newsletter NO 93 wintER 2017 Newsletter Editor: Linda Tagg 3, Carpenter Way, Potters Bar, EN6 5PZ Tel: 01707 656 715 email: [email protected] GROUP LEADER’S COMMENTS by Ian Sharp I have now completed my first year as Group Leader and it is only by attending In committee meetings that I have seen how much other members contribute, making my role much easier than it might have been. The advice and support from other this committee members has been invaluable. In June, we were delighted that Drew Lyness, the RSPB Eastern England Local Groups Issue and Volunteering Support Officer, presented Bruce Bennett with a 20 year long-service News award. Bruce has volunteered tirelessly over that time, being an active committee Group Leaders Comments……….1 member, membership recruiter, given many talks and always supported Group events. Announcement……………….…...2 RSPB AGM & Members’ Day…....2 Members enjoyed a Group holiday at the Aigas Field Centre in Scotland at the end of 40th Anniversary Celebrations….10 April, and you will find a report summarising the trip further on. Say ‘Yes’ to the RSPB…………..…2 Forthcoming Events…………...….2 We continue to support local events, 100 Club & Application Form…..12 running a stall at the Potters Bar Carnival in June and another at the Group Activities RSPCA Southridge Fun Day in July. Local Outing Reports………...…...2 Promoting nature and the RSPB at Coach Outings……………..….…..3 these events encourages new Local Bird Report………………....6 members and raises vital funds for Group Holiday, Scotland………...8 the RSPB. This relies heavily on the support of Group members who give Notices up their Sunday, set up a colourful Local Group Website…………….12 stall and enthusiastically engage Potters Bar carnival. Young footballers fascinated as John Newsletter Copy Date………...…12 with anyone who comes within its Rowley dissects an owl pellet to reveal its dinner Keeping in Touch……………..….12 range. The Data Protection Act…………12 This year the Group marked its 40th anniversary with celebratory cakes at the June Advertisements Wednesday and Friday meetings plus a well-attended boat trip along the River Lee in Minuteman Press….……………...5 July. There is more about this, plus some photographs, later in the Newsletter. Covers Outdoor Store…….……...11 The Outings team have continued to meet and as well as organising Sunday coach trips, Group Website: are planning two weekend trips in 2018, to Somerset in February and possibly Suffolk in www.rspb.org.uk/groups/ October. Watch this space! pottersbarandbarnet or just search for Potters Bar and Barnet RSPB Another of our unsung heroes is Gordon Daniels who looks after several pin badge boxes scattered about shops and cafés in Barnet and Potters Bar. Pin badges are very The Royal Society popular and Gordon regularly updates the stocks of pins, banking the donations. It is for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is surprising how those £1 coins add up. Between April and October this year, Gordon a registered charity: has collected £600, despite two boxes being stolen from local cafés. England and Wales no. 207076, Scot- Our Eastern region raised an amazing £117,912 last year, contributing nationally to a land no. SC037654 total of over £921,000. Quite amazing. Any advertisements enclosed with So, summer seems to have passed by more quickly than ever, but every season has its this newsletter are not specifically beauty so do enjoy the nature that autumn and winter bring us. endorsed by the RSPB or the Potters Bar & Barnet Local Group Local outing reports: by Mark and Cilla Mead 6 August Six people including Mark went to Rye Meads 3 June Birds seen: green and common sandpiper, whitethroat, chiff Three people, (including Mark and our youngest son Peter chaff, willow warbler, garganey. Mark), went to Tring. Birds seen: pied wagtail, yellow 3 September wagtail and grey wagtail- all Unfortunately no outing due to Mark being together. To add to that an array of unwell. warblers. Above us were buzzard, red kite 1 October and a wonderful number of swifts. Four people came along to brave the rain Swift in flight RSPB( Images) which never really materialised, in fact it 4 July was quite pleasant as we walked Rainham A group of four enjoyed a lovely morning walk around Marsh. Heartwood Forest. Not a long list, but we did manage Kingfisher (RSPB Images) Birds seen: yellow hammer, reed bunting, goldfinch and kingfisher and peregrine both sitting linnet; above red kite. birds and good scope views. Also some nice early pintails, Many butterflies: ringlet, marbled white, and gatekeeper. and a few waders including ruff and snipe. Overall numbers were a little low probably due to the active peregrine, but all in all a very nice morning. RSPB AGM AND MEMBERS’ DAY 7Oct 2017 accompanied by audio/visual presentations. Stuart by Joy Rowley Housden, retiring as Director for Scotland, related successes of reserves north of the Border. Work with children and Having enjoyed the afternoon talks at the AGM a couple of families in South Wales has been well received - this is a years ago we decided to go for the full day this year and priority area for the RSPB nationally. Nearer to home we experience an AGM. We met up with two other Committee learned of the work with Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in members at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster. the Ouse washes to conserve the black-tailed godwit. How The Annual Report and Accounts were formally presented. habitat enhancement, tracking birds on migration, and The society has had a 3% yearly growth in members and the rearing chicks in captivity is helping to boost the population. highest ever income. Questions from the floor were ably The say ‘YES’ campaign (see below) was explained to us, responded to by several RSPB staff. Professor Steve and is vital to funding future projects. Ormerod has been succeeded as chair of Council by Kevin Cox, who has worked for the World Land Trust; other new The last talk was on a new and different RSPB reserve – Council members were declared. Later that morning several Sherwood Forest - an opportunity to bring nature dedicated volunteers received President’s awards; the RSPB conservation to a whole new and large, audience. The visitor Medal was presented to the widow of Dick Potts for his centre is due to open next year. work on the requirements of farmland birds. The Members’ Day was well organized, informative and inspiring. Next year’s event will be at the same venue We enjoyed a good lunch after which we could look around the displays by RSPB departments and spend a little money (Queen Elizabeth II Centre), on 20 October 2018. The members’ weekend (6- 8 April 2018), is also highly in the shop. The afternoon was devoted to talks recommended. As a result of new legislation The RSPB needs each member’s formal permission to be able contact us in future, for appeals and campaigns. So please, if you have not already done so, complete the form in writing, or on line, or by telephone to the RSPB. It is vital to their future projects for Giving Nature a Home. Details of how to say ‘Yes’ are in the front of your Nature’s Home (Winter 2017) magazine. ALAN JOHNSON AND JOHN SCIVYER We are sorry to report that both of these longstanding and supportive members have recently died. Alan was a keen walker and a member of the Cheshunt Natural History Society. John was also a keen naturalist and at one time was the warden at Fir and Pond Woods reserve. We offer our condolences to both Molly and Doreen. 2 COACH OUTINGS by Elaine Eyles unfortunately inland, although woodland gave shelter en route Weeting Heath and Lakenheath Sunday 28 May to the Bittern Tower Hide and the Island Mere Route. We were pleased to welcome three people who had not been on Following the year’s hottest days so far and then some welcome a trip before and guide then round and help with identification. rain, we had an easy run, (by avoiding the Bank Holiday traffic RSPB volunteer guides were also on hand to point out the likely at Duxford), to a welcome cuppa at Brandon then quickly onto places for wildlife sightings and we learnt about the insects Weeting Heath (Norfolk Wildlife Trust). using the sandy soil to This area has the best habitat to see the stone curlew and luckily burrow and breed, such for us a young birder with a scope had located a bird with chick, as the jewel wasp and across the fields beyond the reserve (out of range of binoculars). female bee-wolf wasps. After enjoying this treat we had time to sit in the two hides and All thoroughly enjoyed walk the area around the visitor centre. the day, birds and their At the West Hide swifts were flying—inside the hide as well as offspring giving plenty out, their skill was spectacular. Red-legged partridge sauntered of activity to watch. The by and a skylark called. From East Hide a distant perched bird count: 67 species: buzzard and muntjac deer were spied. Through the shade of including marsh harrier, the pine tree woodland, we heard songs of gold crest, long- avocet, black tailed tailed tit and mistle thrush with young. A few of us saw yellow godwit, shelduck, swallow, View over Minsmere hammer and kestrel. sand martin, reed and sedge warbler, linnet, greenfinch, Lakenheath RSPB Reserve Mediterranean gull, Sandwich and common tern, kittiwake, We arrived around 12.30pm and picnicked before exploring the barnacle goose, gadwall, shoveler; swallows and bittern flying, trails and the footpath by the River Little Ouse.