THE EASTBOURNE NATURAL HISTORYAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Founded 1867

NEWSLETTER

No. 1

August 1991

Newsletter August 1991

Dear Members,

I hope you like the new format of the newsletter. This was decided by your committee after discussion and your comments would be welcomed.

Elsewhere you will find notes from our Treasurer regarding costs and subscriptions. Due to high printing costs it has been decided to dispense with the combined membership/programme card and to replace it with a small membership/receipt card and to include the programme of lectures and walks in the newsletter. For convenience these appear only the centre pages which may be easily detached and folded for the pocket or handbag if so desired.

The proposed development at Beachy Head by Hardway Leisure Management wasalso discussed by your committee and two members have been to the Technical Services Department to inspect the plans more fully. It is felt that a scheme of this kind will be detrimental to both natural history and archaeology in the area and it was decided to write informing the Borough Council accordingly.

The time for winter lectures will soon be upon us, so may I remind you of the change in venue for Natural History meetings These will be at the Upperton Reformed Church Hall,Upperton Road, Old Town, Eastbourne. "The Hall is located on the corner of Upperton Road and Watts Lane, with entrance on Watts Lane side. The meetings commence at 7.45 pm. There is no change to Archaeological meetings at the WRVS at 7.30 pm.

Finally, may I appeal for contributions to the newsletter e.g. a report on one or more of the walks undertaken during the summer.

Editor.

BIRD WATCHER'S DIARY

March ended on a dry note, with temperatures well down. A run of northerly winds brought the arrival of summer migrants to a halt and kept the winter visitors with us for a while. The Scaup flock at Scotney Court Pit fell to 78, but the l6 Barnacle Geese stayed on. Meanwhile at Shoreham, Widewater played host to a Water Pipit, with 2 Chiff Chaffs and 2 Wheatears as supporting cast. Further west still, theChurch Norton Red Breasted Mergansers rose to 15 and the Brent Geese fell to 50.

April started wet, but by the second week was warmer and drier, with winds in a more favourable direction. Chiff Chaff, Willow Warbler and Cuckoo had arrived at Fore Wood. The Scaup flock rose briefly to 170, fell to 72 by mid-month, and had gone soon after. A swallow and 2 Yellow Wagtails were on Pevensey Levels by the12th, and although the rest of the month was mainly dry the winds again set into the North and temperatures fell. Despite this, a Sea Watch on the 27th produced good numbers of Gannet, Scoter and Bar Tailed Godwit, two species of Skua, 2 species of diver and a Red Necked Grebe. On the same day a Swift was at Camber Sands, a Sedge Warbler at Pevensey Levels and a Little Tern at Pett Level, where the high tide roost produced 139 Turnstone. At Dungeness the migration continued, with House Martin, Sand Martin, Swallow, Black Tern and - forgood measure, 3 Great Skua and 2 Red Breasted Merganser.

May began where April left off. The winds mainly from a northerly direction, mostly dry, but warmer. An Avocet was the star bird at Dungeness on the 6th, while North Point Pit had 24 Swifts and the Pett Level Turnstone flock reached 112. By mid—moth, the song of Nightingale, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap could be heard at Fore Wood and Polegate Copse. At Rye Harbour, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Cuckoo were settling in, and 20 Turtle Doves were on the phone wires near the farm buildings. On the Long pit, Swifts exceeded 100 and Swallows 30. Again the star bird was an avocet on the Wader Scrape. At the end of the month, three rare species arrived. At Exceat, a very rare Red Throated Pipit stayed beside the Cuckmere for a few days, affordingvery close views of this seemingly tame bird - a 5th record for Sussex. Meanwhile atDungeness, good views were had of a White Winged Black Tern on the New Diggings Pit and a female Red Backed Shrike near the Observatory. The antics of four Cuckoos chasing one another, led to the sighting of a Serin on the R.S.P.B. Reserve the following day. However, a Purple Heron stayed in the reeds at Hookers Pit, despite an intense search.

June, despite favourable winds and warm weather, was wet. Over six inches of rainfell during the month, making it the wettest June for a number of years. It curtailed bird watching and delayed the arrival of some species. The only birds of note at this time were 2 Hobby on the Pevensey Levels, plus a male Sparrowhawk and singing Nightjar at Old Lodge in Ashdown Forest.

July continued June's wet weather, adding another six inches of rain to the total. High temperatures set off a massive thunderstorm on the 5th, and there were fearsthat the amount of rainfall could spoil the nesting season of 4 some species. Draining the roadside Pool at Pett Level during the third weekend of July gave early results. A little Stint, a summer plumaged Knot and three Yellow legged Herring Gull had arrived by the 26th. On the sea, a Scoter raft numbering 100 moved past.

August started much better, with warm dry weather prevailing. Pett Level saw moremigrating waders: 2 Little Stint, a Common Sandpiper and seven Whimbrel on the 3rd and a Wood Sandpiper on the 9th. The star bird was a Black Necked Grebe at the Ternery pit, Rye Harbour. Also there, were two Common Sandpiper and a

Garganey in eclipse plumage The highlight at Dungeness was the sighting of four Wood Sandpiper at the Hookers Pit. Finally, a Little Ringed Plover appeared at PettLevel on the 10th. The wader migration is now well under way, and with continuing good weather a good migration period seems to be in prospect.

Peter Cullen

Dear Members,

I should like to express my thanks and appreciation of the honour of appointing me as an Honary Vice President of the Society and for the covering citation so admirably presented to me by Mr. Powell Cullingford (Vice President) at the AnnualGeneral Meeting.

This honour came as-a complete surprise to me. My service to the Society, quoted as being of 24 years, has been one of particular enjoyment and I have seen many changes in its activities.

This meeting was not only the last of the present session but, sadly, the final one atthe Towner Art Gallery. The gallery has been our home since October 1945 and it is hard that the exorbitant increase-in charges has forced us to seek another venue. It is hoped that when we meet again in September we shall be able to continue to further our activities in the new surroundings with renewed vigour, Marion joins with me in thanking you all once again and for the delightful presentation which she received.

Yours sincerely

Ken Suckling

10.6.1991

PROGRAMMEOF

LECTURES 1991 - 1992

1991Tuesday 24th September (U.R.C.)

IN BADGERS WOOD .. Mr Colin Page

Friday llth October (W.R.V.S.)ANGLO SAXON SUSSEX .. Mr.Martin Welch

Tuesday 22nd October (U.R.C.)BRITISH REPTILES .. Prof. G.A.D.Haslewood

Friday 8th November (W.R.V.S.)PYECOMBE BARROW EXCAVATION .. Mr.Chris Butler

Tuesday 26th November (U.R.C.)INSECTS,BIRDS & FLOWERS ONA SOUTH DOWNS FARM .. Mr.Christopher

Passmore

Friday 13th December (W.R.V.S.)CHRISTMAS EVENING

1992Friday 1Oth January (W.R.V.S)

INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL ARCHAEOLOGY .. Mr.Lawrence Stevens

Tuesday 28th January (U.R.C.)BIRDS OF PREY .. Mr.Julian Ford

Friday 7th February (W.R.V.S.)POTTERY FROM ARCHAEOLOGICALSITES IN EASTBOURNE .. Mr. John Dove

Tuesday 25th February (U.R.C.)ON THE HAM SHAW .. Mr.Simon Hert

Friday 13th March (W.R.V.S,)ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS AND THEIR RECOGNITION IN THE FIELD

Tuesday 24th March (U.R.C.)SMALL MAMALS .. Dr.Basil Lindsey

Friday 10th April (W.R.V.S.)

EXCAVATION OF THE SAXON CEMETERYAT ST.ANN'S ROAD, EASTBOURNE .. Mrs.Patricia Stevens

Tuesday 28th April (U.R.C.)ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Tuesday 26th MayA WALK ON THE DOWNS (Details to follow)

NATURAL HISTORY FIELD TRIPS 1991

To be led by Mr. D. Munsonon the following Saturdays:-

14th September WHITBREAD HOLLOW & CUCKMERE HAVEN - Meet Foyle Way 0900 hrs

5th October PAGHAM - Meet Sidlesham Ferry 1000 hrs

9th November BURTON POND — Details from Mr. D. Munson

7th December DUNGENESS ~ Meet reserve car park 1000 hrs

ARCHAEOLOGY

As you know the Society has been running an excavation on a Pagan Saxon site inEastbourne, and by the time this newsletter reaches you some of you may have visited the site on our Open Day on 25th August. ~Excavation of this site will continue until the 8th September. We need help with washing and marking "Finds" from the excavation.

Please come and help us, details from the Secretary(0323 486291) or Eastbourne 34496. ” "

ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRAINING COURSE - SPRING '92

Commencing on the 27th April 1992 there will be a five week preliminary excavation training course. Full details of this course and subsequent excavation will be available in mid-January '92.

Details of the course will be sent on the receipt of s.a.e Please send to Ecat Adult Evening Centre, St. Annels Road, Eastbourne.

SUBSCRIPTIONS 1992/93

The A.G.M. considered subscriptions (which were fixed at £5.00 from 1981) and from April 1992 the subscription will rise to £7.00 for ordinary members.

Other subscription levels will be:Each additional member at the same address = £5.50Associate (under 18 or under 21 in full-

time education) = £1.50Life membership = £70.00

A visitor may attend up to 2 meetings in the year at £1.00 per meeting.

These rates will apply to new members who join after January 1992. ‘Their period of membership will last to 31st March 1993.

Our costs have, roughly, doubled since the present subscription level was adopted.The present rise is not likely to be enough to carry us through the next eleven years, but it should be sufficient for two or three years.

For 1991/92 we are expecting costs to exceed income by about £100 to £120. The new subscription rate will not apply until 1992, so the Committee proposes for 1991/92 to give the opportunity for those attending meetings to make a voluntary contribution (and 50p is suggested).

COVENANTS

Our Society is a registered charity so we could join a scheme which enables charities to reclaim income tax paid by members who covenant to subscribe for at least 4 years.

A taxpayer would subscribe to the Society as usual, paying the normal subscription(£7.00 next year). The Society can claim the £2.33 tax that the subscriber had paid on the £9.33 of his gross income that was reduced by tax to £7.00. (Similarly we would receive £1.83 on the £5.50 subscription from an additional member at the same address - provided that person also paid income tax).

To set up the scheme will involve some effort and expense. Provided at least 25 or 30 members who pay income tax are willing to covenant to pay subscriptions for 4 years then it appears to be worthwhile our making the arrangements.

If you pay income tax and if you would be willing to sign a covenant to pay your subscription for 4 years then please let the Treasurer know on Eastbourne 34960 (or send him a postcard). If there are sufficient replies we can go ahead with the scheme by the time the 1992 subscriptions are due.

If 50 members covenanted then the tax refund could delay a further increase in subscriptions by a year or two. (The details of the benefit to the Society will vary as income tax rates change).

EXCERPT FROM THE SOCIETY'S TRANSACTIONS 1913

In the January 1913 TRANSACTIONS is an account of orchids contributed to the Society's flower stand at Flower Shows. 'Beautiful sprays of the 'bee' in all its glory and of Aranifera, the 'spider'. All through June and July we were never without the tall spikes of the pyramidical orchid and the sweet-scented, rose-coloured flowers of the 'fragrant' and the lilac blooms of the'spotted'. Amongst the dumpy forms of the dwarf or burnt orchid, some spikes were found quite 6" high. 'Green-winged' was brought in several times and in a wonderful range of colour. We had some finesprays of the large white helleborine called egg orchid in Sussex, beautiful specimens of the two 'butterflies', habenaria chlorantha and bifolia, and fine sprays of the 'fly'. One precious little musk orchid from Lewes and the exceedingly rare Summer Ladies Tresses... (It goes on to list a great many other species of wildflower 'the host of tiny flowers that make up what Hudson calls 'the fairy flora ofthe Downs.')

Writing of the devil's bit scabious - 'A 16th century botanist says of this plant 'It is socalled because the rote is blacke and jagged by tinge; and some say that the Devil had envy at the virtue thereof and bit the rote so far as to have destroyed it.

And (of vipers bugloss) 'The bugloss hath its stalks all to be speckled like a snake or viper and is a most singular remedy against the poison of serpents and stings of scorpions And (back to orchids) ‘Plants shaped like butterflies will cure the bites of insects.’

And finally ‘There is nothing more pleasant and full of delight than to wander over woods, mountains and plains garlanded and adorned with various most faire flowers and to steadfastly gaze upon the same.'......