Wildlife Rescue
If you find any wildlife animals injured or abandoned, you can obtain advice on what to do from Wildlife Aid Foundation and the RSPCA. Sometimes intervening is NOT the right action to take, but other times swift action can help save a life, so please follow expert advice.
Our two local wildlife rescue centres are Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue (01344 623106) in Windlesham and Wildlife Aid Foundation (09061 800132) in Leatherhead.
In your Garden
No matter what sort of garden you have you can help wildlife with a few simple choices and changes. Even just not doing some of those tedious gardening jobs like weeding the lawn can really help plants, insects and more – what better excuse would you need! And there are also bigger projects you could undertake.
Andrew Halstead provided a wealth of information in his talk to the FNW group on wildlife gardening in March 2018. Do read the summary of his talk for more information.
Hedgehogs are estimated to have declined by 30% since 2002, and there are thoughts to be fewer than one million in the UK. You can help hedgehogs have a home in your garden .
Recording Wildlife
We’re always keen to receive interesting records of wildlife in Normandy. In particular, please let us know if you see any stag beetles, hedgehogs or ringed-necked parakeets. Please send details of what you saw, where and when (and a photo if it’s something unusual) to fnwildlife@gmail.com, or report it through our sightings page.
Borrow the FNW bat detector and wildlife camera to better understand local wildlife
Exclusively for FNW members, you can borrow equipment to learn more about the wildlife around you.
The FNW hand-held bat detector could help broaden your understanding of the nocturnal world as you can hear these amazing mammals’ echolocation as they fly around in your garden or as you go on your local walks. Perhaps you’ll hear them feeding (with that unmistakable ‘feeding buzz’!), travelling to and fro along linear routes like hedges, or find them emerging from a roost in a roof. Learn more about bats here.
The FNW Wildlife Camera can be borrowed for up to two weeks (or longer depending on demand). Please only set it up in your garden where it is safe and not taking images of the public. The passive infra-red is triggered by movement, taking photos that can reveal a lot more wildlife activity than you ever realised was going on right on your doorstep.
Both pieces of equipment are simple to use and come with a short and easy to understand instruction sheet.
If you’re interested in borrowing one or other of these, send your query by email to fnwildlife@gmail.com.
If you find something unusual or interesting, like a bat roost or good wildlife camera photos, please share those with FNW so that we can improve our local species records and, if appropriate, share the joy with others.
Join our talks, walks and events by the Friends of Normandy Wildlife
You could also join the Normandy Conservation Group working parties to help improve Normandy Common and Manor Fruit Farm.
Wildlife Spotting
Check out the growing information on our Normandy Wildlife page and when you’re out and about see what wildlife you can find. If you see anything interesting please do let us know through our sightings page or by sending an email to fnwildlife@gmail.com.
Also look at our Activities for Children page for links to lots of fun and learning. And have a go at our FNW Normandy Common Treasure Hunt.