Month: February 2018

Reminder, Saturday 3rd March planting day

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Here is Jonathan’s reminder

Greetings All,

A quick reminder for you that the Fairfield Association is holding a Tree
Planting Saturday volunteer session on March 3rd meeting at 9.30am (note
the earlier time).
The shed will be the meeting point.
This session begins the work on the ‘Pony Wood project’ by planting the
hedge alongside the existing fencing and beginning to plant additional
trees to extend the wood.

We hope to get 600 saplings planted, so ‘all hands on deck’ if you can
spare them please. A few points to note:
* Please bring your own refreshments on this occasion for a mid morning
break.
* You might want to bring your own spade and / or gloves.
* Full instructions will be given.
* The saplings are supplied by the Woodlands Trust – partly through their
Community Programme via a donation by the local Rotary Club and partly
through their MOREhedges scheme, by which the FA gets saplings at a very
reasonable price.

If you can please come along as we begin this exciting next step in the
development of the Nature Reserve.

Best wishes,
Jonathan.

Wildlife Recording Showcase at Brockholes Nature Reserve, March 17th

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For anyone interesting in learning more about recording wildlife, here’s some info received from the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside about an event taking place soon at the Brockholes Nature Reserve in Preston. You can find details of how to book by selecting the link to the flyer below.

We’d like to invite you to our ‘Wildlife Recording Showcase’ on Saturday 17th March 2018 at Brockholes Nature Reserve in Preston. This event is aimed at beginners and longstanding recorders, recording groups and community groups who want to find out about recording wildlife and get some help when recording in Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. Please see the attached poster for more information.

This event is being held jointly by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Local Groups Project & the Biodiverse Society.

We are currently taking bookings for the event which includes a free lunch! We have limited spaces, so book soon to avoid disappointment! It will also be advertised wider including on Facebook, so feel free to share the event.

The day will include 10 minute presentation slots by local naturalists that will answer questions such as ‘How do I record Beetles?’, ‘I’m interested in the Bats on my local park, how can I get involved in recording these?’, or ‘I just don’t know how to start!’.

There will also be some information stands of local recording groups where you can meet extremely knowledgeable recorders. We have limited space but if you have an opportunity for recording on your local patch, please bring along some information to engage the recorders. If you are bringing more than just leaflets or posters, please let me know in advance so I can make sure we have space for you.

If you would like to book a place, please get in touch before Friday 9th March, confirming your name, the group you are representing and any dietary requirements you have. Places are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment.

LWT Wildlife Recording Showcase Flyer

 

Stoat and more

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Walking around Fairfield we spotted this stoat which was running backwards and forwards between Little Wood and the boundary hedge between Flora field and Lower Sowerholme.

In the arable field stubble we saw a skylark, at least 2 fieldfare, 2 mistle thrush and a redwing. Then, in the trees near to the allotments there were several greenfinch.

Fish in Lucy Brook?

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This morning I saw a heron quietly hunting along the banks of Lucy Brook, at the back of the Aldcliffe gardens, just to the south of the old Oak tree. Probably the one Drip commented on yesterday. It stared intently into the brook, and after a few minutes darted its beak into the water. There were two flashes of silver from around its beak and the heron retreated back from the edge – to digest something? Had it actually found a fish? It moved on a little, and got something else, more from the opposite bank than in the water. Unfortunately too far away and too many intervening branches and leaves to get a clear view. But again it appeared to have found food, possibly entangled in some twigs – a frog? After a while it flew off through the Hay Meadow, and appeared to sweep back to land further down the course of the brook.

Wednesday Work Group sightings

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Whilst the Wednesday Work Group were working in Big Meadow this morning we observed two buzzards being ‘bombed’ by a group of noisy seagulls.

On the way back I observed an interesting bird very busy adjacent to the larger Fauna path boardwalks. From its dark head and white chin I summised it to be a nuthatch but I’m by no means certain of this. Any thoughts from our birders?

Extra volunteer session for hedge planting, plus dementia friendly training

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Here is Jonathan’s message

Greetings All,

A couple of items for your attention on this occasion.

First, a reminder about the second Dementia Friends induction session
organised by Mick Short who says…

“This next induction workshop will take place between 6 pm and 7 pm on
Thursday 22 February in the Meetings Room of Joseph A. Jones & Co.,
solicitors, 6 Fenton Street (I have booked the room until 7.30, in case we
over-run a little). Gary Rycroft, one of the firm’s partners, will be on
hand to let us in and lock up afterwards. The room is not large and so we
will only be able to take a maximum of 10 prospective Dementia Friends
this time. I will be arranging other Dementia Friends inductions later in
the year, though, so this is not your last chance if you can’t make 22
February.

The Fairfield Association informal Volunteers Buffet is on the same
evening, in the Storey Institute, starting around 7 pm, so people who want
to attend both events can go straight from the induction to the buffet as
the offices of Joseph A. Jones & Co. and the Storey Institute are only
about 100 yards apart.

This will be the first induction I will be involved in running (I became
qualified to do this at a day session in Manchester just before
Christmas). Steve Fairclough (Dukes Playhouse), who ran the November 23
induction to great acclaim, will be supporting me so that I don’t foul
things up!

Just email me to sign up: m.short@lancaster.ac.uk”

Second, news of an Extra Bonus volunteering session on Saturday March 3rd…

The Fairfield Association are holding a Tree Planting Saturday volunteer
session on March 3rd meeting at 9.30am (note the earlier time) at the
shed.
This session begins the work on the ‘Pony Wood project’ by planting the
hedge alongside the existing fencing and beginning to plant additional
trees to extend the wood.

We hope to get 600 saplings planted, so ‘all hands on deck’ is the order
of the day please.
A few points to note:
* Please bring your own refreshments on this occasion for a mid morning
break.
* You might want to bring your own spade and / or gloves.
* Full instructions will be given.
* The saplings are supplied by the Woodlands Trust, partly through their
Community Programme via a donation by the local Rotary Club and partly
through their MOREhedges scheme, by which the FA gets saplings at a very
reasonable price.

Please come along if you possibly can as we begin this exciting next step
in the development of the Nature Reserve.

Best wishes,
Jonathan.

Saturday Sightings

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On my last inspection/monitoring walk for a while I came across the following:-

Woodpecker in Pony Wood (heard not seen), Nuthatch in Pony Wood, 7 Teal on Lucy Pond, 1 Brown Hare in Lower Sowerholme, 1 Kingfisher in Upper Sowerholme (a first for me) and another Woodpecker by the shed (heard not seen).

Although not counting, as such, I disturbed 1 Snipe in West Field, 1 Snipe at Willow Pond, at least 12 Snipe in the Hay Meadow and ‘plenty’ of Snipe in Big Meadow.

 

Sightings

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Two pairs of goosander on the School Pond this lunchtime.

Yesterday another sighting of a hare in Big Meadow and long tailed tit in the Orchard

Birds seen yesterday

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This male bullfinch was on the orchard path. We have been seeing one male and two females on our feeder for a couple of months now.

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One of a small flock (charm) of goldfinch feeding on alder seeds in the Orchard.

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A black-headed gull in the Grammar School field, gradually acquiring its black head.

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A teal well-concealed in School Pond. Although the School Pond area seems too wet now for the snipe, there were two teal and several moorhen on, or about, it.