Past Events

Please send any pictures and stories you have to share to ascot.wildlife@gmail.com

Friday 6th June

We had a lovely evening walk on Chobham Common encountering 4 nightjars, only two were seen, one up and close. We also heard and saw 2 woodcock fly over, and heard 1 cuckoo several times once very close by. The highlight was probably a tiny adder right next to our path (which nearly got trodden). No rain so all in all a good evening!

Saturday 10th May

Conservation work at Allens Field - Most ditches in the woodland were dry so we were pleased to see that there was water in the pond we dug just for this purpose. The dead hedge protecting the pond was repaired and extended. Some of the posts had rotten and it was thinning out. We also carried out the first FIT pollinator counts of the year on a couple of patches of buttercups as it was very sunny, if a little windy.

rotting post with fungi

dead hedge complete

work in progress

50 cm square with buttercups for FIT count of pollinators

Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th April

UK WaterBlitz - testing local streams for Nitrates and Phosphates and taking samples for lab based e.coli testing. Results are shown here.

Blackmoor Pond covered in mats of weed

Sample at inlet was moderately high in itrates and phosphates

Sunday 27th April

Creating wildflower patches at Ascot Locomotive Club. We created 3 and a half patches by the railway line to add diversity of wildflowers in this sunnier spot.

Thursday 24th April

Preparing Carnation Hall pollinator patch for the year ahead.

Saturday 12th April

Conservation work at Allens Field - the team cut back holly regrowth and created log piles of fallen wood.

Thursday 10th April

Maintenance work on the wildflower bed at Victory Field - old stalks were removed along with some grass.

Sunday 6th April

Conservation work with our BFC Ranger at Blackmoor Pond. Good progress was made tackling the bamboo and clearing litter from the pond.

Sunday 23rd March

We had a table at the Winkfield Parish Carnation Hall Climate Change Event to promote our work on the pollinator patch there and encourage wildlife friendly gardening.

Wednesday 12th March

Conservation work at Ascot Heath Primary School - Infant school wildlife garden maintenance work to keep the garden in good condition for the children's outdoor, nature education.

Friday 7th March

A group of volunteers worked in pleasant dappled sunshine at Lakeview Monkey Sanctuary to plant a stretch of mixed native hedge and to make another clearing in the woodland by removing rhododendron which allows grass and other plants to diversify the ground cover to increase opportunities for local wildlife.

Monday 24th February

The annual Wildlife in Ascot Quiz at The Stag Pub in Ascot was a sociable and interesting evening. After ordering food and drink, the 10 teams tackled a range of loosely and more closely wildlife related questions and everyone learnt something new including unexpected knowledge from their fellow team members :)

Friday 14th February

Conservation work at Lakeview Monkey Sanctuary. A group of volunteers worked with the owner to increase the size of a clearing in the woodland by cutting back rhododendron and heaping it in a dead hedge behind a fallen tree. Great progress was made, the weather was kind and we had some lovely sunshine.

Wednesday 15th January

Working Party at Ascot Heath Primary School tidied up the Infant school wildlife garden for the children's outdoor, nature education.

Saturday 11th January

Work at Allens Field this month included a winter bird survey, rhododendron removal, filling in a sink hole that keeps appearing in a footpath and litter removal. The weather was very cold and crisp making everything look lovely under a blue sky. The woodland has extensive stretches of water, much of it was frozen.