"New" Gloucestershire ARG

With a friend I have started a new amphibian and reptile conservation group in the Forest of dean, Gloucestershire.
This group is called GlosARG and we are an affiliated group of ARG UK.

Our aim is to.....

Raise awareness
Recruit volunteers
Survey Gloucestershire
Manage existing habitats
Create new habitats
Achieve protection status on existing and new habitats
See Gloucestershire recognised as a special place for Herptile Conservation

This isn't going to happen overnight and it isn't going to be easy, but with our passion, focus and some much needed help, I am sure we can achieve our goals.
Until now Gloucestershire did not have a ARG group, so Scott and I decided to change this and show the world the wonders of this special place.
Please contact me if you would like to help. We will be organising walks, talks as well as teaching volunteers how to survey all the magnificent amphibians and reptiles we have in Gloucestershire.

ARG Website

Follow us on...
Twitter
Facebook


As well as many other species, these are just some of the amphibians and reptiles we will be surveying and looking after throughout Gloucestershire.

Great Crested Newt

Adder

Grass Snake

Common Lizard

Toads

Frogs

Rob

Swans and 7 Cygnets - Video

In 2010 on a local pond, two swans successfully reared 7 cygnets. I filmed them over a two hour period and you can see the end result here.

If you like swans, especially cygnets then you will love this as it is truly mesmerising and beautiful.

Sorry about the quality, but I had to convert from MPEG2 to AVI as the file was too large in MPEG format.

Rob

Adder Kiss!

Do you like snakes? If yes then this video is a must see for you.

I have included information throughout, but here is a brief description of events.

I always take my Canon SLR and video camera while surveying as I like to record my sightings in this way as well as by notes. On this occasion I decided to film this male adder as he was preparing to slough (shed his skin) and when they are in this state, it is easier to get close up footage. However, what I didn't anticipate is that he would actually approach me and as I was lying on the ground, supporting my camera with my elbows on the ground, I had to make a hasty retreat!

Basically his vision was impaired and he probably picked up on the heat coming from my camera and my hands.

Anyway, watch the video  and let me know what you think.

Rob

Ward's Wildlife Scrapped

If you live in the Forest of Dean / Wye Valley area then you will probably get the Forest and Wye Valley Review newspaper.
For over a year I have been writing a column called Ward's Wildlife for this newspaper, highlighting wildlife in the area, while also highlighting any issues surrounding it. I have also used this column to help generate volunteers for Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust; once recruiting more than a dozen new volunteers with just one feature.
The new editor, Mark Elson has taken the decision to scrap this column, much to my disgust as he "failed" to tell his readers that it was "his" decision to scrap it, not mine.

I now have no way of letting people know that it was not my decision to stop writing for this newspaper, so if you read this and know anyone who enjoyed this column, please let them know that I am still out there doing my thing and if they wish to see my column reinstated, they can contact the person responsible at this email address.
Mark Elson:  revieweditor@tindlenews.co.uk 

Anyway, enough of that as I have some photographs to show you from the last couple of weeks, walking around the forest. With all this heat and with my usual trick of finding myself in the middle of the forest with no water and severe dehydration, it's a wonder I made it back out!

A couple of wild boars

This little one has come a long way just to have his photograph taken!

Then mum came up for a portrait. However, she didn't look her best!

A couple of birds

I love photographing jays and love their striking colours.

Canada goslings having a rest.

Hare today, gone in a flash!

The rare one

This is a very rare Great Crested Newt and I found a breeding colony in a pond, deep in the forest. Fantastic and great news for these very rare and protected amphibians.

DO NOT FEED THE WILD BOAR!

I have been saying this for years and still, every year people do it and every year we end up with the loss of a sow and orphaned piglets.
It's a sad day when certain people treat the Forest of Dean an it's wildlife like a zoo, but that's exactly what's happening and the result is a dead wild boar mother and 9 orphaned piglets left alone to fend for themselves, again!
These animals do not require free handouts, they are more than capable of finding their own food so please do not feed them.

You might think you are helping them, but in reality you are putting a death sentence on their heads as the boar will start to approach people, thinking they have food. The wild boar are naturally inquisitive, but also very shy. However, they are also opportunists and very intelligent and it doesn't take them long to associate humans as a source for food if they are fed in a certain spot regularly.
They will then hang around the feeding area and this is when another opportunist comes along to take advantage of a free meal; the Poacher!

Please think and use your common sense.


Police and Forestry Commission response HERE

Friends of the Boar on FACEBOOK

Northern Development

For Nothern Arc Development....

Click Here

And Here

Rob

Wild Boar in the Forest of Dean

Had an eventful couple of weeks with the wild boar as they start to become more active with their little ones.
The vast majority of wild boar births happen between late February to early March after a gestation period of around 4 months and this is a good time to see them as the little ones are very active, learning the ways of the world from mum.

This is the first year that they have been given the luxury of a closed season and this is vital as the piglets are dependant on the sows milk for around 3 to 4 months. Along with two colleagues, I actively campaigned for a closed season from January to June/July so that the young ones have a chance at life, but the main reason is that if a sow is shot, the little ones will starve to death without the support from the sow.
The Forestry Commission agreed to this, but instead of resuming the cull as and when the piglets are independent and able to survive on their own, they have chosen to suspend and review the cull in September.
There is a reason behind this and I hope that it isn't to try and discredit me and my colleagues as we will see a big increase in boar numbers between now and September as the little ones grow and venture further afield.
Whatever the reason I still stand by the fact that it is immoral to kill an animal with dependant young!

Its not always easy spotting the boar and this was my first glimpse of a sounder (group) after at least 5 miles of tracking.


Seeing them is one thing, but getting close to get a decent shot is another! I was creeping up to get a better look at the sow when I noticed movement in the reeds. A piglet was staring straight at me and this is usually where it all goes wrong as they give you away in an instant.


I was low to the ground, out of sight of the sow and it was just a case of waiting to see if the sow would either ignore the piglet, or come and investigate.

She came to investigate!


After watching me through the trees for a while she decided to come up for a better look!


Then she heard passers and also realising I was human she rounded up her young, disappearing into the forest.


I moved on to try and track down some more in a different location and it wasn't long before the tell tale signs started showing.

Boar poo - I try not to lye and roll around in this!


Then all of a sudden a sow stood up right in front of me!


I crouched down out of sight, but it was too late and she was gone. I was gutted, but when they are lying down in the bracken its very tough knowing they are there until its too late.
I decided to stay in the area for around an hour when all of a sudden I heard movement in the forest and it sounded heavy. I crouched behind a tree and watched as two sows and around 7 - 8 piglets came out into the open.
The sow knew I was there, but she must have decided that I was no threat and brought her little ones out to show me.


I decided to go back to this location today and sure enough, within 10 minuets I found them again. This time the sow saw me from the start, but as I kept my distance and crept up slowly she didn't seem to mind.
Its fantastic being in the presence of the wild boar and to be able to sit within a metre of them and their young while they are acting perfectly natural is a real treat.

Pics from today...









Respect these animals and their home and ypu can have some truly memorable experiences being around them.

PS: I didn't take my dog!

Rob