Coming up in Rushcliffe

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OUR WILDLIFE TALKS PROGRAMME FOR 2019/20

Our Wildlife Talks programme starts again at the begining of October and the first three months looks like this covering a variety of interesting topics

Sun 2nd Feb – General Knowledge Pub Quiz (7pm for a 7.30 pm start) in support of Notts Wildlife Trust at the Poppy & Pint, Ladybay. Teams are limited to a maximum of four at £3.50 ph. Tables limited, to reserve one contact gordon.dyne@gmail.com.

Thurs 6th Feb – A Quick Dip in the Djanogly Pond with Tom Hartman looking at the mysterious world of a British pond and it`s recolinization after being destroyed by the tram construction. Starts 7.30pm in Room 5, West Bridgford Methodist Church, (junction of Patrick Road and Musters Road), West Bridgford, NG2 7PQ. Admission includes tea & biccie adults: £3; children: free.

ALL talks start at 7.30pm in Room 5, West Bridgford Methodist Church, (junction of Patrick Road and Musters Road), West Bridgford, NG2 7PQ. Admission includes tea & biccie adults: £3; children: free.

WINTER OUT & ABOUT WITH WILDLIFE PROGRAMME

 Sun 16th Feb – Skylarks bird walk with Niel Pinder (07981 928402). Bring binoculars. Meet 9.30 at the Trust carpark on Adbolton Lane (past Holme Pierrepont Country Park on the right).

Wed 18th Mar – Wilwell Farm Cutting in Early Spring with Gordon the warden (gordon.dyne@gmail.com). Meet 10 am at the Wilwell car park on the left of the B680 between Ruddington and Wilford, just before the ring road bridge).

Sun 12th Apr – Wilwell Farm Cutting in Spring with Gordon the warden (gordon.dyne@gmail.com). Meet 10 am at the Wilwell car park on the left of the B680 between Ruddington and Wilford, just before the ring road bridge).

Sun 26th Apr – Sharphill Wood Dawn Chorus walk with John Elwell (07794 052672 – please advise if you wish to attend). Bring binoculars. Meet 6 am at the Pevrill Rd entrance to Sharphill Wood (West Bridgford).

Sun 26th Apr – Bunny Old Wood Open Day from 10 till 3 with a guided walk at 11am, children’s activities and info about woodland history (not to mention the bluebells. Car park on the left on the A60 climbing up out of Bunny village. Chris Terrell-Nield (0115 9374906).

RESERVE WORK PARTIES – If however you fancy something more practical this link outlines local reserve work parties (both NWT and others) – http://www.southnottswildlife.org.uk/content/?page_id=22

 

General Knowledge Pub Quiz – Sunday 2nd Feb

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Back again for a third year, come along for a fun evening of general knowledge quizzing and also help raise funds for the work of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Once again we are being generously hosted by the Poppy & Pint at Pierrepont Rd, Lady Bay, West Bridgford NG2 5DX on Sunday 2nd Feb (7pm for a 7.30pm start). As in previous years teams are a maximum of 4 persons per table with an entrance charge of £3.50 per head. Tables are limited so book in advance to avoid disappointment, by contacting Gordon Dyne on gordon.dyne@gmail.com or 0115 8784842.

South Notts Local Group (NWT) wish to acknowledge the support of Poppy & Pint (Castle Rock Brewery), ASDA, Nottingham Cricket Club and Notts County FC.

Attenborough Lifeline Appeal

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It may come as a surprise for some to know that despite being cared for by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust for almost six decades, Attenborough Nature Reserve still belongs to aggregates company CEMEX UK.

Following intensive negotiations with the company NWT have secured an opportunity to buy the reserve. So, with the backing of the general public, funders and our corporate members to name but a few, we need to raise £1 million to safeguard its future for people and wildlife.  As at the start of December some £60,000 has been donated and NWT has a grant application to the Landfill Communities Fund for £750,000 and expect to hear about this shortly.

This is why NWT have launched the Attenborough Nature Reserve Lifeline Appeal, backed by none other than Sir David Attenborough himself. Follow this link for more information and how to donate  –  https://www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/lifelineappeal

Sloworms at Wilwell Farm Cutting

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We recently ran a reptile survey at Wilwell to see if the occasional Grass Snake records translated into a permenant presence. I the end we found no Grass Snakes, but did find that we had a previously unkown colony of Sloworms (a legless lizard). Sloworms are probably poorly recorded , being smaller and less obvious than snakes, growing to perhaps 40-50 cm`s. We are fairly confident it is an active population as we have found at least 10 individuals varying from juviniles to young adults and at least one older specimein.

There is however good evidence that Grass Snakes are active in the area around Wilwell (between Ruddington and Wilford)  including the Golf Course and do on occasion visit the reserve.

Grizzeled Skippers on the Great Central Railway

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The attached article looks at the work of the Grizzeled Skipper project along the East Leake section of the Nottingham to Loughborough line in promoting and expanding the habitat for the nationaly important Grizzeled Skipper butterfly. Rushcliffe is one of the most northerly outposts of this creature and they are particularly assocaited with railway lines, as there are further colonies along the Bingham to Melton line (and branch lines). The whole project is a great example of practical conservation at work and there are plans to expand into the Vale of Belvior. Article for GCR newsletter Feb 2019

WILDLIFE TRUST ACTIVITY IN RUSHCLIFFE

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For a good few years now Rushclife Borough Council have been funding us under a Service Level Agreement to undertake additional work in Rushcliffe in terms of engagement, practical conversation etc. Follow this link Service level agreement report Jan -Dec 2018 for the 2018 report which gives quite a good idea of the range of work undertaken with Friends Groups, schools and landowners. It is fair to say even without SLA funding NWT would have undertaken some of this work from core funding (such as membership income), but a specific funding stream allows our Southern Conservation Officer (Ben Driver) to allocate more time to the area. And when you add on reserve management on our own reserves (not funded by RBC) you get some idea of the range of work undertaken. The Rushcliffe SLA is unusual in Nottinghamshire and I think only one or two Boroughs do anything similar.Service level agreement report Jan -Dec 2018

Rushcliffe Wildlife WATCH Summer Programme

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Please find the new Spring to Summer programme for Rushcliffe Wildlife Watch  Wildlife Watch programme Spring to Summer 2019.  Based at Rushcliffe Country Park WATCH Is for children between 8 and 13 years old.

Even if they don`t come to WATCH they can still participate in ‘30 days wild‘ in June. 30 Days Wild is all about doing a ‘random act of wildness’ each day during June to bring you closer to nature. Our 30 Days Wild web page has information about last year’s activity and a few blogs to inspire you to get involved. This will be updated as we go through the campaign. So, we would like to encourage all of you to sign up online here: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild.

In addition to our regular programme, you will notice that we have a very special event in August during the school holidays. The Wilder Woodland Gathering at Skylarks Nature Reserve is a free family event starting at 1:00pm and going through till 7:00pm and there will lots of fun activities running right through. So put the date in your diaries now so as not to be disappointed on the day!

We look forward to seeing you all on Saturday 11th May at 11:00am. Don’t forget your coats and wellies in case it is a bit wet as we will have lots of fun out in the park.

WHATTON PRISON WILDLIFE PROJECT RECIEVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION

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Numerous projects have been carried out in the grounds of HMP Whatton in Rushcliffe, including creation and management of extensive wildflower areas, installation of bird feeding stations and nest boxes for birds (including swift and owl boxes) and bats manufactured in the craft workshop, shrub beds, walkways, small ponds and water gardens, bug houses, log piles and a wormery. These projects very much link to and support the biodiversity of the local area, with Bingham Linear Park and the River Smite being very close by.

The staff and prisoners are closely involved in all projects and the work closely ties in to rehabilitation, skill development and wellbeing, with the prisoner’s having an increased awareness of wildlife and the natural environment.

HMP Whatton has closely involved and engaged with external local partners on these projects, including Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers, Swift Conservation, Rushcliffe Barn Owl Project and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust organised and delivered a presentation/ demonstration event, centred on ponds and amphibians and further activity and projects are being planned for the future. The prisoner’s take part in monitoring wildlife, for instance recording bird and small mammals found in the habitat areas.

We are very pleased that HMP Whatton has received national recognition for the excellent nature conservation projects they are carrying out in the prison grounds. Their achievements have been recognised through the Ministry of Justice as they recently won the National Offenders Management Service (NOMS) Wildlife awards as outright winners in 2018. As partners, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was pleased to attend a celebration event at the prison in September.

Ben Driver  (NWT Southern Conservation Officer)