Wildlife action in Curry Rivel , Somerset

Article for Curry Rivel News April 2017 edition.    But you can see it here first!!

Each month in 2017 a free wildlife activity will be laid on to give Cury Rivel residents the opportunity to get to know what amazing wildlife is on their doorstep. In April the activity –in fact there are two – focuses on birds

Watch the birdy

What makes Curry Rivel a great place to live? Well, lots of things. Many people would say that it’s the scenery, the hedges, trees, views, greenery – and birds. It’s specially birds, along with the delicate new shoots on plant and the first flowerss, which herald the spring. As soon as Christmas is over, days start to lengthen and dunnocks, great tits and robins begin to sing, marking their territories with song to make sure they have enough food for when the young ones hatch later. As weeks go by, other birds join in the singing, and by March all the resident birds are at it.

Would you like to know what the birds you can hear singing are? Which ones are bringing your garden and our village alive? There are two opportunities in Curry Rivel in April, both free, led by local ecologist Catherine Mowat. If you like, you could try bringing a smart phone to record the songs and help you learn them. There’s no need to book, just turn up, but if you would like to know more, contact Catherine on 01458 250655.

Good Friday 14^th April 7am-9am: Early morning walk along the lanes, stopping to watch and listen as we go. Meet at St Andrews parish Church

Friday 28^th April 8.15pm-9.30pm: Owls and nightingales. Three species of owl are found in and around Curry Rivel, and amazingly, in recent years, a pair of nightingales – a species which has become incredibly rare. No promises, but we hope to hear or see some of these, and enjoy the evening bird chorus too. Meet at Eastfield.

For more info on wildlife in Curry Rivel, visit http://www.curryrivel.org.uk/news/campaigns-events/currry-rivels-natural-health-survey.html

We’re looking for people to join in with wildlife activities, do contact the wildlife survey group if you’re interested - http://www.curryrivel.org.uk/local-info/clubs-societies.html

 I'll publish our draft programme for 2017 here soon.

Wild Life Crime

From:

Roger Dickey | Chairman Heart of the Level Group | 441458 273753 | 447973534282 | roger@dickey4444.freeserve.co.uk

Dear SWT Heart of the Levels supporter.

 

Our next talk is this coming Tuesday 14th March. Once again we gone for something a little different.

 

The subject that is very often overlooked, as crime statistics are mentioned, is wildlife crime – we all have our own views on what this means but it is a topic rarely reported in the Press unless it involves certain protected species, and even then hardly credits a mention. What actually is a wildlife crime, how much crime is there and is there anything we can do to help prevent it or indeed report it?

 

We are very fortunate to have Dave Pepper coming to speak to us on Tuesday, not only because he is a local police officer, but also because there are only a few Wildlife Crimes Officers in the county making him a bit of a rare breed.

 

I do hope to see you in the Parish Rooms at 7:30 pm for this talk with a difference.

 

Cheers

 

Roger