1.News (April 2001)

• Narroways Millennium Green Trust Meetings are held once a month in the St.Werburghs area -The next meeting is at 8.00 p.m. on Tuesday 15th May 2001 at The Miners Arms on Mina Rd., St.Werburghs. All are welcome.
  
  
  
• Wildlife Observations
  Loads of tadpoles have been seen in local ponds this month. A Chiffchaff was seen in a garden in St.Werburghs Park on 27th March, feeding off aphids in a rose bush, and one heard calling by Stoney Lane from 31st March. A pair of Grey Wagtails were by the stream near the gas lamp on 1st April and a pair of Long-tailed-tits with nesting materials on the railway embankment nearby on 30th March. Chris has seen Grey Squirrels acrobatically moving from St.Werburghs Church to the nearby trees recently. First Slow Worms of the year were recorded by Sophie & Sandra on 30th March. A Common Lizard was narrowly rescued from a cat's clutches on the Lynmouth Rd. allotments on 15th April. Simon & Harry watched 3 birds of prey, probably Sparrowhawks ascend high above Narroways on 7th April.
  
  
  
• Site Improvements are continuing well - the new steps make access much better and the fencing now defines the edge of the site. We also hope to put up a couple of simple seats near the main path.
  
  
• Sophie Bayley and Sandra Tuck of the Ashley Vale Community Wildlife Project came to the recent Narroways Millennium Green Trust meeting to share ideas and projects in improving the area for wildlife and involving local people - there were lots of aims in common. They have already done some work on improving habitat for Slow Worms.
  
  
• Ashley Vale Action Group (AVAG) have now gained full planning permission for their self-build housing project and we discussed the fencing that will be necessary between their site and Narroways.
  
  
• Narroways Hill is used occasionally by other groups but the trustees should be contacted (via St.Werburghs City Farm or our email address) for any Organised Group Activities (beyond the usual dog walking, blackberrying, picnicing, sledging, didgeridoo playing sort of stuff) The main reason is to preserve the wild environment and protect the wildlife there.
  
  
• Dawn Chorus Walk. We are holding our first Dawn Chorus Walk this year led by local wildlife expert Des Bowring. Meet by St.Werburghs Church/Climbing Centre at 4.00 a.m. on Saturday 12th May. (6th May 2001 is actually International Dawn Chorus Day - see BBC Wildlife Site)(Des is teaching a new evening class, 'Discovering Birds', at The Bristol Folkhouse starting on 24th April. Phone 9262987 for more information)
  
  
• The next Volunteer Work Day for Narroways will be at 10.30 on Saturday 21st April meeting at 21 St.Werburghs Park - after a cup of coffee a little light litter picking or bramble bashing may be on the agenda. We are planning these events for the 3rd Saturday every month so people can build them into their schedule or make sure they are always out of town! Contact us if you would like more information. (There is also a litter clear-up of the footpath and stream near the scout hut on Lynmouth Road at 11.00a.m. on Saturday 28th April)
  
  
• The Narroways Website now carries Records of Animal Species observed in the area. Please contact us if you see anything interesting in or around Narroways. Please mention which date you saw this and any details you can give including just where you saw it.
  
  
• Continued thanks to Sweet, Hemmings, The Millennium Commission and The Countryside Agency for funding for site improvements.
  

Back to the homepage


Page last updated on 15th April 2001 (look out for new stuff in May/June - all relevant information welcome)