Roehampton Garden Society

Category Archives: wildlifepage


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Counting Hedgehogs

The latest Gardener’s World Magazine annual Hedgehog survey has reported a small increase in numbers. This was the first year that hedgehog numbers have slightly increased, so could hedgehogs could be making a comeback?
There is an increase in awareness of the hedgehog’s decline and more gardeners trying to help, but we need better data on where they survive.

The Big Hedgehog Map tells us that 92 holes and 549 hedgehogs were sighted in our area. Do check out this splendid resource. If you want to join the hedgehog monitoring community you can sign up to register your garden and start counting.

If you’re not sure if your garden hosts a hedgehog read this advice from the Wildlife trusts – lots of help!


On a cautionary note, Fay Vass, CEO of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, warned that ‘Valuable as the Gardeners’ World survey is, we need to remember that these figures are only a snapshot. Populations change year to year, and these findings might not necessarily represent the underlying trend.’ Data from the BHPS’s 2022 research into the state of Britain’s hedgehogs gave ‘cause for cautious optimism’ but showed that urban populations are still much lower than they should be.


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Fantastic Mr Fox?

Most of us are accustomed to seeing the odd fox in daylight hours – they are part of site wildlife, and seem amazingly unworried by humans.

Photo by Kate Pugh

This lovely photo, taken by Kate Pugh on site 2, shows how relaxed they can be! Certainly, most of us with a greenhouse have experienced the pleasure of a fox visitor enjoying the warmth and sunshine.

We do need to avoid crop damage and other problems that occur if too many foxes live on the sites. They are wild creatures that can give much pleasure. They do love digging under sheds, however!
There is excellent information and advice about living with foxes from the RSPCA – including how to find out if an earth (den) is occupied before you fill it in. Please do read it.


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The Commons Conservators Wildlife Report

The Wimbledon and Putney Commons’ Wildlife and Environment Report 2022 has just been published.

This monitoring report on the wildlife species living on our commons shows health of our local wildlife, with winners and losers changing year on year.

This year the report shows:

28 species of butterfly were recorded – a slight increase on 2021. There was a more noticeable increase in dragonfly species, up by nine to 21, including a single Norfolk Hawker and a Keeled Skimmer which is a typical wet heathland species not seen on the Common since 2018.

16 Common Lizards were spotted, an increase on the previous year while frogs, toads and newts continue to spawn in many of the ponds.

The stag beetle population continues to decline with only 21 reported by visitors, a continuation of the fall since 2014.

While a number of new species are appearing, there is broader concern expressed in the report that more common species of butterfly are declining in numbers continuing a trend seen over the last few years. In particular Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Common Blue are showing significant declines over the past 5 years.

Read the full report on The Conservators website here


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Should we be planting nettles?

It seems there is a world wide trend to plant more stinging nettles – and not just for soup! In New Zealand nettle cultivation is revitalising their red admiral butterfly population, and in the UK the Woodland Trust urges us to conserve nettle patches – home to several lovely UK butterflies. If you have a small patch of nettles, please consider leaving it alone this summer….

Butterflies on Site 3…
On Sunday last, (9th May) both Albert and myself were treated to a charming Common Blue Butterfly fluttering over both our allotments. Everyone has been telling me about Peacock Butterflies, how they for a few days and were everywhere, then suddenly disappeared. Don’t be sad, they will have mated, laid eggs, and the caterpillars from those eggs will grow over the summer, to enchant us all flying around in August and September.
Small Pearl Fritillarys are now on the wing; several can be seen on site 3. They are about the size of an old half-penny at most. In some of the ponds, damsel flies are now in residence. I’ve yet to see any dragonflies but with the expected hot weather, they will put in an appearance.

Bill Young


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Sights and Sounds of Spring

On the 18th February whilst digging, during a welcome blink of sun, this encouraged the frogs in Alberts pond to croak repeatedly. It also spurred the sparrows to start flirting, the brownish black headed cocks, were desperate to impress their ladies. Choice seeds were being laid gently in front of the lady of their hearts desire, to either be peck up immediately or rejected with scorn by her.

I haven’t seen the goldfinches for at least ten days, anticipating spring, they’ve probably disappeared to the countryside. My allotment owner, not RGS or the council – the owner is called robin redbreast, surprised me, turning up with a companion, both quite enthusiastically and amicably, following me as I dug and moved pots, cleared away dead material. They had a beano on small worms, beetles and much else, so-much-so they only had a little of the cheddar from my sandwich.

On the same day I discovered a red-tailed bumblebee comatosed on the path. I think a wing was damaged, never-the-less it was a welcome sign of spring. Two of our enthusiastic lady plot holders, excitedly told me they’d seen a butterfly. From their description, it sounds as if it was probably a small copper – Lycaena phlaese, but on this I could be totally wrong. All plot holders should be aware – their sheds on the plots are ideal place for insects to hibernate. During late autumn and winter, the shed offers inside, a dry area full of neuks and crannies. They can spin their cocoons with some security, no birds beak will come probing for them. I am guessing, but the I suspect the butterfly probably developed from a cocoon spun in a shed with a fair bit of glass, near the big apple tree at the top of the allotments. During sunny periods, the elevated temperature speeded up its development, hence the early appearance.

with thanks to Bill Young


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The Peregrine Falcon

October 2022
This Tuesday at 12.45 hrs. I saw a peregrine falcon over the allotments. It was soaring beautifully on a thermal. Recognisable by pointed wing tips and what I can best describe as a straight tail.

A solitary large crow was desperately flapping trying to reach it, with the obvious intention of mobbing it. The peregrine obliged and dropped down to the same level of the crow, who courageously tried a clumsy pecking and foot up attack on it. The peregrine then demonstrated how it’s done, turning in a blink of an eye and, in milliseconds, knocking feathers off said brave crow. It (crow) wisely then dropped a couple of hundred feet, but still followed the peregrine, escorting it off the premises of Dover House Road air space. 

The peregrine may have been one of the pair that nested atop Charing Cross Hospital this last couple of years..

with thanks to Bill Young Site 3

Here’s a website dedicated to the peregrines nesting on Charing Cross Hospital