The Bath Natural History Society’s June programme is out, starting with a trip to the North Wessex Downs on Saturday 3rd June. For further information , go to the “Field Trips” part of their website (about 12th on the list)
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CVWG news, announcements, upcoming events, sightings, discussion and more
Event reminder for Sunday 4th June
11.00am – Garden visit to Burrow Farm Gardens, Dalwood, Axminster, East Devon, EX13 7ET 13 acre garden with lovely naturalistic planting and views. Tea room and nursery. For further details, see the Events programme
Langford Lakes nature reserve trip report – ducks, swans, waders and grebes
Members of Cam Valley Wildlife Group had a trip out of the area on Sunday 30 April to visit the beautiful Langford Lakes nature reserve in the Wylye Valley near Warminster. For a short report and lovely photos of Great crested grebes, please visit our Events page.
Butterfly transect walk on 13th May
Just a reminder that Phil Hall, who gave the Five-year Buterfly Hunt talk, is leading a live transect survey on Saturday 13th May from Single Hill to Stony Littleton and back (about 1 hour) followed by another site survey. See Events programme for more information.
Recent sightings posted
Red kite seen in Radstock, Holly Blue butterflies on the wing in Carlingcott and Radstock, and those Green-winged orchids at Edford Meadows (see the Sightings page)
Green-winged orchids flowering in Edford Meadows
Phil Gait reports, “Lots of green winged orchids flowering in the four Edford Meadows fields – have been for over a week – earlier than last year!”
Bird watching trip reminder
The Langford Lakes birdwatching trip in the Wylye Valley is on 30th April. This Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserve has level paths and five hides. Contact Judy for more information/car share.
Sightings late March and early April
You might want to check out the Sightings page for updates about local sightings of skylarks, swallows, sparrowhawk, Barn owl, solitary and social bees and bee-flies. The sightings page now has photos alongside some of the entries.
Sightings – skylarks, grey wagtails, dippers and more
Recent sightings by Judy Hampshire:
Sunday 26 March, 5.30pm above White City, Welton: skylarks fluttering and singing.
Monday 27 March: between 8.30 and 9am: Pair of grey wagtails, and dipper on Wellow Brook at Welton. (One morning last week, I saw a pair of dippers there but usually only see one at a time.) A wren accompanied me up the footpath at back of MN leisure centre car park, then on the broadwalk at back of Sun Chemical I saw a female goldcrest. ( A few weeks ago I saw a male goldcrest at the same spot, who actually hopped towards me along the metal fence, until it was level with my head! A magical moment!)
CVWG Botany Walks start on 5th April
The 2017 CVWG Botany Walks programme is now available via our Events page. The first walk of the season is in Radstock at Waterside. Park in Radstock and meet at St Nicholas Church (ST688546) for a short walk beside the stream. Start time 7 pm. Lift share is encouraged and all are welcome. Contact details are on the programme.
This Sunday – Chew Valley Lake to see Great Crested Grebes
CVWG event – Chew Valley lake on Sunday 19th March. We hope to see the grebes doing their famous mating dance. Meet outside the “Salt & Malt” café, junction of Walley Lane & Denny Lane, Chew Stoke, BS40 8XS at 11am. Parking costs £2 for the day. Please contact Judy for more information/car share.
Hairy-footed flower bees about
I saw my first Hairy-footed flower bee of the year today, a male. He nectared at Lungwort and then settled on a nearby dandelion plant.
Do you have a question for us?
We have added a Q&A category to our message board, so if you want to ask a question there are two options:
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Use the contact page to send a question for posting on the message board
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Become a Contributor on our website
Contributors can write a message for any of our message board pages. Messages will go through a moderation process before posting. If you want to become a contributor, please ask for an invite through our contact page.
New CVWG gallery photos
The CVWG Members’ plants and fungi gallery now has photos of some flora and one fungus. If you have some to send in, please use the contact page.
Sighting – Marsh tit pair
On the afternoon of 24th February, Stephen and I saw a pair of Marsh tits calling and displaying in woodland to the north of the bridleway between Radstock Sewage Works bridge and Lower Writhlington. The male was calling strongly and displaying to the female, who twittered and shook in food-begging mode.
CVWG stall at the 2017 Seedy Saturday event
There will be a CVWG stall at the 2017 Seedy Saturday event on 11th March at the Conygre Hall, Timsbury, 10.00 am to 2.00 pm – seed swap, potato day and green fair. For details of the event, go to http://www.seedysaturday.org.uk
Sightings – Treecreeper and Dipper
New sightings, 16.02.2017 – see Sightings page
Botany Drinks moved to the White Post
The Botany Drinks venue has been moved from the Somerset Wagon to the White Post, near Stratton-on-the-Fosse. The time is the same – 7pm
Sightings – Little egrets and spawning frogs
New February sightings posted on the Sightings page
Bath NATS recorder facilities demonstration, Monday 6th March
Monday 6th March – Rob Randall – ‘Recording Wildlife in the Bath Nats Area’
Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath. BA1 2HN.
Doors open 7.00 pm for 7.30 pm start
Rob will demonstrate the new facilities by which Bath Nats recorders can build up a database of wildlife and plants in the Bath area and how these data will be passed on to the local biological record centres and become an educational resource for the general public. This facility will be hosted by BRLSI on their website and local flora and fauna will be illustrated by photographs taken by Bath Nats members and other local residents.
