At our November meeting, Ferring Conservation Group was pleased to welcome Cllr Vicki Wells, Worthing Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, who provided an informative update on the latest sea water quality findings along the Worthing coastline.

Drawing on her background as a science producer for the BBC, Vicki is committed to strengthening community involvement in local environmental monitoring. She recently joined members of a local swimming club to take part in seawater testing, helping to ensure that citizen-collected data contributes to a fuller and more accurate picture of coastal water conditions.

Thanks to equipment supplied by Southern Water, three designated sampling points have now been established to support local campaigners in tracking water quality. These complement the Environment Agency’s weekly testing programme carried out from May to September each year.

While water quality at Goring Beach and Heene Road has improved and is now officially rated “good”, the stretch near Beach House Grounds remains classified as “poor.”

Vicki explained that multiple pollution sources may be contributing to the issue, including urban run-off carrying litter, chemicals, mis-connected or damaged sewer infrastructure, natural waste from wildlife and dogs, as well as human impacts such as improper waste disposal on the beach.

Investigations are ongoing, supported by improved signage and the launch of the Yellow Fish campaign, which aims to raise awareness that pollution entering roadside drains flows directly into the sea.

Following Vicki’s presentation, Alex Finch, Water Quality Specialist at Southern Water, spoke about the company’s efforts to support Worthing Borough Council in improving coastal water quality. He acknowledged the company’s past challenges—including illegal sewage discharges that resulted in fines and regulatory red ratings—but highlighted progress made through the identification of pollution sources.

Using a bell-curve chart, Alex illustrated the risks posed by harmful bacteria such as E. coli and viruses like norovirus, which can cause gastrointestinal illness in humans. He reaffirmed Southern Water’s commitment to reducing storm overflow releases and continuing work to tackle contamination concerns.

Seasonal mince pies accompanied cups of tea during a short break followed by Nature Notes, presented by Graham Tuppen. The following birds had all been spotted at Widewater, a man-made lagoon at Lancing, including Turnstones, Coots, Black Swans, Cormorants, Goosander, Heron, Little Egrets, Little Grebes, Moorhens, a silver Appleyard (a domestic breed of duck) as well as an unusual visit from a Slavonian Grebe.

Clive Hope had seen waders on the beach at Ferring and Goring consisting of over 60 Oystercatchers, 40 Sanderlings, a few Turnstones and the odd Grey Plover, Dunlin and Ringed Plover. On the sea Clive spotted 12 Great Crested Grebes and 8 Red-breasted Mergansers.

On the west side of the Ferring Rife an influx of Blackbirds, Reed Buntings and Chaffinches joined a good number of Linnets and Goldfinches there. Also one Blackcap and a couple of Song Thrushes.

Stephen Abbott concluded the meeting by updating members with local planning news. Change of use for industrial units on the slopes of Highdown Hill have been submitted. The application for a footpath registration submitted by Ferring Conservation Group had been formally accepted and would be decided in due course.

January 2026 – The ‘No’ Year Resolution

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation, Sussex Wildlife Trust

Happy New Year! However you choose to celebrate, I hope your festive season was full of peace, joy, and mega loads of cheese. I always have a new year’s resolution and try to make them positive. Apologise less. Dance more. Wear the shoes. Before you stop reading for fear of me going full ‘live, laugh, love’ don’t worry, I’m heading somewhere.

2026 is going to be the year of boundaries. As well-meaning humans, and especially in the UK, we can be a little too agreeable, put up with stuff, get on with it. But as nature illustrates, it doesn’t have to be this way.

There are not many better boundary-setting role models than those species who ward off others as standard. Camouflage antithesis, these creatures make themselves obvious to warn incomers that they’re not to be messed with. It’s called aposematism, a defence mechanism utilised by certain species across the board; invertebrates, plants, mammals, birds, fish and fungi. Told you I had a point.

There are a few different types of aposematism.

Aposematic colouration: deliberately bright colours to visually warn of a toxic taste to others (whether this is true or not). Think ladybirds, wasps and Cinnabar moth caterpillars, who are bright yellow to mirror the toxic traits taken on by their favourite food plant – Ragwort. Then there are Cuttlefish, whose colour-changing skills give them the option of disguise or bold vibrant attack.

Olfactory aposematism: repelling predators by producing a smell or foul-smelling substance. This dirty card is played by several species of shield bug, sometimes harshly but accurately known as stink bugs. Many plants are notable for this feature, including the strong-smelling Wild Garlic.

Auditory aposematism: sound as a deterrent. Many species make alarm calls to expose a nearby predator, like a Robin tick-ticking at the sight of a cat. But auditory aposematism is making a sound to directly warn of one’s own danger or distaste to others. A famous example is the Rattlesnake, which clatters its tail to give the heads up – “it’s not worth it mate”. Closer to home, the Garden Tiger moth rubs its wings together to make a rasping noise to the same effect.

Symbolic or tenuous, there’s no doubt these creatures have mastered the art of communicating their boundaries. In nature there’s no awkwardness, no deeper meaning, no overthink – imagine! So, in nature’s honour, this year I’ll be saying a lot more ‘no’. Hopefully with no need for any olfactory assistance.

Many thanks to our team of volunteers who turned out this week to help clear our beach at Ferring of all the rubbish

Part of our clean up team with the rubbish collected

that has washed up here recently. There was a significant amount of polystyrene from the ship incident in the Channel plus more items such as fishing gear, nylon rope and others bits as a result of the stormy weather.

We did escape the worst of the incident, which sadly has affected the beaches at Selsey, Pagham and Bognor in a serious way, but at least for the time being, we have a clean beach again. The cleansing offcer at Arun DC is very grateful for all our efforts and wanted to pass on his thanks.

We’ll continue to monitor the area and if necessary, we will again call for an impromptu clean up.

An Ocean Oversight                                                               December 2025

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation, Sussex Wildlife Trust

December has a real indoors vibe. Short days, finishing work in the dark and inconsistent weather doesn’t exactly motivate us to get out, even if we know it’s good for us. This poses a challenge for connecting with wildlife, which we know can increase people’s desire to protect the natural world. Despite many species hibernating or migrating, there is still so much to see. To throw yourself in at the deep end, I encourage you this winter to explore our beautiful Sussex coast.

That said, in reviewing my parish magazine articles of this year, I realise I’ve not included any marine species. This is awkward. If our marine team find out they’ll be livid. But also, we work hard to connect people with blue spaces, promote the value and wonder of the ocean and fight for its protection, so how could I have overlooked it?

The marine environment has long since suffered from a lack of attention in the conservation world and beyond. At the risk of sounding like I’m defending myself, in a way it’s understandable. We’re terrestrial mammals, desperately under-resourced for the aquatic. We seek warmth, dryness, a firm foundation underfoot, and can align more easily with perils of the warm-blooded – and things with a face.

Many of us value coastal connections; beach trips, swimming, travel to warmer waters. But our oceans are not a luxury. They are a lifeline. A critical feature of our ecosystem, which we and all other life on earth could not survive without. Our disconnect with the ocean environment is contributing to its demise, and we must turn it around.

There is something fascinating about the unknown of the big blue, and once you start to investigate, you realise how truly epic it is. Although much is out of sight from land, the diversity of healthy UK waters has such colour and vibrancy, from royal blue Lobsters to 90s-neon Corkwing Wrasse, and other-wordly nudibranchs.

In winter it’s wild. The drama of furious waters, crashing waves and freezing sea-spray. Watching, huddled in layers, a freezing cold nose and the promise of an after winter-walk’s too-hot-yet chips. Heading to the water’s edge for stone-sprinkled sand and shell treasure discoveries. And there’s nothing like a stomp along a windswept beach to galvanise a slumped after-Christmas-dinner bunch.

So, this December, why not skip a shopping trip, dodge the odd social occasion, push that deadline. Instead, head to the sea. And I’ll submit many a marine article in 2026. Promise.

False Accusations                                                                                   November, 2025

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation, Sussex Wildlife Trust

From Halloween bunting to sensationalised stories, spiders have an unfair creepy-crawly-villain reputation. The shift into autumn often reignites a focus on indoor spider sightings, and with it a renewed batch of clickbait fearmongering. Some of those getting the worst of it are the false widows.

Among six species of false widow spider in the UK, three are most common. The smaller of the two are native; the Rabbit Hutch Spider and the Cupboard Spider. The largest of the three, at 10-14mm body length, is the Noble False Widow. Although technically non-native, this species is pretty much part of the furniture, having arrived in the 1800s. They are mostly brown in colour with varying pale shades and patterns on the abdomen, which sometimes look ‘skull-shaped’; an awkward addition to the PR nightmare.

The latter two species have been known to deliver a bite to humans. However, like most spiders, they are not typically aggressive, sometimes biting in defence when handled. As ever, medical advice should be sought if you are concerned or vulnerable, but the bite is said to be comparable to a wasp sting.

Despite the clue in the name, false widows are often aligned with Black Widow Spiders. These non-UK species have a more potent bite, which can cause illness in humans, though to continue the arachno-advocacy, they are similarly passive in behaviour.

As with many vilified creatures, alarmism can lead to misidentification and incorrect reporting. One confusion species for the Noble False Widow is the Missing Sector Orb Web Spider. One way to differentiate them is by the webs; the latter produces the famous concentric circle style (often with one sector missing!) whereas Noble False Widows create criss-crossing, messy looking ‘tangle’ webs.

Contrary to the aspersions, spiders make excellent house guests. They are private, tidy and keep unwanted flying insects to a minimum, which is especially helpful if you have houseplants. If you have a spider in your home this autumn, at best, leave them be and observe their fascinating habits. If it’s necessary to move them do so gently, using a glass and piece of card, and carefully pop them outside, preferably in a similarly protective building, such as a shed, or nearby vegetation.

Tolerance and coexistence are vital for effective conservation, whether in our wider ecosystem, or in our own gardens and homes. With our urban environment expanding, we must continue to make space for nature, especially those who, like the false widows, are so wrongly maligned.

A Red Kite Tale                                                                                          October 2025

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation, Sussex Wildlife Trust

On holiday in the late 90s, my family and I made a visit to a working Mid-Wales farm. As we watched from purpose-built hides, a group of magnificent wild birds of prey started to gather in the surrounding trees, eventually descending to pick up scraps of meat from the ground; a flurry of auburn feathers and forked tails. I remember being stunned by the sheer number; I was used to spotting a lone Kestrel or Buzzard but had never seen so many birds of prey at once.

The farm is famed for their supplementary Red Kite feeding, held there daily since advised by the RSPB in 1992 to support efforts to encourage the preservation of the species. The UK Red Kite population had been decimated due to long-term persecution, driven by an incorrect belief that they threatened game birds. Red Kites will hunt small mammals, such as Rabbits, but are mostly scavengers, preferring to take carrion rather than live prey. By the late 1980s numbers were drastically low, and with only a handful of breeding pairs in Wales, the species was nearly extinct in the UK.

But change was in the air. Following a release of several birds in the Chilterns in 1990, efforts by many conservation organisations and committed individuals to support and resettle the species have made the Red Kite reintroduction one of the most successful and renowned conservation stories in the UK. The species now soars in many areas of the British Isles, which is home to an estimated 4,500 breeding pairs. Whereas during my Welsh farm visit we perhaps saw 80 birds, they now welcome up to 500.

We know that memorable interactions for children and young people with our natural world can create lasting connections; vital to the continued conservation of our precious wildlife and habitats. Even though they are now abundant in places, I am still overjoyed to see a Red Kite, perched in a bare branch or hovering over a motorway. When I do, I am often put in mind of that experience at the farm 25 years ago. I had no idea I was witnessing part of such an incredible story.

Students from St Oscar Romero School in Goring-by-Sea, along with their teachers, were recently treated to a fascinating overnight moth-trapping experience, thanks to the expertise of Dr Tim Freed – a leading entomologist and member of the Ferring Conservation Group.

This event is part of a growing partnership between Ferring Conservation Group and the school’s Fingerprint Ambassadors – a dedicated group of students passionate about environmental issues. For the past two years, this collaboration, overseen by Phil Dean, the school’s Careers, Enrichment and Outdoor Learning Leader, has helped foster greater awareness of local biodiversity and conservation efforts within the community.

On the evening of 16th July, Tim set up two Robinson moth traps within the school grounds. At 6pm, students and staff gathered in a classroom to hear an engaging introductory talk from Tim, who explained the vital role moths play in the ecosystem. He introduced the group to a variety of species, their habits, life cycles, and the importance of biodiversity.

Following the talk, the group enjoyed a barbecue—cooked to perfection by Phil Dean on the school grounds—as they made final preparations for their overnight camp, securing tents and discussing the evening’s activities.

As dusk fell, Tim led the students and teachers to the first moth trap, positioned among some rough grassland near one of the classroom buildings. The group was delighted to find a healthy variety of moths had already been attracted to the trap’s bright light. The second trap, located in a darker corner of the school playing field, near a row of poplar trees and away from light pollution, proved equally successful.

With high hopes for a rich haul in the morning, the students and teachers retired to their tents, eager for an early start.

After a night under canvas, the group rose early to join Tim who had returned at first light to check the traps and make a quick assessment of the catch. Together with the students he reviewed the final contents of the traps. His expert commentary brought each species to life, making for an unforgettable learning experience that combined hands-on science with real-world ecology.

In total, over 135 species were recorded across the traps. Star attractions were several Poplar and Elephant Hawk-moths and a solitary Pine Hawk-moth. A number of migratory species were present including the rare Golden Twin-spot, and well-over 1000 Willow Ermine were noted. Interestingly, 98 species were recorded at both the Classroom site and the Poplars site, reflecting the ecological richness of each location. Both traps produced a number of interesting finds, including moths typically associated with riverbank habitats—an indication of the influence of the nearby Ferring Rife corridor, which intersects the broader Chatsmore Farm landscape.

The Classroom site, with its rough grassland, scrub, and proximity to gardens, proved to be a surprisingly valuable area with numerous grassland species present as well as a good variety of butterflies seen there during the day. At the Poplars site, which features railway-side vegetation and mature woodland, several uncommon and local species were recorded including the Olive, Cnephasia longana, Gypsonoma minutana, Sitochroa palealis and Synaphe punctalis. Several species were common to both traps.

(Pictured – female Poplar Hawk-moth)

Woodlice and Dead Wood                                                       September 2025

By Kerry Williams: Communications Officer – Conservation, Sussex Wildlife Trust

A minibeast staple of childhood bug hunts, and comprising of 30 UK species, woodlice can be found in gardens all year round.

Not lice at all, but terrestrial crustaceans, meaning they have hard exoskeletons, woodlice are related to crabs and shrimp. Favouring damp habitats to avoid drying out, these helpful critters can be found under rocks, logs and in compost heaps, doing what they do best; recycling. Nothing is off the menu, as woodlice will consume dead plant and animal matter, fungi, lichen, and with full zero-waste commitment, even their own faeces.

Woodlice have an extraordinary series of common and nicknames, with a survey once collecting 250 regional variations; chuckypig, slater, pillbug, monkeypea and woodpig, to name a few. It’s not known why woodlice have so many alternative names, but a lovely theory is that it’s due to their accessibility to children playing in gardens, who come up with imaginative names which stick over time.

A critical habitat for woodlice is dead wood, whether fallen or dead trees, rotting stumps, logs or stick piles. A sometimes-overlooked environment, dead wood is often a microcosm bursting with life.

Fungi are a hugely important partner in the dead wood cycle, by both contributing to the decay process and feeding on the dead wood itself. Many insects rely on this habitat, including Saproxylic Beetles, which burrow into the softer surfaces to avoid predators, their grubs feeding on the decaying wood. Insectivorous birds, such as woodpeckers, then benefit from this. Bats utilise holes in standing dead wood to roost, and feed on flying insects attracted to the damp environment it can create. And the decaying wood itself recycles nutrients back into the soil.

With such an impressive ecosystem to support, it is important to leave dead wood and resist any temptation to clear it away. On a large scale, it can contribute to a diversity of woodland understory, creating different angles and textures as you peer through the forest, increasing not only the ecological value, but the mystical aesthetic of our ancient Ebernoe reserve, for example. On a smaller garden scale, it can provide a bug-hotel-style feature and a vital home for the important wildlife we don’t always notice; a chuckypig paradise.