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Newsletter No.26
March 2008
Dear Member,
Without having the statistics to hand, the past six months seem to
have been very mild, if wet in late January. The floods will have replenished
the ponds but they also left a great deal of debris on the sedges around
them.
Mill Meadows
Recently about fifty molehills were counted in the shorter vegetation
in front of the two older ponds.
According to the People's Trust for Endangered Species, the mole is
one of the most common mammals in the UK; but very little is known
about it. The PTES has decided to carry out MoleWatch, or Molehill
Watch. Please take part in the survey and visit www.molewatch.org.uk .
(See also their recent hedgehog survey, HogWatch, www.ptes.org).
Elm suckers from the old main tree line are growing well in the grassy
triangle. Sadly they will succumb to Dutch Elm Disease. There are also
young hazel trees in our conservation areas despite reports that grey
squirrels are having a devastating effect on them.
The Three-cornered Leek in the hedge-line goes on increasing in size
and looks very healthy. It will probably flower well in the coming
months. Alan Johnson and Sally Rankin moved them from the Museum building
site in 1995. It is attractive on the Meadows if not in gardens.
Valley Road Chalk Bank
Although the nettles are returning to the pasture area at the back
of the Gainsborough estate, they will be cut before they have a chance
to seed. “Cut three times for three years” to get rid of
them they say. We shall see.
The black sacks of garden refuse have gone?plenty of garden refuse
though. This may be a habitat for more than rats and mice. There is
a spectacular (and messy) camp site where old shed panels have been
re-used and a new path is being used from it to the banktop.
Despite some litter - not a lot - the Chalk Bank is a pleasant walk
but you must divert around the “cliff fall” over Haywards
Close.
Gillotts Field
The Field last week was pleasantly free of evidence of dog “walking”.
This has improved greatly in recent years.
The Green Gym did a good job clearing Old Man's Beard, brambles and
tree spirals around the trees in the Field. Plans are in hand to further
reduce ragwort in the Summer.
Here and elsewhere we have had problems sourcing information boards,
but we hope to have a solution to this problem soon.
Holy Trinity Churchyard
The Millennium Garden has had to be dismantled to deter undesirable
residents. Otherwise the churchyard is much as usual despite the member
who looks after it, Maurice Litchfield, having had some health problems,
now happily overcome.
River & Rowing Museum
Please remember the Museum’s request for materials for school
groups and other visitors to handle and learn about wildlife?skulls,
bones, feathers, seeds, nuts, nests (abandoned), etc. (See the February
2007 newsletter.) Contact Valerie Wardlaw, head of education, on 01491
415607 or valerie.wardlaw@rrm.co.uk.
Tree matters
We understand that recently Henley Town has planted some three hundred
trees donated by South Oxfordshire, some of them in the Meadows and
others elsewhere.
Wildlife news
Please send in any news which you feel is worth repeating in this newsletter
to David Parry. The editor is biased to vertebrates so balance is required.
Ravens
A raven was seen - and, more definitively, heard - over a garden in
central Henley on February 1st.
Windscreens
Rod D’Ayala is responsible for this observation.
Why don’t our windscreens get covered with insect remains any
more and shouldn’t we be worried?
Cormorants
Their perch off Rod Eyot is slowly drowning and they seem to have re-located
to the meadow north of Phyllis Court, still in South Oxfordshire (just).
Greylag Geese
A large flock of Greylag Geese wintered near Henley. They were in Bucks.,
in the meadow opposite Temple Island. They seemed to socialize with
the Canada Geese.
Book review
One of our committee, David Whitehead, has had a book published, “Henley-on-Thames:
A History” from Phillimore & Co Ltd of Chichester, £15.99
or £15.00 from David.
“
An illuminating and informative work of reference. An excellent buy” (Henley
Standard).
Subscriptions
Annual subscriptions of a minimum of £5 for 2008/9 are due on
1st April. Please send cheques to Patricia Dixon, 9, Chiltern Close,
Henley RG9 1RH made out to “HENLEY WILDLIFE GROUP”.
If you wish to pay by standing order, please instruct your bank to
pay your chosen amount annually to the credit of the Henley Wildife
Group, branch 07-00-93, account 3333-3334 on from 1st April, 2008,
QUOTING YOUR NAME, with the payment.
It would help us to know that you pay by standing order so, please,
let us have a copy.
Newsletter by email
A reminder that you can receive this newsletter by email. Just send
an email entitled “Newsletter” to David Parry.
Dates for Your Diary
Refer to the events page.
For more information about the HWG events, please contact Sally Rankin
or Tim Woods. (See “Contacts” below).
To claim your concessions as HWG members, it would help to produce
this newsletter. (Sorry if that means you have to print it out).
To book events at the Museum, please phone 01491 415600 or email edbookings@rrm.co.uk.
AGM
Following the success of our outdoor AGM in previous years we have
decided to hold this year’s out-of-doors as well. For details
see the events page.
Work Parties
Work parties are generally pleasant and sociable occasions. We hope
you will join us - all are welcome. Our work parties are conducted
according to BTCV guidelines.
Mill Meadows
& Wednesdays 2 April, 7 May, 4 June, 2 July, 6 August and 3 September
9.30 a.m. to 12.30
Meet in the Mill Lane car park. For more information please contact
Sally Rankin.
Chalk Bank Work Parties
& Wednesdays 12 March and 9 July 9.30 a.m. to 12.30
Meet by the Knappe Close entrance to the site. For more information
please contact David Parry.
Other conservation/wildlife events and volunteering:
see Oxfordshire
Nature Conservation Forum’s environmental e-bulletin: Cynthia
Napper cynth@oncf.org.uk.
Contacts:
Patricia Dixon, HWG treasurer: 01491 575412
Andrew Hawkins: 01491 576929
email:
awaj@waitrose.com
Maurice Litchfield, HWG secretary: 01491 575953
David Parry: 01491 572668
e-mail: thedavidparry@yahoo.co.uk
Sally Rankin: 01491 578633
e-mail: s.rankin@btinternet.com
David Whitehead: 01491 573635
e-mail: dcwhitehead@thamesinternet.com
Tim Woods 01491 572789
e-mail: ajwoods@waitrose.com
Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust
01491 642001 (Warburg Nature Reserve office)
Website: www.bbowt.org.uk
River & Rowing Museum 01491 415600/605
Website: www.rrm.co.uk
HWG on the Internet
We are developing our own website which should be finalized within
a month. The current e-address is http://www.map-reading.co.uk/hwg
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