Owls, continued

Another email from a friend has brought me a photo of an owl flying new the village of Aller in Somerset. This was just a chance sighting during a walk with a camera handy.
To see the owl more clearly click on the photo to enlarge.

Owls and Carry Akroyd landscape and wildlife paintings

By way of a change here is a link to a remarkable artist. Click here. Thanks to Carry Akroyd here is the picture. I hope you like it as much as I do.

I came across her work whilst browsing for a birthday card in a local shop. The cover was very striking and as usual with art I find it hard to say why exactly because huge numbers of artist do landscapes and many of them are very good but some just jump out at you.
You should be able to find the picture on her web site, its called "Bright Night" and its a screen print and many others.
I bought the card and found her web address and for me it is well worth visiting.
As you can see from the picture above there was a particular feature in the painting and that was the OWL in flight. As you will know Owls are very much on my mind right now as we get nearer to our next public meeting on Jan 14th on this subject.
We are just getting our posters printed and must start in earnest to promote the event which I am sure will be one of our best.

Biodiversity in Somerset

I've just received my copy of the newsletter from the Somerset Biodiversity Partnership. Its an interesting read. Apart from the content, with news about the SBP itself, there is information about the people involved in the implementation of the new set of Biodiversity Action Plans (usually referred to as BAP's). The Wildlife Trust has a big part to play in all this as it forms the essential ingredient under pinning all our work and interests. It seems clear to me that if biodiversity is destroyed or allowed to decline then that is the same thing as allowing wildlife to wither and die. That is something that members and volunteers with the Trust must aim to prevent.
The newsletter explains that there is an overarching strategy called Wild Somerset under which has been collected a large number of county wide and district level habitat and species action plans.
They range from county plans for hedgerows and hedge row trees to roadside verges and green lanes to local plans for native wild flowers of arable land.

All these it says can be accessed through the County Council web site. However I found the web address given in the newsletter appears to be incorrect so try this Link here which should show you the South Somerset District Plan. Otherwise go to the County Council web site and search for biodiversity.

A very impressive list of organisations have been working to produce these BAP,s including Exmoor National Park, Wessex Water, RSPB, the Drainage Boards, and of course the Wildlife Trusts. Twenty two in total.

In conclusion it seems that these set of documents will become the focus for the work of all conservation in Somerset. I hope through our Group we can make use of the BAP's t0 learn a great deal about wildlife in our County

Owls, continued

Leading up to our next public meeting on January 14th 2010 I have continued my search for video clips on UTube. I found this next one by visiting the Wild Owl web site. Link here

I hope you enjoy this excellent video with a lovely accompaniment by Katherine Jenkins.

Owls in Canada

Trying to find Owl clips from the UK but this one looks pretty good to me.

Chris Sperring on BBC Autumn Watch

Looking for info for our Jan meeting I have just discovered that Chris Sperring is appearing on BBC Autumn Watch this week. Why did no one tell me!!!
Here is a link to his Web site where you can find more information.
Here is a link to the BBC Web Cams.

Because I have only just seen the news item I'm too late to spread the word.

Chris Sperring talks about Owls

A photo from Chris's blog. See link below.

This photograph of a Little Owl is by Chris Sperring and can be seen with many others on his web site



We are very pleased to have Chris Sperring coming along to our next public meeting in January. On Thursday 14th 7.30 pm at the Huish Episcopy Specialist College for Science. Leading up to the talk I hope to be able to feature information and photographs relating to British Owls.

To start with here is a link to Chris's web site.

Starlings at Ham Wall

Further update on the Starling Hotline ( 07866 554142) at 16.11.09. The Starlings are apparently staying away from Westhay and continuing to roost at Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath.


Starlings at Ham Wall

Photo by Lynne Newton. Click here for her latest photos and starling up date.

A new experiment for me is to try to include a video clip showing starlings roosting. So here goes.





Now here is my update on the Starling situation.

Yesterday afternoon ( 6th Nov) we had some visitors who wanted to go to see the display. By the time we started out it was about 4 pm and the weather was not promising. On the way it started raining and was becoming more cloudy. We had checked the hotline and were told Ham Wall was a current roosting site. Not having been there before we were a little vague about its location . It took longer to reach the site than we had allowed. However we spotted a car park with a group of people wearing all weather gear and pulled in . It was the right place and it was 5 pm with 100% cloud and rain and quite breezy. My assessment was proved correct by talking to the group which turned out to be bird watchers. Yes the starlings were roosting at Ham Wall. However they had arrived an hour before we did , that was about 4 pm, and we were way too late. About an hour and a half I would guess.

Conclusion;

• the bad weather had not stopped the birds flying in to the roosting site,they were there probably about half an hour before sun set, and because we had not checked how early sun set is at present, which today is about 4.35 pm, we had missed a chance to see them.
• We have learned that there is a car park at Ham Wall and it is about 600 metres to the roosting site so we will try again. Today looks a much better day but that means it will be quite crowded.

Butterfly Conservation, Large Blue

An enthusiastic visitor to Green Down to see the real thing! My photograph.


Photograph by "Somerset and Bristol Butterfly Conservation"




I shall be going along to the Annual General Meeting of the Somerset and Bristol Butterfly Conservation Group on Saturday.
Looking at their web site I found details of working parties for Jan and Feb at local reserves, generally clearing scrub. Here are some of the details.

Here is a link to the Groups web site to find out more about the Large Blue


Poldens Large Blue Action Group – Work parties January – February


Sunday 10th January, Walton Hill, volunteer work party to improve Large
Blue habitat, 10am – 3.30pm

Come and help clear scrub at Walton Hill to improve the site for the Large
Blue butterfly. There will be hot jacket potatoes and cakes. Please bring your
own drinks and any additional lunch and snacks required. Please wear strong
footwear and old clothes and bring work gloves if possible. Walton Hill is
south west of Street. Meet in the car park at 10am (Map reference:
ST46633505). Please contact Bernadette Noake (Butterfly Conservation:
01929 406004, 07960616320) or Shane Potts (07912 085603) for more
information and to let us know if you wish to attend.


Saturday 30th January, Collard Hill, volunteer work party to improve
Large Blue habitat, 10am – 3.30pm

Come and help improve the habitat at Collard Hill for the Large Blue butterfly.
There will be hot jacket potatoes and cakes. Please bring your own drinks and
any additional lunch and snacks required. Please wear strong footwear and
old clothes and bring work gloves if possible. Collard Hill is south of Street, on
the B3151. Meet in the car park opposite the Youth Hostel (Map reference:
ST48013451) at 10am. Please contact Bernadette Noake (Butterfly
Conservation: 01929 406004, 07960616320) or Rob Holden (National Trust:
07919392181) for more information and to let us know if you wish to attend.

Sunday 21st February – Lollover Hill, volunteer work party to improve
Large Blue habitat, 10am – 3.30pm

Come and help improve the habitat at Lollover Hill for the Large Blue butterfly.
There will be hot jacket potatoes and cakes. Please bring your own drinks and
any additional lunch and snacks required. Please wear strong footwear and
old clothes and bring work gloves if possible. Lollover Hill is near Dundon,
south of Street. There is limited parking on the road in Dundon. Follow the
public footpath and meet at Lollover Hill at 10am (Map reference: ST474325).
If you would like a map of the site please contact Bernadette Noake. For more
information and to let us know if you wish to attend please contact Bernadette
Noake (Butterfly Conservation: 01929 406004, 07960616320) or Shane Potts
(07912 085603).

Starlings Hotline

Photograph by Lynne Newton.

The Starling Hotline is working this afternoon and the telephone number is: 07866 554142.
The information given reports that starlings are roosting at Shapwick Heath, Natural England site and at Ham Wall , RSPB site. Click here for Ham Wall site.
You can also email for information to RSPB. Address is: ham.wall@rspb.org.uk
Large flocks of starlings have started gathering in the Curry Rivel area and I'm sure many other places.