From our Archive 2009-2010 2006-2008 Home
November / December 2009
HCC Countryside Service Reception - members of Worthys Conservation Volunteers attend an evening reception on Wednesday 25 November at the Great Hall, Winchester, hosted by Hampshire County Council Countryside Service in honour of all the volunteer groups who have given their support this year. Photograph with other group leaders ...
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... yours truly far right - "pay attention now"!
Bruce Graham, 29 November 2009
October 2009
This month's big task to raise a section of Nuns Walk on Saturday 17 October was a great success. Thanks to all helpers. Go to photo gallery for more photos. Here is the report Nuns Walk Improvement Task Report - October 2009.
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Fungi - lots of Fly Agaric this year scattered amongst the birch at Micheldever Wood. Montage from last years fungi foray in Micheldever Wood. levelled
© Copyright Bruce Graham
Click on the photo for a larger image. If you would like a canvas print, send an email to: enquiries@worthysconservationvolunteers.org.uk
August 2009
Bats & Moths - our first 'bat & moth evening watch' was a great success. See the report Bat & Moth Watch Task Report - August 2009 written by Emily (12) and Leora (10), who clearly thoroughly enjoyed themselves, as did the rest of the party.
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More photographs of moths taken during the evening can be seen by following the link 'Animals & Insects' in our Photo Gallery.
Butterfies - it's been a bumper year for butterflies so far - see masses of Painted Lady, Small Tortoishell, as well as all the other the usual garden varieties, wherever you come across buddleia bush. Today (9 Aug) I spotted a Clouded Yellow and a Small Heath - both a first - in a field next to the old railway line!
July 2009
Butterfies - or as some would have it 'flutterbys'! We're well into the butterfly season now, this year we have had some really good sunny days, until July that is - indeed this month's butterfly field study on Top Field turned out to be a near washout; however we did record eleven species - not bad considering the overcast & wet conditions - Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Peacock, Large White, Small White, Green-Veined White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Marbled White & Speckled Wood.
20 July 2009
Here are a few photos captured around and about - more can been seen by following the link to Photo gallery and Animal & Insects page.
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A week later we repeated the study but in sunnier conditions, and what a difference that made. This time the tally was up to seventeen species, as we were able to add Holly Blue, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Skipper, Comma, and Brimstone. The Brown Argus is a new find for us; it can easily be mistaken for the female Common Blue except for the one missing black spot on the underside of the forewing!
29 July 2009
June 2009
Poppy Field in Headbourne Worthy - spectacular red poppy field at Down Farm Lane, Headbourne Worthy. It looks like the field has been uncultivated this year with last year's straw stubble still evident, so the mass of poppies must have grown from wild. However, opposite this field is a crop of white cultivated poppies.
Micheldever Spoil Heaps - our field trip to Micheldever Spoil Heaps was very enjoyable.
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May 2009
Painted Lady Butterfly (see below) - is in abundance this year! In flight it is difficult to recognise as it flutters between nectar sources at some speed, but once settled this beautiful butterfly is unmistakable with its distinctively patterned salmon pink upper-wings. Did you know the Painted Lady is a summer visitor to Britain from north Africa and southern Europe?
Kings Worthy Fete - sunny and warm, and with lots of visitors to our tent, the fete was a success!
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April 2009
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Bat House offered to the Winnall Moors project - this bat house built by one of our intrepid conservationists is to be erected at a suitable site on the Wildlife Trust nature reserve. The house provides roosting for up to 200 bats! It was originally planned to install this on the old DNSR line but felt it might become vandalised or the roosting bats disturbed, so Winnall Moors was suggested as a much more suitable site instead. It is hoped WCV members will be able to monitor the coming and going of bats as and when they start to settle in. |
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South Downs National Park agreed - this is really great news! Stretching from the south coast at Eastbourne to the edge of Winchester taking in the most beautiful chalk downland countryside, the villages of Kings Worthy, Headbourne Worthy, Abbots Worthy and Martyr Worthy all cross into or are totally within the the park. Not quite sure what it means to conservation, in particular our activities, it is still nonetheless very exciting. I will create a special page just for this (coming soon!), in the meantime visit the BBC news item http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7973417.stm
Bruce Graham, 8 April 2009
March 2009
Birds, bluebells & bacon baps! Sunday 3 May, 4.30-9.30am!! - don't forget to put a place in your diary for this. We will meet on Top Field to listen to the 'dawn chorus' - as usual we shall take our audio recorder; we then drive up to Micheldever Woods to see the spectacular bluebells; finally, back to my place for bacon baps. Advanced booking only.
Bruce Graham, 22 March 2009
Fungi, burrows and butterflies - below are Scarlet Elf Cup on Worthy Down Halt, Water Vole burrow - I did see a little nose briefly pop out, then scuttle away too fast - on Nuns Walk, and a Small Tortoiseshell - probably last year's brood - on Hinton Field ...
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... all taken between 10 and 14 March.
Bruce Graham, 14 March 2009
Vandalism on the DNSR footpath! One of our benches has been severely cut with a saw, and also several trees have been hacked and sliced, some left dangling precariously. Fortunately the bench is still strong enough but the damage is obvious and will need filling, and as soon as possible a small team will aim to remove the hazardous trees and branches.
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What can you say? This is a despicable act of ignorance, selfishness and wanton disregard for the many users of the footpath who like to sit and enjoy the views.
I implore the individual or individuals who did this to come forward and make amends. We can even offer them plenty of opportunities to cut trees with greater vigour and more purpose than this random effort, by joining one of our project tasks. So stand up and be counted, come and join us to do some real good for the community and its wildlife habitats.
Winnall Moors nature reserve - we are currently looking to renew our ties with the Wildlife Trust on Winnall Moors. A couple of years ago we had started work (doing scrub clearance), but as our respective working-party days didn't coincide, we couldn't continue. However, now the improvement of the new extension is fully underway, it is hoped we can agree on a day and rekindle our support for the moors.
Two-man saw wanted - we are still looking for a two-man saw. Does anybody have one they would be willing to donate to the group? Must be in good condition though. Please send email to: enquiries@worthysconservationvolunteers.org.uk. Thanks!
Bruce Graham, 1 March 2009
February 2009
Ice & Snow! It's been a cold and frosty 2009 so far! .. makes for some good photography though:
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Anyone got a two-man saw they no longer use and would be willing to donate to the group? Must be in reasonable condition though. Please send email to enquiries@worthysconservationvolunteers.org.uk. Thanks!
January 2009
Happy New Year! Why not make your New Year's Resolution for 2009 to help preserve the wildlife, footpaths and other green spaces in our local community and get fit at the same time, by joining us. In January and February we will be making improvements to the footpath along the disused Didcot railway line.
Our aim for 2009 is to continue the improvement work on our existing sites - such as Nun's Walk, the disused Didcot railway line footpath, St Swithun's Church habitat, and Kings Worthy Primary School - as well as to undertake further butterfly and wildflower field studies, and to find additional conservation projects in Headbourne Worthy and Martyr Worthy.
So come along and help put The Worthys on the conservation map. Everyone welcome!
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© Copyright Worthys Conservation Volunteers