DOCSLIB.ORG

Bristol Naturalist News

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Bristol Naturalist News Contents JULY-AUGUST 2020 Bristol Naturalist News Photo © Gary Thoburn Discover Your Natural World Bristol Naturalists’ Society BULLETIN NO. 592 JULY-AUGUST 2020 BULLETIN NO. 592 JULY-AUGUST 2020 Bristol Naturalists’ Society Discover Your Natural World Registered Charity No: 235494 www.bristolnats.org.uk CONTENTS HON. PRESIDENT: Andrew Radford, Professor 3 SOCIETY ITEMS AGM on Zoom of Behavioural Ecology, Bristol University Notices: e-Bulletin, Library, Nature in Avon ON HAIRMAN H . C : Ray Barnett [email protected] 4 Society AGM 5 Members’ Letters; BNS on Facebook HON. PROCEEDINGS RECEIVING EDITOR: Dee Holladay, [email protected] 6 Bristol Weather HON. SEC.: Lesley Cox 07786 437 528 7 NATTY NEWS : Sea level rise; Fossil bird skull [email protected] 8 Call me Bird-brained HON. MEMBERSHIP SEC: Mrs. Margaret Fay 9 Ash Dieback; Bees force flowering; 81 Cumberland Rd., BS1 6UG. 0117 921 4280 Scarce Chaser [email protected] 10 BOTANY SECTION Uley Bury visit; Botanical notes; HON. TREASURER: Mary Jane Steer 12 Plant records 01454 294371 [email protected] 15 Moments on the Bristol Downs 16 Water-moss: Microscopic study BULLETIN COPY DEADLINE: 7th of month before publication to the editor: David B Davies, 17 GEOLOGY SECTION 51a Dial Hill Rd., Clevedon, BS21 7EW. Congresbury Allotment finds 01275 873167 [email protected] Canadian geology . 19 INVERTEBRATE SECTION AGM; Notes for July-August; The Emperors have New Clothes Health & Safety on walks: Members LIBRARY The BNS Library remains participate at their own risk. They are necessarily closed for the immediate responsible for being properly clothed and shod. foreseeable future. The situation will be reviewed after the Museum opens Dogs may only be brought on a walk with prior agreement of the leader. 21 ORNITHOLOGY SECTION A Tale of two Warblers; 22 Hoopoe; Recent News; 23 MISCELLANY Pavement weeds; St. George’s Flower Bank; 24 Mystery; Old Sneed Park NR Cover picture: Grateful thanks to Gary Thoburn for this fruit of his 6 hours or so spent at New Passage! See the write-up Bristol Naturalists’by RupertSociety Higgins on page 22 Discover Your Natural World 2 Registered Charity No: 235494 www.bristolnats.org.uk SOCIETY ITEMS IMPORTANT NOTICE Contents New arrangements for the Society AGM 2020 The 2020 Society AGM was scheduled for 18 March but was postponed due to the Coronavirus emergency. Currently there is no known date when a traditional AGM could be rearranged. Consequently, your Council has decided that a virtual AGM should be held to allow the necessary business of the Society to be concluded for this year, especially the election of this year’s officers and Council members. This AGM (see next page) will not be the exact same event as originally planned for March. There will be no guest speaker, but just official business. This is important to maintain appropriate governance of the Society but is also an opportunity for the membership to hear about the activity of the Society and to ask questions. The date and time selected for this meeting is 7.30pm on Wednesday 29 July 2020. To be quorate we require at least 20 members of the Society to attend this virtual meeting and we hope you will be willing to participate. If you would like to attend the meeting (details on the next page), which will be held using the ‘Zoom’ programme, you need to e-mail [email protected] by Wednesday 15 July using the heading BNS AGM. We will then send out to you an appointment link with which to log in to the meeting. In this way we will ensure that only BNS members will be able to attend and it increases the security of using the system. You will not need to have downloaded any software prior to receiving this invitation. We will also be able to tell whether the meeting will be quorate and so can go ahead. We hope and assume that in future we will be able to return to the traditional style and format of meetings. However this trial of new technology also may offer us the opportunity to offer more services to our members. For example, delivering talks in this way could enable members who have difficulty getting to talk venues to be able to attend virtually. Please do consider attending our virtual AGM and e-mail us to receive your invitation. NOTICES: Receive the Bulletin a week or so early and save the Society postage! Would you like to save BNS print and postal costs? To receive it as a pdf, please email the membership secretary (details on page 2). BNS Library closure Please see the notice on page 2. Nature in Avon / Proceedings of the Society Members will by now have received Vol. 79, for 2019. Full of learning – and with no lack of enjoyment along the way – you could well find it an inspiration for your own contribution to Vol. 80. About nature under lockdown? The editor’s details are on page 2. Or for something more immediate and brief, write for the Naturalist News. Authors’ instructions are on the inside back cover of Nature in Avon; for this bulletin the editor asks for text in Word (please not pdf!), under 400 words, jpeg photos (“worth a thousand words”!), relevant to the Bristol Nats. area (or at least to your own experience). Enjoy writing! 3 SOCIETY AGM Contents 7.30pm, Wednesday, 29th July Election of Officers Officers of the Society and Members are required to stand for re-election annually. Section Representatives are elected at individual Section AGMs. The Presidential Term of Office also comes to an end this year. Consequently, the current President, Professor Andy Radford, will be stepping down from the role. The Society would like to thank Andy for his support and welcome the new President elect, Ray Barnett. Nominations are: Ray Barnett: Member Members Lesley Cox: Hon. Secretary Tim Corner Mary-Jane Steer: Hon. Treasurer Robert Muston Margaret Fay: Hon. Membership Secretary Steve Nicholls David Davies: Hon Bulletin Editor Jim Webster: Hon. Librarian Section Representatives Dee Holladay: Hon. Proceedings Receiving Editor Botany: Vacant Clive Lovatt: Hon Archivist Geology: Richard Ashley Alex Morss: Hon Publicity Secretary Invertebrates: Mike Hutchinson Ornithology: Giles Morris Mammals: Vacant Any member of the Society who would like to stand or wishes to nominate a fellow member for election should inform the Hon. Secretary as soon as possible. Many thanks, Lesley Cox 4 MEMBERS’ LETTERS Contents Just a quick note to thank you for your work as Editor of the Bulletin and to say that the last two editions especially have been excellent and are setting a very high standard for the future! Thank you for such good, wide ranging and informative reads, particularly during these difficult times with no meetings or field visits. Best Wishes and thanks again, to all the contributors and especially to yourself. (GH) I do enjoy reading this (Bristol Naturalists News) David. Having for many, many, years been a member of BOC and Somerset OS, I thought I ought to join BNS last year in order to go to the ornithological lectures. However, there is a lot to interest me in the Bulletin and it is a "good read". Thank you for your work. (JC) Lesley, what an interesting Newsletter for June. You do us proud. Thought you might enjoy seeing a regular visitor on the birds’ feeding station. (Wood Mouse) Sometimes we have two mice at the same time until one of them sees off the other one. (A&DJ) Wood Mouse © Anne Jewell Thought you might like the attached from this morning (Young Robin). We sat and glared at each other over the moth trap! (JO) Young Robin © Jean Oliver BNS on Facebook Contents Come and join the BNS Facebook Group via the internet. The BNS has a thriving Facebook group. In these times of restricted operations, this group has been a lifeline of communication, sightings, questions and general chat about all things ‘Natural History’ in the Bristol area. Why not give it a try? If you do not have a Facebook account, you need to go to www.facebook.com. There, you will be prompted to register a new account. It needs only your name, email address (or mobile number), birthdate, gender and a password of your choosing. Now you have a Facebook account, or if you already have one, just search on ‘Bristol Naturalists’ Society’ in the Facebook search box. When you are sent to the BNS page, click on the box marked ‘Join’. The moderators (I am one) will receive your request and will approve it. When that has happened, go back to the BNS page and select a level of notification (next to the Join box). There are three choices ‘All posts’ (I would choose this in the first instance), ‘Highlights’, ‘Friends’ posts’ or ‘Off’. When a new post is received, you should get an email to tell you. If this proves too often, just amend the ‘Notifications’ setting. I look forward to approving your join request. Roger Steer 5 Bristol Weather: Contents May 2020 At the end of May spring moves into summer meteorologically speaking. These rigid seasonal dates are useful but seem to have little in common these days with what is actually happening on the ground, or should one say in the ground? So-called spring this year has been more like some summers with high temperatures, unbroken sunshine and practically no rain. Some spring records have tumbled and others have been pushed close. The recent spring was exceptional with regard to sunshine, temperature and rainfall, or rather lack of it.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Monitoring of Odonata in Britain and Possible Insights Into Climate Change
    A peer-reviewed open-access journal BioRisk 5: 127–139Monitoring (2010) of Odonata in Britain and possible insights into climate change 127 doi: 10.3897/biorisk.5.846 RESEARCH ARTICLE BioRisk http://biorisk-journal.com/ Monitoring of Odonata in Britain and possible insights into climate change Adrian J. Parr 10 Orchard Way, Barrow, Bury St Edmunds, Suff olk IP29 5BX, Great Britain Corresponding author: Adrian J. Parr ([email protected]) Academic editor: Jürgen Ott | Received 29 July 2010 | Accepted 20 August 2010 | Published 30 December 2010 Citation: Parr AJ (2010) Monitoring of Odonata in Britain and possible insights into climate change. In: Ott J (Ed) (2010) Monitoring Climatic Change With Dragonfl ies. BioRisk 5: 127–139. doi: 10.3897/biorisk.5.846 Abstract Th e history of recording and monitoring of Odonata in Britain is briefl y described. Results are then pre- sented which suggest that the country’s Odonata fauna is currently in a period of fl ux, in a manner consist- ent with the actions of a high-level regulatory factor such as climate change. Th e ranges of many resident species are shifting. Leucorrhinia dubia has recently been lost from southern England, but many species are presently expanding their ranges to the north and west, some (such as Aeshna mixta and Anax imperator) with considerable speed. In addition to these changes, a number of ‘southern’ species have started to ap- pear in Britain for the very fi rst time. Th ese include Lestes barbarus, Erythromma viridulum (which has now become a locally-common resident in southeast England), Anax parthenope and Crocothemis erythraea.
    [Show full text]
  • Qryweekly List
    WEEKLY LIST OF PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND OTHER PROPOSALS RECEIVED BY THE COUNCIL 25 JUNE 2007 – 01 JULY 2007 The proposals listed over the page have recently been received by the Planning Department. The application documents and plans may be viewed and commented on via the Internet. Please allow 7 days from the above date for the application to appear on the Council’s web site at www.southglos.gov.uk/planning. The submissions listed are also available for inspection at the following offices: • The Council Offices, Castle Street, Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, BS35 1HF • Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, BS15 9TR • Yate One Stop Shop, Kennedy Way, Yate, South Gloucestershire The Council Offices are open Monday to Thursday between the hours of 8.45 am and 5.00 pm and Friday between the hours of 8.45 am to 4.30 pm. If you have any queries regarding a proposal, please contact our Customer Service Centre on 01454 868004. Any comments on the proposals listed can be made online at the above website or sent in writing to the Thornbury or Kingswood Council Offices. When commenting please quote the appropriate reference number and site address. All comments should be received within 21 days of the above date. ABBREVIATIONS PT = Planning Thornbury PK = Planning Kingswood For suffix abbreviations in application number, see Application Type eg. /ADV = Advertisement South Gloucestershire Council Weekly List of Planning Applications: 25/06/07 - 01/07/07 PARISH NAME APPLICATION NO. PK07/1921/F WARD NAME CASE OFFICER PLAN INSPECTION OFFICE Kings Chase Chris Gosling 01454 863787 KW LOCATION Land At Chesham Way Kingswood BRISTOL South Gloucestershire BS15 1TW PROPOSAL Erection of 2 no flats with associated parking, amenity space, cycle and bin store.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecological Appraisal of Land to the South of Copyhold Cottages, Wilbees Farm, Arlington
    Ecological Appraisal of Land to the South of Copyhold Cottages, Wilbees Farm, Arlington Carried out by Dr. Colin C.D. Tingle FRES, Environmental Impact Ecologist, and L. Louise Holloway, Restoration Ecologist Contents Summary .............................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 8 Planning Policy Background.................................................................................................. 9 National Planning Policy Framework ................................................................................. 9 Policy WCS12: Biodiversity ............................................................................................. 10 Policy WCS13: Green Infrastructure ................................................................................ 10 Local Landscape Character Assessment ............................................................................ 11 The Low Wealden Landscape ......................................................................................... 11 Site Description ................................................................................................................... 13 Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 15 Current Status of Site .........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Cycling South Gloucestershire 10 Short Leisure Routes Between 3 and 12 Miles 10 Leisure Rides
    Cycling South Gloucestershire 10 short leisure routes between 3 and 12 miles 10 Leisure Rides 2 8 4 7 10 5 1 3 6 9 © Crown copyright and route (route shown in relevant colour) database rights 2011 Ordnance Survey Key 100023410 K Cafe Toilets Pub xyA Station Refer to this key for all route maps 2 Introduction These routes are aimed at all levels of cyclists and their families. Cycling offers a great opportunity to discover new places and views in South Gloucestershire.We hope that you enjoy cycling these routes and that it encourages you to get your bike out more often. The routes vary in length and difficulty. A grading system has been used to determine the ability level required to cycle these routes. However this is only a guide. Ability Levels 1 For all users including inexperienced or beginner cyclists. Any hills will be very gentle and any on road cycling will be on quiet roads. 2 For slightly more experienced cyclists or those who may feel a bit more confident. There may be the occasional steep hill (don’t be afraid to get off and push!) and occasional short stretches on busier roads. 3 For the reasonably competent cyclists. The rides will be longer, with some steep hills and with cycling on or alongside busy roads for longer stretches. The distances given do not take into account any return journey unless the route is circular. The times given to cycle a route may vary depending on fitness level and the number of breaks and stops. Advice These routes incorporate off road sections that are shared with pedestrians.
    [Show full text]
  • Tales of the Vale: Stories from a Forgotten Landscape
    Tales of the Vale: Stories from A Forgotten Landscape The view from St Arilda’s, Cowhill A collection of history research and oral histories from the Lower Severn Vale Levels (Photo © James Flynn 2014) Tales of the Vale Landscape 5 Map key Onwards towards Gloucestershire – Contents Shepperdine and Hill Tales of the Vale Landscape 4 Around Oldbury-on-Severn – Kington, Cowill, Oldbury Introduction 3 and Thornbury Discover A Forgotten Tales of the Vale: Landscape through our Tales of the Vale Landscape 3 walks and interpretation From the Severn Bridge to Littleton-upon-Severn – points Aust, Olveston and Littleton-upon-Severn 1. North-West Bristol – Avonmouth, Shirehampton and Lawrence Weston 6 Tales of the Vale Landscape 2 2. From Bristol to the Severn Bridge – From Bristol to the Severn Bridge – Easter Compton, Almondsbury, Severn Beach, Pilning, Redwick and Northwick 40 Easter Compton, Almondsbury, Severn Beach, Pilning, Redwick Walk start point and Northwick 3. From the Severn Bridge to Littleton-upon-Severn – Aust, Olveston and Littleton-upon-Severn 68 Interpretation Tales of the Vale Landscape 1 4. Around Oldbury-on-Severn – Kington, Cowill, Oldbury and Thornbury 80 North-West Bristol – Avonmouth, Shirehampton Toposcope and Lawrence Weston 5. Onwards towards Gloucestershire – Shepperdine and Hill 104 Contributors 116 (© South Gloucestershire Council, 2017. All rights reserved. © Crown copyright and database rights 2017 Ordnance Survey 100023410. Introduction to the CD 122 Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2017. Tales of the Vale was edited by Virginia Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right 2017. Bainbridge and Julia Letts with additional Acknowledgements 124 editing by the AFL team © WWT Consulting) Introduction Introducing Tales of the Vale Big skies: a sense of light and vast open space with two colossal bridges spanning the silt-laden, extraordinary River Severn.
    [Show full text]
  • Index to Contents
    Index to Contents Author(s) Title Year Vol Pages Holland, Sonia Dragonfly Survey Reports – 1. Gloucestershire 1983 1 (1) 1-3 Butler, Stephen Notes on finding larvae of Somatochlora arctica (Zetterstedt) in N. W. Scotland 1983 1 (1) 4-5 Winsland, David Some observations on Erythromma najas (Hansemann) 1983 1 (1) 6 Merritt, R. Is Sympetrum nigrescens Lucas a good species? 1983 1 (1) 7-8 Vick, G. S. Is Sympetrum nigrescens Lucas a good species? 1983 1 (1) 7-8 Merritt, R. Coenagrion mercuriale (Charpentier) with notes on habitat 1983 1 (1) 9-12 Chelmick, D. G. Observations on the ecology and distribution of Oxygastra curtisii (Dale) 1983 1 (2) 11-14 Khan, R. J. Observations of Wood-mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) and Hobby (Falco subbuteo) feeding on dragonflies 1983 1 (2) 15 Marren, P. R. Scarce Species Status Report 2. A review of Coenagrion hastulatum (Charpentier) in Britain 1983 1 (2) 16-19 Merritt, R. Is Sympetrum nigrescens Lucas a good species? 1983 1 (2) 16-19 Mayo, M. C. A. Coenagrion mercuriale (Charpentier) on the flood plains of the River Itchen and River Test in Hampshire 1983 1 (2) 20-21 Welstead, A. R. Coenagrion mercuriale (Charpentier) on the flood plains of the River Itchen and river Test in Hampshire 1983 1 (2) 20-21 Kemp, R. G. Notes and observations on Gomphus vulgatissimus (Linnaeus) on the river Severn and River Thames 1983 1 (2) 22-25 Vick, G. S. Notes and observations on Gomphus vulgatissimus (Linnaeus) on the river Severn and River Thames 1983 1 (2) 22-25 Corbet, P.
    [Show full text]
  • British Dragonfly Society Sussex Group Autumn Newsletter 2009
    British Dragonfly Society Sussex Group Autumn Newsletter 2009 No 23 West Sussex Small Red Damselfly Sites Doubled In A Day!! © J Luck It’s incredible what a good bit of timing can do in terms of recording some of our rarest and most elusive species in Sussex. It just goes to show how important it is to have people out managing and surveying our important wildlife sites, with their keen local knowledge at the ready and their eyes peeled. It also goes to show how eternally unpredictable wildlife is, and how it never reads the text books! This fantastic little specimen was the chance find of a National Trust warden and our very own John Luck, who were visiting the National Trust site at Black Down. Little did they know that their visit would yield such a treasure and that they would double the known Sussex sites for this local rarity in just one day! Congratulations folks, and a fantastic photo to prove it. Sussex Dragonfly Society Newsletter Trust the Small Red Dragons Five years ago I suggested to the National Trust's Regional Nature Conservation Adviser, whom I knew from our Reigate days, that it might be mutually beneficial if I were to look at various National Trust properties and advise which species of dragonflies were present. He agreed that this was in- deed a good idea and supplied me with a list of properties in Sussex with waterbodies on them likely to attract dragonflies. I have thus visited a number of very interesting sites over the intervening years, very much on an ad hoc basis as it was left to me to decide where to visit.
    [Show full text]
  • A Survey of Odonata on the West Sussex Rivers Arun & Rother
    A SURVEY OF ODONATA ON THE WEST SUSSEX RIVERS ARUN & ROTHER Banded demoiselles on the River Arun © D Sadler 2014 by David Sadler edited by Fran Southgate CONTENTS Summary 1. Introduction 2. Methodology • Surveyor • Methodology • Area Surveyed 3. Survey Results • Species recorded 4. Species Accounts 5. Discussion 6. Recommendations 7. References 8. Appendices • Areas surveyed & Other areas • Maps of individual species • Invasive plant species observed • Dates, locations, weather conditions of surveys With grateful thanks to the following people for their assistance and support :- Penny Green, Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre, Landowners, Natural England, Rachel Toogood, Bob Foreman, Sussex Dragonfly Society. Summary In summer 2014, the Arun & Rother Connections (ARC) project funded an in-depth survey of the Odonata along the Arun and Western Rother Rivers in West Sussex. The survey was carried out in order to provide information on the current status of dragonflies in the catchment and in the Upper Arun Site of Special Scientific Interest, and to provide information on whether the ARC project and its partners can and should take action to enhance dragonfly habitat throughout the river catchment. The limits of the area surveyed were Houghton north to Drungewick on the Arun, and westward to Shopham on the Rother. Although it was not possible to visit the whole of these respective rivers within the confines of the survey, a representative suite of sites was surveyed across a wide landscape area. A range of wetland habitats were surveyed, however the primary focus was on riparian and riverine habitats. In total, over 60 km of river and wetland were inspected, some areas on multiple occasions.
    [Show full text]
  • Weekly List of Planning Applications and Other Proposals Received by the Council 19 January 2015 to 25 January 2015
    WEEKLY LIST OF PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND OTHER PROPOSALS RECEIVED BY THE COUNCIL 19 JANUARY 2015 TO 25 JANUARY 2015 The proposals listed over the page have recently been received by the Planning Department. The application documents and plans may be viewed and commented on via the Internet. Please allow 7 days from the above date for the application to appear on the Council’s web site at www.southglos.gov.uk/planning. The submissions listed are also available online at the following one stop shop offices: Thornbury Library, St Mary Street, Thornbury BS35 2AA Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, BS15 9TR Yate One Stop Shop, Kennedy Way, Yate, South Gloucestershire Some large major applications are also available in hard copy. The Council Offices are open Monday to Thursday between the hours of 8.45 am and 5.00 pm and Friday between the hours of 8.45 am to 4.30 pm. If you have any queries regarding a proposal, please contact our Customer Service Centre on 01454 868004. Any comments on the proposals listed can be made online at the above website or sent in writing to South Gloucestershire Council P.O. BOX 2081 South Gloucestershire BS35 9BP. When commenting please quote the appropriate reference number and site address. All comments should be received within 21 days of the above date. Please note a copy of your comments will appear on the website. ABBREVIATIONS PT = Planning Thornbury PK = Planning Kingswood For suffix abbreviations in application number, see Application Type eg. /ADV = Advertisement South Gloucestershire
    [Show full text]
  • Dipterists Forum
    BULLETIN OF THE Dipterists Forum Bulletin No. 84 Autumn 2017 Affiliated to the British Entomological and Natural History Society Bulletin No. 84 Autumn 2017 ISSN 1358-5029 Editorial panel Bulletin Editor Darwyn Sumner Assistant Editor Judy Webb Dipterists Forum Officers Chairman Rob Wolton Vice Chairman Howard Bentley Secretary Amanda Morgan Meetings Treasurer Phil Brighton Please use the Booking Form downloadable from our website Membership Sec. John Showers Field Meetings Field Meetings Sec. vacancy Now organised by several different contributors, contact the Secretary. Indoor Meetings Sec. Martin Drake Publicity Officer Erica McAlister Workshops & Indoor Meetings Organiser Conservation Officer vacant Martin Drake [email protected] Ordinary Members Bulletin contributions Stuart Ball, Malcolm Smart, Peter Boardman, Victoria Burton, Please refer to guide notes in this Bulletin for details of how to contribute and send your material to both of the following: Tony Irwin, Martin Harvey, Chris Raper Dipterists Bulletin Editor Unelected Members Darwyn Sumner 122, Link Road, Anstey, Charnwood, Leicestershire LE7 7BX. Dipterists Digest Editor Peter Chandler Tel. 0116 212 5075 [email protected] Secretary Assistant Editor Amanda Morgan Judy Webb Pennyfields, Rectory Road, Middleton, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 3NW 2 Dorchester Court, Blenheim Road, Kidlington, Oxon. OX5 2JT. [email protected] Tel. 01865 377487 [email protected] Treasurer Phil Brighton [email protected] Dipterists Digest contributions Deposits for DF organised field meetings to be sent to the Treasurer Dipterists Digest Editor Conservation Peter Chandler Robert Wolton (interim contact, whilst the post remains vacant) 606B Berryfield Lane, Melksham, Wilts SN12 6EL Tel. 01225-708339 Locks Park Farm, Hatherleigh, Oakhampton, Devon EX20 3LZ [email protected] Tel.
    [Show full text]
  • Shropshire (VC40) Dragonfly Newsletter
    Shropshire (VC40) Dragonfly Newsletter Spring 2015 Sue McLamb Introduction A couple of almost spring like February days have prompted me into writing the newsletter before the 2015 flight season is upon us! A great summer resulted in nearly 1300 records, 1216 of them made during the 2014 flight season. Over 60 recorders made contributions and notably a number of records even referred to exuviae which is fantastic! Many of you also sent sightings and some truly stunning photos to the new Shropshire Dragonfly Watch Blog which I launched last spring. I (and hopefully many of you) really enjoyed seeing how the season was shaping up as it actually happened and the blog will definitely be up and running again once dragonflies are on the wing in April……I await the first sighting! http://shropshire-dragonfly-watch.blogspot.co.uk As ever, without all of your efforts I would have very little to report so THANK YOU again for keeping an eye on these fantastic insects in our county. Flight Season 2014 In stark contrast to 2013 (with no records of dragonflies or damselflies made in April) we actually witnessed the earliest start ever to the flight season in Shropshire. Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula as usual was the first on the scene, recorded by D. Knight at Dolgoch Quarry on April 15th – a full 3 weeks earlier than in 2013. Nearly all species were in fact recorded significantly earlier than in 2013 and in in many cases up to a month earlier! White-faced Darter Leucorrhinia dubia proved to be no exception and was recorded by B.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Article
    G. M. DAVID OBE FREng INFRASTRUCTURE CHAIRMAN, AERIAL FACILITIES LTD T ern unn ev e S l he estuary of got up by the Great the river Western Railway TSevern had consulting engineer always been an John Fowler. The obstacle to trade plan was for a new between South railway entitled the Wales and the west Great Western of England which Railway and South was overcome to Wales Direct Railway some degree by which would be double shipping arrangements: a track mixed gauge of forty very good trade built up miles in length from Wootton between Bristol, Gloucester Bassett to Chepstow crossing and the South Wales ports, the Severn estuary at Aldbury Sands although it should be remembered that via a bridge or viaduct not less than 2.5 Cardiff was only a village in 1830 and Brunel miles long and 100 feet above high Barry and Penarth were only hamlets. A Brunel had been very active in getting water. very heavy trade existed, however, the broad gauge into South Wales and The addition of standard gauge rails between Cardigan, Milford, his tubular bridge at Chepstow was between Didcot and Wootton Bassett Carmarthen, Burry-Port, Swansea, evidently a practice run for his great and between Chepstow and Cardiff Briton Ferry and Bristol: the Severn Saltash bridge. But by the time the was to be arranged with the Great Trows did a brisk trade up the Severn railway had reached Swansea in 1850, Western Railway. This plan was called and Wye estuaries far above what is Brunel had already embarked on other ‘Fowler’s Line’ and duly authorised by now considered as navigable water.
    [Show full text]