We thought our readers would be interested in this review of the year from a wildlife perspective. Apparently it’s been a boom year for the grey seal, large blue butterfly and mining bee but bad news for frogs, toads and newts.
We know we’ve seen butterflies still active locally within the last month, but unlike the Guardian report, fungi at Wapley are doing well.
Best wishes to all our readers from everyone in the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group.
Thank you for all your help this year that keeps the Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve thriving and such an asset for local wildlife.
The group also planted 4 species of wildflowers on the woodland floor in the Western Wood including 50 native bluebell plug plants, 30 wild garlic bulbs, 30 wood anemone bulbs and 40 wild snowdrop bulbs. In addition to providing a spectacular display of flowers in the late winter and spring, these plants will also provide an early source of nectar and pollen for native insect species.
The Enchanted Christmas will return this year with a new illuminated trail route through the Old Arboretum and more exciting festive activities, foods and stalls onsite. The costs are adults £9, concessions £8, children £5.
You can book in advance online or call 03000 680400 (booking fee applies). You can also buy tickets onsite from the Forest Shop.
The hard paths are accessible for wheelchairs and electric scooters and these can be booked in advance by calling 01666 881218. Please note that dogs are not allowed on the trail.
On Fridays, Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum will receive a 50% discount on the full ticket price. Children (under 19s) accompanying parent/guardian members go free.
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from 25 November – 18 December 2011 at Westonbirt Arboretum, A433, 3 miles south west of Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QS, 5.00pm to 8.30pm with the last entry at 7.15pm.
Click the links to find out more about Enchanted Christmas and the National Arboretum in general.
Meet at the Shire Way entrance gate, South Yate, 10.00am.
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| Pears at bottom of Lower Meadow |
What a lovely Sunday we had! It had all the signs of our mixed seasons – on a walk round the Nature Reserve I saw ripe pears and apples, as what must be the last butterfly of the year fluttered past.
And then, at the top of the woodland, I caught a brief glimpse of a deer, leaping away into the undergrowth. About chest-high on me, it was too big to be a muntjac. I was close enough to get a reasonable look, but it was too quick for me to photograph. Based on the size and colour of its coat, I think it was probably a roe deer.
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| Apples at top of Lower Meadow, near Chris’s Bridge |
Meet at the southern Quarry Road entrance to Ridge Wood, Quarry Road, Chipping Sodbury at 7.00pm.
Meet at Lower Woods Nature Reserve, Inglestone Common, east of Wickwar, South Gloucestershire (OS Grid Reference: ST 746881, postcode: GL9 1BY), 2.00pm – 4.00pm.
Meet at the Scott Way entrance to Kingsgate Park, Scott Way, Yate 10.00am.
Our local rooks tend to get very protective of their territory when it gets close to the nesting season, but they’ve started extra early this year.
Walking round Wapley this afternoon, I was out on the Common when I heard the rooks calling and saw the full squadron launch. I immediately thought “Buzzard alert!”, and I was right – a few seconds later a pair of buzzards appeared above the wood, being mobbed by the rooks.
One buzzard fled immediately, but the other was inexperienced enough to try to stick around. It soon realised the error of its ways! A rook is very agile and can very nearly turn within the wingspan of a buzzard. An outnumbered buzzard is not going to be successful.
Actually this was slightly different from previous occasions – the rooks were using different tactics. I normally see the rooks zooming up towards high-flying buzzards, but this time they got above the buzzards and were forcing them down towards the tree canopy where they wouldn’t be able to manouvre easily. Isn’t nature fascinating?