Afton Marsh
Location: Adjacent Freshwater Bay Car Park
In the areas of reedbed cut last winter, marsh marigolds flourished in the spring. They slowly dwindled and were eventually replaced by yellow flag iris, meadowsweet, southern marsh orchids and ragged robin. As the reed grew back, reed warblers took up residence with up to ten males singing in May. The ditch clearance work which was also carried out in the winter has since allowed the colonisation by plants such as brooklime and branched bur-reed which are not evident elsewhere. Also, the rare lesser water parsnip is spreading into the new ditches.

Dodnor Creek
Location: West bank of the Medina Estuary
Prolonged high tides over the winter have subtly increased the salinity of the old millpond. Subsequently, this has resulted in an increase in salt-loving plants such as sea club rush. In the woods there has been an increase in sightings of red squirrels this spring and the appearance of water plantain on the side of the large pond is an encouraging sign that the wetland management
regime is working. The dormouse boxes in the wood have been very successful with the discovery of one nest since they were put up in the spring.

Newtown
Location: Hamstead Heritage Coast
Ringed plover and greater black-backed gulls are still the most notable nesting coastal birds here and both species produced young this year along with meadow pipit, redshank and oystercatcher. In the scrub, four nightingales were singing in the spring and have begun to colonise new areas off the site. On the meadow areas recently cleared of scrub, a fine display of wild flowers, including devil's-bit
scabious, saw-wort, dyer's greenweed, selfheal and the uncommon flea sedge was seen.

Rew Down
Location: Below Ventnor Golf Course
The current regime of cattle and sheep grazing is maintaining the species-rich grass sward, resulting in good populations of wild flower rarities such as bastard-toadflax and butterflies such as chalkhill and common blues. The best news this year has been the reappearance of dark green fritillaries and adonis blues on different parts of the Down after an eight year absence. The populations of these butterflies will be monitored continually to see if they are here to stay.

Countryside Index
WightOnLine - The Isle of Wight on the Internet