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Andy Page and Tommy Saunders, New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group (NFRMG), April 2026 Despite a prolonged period of cold easterly winds, the current warm spell has enabled fieldwork to continue apace. Goshawks are the earliest of the New Forest raptors to begin breeding, and with over 60 sites to check and a minimum of two visits required to each to confirm breeding or occupation, we have been extremely busy. To date we have 40 sites where incubation has commenced and a further 16 sites that remain unconfirmed, but where nest refurbishment has taken place. Six further sites are noted as occupied, but where it is probable that only a single bird is holding territory. Our plans to satellite tag some young Goshawk chicks this year have been approved by the BTO special methods panel, and the tags have been ordered and paid for. In late March we delivered a well-attended VESPA training day around raptor identification, with a further training day planned for late May, and we now have a few weeks to pick up our Common Buzzard survey work. Every year we get more sightings of Red Kites across the New Forest, but we still await confirmation of a successful breeding attempt on the Crown Lands. The White-tailed Eagle reintroduction programme on the Isle of Wight has resulted in regular but unpredictable sightings of these magnificent birds, and no one should be in any doubt if they see one. While not raptor-related, we also monitor Raven breeding sites across the forest where time allows and usually ring two or three broods to gauge productivity year on year (see pic below). Raven chicks in the nest - it is said that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, surely only if you’re a parent Raven!! (photo: NFRMG). In the coming weeks, we welcome any reports of breeding Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, and Red Kite within the New Forest National Park, particularly relating to occupied nests or observations of fledged juveniles. We also welcome any reports of Hobby and Honey Buzzard, which will help us build a picture of occupied territories for these summer migrant species. Reports can be emailed to hello@wildnewforest.org.uk and these will be passed promptly to the NFRMG team in strict confidence.

Russell Wynn, 05 May 2026 The New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme (VESPA) reconvened after the Easter holidays, with four group surveys and a training session all delivered in the second half of April. The group surveys are already demonstrating the benefits of having multiple pairs of eyes (and ears!) in the field, and have generated some fantastic records of priority species. It's been great to see the survey participants sharing experience and benefitting from the informal training, whether they be beginner or expert. An illustrated summary of April activities is provided below, while further details about VESPA, including registration information, are available here. VESPA Group Survey on 15 April 2026 13 participants gathered for an exploration of restored heathland and wetland habitats in the eastern New Forest. Several Firecrests and Redstarts were singing in the retained woodland blocks, and it was encouraging to hear singing Woodlarks in each of the three recently restored heathland units. A Dryad’s Saddle fungus was found on deadwood, and Dung Roundead and Minotaur Beetle were found associated with pony dung. Damp areas contained several plant species that are currently nationally red-listed as Vulnerable, including Three-lobed Crowfoot, Marsh Pennywort, and Marsh-marigold. One of the retained woodland blocks contained a surprising abundance of regenerating Rowan, Silver Birch, Scots Pine, and Beech saplings, which provided habitat for several Wood Crickets. VESPA participants watching a singing Woodlark Dryad's Saddle fungus on fallen deadwood The group then explored the edges of an established area of damp heathland and found several Bog Beacons as well as Marsh Valerian and Petty Whin. A pair of Curlews and several Stonechats were on territory and a couple of Heath Tortrix Acleris hyemana and several Red Poplar Leaf Beetles Chrysomela populi were found. The much-needed biscuit break at 1100 hrs was very productive, with a male Goshawk seen hunting in riverine woodland, a specimen of the nationally scarce Red-bodied Click Beetle Ampedus quercicola found amongst deadwood, and a nationally scarce female Large Velvet Ant Mutilla europaea found amongst heather. The riverine woodland itself contained abundant Butcher’s Broom and produced a calling Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Holly Parachute fungus, and the attractive soldier beetle Malthodes marginatus (or similar). Red-bodied Click Beetle (Ampedus quercicola) Large Velvet Ant (Mutilla europaea) The return walk over an area of drier sandy heathland produced a pristine specimen of the nationally scarce Heath Goldsmith beetle Carabus nitens and a brief distant view of a Raven, while an exposed sandy bank hosted a colony of Sandpit Mining Bee Andrena barbilabris and its parasite Sandpit Blood Bee Sphecodes pellucidus, as well as Sand Bear-spider Arctosa perita. Heath Goldsmith (Carabus nitens) VESPA participants searching a sandy bank for invertebrates VESPA Group Survey on 19 April 2026 A team of ten VESPA participants arrived on site in the central New Forest on a wonderful sunny spring morning, with the aim of exploring nearby restored heathland and wetland habitats. A block of mixed woodland produced several singing Firecrests, Woodcock, Crossbill, and a singing male Wood Warbler that was carrying colour rings - subsequent consultation with the ringer (Tony Davis) revealed it had been ringed in the New Forest in 2023 and had returned to the Bolderwood area in 2024 and 2025. A couple of sizeable specimens of Hoof Fungus on a dead standing Beech tree contrasted with the many tiny Bog Beacons seen in ditches alongside the track. Bog Beacons A restored stream produced the hoped-for Brook Lampreys, although the spawning season appeared to be over with just one freshly dead specimen and two live individuals watched swimming around rather aimlessly. The stream also held several nationally scarce River Skaters and a pair of Grey Wagtails, while a Common Lizard was glimpsed in bankside vegetation. Dead Brook Lamprey The group then emerged onto an area of heathland and woodland edge, where singing Woodlark and Tree Pipit were noted, and Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, and several Buzzards were seen overhead. A calling Dartford Warbler was heard, and Green Tiger Beetle and Common Heath moth were seen. A nationally scarce Heath Dumble Dor Trypocopris pyrenaeus (a dung beetle) was captured as it blundered along a woodland ride, allowing detailed images to be obtained that confirmed the ID. Heath Dumble Dor dung beetle A routine check beneath a chunk of conifer deadwood in an area of restored boggy habitat revealed several unusual-looking pupae within a black ant colony. Subsequent correspondence on the VESPA WhtasApp group suggested they were the pupae of ant hoverflies Microdon, and the association with black ants enabled ID confirmation as the nationally scarce Heath Ant Fly Microdon analis. Heath Ant Fly pupae with Black Ants in attendance A small, secluded pond in adjacent woodland hosted several Large Red Damselflies, and the margins held Three-lobed Crowfoot and Marsh Pennywort. A forestry track nearby contained some deep wheel ruts that had filled with water, and these also held Three-lobed Crowfoot in addition to a couple of Palmate Newts and a small Grass Snake, highlighting the ecological value of ground disturbance. VESPA participants photographing a Grass Snake in a flooded wheel rut Grass Snake VESPA Training Session on 23 April 2026 A full house of 15 attendees enjoyed an informative evening delivered by Colleen and Paul Hope of Hampshire Bat Group / Ecological Consultancy Services, and hosted by Amanda Barton of Tilefield Nature. The training was focussed on acoustic bat detection, but also included an introduction to bats and their status in the New Forest, and an overview of some of the projects that Colleen and Paul are leading locally including ongoing work on Bechstein's Bat, Barbastelle, and Greater Horseshoe Bat. Colleen Hope presenting to the VESPA attendees The group then moved outside at dusk to listen (and look) for bats using various detectors and imagers, although the cool conditions meant that only a few detections of common species were logged. Encouragingly. several attendees have recently purchased acoustic detectors, or are in the process of buying one, and the intention is also to make one or two detectors available on loan this summer as part of VESPA. Consequently, there may be a follow-up VESPA training session focussed on processing and analyisis of bat acoustic data. VESPA participants using acoustic detectors and thermal imagers VESPA Group Survey on 25 April 2026 Another glorious sunny morning greeted 13 VESPA participants, whose primary focus for the survey was deadwood habitats in ancient Beech and Oak woodland. Three singing Firecrests, several Redstarts, a distant Cuckoo, and a Tawny Owl flushed from a day roost were the avian highlights, while a Red-belted Bracket fungus on a fallen Beech, a newly developed False Puffball slime mould, and a nice clump of Petty Whin (nationally red-listed as Endangered) on adjacent damp heathland provided additional interest. Red-belted Bracket on fallen Beech Petty Whin The cool start meant that there was limited invertebrate action early on, with a tiny juvenile Raft Spider on a Bramble leaf, a Wood Cricket scuttling amongst leaf litter, and a ‘wild’ Honeybee colony found high up in a standing Beech tree being of note. A few common hoverfly species started to appear as the sun’s warmth penetrated open clearings, and one observer photographed a specimen of the nationally scarce hoverfly Grey-shouldered Sap-eater Brachyopa pilosa. Andy Murdock talking to VESPA participants about the Green Forest Hoverfly survey The final hour of the survey then produced several nationally scarce species in quick succession. A small stream bordering the woodland held several River Skaters, but attention soon turned to a hoverfly on a logjam in the stream that was soon confirmed as a male Logjam Hoverfly Chalcosyrphus eunotus. This is only the third Hampshire and New Forest record, following one found earlier in the week and a previous record in 2023 (coincidentally, the observers of those two records were involved in the finding of this latest record). Logjam Hoverfly (Chalcosyrphus eunotus) On the walk back to the car park a Marsh Click Beetle Actenicerus sjaelandicus, a Heath Ant Fly Microdon analis, and a Red-bodied Click Beetle Ampedus quercicola were logged. Many of the group then attended the kick-off meeting for the 2026 Green Forest Hoverfly hunt over lunch in Burley, and two members subsequently went on to find Green Forest Hoverflies later in the day, the first modern records for April. Heath Ant Fly (Microdon analis)

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!

Prof Russell Wynn, 02 March 2026 Introduction Biological recording in the UK is heavily reliant upon volunteers, both for data collection and for the running of county and national recording schemes. These data underpin reginal and national assessments, research, and policy, e.g. Local Nature Recovery Strategies (see here ) and State of Nature assessments (see here ).   The New Forest is a popular location for wildlife enthusiasts, but recording effort tends to be heavily biased towards popular locations and species groups. This means that contemporary data for many species groups of national and international importance are sparse, making it hard to design and deliver appropriate conservation management for those species.   The New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme (VESPA) aims to increase the quantity and quality of biological data collected from the New Forest National Park, and to increase the capacity and capability of the local community to collect these data. To facilitate this, we have developed a five-year partnership agreement with Forestry England that provides the required insurance cover, risk assessments, and volunteer policies, enabling registered VESPA participants to conduct ecological surveys on the Crown Lands of the New Forest. VESPA is part of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum, which is generously sponsored by Kairos Philanthropy, meaning that registration and participation in VESPA activities is free.   Further details about VESPA, including registration information, can be found here .   2025 review 2025 was a pilot year for VESPA, with the first scheduled activities commencing in mid-May and continuing through to mid-November. A series of 12 field-based survey and training sessions were delivered, with a total of 500 volunteer-hours logged.   By the end of 2025 we had nearly 100 registered VESPA participants, including 20 signed up to conduct wetland plant surveys with our partners at Freshwater Habitats Trust. Our registrants are a highly diverse group that include students, rangers, retirees, commoners, and wildlife enthusiasts of all experience levels. It has been great to see the informal information exchange between these different elements of the forest community during VESPA survey and training sessions. A blog summarising summer 2025 VESPA activities is available here .   VESPA survey and training session in Shave Wood on 20 Sept 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn) In autumn 2025, we conducted an additional six survey and training sessions focussed on ancient woodland habitats. These produced a nice variety of nationally rare and scarce fungi species, including Candelabra Coral, Greasy Bracket, Scaly Spark, Spongy Mazegill, Tiered Tooth, and Zoned Rosette. Encouragingly, some of the attendees used these sessions as a platform to independently find and report notable fungi, leading to some valuable records being added to the Fungus Recording Database of Britain and Ireland (FRDBI).   Nationally rare Scaly Spark fungus found during a VESPA survey on 12 Oct 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)  In addition to the scheduled activities, several experienced local ecologists undertook independent surveys as VESPA registrants. A WhatsApp group was established to support the activities of nocturnal moth surveyors, which raised awareness of the colonisation of ‘Little Arboreal Ladybird’ Calvia decemguttata , including several useful records of it coming to moth traps (see here ).   Little Arboreal Ladybirds on 21 June 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn) 2026 preview For 2026, we aim to increase the number of registered VESPA participants and provide additional training support and guidance as part of a wider programme of scheduled activities. There are about 35 field-based survey and training sessions currently scheduled between March and November, focussing on different species groups according to season.   Based on feedback from the VESPA community, we have developed a series of priority topics where registrants will be provided with training and opportunities to conduct independent surveys. In most cases, these priority topics will generate species data that will inform forest management and hopefully improve the conservation of priority habitats and species. The list of priority topics for 2026 is below:   Dragonflies and damselflies in New Forest ponds Invertebrates and fungi of Beech deadwood habitats Plants and fungi of acid grasslands Lichens of heathland and ancient woodland habitats Acoustic monitoring of New Forest bats Nocturnal moth surveys New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme   We will be expanding our network of VESPA WhatsApp groups to facilitate peer-to-peer communications, and will develop our species recording guidelines here to facilitate data flow to Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre and national databases such as NBN Atlas.   We have agreed with Forestry England that registered participants engaged in scheduled VESPA training and survey sessions will be exempt from the forthcoming car parking charges. However, VESPA participants engaging in independent surveys will be required to pay when using Forestry England car parks, either on an ad hoc basis or through securing an annual Forestry England membership; further details here .   Finally, we would like to thank all VESPA trainers and participants for contributing to a successful and rewarding pilot year in 2025. Further details of upcoming VESPA activities will be provided to all registrants soon, and we’re looking forward to getting out surveying in the forest again this spring!

1. Introduction The New Forest Biodiversity Forum has launched a New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme (VESPA), which aims to increase the quantity and quality of biological data collected from the New Forest National Park, and to increase the capacity and capability of the local community to help collect these data.   2. Why do we need VESPA? Although the New Forest has long been recognised as a ‘jewel in the crown’ for biodiversity, species recording is patchy both geographically and between different species groups. Even relatively well recorded species groups like birds show a strong bias towards popular sites, and outside of statutory monitoring only a handful of dedicated ornithologists are delivering more systematic multi year surveys that allow us to assess trends and have confidence in species’ status. In addition, the recording of more challenging species groups such as fungi, lichens, bats, and many invertebrates is based upon the efforts of a very small number of expert surveyors, who are not getting any younger! We therefore need to encourage and support new generations of ecological surveyors to help build future capacity.   The New Forest is facing multiple pressures, from the many effects of climate change through to acute issues such as pollution, intensification of land use, and invasive non native species. These pressures are driving rapid change in New Forest habitats and species, making access to accurate and up-to-date data vital for effective decision making by those responsible for managing and protecting this extraordinary landscape.   In addition, VESPA aims to remove barriers that might hinder ecological surveyors from accessing the open forest, such as requirements for permits and insurance, and to support new surveyors who would benefit from training, guidance and access to a network. It’s also clear that funding and logistical constraints are making it ever harder for young ecologists and conservationists to gain field survey experience through the education system, and so VESPA will provide this opportunity as part of a structured programme.   3. How will VESPA be structured? VESPA forms part of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum (NFBF), sponsored by Kairos Philanthropy Fund. The programme is coordinated by Wild New Forest , an independent not-for-profit community interest company who are the hosting partner of the NFBF. The NFBF Steering Group has oversight of the VESPA programme and will provide ongoing evaluation.     Wild New Forest have signed a five year Partnership Agreement with Forestry England that enables us to coordinate volunteer activity on the Crown Lands of the New Forest (this includes the majority of the ‘open forest’ that is covered by various nature conservation designations). The Crown Lands will therefore be the focus for this inaugural year of VESPA, but we hope that other landowners will come on board in future years to enable access to and recording within these connected habitats.   To inform VESPA development, we ran a workshop at the recent New Forest Biodiversity Conference, which brought together 100 local practitioners working in biodiversity and conservation. The workshop explored what makes a successful volunteer scheme and identified a series of topics that were deemed to be a high priority for volunteer based surveys in the New Forest. The outputs of this engagement have helped to inform the structure and priority topics for VESPA. Over the last few months, we have also engaged with the team running the Purbeck Natural History Forum to learn from their successes and failures, as they have been running a popular and effective volunteer programme for several years.   4. Who is VESPA for? VESPA is open to anyone who is interested in conducting ecological surveys in the New Forest, at any experience level from novice to expert. We will ensure that, as a registered VESPA participant, you will be covered by all the required permits and insurance to conduct fieldwork on the Crown Lands. In return, we ask that VESPA surveyors commit to supporting one or more of our priority topics and/or attending the associated training and/or submitting their records to an appropriate repository to ensure they are available for future conservation efforts.   We anticipate that many VESPA participants will be local enthusiasts who are already engaged in ecological surveys and who will have prior experience of conducting fieldwork in the New Forest, but who seek to benefit from the insurance cover and permissions provided by VESPA registration. However, we also welcome students and novice enthusiasts wishing to gain experience and training in ecological surveys and/or to engage in a more structured survey programme based around our priority topics. 5. What are the 2025 priority topics? For 2025, we plan to focus effort on the following topics   New Forest Nature Discovery Day - we are supporting this event that will take place on 26 May 2025 at Wilverley and is being coordinated by our partners at Forestry England. There are opportunities to get involved in guided walks and other activities led by experts, and we’re also keen for VESPA participants to contribute to species recording. Further details here . This activity will be suitable for all abilities.   Raptor monitoring - to support the work of the New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group, we will be offering training and encouraging volunteer surveyors to survey and monitor their local sites, with a focus on Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, and Hobby. This activity will be suitable for ornithologists of any experience level who already have the required equipment, i.e. binoculars and ideally a telescope.   Nocturnal moth trapping - moths are massively under-recorded on the open forest, but they are a key component of the ecosystem and are undergoing rapid climate driven change, we will therefore be establishing a WhatsApp group for experienced moth enthusiasts with mobile moth-trapping equipment to coordinate effort and target under-recorded sites with good quality habitat. This activity will be suitable for those who already have the relevant equipment and experience for moth trapping on the open forest.   Dragonflies and damselflies - this summer, our colleagues at Freshwater Habitats Trust will be investigating the impacts of ‘spot on’ chemical flea treatments for dogs on aquatic invertebrates in New Forest ponds. To complement this work, we will aim to deliver surveys for adult dragonflies and damselflies at the target sites, to assess whether there are measurable differences between sites with high levels of dog dipping and those without. This activity will be suitable for those who can already identify most of the dragonfly and damselfly species present in the New Forest.   Wild Honeybees - as preparation for a future research project, we are keen to identify active nests of free living ‘wild’ Honeybees on the open forest, with a particular focus on the ancient Beech and Oak woodlands. This activity will be suitable for all abilities.   Finally, our colleagues at Freshwater Habitats Trust will be delivering a variety of volunteer based surveys this year (see here ), and we will be working closely with them and Forestry England to ensure these activities are coordinated and have minimal impact on sensitive habitats and species.   These topics will evolve in future years, in response to policy requirements and other opportunities and suggestions.   6. What kinds of data will VESPA participants be collecting? VESPA participants will primarily be engaged in visual walkover and fixed point surveys only. Surveys on the Crown Lands that require sampling of specimens (alive or dead) or that require unaccompanied monitoring equipment to be left on site will require a separate permit from Forestry England. Surveys coordinated by our colleagues at Freshwater Habitats Trust may involve collection of water samples and/or require access to sensitive wetland sites, but this will only be conducted after training and guidance have been provided.   7. Where should data collected by VESPA participants be submitted? We will be strongly encouraging all VESPA participants to record their sightings, either independently to an appropriate data hub, or via their coordinator if supporting a priority topic. We have provided guidance on species identification and recording in the New Forest here .   8. What insurance cover is provided? With the support of NFBF funding, Wild New Forest has secured the following insurance cover for registered VESPA participants in 2025:   £10M Public Liability Insurance, which is a requirement of anyone undertaking work on the Crown Lands and provides cover against injury, loss, or damage caused to any third party and their property arising from acts of negligence by VESPA coordinators or participants   £10M Employers Liability Insurance, which provides cover against claims by VESPA participants arising from accidental injury, illness, or death while undertaking VESPA activities   9. What other policies are in place to support and protect volunteers? As part of the Partnership Agreement with Forestry England, and as part of our duty of care to VESPA participants, we have produced a volunteer information pack that that includes a risk assessment and policies including:   Lone working policy Safeguarding policy Emergency procedures   10. Will VESPA include frontline conservation work or guided wildlife tours? No, VESPA aims to fill a niche that specifically relates to ecological survey and monitoring, in line with the aims of the NFBF. Several existing schemes already provide opportunities for volunteers to support frontline conservation work in and around the New Forest (see here ). In addition, Wild New Forest Guided Tours (a separate spin-out company from Wild New Forest) provide a wide variety of guided tour offerings through the year.    11. What feedback will VESPA participants receive? We are intending to have a VESPA wrap-up meeting towards the end of 2025, to share knowledge and experience, and to get feedback from participants in advance of releasing the 2026 programme. We will also seek to include significant species records obtained by VESPA participants in the monthly news updates that are distributed via the New Forest Biodiversity Forum (sign up here ). 12. How do I register for VESPA? You can access the information and pack and online VESPA registration form here . Once you are registered, we will keep you updated about training opportunities and events, including those relating to any priority topics that you have expressed interest in.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in Nov-Dec 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings The weather in November was typical for late autumn, with lots of day-to-day variability but monthly rainfall and sunshine hours being average, and temperatures slightly above average. December was notably mild, particularly at night with limited frost, and with above average rainfall and sunshine hours, although temperatures dipped sharply in the final week. Data from the Met Office at the end of the year confirmed that 2025 was the UK’s hottest and sunniest year on record (see here ).   There was a dramatic sighting of a young colour-ringed Goshawk attempting to catch a Goldeneye at Blashford Lakes on 25 Nov 2025; this bird was ringed as a chick in the western New Forest on 20 May 2025, as part of the New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme.   Colour-ringed juvenile Goshawk on 25 Nov 2025 (photo: Jeremy McClements)   A male Great-tailed Grackle was found by a local birder at Calshot on 02 Nov and a few days later relocated to Holbury, where it remained into early 2026. Grackles are inquisitive and often very tame birds that are known to occasionally stow away on transatlantic cruise ships, so it had presumably hopped off an incoming vessel. There was a slight ‘twist in the ‘tail concerning the bird’s identity, which for a period veered towards Boat-tailed Grackle, which would be a first for Britain (see here ). However, a very dedicated birder recovered a sample of grackle dropping and sent it off for DNA analysis, which confirmed the identification as Great-tailed Grackle, only the second for Britain and certainly a first for the New Forest. Another presumed ship-assisted rarity was a Great Shearwater seen in Southampton Water on 26 Nov. Initial reports suggested it had difficulty flying, and a plausible theory was that it crash-landed on a ship out at sea before being offloaded once the ship reached port. The popular Great Grey Shrike remained in the Pig Bush and Shatterford area throughout the period, and a second bird ranged widely on heathland either side of the A31 from 15 Nov onwards (the former featured in the Birdguides Photo of the Week here ). An influx of continental grey geese during cold weather at the end of the year saw a Tundra Bean Goose and at least 18 White-fronted Geese at Pennington Marshes from 26 Dec. Up to 28 Spoonbills and a Long-tailed Duck were also seen at the New Forest coast during the period. DNA sequencing of fungi recorded in the New Forest in the autumn by Hampshire Fungus Recording Group (HFRG) members has revealed several additional species that appear to be new to Britain, including Amanita albogrisecens , Leucoagaricus roseilividus , and Entoloma linkii . Other highlights of HFRG surveys in November included the first New Forest record of Inocybe posterula , the second record of Yew Club, and the fourth record of Amanita olivaceogrisea . In addition, the multiple finds of Candelabra Coral earlier in the autumn featured in national media here .   Entoloma linkii on 04 Nov 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Persistent southwest winds for much of the late autumn period were responsible for a notable influx of By-the-Wind-Sailor to New Forest shores. Following reports of 'hundreds of thousands' washed up on Boscombe Beach in Dorset in early December, small numbers were reported at Lepe and Hurst later in the month.   By-the-Wind Sailors at Hurst Beach on 20 Dec 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn) Warm southerly winds also produced a specimen of the rare Crimson Speckled moth to light in a Woodlands garden on 13 Nov 2025, which will have likely originated from the Mediterranean region; this is the first New Forest record since an unprecedented influx in autumn 2022.   Crimson Speckled in Woodlands on 13 Nov 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Wildlife and conservation news Southern Water continue to invest in much-needed upgrades to wastewater treatment works in the New Forest, with Lyndhurst works receiving a £2.3M upgrade in autumn 2025 (see here ). However, this has only reduced not removed the issue of combined sewer overflows discharging into the upper Beaulieu River during periods of heavy rainfall, as active discharges were observed on multiple dates in early 2026.   Finally, these biodiversity news updates will likely move to quarterly publication in 2026, but NFBF email updates will continue to be issued monthly and we’re also producing a new monthly column about New Forest wildlife in the Lymington Times called ‘On the Wild Side’, see here .   Many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals and organisations that provide source material for these reports, including Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and various local/regional Facebook sites.

2026 call for speakers The 2026 New Forest Biodiversity Conference will take place on 03-04 March 2026 at Careys Manor Hotel in Brockenhurst, hosted by the New Forest Biodiversity Forum (NFBF). We have three excellent keynote speakers lined up, each representing an important conservation sector: Dr Andrew Stringer, Head of Environment and Nature Recovery at Forestry England. Andrew is the strategic lead for nature recovery at Forestry England, who are the largest land manager in England (and here in the New Forest). Andrew is spear-heading a series of conservation initiatives within the organisation, including wildlife reintroductions (see here ), development of new wild areas (see here ), and the biodiversity component of a new resilience strategy (see here ). He was recognised in the 2025 ENDS Power List as one of the UK's 100 most influential environmental professionals Debbie Tann MBE, Chief Executive at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Debbie has been CEO at HIWWT for 15 years and has seen it grow into one of the largest Wildlife Trusts in the UK, with a turnover of £10 million, 150 staff, and more than 28,000 members (see here ). She was awarded an MBE for services to wildlife and the natural environment in the 2024 King's New Year Honours (see here ) and was also recognised in the 2025 ENDS Power List. Rupert Brewer, Head of Conservation at Bisterne Estate. Rupert is responsible for a diverse portfolio of conservation projects across Bisterne Estate, which includes nationally important wetland and heathland sites within the New Forest and Avon Valley SSSI/SAC (see here ). Rupert was recently awarded the Schoffel Working Conservationist Award and played a major role in Bisterne Estate also receiving the Wetland & Watercourse Conservation Award (see  here ). We are now inviting additional speakers for this event, either for standard 15 minute presentations or for shorter 5 minute flash talks. We are particularly keen to receive offers of presentations that relate to biodiversity and conservation updates from the New Forest National Park in calendar year 2025, although talks that introduce new projects and/or provide wider spatial and temporal context will also be considered. All speakers are offered free conference registration.   Please send suggested titles, author(s), and a couple of lines of description to the NFBF Chair at russ@wildnewforest.org.uk . The deadline for these submissions is 12 Jan 2026, and the final programme will be developed following consultation with the NFBF Steering group and Sponsors.   We will subsequently request abstracts (summaries) for all talks that are accepted for inclusion in the conference programme, and these will be made available online after the event.   Finally, please note that conference registration will open in early January, but due to the limited capacity of 100 spaces the event is invite-only, which ensures we are able to accommodate the widest range of biodiversity and conservation stakeholders. 2025 review The second edition of the New Forest Biodiversity Conference took place on 04-05 March 2025 at Careys Manor Hotel in Brockenhurst. We once again had a full house of 100 attendees for both days, and a packed schedule of talks, workshops, and networking opportunities.   On day one, after an update on NFBF activities from the Chair, we welcomed our first keynote speaker, Charles Watson of River Action, who gave a passionate account of the challenges associated with campaigning for clean rivers in the New Forst and nationally. The following three speakers, from Southern Water, Freshwater Habitats Trust, and Environment Agency, then provided different perspectives of how freshwater pollution issues are being monitored and tackled in the New Forest.   Charles Watson delivering the opening keynote.   The second morning session included an introduction to the New Forest National Park Authority ‘Net Zero with Nature’ programme, followed by two presentations by Wild New Forest exploring the past, present, and future impacts of climate change on our region; the session concluded with an update on habitat restoration work conducted by Forestry England, and a brief introduction to a new project at University of Exeter looking at smoke stimulated germination of heathland plants.   After lunch, attendees participated in a workshop that provided an opportunity to discuss climate change risks and opportunities in more detail. This was followed by a series of presentation by partners delivering the New Forest Species Survival Fund project, before the day concluded with topical updates on deer management, a new socio-ecological study of large herbivores, and commoning and farming activities in the New Forest.      Breakout group for the climate change workshop   Day two opened with two keynote speakers, Steve Cham and Andy Barker, who presented on the changes to our dragonfly and butterfly communities in recent decades. The remainder of the morning focussed on species studies, including Sand Lizards, Pitcher Plants, Field Gentian, Green Forest Hoverfly, Speckled Footman, breeding raptors, coastal birds, and fungi DNA.   Steve Cham delivering the first keynote of day two.   The post-lunch workshop saw attendees contribute ideas and perspectives on biodiversity and conservation volunteering, which helped to shape the New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme that was launched later in the spring.   The final afternoon session focussed on vertebrates, with presentations on Bechstein’s Bats, Woodlarks, Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, passive acoustic monitoring, recreational disturbance of birds, and coastal fish.   The slides and abstracts for the talks are available here , together with those from the 2024 event.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in October 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings October saw a continuation of typical autumn conditions, with a dominance of relatively mild and dull weather - Met Office data for the UK indicate it was the dullest October in almost 60 years. The mean temperature in our region was slightly above average but sunshine hours were below average, while rainfall levels were as expected for the season.   The ornithological highlight was probably the appearance of a popular first-winter Great Grey Shrike in the Pig Bush area from 28 Oct onwards - this formerly regular winter visitor was absent from the New Forest in the last two winters, so this settled individual was warmly welcomed. A Glossy Ibis was again noted in the Keyhaven/Hurst area on 11-13 Oct and was also seen commuting between there and Christchurch Harbour, where it appeared to be roosting. Up to 12 Bearded Tits, 11 Spoonbills, seven Little Stints, a Cattle Egret, a Long-tailed Duck, and a Ring Ouzel were also in the Lymington-Keyhaven Marshes area. A Whooper Swan skirted the New Forest boundary, being seen moving west at Barton on 10 Oct and presumably the same subsequently seen with Mute Swans at Harbridge in the Avon Valley on 28 Oct. Inland, notable migrants included three Ring Ouzels at Beaulieu Heath on 01 Oct and one at Leaden Hall on 25 Oct.   Great Grey Shrike on 01 Nov 2025 (photo: Dimitri Moore)  The ‘one that got away‘ this month was a likely juvenile Pallid Harrier that was photographed while distantly heading south over the saltmarsh at Keyhaven on 02 Oct - it was identified when the images were posted on social media, but unfortunately the pics probably lack sufficient detail for the record to be officially accepted (this would be only the second New Forest record).   Probable Pallid Harrier on 02 Oct 2025 (photo: Toby Cowell)   Encouraging news on the moth front concerns record numbers of the nationally scarce Southern Chestnut recorded during nocturnal moth trapping at three heathland sites in mid-October. A total of 95 was recorded over the three sessions, with a peak of 58 on 15 Oct; these numbers appear to be unprecedented in a UK context. Additional records were received from several other New Forest sites during the month, and dispersing individuals were found away from known breeding areas, which perhaps provides additional evidence for a thriving population. Other notable moths included a selection of ‘recent’ colonists such as Blair’s Mocha, Clifden Nonpareil, Oak Rustic, Olive-tree Pearl, and Radford’s Flame Shoulder.   20 Southern Chestnuts on 10 Oct 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn) Southern Chestnut on 10 Oct 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn) Following last month’s arrival of Candelabra Coral as a new species in the region (see here ), October saw a couple of other potential first fungi records for the New Forest. The nationally rare, toothed crust fungus Steccherinum bourdotii was initially recorded during a Hampshire Fungus Recording Group (HFRG) survey at Rufus Stone on 05 Oct, and at the time of writing has already been recorded at three other New Forest sites. The Rufus Stone outing also produced another specimen of the wood-rotting inkcap Coprinopsis spelaiophila , which was only recorded in the New Forest for the first time last autumn. DNA results from the HFRG survey at Franchises Lodge RSPB on 07 Sept supported the identification of the first New Forest and Hampshire record of the delicate pale pinkgill Entoloma cephalotrichum .   Steccherinum bourdotii on 05 Oct 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn) Wildlife and conservation news The 2024 Annual Report on Hampshire’s moths is now available on the excellent Hantsmoths website here . Many thanks, as always, to our County Moth Recorder, Mike Wall, for drawing together >108,000 records of 1430 species! The report features several species that are firsts for the New Forest, all of which are likely to have originated from southern Europe. Of note, is the first British record of Nodaria nodosalis , and the first Hampshire records of Black V Moth and Samphire Straw, as well as an influx of Porter’s Rustic. The three commonest species were Willow Beauty, Light Brown Apple Moth, and Large Yellow Underwing, while Jersey Tiger has moved into the top 20 following a remarkable increase in the last five years.   Thanks also to Steve Cham for drawing attention to a useful new website here by Steve Hewitt that documents the dragonflies and damselflies of the New Forest, including a photo gallery and pages showing distribution maps and flight periods for all the local species.   Congratulations to Hampshire Ornithological Society (HOS) for picking up the BTO Marsh Award for Local Ornithology here , in part because of their recent success in recruiting and supporting young and female ornithologists in the county. The awards ceremony featured our own NFBF Associate, Tommy Saunders, who is also a Trustee and active member of HOS.   Holly Fitzgerald has recently taken over from Catherine Chatters as the New Forest Non-Native Plants Officer (see here ). Holly will continue the work in partnership with the local New Forest community to help stop spread of invasive non-native plants such as Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed. We welcome Holly to her new role and wish Catherine all the very best in her retirement following 16 years of dedicated service.   The ongoing issue of sewage discharges into New Forest rivers hit the headlines again in October here , with the revelation that about 20 Lymington properties had been discharging directly into the lower Lymington River for several decades due to illegal drainage connections. The discovery was made by local Friends of the Earth members, who had found dangerously high levels of E. coli while conducting water testing of the river. Southern Water have reportedly now fixed the misconnections, but one suspects this may only be the tip of a very large iceberg…   Finally, Forestry England have gone public with plans to introduce parking charges in their New Forest car parks from next spring (see here ). Discussions are ongoing about how we can minimise impacts on volunteer wildlife recorders, including those engaged in VESPA.   Many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in August and September 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings August 2025 was again warmer, sunnier, and drier than average, with rain restricted to the final few days of the month. Provisional Met office statistics here indicate it was officially the warmest summer on record for the UK, around 1.5 o C above the long-term average. September saw a switch to more typical autumnal conditions, with average temperatures and slightly above average sunshine and rainfall. It was windy at times during the month, with a gust of 78 mph at the Needles (Isle of Wight) on 14 Sept.   It was another insect arrival from southern Europe that stole the show in this period, with at least three European Praying Mantis recorded at a site in the central New Forest between 02 Aug and 28 Sept. This species was also discovered on the Isle of Wight and in Cornwall this summer (see here ), suggesting these are part of a ‘natural’ colonisation event likely linked to warming temperatures. Praying Mantis on 28 Sept 2025 (photo: Jonathan Crisp)    The arrival of Little Arboreal Ladybird Calvia decemguttata in the New Forest earlier in the summer attracted significant media interest (see here ) , as well as a steady stream of ladybird ‘twitchers’ who successfully located the species through August and September by beating trees in the known hotspots.  'Little Arboreal Ladybird' Calvia decemguttata on 11 Aug 2025 (Image: Paul Brock)    Other notable invertebrates in the period included what may be the first New Forest record of the mite Erythraeus phalangoides , a specimen of the Marbled Orbweaver spider Araneus marmoreus near Bramshaw (apparently rare in the New Forest), and two specimens of the conopid fly Dark Waspgrabber Leopoldius calceatus at the New Forest coast that may suggest local colonisation (the first UK record was in 2018). Male Marbled Orbweaver on 10 Aug 2025 (photo: Hans Bishop)    The fungi season was slow to get going due to the summer drought, but September produced some notable sightings, not least of which was the sudden (re)colonisation of the New Forest by the Candelabra Coral Artomyces pyxidatus . The first observation was logged on iRecord on 06 Sept, which appears to be the first record for Hampshire and the New Forest, swiftly followed by the first for Wiltshire in the northern New Forest during a Hampshire Fungus Recording Group (HFRG) survey the following day. At the time of writing there have been a further five New Forest records, all on fallen hardwood such as Beech or Silver Birch, and there must surely be many more waiting to be found. The rapid arrival in the New Forest mirrors similar arrivals in other counties in southern England, and a rapid increase in the Netherlands, although whether the driver is climate change or some other environmental factor is unknown.   Candelabra Coral on 07 Sept 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn) The HFRG survey on 07 Sept also produced a nice specimen of Tiered Tooth Hericium cirrhatum (the forerunner of a good early autumn showing of the species) and an apparent specimen of the spore eating fungus Hypomyces chryosostomus covering the underside of a large Southern Bracket Ganoderma australe - this species was only recorded as new to Britain last autumn, so this record is potentially the first for Hampshire and the New Forest. A specimen of Larch Spike Gomphidius maculatus found in the northern New Forest on 23 Sept is potentially only the second for Wiltshire and the first New Forest record for over 20 years.   Hypomyces chrysostomus on 07 Sept 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Ornithological highlights were rather sparse given the season. The long-staying Lesser Yellowlegs was again reported from the Keyhaven area on 13 and 16 Aug and up to four Glossy Ibis were seen on three dates at Oxey Marsh between 05-24 Sept, part of an unprecedented influx into the UK. Storm-driven Grey Phalaropes were at Keyhaven Lagoon on several dates between 02 and 21 Sept, Oxey Marsh on 04 Sept, and Lepe on 05 Sept. Up to nine Spoonbills, five Cattle Egrets, and two Great White Egrets were also seen at or near the coast. There was a scatter of regular returning migrants such as Curlew Sandpiper, Grasshopper Warbler, Hen Harrier, Little Gull, Little Stint, Osprey, Pied Flycatcher, and Spotted Redshank, while a juvenile Turtle Dove at Keyhaven on 05 Sept was notable. Although just outside the area, it was interesting to see multiple reports of up to 59 Ring-necked Parakeets from Bitterne Park in Southampton during August, indicating ongoing colonisation by this non-native species; fortunately, they rarely seem to venture into the New Forest, and if they do, they don’t tend to linger, possibly due to the ‘Goshawk’ effect!   Grey Phalarope on 21 Sept 2025 (photo: Rob Farnworth) Finally, a presumably disoriented Common Dolphin was filmed swimming around in the Lymington River mouth on 13 Aug (see here ).   Wildlife and conservation news A new study, funded by the New Forest Biodiversity Forum (NFBF), has demonstrated the rapid return of heathland specialist animals and fungi to a trio of heathland restoration sites in the New Forest. The study was conducted by Russell Wynn of Wild New Forest, in partnership with Forestry England, and a summary report is available here . The work featured on BBC News online here and on BBC regional TV and radio during September. In addition, talented local wildlife film-maker Matt Roseveare was commissioned by the NFBF to deliver a short video capturing some of the highlights of the work, which can be viewed on the NFBF YouTube channel here .   This autumn saw the retirement of Andy Page as Head of Wildlife Management in the New Forest and wider district, marking the end of nearly 40 years at Forestry England. Andy will continue to play a prominent role in local biodiversity monitoring and conservation as an Associate and Steering Group member of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum and co-ordinator of the NFBF-funded New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme, as well as a Scientific Sub-committee member with Hampshire Ornithological Society. We wish Andy all the best during this transition and look forward to continuing our work with him in the coming years.   Over the last couple of years, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) have been delivering the Gravelly Shores project at the New Forest coast, as part of Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme. Working in partnership with Beaulieu Estate and the North Solent National Nature Reserve, the project team have taken a 1.7ha area of grassland and scrub and transformed it into an open area of coastal vegetated shingle to support breeding waders and terns. The new habitat has already seen successful breeding by Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, and Lapwing, protected by electric fencing and other measures (see here ). The project has increased the resilience of shingle habitats at this site to sea-level rise and coastal erosion, and it is hoped that breeding terns will also benefit in future years.      Many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online fora that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites .

In 2023-24 a series of ecological surveys were conducted across three heathland restoration sites in the New Forest National Park to assess the recovery of specialist heathland animals and plants. The surveys were delivered by Prof Russell Wynn of Wild New Forest and the New Forest Biodiversity Forum (sponsored by Kairos Philanthropy Fund), in partnership with Forestry England. The aim was to raise awareness amongst the public about the ecological importance of heathlands and the value of the heathland restoration programme, and to generate data to inform future heathland restoration and management. Aerial view of the heathland restoration survey site at Dunces Arch The full heathland restoration survey report can be downloaded as a PDF file at the link below and the executive summary of the report is appended: In summer 2025, we recruited talented young wildlife film-maker, Matt Roseveare, as a New Forest Biodiversity Forum 'Associate' to produce a video showcasing the results of the survey and restoration work (Matt's website including a showreel of his previous work can be viewed here ). Matt worked with Russ and Forestry England staff to capture hi-res drone and macro footage from the heathland restoration sites. The resulting video contains stunning footage including mating Glow-worms, hunting Nightjars, and fantastic aerial vistas, and can be viewed on the New Forest Biodiversity Forum YouTube channel here . Matt filming Glow-worms at night This story was also issued as a Forestry England news release on 16 Sept 2025 and featured on regional BBC TV News and on BBC News Online here . Executive Summary This report contains the results of ecological surveys conducted in 2023-24 to assess the response of animals and fungi to heathland restoration works conducted by Forestry England at three sites within the New Forest SSSI; the surveys were delivered by Wild New Forest as part of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum and with sponsorship from Kairos Philanthropy Fund, in partnership with Forestry England. Nearly 60 hours of field-based survey was conducted by a single observer at the three sites over the two years, with survey methodology and timing designed to be repeatable and to ensure sufficient coverage of target species; additional surveys are being conducted by Footprint Ecology focussed on the vegetation response. A wide variety of specialist heathland animals and fungi were shown to have occupied the restored sites within one to two years of conifer clearance, even though restoration of the vegetation community (and the visual appearance) will likely take many years. Breeding Nightjar, Stonechat, and Woodlark were recorded at all three survey sites, and a non-breeding Dartford Warbler at one site; a wide variety of other bird species were seen using the sites for foraging, including wintering Snipe. Five species of bat were positively identified via acoustic detection, with Common Pipistrelle and the red-listed Serotine detected at all survey sites - both species were concentrated along wooded site margins, i.e. new ‘edge’ habitats. Five species of reptile and amphibian were recorded including Common Lizard at two sites, while records of Slow-worm, Common Frog, Common Toad, and Palmate Newt mostly related to individuals found sheltering under woody debris. Although detailed study of the invertebrate assemblage was beyond the scope of this study, several species that require open or edge habitats were recorded including Glow-worms at all sites and the nationally scarce Dusky Cockroach and Wood-cricket. Grazing livestock (primarily New Forest Ponies) were observed in small numbers at all sites, and both Fallow and Roe Deer were sporadically recorded; consequently, pony and deer dung was widespread and often locally abundant.   A total of 13 nationally notable fungi species were recorded, including Nail Fungus at all sites and several other coprophilous fungi associated with pony dung. No conifer-associated mycorrhizal fungi were seen, presumably due to conifer removal and the associated soil disturbance, although conifer wood-rotting fungi were locally abundant. Small numbers of notable heathland and bonfire specialist fungi were also observed. The survey fundings have implications for future heathland restoration work, including the retention of woody debris and bonfire sites as substrate and/or shelter for a wide variety of specialist animals and fungi.

New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group (NFRMG) 21 August 2025 With June and July now behind us the raptor monitoring season fast draws to a close. We have completed the Goshawk monitoring for this year, and the results are along the lines we predicted, but are not unprecedented.   On the Crown Lands, we had 41 sites where Goshawk breeding attempts were confirmed, of which 31 were successful. An additional eight sites were occupied but where only a single bird was presumed to be present. A total of 12 further sites that have held birds previously were checked, but no signs of occupation were noted, or more work was needed to prove presence or absence.     28 sites were climbed and produced 61 young, of which 59 were ringed with both BTO and colour rings (29 male and 30 female). Only one pair managed to raise four chicks, with nine pairs raising three each, 11 pairs rearing two each, and eight pairs only rearing a single chick. Three further sites fledged a minimum of four young, totalling 64 young from the 31 successful nests. A nice 'even-aged' Goshawk brood of three chicks   For the last couple of weeks of June and the first few days of July we have been checking Common Buzzard sites, but as with Goshawk several breeding attempts appear to have been abandoned. Further reports from fieldworkers in other areas support a similar trend. Young Buzzards call noisily when recently fledged, so it is still possible for us to find further new sites for a week or two, but currently we have 19 successful sites from 30 checked.   Despite the good weather and early arrival of Honey Buzzards from spring migration, sightings and records have been scarce. No new sites have been reported, and numbers are low but on a par with 2024. This species is one where our work takes us beyond the New Forest and even Hampshire as part of a contribution to a national colour-ringing project. Sightings during incubation are so infrequent that it is not usually best use of our time to look for these during the month of June, but we did little else during July. A pair of young Honey Buzzard chicks A different pair of young Honey Buzzard chicks A growing pair of Honey Buzzard chicks A mature Honey Buzzard chick A double highlight of this season’s fieldwork came on 26 July and 01 Aug when camera footage revealed the discovery of two new colour-ringed Honey Buzzards in our breeding population. A male bearing the colour ring ‘NM’ was ringed by us as a nestling in 2018 at a site near Dorchester, 24 miles from its current breeding site. Another male bearing the colour ring ‘LH’ was ringed as a nestling in 2014 near Dorking, Surrey, over 80 miles away from its current breeding site. And hot-off-the press is a photographic record of a probable breeding male in northeast Kent carrying the ring ‘MZ’, which our records show is a New Forest bird ringed by us as a nestling in 2016. This trio of records is a great contribution to the national project and demonstrates the value of colour-ringing, which has delivered over 40 sightings/records since it began - an amazing recovery rate for a ringing project with such a small sample size. Colour-ringed male Honey Buzzard 'MZ'   Close-up showing the colour ring on male Honey Buzzard 'MZ'   Sightings of Red Kite in the New Forest seem a daily occurrence these days and although we’re not aware of any nests on Crown Lands we have them within the wider New Forest National Park boundary. Sparrowhawks remain elusive, and although no chicks were ringed, we did find four nests. We also watched two juvenile Peregrines on the wing from a New Forest nest during late June.   Finally, we were optimistic that Hobby may be present at a few more sites this year, and with three nests found during the morning of 27 June and another the following day we had a good start. Our sponsors, Hans and Kate, were with us when we climbed and ringed our first brood of Hobby chicks for many years and saw first-hand how feisty and belligerent the three small chicks were! We followed that a few days later with another brood of three chicks, thankfully a little less feisty!! Sadly, things went downhill after that and four other sites that held breeding birds appeared to have lost their young to predation (as deduced from observations overlooking breeding sites, although we have not climbed them to confirm). We have noted activity at a few other sites and will follow these up in the next couple of weeks. Hobby are noisy and brave in defence of their young, but this also attracts avian predators much larger than themselves such as Buzzard and Goshawk. The chicks are very exposed in open nests on the top of trees and often easily visible to avian predators flying over. A trio of Hobby chicks A different trio of Hobby chicks   Finally, local wildlife film maker, Matt Roseveare (sponsored by the New Forest Biodiversity Forum), has gathered some nice footage of the work we completed this spring and summer, and it will be interesting to see how he puts it all together. The New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme forms part of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum and is sponsored by Kairos Philanthropy Fund and delivered in partnership with Forestry England.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in June-July 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings Spring 2025 was the warmest and sunniest on record, and the hot and dry conditions continued into early summer, with Met Office data for England indicating it was the warmest June on record (2.5 o C above the long term average) and the seventh warmest July. Perhaps surprisingly, Met Office maps show that the New Forest area received about average rainfall during June and July, but even at a local level there seem to be significant variations depending on where any thundery showers hit. Overall, the first half of 2025 has been the driest in England for 50 years, and at the time of writing (mid-August) the open forest is certainly looking extremely dry, with parched grazing lawns and dried-up ponds and streams.   It's been a good year for ladybirds (see here ), and a specimen of the ‘Little Arboreal Lady Beetle’ Calvia decemguttata in a garden moth trap in Woodlands on 14 June was the forerunner of a series of records there and at nearby sites in the eastern New Forest, including a larva at Shatterford on 04 July. These follow on from records in Southampton in the last 12 months, and collectively they provide the first evidence for establishment of this species in Britain (which is common in continental Europe and was predicted to make the hop across the English Channel).   Ladybird Calvia decemguttata in a Woodlands garden on 21 June 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)   The same moth trap in Woodlands also attracted the nationally scarce ground beetle Polistichus connexus on 16 July, which appears to be the first New Forest record. The same garden also hosted a colony of Variable Cockroach for the third year running - this is a relatively new arrival in Britain, and another colony is nearby in Hythe. It also seems to have been a good year for our three native cockroaches (Dusky, Lesser and Tawny), with regular sightings in moth traps and in suitable habitat on the open forest.   Variable Cockroach in a Woodlands garden on 02 Aug 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)   As part of the New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme (VESPA) a WhatsApp group was established in mid-June for active moth recorders, and in the first six weeks of operation numerous interesting records were generated from trapping on the open forest and in gardens. There were multiple reports of nationally rare/scarce species such as Dingy Mocha, Mocha, Small Chocolate-tip, Olive Crescent, and Light Crimson Underwing, while other nationally rare/scarce species included Mint Cap Pseudopostega crepusculella , Comfrey Ermine Ethmia quadrillella , Sundew Plume Buckleria paludum , Bog Snout Sparganothis pilleriana , White Cloaked Tortrix Gypsonoma aceriana (first New Forest record), Mottled Grey Tortrix Gypsonoma oppressana , Small Brindled Tortrix Gypsonoma minutana , Marsh Grass-moth Crambus uliginosellus , Rolled Grass-moth Pediasia contaminella , Saltern Grass-moth Pediasia aridella , Pied Grey Eudonia delunella , Gorse Knot-horn Pempelia genistella , Saltmarsh Knot-horn Ancylosis oblitella , Rosy Wave, Purple-bordered Gold, Dotted Border Wave, Horse Chestnut, Scarce Merveille du Jour, and Plumed Fan-foot. There was also an influx of some of the scarcer migrant species, notably Small Marbled, while recent colonists such as Blair’s Mocha, Jersey Mocha, Portland Ribbon Wave, Jersey Tiger, Langmaid’s Yellow Underwing, and Tree-lichen Beauty were recorded in good numbers, particularly in the southern New Forest and surrounds. A notable influx of Dark Umber (very rare in the New Forest) and huge numbers of Four-spotted Footman were other highlights of the period.   Dotted Fan-foot near Fritham on 19 June 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)  Plumed Fan-foot at Lepe on 17 July 2025 (photo: Bob Chapman)    Other rare migrant moths reported in the period included Migrant Sable Diasemiopsis ramburialis and Splendid Brocade at Franchises Lodge in late June. A VESPA training session at Furzey Gardens on 29 June produced the nationally rare Smudge-winged Comb-horn Cranefly Ctenophora ornata , which is a specialist of ancient Beech woodlands; another came to light at Linford the following night. Records of the nationally scarce Smudge-winged Pipiza Pipiza lugubris at Setthorns Inclosure on 16 June and Lepe on 10 July may be the first New Forest records, and the leaf beetle Calomicrus circumfusus was photographed at Godshill Ridge on 05 June.   Smudge-winged Comb-horn Cranefly at Furzey Gardens on 29 June 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)  Smudge-winged Pipiza at Sethorns Inclosure on 16 June 2025 (photo: Chris Searle)    Leaf beetle Calomicrus circumfusus at Godshill Ridge on 05 June 2025 (photo: Nigel Kendall)      A Lesser Yellowlegs was sporadically reported from Pennington and Keyhaven Marshes during July, and a Black Kite drifted over Acres Down on 08 June at 1315 hrs, frustratingly just an hour after a VESPA raptor training session had concluded! Sightings in the Lymington-Hurst area included the long-staying Long-tailed Duck, as well as Great White Egret, Spoonbill, and a couple of returning Curlew Sandpipers on 23 July. A Pied Flycatcher reported at Ashurst Lodge on 16 June was an intriguing record given the time of year and a count of 13 adult Little Ringed Plovers at Badminston Gravel Pit on 03 July was notable. A major influx of continental Crossbills saw numerous flocks of up to 50 at various New Forest locations, although these numbers were dwarfed by numbers passing over the Isle of Wight where the peak count was nearly 400 on 27 July. Wood Warblers are clinging on a breeding bird in the New Forest, so it was notable that one of the ringed New Forest birds has reached its seventh year and becomes the oldest recorded Wood Warbler in Britain.   Lesser Yellowlegs at Keyhaven/Pennington Marshes on 24 June 2025 (photo: Jeremy McClements)      Fungi were unsurprisingly sparse given the dry conditions, but some of the more conspicuous wood rotting (saprophytic) species began to appear, including a few specimens of the nationally rare Tiered Tooth Hericium cirrhatum .   Tiered Tooth   on 15 June 2025 (photo: Holly Fitzgerald)      Wildlife and conservation news The drought conditions meant that the fire risk in the New Forest remained high, although the only significant incident in the period was a blaze that affected about 2400m 2 of gorse scrub near Beaulieu on 12 July (see here ).   There was positive news from Poole Harbour where the Osprey reintroduction project saw a second pair breed this summer (see here ), following the establishment of the first pair in 2022. In addition, a pair of White-tailed Eagles from the Isle of Wight reintroduction project have also bred in Dorset this year (see here ). Both species are increasingly regular along the New Forest coast and so may attempt to nest here in future.   Another reintroduction project has seen New Forest Cicadas, obtained from France, released into inclosures in Paultons Park (see here ). The project is led by Species Recovery Trust and is co-funded by Natural England, and aims to establish a captive breeding colony that can then be used to re-establish the species in the New Forest in the coming years.   Finally, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Branch of Butterfly Conservation saw a mass resignation of its committee earlier this year following a restructuring exercise delivered by Head Office. In June, the BC Head of Volunteering made the following statement: Looking ahead, we are very aware of the challenges that all our Branches in the UK have been facing in recruiting to committee roles. Across the voluntary sector, participation in volunteering has declined 45% over the last 10 years and the appetite for volunteering in a committee role has halved. Therefore, in discussion with Andy Barker (Transect Coordinator, former Branch Chair and Trustee) we have agreed to proceed in Hampshire without a Branch Committee. Instead, volunteers will continue to lead activities as they currently do and staff will set up new locally targeted volunteer groups as needed, such as survey groups or for habitat management work off-reserves. This will allow us to focus our time where we can make the most difference on the ground, helping butterflies, moths and the environment in Hampshire. it was announced that the Branch will continue without a committee, but activities will continue under the leadership of volunteers, in some case co-ordinated by staff.   Many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.