Signs of Spring
Signs of Spring – Hazelnut Catkins are everywhere
Despite the constant rain hazelnut catkins are everywhere at the moment. If it is dry, you can give them quick tap and clouds of pollen appear like smoke.
Rainfall Stats
Updated East Meon Rainfall Figures to the end of 2025
See attached updated rainfall figures to the end of 2025. The picture shows the River Meon in the High Street on the Thursday before Christmas 2025. The river reached the same height as the previous recorded maximum by the Environment Agency gauge, sited by The George, of 0.72m recorded in Read more
Rivers and Streams
Riverfly Monitoring has Recommenced in November and December – Numbers are Lower
After the long dry spring and summer, the autumn and winter rains have finally replenished the River Meon. We tested in November at three sites, and in December two sites so far. The riverfly numbers are not surprisingly down, but are still above the ‘trigger level’. Hopefully the numbers will Read more
Rivers and Streams
Riverfly Monitoring Restarts
After the long very dry summer of 2025 the autumn rains have finally come and are slowly swelling the River Meon again. The river became just a trickle from late June until late October. The source of the River Meon dried up completely at South Farm, and was only supported Read more
Butterflies
Hyden Hill Butterfly Transect – 2025 results
The team have just finished recording butterflies for the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme on the Hyden Hill Butterfly Transect. This transect is walked once a week from the start of April until the end of September. See the main article on the butterfly monitoring, click on this link https://eastmeonnature.com/butterfly-monitoring/. The Read more
Fungi
Fungi Time is Here
After a very dry summer, and a recent good amount of rain, all sorts of interesting fungi are appearing. I have had a few good pickings of field mushrooms. Interesting fungi like the fly agaric (pictured) are also appearing, so be careful what you harvest.
Summer/Autumn Fruits
Sloes Are In Abundance
After a record breaking long hot dry summer, surprisingly sloes are everywhere in the parish in great numbers and super sized. Where did they get the moisture to grow and ripen? Blackberries are the same this year.
Woodlands
Bluebells in Hen Wood
With the long dry and sunny period this spring there is a brilliant show of bluebells in Hen Wood this year.
Amphibians
A Cold and Spasmodic ‘Toads on the Roads’ Fifth Patrol Season
Toad patrols started along Coombe Road on 20 February 2025 and finished on 28 March 2025. This was the latest start and finish to the season so far. The weather was very cold and dry for most of the season, interspersed with three short wet and mild periods. During one Read more
Amphibians
Record Evening for the Coombe Road Toad Patrol
Yesterday, 21/03/25, was a record breaking evening for the Coombe Road Toad Patrol. After a prolonged cold dry spell, which kept the toads from moving, we had a damp mild evening. A total of 221 toads were found and moved to the breeding pond: 143 males, 70 females, 8 dead. Read more