Your donation means twice as much this week
From Wednesday 22nd April to Wednesday 29th April your donation makes double the difference to conservation work on Ashdown Forest with Earth Raise.
Every donation you make this week at bit.ly/AshdownBigGive26 will be doubled by The Big Give and The Garfield Weston Foundation. Help us reach our target of £10,000 and make a huge difference for iconic Forest species like the Dartford warbler.
An iconic species
The Dartford warbler experienced a dramatic population crash in the 1960s, with numbers plummeting to just 10-11 pairs remaining in the UK. However, through conservation efforts and habitat management, the species has recovered significantly. It still remains classified as an Amber List species in the UK.
Conservation efforts at Ashdown Forest are helping to recover Dartford warbler populations in Sussex, by maintaining and caring for its habitats.
The Dartford warbler is completely dependent on mature, dry heathland habitats, particularly gorse that remains in good condition for winter survival. They serve as important indicator species for heathland health.
At Ashdown Forest, conservation efforts focus on managing heathlands through cutting, scrub removal, and occasional controlled burning. This supports healthy growth of heather and gorse, and creates the ideal conditions for the Dartford warbler to thrive. This work also benefits other species on the Forest which need more open conditions, such as the Silver-studded Blue butterfly.
Your donations help us to support continuing conservation programmes like this throughout the Forest environment.
Please donate today, and help make double the difference for the Dartford warbler and other key species on Ashdown Forest.
Did You Know?
These remarkable birds can survive on dew collected from vegetation when water becomes scarce. Since they don’t migrate and stay in the UK all year round, they’ve developed this clever adaptation to help them get through dry periods on the heathland. It’s amazing how they’ve evolved to make the most of their environment, using moisture from plants as a water source when natural sources are limited.
Top tips for spotting the Dartford warbler
- The species is completely dependent on mature, dry heath habitats with good gorse cover, so look for areas with a mix of gorse, heather, and scattered vegetation.
- Dartford warblers have a characteristic “scratchy” or “chipper” song often described as rapid ‘churr-churr-churr’ sounds . They frequently sing from prominent perches like the tops of gorse stems, especially during the breeding season from April to July.
- These birds are active and restless, often seen flitting rapidly through dense gorse and heather . They have a distinctive habit of cocking their long tail while perched.
- Be patient and scan areas of dense scrub – they tend to stay hidden but will occasionally reveal themselves as they move between patches of cover.
- Dartford warblers are most active during the early morning and late evening when they’re feeding. The softer light can also help spot their distinctive red eye-ring against their dark plumage .
- They are small in size (12-13cm), with a long tail, grey-brown upperparts, bright red eye-ring and cherry-red breast. Males have brighter red underparts and a dirty white patch on their belly, while females are duller.
