New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme - March 2025 activities summary

Russell Wynn, 05 April 2026

The first three activities of this year's New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme (VESPA) were successfully delivered in March 2026, and a brief summary is provided below. Further details about VESPA, including registration information, are available here.

VESPA Group Survey on 20 March 2026

Nine participants enjoyed a wonderful sunny day to kick off the 2026 VESPA Group Surveys, with a focus on restored heathland and wetland habitats in the nothern New Forest.

A quick detour to check a known site for Bog Beacons Mitrula paludosa proved to be productive, with several clusters emerging from a mossy ditch. In addition, careful searching of a stand of burnt Gorse ‘blackjacks’ revealed several specimens of Gorse Cramp Balls Daldinia fissa, which is widespread in suitable habitat in the New Forest but under-recorded.

Bog Beacons on 20 March 2026

Searching for Gorse Cramp Balls on 20 March 2026

Gorse Cramp Balls on burnt Gorse on 20 May 2026

Invertebrates included a pair of nationally scarce River Skaters Aquarius najas on a small side stream. The flowering Gorse smelt wonderful, and hosted an abundance of Gorse Shieldbugs Piezodorus lituratus and Gorse Weevils Exapion ulicis, while other common species included Sausage Ground Beetle Carabus granulatus (rescued from a flooded ditch) Ground Wolf Spider Trochosa terricola (found beneath deadwood), Narrow-banded Zebra Spider Salticus cingulatus (on sunlit Scots Pine trunks), and Double-striped Pug (netted from heathland). A variety of common dipterids were also on the wing.

River Skaters on 20 March 2026

Priority bird species included Crossbills and Dartford Warblers seen in suitable breeding habitat, while a couple of wandering Red Kites were soaring in the distance.

VESPA Breeding Raptor Training on 21 March 2026

A total of 15 participants attended the first VESPA Training Session of 2026, focussed on breeding raptors and led by Andy Page of the New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme.

VESPA breeding raptor training on 21 March 2026

It was another warm, calm, and sunny spring day, with Brambling and singing Firecrest heard near the car park, and a couple of Dartford Warblers recorded on the walk to the viewpoint.

Raptor activity was already underway as the group assembled at an elevated watchpoint overlooking a distant block of woodland. Buzzards seemed to be everywhere, with the morning total well into double figures, while Goshawks also featured prominently with two adult pairs displaying over known territories and several immature birds also observed. A couple of wandering Red Kites included one passing directly overhead, and falcons were represented by two Merlins, a Peregrine, and a Kestrel.

Ravens were a regular feature through the morning, and a Curlew came up from a known territory and headed towards the coast, presumably to feed. Visible migration included a steady northwards passage of Meadow Pipits and a trio of early Swallows, while a Magpie flying high east also appeared to be on the move. Some of the participants got a glimpse of the wintering Great Grey Shrike, but it remained elusive and never showed well.

An unexpected bonus was a juvenile Raft Spider and several presumed Heathland Bristletails that were found on a black rucksack that had warmed up in the sun.

Juvenile Raft Spider on 21 March 2026

VESPA Group Survey on 25 March 2026

A group of nine participants braved a biting northwest breeze to survey an area of restored heathland and riverine woodland near Lyndhurst. It was encouraging to see and hear several Woodlarks on territory over the restored heathland, including a couple of singing males, as well as a supporting cast of singing Meadow Pipit and Stonechat. A marauding male Goshawk drifted over the heath, a Raven cronked from a clump of Scots Pine, a Merlin was seen soaring distantly, and a Red Kite gave terrific views as it powered into the wind over the heads of the group.

VESPA surveyors searching restored heathland on 25 March 2026

Careful searching beneath conifer brash on the restored heathland produced Common Lizard, Common Toad, and Slow-worm, and a selection of invertebrates including Common Groundhopper, Ground Wolf Spider, and a nice variety of beetles (e.g. Common Darkling Beetle Nalassus laevioctostriatus, Common Pill Beetle Byrrhus pilula, Common Heart-shield Nebria brevicollis, and Prussian Plate-Jaw Leistus spinibarbis). One of the darkling beetles was found dead on a Scots Pine, apparently a victim of the white entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana.

Common Toad on 25 March 2026

Conifer wood-rotting fungi included Serpula himantioides, while an old bonfire site held Bonfire Scalycap Pholiota highlandensis. The abundant pony dung hosted clusters of Nail Fungus and were a target for a male Minotaur Beetle. A boggy area produced several emerging Round-leaved Sundews and a couple of Bog Beacons.

Nail Fungus on pony dung on 25 March 2026

Male Minotaur Beetle on 25 March 2026

Emerging Round-leaved Sundews on 25 March 2026

The riverine woodland failed to produce the hoped-for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but did hold singing Firecrest as well as Brindled Pug moth, and Ash-black Slug Limax cinereoniger.

VESPA surveyors going the extra mile to confirm a Brindled Pug!