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Our small flock of twenty seven sheep, a mixture of Herdwick and Beaulah Speckled Face breeds, will be introduced to Pen 3 on Banstead Downs on Thursday 11 April The grazing enclosure is highlighted in red on the map below Visitor access to the enclosure is not permitted at this time We estimate the sheep will be grazing this section of grassland for approximately ten weeks depending on the vegetation growth The grassland areas of...
Read MoreMarch is peak time for frogspawn Even though, with global warming, it is sometimes sighted nowadays as early as December, now is when you are most likely to see it Although frogs turn up almost anywhere damp and sheltered on land throughout the year, they have to lay their eggs (the spawn) in water because they are amphibians, creatures that can exist in both elements, depending on the circumstances So, at this time of year, they travel from...
Read MoreSkylarks are one of the UK's most iconic songbirds but did you know they nest on the ground The uniform habitat of the Mill Field on Banstead Heath is an ideal breeding ground for Skylarks and the meadow supports a healthy breeding population of birds During the nesting season you can enjoy their song-flight above nesting territories as the birds pair up and build their nests Skylarks will raise two to three broods of young each year simply...
Read MoreDear Volunteers, What a miserable spate of weather we are experiencing It looks like there is a chance the wet weather will still be hanging around for our volunteer work party next week, I won’t let rain dampen our spirits though, we have a fun and rewarding task set on Park Downs this month! Last month the team grappled with birch and woody scrub removal on Banstead Downs There’s no denying it, digging out the...
Read MoreA small flock of thirty sheep will be introduced to Pen 2 on Banstead Downs on Wednesday 10 January The grazing enclosure is highlighted in yellow on the map below Visitor access to the enclosure is not permitted at this time We estimate the sheep will be grazing this section of grassland for a period of no longer than ten weeks before they will be moved to Pen 3, marked in red on the map below and the final grazing pen for this...
Read MoreDear Supporter, As the year draws to a close, we'd like to write to say thank you for your support this year Volunteers 2023 has been a memorable year for Banstead Commons Conservators Earlier this year, we launched our new website and more recently introduced our volunteer task programme on the Commons A small but dedicated team of volunteers has already joined us over the last couple of months and we hope that as the...
Read MoreOn a bright and sunny day in November, the Conservators warmly welcomed Bill Downey to Banstead Heath in what was a modest but significant tree-planting event in Surrey Bill is the Species Champion for the White-letter Hairstreak butterfly at Surrey and SW London branch of Butterfly Conservation In his role, Bill not only helps to survey for populations of the butterfly but also creates habitat for the species by planting its sole larval...
Read MoreOn Friday 17 November, Gloucester the Dog, pictured above, hijacked our social media accounts and asked our followers to identify the mystical cluster of mushrooms he found on his walk In response to those who followed the thread, we solve the mystery below and it has nothing to do with dancing fairies! Fairy Rings on Banstead Commons Many different mushrooms form so-called fairy rings Some of these rough circles can be made out...
Read MoreBanstead Commons Conservators hosted a Walk of Remembrance, led by Tim Richardson, on Banstead Heath on Friday 10 November Despite the weather, military historian, long-time local resident and armed forces veteran, Tim kept everybody fascinated with his expert knowledge of events over the last century or so, that have left their mark on the Commons and on those who live and work on and around them His entertaining anecdotes revealing the...
Read MoreIt's that time again Not just mists and mellow fruitfulness but fungi of all shapes and sizes are nearly everywhere you look in the countryside at the moment Contrary to most people's perception, fungi are all around us throughout the year, not just the microscopic ones on which most other organisms depend, but also some large and attractive fruiting bodies can be found if you know where to look For example, bracket fungi grow on trees all year,...
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