Month: September 2026

After a long, hot summer, it is good to see fresh grass and clover turning The Patch green again as we look forward to the vibrant reds and browns of Autumn.

There’s been plenty happening in the park over the summer. In June the Patch Picnic brought together local families and older residents, helping to make new friendships and rekindle old ones. There are few more pleasant sounds than children happily playing in the park on a summer’s day!

In July, a team of local volunteers restored the dried-out wildlife pond at the top of the park. A series of dry summers, combined with a leaking pond liner, had reduced it to little more than a muddy puddle. The volunteers spent a very warm weekend clearing out the pond, replacing the liner and refilling it with water.

We hope the restored pond will once again provide a haven for newts, frogs, insects and other wildlife, while offering local residents and schoolchildren the chance to enjoy and learn a little about nature close to home. The hard work of our volunteers was covered in The Argus here.

When the evenings started to get dark a little earlier, our Bat Walk in August was a big success. Richard Howorth and the team entertained adults and children alike with an introductory talk and a quiz drawn up by local bat ecologist Colin Higgins. He wasn’t the only expert! It was great to see just how much some of the young people already knew about bats. Everyone really enjoyed seeing them in flight and hearing them with the help of a bat detector, while the younger children took delight in being up after bedtime for some twilight playtime in the park.

One parent said: “I came along with my partner and daughter (who loves bats!). We found out about it from my daughter’s bestie’s mum, who lives nearby and visits The Patch regularly. We all came along together. Rich gave a wonderful talk and we were delighted to see some bats. Thank you so much for a lovely couple of hours“

The Patch is a beautiful and welcoming space for both people and wildlife, and local community group Friends of William Clarke Park is dedicated to protecting and improving it. Our activities only happen because local people get involved and share their time and talents. There is lots more that we would love to do and we need your help to make those things happen. Come along to the the Pepper Rooms at The Islingword Tavern from 7.30pm on Thursday November 12th, to enjoy the annual members’ meeting and social get together. You’ll hear about opportunties to get involved in future events, including Spring in the Patch 2027. It would be great to see you there.

After all, it is your Patch.

If you are up and about early or enjoy a stroll around the park before dark, you will probably have seen our local foxes on patrol. But when every sensible person is tucked up in bed, the Patch badgers make their nightly rounds. And if they get bored with the park itself, they make more than an occasional visit to the neigbouring gardens.

A consolation for a bout of insomnia for one Bonchurch Road resident was spotting this nocturnal visitor sniffing for worms in the early hours. “The garden was full of holes in the morning” he said ruefully “but I suppose it is good for the soil in the long run!”

And the bees!

Towards the top of the Patch you may have spotted low flying bees swarming along the ground over a network of little tunnels. We believe these are Ivy bees. (Colletes hederae).

Acording to the Sussex Wildlife Trust “at the beginning of September, male Ivy bees emerge about two weeks before females, when scores of males can be seen flying low over the ground with an audible hum, much like honeybees around a hive. They are waiting for the first females to emerge. When one does, all the male bees try to mate with her, and this is when you might see a mating ball.

Male bees don’t have a sting and are completely harmless. The females have a sting but have rarely been known to use it on people. You’d need to be behaving in a seriously annoying way to provoke one.“

Ivy bees are only out for a few weeks at this time of year so enjoy them while you can.