National Meadow Day , Curry Rivel

National Meadows Day - Saturday 1st July.

Curry Rivel Wildlife Survey Group

To mark this day we invite you to visit our own local meadows located in Holdens Way for a guided walk.

Eastfield Community Meadow and Batty Piece, a private nature reserve and wild flower meadow.

Car parking by Westfield Recreation Field.

Contact us for details of guided walks between 2pm and 5pm.

Please contact me for alternative arrangements

Contact David German 01458 259688 or email at davidgerman555@gmail.com

               

        Pyramidal Orchid                                            Marbled white butterfly                       Grass vetchling and   Goat’s-beard

"Meadows, once a feature of every parish in Somerset are now an increasingly fragile part of our national heritage but all is not lost. National Meadows Day is the perfect way to explore and enjoy the flowers and wildlife of Somerset's magnificent meadows and understand their special place in our shared social and cultural history.

 "Beyond being a quintessential sight of summer, meadows' value to our wildlife cannot be overstated — a single healthy meadow can be home to over 80 species of wild flowers, such as cuckoo flower, yellow rattle, orchids, knapweed and scabious, compared to most modern agricultural pasture which typically supports under a dozen species."

Claire Parton, ‘Save Our Magnificent Meadows’   Project Manager for Somerset Wildlife Trust

Batty Piece, wild Orchids. Pyramidal and Green Winged, and Broomrape

Having recently discovered a Green Winged Orchid flowering in our meadow, on a walk about today I found our Pyramidal orchids just beginning to show a slightly pink tip of the flower spike. Last year we had hundreds on display.The single Green Winged orchid is now on its last flower and hopefully will produce a lot of seeds. It was fortunate that we found it as the grasses and other flowering plants make it difficult to see.  I also spotted a lovely pale pink and almost colourless Broomrape plant . Again hard to spot.

Curry Rivel Wildlife Survey.

I recently sent out this note to members of the Curry Rivel Wildlife Survey Group


Dear all,
From time to time I do a walk around check on Batty Piece to monitor wildlife in general. I’ve just done the same for Eastfield. The result was encouraging. I take a note pad with me and  briefly note what I see.  As its Britain in Bloom this year I hope to do the same once a week from now on. Yesterday in the sun, obviously everything is growing and looking good. 
The newly mown path round the field and across the middle gives a good view of all sectors of the field. Prominent are the Cowslips growing and just flowering in all areas but more densely evident in large patches at both ends.The Blackthorn hedge is looking splendid at the East end with the whole width of the field aglow with the white blossom. A good crop of sloes should follow.Along the south side the new hedge with its severn native species is also showing plenty of fresh growth and will display a range of flowers and fruit as we go into the summer.. The hedge was trimmed back earlier this year with a number of species left to grow on as hedge trees. Bird life should benefit.
Buttercups are  flowering in all areas of the meadow.
My rough notes will be retained dated and time of walk noted which will give us a comparison from year to year. Photographs will be an importanf supporting element of the. record
If anyone would like to join me we can find a suitable time and two pairs of eyes and ears will be useful.
Hoping to hear our Nightingale soon!
Regards,
David

Plantlife International

A follow up to my last post.

Here is a link to the latest newsletter from Plantlife for the month of April:

http://us8.campaign-archive2.com/?u=6387c261b542b56fc9cdf7726&id=86ae6360e6&e=3369987e57


Visit their web site on this link. Plantlife.org.uk -    http://www.plantlife.org.uk/

Wildlife. What to See in Somerset. PCNR, Local Wildlife Sites,

Only recently I found that a member of our Heart of the Levels Group committee, Chris Chappell, is the author of a regular feature in the Somerset Wildlife Trust web site. Follow this link to see the March write up.

http://www.somersetwildlife.org/Wildlife_to_see_in_March_2016.html

It motivates me to report on the awakening of our local Private Nature Reserve called Batty Piece which is the name shown for the area on the old Tythe maps from about 1840. I must post soon with photographs. This show were a couple of years ago and a bit later in May or June. We should see another great display in time for the open gardens.

It is, together with an adjoining 4 acre field, the nearest thing to untouched meadow around Curry Rivel. Increasingly rare in Somerset too. Well over 100 plant species have been identified growing there including Bee and Pyramidal Orchids. The field will be included in the Curry Rivel Open Gardens scheme set for 12th June. The last Open Gardens day was two years ago and over 300 visitors visited 16 gardens and two meadows.

Plantlife and our local meadow

I get the Plantlife news letter every month and this is an extract from the latest copy.I recommend it. Here is their web site:     http://www.plantlife.org.uk **********************************************************************************************

Welcome to our September e-news Road verge campaign Great news! Over 15,000 people have now signed to support better verge management for nature! If you haven't already, please sign our road verge petition today.

Also in the newsletter they highlight wildflower gardens .

Wildflower gardens can be unkempt and a bit scruffy, right? Well, they don’t have to be. There’s a place for wild flowers in modern contemporary gardens, too.

If you prefer a clean-cut, well-designed and contemporary garden, native plants can be used to great effect in providing both the structure and the ever-changing palette of colour. In fact, many are already tried-and-tested stalwarts of the designer's repertoire, while others can be put to great effect if you’re willing to be a bit more adventurous...

Click here to read this full feature by Plantlife's botanical specialist,  Dr Trevor Dines.

In another item they highlight a flower we have in our local meadow  and here is my photo taken earlier in June in 2014 and just starting to flower

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Out and about

Watch out for...

Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)

This spiky, yellow plant grows in single stems to 60cm in size. The small yellow petals reveal themselves in stages from the bottom upwards and the leaves have jagged edges with whitish undersides. 

Agrimony is widespread except for in Scotland where it can only be found in some southern parts. It can also be found on hedge banks, road verges and in other grassy places. 

Some people use agrimony to represent thankfulness.

Batty Piece, Ladies Bedstraw and Humming-bird Hawk Moth

Since my last blog we have been away on holiday to Italy and seen some interesting wildflowers and butterflies , now back home I can add the latest news from our local meadow.

In my absence a friend visited our field and sent me these three photographs. His email comment was
 "I found three Humming-bird Hawk-moth larvae on the Lady's Bedstraw in Batty
Piece this morning. There was also a Scorched Carpet moth by the gate. "   Not being a trained observer myself I find it hard to see such detail.

John Bebbington is the photographer and has publish a book you might find interesting and useful. Its title is  "Insect Photography -  Art and Techniques "   ISBN 978 1 84979 378 8.  Published in 2012 by The Crowood Press Ltd. 

I was very pleased to see today, in our garden around 200 m from the field, a very busy Hummingbird Hawk Moth feeding on some flowers. I've photographed them before but not virtually at the same time as seeing the larvae ( or caterpillars as I would say! )

The field itself I visited today and it is still full of pyramidal orchid in flower , knapweed, ladies bedstraw, field scabious and numerous butterflies including the marbled white.. I did however find again the seed capsule of the Bee orchid which finished flowering in June. Back in july I found several locations with Bee orchids including one small area with around 20 plants which I hadn't seen before. It was a delight to see the meadow looking so good in the bright sunshine.

Common Broomrape or Orobanche minor

Part 2 ( see my previous post for part 1)

At the other end of our garden is a small wild patch  where I try to encourage native plants and control strong growing grasses. Teasels are growing well there and whilst trying to help by removing some grasses at the base of a teasel plant I unfortunately found myself holding the flowering stem of a broomrape which I believe is the common species. Trying to identify it I cut in half one of the flowers and found the two purple stigmas joined on a single style and with 4 stamen which I think show up quite well in the photos. So I am fairly confident with the identification and will look to see if other specimens have survived my "weeding" ! These plants can be seen out in the fields nearby if the management allows! There is an obvious message in this post and the previous about the conflict between humans and plant life

Eastfield and Batty Piece

Just posted this on our local community web site Facebook page and it might be of wider interest!
Eastfield is a 4 acre field alongside our Batty Piece private nature reserve. I added the photos I have added to my previous Blog post.

A couple of days ago I walked round the edge of Eastfield looking at the narrow strip of uncut vegetation that the Council has excluded from the fortnightly mowing regime it introduced last summer. I was very delighted to find that the long established wild Pyramidal orchids are still surviving and are now in flower. I counted at least 50 specimens spread around all four sides. Obviously there are many other native plants that can be seen and it shows how the meadow could look if a larger are could be spared. It's not just plants that are benefiting, butterflies are there in large numbers, Meadow Browns and the Marbled White making use of the long grass. Insects of many types, food for the Swifts which we see now and so on to make up a rich biodiversity which even the Pope recognises as being our responsibility to protect. Please visit Eastfield and see for yourself.

Here are a few more photos from our meadow.

Batty Piece

Our 4 acre wildlife meadow is at its best in June. Bee Orchids and Pyramidal Orchids are now well into the flowering season. I found around 30 or 40 Bee Orchids this week and the Pyramidal are too numerous to count. Grass Vetchling is spread around the field as is Yellow Rattle. Patches of Ladies Bedstraw are nearly in flower and I found a few Broomrape. Knapweed is coming into flower and Field Scabious. Butterflies are common including Marbled White.
I'll add a few photographs soon.

Nightingale still singing every night.

The earliest local report this year of hearing a Nightingale singing at night here in Curry Rivel was Thursday 16th April. Maybe a single bird but it has been heard every night since and once in the morning in daylight. Just been listening from home at 2300 hrs.
As a summer visitor I am hoping to find out more about where it may have come from?
In its migration does it fly at night?
Now it's here why does it sing at night as well as in daylight?
Is it likely to be a male bird hoping to attract a female?

The planned walk being organised by our local Heart of the Levels Wildlife Area Group has had to be cancelled so maybe I can help out!

Draft Parish Plan., instalment 1

It might be interesting to post in sections my contribution to our proposed Parish Plan

First Draft write up covering local Countryside and Wildlife. (Work in progress!)

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Background

Our village lies at the centre of approx., 6 sq. miles of beautiful and varied Somerset farmland, parkland, woodlands, wetlands and moors. The River Parrett is our northern and eastern boundary with the River Isle to the south.


The RSPB manages a large area of West Sedgemoor within the northern part of the Parish which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) . The RSPB also manages Swell Wood on our western boundary which is said to be home to the largest Heronry in SW England.
 Link here:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/reserves2007_tcm9-212718.pdf#page=48

Local farmers generally follow good practice to encourage wildlife alongside arable farming.

There is a 4 acre local nature reserve off Holdens Way called Batty Piece which is privately managed to conserve an example of rapidly disappearing grass land meadow.


A number of local residents are volunteers with the Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Butterfly Conservation and the Hawk and Owl Trust helping to protect habitats and carry out wildlife surveys.


The local primary School helps to introduce children to the natural world.

Consultation issues.

Flooding.

The 2014 Somerset Levels and Moors Flood Action Plan has drawn attention to the need for Catchment Sensitive Farming and highlighted our location in the catchment area for the River Parrett.

( to be continued)

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A couple of photos during our annual hay cut in October. We rely on the help of a local farmer for this. It has been difficult in the past to find someone with machinery small enough to get into the field from the narrow road access! This is a 4 acre local reserve.

Only One Earth

In case you haven't noticed , there is another chance for the world leaders to get to grips with climate change. What this press notice ( below)  doesn't say is that we all must decide how we are going to stop ruining our planet!

On a  more cheerful note , I took this photo in our meadow in June. A furry caterpillar  ( no idea what species it is!) on a newly flowering wild  Pyramidal Orchid

Now for the news!

UN Climate Summit 2014

Climate change is not a far-off problem. It is happening now and is having very real consequences on people’s lives. Climate change is disrupting national economies, costing us dearly today and even more tomorrow.  But there is a growing recognition that affordable, scalable solutions are available now that will enable us all to leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient economies.

There is a sense that change is in the air. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has invited world leaders, from government, finance, business, and civil society to Climate Summit 2014 this 23 September to galvanize and catalyze climate action.  He has asked these leaders to bring bold announcements and actions to the Summit that will reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and mobilize political will for a meaningful legal agreement in 2015. Climate Summit 2014 provides a unique opportunity for leaders to champion an ambitious vision, anchored in action that will enable a meaningful global agreement in 2015.

Everyone can step up and take climate action. Visit the UN Climate Summit site to find out how. #climate2014