News from the Commons
2nd April 2026
Welcoming Spring to the Commons is always such an exciting time, we start to see the results of our Winter work programme, buds stretch open, birds return, the light lingers just a little longer and people drift back, sitting, walking and enjoying conversations. It certainly seems to have been a long, wet Winter.
This month we have returned to surveying our wildlife, finding out exactly who calls the Commons their home. We should soon start to see data rolling in for several groupings including butterflies, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Data is so important, we need to measure it, understand it and act on it, without it we would just be guessing!
Surveying the Marlpit ponds on Rusthall Common, with Ann Storey of Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group (KRAG)
One species that we have just begun to learn more about is swifts. We have introduced ourselves to High Weald Swifts (HWS), a charity based in Tonbridge who are helping us (along with some fabulous volunteer swifties!) to identify existing colonies, nesting areas and suitable locations for nesting boxes in Rusthall. Just this morning, the newly formed Rusthall Swifties group met up with Martin Garwood of HWS to create a plan of action and learnt some amazing new swift facts to share with you:
- The Common swift can spend up to 10 months continuously in flight, eating, drinking, and even sleeping while airborne.
- They only land to nest and raise chicks.
- Swifts feed on “aerial plankton” tiny insects and spiders floating in the air.
- Their legs are so short and weak they can’t perch like most birds. Instead, they cling to vertical surfaces like walls or cliffs.
- Despite looking similar, swifts are not closely related to swallows, they belong to a completely different group of birds.
Martin is hoping to organise for us to receive a number of swift boxes to put up in the village, if you are interested in having a box on your house, to support super swifts, please do get in touch.
Swift in flight
And finally, please can I ask you to put Saturday 6th June in your diaries, as we will be running the first Rusthall Common Fun Day. Between 12 noon and 3pm pop over to the meadow alongside Common View, to be part of our celebrations of the Commons. There will guided walks with Michael Blencowe (the Sussex Naturalist) and Ranger Dan, bug hunting with Dr Ian Beavis, the Friends of the Commons will be running a scavenger hunt, the fabulous Hector the Hog will join us with his friend Sue Bodkin, the Rusthall Youth Council will be running a coconut shy and hook a duck, storytellering extraordinaires Ace and Joshua from Ropetackle storytellers will be entertaining us under the oak tree, we’ll be launching our children’s Conservation Club with crafts with Miss Lewis of the Wells Free School, The Sherwood Men’s Shed will be spreading joy with their handmade creations, Butterfly Conservation Kent will be showcasing their winged beauties, the Seroptomists will be joining us and Charlie’s Angels will provide the lovely food and there will be drinks and nibbles from the wonderful Charlotte at The Stubborn Goat and The Inside. Gosh, that’s an exhausting list to type, clearly it’s going to be a busy day of fun, so don’t miss out (and if you’d like to volunteer to help, please do get in touch!).
