News
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
SEPTEMBER ROUND UP
Congratulations to our monthly 100 Club winners for September:-1st Douglas Smallwood 2nd Helen Simpson. Don't forget to contact Geoff Brown if you would like to join our fundraising club, using the 'Contact us' link above. (If you would like to join from our October draw, the cost is £8 - (that is £6 plus a one-off £2 admin charge) Last season a total of £535 was raised by club members for various RSPB projects.
GROUP MEETING 29th SEPTEMBER
Chris Tyas was our speaker last night, updating us on the RSPB's plans for Essex and Wallasea Island. A very informative talk, illustrating the difficulties the RSPB faces with new sites - licences, planning permissions etc. Chris also informed us that on Old Hall Marshes reserve, they have approx. half a million ant hills!! Next month we welcome back Bill Coster with 2 audio-visual presentations on 'the Amazon Rainforests of Peru' & 'Galapagos - The enchanted Isles'.
LOCAL BIRDS
A spotted flycatcher was at Rye Meads reserve on 20th, an Egyptian goose was an unusual visitor on 24th. Both common and green sandpipers have been seen during the month, and the kingfishers have been seen regularly. 28 common snipe were found at Kings Mead, Ware on 29th. A yellow legged gull and hobby were seen at Amwell on 27th. Black necked grebes were back on King George V Reservoir (permit required) along with wheatear and ruff on 27th. A late juvenile common tern was seen at Fishers Green on 29th.
E-NEWSLETTER
If you would like to receive our new E-Newsletter, with up to date news of events and the group, please send your details to us, using the 'Contact us' link above, subject title 'E-Newsletter' and we'll put you on the list!
COMING EVENTS
Our full 2009/10 programme is now online. Don't forget, you can book your coach seats now with Barrie for any of the coming trips. Still only £15 - a bargain!
NEWS ABOUT THE RSPB & RED DEER at WESTLETON HEATH, SUFFOLK
During October the RSPB will be on Westleton Heath in Suffolk showing the public one of the most impressive wildlife spectacles the region has to offer, the annual red deer rut.
Visitors to this fantastic, free event will experience the males coming head to head to compete for the females' attention in a real battle of the stars. When two evenly matched stags meet, the excitement begins. Announcing their presence with prehistoric, haunting bellows; the stags posture and strut side by side to assess their opponent and assert their authority. If neither backs down, dramatic fights can follow with the stags aggressively locking antlers to settle the matter. These awesome antlers are certainly not to be messed with. Weighing up to 3kgs of solid bone each, that's the equivalent of carrying 6 bags of sugar around on your head!
James McComiskey, Date With Nature Project Officer said: "The event on Westleton Heath near RSPB Minsmere, with help from Natural England, is a wonderful opportunity for nature lovers to experience the sights and sounds of the rut, and learn more about these magnificent creatures. Many people are surprised to see them so at home on the Suffolk coast, but the Minsmere herd is one of the largest in the UK. It is a fantastic thing to come and watch, it gets you right in amongst wildlife, seeing it at its very best."
Friendly RSPB staff and volunteers will be at Westleton Heath to watch the stags battle for supremacy on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until 18 October, then daily from 23 October to 1 November. The viewpoint will be open from 3 pm till dusk each day. To ensure visitors get the best views of the spectacle at this free event; telescopes and binoculars will be available. For further information, contact the RSPB on 01728 648281.
HELP WANTED
We would be very grateful for any donations for the tombola and sales table on November 15th at our 'Meet your Group' event at Rye Meads Reserve, please bring them along to the Oct group meeting. If you'd like to help during the day, please email us at the 'Contact us' page above.
See our events listings for more details. We look forward to meeting you at one of our events soon.