Blog Problem

There appears to be a problem with the layout of my Blog. If anyone can think why it has suddenly changed its layout please let me know!

2nd Aug and I'm still trying to work out what happened and I still cant get the layout back to where it was a week ago. It may be because of the new templates and preview arrangements that something has changed and its all a bit puzzling. It doesn't seem to have happened to my other Blog.

Heart of the Levels Wildlife Watch Club - Picasa Web Albums

Our new Watch Club for children and their parents is running well now. We are continuing to promote it through local schools and expect the numbers attending to pick up after the summer holidays.

Here are a few photographs of our last session .



Heart of the Levels Wildlife Watch Club - Picasa Web Albums

Carl Sagan

Now here's a challenge for you.

Carl Sagan was a very distinguished and respected scientist. You can read up about his life and work on Wiki, which I have just done. What I found surprising was that he had spent a lot of time in using the media in all its forms to communicate about science. This included musical adventures, perhaps experiments might be nearer the mark!

This is in tune with our recent Arts and Wildlife Workshop which aimed to encourage a creative approach to wildlife. 

The challenge is to visit a Blog and view a You Tube clip in a recent post and to comment.  (Here is a  link )

Then if you want to find out more about the production of the video and about Carl Sagan you can go to this web site:

Symphony of Science - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2020 Vision : For a wilder Britain

Is anyone involved in this project. Click on the link for more info



2020 Vision : For a wilder Britain

Latest Sightings

The photograph shows John with the rare moth during the field visit. See note below.


Click on this link to go to the Moth Group web site     Latest Sightings

This is a link to the Somerset Moth Group web site where they show a quite rare moth which was found and photographed by John Bebbington on a visit to Fivehead Arable Fields nature reserve. Its called a Celypha rosaceana. The same species ( perhaps even the same moth!!) was found in the field again yesterday during out Group vist to look at the arable "weeds".

Wildlife in Somerset

You will see from this brief report which I have just submitted for publication in the Trusts magazine that we have been quite busy. My Blog has been neglected as a consequence. Life of course continues to make its demands regardless of wildlife or blogging!
I hope to include a photo or two from some of these events eventually.

Heart of the Levels summer highlights.

 “International Year of Biodiversity  2010”

Now in our 5^th year our Group has staged some rewarding wildlife events. We enjoyed a great spring flower walk with a new leader in Beer Wood. Anne Bebbington opened our eyes to its wonderful woodland flora.

Our new Wildlife Watch Club opened in Hambridge.  Children will gain an enthusiastic introduction to wildlife through practical and fun activities.

On June 27 our third and most rewarding Arts and Wildlife Workshop so far engrossed 16 members for a day in Isle Abbotts. A walk along the River Isle for observation and ideas generated creative nature writing, stunning photographic images, painting and sketching.

Our Botany Study Group committed itself to continue for another year to develop our understanding of the structure and characteristics of wild flowers.

Anne and John Bebbington gave us a treat on 11th July by leading our visit to the Fivehead Arable Fields to find 22 special flowering plants many of which are becoming rare or even facing extinction.  It was very satisfying to know that we and the Ilminster Group had joined with many others to support the  management of this  important SSSI reserve.

Naturewriting Resources and Inspiration

I was chatting to a friend about our Wildlife and Arts Workshop tomorrow. We talked about creative writing and Blogging which is close to my heart even though there is nothing very creative about my writing. However I was intrigued by her thoughts on the subject and references to Nature Writing in this format. I have very hurriedly searched for such Blogs and to my amazement found some interesting examples, not all on Blogger!
One of the first to review was this offering and like some others I found it draws inspiration from Henry
Thoreau. Here is the introduction and an excellent quotation.



Nature Writing Resources and Inspiration

Nature Writing for readers and writers

Henry David Thoreau's Birthday—July 12, 1817

"My theme shall not be far-fetched. I will tell of homely everyday phenomena and adventures...What you call barrenness and poverty is to me simplicity. God could not be unkind to me if he should try. I love the winter with its imprisonment and its cold, for it compels the prisoner to try new fields and resources. I love best to have each thing in its season only, and enjoy doing without it at all other times. It is the greatest of all advantages to enjoy no advantage at all."

Henry David Thoreau in The Journal 1837-1861,
New York Review Books. Edited by Damion Searls, 2009.

Celebrate Henry David Thoreau's birthday by enjoying things seen in nature only in the summer, and by reading his journal. This new edition is inexpensive and compellingly organized for inspiration and enlightenment.

Thoreau, in his journal, says several times that people often rush to far lands when the wondrous gifts of nature are close to home, all the time. We need spend no money to experience their riches. "My themes shall not be far -fetched. I will tell of homely everyday phenomena and adventures. " In the spirit of Thoreau, Kathy Handyside shares with us the story of a common bird that brought a gift to her life: A Starling in the House.

Our next event

3RD Annual Workshop for Art and Wildlife.

Somerset Wildlife Trust , Heart of the Levels Group.

Reminder of event.

 

For the third year we are running our Art and Wildlife workshops on June 27th. Jenny Graham, a well known Somerset artist will help us look at the countryside and wildlife through artist’s eyes. Our challenge is to explore and capture our own artistic interpretations in drawing, photography, creative writing or some other way. Perhaps this year someone will compose music!   Eve Kerswill will again help and encourage us to put ideas onto paper through writing. 

This year Isle Abbotts Village Hall is the venue and we will follow the same programme as before. We start with an introduction , then a walk  for ideas, then practical interpretation in the Hall.  Bring a lunch,  tea and coffee provided.

We hope this workshop will continue to be a relaxed  and friendly way to try your hand at  capturing  images of nature and wildlife. If photographers can bring a laptop it will be helpful for viewing digital photos.If you received the Winter 2009 Wildlife Trust magazine you will have seen on the cover a photo taken during one of our sessions last year. I'm sure you could do better and we will submit it to the magazine editor for future use!

Isle Abbotts is a lovely and  small village surrounded by open countryside which should provide plenty of ideas for workshop activities. We are grateful to Jenny for supporting our event.

Here are the details:

Walk plus  Arts and Wildlife Workshop

Is it suitable for families ?– No special facilities for under tens will be provided.

Sunday June 27th,     10 am to 4 pm                                        

Jenny Graham, well known local artist will help  and advise us . ( Her web site is at: http://www.jennygraham.co.uk )

Meeting Place/Map Ref:   Isle Abbotts Village Hall.   ST 350 207

Closest Town  Ilminster

Where to Park: in road.

Is Venue Suitable for Wheelchair-User/Limited Mobility:  Restricted.

Admission fee:    £5   to cover cost of hall.    

Items which may be required:   Bring a lunch , Tea and coffee provided. Own painting materials.  Camera.

If you wish to bring along something you prepared earlier that would be most welcome.

Please confirm your attendance to us in advance to help with catering and to keep  within reasonable numbers.

BBC News - 'Green light' for global biodiversity science panel

Whats all this about! It seems that world governments have actually agreed on something ,which is a pleasant change. I assume that includes the USA?
On Friday 11th June at 10:51 local time in the South Korean port city of Busan a new international organisation was set up to monitor biodiversity and to advise governments in the same way as the IPCC has been doing for climate change.

 Read more about it here:


BBC News - 'Green light' for global biodiversity science panel

Obviously this is a Yellow Iris! I found a multitude of them in a damp gully on the north Cornwall coast last week. Beautiful. I also saw a Green Hairstreak butterfly. First time I've seen one in the countryside.

Today I received an invitation to attend a Somerset County Council Forum titled, "Post 2010. What next for biodiversity in Somerset" . That should be interesting with looming Gov cutbacks on spending.

International Year of Biodivesity : Biodiversity is Life. IUCN.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature   (IUCN)

Click here  to find out more about the IUCN and its world wide work to conserve wildlife. 
Or use this address:        http://www.iucn.org/about/

And here is a video to show some of the threatened species

Conservation success stories.