Meadow surveyors at work!

We had an excellent meadow walk and survey on Sunday  23 June led by Rupert Higgins of Wessex Ecologicla Consultancy, who wrote the Five Year Plan we currently use to manage Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve. We saw everything from micro-moths and orange-tailed bumble bees, via hairy sedge to a diamondback moth, a migrant from North Africa or the Mediterranean. Unfortunately we saw very few butterflies, mainly meadow browns. Probably it was too cloudy for other species that were in evidence the following day, which was sunny.

Meadow brown butterfly

Our find of the day was the adder’s tongue fern, which usually has only one leaf plus a single tall spike bearing the spores. This uncommon fern is said to be a good indicator species of ancient meadows.

Adder’s-tongue fern

We have quite a few more interesting photos to show, so we’ll post them here over the next few days.

Deer damage to the bark of one of our fruit trees

The new look – mulch mats and wraparound guards.

South Gloucestershire is fortunate to have some very picturesque countryside and our experienced guides, Richard and Pauline Wilson, will be taking us to the Golden Valley area near Wick in the south of the county. Please wear walking boots or other stout footwear and please note that ample free car parking is available
at the Wickwar Road car park.

Meet for a car share at the Clock Tower, High Street, Chipping Sodbury, 2.00pm.

We shall be having a walk around the meadows and woodland to have a look at the different types of summer wildflowers that are on display. Do come along and learn more about our native flora and there will be plenty of interesting insects too. Please wear walking boots or other stout footwear.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, 2.00pm.

As part of our contribution to Chipping Sodbury Festival Week, we will be holding our annual duck race along the River Frome. Why not come along, have a flutter, and join us for an afternoon of races, a cup of tea and a doughnut? You are very welcome to come along and bring a picnic to enjoy in the park. The races start from 2.00pm.

Meet at Jubilee Park, Quarry Road, Chipping Sodbury, 2.00pm.

There are cowslips galore on the Lower Meadow

Wild Garlic in the Ancient Woodland

Bluebells throughout the woodland

Primrose among bluebells

Yellow archangel and bluebells

Ragged Robin

Hartstongue fern

And the traditional buttercups and daisies, of course!

You are most welcome to come and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, a slice of home made cake and have a browse through our varied selection of books that we shall be offering for sale. All monies raised will go to wildlife conservation projects in the Avon Valley area. If you can provide any books or cakes for this day, please contact Malcolm on 01454 310328.

The Baptist Church, High Street, Chipping Sodbury, 10.00am to midday.

A rather belated report from an excellent work morning. Around 18 volunteers, including a number of children, split up into three groups. One group tackled some very muddy planting, putting in 50 extra trees in the Jubilee Hedge.

Another team cut back some overhanging branches, while a very industrious group did a deep spring clean of the reserve, including some of the approach areas that hadn’t been tackled for ages.

Well done everyone!

In the meantime, the buds on the horse chestnut tree we transplanted last year are showing nicely. Maybe Spring WILL come this year after all!

We shall be undertaking a range management tasks that will help to enhance the biodiversity of this precious nature reserve. We’ll be clearing back some vegetation on the main Ride between the woodlands and use any excess offcuts to build up the dead hedge at the edge of the Western Wood. We have about 50 small trees to be planted to infill gaps in the Centenary Wood hedge, and we’ll be doing spring cleaning by litter picking around the reserve. Something for everyone!

Please wear stout footwear. Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, opposite the entrance to Cherington in South Yate, 10.00am.