Our team at Martlesham Wilds have been busy installing wildlife monitoring equipment across the reserve this month.

Boxes installed on trees will help our Wardens and survey volunteers monitor bird and bat species across the landscape. In a recent bat walk at Martlesham Wilds, six different species were recorded and ongoing bird surveys have recorded a great variety of species including heron, curlew, linnet, kestrel, and sparrowhawk. The new boxes will also provide additional roosting and nesting places for bats and birds, helping to boost their numbers as the wildlife habitats are restored.

Fences are also being installed in selected sections of the reserve to create new zones for conservation grazing. These areas will see a considered rotation of grazing cattle and sheep to manage vegetation levels and help create an appealing habitat for ground nesting birds. 

Thank you to Biffa Award for their support; the fencing and monitoring equipment have all been made possible with their grant funding. 

We were joined by staff from Willis Towers Watson at our Blaxhall Common nature reserve this month and they weren't put off by the autumn turn of the weather! 

The team got stuck in with their conservation tasks, including clearing scrubby areas to promote new vegetation growth and made bundles of birch which will be transported to Hazlewood Marshes to be used as erosion protection. 

Fancy getting stuck in with your colleagues at one of our nature reserves? Not only is it a great team building day you'll be helping Suffolk's wildlife thrive! Find out more here.

Some of our team based at our Brooke House office took on the challenge of The Wildlife Trusts' Big Wild Walk. Wrapping up warm and donning wellies on an early November day, the team set out to walk a circular route across the fields at lunchtime. 

The team walked a total of 38km, smashing the The Big Wild Walk's goal of 30km! 

Big Wild Walk is a fundraising campaign from The Wildlife Trusts which helps to promote the Trust's mission to restore and protect at least 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. The funds raised from the campaign help local Trust's deliver beneficial work for people, wildlife, and the environment. 

Trail cameras set up across our North-East reserves by Gavin - our Assistant Broads Warden - have captured delightful scenes this month including a bold bittern and a great grey shrike: a particularly rare visitor! 

Species appearing in this compilation (in order), hobby, bittern, great grey shrike, red fox chasing a moorhen. 

Follow our North-East Reserves team on X to keep up to date with their work and sightings: x.com/SWT_NE_Reserves

On the 3^rd of November, The Wildlife Trusts supported River Action UK's March for Clean Water in central London. Water Policies Manager at The Wildlife Trusts - Ali Morse - reflected on the day in a blog detailing the streams of people gathering and marching towards Parliament Square along the River Thames.

Alongside different Wildlife Trusts a raft of environmental charities, campaigners, and local groups attended the day all calling for three main asks:

• Reform Regulation - Conduct an immediate root and branch review of Ofwat & the Environment Agency to put a complete stop to any industry knowingly and wantonly polluting our waters for profit and greed.
• Enforcing the law – we already have the laws and regulations in place to end water pollution. What we need now is this new government to uphold and enforce them.  
• Stop pollution for profit – make sure ALL polluting industries invest here and now for the long term, upgrading infrastructure, reducing water wastage and leaks, helping farmers restore habitats, increasing efficient water use everywhere.

Image credits: River Action UK

Our Lackford Lakes and Martlesham Wilds nature reserves have enjoyed views of spectacular murmurations this month. 

Starlings are known as ‘partial migrants’: birds that migrate in some places but not in others. Resident starlings are joined by birds from colder countries in eastern Europe, swelling our numbers during autumn and winter to form seriously impressive flocks. With the growing number of starlings come these mass aerial displays at dusk above a communal roosting site. 

This month, our Planning and Advocacy team explored challenges faced by new energy infrastructure in a detailed new blog. Following the 2024 General Election, the Government published the Great British Energy Bill, with the aim of accelerating investment in clean energy. 

In the Great British Energy Bill's current state we are deeply concerned that it lacks duty for nature and nature recovery. 

The Wildlife Trusts’ headline asks of GB Energy are similar to those for energy infrastructure and planning more broadly:

• GB Energy must have a net zero and nature recovery remit incorporating Environment Act targets
• Projects supported by GB Energy must meet environmental criteria that ensures contributions to Environment Act Targets, incentivising the early identification of environment issues and solutions to reduce costs and ensure fast delivery of energy project.
• There must be joined-up planning between energy infrastructure on land and in our seas. Developing infrastructure at sea may be out-of-sight, but will not enable the nature and climate crisis to be addressed together. 

 Read more in our blog: GB Energy: Why nature must be at the heart of new energy infrastructure