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Members' area

Spring 2008

Happy New Year to all our members!

We look forward to sharing more wildlife successes with you in 2008 – read about them first on your very own page!

Quote of the month

The last leaves measure our years; they are gone as the days are gone, and the bare branches silently speak of a new year, slowly advancing to its buds, its foliage and fruit.

Richard Jefferies 1880

Future events at Willsbridge Mill – put them in your diary NOW!

All events are at Willsbridge Mill, Willsbridge Hill.Longwell Green.

Wednesday 20 February 2008

Spring Quest

Willsbridge Mill
10-12.30pm & 1.30-4.00pm

Follow the trail round Willsbridge Valley and see it springing into life and colour. Help us to make shadow puppets for a spectacular spring puppet show!

Children £4 Adults free

Stepping through time

Willsbridge Mill
2-5pm

Event to launch new geology trail. Travel back in time to find out how the rock was formed beneath our feet. Packed with geological goodies. Rock buns and swamp soup in the café.

Free Entry

architect's plan © APG

Folly Farm - nearly there!

Even the incessant rain of the past days can’t disguise the fact that Folly Farm is looking fantastic! The stonework almost glows with its careful restoration, the new areas around the reception area are just about complete…more

Man of the moors
James Field, our North Somerset Levels and Moors Officer has sent in a poem by one of the farmers he works with on the Levels, called "Born of the Moor" and it paints a really evocative picture of the North Somerset Levels and Moors. The farmer wishes to remain anonymous but we are delighted that he’s let us share his poem wiith our members...more

Ever wondered who we are and what we do? more

orange tip © Mike Dimery

Free to a good home!
Copies of beautifully illustrated Trust Nature Reserve Guides packed full of fascinating information for the following sites

Avonmouth
Brandon Hill
Stockwood Open Space
Tucking Mill
Plus Burrington Combe

Send SAE to 32 Jacobs Wells Road, Bristol BS8 1DR - 33p for one, 49p for all five

Web exclusive - Capture a butterfly!
As part of our recognition of the importance of our membership we're always on the look out for special offers and opportunities - and now you can download these FREE screensavers or send an e-card - see here...

Special permission!
As a Trust member you can get closer to wildlife on several of our reserves where access is restricted because of their sensitivity or for health and safety reasons, by applying for a permit... more

Charity flowers direct
Thinking of sending someone flowers, why not use Charity Flowers and help the Trust too!... more

Wildlife gardening for everyone This is a new compendium of answers to over 200 need-to-know questions about cultivating wildlife in your garden, written by experts from the Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Horticultural Society. more

Wildlife walks for sale! Snap up a bargain that you won't want to be without this year - this guide tells you where to find the best Wildlife Trust sites in the UK. Wildlife Walks features full location details of each reserve, detailed maps of the sites and easy-to-follow wildlife descriptions. more

Species sightings and more...

Our Reserves Team noticeboard included the following sightings.

Hare and snipe at Puxton Moor, together with a flock of starlings

Water rail at Littleton Brick Pits

A sparrowhawk over Brandon Hill

A fox crossing Bedminster Bridge early in the morning!

Polly Glazebrook, Nature Reserves Monitoring Officer was sent the following wonderful note from a member of the Bristol Wildlife Group...more

Reserve of the month

Chew Valley Lake, owned by Bristol Water is the largest inland water body in the South West.

Thousands of visitors arrive at the lakeshores every year, but this impressive number is dwarfed by the huge numbers of birds that live around or passes through Chew during every season of the year.

Public access to the lake is restricted to the north-eastern shore where two easily accessible trails lead to a bird hide that gives impressive views across the water. It is here at the northern of the two picnic areas that the walk begins, taking in a flavour of the habitats and species that can be found elsewhere around the shore...

heron

What to watch out for in February

Grey herons returning to their nests can be seen at Cleeve Heronry. Over 40 pairs of this large wetland bird nest high in the treetops of this small woodland on the edge of the North Somerset Levels. Displaying birds will clatter their bills and fluff out their crests and throat feathers in an attempt to attract mates. The more dominant and successful pairs will nest towards the top of the heronry with the younger and less experienced birds finding a nesting place lower down. Young birds can be seen in the their nests up until April when the leaf cover begins to obstruct the views...more

Leafy lanterns

Just the thing to give you a warm glow on these dark winter evenings! And better still, as you will need sticks for the frame, and leaves and seeds for the decorations, it will involve going for a walk in the woods – always good to have an excuse for this!... more


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