Abdon District Community Wildlife Group 2020 Programme
As a consequence of the Covid19 restrictions, our 2020 programme was severely curtailed. Fortunately, no one had told the wildlife about the lockdown, so we were still able to be active and recorded sightings of butterflies, mammals and birds in our gardens and during our daily exercise walks . Details can be found in our 2020 Annual Report.
Optimistically, we are planning a programme for 2021, as restrictions and guidance allow. Further details below:
Main Programme
These are field meetings, usually a walk, each of which will have a main aim, but also an opportunity to simply “see what we find”! Full details will come to you by email shortly before each event. Weather sometimes causes a late change.
April – Dawn Chorus Walk Meet at “Picnic Area” parking area, to start at 5.00a.m. (We hope to finish up at the Willows Café in Ditton for breakfast – to be confirmed)
Wed 9th June – Butterfly Walk on Clee Liberty, in particular looking for Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries. This walk be led by Mike Williams of Butterfly Conservation.
June - Upland Vegetation 1. Clee Burf summit & Stoke Enclosure We shall use John Handley’s botanical survey of Clee Liberty as the basis for these walks, familiarising ourselves with the Upland Grassland communities that are found on “the hill”, seeking the axiophytes (plants indicative of good habitat), and grasses and sedges that have been recorded there. Morning and afternoon sessions. Opt to attend one or both (and picnic).
Late June – The Gore Nature Reserve - Guided visit to this SWT site at Wheathill.
Sat 10th July – Bird Walk on Brown Clee A joint event with the RSPB Ludlow group. Will also focus on butterflies.
July - Upland Vegetation 2. Brown Clee Summit & Ditton Enclosure
Late July – Dragonfly walk A visit to the pools around the summit of Abdon Burf, looking for dragonflies, and examining the plant life too. (As last year) date will be announced at short notice according to weather.
August - Upland vegetation 3. Clee Liberty & Five Springs
October– Fungi - Brown Clee Hill We shall look for waxcaps near the summit, and woodland fungi under beech trees.
November - Bryophytes Indoors. A self-help effort at learning about this much ignored group of plants.
Ongoing Recording We always welcome news of interesting observations. If you see any wildlife of special interest, please record date, species, number, location (with 6 or 10-fig map reference), and any comment. Send this to the appropriate person, who will enter it in Group Records, and forward to the County Recorder where of interest.
Birds, moths & dragonflies Miles, milesleach712@gmail.com
Mammals Pam, pambolathom@hotmail.com Plants Karl karl94694@gmail.com Fungi Mariel dmdelubman@hotmail.co.uk
Butterflies Dee 66deesnape@gmail.com
Curlew, Lapwing & Other Birds Survey We hope to do the survey as previous years; the first recording period is 20 March to 4 April. Miles will contact everyone soon to confirm who is able to do survey visits.
Pop-up Events These will “pop up” from time to time. You will receive an email as and when they come along.
Moth Mornings Miles would like to set up his moth trap at different locations, and at different seasons. Can you offer a venue? Must have an electricity supply. Fix a date with Miles, milesleach712@gmail.com which will be circulated to all members, who can arrive early morning to view and identify trap contents, and drink coffee!
Bat Evenings Can you host a bat evening? If you have bats flying on your property, and would like to host a bat evening, contact Miles milesleach712@gmail.com
As a consequence of the Covid19 restrictions, our 2020 programme was severely curtailed. Fortunately, no one had told the wildlife about the lockdown, so we were still able to be active and recorded sightings of butterflies, mammals and birds in our gardens and during our daily exercise walks . Details can be found in our 2020 Annual Report.
Optimistically, we are planning a programme for 2021, as restrictions and guidance allow. Further details below:
Main Programme
These are field meetings, usually a walk, each of which will have a main aim, but also an opportunity to simply “see what we find”! Full details will come to you by email shortly before each event. Weather sometimes causes a late change.
April – Dawn Chorus Walk Meet at “Picnic Area” parking area, to start at 5.00a.m. (We hope to finish up at the Willows Café in Ditton for breakfast – to be confirmed)
Wed 9th June – Butterfly Walk on Clee Liberty, in particular looking for Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries. This walk be led by Mike Williams of Butterfly Conservation.
June - Upland Vegetation 1. Clee Burf summit & Stoke Enclosure We shall use John Handley’s botanical survey of Clee Liberty as the basis for these walks, familiarising ourselves with the Upland Grassland communities that are found on “the hill”, seeking the axiophytes (plants indicative of good habitat), and grasses and sedges that have been recorded there. Morning and afternoon sessions. Opt to attend one or both (and picnic).
Late June – The Gore Nature Reserve - Guided visit to this SWT site at Wheathill.
Sat 10th July – Bird Walk on Brown Clee A joint event with the RSPB Ludlow group. Will also focus on butterflies.
July - Upland Vegetation 2. Brown Clee Summit & Ditton Enclosure
Late July – Dragonfly walk A visit to the pools around the summit of Abdon Burf, looking for dragonflies, and examining the plant life too. (As last year) date will be announced at short notice according to weather.
August - Upland vegetation 3. Clee Liberty & Five Springs
October– Fungi - Brown Clee Hill We shall look for waxcaps near the summit, and woodland fungi under beech trees.
November - Bryophytes Indoors. A self-help effort at learning about this much ignored group of plants.
Ongoing Recording We always welcome news of interesting observations. If you see any wildlife of special interest, please record date, species, number, location (with 6 or 10-fig map reference), and any comment. Send this to the appropriate person, who will enter it in Group Records, and forward to the County Recorder where of interest.
Birds, moths & dragonflies Miles, milesleach712@gmail.com
Mammals Pam, pambolathom@hotmail.com Plants Karl karl94694@gmail.com Fungi Mariel dmdelubman@hotmail.co.uk
Butterflies Dee 66deesnape@gmail.com
Curlew, Lapwing & Other Birds Survey We hope to do the survey as previous years; the first recording period is 20 March to 4 April. Miles will contact everyone soon to confirm who is able to do survey visits.
Pop-up Events These will “pop up” from time to time. You will receive an email as and when they come along.
Moth Mornings Miles would like to set up his moth trap at different locations, and at different seasons. Can you offer a venue? Must have an electricity supply. Fix a date with Miles, milesleach712@gmail.com which will be circulated to all members, who can arrive early morning to view and identify trap contents, and drink coffee!
Bat Evenings Can you host a bat evening? If you have bats flying on your property, and would like to host a bat evening, contact Miles milesleach712@gmail.com
