News archive
February 2009
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
February Round-up
On the 14th, we had a family walk at Holyfield Farm with the Wildlife Explorers group from RSPB Rye Meads reserve, highlights were the perched buzzard in a low tree and of course, lots of icy puddles!
Our coach trip to RSPB Titchwell and Holkham NNR on the 15th was very successful, 84sp incl. water pipit, red breasted merganser, peregrine and bittern.
For our Wednesday 18th walk at Holyfield Farm and the Grand Weir hide, we had much milder weather, highlights were the singing skylarks and meadow pipits, and the good views that we had of buzzards.
Ted Bell led the annual Beached Bird Survey on 22nd, fortunately only one beached (dead) bird was found.
Full reports of all our events can be found on the Trip Reports pages.
At our group meeting on 24th, Tim Mackrill updated us on the 'Return of the Osprey' at Rutland Water, an excellent talk with great photo's. Lots of very interesting information about Ospreys, their migration, breeding etc. We have a coach trip to Rutland water on April 26th, so don't miss it!
100 CLUB
This months winners were:
1st £17.00 Mr H Mills
2nd £ 8.50 Christine Von Hagen
Contact Geoff Brown if you would like to join our fundraising club from April, cost is £14.00, (i.e. £12pa plus an initial admin. fee of £2.) Email him via our 'Contact us' page.
COMING EVENTS IN MARCH - full details on our events pages:
1st March Local walk at Copped Hall with Mike Oakland
18th March 'Learn more about your local birds' with group leader Terry Smith, for more details email Terry via our 'Contact Us' page.
28th March Coach trip to Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, your leader is Phil Blatcher.
31st March Group meeting with Patty Briggs and her talk about 'Basically Bats'.
Look forward to meeting you at one of our events,
Terry Smith
Monday, 2 February 2009
January round-up
On the very foggy Wednesday walk on 14th, 46sp were seen including bittern, kingfisher, smew and goosander.
The car trip to Harty Ferry & RSPB Elmley Marshes on the 17th produced 64sp, including a rough legged buzzard, hen harriers and white fronted geese.
At the group meeting on the 27th, John Wyatt took us to Egypt, showing us his task identifying the wildlife of the tomb paintings and artefacts dating from 7,000BC to more modern times and explaining how climate changes over the years had shrunk the ranges of African birds who used to migrate to Egypt.
Our 100 Club winners for January were:-1st Terry Smith 2nd Vicky Buckel. Don't foget to contact Geoff Brown if you would like to join our fundraising club, for details contact us using the link above.
On the 31st we held our Annual General Knowledge Quiz, many thanks to everyone who supported this popular evening, and to the many people who were involved in organising the event. 18 tables were sold and we raised over £1,000 this year. The next Quiz evening will be held on Feb 6th 2010, put it in your diary now!
LOCAL BIRDS
The bitterns at Amwell and Fishers Green have been seen regularly, at least 3 are around 70 Acres lake. One was also seen at Rye Meads. Smew have been seen at Bowyers Water in the past week, goldeneye have been spotted in the channel at Fishers Green, and goosander on Ashley Pits, Holyfield Lake etc. An Iceland gull has been in the gull roost at Amwell in the last week and a black throated diver was reported in the New River at Broxbourne. Pintail have been seen at Hall Marsh scrape and the common buzzards are being seen regularly in the Holyfield Farm and Galley Hill woods area.
COMING EVENTS:
Sunday 15th - our annual coach trip to Holkham & RSPB Titchwell, see events listing for more details, book asap with Derrick Ling, 01920 466563.
Wednesday 18th -our monthly walk at Fishers Green, to learn more about your local birds, for more details please contact us at the link above.
Sunday 22nd - join Ted Bell for the annual beached bird survey, a chance to get involved in a very important survey and enjoy a good days birding. More details from Ted - 01920 467809.
Tues 24th - come along and hear Tim Mackrill update us on 'The Return of the Osprey'. Tim is the Rutland Water Osprey Project officer. (We have a coach trip to Rutland in April. )
See our events listings for more details of the above events. We look forward to meeting you at one of our events.
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Quiz Results
Former group leader Phil Blatcher was presented with a silver avocet badge to mark his 25 years as a volunteer for the RSPB.
February 6th is the date of our next Quiz in 2010 - put in your diary now!!