfly WR & B	M F O		M F						L

As I took over as butterfly recorder in May 2000 I regret my records are not as comprehensive as I would have liked. I would like to thank Ken Crick and Chris Rose for all their help and advice in getting me started. My thanks, also, to all the people who have contributed their observations. I do not know all the names so I am sorry that I cannot give more than initials, taken from my monthly sighting charts, on my list of observers below.

2000 has been a year of mixed fortunes for butterflies with some appearing in good numbers and others very hard to find or absent. There were good numbers of Comma, but few Small Tortoiseshell and no Green Hairstreak or Holy Blue. There were three records of Purple Hairstreak and one Grayling. Three Painted ladies visited in June and two Clouded Yellows were seen in August and September. The final entry for the year was for three Red Admirals recorded on 4th November.

The record rainfall in the autumn reduced late fliers and will pose more problems in survival for next years butterflies

Sue Proudley maybe contacted on tel: 01252 875536 or by e-mail: cproudley@talk21.com

April - Nov 2000	APRIL	MAY	JUNE	JULY	AUG	SEPT	OCT	NOV	DEC
(Thymelicus sylvestris)			3	15	1
(Thymelicus lineola)				4
(Ochlodes venata)			12	29	1
(Colias crocea)					2	2
(Gonepteryx rhamni)	3	4	2	1	2
(Pierce brassicae)		2	2	10	12	3
(Pieris rapae)