News Winter 2024/25
An amazing start to the 2025 toad migration - hundreds rescued already!
And you can help too just by avoiding driving down Lords Hill, Norley Lane & Woodhill Lane at dusk!!
The toad migration season started with a bang this year - we had an amazing few evenings as February drew to a close with some unusually mild weather. Our local toads, frogs and newts decided that was a REALLY good time to get going, and we helped hundreds of them in the space of 3 or 4 nights to get to their breeding ponds safely without being squashed by cars. Many were caught in the buckets by the toad fence which prevents them reaching the road, and lots of others were scooped up from the tarmac as they started the road crossing unaided.
Out toad hunting
A beautiful Newt
Click here for our preliminary results of the numbers of amphibians helped to safety in the first few weeks of the migration season to the 5th March. More recently with warmer evenings, and with lots of helpers from other villages too, we are seeing bumper figures again - on 21st March about 600 animals, mostly toads, were saved from being run over!
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If you can come and lend a hand please do get in touch with Regena Coult <toads@surrey-arg.org.uk> and you can be added to our WhatsApp group to be kept informed.​
A new recruit to our volunteer team - having a VERY successful first night's hunting!
​And even if you can't actually help with the rescues, it would be great if everyone could avoid driving down Woodhill Lane and Norley Lane from dusk till about 9pm! Every little helps!!
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Christ Church wins a bronze award in the Eco Church Project
Congratulations to Christ Church, Shamley Green who have achieved a bronze award in the Eco Church Project. This is a national scheme which churches of all denominations are encouraged to join, to take practical action in expressing caring for God’s earth. There are 5 elements involved and in fact the church achieved a gold level for 'Nurturing spaces for people and nature’ and also Worship and Teaching. Click here to read more in this article published in the Parish Magazine.
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We also featured the wonderful Christ Church graveyard in our popular Special Places series in the Parish Magazine - see our magazine articles page for the full list of our publications, including a very special circular stroll along the Wey and Arun Canal in the January 2025 edition.
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Swift boxes about to be installed under the church eaves - one of Christ Church's Eco projects
Intrepid Litter Pickers to the Rescue!!
At least 45 bags of rubbish were collected in February from some of the roads leading to Shamley Green. Thanks so much to the brave volunteers who helped over three 90 minute litter picks. We found mainly cans and plastic and glass bottles but also shoes, cd players, nitrous oxide canisters, loo seats and of course lots of shiny wrappers. Also, quite a few hedge guards which should have been removed by those who put them on as they are not biodegradable.
There will be an official Family Litter Pick in Shamley Green village on 10th May on safe roads - watch out for further details both here and in the Parish Magazine.
And if you would like to help another time on the roadside tidy-up please do let us know - info@shamleygreenenvironment.co.uk
Intrepid litterpickers on the B2128 risked being mown down by passing cars
A very satisfying haul
The Big Garden Birdwatch took place 24th-26th January
A male house sparrow - last year's most frequently recorded bird, but numbers are down by 60%
Across the UK, over 600,000 people took part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2024, counting a whopping 9.7 million birds! House Sparrows took the top spot, but counts of these are down by 60% compared to the first Birdwatch in 1979. In fact, we’ve lost 38 million birds from UK skies in the last 60 years. With birds facing so many challenges, it’s more important than ever to get involved in the Birdwatch. It's run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and every bird you do – or don’t – count will give them a valuable insight into how garden birds are faring.
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Volunteers help to install this year’s toad fence
Every year, before the toad migration season begins, we install a lightweight 'toad fence' to stop migrating frogs, toads and newts getting on to Woodhill Lane and Stroud Lane from the adjacent field. Instead they fall into buckets sunk into the ground at intervals along the fence so we can retrieve them and move them safely across the road to continue on their way to their breeding ponds. In 2024 we rescued 248 animals in this way.
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This year the fence started to go up on the 13th January. It takes a long time and it was fantastic that people were prepared to spare an hour or two to help, sometimes in very stormy conditions. Thanks to Sally for mending the fence and Regena for giving up so much of her time. Thanks also to Paul Smith for loaning his field.
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The toad fence was successfully installed in time for the spring migration. Please do get in touch with Regena if you would like to help next year! toads@surrey-arg.co.uk
New hedges planted for wildlife
We have planted 1000 mixed variety saplings to create a new hedge in a field between Woodhill Lane and Stroud Lane - huge thanks to the people who came and helped!
The hedge will be brilliant for all sorts of wildlife such as amphibians, birds and small mammals.
If you are interested in helping with the next phase of the work in the Autumn please contact Regena toads@surrey-arg.co.uk or
Planting in progress
Regena planting at sunrise
Planting finished!
250 new trees for a hedgerow have also been planted by Wonersh & Shamley Green School, along the footpath in the woodland leading to Nursery Hill, and a lot of new hedge planting and hedge laying has been done by landowners along Norley lane, and Northcote Lane.
Hedges can provide vital corridors for our wildlife to feed, breed and take cover, and planted along the roadside they can help to shore up the banks, prevent soil erosion, improve air quality and slow down the flow of rainwater. Planting a variety of native species adds to biodiversity partly because it provides a varied food source at differing times of the year.
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Wonersh & Shamley Green School hedge planting
Norley Lane
The 2025 New Year Plant Hunt, 29th December 2024 to 1st January 2025
Now in its 14th year, the hunt is organised by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI). Thousands of people all over the UK go on a flower-spotting walk to help understand how our wild plants are responding to a changing climate. It's fun and adds interest to your New Year ramble!
You can click here to find out more, and for spotter sheets, plant hunting/photographing tips and ID help. All you needed to do this year was choose a nice day between 29th Dec and 1st January, go on a local flower hunt, and add your valuable data to this great citizen science project. Dates for next year's hunt will be available in November/December 2025.
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See our New Year 2023 Wildflower Diary for results from 2 years ago when SGEG found 13 different plants in flower in and around Shamley Green. Unfortunately we couldn't join the last Plant Hunt, but are hoping to get out plant-spotting for this one.
UPDATE: on a cold and gloomy New Year's Day we found 6 species in flower on Blackheath: gorse (of course), annual meadow grass and daisy were not surprising, but there were also 3 species quite unusual for the New Year Plant Hunt: thyme-leaved speedwell, thyme-leaved sandwort and slender rush.
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The next day's hunting around the canal, the railway track and Lords Hill yielded 10 species: herb robert, daisy, wood avens, dandelion, dog's mercury, red campion, annual meadow grass, creeping buttercup, wavy bitter-cress and white deadnettle.
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Click here for an interactive map and list of this year's results over the whole of the UK and Ireland