Ealing Wildlife Group (EWG) is a volunteer-run donation-funded Constituted Community Group that focuses on community involvement to protect local wildlife through education, conservation and collaboration, preserving the natural spaces and species in the London Borough of Ealing.

 

We provide an inclusive community of like-minded individuals who are all passionate about nature, keen to learn more about it and understand the importance of active conservation.

With several conservation projects happening throughout the Borough, including our own urban nature reserve in Greenford, we provide the opportunity for locals to get involved.

Relying on citizen science, our dedicated volunteers, local experts and amateur naturalists collect and submit data on the biodiversity of species across Ealing.

There is no formal or paid membership, so getting involved is simple. Join our very active  Facebook Group, sign up for our newsletter and see our Events page for volunteer days, educational and fun activities, and community and social events.

Current Events

Watch the Peregrines live 24/7!

There are a few content warnings for this live stream

Peregrines bring back prey for the chicks, tear it apart and feed it to them, and this can be a bit graphic. Sometimes the prey is still alive when they start plucking it. If you think you might find this distressing, maybe don’t watch the feedings. This is natural behaviour for birds of prey but even seasoned naturalists can find it a bit much sometimes. The second thing is we have adopted a non-interference policy. What this means is, aside from ringing the chicks, we are strictly observing only. Nature isn’t always kind and sometimes baby chicks die. If this is really going to upset you then you may want to give this live stream a miss. Obviously we hope that everything goes well but we want everyone to be prepared if it doesn’t and to understand that we will not be interfering to rescue the chicks. We need to let nature do it’s thing to produce the healthiest and most capable birds for the future. (The only exception to this is rescuing the parents and fledglings from man-made dangers like pigeon netting which is not part of a natural setting.)

Content Warning Close
Peregrines on the hospital

An Urban Wildlife success story

Follow Dusty & Freddie's family journey so far.

Beavers in Ealing! It’s really happening!

We are excited to have been granted our license from Natural England to reintroduce Eurasian Beavers to Ealing in a controlled enclosure at Paradise Fields, Greenford! This is a joint project between Ealing Wildlife Group (EWG), Ealing Council, Citizen Zoo and Friends of Horsenden Hill, supported by experts at the Beaver Trust and part-funded by the Mayor of London’s Rewild London 2 Fund.

Sponsor a harvest mouse!

Help us maintain our harvest mouse breeding project!

Donate

Donate to Urban Hedgehog Highways in Ealing

London's hedgehogs are in trouble, with their population falling by nearly a third since 2000. Will you help save them?

Donate

Our Current Conservation Projects

Rewilding: Beavers!

We are bringing beavers back to Ealing! Weare partnering with Citizen Zoo, The Beaver Trust, Friends of Horsenden hill, and Ealing Council to develop an enclosed area in Paradise Fields for the beavers that will be accessible to the public.

Can you help our hedgehogs?

Find out what you can do in your own garden to help Britain's favourite but also one of it's most endangered animals! Connect your neighbourhood gardens with a hedgehog highway and we can help!

EWG@Costons Lane Nature Reserve

We turned an abandoned and neglected urban space into a nature reserve! The space was an allotment site that was abandoned almost 25 years ago due to flooding. We have installed a educational hub, paths, a hide, ponds and wetlands, and a teaching wildlife garden!

Rewilding: Harvest mice

Harvest Mice are back in Ealing after 40 years! We have partnered with Calderglen Zoo, Battersea Children’s Zoo and their sister zoo, New Forest Wildlife Park,, and derek Gow to bring Harvest Mice back to Ealing as well as starting our own breeding program!

Saving Ealing's Swifts

Our swift champions are giving these amazing birds a home! We are installing hundreds of swift boxes on private homes and public building throughout Ealing. Would you like to help create a Swift nesting haven and turn your street into a Swift Street?

Great Crested Newts

Ealing has a few sites where these newts cling on. Unfortunately, their habitats are degrading in value and suitability for breeding as old ponds become overgrown and neglected. We are committed to protecting those habitats by improving their quality.

Bat Conservation

Improving habitat for our 7 species of bats, as well as recording vital data about our bat population. We have several bat walks over the season (late spring through early autuimn) at various locations around Ealing. You can do some citizen science, learn about these fascinating animals, and have loads of fun this summer!

Ealing Hospital Peregrines

In 2020 a pair of Peregrines took up residence on top of Ealing Hospital in Southall. The hospital allowed us to instal a nest box and in 2022 they nested sucessfully and produced three chicks! We now have a 24/7 camera installed to follow their journey in 2023!

Help an Ealing Owl

Our owl nestbox and habitat management project to attract Barn Owls, and help our Little and Tawny Owls thrive in Ealing! We now have Barn Owls' breeding in Ealing and our other owl species are doing very well!

Latest Blogs and Videos

Bat Walks, Bats, Conservation, Ealing Wildlife Group, Events, Horsenden Hill, Night Skies over Ealing, Paradise Fields

Bat Walk Training

As the sun slowly set on the horizon, a small group of around 20 people gathered at Horsenden Farm to learn about Bats and how to lead Bat Walks.  Ealing Wildlife Group hosted the event with the chair, Sean McCormack and longstanding “Bat Pack” member Paula Kirby. Together they taught an eager group about the […]
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A Closer Look, Ealing Wildlife Group, What to See

What to see in June

Growth is now at its maximum, with foliage still fresh. June and July are good months for looking for wildflowers. Most noticeable this month will be the familiar Ox-eye Daisies, also known by other names such as Dog Daisies, Moon Daisies or Marguerites. These open flowers are very popular with a range of pollinators that […]
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A Closer Look, Birds, Conservation

The highs and lows of bird song

In my first blog for the Ealing Wildlife Group, it is perhaps appropriate for me to talk about bird song. We are now well into Spring (although on some days you wonder if we really are), summer migrants are returning and adult birds have become more territorial and some already breeding. There is much more […]
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A Closer Look, Spring, What to See, Wildlife

What to See in May

May is a month of abundance with rapid growth and lots of new families Though starting to flower in April, this year our Bluebells will be at their best this month. Great Britain and Ireland have international importance for this iconic spring flower. Good places to see carpets locally included Perivale Wood (see Selborne Society […]
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