Warwickshire County Council

in Warwickshi re, Coventry Wildlife News & Solihull May 200 9

Wildlife News attempts to be a comprehensive directory for all natural history groups, sources of Contents • wildlife expertise and planned activities in the News items – page 2 Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry sub-region. To • Calendar of Events – page 6 publicise your group or activities, or tell us about • someone who’d like to receive a copy, please contact Courses – page 22 Warwickshire Museum. Press dates are 10 April, 10 • Working Parties – page 23 August and 10 December. • Ongoing Surveys and Projects – page 25 Address correspondence to: Senior Keeper of • Museum-based Natural History Education Natural History, Warwickshire Museum, Market Place, Warwick CV34 4SA. Alternatively ring Steven Resources – page 26 Falk on 01926 412481, or E-mail: • Contact details and meeting arrangements [email protected] . for groups and organisations – page 27 This newsletter can also be accessed in full colour • Useful local web sites – page 33 directly via the web at: • www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rings . Where to send your site and species data and seek expertise – page 34

• Bibliography of key Warwickshire books and

journals – page 37

1 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

NEWS ITEMS The book can be purchased from local book shops, including Warwick Books and Warwickshire Museum for £14.99, or on-line at Authorhouse.co.uk and Amazon. Where Peacocks Pace – A nat ural historians guide Well done Mark. to Warwick Steven

James Partridge

I’m truly saddened to announce the death of James Partridge on April 23 rd . James became the official BSBI County Plant Recorder in 2007 following Pam Copson’s passing, and has worked closely with the Museum in recent years, helping to maintain our paper records and even training our ecology team. His input to the forthcoming wildflower book has been invaluable, especially the production of a new county flora checklist in 2007. Our thoughts go to Mary.

Steven I briefly mentioned the publication of this new book by Mark Smith in the January edition, but had not seen a “SCWEEM” – the new word in environmental copy in time to include a review. It is a small but education attractively presented celebration of Warwick with chapters devoted to Warwick’s History and Heritage, Warwick Castle, Priory Park, Common Land, The River, and The Town Centre and its Suburbs. Natural history facts and photos punctuate a wealth of historical and anecdotal information, much of which was new to me. We discover that Tolkien fell in love with a Warwick lass called Edith Bratt, who he eventually married in Warwick. He spent sufficient time in Warwickshire for Mark to suspect that he based much of his story-telling on the town and surrounding countryside. Mark prefaces each chapter with snippets of Tolkien poetry. Lists of the commoner birds, mammals, butterflies and dragonflies are given at the back of the book, though no attempt is made to provide a fully comprehensive species list like that provided in John Price’s 2002 Stratford-Upon-Avon. A Flora and Fauna . This is a much A family bug hunt at Hill Close Gardens, Warwick more personal account, a journey with stories. The only criticism I would make is that a few avoidable errors In recognition of the fact that a plethora of have crept in including typos, a photo of a Black-tailed organisations are involved with environmental education Skimmer labelled as a Broad-bodied Chaser on page 74, locally, Warwickshire Museum has launched a new and the claim that humans first arrived in Warwickshire initiative called ‘SCWEEM’ (Solihull, Coventry & some ten and a half thousand years ago (half a million Warwickshire Environmental Education Meetings). The years ago would be closer). It would also have been nice group held its first meeting at Brandon Marsh on 24 to see a few topics afforded greater coverage such as March 2009. It was a very useful opportunity for us to the fabulous flora of plants that grow on walls and review the tremendous variety of events that already pavements in the town (including the first British take place in Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, but record for Membranous Nettle, discovered growing in also to look at where voids of activity exist, and where Swan Street in 2006), or the wealth of lovely trees to local expertise and experience lies. It was attended by be found in and around the Town - but then you’d expect representatives from Warwickshire County Council me to say the latter! (including Warwickshire Museum, Heritage Education and Warwickshire Country Parks), Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Coventry City Council (including 2 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

Coombe Countryside Park), Groundwork Trust and collate those. Like thirty years ago, there will be gaps in Hatton Country World. Various other organisations gave the available data, and Max Down, Peter Murray and their apologies (busy with events), and a good number of Stephanie Garner (nee Carrington) will seek to fill these further potential members were highlighted. SCWEEM gaps. could become a valuable information swapping forum in the future - helping us to promote an even greater There are two very good reasons for doing this work. variety of events across a greater range of audiences. First, internally, the college will have updated an For more information, contact Becky May, Warwickshire important resource as interest in biodiversity and the Museum Ecology Unit
01926 418074, environment grows apace. Second, it will be very E-mail: [email protected] valuable to see clearly how the composition of the wildlife has changed over the last 30 years. It is believed the Moreton Morrell Estate will be the first to A new Moreton Morrell College Fauna & Flora Survey have collated wildlife audit data over such a prolonged – can you help? period. It is anticipated that the updated Survey – thirty years on - will suggest particular areas for more detailed study in the future. Furthermore, it will almost certainly result in more people, from both within and outside the College, engaging with its wildlife. We would therefore greatly value any inputs from you or your organisation, and any contributions will be acknowledged. Equally, we are looking to repeat and update work by offering an open invitation to visit the estate at mutually convenient times during the forthcoming seasons of wildlife activity. If you would like to get involved, E-mail me at: [email protected] or telephone 01789 841567.

Max Down

Records needed of Warwickshire Centipedes The wildflower meadow beside Moreton Hall supports a number of scarce plants

For many years, the biodiversity of the Moreton Morrell estate of the Warwickshire College has been seen as an indicator of both changes in the environment and of the effects of changes in farming and land management practices. The majority of the work to identify the Estate’s plant and animal species over the years has been carried out by outside groups and individuals who have brought their expertise to bear on identifying its flora and fauna. In 1979, the first step in summarising and extending the bank of knowledge on the Estate’s wildlife was taken with the appointment of

Peter Murray and Stephanie Carrington under the Geophilus flavus © Tony Barber supervision of Max Down. The Flora and Fauna Survey of 1979-80 collated a great deal of data from No, they don’t have a hundred legs – nor even 100 pairs enthusiastic naturalists and wildlife groups and also since all centipedes have an odd number of leg pairs! In directly filled in a number of gaps in the knowledge of fact, in British species, the number varies between 15 the Estate’s wildlife. The results of the survey were and 101 pairs although foreign ones may have more. published by the College and have been used repeatedly What is notable is that centipedes are found in all sorts over the last 30 years in teaching. The original team, of places from the truly wild though to the urban encouraged and supported by Dr Diane Whitehouse and garden and even, sometimes, indoors and are seen her staff, are keen to repeat the Survey on the almost any time you turn over a log or large stone th occasion of its 30 anniversary. The initial study has (assuming conditions are not too dry or too wet). They stimulated further wildlife audits in the period since are carnivores with a wide choice of food, generally 1980 and it would now be opportune to summarise and 3 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______invertebrates smaller than themselves which they work with landowners and land managers to prevent key capture using their poison claws, which are a modified species from becoming extinct. The text is augmented pair of legs under the head. A head, bearing antennae by high resolution maps and some of the finest and mouthparts similar to those of insects and eyes are photography I have seen in a report of this kind. The absent in some species. They are distinguished from report can be downloaded from the West Midlands millipedes by both their very obvious poison claws and Butterfly Conservation web site: by the fact that each of their segments bears only one http://westmidlands-butterflies.org.uk/ pair of legs, unlike the two pairs per segment present in most millipedes. There are only about 50 British species, of which 4 are exclusively seashore and others quite restricted in their geographical distribution. Identification beyond the order is done with various levels of ease but a new Field Studies Council AIDGAP key to British Centipedes (A.D. Barber, 2008) makes life much easier, and the BMIG Centipede Recording Scheme ( www.bmig.org.uk ) is willing to help with verification.

Centipedes have been recorded in Warwickshire since 1892 (R.O. Wait, Rugby Past & Present ) with records in the 1940s and 50s by the late E.H. Eason and then a flourish of recording in the 1980s led by Pam Copson and the Warwickshire biological Records Centre. In 1991 the Provisional Atlas of Centipedes of Dark Green Fritillary – just surviving in Warwickshire Warwickshire was published by maps for 17 species © Steven Falk (still available from Warwickshire Museum). In general, centipedes do need to be actually collected (preserved Changes at the Herbert in 70% industrial meths or isopropanol) both to allow accurate identification and provide voucher specimens. They are most easily seen in spring and autumn rather During 2008 the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum re- than in dry summers so that they can be worked on opened, and also transformed from being a Coventry when most insects are not around. Their distribution City Council run institute to an independent trust. Some patterns, being to some extent dependent upon climatic fairly radical restructuring has taken place this winter, factors, could be interesting indicators of climate with a team of five specialist curators being downsized change. For help and support, including the checking of to create three curators keepers. Unfortunately this specimens, contact me via the Centipede Recording has seen the departure of the former Keeper of Scheme website. Natural History, Steve Lane, from the Museum. The Museum now lacks any natural history expertise of note Tony Barber (National Recorder) (some education officers are still providing E.-mail: [email protected] environmental education). Given that the Museum houses a very large, and highly vulnerable collection of insects (essentially the county collection) and some fine Regional Action Plans for scarce butterflies and taxidermy, this is very worrying indeed. I will do what I moths in the West Midlands can from Warwickshire Museum to ensure there is no deterioration of this collection. The Museum received a copy of this report (‘ Butterfly Conservation Regional Action Plans for the West Steven Midlands ’) in late December, just too late to include in the January newsletter. It is a really informative and Updated tree catalogue now on web beautifully presented report that provides action plans for 19 butterflies and 33 moths. Not all of them occur A substantially updated version of the Tree Catalogue in Warwickshire, though several are only known in the of Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull has now been West Midlands from Warwickshire. The report was attached to the Big Tree Hunt homepage, which can be compiled by Jenny Joy and Mike Williams and shows the accessed via the RINGs homepage: impressive levels of recording of these insects locally, www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rings > Join theBig Tree Hunt. and the determination of Butterfly Conservation to

4 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

The catalogue is divided into two separate downloads to Flower book update keep file sizes sensible. The first features an introductory section and species accounts for some 600 It’s a bit of an anxious time here at the Museum as I locally-recorded species (that’s nearly twice as many put the finishing touches to the new ‘Warwickshire’s species as the first draft!). The second features sites, Wildflowers’ book. But if things go to plan, it will be providing detailed site lists for some 40 important tree launched this summer at Ryton Organic Gardens. I’ll get collections, plus summary lists for several hundred somebody to review it in the next Wildlife News. We further smaller collections, including most parish intend to sell it for under £15, which is remarkable for churchyards, many municipal parks, the more interesting a full-colour, hard back book of about 250 pages. This is local woods etc. This is some of the most detailed and due to the funding that Pam Copson secured for the user-friendly tree information available for any county. Cadbury Trust. The revised species accounts now cite the size and location of county champions and provide a local Steven perspective on a tree wherever possible. A list of about twenty local specimens that are definite or probable Seen any Red Kites this year? national champions is given in the introduction. Well, I saw two in April, one flying over Warwick town, the other over the Barford Bypass. It makes a nice change from the almost ubiquitous Buzzard. Could the Red Kite soon become a permanent resident of Warwickshire? There seems no reason why not. How about a Warwickshire feeding station or two? They’d look great soaring over Warwick or Kenilworth Castles. Think of what foreign visitors would make of that! If you see one, let us know here at the Museum.

Steven

Hampton Manor maples and monkey puzzles

The Museum is also in the process of placing information on veteran trees, black poplars and other important tree specimens onto a computerised map system called GIS to an accuracy of 1 metre, so that we can monitor and protect such trees. But please don’t assume that all the surveying has been done. We find new specimens of interest almost every month and rely heavily on people telling us if they think they have found something interesting. I’ll be leading a variety of tree Red Kite showing the diagnostic forked tail © Steven Falk walks this summer, and hopefully will see some of you there. These include: rd Fancy saving paper and postage? Coombe Country Park, Weds 3 June 10.30am – 12.30pm Jephson Gardens, Weds 22 nd July 10am - noon We are keen to minimise the number of newsletters we th Compton Verney, Weds 12 August 10am - noon post, so if you would like it E-mailed let us know, it’s no Arbury Park, Friday 14th August 2pm – about 4pm trouble at all (and you get to see it in full colour!). But nd Ragley Park, Weds 2 September 10am - noon remember to keep us informed of any changes to your Priory Park, Warwick Monday 7 th Sept 10am - noon E-mail address!

See diary for booking details and charges. Enjoy the rest, Steven

Steven (Cover image: the hoverfly Chrysotoxum cautum at Lower Binton © Steven Falk)

5 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

CALENDAR OF EVENTS May 2009 and beyond…....

Extra events will appear during the year so remember to check the next newsletter for the latest news of planned events and check any web sites for the various hosting groups.

KEY - to symbols for meeting types

♣ = Field meetings and walks for more serious naturalists ♦ = Indoor meetings, lectures, film shows ♥ = Working parties ♠ = Courses, workshops, training days etc aimed at adults  = Events open to the public: exhibitions, open days, festivals, less academic walks, family and children events etc. R = RINGs own promotion events

The following diary lists the hosting group in the third column using an abbreviated title. A key to these abbreviations together with regular meeting time/place and contact details is contained in the Contact Details section further on.

RINGs is not responsible for changes or cancellation of events, and errors in dates can occasionally happen – so check with the hosting group before going if you are unsure.

MAY 2009 1 ♦ Coventry&DNHS AGM followed by “The History of the Society” (Rachael Cooke) 7.30pm 2  RytonPools Birds of Prey at Ryton Pools Country Park (with real birds) 11am – 1pm, meet at Visitor Centre (free except for parking charge) 2 ♥ SolihullMBC Community Clean Up Action Day, Dorridge Park, Dorridge 10am – 12noon, meet in car park 3  Kingsbury Dawn Chorus Walk at Kingsbury Water Park (2-mile guided walk) 4 – 6am, meet at WaterPark Information Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for details
01827 872660) 3  RytonPools Bluebell Bonanza at Ryton Woods (3 mile-walk unsuitable for prams or pushchairs) 2 – 3.30pm, meet at Ryton Pools Visitor Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for details
024 7630 5592) 3  WWT (GWalks) Dawn Chorus for Wimps (guided birdwatch), Ufton Fields (SP 378 615) 8am, meet in reserve car park (£2 per person) 3  RSPB(Middleton) Dawn Chorus Special Walk for Beginners, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher followed by a hot breakfast) 4.30am start (£4 RSPB members, £5 non-members, booking essential
01827 259454) 3  Coombe Dawn Birdsong at Coombe Country Park (guided walk followed by breakfast) 4.30 – Country Park 6.30am (£8.50 per adult, 7 per child and PTLL, includes breakfast, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 3  WWT (GWalks) Walk through Wild Garlic, Temple Balsall Nature Reserve (SP 203760) 8pm, meet near the entrance to Springfield House (£2 per person) 3  RSPB(WE) Coach trip to Gibraltar Point (for young birdwatchers) 7.30am - late 3 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Clowes Wood, Earlswood 10am (for details contact Ron Hill
(Workparty) 0121 705 1429) 3 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Rough Hill Wood, near Studley 10am (for details contact Val (Workparty) Kendrick
01527 545 742) 3-4  RagleyHall Spring Bank Holiday Fun (includes bluebell walks during normal opening hours – normal admission prices apply, see their website for details) 4  RSPB(Middleton) Dawn Chorus Special Walk for Improvers, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher followed by a hot breakfast) 4.30am start (£4 RSPB members, £5 non-members, booking essential
01827 259454) 6  HartshillHayes Evening Birdsong at Hartshill Hayes (guided walk) 6.30 - 8pm, meet at Visitor Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for details
01827 872660) 6  Nuneaton&Bedworth Lets go Batty, Ensors Pool, Nuneaton (guided bat walk) 8.30 – 10pm, meet at BC/Bats Haselbury Corner off Tenlons Rd (free event, for details & bookings call Jo Robinson
02476 376042) 6  Coventry Urban Trip & Toddle along the Coventry Canal (for mums & toddlers) 10am – 12 noon, Rangers starting at Hawkesbury Junction (£3 or £1.50 PTLL, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 6 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

7  WWT (GWalks) Blooming Bluebells Guided Walk, Crackley Wood near Kenilworth (SP 289 738) 10am, meet at main car park off Crackley Lane, (£2 per person) 7 ♣ RugbyNHS Trip to Brandon Marsh leaving Rugby School at 9.30am (contact Paul Hodge for details
01788 522758) 8-10 ♣ Geology Weekend geological field trip to the North Somerset coast (contact Martyn Bradley for details
01926 428835) 9  RytonPools Creepy Crawly Club at Ryton Pools (environmental workshop for 3 - 12 yr olds) 10am – 12noon, meet at Visitor Centre (£1 per child, for details
024 7630 5592) 9 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Stratford Greenway (SP196541), meet at 2.30pm Stratford end (?) 9  WWT (Nuts) Nuts about Nature Club (event featuring Folklore), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, for details & booking
0121 704 0768) 9  Solihull MBC Dawn Chorus, Brueton Park 4.30-6.30am, meet at car park off Warwick Road 10  Kingsbury Birds of Prey at Kingsbury Water Park (real birds plus creative things for kids to WaterPark do) 11am – 1pm, meet at Education Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, booking essential
01827 872660) 10  StratfordGreenway Clifford Chambers Walk (5-miles) 10am – 1pm, meet at the Greenway car park, Stratford end (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for information
024 7630 5592) 10  WWT (GWalks) Guided Walk around Harbury Spoilbank SSSI near Harbury (SP 384 598) 10.30am, meet at entrance off the B4452 (£2 per person) 10  WWT (GWalks) Wonderful Woodland Wildflowers Guided Walk, Ryton Wood (SP 384726) 10.30am, meet in the members car park off the Oxford Road (£2 per person) 10 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Clowes Wood, Earlswood 10am (for details contact Ron Hill
(Workparty) 0121 705 1429) 10 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Rough Hill Wood, near Studley 10am (for details contact Val (Workparty) Kendrick
01527 545 742) 10 ♣ WarwickNHS Trip to Kingswood Farmhouse, Kenilworth (SP316731), meet on site at 2.30pm 10  Coventry Urban Bluebell Walk, Park Wood, Coventry 10am – 12 noon (£2.50 or £1.25 PTLL, booking Rangers essential
024 7645 3720) 10  Solihull MBC Bluebell Walk, Coldlands Wood 2-3.30pm, meet at Buryfield Rd entrance 10 ♣ RSPB(Solihull) Coach Trip to Lakenheath, Weeting Heath & Little Paxton Gravel Pits, meet 7am at public car park in Monkspath Hall Road (contact Nick Barlow 07831 092592 to book) 10 ♣ WMBC Birdwatching trip to RSPB Lake Yyrnwy (contact group for details) (Birmingham) 10 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Hampton Wood (SP255600) 10.30am, meet at reserve car park. Mycological Contact is John Williams
0121 745 6395) 12  RSPB(Middleton) Springwatch Walk, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher 11am – 1pm (free but booking advised
01827 259454) 13  HeritageEd/ Bluebells at Hartshill Hayes (guided walk with Steven Falk) 10am – 12noon, meet at Warwickshire Visitor Centre (£2.50 per person, booking essential
01926 412069) Museum 13 ♣ RSPB(C&W) Mid-week Birdwatching walk at Fosse Meadows Country Park, meet in car park 9.30m 13  Coventry Urban Bluebell Walk, Park Wood, Coventry 10am – 12 noon (£2.50 or £1.25 PTLL, booking Rangers essential
024 7645 3720) 13 ♦ NetherWhitacre “Grasshoppers, Crickets & Other Insects” (Peter Reeve) 7.30pm NHG 14 ♣ WarwickNHS Birdwatching trip to Daventry Country Park (SP577642) 10am 14  RSPB(WE) DIY Night (games, quizzes etc for young birdwatchers) 7.30pm 16 ♥ RytonPools Volunteer Day at Ryton Pools (a chance to get involved with site management) 1 - 4pm, meet at Visitor Centre (free event, for details
024 7630 5592) 16 ♣ RugbyNHS Trip to Stockton Cutting SSSI leaving Rugby School at 1.30pm (contact Paul Hodge for details
01788 522758) 16 ♠ FWAG/ College Open Day at Moreton Morrell (includes woodland and nature demonstrations) Warwickshire 10am – 4pm College 16 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at River Arrow Nature Reserve, Alcester 10am (for details (Workparty) contact Steve Godfrey
01789 765536) 16 ♥ WWT(Cons) Volunteer Work Party at Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10am – 3pm (for details contact Amanda Henshaw
0121 704 0768) 16 ♣ WMBC(Solihull) Birdwatching trip to Sutton Park (contact group for details) 17 ♠ WWT (Cons) Pond Dipping & Surveying Workshop, Brandon Marsh Nature Centre 4.30pm (£3 per 7 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

WWT member, £4 for non-members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 17  WWT (GWalks) Outstanding Orchids Guided Walk, Draycote Meadow (SP448 708) 2pm, meet at reserve entrance (£2 per person) 17  WWT (GWalks) Riverside Walk at River Arrow Nature Reserve, Alcester (SP448708) 2.30pm, meet at reserve entrance off Ragley Mill Lane, (£2 per person) 17 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Clowes Wood, Earlswood 10am (for details contact Ron Hill
(Workparty) 0121 705 1429) 17 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Crackley Wood, Kenilworth 10am (for details contact Jon Holmes (Workparty)
01926 456215) 17 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Rough Hill Wood, near Studley 10am (for details contact Val (Workparty) Kendrick
01527 545 742) 17 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at Temple Balsall Nature Reserve 10am (for details contact (Workparty) John Clarke
01676 534910) 17 ♣ RSPB(C&W) Birdwatching trip to Lakenheath RSPB, Suffolk, departing from Cox St, Coventry 7am (contact group to book a place) 17  Kingfisher Mill to Middle Earth Walk (Babbs Mill to Sarehole Mill) 10am – 2pm (booking essential
0121 748 3798) 19 ♦ HenleyWS “Waiting for the Light – British Wildlife” (Wendy Conway) 7.45pm 19 ♦ MarketBosworth “Introduction to Freshwater Fishes” (Andrew Heaton) 7.30pm 20  HartshillHayes Owl Walk at Hartshill Hayes (guided walk) 8 - 10pm, meet at Visitor centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for details
01827 872660) 20 ♦ AtherstoneNHS AGM and Members’ Evening 7.30pm 20  RSPB(Middleton) Springwatch Walk, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher 11am – 1pm (free but booking advised
01827 259454) 20  RagleyHall The Natural Gardener – Spring Meadows 11am – 3pm (guided walk of the grounds plus and 2-course meal, £26.95 or £21.95 for season ticket holders or RHS members, to book
01789 762 090) 20  Coventry Urban Woodland Waddle, Wainbody Wood, Coventry (for mums & toddlers) 10am – 12 noon Rangers (£2.50 or £1.25 PTLL, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 20 ♦ HinckleyNHS “New Flowers of 2007” (Brian Laney) 7.15pm 20 ♣ Geology Evening geological field trip to examine building stones in Kineton (contact Martyn Bradley for details
01926 428835) 21 ♦ Nuneaton “RSPB Middleton Lakes” (Garry Jones) 7.30pm Birdwatchers 22 ♠ WWT (Cons) Butterfly Monitoring Workshop, Brandon Marsh Nature Centre 10am (£6.50 per ButtConsWarks person, booking essential
024 7630 8993) 22 ♦ RSPB(C&W) AGM, Stoneleigh Village Hall 7.30pm 23 ♣ Dragonfly/ Dragonfly recording trip to Alvecote Pools & Pooley Fields, meet 10.15am at Pooley WWT(Cons) Country Park car park (£1 parking fee, for details contact Peter Reeve
01926 632400) 23  Nuneaton&Bedworth Pond Dipping at Whytell Pool, Nuneaton 10am – 12noon (free event for families, for BC details & bookings call Jo Robinson
02476 376042) 23  Nuneaton&Bedworth Pond Dipping at Barnacle Lane, near Nuneaton 2 – 4pm (free event for families, for BC details & bookings call Jo Robinson
02476 376042) 23 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Hampton Wood (SP254600), meet 2.30pm at reserve car park 24  HartshillHayes Late Spring Watch Walk at Hartshill Hayes (guided walk) 10am – 12noon, meet at Visitor Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for details
01827 872660) 24  Pooley Birds of Prey at Pooley Country Park (with real birds) 11am – 1pm, meet at Visitor CountryPark Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for information
01827 872660) 24  ButtConsWarks Ryton Wood Meadows Butterfly reserve Open Day 11am start, meet at reserve entrance on A445 SE of Ryton Police Training Centre. Contact is Mike Slater
01788 335881 (refreshments available). 24 ♣ WarwickNHS Trip to Leasowe Farm, Radford Semele (SP353643), meet on site at 2.30pm 24 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Clowes Wood, Earlswood 10am (for details contact Ron Hill
(Workparty) 0121 705 1429) 24 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Rough Hill Wood, near Studley 10am (for details contact Val (Workparty) Kendrick
01527 545 742) 24  RSPB(Middleton) Birds for Beginners at Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher) 10am – 1pm (booking essential
01827 259454) 24 ♥ Coombe Fishery Maintenance Day Country Park (clearing vegetation etc) 10am – 3pm (free Country Park event but booking essential
024 7645 3720) 8 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

24 ♣ Nuneaton Birdwatching trip to Coombe Valley & Lathkill Dale (for details contact Lloyd Lees
Birdwatchers 024 7673 6381) 25  BurtonDassett History of the Burton Dassett Hills (2-mile walk followed by tea at All Saints Church) 2 – 4pm, meet below the beacon (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for details
01827 872660) 25  RSPB(Middleton) Springwatch Walk, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher 11am – 1pm (free but booking advised
01827 259454) 25  WWT (Children) Peek in the Pond – Drop in Session (pond-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£1.50 per child for 30 minutes, to book
0121 704 0768) 26  HeritageEd Litterbugs (creepy-crawly-themed workshop for children), Alcester Roman Heritage Centre, Priory Rd, Alcester 10am – 12noon (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 26  HeritageEd Litterbugs (creepy-crawly-themed workshop for children), Rugby Museum & Art Gallery, Little Elborow St, Rugby 2.30 – 4.30pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 26  Kingsbury Den Building at Kingsbury Water Park (den-themed workshop for children aged 5 – WaterPark 12yrs) 10.30am – 12noon, meet at Education Centre (£3 per child, booking essential
01827 872660) 26  Pooley Crazy Caterpillars at Pooley Country Park (caterpillar-themed workshop for children) CountryPark 11am – 2pm drop-in event, meet at Visitor Centre (£2 per child, for information
01827 872660) 26  RytonPools Pond Dipping at Ryton Pools (workshop for 3 - 12 yr olds) 11am – 12.30pm, meet at Visitor Centre (£3 per child, booking essential
024 7630 5592) 26  WWT (Children) Nature’s Fairies (minibeast-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 26  WWT (Children) Folklore & Fairytales (nature-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 27  Kingsbury Mini Beast Detectives at Kingsbury Water Park (minibeast-themed workshop for WaterPark children aged 3 – 12yrs) 10.30am – 12noon, meet at Education Centre (£3 per child, booking essential
01827 872660) 27  Pooley Weaving Winders at Pooley Country Park (willow weaving-themed workshop for 5 – CountryPark 12yr olds) 10.30am – 12noon, meet at Visitor Centre (£3 per child, booking essential
01827 897438 or 872660) 27  HeritageEd They’re Alive! (workshop featuring live creepy-crawlies for children), St John’s House Museum, Warwick 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 27  RytonPools Beautiful Birds at Ryton Pools (bird of prey demonstration for children 5 - 12 yr olds) 11am – 12.30pm, meet at Visitor Centre (£3 per child, booking essential
024 7630 5592) 27  WWT (Children) Marvellous Mayflies (mayfly-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 27  Coombe Nature Detectives – Heron Magic, Coombe Country Park (birdwatching for kids aged Country Park 5+) 10.30am – 12 noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£2.50 per child, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 27  WWT (Children) Marvellous Mayflies (mayfly-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 27  Solihull MBC Story Time Trail, Elmdon Park or Hobs Moat Library if weather wet (wildlife themed walk & workshop for children) 10am , 12noon, 2pm, 4pm (£1.50 per child, 50 p per adult, , booking adviseable
0121 704 8000) 27  Solihull MBC/ Batty Boxes at Knowle Park, Knowle (making bat boxes for the park or your home) Bats 11am – 1pm (£3.50 for any box you take home, booking essential
0121 704 8000) 27 ♥ Coventry Urban Water Vole Volunteer Day, Lake View Park, Coventry 10.30am – 3.30pm (clearing Rangers/WWT Himalayan Balsam etc.), for details contact Michelle Tyrtania
024 7645 3720 or (Cons) Lee Schofield
024 7630 2912) 28  HeritageEd Litterbugs (creepy-crawly-themed workshop for children), Bedworth Arts Centre, High St, Bedworth 10am – 12noon (free) 28  HeritageEd Litterbugs (creepy-crawly-themed workshop for children), Camphill Children’s Centre, Hollystiches Rd, Nuneaton 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 28  Kingsbury Beautiful Butterflies at Kingsbury Water Park (butterfly-themed workshop for

9 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

WaterPark children aged 5 – 12yrs) 10.30am – 12noon & 1 – 2pm, meet at Education Centre (£2 per child, booking essential
01827 872660) 28  RytonPools Woodland Wrigglers at Ryton Pools (minibeast workshop for 3 - 12 yr olds) 11am – 12.30pm, meet at Visitor Centre (£3 per child, booking essential
024 7630 5592) 28  WWT (Children) Kite Making – Drop in Session (kite-making workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12.30pm (£2 per child, per kite) 28  Coombe Nature Detectives – Mini-beast Magic, Coombe Country Park (bug hunt for kids aged Country Park 5+) 10.30am – 12 noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£2.50 per child, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 28  Coombe Iris May Falcons (see real falconry birds), free drop in event starting at 11am Country Park (weather dependent) 28  WWT (Children) Flights of Fancy (flight-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 29  HeritageEd Litterbugs (creepy-crawly-themed workshop for children), Pooley Country Park Visitor Centre, Polesworth 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 29  Kingsbury Pond Dipping at Kingsbury Water (workshop for children aged 3 – 12yrs) 10.30am – WaterPark 12noon, meet at Education Centre (£3 per child, booking essential
01827 872660) 29  Kingsbury Birds of Prey at Kingsbury Water Park (with real birds) 11am – 1pm, meet at Visitor WaterPark Centre (free event) 29  RytonPools Den Building at Ryton Pools (environmental workshop for 5 - 12 yr olds) 11am – 12.30pm, meet at Visitor Centre (£3 per child, booking essential
024 7630 5592) 29  WWT (Children) Family Bat Bonanza (bat-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 7.30 – 9pm (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 29  WWT (Children) Nature’s Fairies (nature-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 29  Solihull MBC Batty Boxes, Knowle Park (learn about bats & make a bat box) 11–1pm (£3.50 per box if you take it home, booking essential
0121 704 8000) 30  RytonPools Lets Get Batty at Ryton Pools (bat walk & talk) 7.30pm start, meet at Visitor Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, booking essential
024 7630 5592) 30 ♥ Coombe Lilies of the Valley Conservation Day at Coombe Country Park (maintenance work Country Park around Coombe Pool) 10am – 3pm (free event but booking essential
024 7645 3720) 30  WWT Wildflower Plant Sale, Brandon Marsh Nature Centre 11am – 4pm 30 ♥ Coventry Urban Water Vole Volunteer Day, Lake View Park, Coventry 10.30am – 3.30pm (clearing Rangers/WWT Hiamalayan Balsam etc.), for details contact Michelle Tyrtania
024 7645 3720 or (Cons) Julie Turner
024 7630 2912) 30 ♣ Moths Nelson’s Quarry Moth Night 8.30pm, meet at entrance (SP444642). Contact is David Brown
01789 840295 or 07977 379330. 30-31  WMBC Birdwatchers Spring Fair 2009, Middleton Hall, near Tamworth 9.30am – 5.30pm (Sat), 10am – 4pm (Sun), numerous stalls and events (adults £3.50, under 12’s free) 31  Coombe Tracking Tip Toe at Coombe Country Park (animal tracking with a Ranger) 12noon - Country Park 2pm (£5 per adult, 2.50 per child and PTLL, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 31 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Clowes Wood, Earlswood 10am (for details contact Ron Hill
(Workparty) 0121 705 1429) 31 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Rough Hill Wood, near Studley 10am (for details contact Val (Workparty) Kendrick
01527 545 742) 31 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at Kenilworth Common, Kenilworth 10am (for details contact (Workparty) Serena Eccles
01926 858378) 31  Solihull MBC Nature Walk, Lavender Hall Park, Solihull 2–3.30pm 31 ♣ WMBC Birdwatching trip to RSPB Titchwell, Norfolk` (contact group for details) (Birmingham) JUNE 2009 1-7  Coombe Volunteers Week at Coombe Country Park (find out what volunteering opportunities Country Park are available and meet the staff, for details
024 7645 3720) 3  Coombe Spring tree Walk at Coombe Country Park with Steven Falk 10.30am – 12.30pm, meet Country Park at Visitor Centre (£5 per adult, 2.50 per child and PTLL, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 3 ♠ FWAG Butterfly habitats Workshop, Ryton Wood Meadows (off B445 between Ryton Pools and the Police College (SP378730), contact the FWAG team for details
01926 10 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

318280) 3 ♥ Coventry Urban Water Vole Volunteer Day, Guphill Brook, Coventry 10.30am – 3.30pm (clearing Rangers/WWT Himalayan Balsam etc.), for details contact Michelle Tyrtania
024 7645 3720 or (Cons) Lee Schofield
024 7630 2912) 4 ♣ WarwickNHS Evening trip – Stoneleigh to Baginton and back (SP332 732), meet in Stoneleigh village near B4113 at 7pm 6  WWT (GWalks) Guided Walk around Notcutts Orchid Meadow, near Shirley, drop in 11am – 5pm, access via Notcutts Garden Centre (donations invited) 6 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Cannock Chase, Staffordshire (SJ980176), meet 10am at Chase Road Corner car park 6 ♥ Coventry Urban Water Vole Volunteer Day, Guphill Brook, Coventry 10.30am – 3.30pm (clearing Rangers/WWT Himalayan Balsam etc.), for details contact Michelle Tyrtania
024 7645 3720 or (Cons) Julie Turner
024 7630 2912) 7 ♠ Kingsbury Improve Your Birding at Kingsbury Water Park - Part 1 (2 nd part on June 14th) WaterPark 10.30am – 12.30pm, meet at Information Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, booking essential
01827 872660) 7  Pooley Mining & Regeneration – Past & Present - at Pooley Country Park (guided walk looking CountryPark at history & ecology) 2 - 4pm, meet at Visitor Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, for information
01827 872660) 7 ♣ ButtConsWarks Butterfly Walk & Egg Search, Pooley Country Park, Polesworth, meet at Heritage Centre car park (SK259034, £1 car park charge). Contact is Keith Warmington
01827 715873. 7  FWAG Open Farm Sunday (contact the FWAG team for details
01926 318280) or check out the LEAF website for a list of participating farms 7  WWT (GWalks) Guided Walk around Notcutts Orchid Meadow, near Shirley, drop in 11am – 4pm, access via Notcutts Garden Centre (donations invited) 8 ♣ Nuneaton Birdwatching trip to Woolston Eyes (for details contact Lloyd Lees
024 7673 Birdwatchers 6381) 9  RSPB(Middleton) Springwatch Walk, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher 11am – 1pm (free but booking advised
01827 259454) 10 ♣ NetherWhitacre Nature Walk at Coton Fields with John Bates, 7pm, meet at Whitacre Heath Nature NHG Reserve (for details contact John Bates
01675 464479) 10 ♥ Coventry Urban Water Vole Volunteer Day, Lake View park, Coventry 10.30am – 3.30pm (clearing Rangers/WWT(Cons) Himalayan Balsam etc.), for details contact Michelle Tyrtania
024 7645 3720 or Lee Schofield
024 7630 2912) 13  RytonPools Creepy Crawly Club at Ryton Pools (environmental workshop for 3 - 12 yr olds) 10am – 12noon, meet at Visitor Centre (£1 per child, for details
024 7630 5592) 13 ♥ RytonPools Volunteer Day at Ryton Pools (a chance to get involved with site management) 1 - 4pm, meet at Visitor Centre (free event, for details
024 7630 5592) 13  WWT (GWalks) Guided Walk around Notcutts Orchid Meadow, near Shirley, drop in 11am – 5pm, access via Notcutts Garden Centre (donations invited) 13  WWT (Nuts) Nuts about Nature Club (event featuring Mammals), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, for details & booking
0121 704 0768) 13  Solihull MBC Environment Day, Tudor Grange Park, Solihull 10am-4pm (lots of exhibits, stalls, local groups etc.) 13 ♥ Coventry Urban Water Vole Volunteer Day, Lake View park, Coventry 10.30am – 3.30pm (clearing Rangers/WWT(Cons) Himalayan Balsam etc.), for details contact Michelle Tyrtania
024 7645 3720 or Julie Turner
024 7630 2912) 13 ♥ WWT(Cons) Volunteer Work Party at Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10am – 3pm (for details contact Amanda Henshaw
0121 704 0768) 14 ♠ Kingsbury Improve Your Birding at Kingsbury Water Park - Part 2, 10.30am – 12.30pm, meet at WaterPark Information Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, booking essential
01827 872660) 14  RytonPools Discovery Day at Ryton Pools (a variety of events & a chance to find out more about the Country Park – for more information
024 7630 5592) 14 ♣ WarwickNHS A Ramble around Wolverton (SP210630), meet at Rose Cottage 2.30pm 14 ♣ AtherstoneNHS Trip to Ryton Meadows Butterfly Reserve (contact John Walton for details
01827 712455) 14  RSPB(Middleton) Springwatch Walk, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher 11am – 1pm (free but booking advised
01827 259454) 14  Coombe Tracking Tip Toe at Coombe Country Park (animal tracking with a Ranger) 12noon - 11 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

Country Park 2pm (£5 per adult, 2.50 per child and PTLL, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 14  Solihull MBC Tree Trail, Millison’s Wood, near Meriden 10am – 12noon 14  WWT (GWalks) Guided Walk around Notcutts Orchid Meadow, near Shirley, drop in 11am – 4pm, access via Notcutts Garden Centre (donations invited) 16 ♣ Henley WS Outdoor evening meeting, details to be announced 17 ♣ Geology Evening geological field trip around Ilmington (contact Martyn Bradley for details
01926 428835) 18 ♣ RugbyNHS Trip to Draycote Meadows SSSI leaving Rugby School at 9.30am (contact Paul Hodge for details
01788 522758) 18 ♣ Moths Sutton Park Moth Night 8pm, meet at Park House Inn car park reached by entering the park via the main town gate. Contact is David Brown
01789 840295 or 07977 379330. 18 ♣ Nuneaton Evening walk (contact Lloyd Lees for details
024 7673 6381) Birdwatchers 19 ♣ Moths/ Forester Moth Search at Ashlawn Cutting near Rugby, meet in allotment car park by ButtConsWarks Ashlawn Bridge (SP516732). Contact is Phill Parr
01788 578272. 19  Coombe Bonkers about Bats at Coombe Country Park (bat walk with a Ranger) 9 – 10.30pm Country Park (£5 per adult, 2.50 per child and PTLL, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 20 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Canal Trip from Hawkesbury Junction, Coventry (SP359844) 10am – 4pm, meet at public car park 9.45am (£10, booking essential
K Thompson 02476 677775 by May 1st ) 20 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at River Arrow Nature Reserve, Alcester 10am (for details (Workparty) contact Steve Godfrey
01789 765536) 20-21  StratfordGreenway Summer Solstice & Glow-worm Walk (guided overnight walk) midnight – 5am, meetat Greenway car park, Stratford end (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, booking essential
01827 872660) 21  RSPB(Middleton) Birds for Beginners at Middleton Lakes RSPB reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher) 10am – 1pm (booking essential
01827 259454) 21 ♣ ButtConsWarks Butterfly Walk at Prees Heath & Wem, Shropshire 11am. Contact is Mike Slater
01788 335881. 21 ♠ WWT Introduction to Woodland Management, Crackley Wood, Kenilworth 10am, meet at (Cons/workparty) Crackley Lane entrance (free event, for details contact Jon Holmes
01926 456304) 21 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at Temple Balsall Nature Reserve 10am (for details contact (Workparty) John Clarke
01676 534910) 22-26  Nuneaton&Bedworth Spring Watch/Crayfish Week, Ensors Pool, Nuneaton (bookable events for schools BC and youth community groups, for details & bookings call the Countryside Officers
02476 376051/2) 24  RSPB(Middleton) Midsummer Walk, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher 7 - 9pm (free but booking advised
01827 259454) 24  RagleyHall The Natural Gardener – Ponds 6.30 - 10pm (guided walk of the grounds plus and 2- course meal, £26.95 or £21.95 for season ticket holders or RHS members, to book
01789 762 090) 24 ♥ Coventry Urban Water Vole Volunteer Day, Lake View park, Coventry 10.30am – 3.30pm (clearing Rangers/WWT(Cons) Himalayan Balsam etc.), for details contact Michelle Tyrtania
024 7645 3720 or Lee Schofield
024 7630 2912) 25 ♣ WarwickNHS Trip to Boddington Reservoir and Meadow (SP498534), meet in public car park at 2.30pm 27 ♣ RugbyNHS Trip to Radway Meadows leaving Rugby School at 9.30am (contact Paul Hodge for details
01788 522758) 27 ♣ WarwickNHS Coach outing to Hinchingbrooke Country Park, near Huntingdon, meet at the Rugby Tavern, Cubbington 8.15am or Cape Road car park, Warwick 8.30pm 27  Solihull MBC Mini Beasts Madness (event for children featuring live exotic insects), Elmdon Park, Solihull 10am -3pm 27 ♥ Coventry Urban Water Vole Volunteer Day, Lake View park, Coventry 10.30am – 3.30pm (clearing Rangers/WWT(Cons) Himalayan Balsam etc.), for details contact Michelle Tyrtania
024 7645 3720 or Julie Turner
024 7630 2912) 28  HartshillHayes Quarryman’s Walk (6-mile guided walk) 9am – 12noon, meet at Hartshill Hayes Visitor Centre (£2 adults, £1 concessions, £4 families, booking essential
01827 872660) 28 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at Kenilworth Common, Kenilworth 10am (for details contact (Workparty) Serena Eccles
01926 858378) 12 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

30  RSPB(Middleton) Midsummer Walk, Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve (guided walk led by an experienced birdwatcher 7 - 9pm (free but booking advised
01827 259454) 30 ♥ SolihullMBC Community Clean Up Action Day, Elmdon Park, Solihull 1 – 3.30pm JULY 2009 3 ♣ AtherstoneNHS Trip to Otmoor, near Oxford (contact John Walton for details
01827 712455) 3 ♣ WMBC(Solihull) Evening Birdwatching trip to Cannock Chase to look for Nightjars (contact group for details) 4 ♣ Moths Nelson’s Quarry Moth Night 9pm, meet at entrance (SP444642). Contact is David Brown
01789 840295 or 07977 379330. 8 ♣ NetherWhitacre Nature Walk at RSPB Middleton Lakes with Garry Jones, 7pm, meet in car park NHG behind Middleton Hall Craft Centre (for details contact John Bates
01675 464479) 9 ♣ RugbyNHS Trip to Newbold Quarry leaving Rugby School at 9.30am (contact Paul Hodge for details
01788 522758) 9 ♣ WarwickNHS Trip to Charlecote (SP267576), meet on site at 2.30pm 11 ♥ Coombe Heathland Management Work at Coombe Country Park (free event but booking Country Park essential
024 7645 3720) 11  WWT (Nuts) Nuts about Nature Club (event featuring Minibeasts), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, for details & booking
0121 704 0768) 12 ♣ ButtConsWarks Butterfly Walk at Fermyn & Souther Woods, Northamptonshire 11am. Contact is Steve Cheshire
07870 598691. 15 ♦ HinckleyNHS Members Digital Photos 7.15pm 16 ♣ ButtConsWarks Butterfly Walk at Wappenbury Wood 1pm, meet at entrance to Old Nun Wood, near Burnthurst (SP382709). Contact is Mike Slater
01788 335881. 16 ♣ Geology Evening geological field trip near Nuneaton ‘Quarryman’s Walk (contact Martyn Bradley for details
01926 428835) 17 ♣ Henley WS Outdoor evening meeting, details to be announced 17  Coombe Creatures of the Night at Coombe Country Park (evening nature walk with a Ranger) Country Park 9 – 11pm (£5 per adult, 2.50 per child and PTLL, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 18  Kingsbury Bat Night at Kingsbury Water Park (bat talk & walk followed by hot jacket spuds) WaterPark/Bats 8pm, meet at Information Centre (for charges and booking
01827 872660) 18 ♣ ButtConsWarks Butterfly Walk, Ryton Wood Meadow & Ryton Wood 12noon, meet at reserve entrance on A445 SE of Ryton Police Training Centre. Contact is Mike Slater
01788 335881 (refreshments available). 18 ♣ RugbyNHS Trip to Ryton Wood SSSI leaving Rugby School at 1.30pm (contact Paul Hodge for details
01788 522758) 18 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Leam Valley Nature Reserve, near Leamington Spa (SP333653), meet 2.30pm at small car park off Radford Road 18 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at River Arrow Nature Reserve, Alcester 10am (for details (Workparty) contact Steve Godfrey
01789 765536) 18 ♥ WWT(Cons) Volunteer Work Party at Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10am – 3pm (for details contact Amanda Henshaw
0121 704 0768) 19 ♣ Nuneaton Birdwatching trip to South Stack (for details contact Lloyd Lees
024 7673 6381) Birdwatchers 19 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Clowes Wood, Earlswood 10am (for details contact Ron Hill
(Workparty) 0121 705 1429) 19 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at Temple Balsall Nature Reserve 10am (for details contact (Workparty) John Clarke
01676 534910) 20  WWT (Children) Great Pond Dip (pond-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 21  WWT (Children) Survival Shelters (den-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 22  HeritageEd/ Victorian Trees at Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa (guided walk with Steven Falk) Warwickshire 10am – 12noon, meet at entrance off the Parade (£2.50 per person, booking Museum essential
01926 412069) 22  WWT (Children) Big Bug Hunt (minibeast-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking

13 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

essential
024 7630 2912) 22  WWT (Children) Big Bug Hunt (minibeast-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 23  Coombe Iris May Falcons (see real falconry birds), free drop in event starting at 11am Country Park (weather dependent) 23  WWT (Children) Amazing Amphibians (amphibian-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 24  WWT (Children) Tots Teddy Bear Adventure (teddy bear-themed environment workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 25  Nuneaton&Bedworth Butterfly Walk at Weddington Country Walk, Nuneaton 10am – 12noon (free event BC for families, for details & bookings call Jo Robinson
02476 376042) 26 ♣ Dragonfly Dragonfly recording trip to Whitehall Farm, Toft, Dunchurch, meet 10.15am at SP487689 at end of the lane leading from the A426 just S of the M45 bridge 26 ♣ WarwickNHS Wootton Wawen Circular Nature Walk (SP162639), meet at 2.30pm 26 ♥ Coombe Making Meadows Conservation Day at Coombe Country Park (maintenance of Country Park wildflower meadows) 10am – 3pm (free event but booking essential
024 7645 3720) 26 ♠ WWT(Cons) Introduction to Habitat Management, Hampton Wood (SP254600) 9am (free event, for details contact Dave Solliss
01789 205908) 26 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at Kenilworth Common, Kenilworth 10am (for details contact (Workparty) Serena Eccles
01926 858378) 26  SolihullMBC Explore the Cole Valley, Solihull 1.30 – 3.30pm (guided walk), meet at Babbs Mill LNR 27  HeritageEd Badgers to Butterflies (natural history-themed workshop for children), Stratford- upon-Avon Civic Centre, 14 Rother Street 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 27  HeritageEd Badgers to Butterflies (natural history-themed workshop for children), Bedworth Arts Centre, High St, Bedworth 10.30am – 12.30pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 27  HeritageEd Badgers to Butterflies (natural history-themed workshop for children), Camphill Children’s Centre, Hollystiches Rd, Nuneaton 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 27  WWT (Children) Creepy-Creepy Crawlies (minibeast-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 27  WWT (Children) Birds are Brilliant (bird-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 28  HeritageEd Badgers to Butterflies (natural history-themed workshop for children), Warwickshire Museum, Market Place, Warwick 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 28  Coombe Survival Skills - Dens, Coombe Country Park (event for kids aged 5+) 10.30am – 12 Country Park (£2.50 per child, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 28  Coombe Survival Skills – Survival Shelters, Coombe Country Park (event for kids aged 13+) Country Park 10.30am – 12 noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£2.50 per child, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 28  WWT (Children) Wander in the Woodlands (woodland & tree-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 28  WWT (Children) Natures Fairies (insect-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 29 ♣ ButtConsWarks MidweekButterfly Walk at Shenton Farm, Leicestershire 1.30pm, meet at New Barn Farm (SP395999). Contact is Keith Warmington
01827 715873. 29  Coombe Family Fishing Taster Session, Coombe Country Park (event for kids aged 8-15) 10am Country Park – 12.30pm (£2.50 per child, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 29  Coombe Nature Detectives – Marvellous Minibeasts, Coombe Country Park (event for kids Country Park aged 5+) 10.30am – 12 noon & 1 – 2.30pm (£2.50 per child, booking essential
024 7645 3720) 29  WWT (Children) Birds are Brilliant (bird-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature 14 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 29  WWT (Children) Scapheap Challenge (recycling-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 29  Kingfisher Mid Week Meander (guided walk to Colebank LNR, Shard End, Solihull) 11am – 2pm, meet at Sports Pavilion, Kendrick Road 30  HeritageEd Badgers to Butterflies (natural history-themed workshop for children), Rugby Museum & Art Gallery, Little Elborow St, Rugby 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 30  HeritageEd Badgers to Butterflies (natural history-themed workshop for children), Pooley Country Park Visitor Centre 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 30  WWT (Children) Peer at a Pond Creature - Drop in Session (pond-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12.30pm (£1.50 per child for 30 minutes) 30  SolihullMBC Dragons in Dickens Heath, Solihull 1 – 3pm (guided walk looking at dragonflies & minibeasts), meet at park entrance off Aldershaws (postcode B90 1SQ) 30 ♥ SolihullMBC Community Clean Up Action Day, Hobs Moat Monument, Solihull 10am – 12noon, meet in lay-by off Lode Lane near Tesco 30  WWT (Children) Creey-Creepy Crawlies (minibeast-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 31  HillCloseGdns/ Family Bughunt at Hill Close Gardens led by Steven Falk, 60 minute walks starting at HeritageEd 10am & 11am (£5 per child, booking essential
01926 412069) 31  WWT (Children) Wild Tales for Tots (nature-themed storytelling workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) AUGUST 2009 1 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Harbury Spoilbank (SP384598), meet 2.30pm at entrance to reserve 3  WWT (Children) Nature’s Fairies (insect-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 3  SolihullMBC Butterflies in Brueton Park, Solihull 1 – 3pm (guided walk), meet at car park 3  WWT (Children) Alfresco Art (nature-inspired art workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 4  WWT (Children) Predators of the Pond (pond-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 4  WWT (Children) Predators of the Pond (pond-themed storytelling workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 5  WWT (Children) Wild Games (a National Play Day Event featuring wildlife-themed games for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 5  WWT (Children) Wild Play (a National Play Day Event featuring wildlife-themed games for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 6 ♣ WarwickNHS Evening walk around Lapworth (SP185710), meet at Brome Hall Lane car park 7pm 6  WWT (Children) Junior Bushcraft (environment-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 6  SolihullMBC Bat Walk at Brueton Park, Solihull 8 - 10pm (£1.50 per person, £5 per family of 4, booking essential
0121 704 6962) 6  WWT (Children) Trail Blazers! (nature-themed orienteering for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 7  WWT (Children) Beautiful Birds (bird-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 8 ♣ Moths Moth Trapping at Ryton Organic Gardens, off the B4029 near Wolston 8.30pm, 15 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

meet main car park (SP401745). Contact is David Brown
01789 840295 or 07977 379330. 8  WWT (Nuts) Nuts about Nature Club (event featuring Art in the Wild), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, for details & booking
0121 704 0768) 10  WWT (Children) Brilliant Bushcraft (environment-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 10  WWT (Children) Brilliant Bushcraft (environment-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 11  WWT (Children) Super Spiders (spider-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 11  WWT (Children) Super Spiders (spider-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 12  HeritageEd/ Capability Brown at Compton Verney (guided tree walk with Steven Falk) 10am – Warwickshire 12noon, meet at entrance of the Art Centre (£2.50 per person, booking essential
Museum 01926 412069) 12 ♣ NetherWhitacre Nature Walk around Whitacre with Barbara Smith 7pm, meet at Nether Whitacre NHG Church Hall car park (for details contact John Bates
01675 464479) 12  WWT (Children) Nature’s Detectives (animal trail-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 12  WWT (Children) Summer Colours (nature-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 13  WWT (Children) Flower Power Drop in Session (flower-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12.30pm (£2 per child per flower, to book
024 7630 2912) 13  SolihullMBC Creating Creatures, Palmers Rough, Solihull 10am – 12noon (nature workshop for children), meet at car park by health centre, Northbrook Rd 13  WWT (Children) Folklore & Fairytales (nature-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 14 ♠ WWT(Cons) Pond Dipping & Surveying Workshop, Brandon Marsh Nature Centre 6.30 – 8pm (£3 per person, £4 for non WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 14  Nuneaton&Bedworth Arbury Park Guided Tree Walk ld by Steven Falk (a unique chance to look properly at BC the trees here) 2 - 4.30pm (£5 per person, for bookings call Jo Robinson
02476 376042) 14  WWT (Children) Fluttering Butterflies (insect-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 15 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Offchurch Greenway (SP365655), meet 2.30pm at car park 15  WWT (GWalks) Wonders of Welcombe Hills (guided walk,SP205563) 10am, meet at top of Maidenhead Rd, Stratford-uon-Avon 15 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at River Arrow Nature Reserve, Alcester 10am (for details (Workparty) contact Steve Godfrey
01789 765536) 15 ♥ WWT(Cons) Volunteer Work Party at Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10am – 3pm (for details contact Amanda Henshaw
0121 704 0768) 16 ♣ ButtConsWarks Butterfly Walk at Watlington Hill, Oxfordshire 11am, meet in National Trust car park (SU710935). Contact is Steve Cheshire
07870 598691. 16 ♣ WarwickNHS Trip to Cow Common Farm, Kineton (SP322516), meet on site at 2.30pm 16 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Clowes Wood, Earlswood 10am (for details contact Ron Hill
(Workparty) 0121 705 1429) 16 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at Temple Balsall Nature Reserve 10am (for details contact (Workparty) John Clarke
01676 534910) 16 ♥ SolihullMBC Community Clean Up Action Day, Babbs Mill LNR, Solihull 10.30am – 3.30pm, meet in car park off Fordbridge Rd 17  WWT (Children) Creativity & Kites (flight-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking 16 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

essential
024 7630 2912) 17  WWT (Children) Nature’s Detectives (animal trail-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 18  WWT (Children) Trail Blazers (nature tail & orienteering-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 18  WWT (Children) Crafty Recycling (bird-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 18  WWT (Children) Pond Pirates (recyckling-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 19  Kingsbury Bat Night at Kingsbury Water Park (bat talk & walk followed by hot jacket spuds) WaterPark/Bats 8pm, meet at Information Centre (for charges and booking
01827 872660) 19  WWT (Children) If you go down to the woods…. (nature-themed teddy bear day for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 19 ♣ Geology Evening geological field trip to Temple Grafton (contact Martyn Bradley for details
01926 428835) 20 ♣ RugbyNHS Trip to Alvecote Meadows & Poole Fields leaving Rugby School at 9.30am (contact Paul Hodge for details
01788 522758) 20  WWT (Children) Naturally Poetic Drop in Session (nature-inspired poetry workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12.30pm (£1.50 per child, to book
024 7630 2912) 20  SolihullMBC Mini-beast Safari, Marston Green Park, Solihull 11am – 1pm (mini-beast workshop for children), meet at Brooklands Way entrance 20  SolihullMBC Bat Walk at Babbs Mill LNR, Solihull 8 - 10pm, meet at the Boat House car park off Fordbridge Rd (£1.50 per person, £5 per family of 4, booking essential
0121 704 6962) 20  WWT (Children) Pond pirates (pond-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 21  WWT (Children) Wild Art (nature-inspired art workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 22 ♣ Moths Moth trapping at Wheethley Wood, near Alcester 8pm, meet at wood entrance on the Dunnington to Flyford Flavell lane (SP444642). Contact is David Brown
01789 840295 or 07977 379330. 23 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Kenilworth Common (SP300731) 10.30am, meet at Highland Road Mycological off Common Lane. Contact is John Sells
02476 543217) 23 ♣ ButtConsWarks Butterfly Walk at Bernwood Forest & Meadows, Oxfordshire 11am, meet in the Forestry Enterprise car park (SP612117). Contact is Steve Cheshire
07870 598691. 23 ♣ Nuneaton Trip to Rutland Bird Fair (for details contact Lloyd Lees
024 7673 6381) Birdwatchers 24  HeritageEd Brilliant Bees (bee-themed workshop for children), Stratford-upon-Avon Civic Centre, 14 Rother St 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 24  HeritageEd Brilliant Bees (bee-themed workshop for children), Bedworth Arts Centre, High St, Bedworth 10.30am – 12.30pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 24  HeritageEd Brilliant Bees (bee-themed workshop for children), Camphill Children’s Centre, Hollystiches Rd, Nuneaton 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 24  WWT (Children) Nifty Newts (newt-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 24  SolihullMBC Treemendous Trees, Dorridge Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12.30pm (tree walk for children) 24  WWT (Children) Feathered Friends (bird-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 25  HeritageEd Brilliant Bees (bee-themed workshop for children), Warwickshire Museum, Market

17 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

Square, Warwick 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 25  WWT (Children) Feathered Friends (bird-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 25  WWT (Children) Tree Treats (tree-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 26  Nuneaton&Bedworth Lets Get Batty at Bedworth Sloughs 8.30 – 10pm (free event celebrating European BC/Bats Bat Weekend, for details & bookings call Jo Robinson
02476 376042) 26  WWT (Children) Den Discovery (den-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 26  WWT (Children) Food & Farming for Toddlers (workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 27  HeritageEd Brilliant Bees (bee-themed workshop for children), Rugby Museum & Art Gallery, Little Elborow St, Rugby 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 27  HeritageEd Brilliant Bees (bee-themed workshop for children), Pooley Country Park Visitor Centre 10.30am – 12.30pm & 2 – 4pm (£2.50 per child, £1 for under 5s) 27 ♣ WarwickNHS Trip to Ryton Wood & Butterfly Reserve (SP378730), meet at entrance off B445 at 2.30pm 27  WWT (Children) Footprint Casting – Drop in Session (wildlife footprint-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12.30pm (£2 per child per cast, to book
024 7630 2912) 27  SolihullMBC Hoppers in Hillfield, Hillfield Park, Solihull 1 - 3pm (grasshopper & mini-beast workshop for children), meet at changing rooms off Monkspath Rd 27  SolihullMBC Bat Walk at Elmdon Park, Solihull 8 - 10pm (£1.50 per person, £5 per family of 4, booking essential
0121 704 6962) 27  WWT (Children) Wild Food Foray (fruit & berry-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 28  HeritageEd/ Buzzin’ (a chance for children to meet local beekeepers & make model bees), Warwickshire Warwickshire Museum, Market Square, Warwick 10am – 4pm drop-in event (£2.50 Museum per child to make a model bee) 28  WWT (Children) Natures Fairies (nature-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 29 ♠ WWT(Cons) Orthoptera (Grasshopper & Cricket) Surveying Workshop, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am, meet at the Ranger Hut, Brueton Park off the Warwick Road (all-day event, £5 per person, booking essential
024 7630 8993) 29 ♣ RugbyNHS Trip to Snitterfield Bushes leaving Rugby School at 9.30am (contact Paul Hodge for details
01788 522758) 29 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Oversley Wood, near Alcester (SP111568), meet 2.30pm at car park 30 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work Party at Kenilworth Common, Kenilworth 10am (for details contact (Workparty) Serena Eccles
01926 858378) 30-6th ♣ Geology Week-long geological field trip to the Colonsay (contact Martyn Bradley for details Sept
01926 428835) SEPTEMBER 2009 1  WWT (Children) Scarecrows & Scared Crows (scarecrow & bird-themed workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 2  HeritageEd/ Contrasting Landscapes at Ragley Hall (guided tree walk with Steven Falk) 10am – Warwickshire 12noon, meet at Visitor Centre (£2.50 per person, booking essential
01926 Museum 412069) 2  WWT (Children) Scarecrows & Scared Crows (scarecrow & bird-themed workshop for children), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 2  WWT (Children) Fairy Tales for Toddlers (nature-inspired fairy telling workshop for children), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 3  WWT (Children) Junior Wild Food Forage (wild food-themed workshop for children aged 8yrs +), 18 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 10.30am – 12noon (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 6 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Tocil Wood, Warwick University (SP305753) 10.30am, park in Mycological University Car Park 1 (marked ‘Medical School’) off Gibbet Hill Road. Contact is John Sells
02476 543217) 9 ♦ NetherWhitacre “Spitzbergen – the Fjords and Northern Cape” (Charles Patterson) 7.30pm NHG 12 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Sutton Park (SP102979), meet 2.30pm at Bracebridge car park 12  WWT (Nuts) Nuts about Nature Club (event featuring Bats), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, for details & booking
0121 704 0768) 13  WWT Food & Farming Fair (featuring local produce, displays on organic & wildlife friendly farming/gardening, talks, demonstrations & displays), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre 11am – 4pm (for information contact Pip Vigor
024 7630 2912) 13 ♥ Kingfisher Forest Skills, Yorks Wood, Shard End, Solihull (family event) 10.30am – 1pm, meet at Sports Pavilion off Kendrick Ave (booking essential
0121 748 3798) 13 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Woodbroke Quaker Study Centre, Worcestershire (SP036814) Mycological 10.30am. Contact is Alan Bean
0121 689 0709) 15 ♦ HenleyWS “India” (John & Penny Scott) 7.45pm 15 ♦ NORWAG “Wildlife of Elmdon Meadows, Solihull” (Gary Farmer) 7.30pm 15 ♦ MarketBosworth “22 years of Priory Water” (Tim Goodlife) 7.30pm 16 ♦ HinckleyNHS “Scotland & St Kilda Bird Reserve” (Roger Butler) 7.15pm 17 ♦ Nuneaton “A Digital Lane” (Mike Lane) 7.30pm Birdwatchers 18  WWT (Children) Family Bat & Moth Evening (National Moth Night event), Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, nr Coventry 7 – 8.30pm (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
024 7630 2912) 18 ♦ Geology "Diatoms & the Quarternary” (Dr Jason Jordan) 7.15pm 19 ♥ WWT(Cons) Volunteer Work Party at Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 10am – 3pm (for details contact Amanda Henshaw
0121 704 0768) 20 ♣ Nuneaton Birdwatching trip Hickling Broad (for details contact Lloyd Lees
024 7673 6381) Birdwatchers 20 ♥ WWT Volunteer Work at Clowes Wood, Earlswood 10am (for details contact Ron Hill
(Workparty) 0121 705 1429) 20 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Grendon Common (SP280979) 10.30am, park at roadside at Mycological SP280979. Contact is John Roberts
01926 421544) 25  WWT (Children) Family Bat Bonanza (bat walk and workshop for families), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull 7 – 8.30pm (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, booking essential
0121 704 0768) 26 ♣ Dragonfly Dragonfly and Orthoptera recording trip to Grendon Common, near Baddesley Ensor, meet 10.15am at lane leading from Baddesley Ensor to the A5 at SP281980 26 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Crackley Wood, Kenilworth (SP291736), meet 2.30pm in main car park at S end of wood 26 ♣ Geology Day field trip to Boons Quarry near Mancetter (contact Martyn Bradley for details
01926 428835) 27 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of May’s Wood, Wootton Wawen (SP1464) 10.30am, To be confirmed . Mycological Contact is John Roberts
01926 421544) OCTOBER 2009 2 ♦ WMBC(Solihull) “The River Avon” (Brian Draper) 7.30pm 4 ♣ WMBC(Solihull) Birdwatching trip to Brandon Marsh (contact group for details) 4 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Wolford Wood (SP242332) 10.30am, meet at entrance Mycological (SP242332). Contact is John Roberts
01926 421544) 10 ♣ Coventry&DNHS Trip to Burbage Common, near Hinckley (SP447953), meet 2.30pm at visitor centre car park 10  WWT (Nuts) Nuts about Nature Club (event featuring Autumn Watch), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, for details & booking
0121 704 0768) 11 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Moreton Morrell College Grounds 10.30am, meet at main car park Mycological (for the college not for the hall, SP305551). Contact is David Antrobus
0121 422 8830) 13 ♦ NORWAG “Hedgehogs” (Carol Davidson) 7.30pm 19 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

14 ♦ NetherWhitacre “The Ancient New Forest” (John Roberts) 7.30pm NHG 14  RagleyHall Late Colour in the Garden 11am – 3pm (guided walk of the grounds plus and 2-course meal, £26.95 or £21.95 for season ticket holders or RHS members, to book
01789 762 090) 15 ♦ Nuneaton “Magic of Celtic Islands” (Tony Hamblin) 7.30pm Birdwatchers 18  Nuneaton&Bedworth Autumn Guided Walk & Pub Lunch in NE of Nuneaton Borough (approx 3 hours), meet BC at Plough Inn, Plough Hill Road, Nuneaton 10am (for details & bookings call Jo Robinson
02476 376042) 18 ♣ Nuneaton Birdwatching trip Donna Nook (for details contact Lloyd Lees
024 7673 6381) Birdwatchers 18 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Hartshill Hayes (SP317943) 10.30am, meet at far end of visitor Mycological car park (small parking fee). Contact is John Sells
02476 543217) 20 ♦ HenleyWS “Birds along the Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria” (Alban Wincott) 7.45pm 21 ♦ HinckleyNHS “Habitats from Rock Formations” (Alan Cook) 7.15pm 21 ♦ Geology AGM & field trip displays 7.15pm 25 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Draycote Meadows (SP449706) 10.30am, meet at reserve entrance Mycological gate. Contact is John Williams
0121 745 6395 27 ♦ WMBC “Bird Nesting Habitats Past, Present & Future” (Graham Bell) 7.30pm (Birmingham) 27 ♦ MarketBosworth “Farming for Wildlife” (Julia Hawley) 7.30pm NOVEMBER 2009 1 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Oversley Wood (SP110567) 10.30am, meet at car park using track Mycological leading off Oversley Green Road and under the A46. Contact is Bert Brand
01789 267402 6 ♦ WMBC(Solihull) “Birding in the Tropics” (Gerry Griffiths) 7.30pm 7  WWT (Nuts) Nuts about Nature Club (event featuring Hibernation), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, for details & booking
0121 704 0768) 11 ♦ NetherWhitacre Main meeting & Supper, followed by “Crete in April” (Tony Hughes) (£3.50 adults, NHG £2.50 children) 7.30pm 15 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Lapworth (SP449706) 10.30am. meet near Lapworth Cricket Club Mycological and park just inside gate across the canal. Contact is John Williams
0121 745 6395 17 ♦ NORWAG “The Arctic” (Val Williams) 7.30pm 17 ♦ HenleyWS “Trees of Warwickshire” (Steven Falk) 7.45pm 17 ♦ MarketBosworth “Land of the Celts” (Stephanie Gaskin) 7.30pm 18 ♦ HinckleyNHS “Beautiful moths for every season” (Gianpiero Ferrari) 7.15pm 18 ♦ Geology Title to be announced 7.15pm 19 ♦ Nuneaton “Birds of France” (Roy Croucher) 7.30pm Birdwatchers 22 ♣ Nuneaton Birdwatching trip to Whitcliffe Common (for details contact Lloyd Lees
024 7673 Birdwatchers 6381) 22 ♣ BirminghamNHS Fungus survey of Leam Valley, near Leamington Spa 10.30am, meet in car park at Mycological SP333653. Contact is John Roberts
01926 421544. 24 ♦ WMBC “Namibia: Land of Contrasts” (Keith Offord) 7.30pm (Birmingham) DECEMBER 2009 4 ♦ WMBC(Solihull) “Magical Mallorca” (Chris Ward) 7.30pm 8 ♦ NORWAG AGM & Socoal Evening 7.30pm 8 ♦ MarketBosworth Members evening 7.30pm 9 ♦ NetherWhitacre Xmas Open Evening, Festive Fair & Members’ Illustrated talk 7.30pm NHG 10 ♦ Nuneaton AGM & Social Evening 7.30pm Birdwatchers 12  WWT (Nuts) Nuts about Nature Club (event featuring Xmas), Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull (£4 per child, £3 if WWT members, for details & booking
0121 704 0768) 13 ♣ Nuneaton Birdwatching trip to Middleton Hall0 (for details contact Lloyd Lees
024 7673 20 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

Birdwatchers 6381) 15 ♦ HenleyWS AGM & Xmas Social 7.45pm 16 ♦ HinckleyNHS “Winter Wonderland in GB, Europe & USA” (Tony Hamblin) 7.15pm 16 ♦ Geology Christmas gathering & displays 7.15pm JANUARY 2010 10 ♦ BirminghamNHS AGM of Mycological Group and Warwickshire Fungus Survey. Contact is John Mycological Roberts
01926 421544. 19 ♦ MarketBosworth “Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands” (Peter Sykes) 7.30pm

21 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

COURSES FOR ALL AGE GROUPS BTCV WEST MIDLANDS CONSERVATION TRAINING Become qualified in outdoor conservation work such as dry stone walling, hedge-laying, coppicing, fencing, tree care, pond construction, urban wildlife habitat management and wildlife gardening. BTCV can offer free training courses, including short courses in partnership with Broxtowe College and NVQs Level 1, 2, & 3 in Environmental Conservation. Help towards dependant/child care and travel costs may be available. For more information
0121 5078380, W-mail: [email protected]

NORTH WARWICKSHIRE ENVIRONMENT CLUB North Warwickshire Borough Council Leisure Services run an Environmental Club every Monday from 4 - 5pm at Atherstone Memorial Hall, Long Street, Atherstone.

The Club is suitable for those aged between 5 and 11 UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK OPEN STUDIES years. Activities include environmental awareness as Courses of varying duration and venues. 2009 titles well as surveys. Sessions are practical and educational include : and are run by experienced leaders. Costs per person

are £1.10. For more information please contact the • Water, wetlands and wildlife Memorial Hall direct on 01827 719201. • An introduction to the mammals of Great Britain

• British Bats WILDLIFE WATCH GROUPS • Biodiversity & conservation WILDLIFE WATCH is the junior branch of the Wildlife • Ecological case studies & fieldwork Trusts for children and teenagers. In Warwickshire we • Winged Splendour (butterflies & moths) have several branches: • Geology for everyone

• Geology & scenery – Rugby to Solihull * Kingsbury Water Park Wildlife Explorers – run by • Landscape & scenery in Warwickshire the Country Park and Middleton Hall RSPB team,

meet on 1 st Saturday of every month during the There is also a variety of Earth Science courses. For summer. Contact: Garry Jones
01827 259454. more information visit: * Ryton Pools ‘Creepy Crawly Kids Club’ – meet on www.warwick.ac.uk/cll/OpenStudies the 2nd Saturday of the month. Contact: Pam
024 7657 3739 or E-mail: [email protected] Reason ,
02476 305592, E-mail:

[email protected] MORETON MORRELL COLLEGE – “GROW YOUR * ‘Rockwatch’ - a Nature and Geology club for 6-12 SKILLS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE!” year olds run by Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Moreton Morrell Centre offers courses for those who Council’s Environment Team (please phone to pre- love the outdoors and enjoy learning skills which are book,
024 7637 6494/6328). All events free and “off the beaten track”. The Natural Environment 10am – 12 noon unless stated otherwise. department runs courses such as hedgelaying, dry-stone walling and habitat Management. There are also courses To find out more about Wildlife Watch and Rockwatch, in basic chainsaw and pesticides. As well as the Natural visit: www.wildlifewatch.org.uk or www.rockwatch.org.uk Environment, other departments run short courses such or ring WATCH Organiser:
024 7630 8977. as equine summer school for riders of all abilities, and professional courses in horticulture, arboriculture and agriculture. If there are any special courses that you would like to run, contact them at: Short Courses Office, Warwickshire College, Moreton Morrell Centre, Moreton Morrell, Nr. Warwick CV35 9BL,
01926 318341/318347

22 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

• WORKING PARTIES Alvecote Pools, nr. Tamworth, Ian Jelley
024 7630 8993 • Ashlawn Cutting, Rugby, Lee Schofield
024 7630 8998 • Brook Meadow, Darley Green, Eddy Asbery
024 7630 8984 • Claybrookes Marsh, Coventry, Lee Schofield
024 7630 8998 • Cock Robin Wood, Rugby, Lee Schofield
024 7630 8998 • Crackley Wood, Kenilworth, Jon Holmes
01926 456304 (regular monthly events) • Deans Green, Henley-in-Arden, Mary Tipping
01564 742216 • Draycote Meadows, Draycote, Eddie Asbury
024 Listed events for most of the following groups can be 7630 8984 • found in the diary of this newsletter: Earlswood Moathouse, Earlswood, Caroline Bailey
024 7630 8993 • WARWICKSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST – NATURE Eathorpe Marsh, Eathorpe, Caroline Bailey
024 FORCE TEAM 7630 8993 • The ‘Nature Force’ Mid-Week Volunteer Group Elmdon Manor, Elmdon. Rod Franks
0121 742 operates on Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the 8509 • year. Transport is provided from Brandon Marsh Glasshouse Spinney, Kenilworth, Steve Smith
nd Nature Centre at 9am with another pick-up on the way 01926 864759 (2 Sunday of every month, January to the day’s task, returning to Brandon for 3.30 - 4pm, to May 10am – 1pm) • weather permitting. Nature-Force gives you the Grove Hill, nr. Alcester, Gillian Nussey
01789 opportunity to learn a wide-variety of conservation 773356 • skills with specially organised training days and includes Harbury Spoilbank, Harbury, John Hancock
visits to different Nature Reserves throughout the 01926 612 860 • sub-region . Alternatively, you could join a Weekend Harvest Hill, Allesley, Richard Bones
024 7640 Workparty at a nature reserve near you. For further 3218 • information and to book your place on the Nature - Hunningham Meadow, Hunningham, Andrew Phillips Force, please ring the ‘Reserves Team’ during office
01926 632765 • hours on 024 7630 8998. Sites with weekly work Kenilworth Common, Kenilworth, Howard & Serena parties at certain parts of the year include: Eccles
01926 858378 • Knowle Hill, Kenilworth, Richard Bones
024 7640 • Brandon Marsh, near Coventry, Ken Bond
024 3218 • 7632 8785 (Sundays & Thurdays 9.30am) Leam Valley, Leamington Spa, Reserves Team
024 • Clowes Wood, Earlswood, Ron Hill
0121 705 1429 7630 8993 •
024 7630 8984 (Sundays 10am) Newbold Quarry, Rugby, Phill Parr
01788 578272 • • Crackley Wood, Kenilworth. Jon Holmes
01926 Parliament Piece, Kenilworth, John Wood
01926 456215 (Sundays 10am) 854915 • • Hampton Wood, Barford. Dave Solliss
01789 Pooley Fields, near Tamworth, Caroline Bailey
205908 (Sundays 9am) 024 7630 8993 • • Rough Hill Wood, nr. Studley, Val Kendrick
01527 Priory Fields, near Solihull, Reserves Team
024 545742 (Sundays 10am) 7630 8993 • • Ryton Wood, Ryton, Mike Slater
01788 335881 River Arrow, Alcester, Steve Godfrey
01789 rd (Sundays, contact Mike for details) 852582 (3 Saturday of the month, January to • Snitterfield Bushes, Snitterfield, Eddie Asbury
May 10am – 1pm) • 024 7630 8984 (Saturdays 9am, Oct - March) Shadowbrook Meadow, Hampton-in-Arden, Reserves Team
024 7630 8993 • Other Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Reserves with Stockton Cutting, Stockton, Eddie Asbery
024 monthly or occasional activities are: 7630 8984 • Stonebridge Meadows, Coventry, Jan Clemons
• Alvecote Meadows, nr. Tamworth, Derek 024 7650 6416 Tattershall
01827 897081

23 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

• Swift Valley Park, Rugby, Lee Schofield
024 NUNEATON & BEDWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL 7630 8998 Thursday Volunteers 10am-4pm. Contact Countryside • Temple Balsall, nr. Balsall Common, John Clarke
Team
024 7637 6052 or 02476 376053. 01676 534910 (3rd Sunday of month, January to May 10am – 1pm) KNGSBURY PARK VOUNTEERS • Tocil Wood, Warwick University, Coventry. Eddie Meet every Friday at the Ranger workshops for a Asbery
024 7630 8984 9.30am start and undertake various habitat • Ufton Fields, Ufton, David Morphew
01926 management and maintenance tasks. For further 771111 (monthly, 10am – 2.30pm) information contact Steve Kell or Rachel Hextall
• Wappenbury Wood, Princethorpe, Eddie Asbery
01827 872660, mob: 0797 710278, E-mail: 024 7630 8993 [email protected] or • Welcombe Hills, Stratford, Lee Schofield
024 [email protected] . 7630 8998 • Whitacre Heath, Lea Marston, Caroline Bailey
MIDDLETON LAKES RSPB WORK PARTIES 024 7630 8993 Second Wednesday and second Sunday of each month • Whitnash Brook, Whitnash, Caroline Bailey
024 from 10am-4pm. Reserve warden: Grainne
01827 7630 8993 259454. • Windmill Spinney, Rugby Ian Jelley
024 7630 8998 WARWICKSHIRE AMPHIBIAN & REPTILE TEAM • Wyken Slough, Coventry, Jim Jobling
024 7627 (WART) WORK PARTIES 8689 Includes pond management, bracken-pulling and scrub bashing at key herptile sites. Ian Jelley
024 7630 In addition to the above, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust 8993, E-email: [email protected] also organise a variety of Conservation events (see WWT(Cons) in the diary) which have a training element SOLIHULL CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS and are mostly led by WWT staff or other Meet on Sundays roughly twice a month to tackle tasks professionals. such as habitat management and creation, footpath maintenance and fencing work. During the winter WARWICKSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST - OTTER TASK months activities like hedge laying and coppicing are FORCE also planned. SCV are currently affiliated to the BTCV. Aims to involve individuals in otter conservation and the The minibus for all SCV tasks leaves Solihull Railway wider wetland work of the Otters and Rivers Project. Station at 10am. For further details contact Eddie Volunteers are encouraged to get involved in both Fowler
0121 733 2236. surveying and practical tasks. Events are organised for Sundays and generally last from 10am to 3pm, meeting FRIENDS OT SUTTON PARK either at Brandon Marsh or an agreed site. For details The Friends of Sutton Park Association works closely of the project and events contact Warwickshire with the Park’s Ranger Service with fortnightly Sunday Wildlife Trust
024 7630 8993. work parties that meet at 10.30am. Harvey Skelcher
0121 605 9823. E-mail: [email protected] . Web site: WARWICKSHIRE BTCV www.fospa.org Practical projects for conservation volunteers are held every Wednesday and Thursday. Minibus leaves from BIRMINGHAM AND SOLIHULL MIDWEEK Arch 11, Bath Place, Leamington Spa, with alternative CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS pick-ups sometimes available by prior arrangement. An independent practical conservation group who meet Alternate Sundays ditto, all over Warwickshire & most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, between Coventry. Tools and training provided. All welcome 11am and 4pm. The Group works within 25 miles of
01926 430574 or 07740 899584; E-mail: Quinton, and is in the Solihull area each month. [email protected] Currently on hold.

The BTCV has also formed a partnership with Broxtowe COVENTRY CITY COUNCIL College (Nottingham) to provide a wide variety of Collaborates with BTCV in woodland management. training courses throughout the country including our Contact the Council’s Woodlands Officer Tim Rose
area. Contact the Leamington or West Midlands branch 024 7683 2347. Also operates a Countryside Project for details. with limited volunteer & placement opportunities, contact Mike Murray
024 7683 1292.

24 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL BTO – THE BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY Organises a good variety of activities throughout the The BTO is looking for volunteers to take part in a year. For a full brochure send a long SAE to: series of surveys: Sutton Park, Park Rd, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B74 2YT. • Breeding Bird Survey – the BTO’s flagship survey. April-June, involving two site visits recording all PROJECT KINGFISHER species in a 1km square Established in 1985 to care for an 11km stretch of the • Waterways Breeding Bird Survey – two visits to a River Cole, east Birmingham. Regular work parties and a stretch of river between April and June ‘Friends of Project Kingfisher’ group that meets every • Heronries Census - Two visits in the breeding first Sunday of the month. Contact the Project season to known and suspected Grey Heron Colonies Kingfisher Rangers
0121 464 3131. • BTO Bird Atlas – Long-term survey project with the opportunity for all abilities and ages to ONGOING SURVEYS & PROJECTS contribute in some way to ornithological research, see: http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/

Warwickshire Rep - Covering Moreton in the Marsh, Stratford, Warwick, Leamington and Henley in Arden, Mark Smith , 2 Beaufell Close, Woodloes Park Warwick, CV34 5UG, E-mail: [email protected] Birmingham Rep - Covering Kenilworth, Rugby, Coventry, Steve Davies , E-mail: [email protected] Oxfordshire Rep - Covering Kineton, Fenny Compton and Gaydon, Frances Buckel , E-mail: [email protected]

NEW ATLAS OF WARWICKHIRE’S BIRDS Will provide opportunities for more experienced bird recorders to survey patches of the sub-region. Contact: Jonathan Bowley , 17 Meadow Way, Fenny Compton, Southam CV47 2WD, E-mail: [email protected]

There are always a number of on-going surveys that PLANT SURVEYS people can help with. The contacts below are for the James Partridge is the BSBI (Botanical Society of ones we know about, but please let us know of others. Britain & Ireland) representative for Warwickshire, and helps local botanists to select new projects to WARWICKSHIRE, COVENTRY & SOLIHULL undertake and looks after the records held at BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN Warwickshire Museum. James can be contacted at 85 Action plans are being produced and implemented for a Willes Road, Leamington Spa CV31 1BS, E-mail: variety of habitats and species of importance, to [email protected] support both nationally set BAP targets and to address local needs and issues. Many organisations and THE BIG TREE HUNT OF WARWICKSHIRE, individuals are already involved – but if you would like to COVENTRY & SOLIHULL help, contact Steven Falk , Warwickshire Museum This is an attempt to catalogue all the tree species
01926 412481 or E-mail: growing in the sub-region, identify the most important [email protected] specimens (including veteran trees, Native Black The project has a web site at Poplars, mature elms and ‘County Champions’ of all www.warwickshire.gov.uk/biodiversity species, native and introduced), and also to identify the most important local tree collections. Linked to the WARWICKSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST RESERVES Tree Council, Ancient Tree Forum, Tree Register of The Wildlife Trust has a programme of systematic Britain & Ireland, Ancient Yew Group, Conservation monitoring and surveying of its reserves, using local Foundation, and Black Poplar Conservation Group. The experts and also uses this as an opportunity to run home page for the initiative, with downloadable reports, workshops to increase the number of local experts and is embedded within the RINGs web site : surveyors. If you would like to volunteer, contact www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rings Reserves Biodiversity Officer
024 7630 8993.

25 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

For more information contact: Steven Falk
01926 TREE WARDEN SCHEMES 412481, E-mail: [email protected] These Tree Council-supported schemes promote the links between local authority tree officers and local ONGOING BUTTERFLY SURVEYS volunteers (wardens) who can assist in the surveying, Butterfly transect work is always valuable. Contact planting and protection of trees - a chance to help Butterfly Conservation (see contact section below under shape the treescape of your local area. ButtCons ). • Stratford upon Avon District Contact:
01789 ONGOING MOTH SURVEYS 260613 A series of moth recording evenings are organised each • Solihull Borough Contact: Carol Henrick
0121 year by the Warwickshire Moth Group, often at sites 7058030 E-mail: [email protected] or JeanLaw
that require special permission to visit. See contact 0121 706 1356. section below (under Moths ). There is also an ongoing West Midlands Garden Moth Survey (which includes all of our sub-region) coordinated by Dave Grundy
0121 MUSEUM-BASED NATURAL HISTORY 446 5446, E-mail: [email protected] . EDUCATION RESOURCES WARWICKSHIRE ONGOING HERPTILE SURVEYS Warwickshire Museum provides a variety of natural Contact WART (see contact section below), who will also history activities, typically via the County Council’s be able to advise you if you wish to become a licenced Heritage Education division, based at St. John’s House. Great-crested Newt surveyor. These can involve field trips, museum visits/workshops, talks/lectures and limited loaning of specimens (the ONGOING BAT SURVEYS small loan collection is currently being expanded). For Contact the Warwickshire Bat Group (see Bats in more information contact Laura Pye or Rebecca Williams contact section below), who will also be able to advise
01926 412034, E-mail: you if you wish to become a licenced bat surveyor. [email protected] .

THE HABITAT BIODIVERSITY AUDIT (HBA) Heritage Education publishes regular leaflets (‘Lookout!’ And ‘Outlook’ for children and adults respectively) listing forthcoming events, which are available at local libraries, museums and from their web site: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/heritageeducation

COVENTRY The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum offers three natural science Key Stage 2 modules: Wonders of the Wild (habitats), Bags of Bones (bones & skeletons), Rock Starts (rocks),

The 90 minute modules are taught by museum staff at the museum with a charge of £3.50 per student and are based on collection items and activities. Teachers packs This amazing project, which has resulted in high quality can be downloaded from the website listed below. The computerised Phase 1 habitat information for modern Museum also features an ‘Elements’ gallery that can be Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, is now into it’s re- seen for free. For more information contact Robin survey phase. It is vital that we keep the information Johnson
024 7629 4786, up-to-date, and we are desperate for volunteer E-mail: [email protected] surveyors with basic botanical skills to assist. Contact: website: www.theherbert.org/learning
01926 412197.

For information on other potential surveys or projects, contact the relevant groups or experts listed below. The Museum will happily advise individuals wishing to initiate new surveys and projects.

26 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

CONTACT DETAILS FOR WARWICKHIRE, COVENTRY & SOLIHULL GROUPS AND ORGANISATIONS AND ANY MEETING ARRANGEMENTS (In alphabetical order by initials)

* AbbeyFields – Friends of Abbey Fields, carry out conservation activities at this attractive Kenilworth park which has a lake and old trees. Pat Smith
01926 852458. * Allesley – Allesley and Coundon Wedge Conservation Society. All meetings start at 7.45pm in Allesley Village Hall (only natural history related ones are listed in calendar). Andy Cobley, E-mail: [email protected] or Sheila Bennett , 12 Keresley Road, Coventry CV6 2JD. * AtherstoneNHS - Atherstone Natural History Society. Mrs Sue Naylor
01827 713726 indoor meetings 7:30pm every third Wed in Trinity Church, Coleshill Road, Atherstone. Non-members welcome. In addition to listed events, they also hold evening walks every Weds during summer months and Sunday walks on the first Sunday of every month – for more details contact John Walton
01827 712455. * AustyWood – Austy Wood holds an annual bluebell charity walk. Mr & Mrs Haimes
01564 792701. * BadgerGrp – Warwickshire Badger Group. Indoor meetings at Baginton Village Hall (near Coventry Airport) 7.30pm. Mike Hughes
01926 859456. Helpline
01564 785810. * BanburyOS - Banbury Ornithological Society. Monthly newsletter gives details of outdoor meetings and the conservation work parties which are held on the 3 rd weekend of the month from Sept to April. Indoor meetings 7.30pm at The Freemason’s Hall, Marlborough Rd, Banbury. Andy Turner
01295 720938, E-mail: [email protected] or Sandra Bletchly
01295 721048, E-mail: [email protected] . Web site: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/conservation/tucd04.htm * Bats - Warwickshire Bat Group. Hold meetings on first Monday of each month (except Bank Holidays when it is the next Monday) at the Virgins & Castle pub, High St., Kenilworth. Produce regular newsletter ‘The Echo’. Julia Waller
024 7644 9741 email: [email protected] . Web site: www.warksbats.co.uk * Beetles - The Coleopterists (beetle specialists). Steve Lane
E-mail: [email protected] . * BirminghamNHS - Birmingham Natural History Society. Indoor meetings 7.30pm Selly Oak Friends Meeting House, 930 Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, unless stated. Brian Perry
0121 472 5143. Entomological Section organises moth trapping in Edgbaston on last Thursday of each month, Roy Ledbury
0121 704 2322. Mycological Section ( BirminghamNHS Mycological ) holds regular meetings on Sundays (10.30 starts), David Antrobus
0121 422 8830. Web site: freespace.virgin.net/clare.h/bnhs.htm . * BPGS - British Plant Gall Society. County rep: John Robbins (Warwickshire representative) 123b Parkgate Rd, Coventry CV6 4GF
024 7658 1552. * BrandonWd – Friends of Brandon Wood. Carry out management and surveying of the wood. Fred Harper , 14 Ferndale Road, Binley Woods, Coventry CV3 2BG,
024 7654 2414. * BSBI - Botanical Society of the British Isles (Warwickshire Group). County rep: James Partridge , 85 Willes Road, Leamington Spa, CV31 1BS,
01926 427452, E-mail: [email protected] . * BSMCV – Birmingham and Solihull Midweek Conservation Volunteers. Regular work parties, usually on Thursdays. Dave Hackett
07969 172 195 or 01564 702 479 evenings and non-task days. * BTCV (WARW) - Warwickshire branch of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, who undertakes a variety of site management tasks. Minibus normally leaves at 9.30am from Arch 5, Bath Place, Leamington Spa. Contatc office for the latest listing of forthcoming events
01926 430574/07740 899584, E-mail: [email protected] . * BTCV(WM) – West Midlands Branch of the BTCV
0121 507 8380, E-mail: [email protected] . * BTO – British Trust for Ornithology. Carries out Common Bird Censuses etc. Warwickshire Rep - Covering Moreton in the Marsh, Stratford, Warwick, Leamington and Henley in Arden - Mark Smith , 2 Beaufell Close, Woodloes Park Warwick, CV34 5UG, E-mail: [email protected] . Birmingham Rep - Covering Kenilworth, Rugby, Coventry - Steve Davies , E-mail: [email protected] . Oxfordshire Rep - Covering Kineton, Fenny Compton and Gaydon - Frances Buckel , E-mail: [email protected] . * BurtonDassett – Burton Dassett Hills Country Park, runs regular events. Car park charge £1.50 per day. Information via Kingsbury Water Park
01827 872660, E-mail: [email protected] . * ButtConsWarks - Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire Group. Debbie Hibbitt
07814 035363, E-mail: [email protected] for membership, and Keith Warmington [email protected] for surveying. Web site: www.warwickshire-butterflies.org.uk . * ButtCons(WM) – Butterfly Conservation West Midlands Group. Organise many trips in the West Midlands and Welsh Marches. Dr Ian Duncan
01684 568415, E-mail: [email protected] . Web site: www.westmidlandsbutterflyconservation.org.uk

27 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

* BW(WM) – British Waterways, West Midlands Waterway, covers the majority of Warwickshire and is responsible for the Coventry Canal, Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, Ashby Canal, Grand Union Canal from Olton near Solihill to Napton Junction and the North and South Stratford canals. The ecologist working for this Unit is Paul Wilkinson who can be contacted at: British Waterways, Peels Wharf, Lichfield Road, Fazeley, Tamworth, Staffs. B78 3QZ,
01827 252000. * BW(SE) – British Waterways, South-east Unit, covers the east of the county, including the Grand Union Canal south of Napton Junction and the Oxford Canal. Their ecologists are Penny Foster and Hannah Graves , and can be contacted at: British Waterways, 510 - 524 Elder House Elder Gate Central Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK9 1BW
01908 302500. st * CanleyFord – Friends of Canley Ford, south Coventry. Carry out management tasks at this attractive site (10am on 1 Saturday of month) and organise regular events. Mrs G. Thompson
024 7667 7775. * Coleshill – Coleshill Natural History Society (defunct as of 2008). * Coombe CountryPark - Coombe Country Park Ranger Service. Run conservation tasks, walks, lectures, workshops at the Country Park, which has visitor centre, café etc.; also a fine fishery and bird hide overlooking important heronry. We have only featured their natural history-themed events in the diary. Visitor Services Manager Sam Dowdall , The Visitor Centre, Coombe Country Park, Binley near Coventry
024 7645 3720, E-mail: [email protected] . * CoventryND – Coventry Nature Detectives, the youth section of the CDNHS (annual membership £1.50). Jane Arnold
07800 603706. Web site: www.cdnhss.org.uk . * CoventryUrbanRangers –organise events and produce leaflet (‘Step out’) with event programmes (also covering Coombe Country Park). Contact: Michelle Tyrtania
024 7683 2720, E-mail: [email protected] . Collaborate with BTCV in woodland management. The City Council’s Woodlands Officer is Tim Rose
024 7683 2347. The City Council also operates a Countryside Project with limited volunteer & placement opportunities: Mike Murray
024 7683 1292. * Coventry&DNHS - Coventry & District Natural History and Scientific Society. Meetings 7.30pm at Friends Meeting House, Hill Street Coventry (£1 non members). Mrs P. Cooke , 12 Innis Rd, Earlsdon, Coventry
024 7667 6756. Web site: www.cdnhss.org.uk * CPRE – Council for the Preservation of Rural England (Warwickshire Branch).
01926 494597, E-mail: [email protected] . Web site: www.cprewarwickshire.org.uk * DobbiesWorld – Dobbies World, Nuneaton Road, Mancetter, garden centre with environmental visitor attractions: Plantasia, Maze World and Wild Walk (25acres of mixed habitats beside R. Anker plus a deer park). Regular events plus an Explorers Club you can join and facilities for school visits. For entry fees and opening hours
01827 713438. Web site: www,dobbiesworld.com * Dragonfly - Warwickshire Dragonfly Group (WWT/British Dragonfly Society Group) Peter Reeve
01926 632400, E-mail: [email protected] . Web site: www.reeve60.uklinux.net/wdg/ * FOSuttonPark – Friends of Sutton Park, carry out regular management tasks at the Park. Harvey Skelcher
0121 605 9823. * FWAG - Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (Warwickshire Office). Bob Slater , Tony Beysens, & Louise Pymm . FWAG, Warwickshire College, Moreton Morrell, Warwickshire CV35 9BL. Meetings and trips usually start at their Moreton Morrell College HQ unless stated.
01926 318280, E-mail: [email protected] . * Geology - Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group (WGCG). Indoor winter meetings at Senior Citizens Club, Southbank Road, Kenilworth 7.15pm. Martyn Bradley
01926 428835 for meetings. Web site: www.wgcg.co.uk . * HartshillHayes – Hartshill Hayes Country Park, runs regular events, visitor centre, trails etc. Car park charge £1.50 per day. Information via Kingsbury Water Park
01827 872660, E-mail: [email protected] . * HattonCountryWorld – home of Natural World Experience which organises a variety of environmental education events and has a Bug World and Shop. Telephone: E-mail: [email protected] . Web site: www.naturalworldexperience.com . * Hedgehog – British Hedgehog Preservation Society. Warwickshire contacts: Linda Clements
01926 843043 and Hogarth’s (Spikey’s) Hedgehog Rescue
01455 614 013 or 07748 265162 . * HenleyWS - Henley in Arden Wildlife Society. David Evason
01564 793260 Indoor meetings start at 7:45pm Baptist Church Hall. Outdoor meetings: meet at the Market Cross at 6.30pm. * TheHerbert – Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Jordan Well, Coventry CV1 5QP. Environmental educational and natural history exhibitions. No natural history staff. Web site: www.theherbert.org . * Heritage Ed. - Warwickshire Heritage Education (linked to Warwickshire Museum). Runs regular environmental education events for all age groups and have web site (see useful web sites section).
01926 412034, E-mail: [email protected] . Web site: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/heritageeducation .

28 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

* HillCloseGdns – Hill Close Gardens Trust. Oversees management and events at this beautiful area of Victorian pleasure gardens close to Warwick town centre. £3 entry at specified times and regular environmental events.
01926 493339, E-mail: [email protected] . Visit web site: www.hillclosegardens.com for opening times. * HinckleyNHS - Hinckley & District Natural History Society. Indoor meetings: the Methodist Church, Windsor Street, Burbage, 3rd Wed of each month 7.15-10pm. David Goldsmith
01455 613920, E-mail: [email protected] . * Kingfisher – Project Kingfisher. Organises work parties (Cole Valley Conservation Volunteers) for a 7-mile stretch of the Cole Valley in east Birmingham/Solihull. Project Kingfisher Rangers
0121 464 3131. * KingsburyWaterPark – Kingsbury Water Park, runs regular events, nature trails, hides, information centre, café, fishing etc. Car park charge £2.50 per day.
01827 872660, E-mail: [email protected] . Kingsbury Park volunteers meet every Friday at the Ranger workshops for a 9.30am start and undertake various habitat management and maintenance tasks. For further information contact Steve Kell or Rachel Hextall
01827 872660, mob: 0797 710278, E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] . * KnowleSociety - Knowle Society, undertake nature conservation – walks, talks & exhibitions in Knowle area. Leighton Jones
01564 773894. Web site: www.knowlesociety.org.uk . * KWG - Kingsbury Watch Group for youngsters. Meet Kingsbury Water Park once a month,
01827 872660, E-mail: [email protected] . * MarshLane – Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, near Balsall Common (SP2180). For information and permits, contact Nick Barlow , Packington Hall, Meriden, Warwickshire CV7 7HF. Web site: www.packingtonestate.net/marsh/frameset/frameset.htm . * MarketBosworth – Market Bosworth & District Natural History Society. Meet third Tuesday of the month in the Youth Wing of Market Bosworth Community College 7.30pm. Janet Sykes
01455 823832. Website hosted at: www.Leicestershirevillages.com/marketbosworth/naturalhistorysociety.html . * MiddletonHall – Middleton Hall Trust volunteers, carry out regular management of the diverse habitats of the Hall. Margaret Moore
01827 284641, E-mail: [email protected] , web site: www.middletonhalltrust.co.uk . * MiddletonLakes – see RSPB(Middleton) * MMorrell – Moreton Morrell College (part of Warwickshire College), who run short training events.
01926 318341/318347, E-mail: [email protected] . * Moths - Warwickshire Moth Group (now a sub-group the local Butterfly Conservation branch). Hold regular field meetings from spring to autumn and working on a new county atlas. David Brown Jacksons Lawn, 25 Charlecote, Warwick CV35 9EW,
01789 840295, mobile 07977 379330. Winter moth recording sessions are organised by Nigel Stone
024 7633 5189. There is also a Warwickshire Moths web chat group that you can join by E-mailing: [email protected] . * NaturalEngland – Natural England, Local Office is at Block B, Government Buildings, Whittington Road, Worcester WR5 2LQ. For nature conservation issues such as protected species and SSSIs contact Anton Irving
01295 768539, E-mail: [email protected] . For Environmental Stewardship schemes, contact
01905 363477 * NationalTrust – have a number of properties in our area including: Charlecote House, Upton House, Packwood House, Baddesley Clinton, Coughton Court and Farnborough Hall, with varying levels of ecological interest. Natural history events are arranged at some sites. Web site: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/placestovisit , also check out the websites for the various individual sites, which list any events several weeks in advance and give details of opening times. * NBB/TW – Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Tree Wardens
024 7637 6557. * NetherWhit acreNHG – Nether Whitacre & District Natural History Group. Barbara Smith
01675 462226. Indoor meetings in Whitacre Heath Church Hall (car park Station Rd ex-servicemen’s club) 2 nd Wed; 7:30pm (£1.50 adults) Outdoor meetings start at 7pm (£1 adults) – for information contact John Bates
01675 464479. * NorthWarksBC - North Warwickshire Borough Council, Leisure Services.
01827 719270. * NORWAG - NORWAG Wildlife Group (a wildlife group covering north Warwickshire). Meet 7:30pm Hatters Space Community Centre, Upper Abbey Street, Nuneaton. Produce regular newsletter ‘Northwords’. James Smith
024 7639 4512. * Nuneaton&BedworthBC - Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council Countryside Team. Outdoor meetings & volunteer projects. Parks & Countryside Team, Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council, St Mary’s Road Depot, St Mary’s Road, Nuneaton CV11 5AR. They produce a regular events guide and several walks leaflets. Helena Lidgate
02476 376052 or Matt Crossley
02476 376053, E-mail: [email protected] or

29 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

[email protected] . For events contact Jo Robinson
024 7637 6042. Web site: www.nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk/leisure-culture/countryside . * NuneatonBirdwatchers - Nuneaton & District Birdwatchers Club. Meet Thurs; 7:30pm at the Hatters Space, Abbey Green Road, Nuneaton. Field trips on Sun following indoor meetings. Produce regular newsletter ‘Vanellus’. Lloyd Lees
Lloyd Lees
024 7673 6381 , E-mail: [email protected] . * NWBC(ND) – North Warwickshire Borough Council ‘Nature Detectives’ (for 5 – 16 yr olds). Currently inactive. * Orthoptera - Warwickshire Grasshopper & Cricket (Orthoptera) Recording Group Peter Reeve
01926 632400, E- mail: [email protected] . * PooleyCountryPark – Pooley Fields Country Park & Heritage Centre runs regular events, heritage centre, café etc. Car park charge £1 per day. Information
01827 893438, E-mail: [email protected] . * RagleyHall – Ragley Hall near Alcester. Extensive historic park & gardens. Has an Education section that organises environmental events for children aimed at Key Stages 1 & 2 (e.g. trees, minibeasts, homes, habitats, woodland etc). There are also occasional bats walks etc for adults. Ross Barbour
07917 425664 or 01789 762090 ext 147, E- mail: [email protected] . Web site: www.ragleyhall.com/events . * RSPB(Midlands Region office) – 46 The Green, South Bar, Banbury, Oxon OX16 9AB. Kirsty Brannan
01295 253330, E-mail: [email protected] . * RSPB(C&W) - Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Coventry & Warwickshire Group). Indoor meetings at various venues in Coventry area (see Calendar for details), 7.30pm. Field meetings usually start from Cox Street, Coventry (members should bring RSPB membership cards to get free entry to RSPB reserves). Alan King
024 7672 7348. Non-members welcome at all events. * RSPB(Middleton) – Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Middleton Lakes Office and Reserve, Middleton Hall, Middleton, Tamworth, B78 2AE
01827 259 756. Garry Jones (Community Officer). Organise regular events and produce a newsletter ‘Middleton lake Messenger’; they also offer illustrated talks and group guided walks. * RSPB(Solihull) – Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Solihull Group). Indoor meetings in Oliver Bird Hall, near St. Alphege Church, Solihull 7.30pm (£2 for RSPB members, £2.50 for non-members). John Roberts
0121 7073101. * RSPB(WE) - Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Coventry & Warwickshire ‘Wildlife Explorers’ – formerly the Young Ornithologists Club) for youngsters. Indoor meetings in Finham Primary School, Green Lane, Coventry. Paul & Christine Rattle
02476 319843. * RugbyBC Rugby Borough Council. Contact Scott Ballard (Senior Parks Officer) for open space issues, E-mail: [email protected] . * RugbyNHS - Rugby Natural History Society. Meet at 7.30pm in the Rugby School Science Building (near Oak Street), Barby Road, Rugby. All field excursions start from here too. Paul Hodges
01788 522758. Web site: www.rnhs.btik.com . * RytonPools – Ryton Pools Country Park, runs regular events, including a WATCH group for youngsters, hide, fishing lake, information centre, coffee shop etc. Car park charge £1.50 per day.
024 7630 5592, E-mail: [email protected] . * SolihullMBC – Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Employ an Ecologist, Bernie Higgins
0121 7046589, a Local Nature Reserve Officer, Gary Farmer
0121 704 6537, a Ranger Service
0121 704 8472 and a Green Scheme, Dave Biss
0121 706 874. E:mail: [email protected] , [email protected] and [email protected] . Operate regular work parties in conjunction with SolihullCV, BSMCV, SolihullTW and Kingfisher . For general event enquiries
0121 704 8000. * SolihullCV – Solihull Conservation Volunteers. Work parties on two Sunday’s each month with transport provided from Solihull Railway Station. Eddie Fowler
0121 733 2236. st * SolihullTW –Solihull Tree Wardens. Meet 1 Sunday of each month in Lea Wood, Malvern Park. Alex Naylor
0121 7046390. * StratfButtFarm – Stratford Butterfly Farm, Swan’s Nest Lane, Stratford. Extensive collections of live butterflies, moths and other interesting invertebrates, plus some other wildlife. Education events.
01789 299288. Open daily - contact them for latest admission charges and opening hours. Web site: www.butterflyfarm.co.uk . * Stratford Greenway The Stratford Greenway & Milcote Picnic Area, near Stratford, has regular events. Information via Kingsbury Water Park
01827 872660, E-mail: [email protected] . * SuttonColdfield NHS - Sutton Coldfield Natural History Society. Produce a regular newsletter ‘Four Seasons’. Evening meetings in the Lounge, Fellowship Hall (rear entrance), South Parade, Sutton Coldfield 7.30pm. Dr. Peter Coxhead
0121 3535044, E-mail: [email protected] . Web site: www.spnh.scnhs.org.uk .

30 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

* SuttonPark - Sutton Park National Nature Reserve. A nationally important 2400 acre heathland within ‘Old Warwickshire’, with a Visitor Centre (Park Road) and lots of interesting countryside and wildlife events. For details contact Visitor Centre
0121 355 6370, Email: [email protected] . * SuttonPkFriends - Friends of Sutton Park Association, works closely with the Ranger Service with fortnightly Sunday work parties that meet at 10.30am. Harvey Skelcher
0121 605 9823, E-mail: [email protected] , web site: www.fospa.org . * UftonFields – Ufton Fields Nature Reserve, has regular events. Information via Kingsbury Water Park
01827 872660, E-mail: [email protected] . * WART - Warwickshire Amphibian & Reptile Team. Ian Jelley
024 7630 8993 E-email: [email protected] , web site: www.wartsoc.co.uk . * WarwickNHS - Warwick Natural History Society. All indoor meetings at the Friend’s Meeting House; 7:30pm, Warwick unless stated. Birdwatching trips on a Sunday unless stated. Barbara Cuttell
01926 843122. Visitors welcome. Web site: http://warkcom.net/wnhs . * WarwickUni – University of Warwick Dayschool events.
024 7657 3739 to book. * WBRC - Warwickshire Biological Records Centre (see also WMuseum and HAGAM ). Maintains biological data for the Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull sub-region. HQ at Warwickshire Museum. Warwickshire Ecology Unit
01926 418060. * WCP – Warwickshire Country Parks organise regular events at Burton Dassett Hills, Hartshill Hayes Country Park, Kingsbury Water Park, Pooley Fields Heritage Centre, The Stratford Greenway and, Ufton Fields Nature Reserve (see separate entries for each of these), and occasionally at other sites. Comprehensive listings of events (plus booking) can be obtained from Kingsbury Water Park
01827 872660, E-mail: [email protected]; also leaflets and booklets available from local libraries. Only the more nature-orientated events are listed in this newsletter. Web site: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/countryside . Volunteers welcome! * WGCG – see under Geology * Warwickshire Museum – Warwickshire Museum Service, Market Place, Warwick CV34 4SA. Holds regular environmental education events, has a permanent natural history display, biological collections, several natural historians/ecologists, the Warwickshire, Solihull & Coventry Biological Records Centre, an enquiry service and houses Warwickshire Heritage Education (see HeritageEd. entry) and various environmental projects. - Senior Keeper of Natural History : Steven Falk
01926 412481, E-mail: [email protected] . - Keeper of Geology : Jon Radley
01926 418182, E-mail: [email protected] . - Principal Ecologist : Dave Lowe (plus team)
01926 418076, E-mail: [email protected] . - Local Biodiversity Action Plan Coordinator (co-ordinates the Plan): Lisa Worledge
01926 412197, E-mail: [email protected] . - Biodiversity Project Manager (manages the two projects below): Currently vacant
01926 412197. - Habitat Biodiversity Audit GIS Officer (maintains digitised habitat data for the subregion): Ken Martin
01926 412197, Email: [email protected] . - Wildlife Sites Project Officer (helps designate important wildlife sites): Jonathan Bowley
01926 412197. Email: [email protected] . Museum web site: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/museum . * WarwickshireRCC – Warwickshire Rural Community Council. Encourages those living in the countryside to develop their communities, retain & improve services and strengthen the social structure of the County’s villages & small towns (often using wildlife projects to achieve this). Has a regular magazine ‘Country Matters’. Linda Ridgley
02476 217345, E-mail: [email protected] . * WMBC – West Midland Bird Club. This has several branches of which three (Birmingham, Solihull and Tamworth) are relevant to the Warwickshire sub-region. General enquiries about the club can be directed to: West Midland Bird Club , 147 Worlds End Lane, Quinton, Birmingham B32 1JX,
0121 421 3096, E-mail: [email protected] . The Club also operates a 23-hour (not 7-8pm) telephone hotline service to members. Web site: www.westmidlandbirdclub.com . * WMBC(Birmingham) - West Midland Bird Club (Birmingham Branch). Indoor meetings held at the Unitarian New Meeting, 31 Ryland St., Ladywood, Birmingham 7.30pm. Field meetings depart from Cambridge Street, Birmingham. Contact Ray Davies
0121 682 4375 or Sheila Bocock
0121 744 5169 for further details. E-mail: [email protected] . * WMBC(Solihull) – West Midland Bird Club (Solihull Branch). Indoor meetings are held in the New Lecture Rooms at Solihull College, Blossomfield Road 7.30 pm. Jim Winsper 32 Links Road, Hollywood, Birmingham B14 4TP, E-mail: [email protected] .

31 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

* WMBC(Tamworth) – West Midland Bird Club (Tamworth Branch). Indoor meetings are held on the third Friday of winter months (Oct-March) in the Phil Dix Centre, Corporation Street, Tamworth 7.30pm. E-mail: [email protected] . For more information about field meetings contact Barbara Stubbs
01827 57865. * WWT - Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, have over 50 reserves plus two visitor centres: Brandon Marsh Nature Centre , Brandon Lane, Coventry, CV3 3GW
024 7630 8999 and Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park , Warwick Road, Solihull
0121 704 0768. The visitor centres are open all days of the week and the Trust holds events at both centres plus their reserves and several local area groups in our area. These include guided walk ( GWalks ), staff-led conservation activities and events ( Cons ), reserve work parties ( Workparty ), children’s events ( Children ) and Brueton Park’s Nuts about Nature Club ( Nuts ), indoor talks & activities ( Indoor ) and the various area group events listed below under individual area groups. For information and booking of Brandon Marsh events
024 7630 8999, for guided walks
024 7630 8979, for Parkridge Centre events
0121 704 0768. Brandon Marsh E-mail: [email protected] . Entrance fee to Brandon Marsh Nature Centre – adults £2.50, children £1, family £6, concessionary £1.50, but members free. Entry to Brueton Park free. Tea rooms present at both. Their Conservation Activities and Events do not require booking, but contact reserve wardens (in Working Parties section earlier in this newsletter) to confirm if activity is still taking place. Web site: www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk . * WWT(AP) - Alvecote Pools Green Team. Carry out recording and management work at Alvecote Pools reserve. 10am, 2nd Sun in month. Sept – March. Recording sessions in winter and summer. Phil Thompson
024 7639 2170. * WWT(BMWP) - Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve Working Party. Work on reserve 9:30am onwards each Sunday Sept – March. Also some Thursdays include lectures. Ken Bond
024 7632 8785. * WWT(Central) - Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. Central Area Group. Howard Eccles
01926 858378. All indoor meetings in Jephson Room of Royal Spa Centre, L. Spa 7:30pm. £1. Group currently inactive, but watch this space. * WWT(Coventry) – Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Coventry Area Group. James Irvine
024 7641 0284. All meetings at Brandon Marsh Nature Centre. * WWT(Rugby) - Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Rugby Area Group. Indoor meetings currently suspended. The group still organises regular work parties for sites such as Ashlawn Cutting and Newton Cutting – contact Phil Parr
01788 578272. * WWT(SC) - Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. Sutton Coldfield Area Group. Meets in the Large Hall at Holy Trinity Church, Lichfield Road, Sutton Coldfield 7:30pm. Adults £2. Harvey Skelcher
0121 605 9823 and Ron Hawker
0121 354 2531 for outdoor events. * WWT(Stratford) - Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Stratford Area Group. Currently meets in Methodist Hall annexe, Old Town, Stratford 7.30pm. Adults £2.50. Tricia Scott
01789 731398. * WWT(Solihull) - Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Solihull Area Group. Occasional evening meetings 7:30pm WI Hall, Union Rd. Solihull; also occasional day-time talks and walks at The Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park. Adults £2, children 50p, visitors welcome. Anne Adams
0121 742 5288.

32 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

USEFUL WEB SITES (local groups and Nuneaton & Bedworth B.C.’s Countryside Team: www.nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk/leisure- organisations only) culture/countryside Ragley Hall events Banbury Ornithological Society: www.ragleyhall.com/events www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/conservation/tucd04.htm Rugby Natural History Society Birmingham & the Black Country Urban Wildlife www.rnhs.btik.com Trust: Steven Cheshire’s British Butterfly web site: www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/urbanwt/ (featuring much local info’ & photography): Birmingham Natural History Society: www.britishbutterflies.co.uk http://freespace.virgin.net/clare.h/bnhs.htm Steve Stroud’s Insect Images (mostly local): Birmingham Natural History Society (Mycological www.sstroud.co.uk Section: Stratford Butterfly Farm: http://freespace.virgin.net/william.moodie/wfs.htm www.butterflyfarm.co.uk British Trust for Ornithology (Warwickshire): Stretton on Fosse Parish Wildlife website: www.uk.geocities.com/btowarks/BTO.htm http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/phillclayton/index.htm Butterfly Conservation (and associated moth group), Sutton Coldfield Natural History Society: Warwickshire Branch: www.spnh.scnhs.org.uk www.warwickshire-butterflies.org.uk Sutton Park, The Friends Of: Butterfly Conservation (and associated moth group), www.fospa.org West Midlands Branch: The Natural History of Sutton Park web page: www.westmidlandsbutterflyconservation.org.uk www.telinco.co.uk/peter_coxhead/spnh Coventry & District Natural History & Scientific Ufton Fields web site: Society (and Coventry Nature Detectives): www.geocities.com/croglinuk/ www.cdnhss.org.uk Warwickshire Amphibian & Reptile Team: Coventry City Council: www.wartsoc.co.uk www.coventry.gov.uk Warwickshire Bat Group: CPRE, Warwickshire Branch www.warksbats.co.uk www.cprewarwickshire.org.uk Warwickshire Biodiversity Action Plan web site: DobbiesWorld, Mancetter: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/biodiversity www,dobbiesworld.com Warwickshire County Council Hams Hall Environmental Studies Centre www.warwickshire.gov.uk www.hamshall.bham.org.uk Warwickshire County Council – Country Parks: Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry www.warwickshire.gov.uk/countryside - for more www.theherbert.org. information about country parks and public rights of Heritage Education (Warwickshire County Council): way in Warwickshire www.warwickshire.gov.uk/heritageeducation Warwickshire Dragonfly Group: Hogarth’s (Spikey’s) Hedgehog Rescue www.reeve60.uklinux.net/wdg/ www.angelfire.com/comics/ hogarth _bernadette/Spikey Warwickshire Fungus Survey: sFP http://freespace.virgin.net/william.moodie/wfs.htm Jephson Gardens Trees (David Howells) Warwwickshire Geological Conservation Group: http://warkcom.net/live/cme2738.htm www.wgcg.co.uk Knowle Society: Warwickshire Museum: www.knowlesociety.org.uk www.warwickshire.gov.uk/museum Marsh Lane Nature Reserve (Packington Estate): Warwick Natural History Society: www.packingtonestate.net/marsh/frameset/frameset.h http://warkcom.net/wnhs tm Warwickshire Wildlife Trust: Middleton Hall Trust www.warwickshire-wildlife-trust.org.uk www.middletonhalltrust.co.uk West Midland Bird Club: National Trust (guide to local properties) www.westmidlandbirdclub.com www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/placestovisit Wild Warwickshire web site (operated by Mark Smith, Natural World Experience: BTO, but featuring a variety of wildlife and useful www.naturalworldexperience.com links): www.wildwarwickshire.co.uk North Warwickshire Borough Council: www.Northwarks.gov.uk

33 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

WHERE TO SEND YOUR SITE AND 5. Bees (not honey bees) • Steven Falk , Senior Keeper of Natural History, SPECIES DATA AND SEEK EXPERTISE Warwickshire Museum, Market Place, Warwick CV34 4SA. E-mail: [email protected] . 6. Beetles • Steve Lane , Keeper of Natural History, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Jordan Well, Coventry CV1 5QP (wants any site lists for Coventry),
024 7678 5313, E-mail: [email protected] . 7. Birds • For Warwickshire contact: Jonathan Bowley , 17 Meadow Way, Fenny Compton, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 2WD, E-mail: warks- [email protected] . • For West Midlands, contact: Kevin Clement , 26 Hambrook Close, Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton West Midlands WV6 0XA E-mail: west-mids- [email protected] . Toby Woodhams, County Mammal Recorder • The West Midland Bird Club also operates an evening telephone hotline service to members. 1. Site lists 8. Black Poplars (subspecies betulifolia ) • Dave Lowe , Principle Ecologist, Warwickshire • Steven Falk (see bees) Museum Field Services, The Butts, Warwick CV34 9. Bugs 4SS (wants any Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull • Steve Lane (see 5. Beetles) except aphids site lists going). Fax: 01926 418076. E-mail: • Aphids: John Robbins , 123b Parkgate Road, Coventry [email protected] . CV6 4GF. • Gina Rowe , Director of Conservation, Warwickshire 10.Butterflies Wildlife Trust, Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, • Keith Warmington , 30 New Street, Baddesley Brandon Lane, Coventry CV3 3GW (wants site lists Ensor, Atherstone CV9 2DW,
01827 715873 or E- for WWT reserves only). E-mail: mail: [email protected]. [email protected] . 11. Dragonflies • Peter Reeve The Outspan, Leamington Hastings, Nr In addition to the above, your species data should be Rugby CV23 8DZ,
01926 632400, E-mail: sent to the taxonomic recorders within the following [email protected] . list: 12.Mature Elms • Steven Falk (see 4. Bees) 2. Ants 13. Flies • Marion Cornforth, E-mail: [email protected] • Steven Falk (see 4. Bees) - or send paper records to Steven Falk at • but gall midges and agromyzid records (indeed any Warwickshire Museum. records of galls or mines) to John Robbins , 123b 3. Badgers Parkgate Road, Coventry CV6 4GF. • Warwickshire Badger Group, Ian Scott , 25 14. Fungi Hermitage Way, Kenilworth CV8 2DU • Bert Brand , 14 Bishopton Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon • Dave Lowe (see 1. Sites lists) CV37 9JN. (Both the above parties swap data regularly but the 15. Grasshoppers & Crickets legal status of badgers means that it is important that • Peter Reeve The Outspan, Leamington Hastings, Nr both parties have up-to-date data-sets) Rugby CV23 8DZ,
01926 632400, E-mail: 4. Bats [email protected] . • Warwickshire Bat Group, c/o George Burton , 16. Herptiles (reptiles and amphibians) Melrose, North Street, Marton, Rugby CV23 9RJ. E- • WART, c/o Ian Jelley , c/o Warwickshire Wildlife mail: [email protected]. Trust, Brandon Marsh Nature Centre, Brandon Lane, • Dave Lowe (see sites) Coventry CV3 3GW. E-mail: [email protected] . (It is important that both parties have up-to-date • Records can be E-mailed to WART using forms at: information on bat roosts, which are legally protected) www.wartsoc.co.uk/asurvey.html for amphibians and • For injured bats contact Susie Duke
01564 www.wartsoc.co.uk/rsurvey.html for reptiles. 782612

34 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

• Dave Lowe (see 1. Site lists) should be informed of • Natural England, Worcester , contact Anton Irving , any Great-crested Newt colonies, which receive legal
01295 768539. protection • Warwickshire Wildlife Trust – Gina Rowe and 17. Lichens colleagues (see 1. Site lists). • John Walton , Lichen Recorder c/o Warwickshire • Solihull Borough Council Ecologist – Bernie Higgins , Museum (address as for Steven Falk) see in Contact Details section (SMBC ). 18. Mammals • Other local authority Ecologists – non currently, • Toby Woodhams c/o Warwickshire Museum but should any appear, we will list their contact (address, E-mail and fax as for Steven Falk) details here. maintains files for all species and exchanges data • Canals – Paul Wilkinson ,
01827 252000, E-mail: with the badger and bat groups paul.wilkinson@britishwaterways. • Rivers and Otters Project , c/o Pete Sanders , • Agri-environment schemes (e.g. Entry Level & Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Brandon Marsh Nature Higher Level) – Natural England (RDS), Centre (see sites) requires data for Otters and Worcester or FWAG see Contact Details section Water Voles. above. • Linda Clements
01926 843043 or Ann Wills
28. Environmental Education Centres 01926 427811 for hedgehog enquiries • Brandon Marsh Nature Centre (Warwickshire 19. Mosses Wildlife Trust) -
024 7630 2912. • Michael Senior , 26 Hasilwood Square, Stoke, • Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park (Warwickshire Coventry CV3 1GH. Wildlife Trust) -
0121 704 0768. 20. Moths • Coombe Countryside Park -
024 7645 3720, E- • David Brown , Jacksons Lawn, 25 Charlecote, mail: [email protected] . Warwick CV35 9EW,
01789 840295 (macro-moths • Hams Hall Environmental Studies Centre – only). E.ON.UK, Hams Hall Distribution Park, Coleshill B46 • Nigel Stone , 8 Grove Lane, Keresley End, Coventry 2PR. Martin Wheeler
01675 475 939, E-mail: CV7 8PNE-mail: [email protected] [email protected] . (micro-moths only) • Kingsbury Water Park, Ryton Pools and other 21. Plants (flowering ones) County Council Country Parks -
01827 872660. • James Partridge , 85 Willes Road, Leamington Spa, E-mail: [email protected] . CV31 1BS,
01926 427452, E-mail: • Springfield Study Centre – Temple Balsall, contact [email protected] . Head of Centre, Springfield Study Centre, 22. Snails and Slugs Kenilworth Road, Knowle, West Midlands B93 OAJ. • Jeff Brown , Mollusc Recorder c/o Warwickshire
01564 779741, E-mail: Museum (address as for Steven Falk). [email protected] . 23. Spiders • Warwickshire Heritage Education – St John’s • Richard Wright , 70 Norman Road, Rugby, CV21 1DN House, Warwick CV34 4NF.
01926 412034, E- 24.Springtails mail: [email protected] . • Keith Brocklehurst , E-mail: 28. AGENDA 21 Officers - these officers are [email protected] employed by several local authorities to promote 25. Trees environmental awareness and sustainability • General tree identification enquiries can be sent to • Coventry : Chris Thomas
024 7683 2279, E-mail: Steven Falk (see 4. Bees) [email protected] . • Concerns about tree felling, TPO issues etc should • North Warwickshire Borough : Julie Taylor
01827 be directed to local authority tree 719437, E-mail: [email protected] . officers/arboricultural officers • Nuneaton & Bedworth : Dawn Ford
024 7637 26. Wasps 6448, E-mail: dawnford@nuneaton- • Steven Falk (see 4. Bees) (aculeate ones only - not bedworthbc.gov.uk . ichneumons or other parasitica). Wasp nest problems • Rugby District : Stephen Marks
01788 533827, E- should be directed to your local environmental mail: [email protected] . health department. • Solihull Borough : Dave Biss
0121 704 6874, E- • John Robbins (see flies) gall wasps only. mail: [email protected] . 27. Nature Conservation expertise • Stratford District : position vacant • County Ecologists (Warwickshire County Council • Warwick District : Jenny Sansom
01926 456067, Ecology Unit) - Dave Lowe & colleagues (see 1. Site E-mail: [email protected] . lists). • Warwickshire County : position vacant. 29. Illegal activities

35 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

• PC Craig Fellows (Wildlife Liaison Officer, based at Leek Wootton)
01926 415000 (for suspected badger baiting, disturbance of nesting birds, bats, great-crested newts or illicit shooting/killing of wildlife). 30. Injured, orphaned or lost hedgehogs • Hogarth’s (Spikey’s) Hedgehog Rescue
01455 614 013 or 07748 265162 31. Geology • Dr Jon Radley , Keeper of Geology, Warwickshire Museum
01926 412481, E-mail: [email protected] . 32. Anything Else • Direct to Steven Falk , Warwickshire Museum, Market Place, Warwick CV34 4SA who will place/attach the records to the relevant files or contact any further county recorders or appropriate experts.
01926 412481, E-mail: [email protected]

NB If you are sending a species list to more than one person, please note this on the list so that the recipients do not end up copying the lists for others that already have them. If there is any confusion, contact me (Steven Falk , Warwickshire Museum).

Fancy becoming a county recorder? There are still groups with no current recorders and other groups for which extra help is required. Contact Steven Falk or any of the above recorders if you wish to lend your support to biological recording in Warwickshire, Coventry or Solihull.

36 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

BIBLIOGRAPY OF KEY • The Coventry District – A Naturalist’s Guide by Coventry & District Natural History & Scientific WARWICKSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY Society (1960). BOOKS AND JOURNALS • The Nature of Warwickshire edited by Andy Tasker (1990). Warwickshire Nature ConservationTrust/Barracuda Books ISBN 0 86023 473 8. • The Victoria History of the counties of England – Warwickshire (1904). OOP, viewable at County Records Office. • The Warwickshire Countryside – an ecological evaluation by Pamela Copson & Jane Mitchell (1980). Warwickshire Museum. £10. • Warwickshire Landscape Guidelines (3 Volumes) by Warwickshire County Council & Countryside Commission (1993). Warwickshire County Council. • West Midlands Regional Biodiversity Audit. West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership (2001). • Natural Areas in the West Midlands Region. English Nature (1999). ISBN 1 85716 453 9. • Woods, Wolds and Groves: the woodland of medieval Warwickshire by Sarah Wager (1998). British Archaeological Reports, No. 269. ISBN 1 84058 002 X.

In addition to the above, a variety of local nature conservation strategies, water catchment strategies and planning documents such as the County Structure Plans, Unitary Development Plans and Local Plans can be viewed at Warwickshire Museum.

Habitat-specific • Grassland Inventory - Warwickshire. English David Brown, author of the Larger Moths of Warwickshire Nature (1995).

• Grassland Inventory – West Midlands. English OOP – Out of Print, but copies are viewable at the Nature (1996). Warwickshire Museum unless otherwise stated. • Inventory of Ancient Woodland (Provisional) –

Warwickshire. Nature Conservancy Council (1985) * prefix - can be purchased directly from Warwickshire OOP. Museum. • The Lowland Heathland Inventory. English Nature &

RSPB (1996). General books and reports • West Midlands Inventory of Ancient Woodlands by • Discovering wild Warwickshire – A guide to local Lean & Robinson (1989). Nature Conservancy Council nature reserves. Warwickshire Wildlife Trust OOP. (2007). ISBN 978-1-874357-34-6.

• Exploring Warwickshire’s Wild Places by Linda Plants and fungi Barnett and Craig Emms (1998). S.B Publications. • A New Checklist of the Flora of Warwickshire by ISBN 1 85770 160 7. Copson, Partridge & Roberts. Warwickshire • Guidance for the selection of Non-Statutory Sites Publications informal report, 2007. of Importance for Nature Conservation in • A Computer-Mapped Flora – A Study of the County Warwickshire. WCC, English Nature & WWT (1998). of Warwickshire by Cadbury, Hawkes & Readett • Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation in (1971). Academic Press. OOP. Coventry by Steven Falk and Ali Glaisher (2000). • A Fungus Flora of Warwickshire edited by Malcolm Coventry City Council. Clark (1980). British Mycological Society. ISBN 0 • Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation in the 903130 05 X. OOP? West Midlands by Andrews, Box & Douse (1989). Nature Conservancy Council, Shrewsbury. OOP. 37 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

• The Flora of Warwickshire – The Flowering Plants, • *Centipedes by Pam Copson (1991). Warwickshire Ferns, Mosses & Lichens by James Bagnall (1891). Museum Benchmark Atlas. 25p + 30p p&p. OOP. • *Orthopteroids (grasshoppers, cockroaches & • *Gall Inducing Fungi by John Robbins (1995). earwigs) by Pam Copson (1984, updated by John Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. 75p + 40p Paul and Darren Mann, 1995) Warwickshire p&p. Museum Benchmark Atlas. 50p + 30p p&p. • *Lichens by John Walton (1993). Warwickshire • *The True Bugs of Warwickshire by John Price Museum Benchmark Atlas. £1.50 + 60p p&p. (1997). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. • *Stoneworts by Mary Burgoine (1991). £2 + 60p p&p. Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. 50p + 30p • *Jumping Plantlice and General Introduction to p&p. Warwickshire Gall Inducers by John Robbins • *Plants Galled In Warwickshire by John Robbins (1997). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. (1995). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. £1.20 + 50p p&p. £1.50 + 60p p&p. • *Aphids by John Robbins (1995). Warwickshire • A Catalogue of the trees of Warwickshire, Museum Benchmark Atlas. £2 + 60p p&p. Coventry and Solihull by Steven Falk (2006 draft). • *An Atlas of Warwickshire Beetles by Steve Lane, Warwickshire Museum, available on line through the Richard Wright and Trevor Forsyth (2002). RINGs web site (click on ‘The Big Tree Hunt’). It Herbert Art Gallery & Museum/Warwickshire will be updated periodically with possible formal Museum £12.50 + £3 p&p. (replaces all the publication in the near future. following beetle titles) • Provisional Checklist of the Beetles of Warwickshire by Steve Lane (1998, revised 1999). Lepidoptera Warwickshire Museum. OOP. • Warwickshire’s Butterflies, Their Habitats and • Ground Beetles by Trevor Forsyth (1997). Where to Find Them by Keith Warmington and Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. OOP. Margaret Vickery (2003). Warwickshire Branch of • Click Beetles by Steve Lane (1995). Warwickshire Butterfly Conservation. ISBN 0 9544701 0 9. Museum Benchmark Atlas. OOP. • The Larger Moths of Warwickshire by David Brown • Leaf Beetles by Steve Lane (1995). Warwickshire (2006). Atropos. ISBN 0-9551086-1-6 Museum Benchmark Atlas. OOP. • Brownfield sites of conservation importance for • Weevils and Bark Beetles by Dean Warren & Steve butterflies and moths in the West Midlands by Lane (1996). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Jane Ellis (2006). Butterfly Conservation report Atlas. OOP. S06-09. • Longhorn Beetles by Steve Lane (1996). • Lepidoptera of the Midland (Birmingham Plateau) – Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. OOP. A Concise History 1890 – 1990 by John Price • Jewel Beetles, Soldier Beetles, Glow-worms and (1992/3). Proceedings of the Birmingham Natural Net-winged Beetles by Steve Lane (1996). History Society, Vol. 26 (Numbers 3 & 4) Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. OOP. • *Lepidoptera of Warwickshire Part 3 (Smaller • Cleroidea and Heteromera Beetles by Steve Lane Moths) by John Robbins (1992). Warwickshire (1998). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. Museum Benchmark Atlas. £9 + £3 p&p. OOP. • *Notes on Studying the Smaller Moths by John • *Hoverflies by Adam Wright (1988, with 2000 & Robbins (1992). Warwickshire Museum. 80p + 30p 2004 update by Steven Falk). Warwickshire p&p. Museum Benchmark Atlas. £1.20 + 50p p&p. • *The Lepidoptera of Warwickshire Parts 1&2 by • *Fleas by Bob George (1991). Warwickshire Roger Smith & David Brown (1987). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. 50p + 30p p&p. Museum Benchmark Atlas. OOP. • *Miscellaneous Gall-inducing Organisms by John • Lepidoptera of Warwickshire 1900 – 1995 An Robbins (1995). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Historical Summary by Roger Smith (1998). Atlas. £1.20 + 50p p&p. Warwickshire Museum. OOP. • *Gall Wasps by John Robbins (1994). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. 60p + 30p p&p. Other insects and invertebrates • *Gall Midges by John Robbins (1995 updated in • *Slugs and Snails by Monica Walton (1994). 2001). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. £1.20 + £1.20 + 50p p&p. 50p p&p. • *Pseudoscorpions by Pam Copson (1991). • *Millipedes by Pam Copson (1991). Warwickshire Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. 25p + 30p Museum Benchmark Atlas. 25p + 30p p&p. p&p.

38 Wildlife News in Warwickshire Coventry & Solihull, May 2009 ______

• *Harvestmen by Pam Copson (1991). Warwickshire Warwickshire Museum, the County Record Office Museum Benchmark Atlas. 25p + 30p p&p. and Coventry Central Library. • *Spiders by Richard Wright (1991). Warwickshire • A Natural History of Sutton Park an ever-growing Museum Benchmark Atlas. £1.20 + 50p p&p. series of booklets available from the Sutton • *Gall Mites by John Robbins (1994, revised 1977). Coldfield Natural History Society. Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. 80p + 30p p&p. In addition to the above, there are a good number of • *Leafminers by John Robbins (1992). Warwickshire Environmental Impact Assessment reports, unpublished Museum Benchmark Atlas. £8 + £2.50 p&p. site survey reports, management plans and other site- • *All Galls Pack (8 provisional atlases by John specific information and literature within the biological Robbins). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. record centres at Warwickshire Museum and Coventry £9 + £3.50 p&p. Museum, and the offices of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. Publications for various fly groups, bees and wasps are currently in preparation. Local Journals Available from the organisations cited, usually via Birds membership subscription, but sometimes purchasable • The New Birds of the West Midlands by Graham & separately. They generally cover a wide range of natural Janet Harrison (2005). West Midland Bird Club. history subjects at varying levels of scientific depth. ISBN 0-9507881-1-2-0. £39. • Warwickshire Wildlife , magazine of the • A Checklist of the Birds of the West Midlands by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, produced 3 times per the West Midland Bird Club, available from year. Warwick Museum, 50p + 30p p&p • Proceedings of the Birmingham Natural History • The Birds of the West Midlands by Graham Society (formerly Natural History and Philosophical Harrison et. al. (1982). West Midland Bird Club. Society). ISBN 0 9507881 0 4. • Proceedings of the Coventry and District Natural • The New Birds of The Banbury Area edited by T.G. History and Scientific Society. Easterbrook (1994). Banbury Ornithological • Warwick Natural History Society Annual Report. Society. ISBN 0 9500216 3 6. • West Midland Bird Club Annual Report • Bird of the Banbury Area 1972 – 1981 edited by • Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve Annual Report T.G. Easterbrook (1983). Banbury Ornithological (available from Ken Bond of the volunteer group) Society. • Birds of Shustoke Reservoirs, North Warwickshire In addition to the above, most of the societies and 1970 - 1997 by Brian Kingston. Chris Kington clubs in our region produce regular informal Publishing. newsletters.

Other vertebrates • Amphibians and Reptiles of Warwickshire by Jan Clemons (1998). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. 90p + 35p p&p. • The Mammals of Warwickshire by Toby Woodhams (1999). Warwickshire Museum Benchmark Atlas. £1.20 + 40p p&p. • Warwickshire Dormouse Survey by Stefan Bodnar (2000). English Nature (unpublished report)

Specific Sites/Areas • Stratford-Upon-Avon. A Flora and Fauna by John M. Price (2002). Gem Publishing. ISBN 0 906802 09 1. £13. • Where Peacocks Pace – A Natural Historians Guide to Warwick by Mark Smith (2008). Authorhouse. • The Historical Ecology of the Woods of Binley, Warwickshire – Ph.D. Thesis by David Morfitt

(2000). Coventry University. A CD viewable at

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