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The Great Outdoors…

Just received this very exciting newsletter from Sarah of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust about the Bradford Urban Discovery Project, which delivers play and volunteering activities in greenspaces in South West Bradford.

So if you or your family want to get outdoors, maybe get more exercise, learn about wildlife or just simply want to have some fun… Please checkout the newsletter below….

Please find our newsletter and a map of our BUD greenspaces attached!

If anyone does not want to receive this newsletter please reply to me and I will take you off the list.

Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who may be interested

If you would like a poster for either our volunteering sessions or our children and young people’s activities please reply and ask me to send you one  – we have them for all three areas : Gt Horton, Wibsey and Oakenshaw – so specify which area you are interested in.

Feel free to get in touch with any questions or suggestions 

Best Wishes Sarah and Peter



190503 BUD Newsletter Spring 2019 SG (2)Download

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Roe deer alert…

Received a recent photo of an early morning Roe Deer at playing fields near Odsal Top. Given that the top of South Bradford Golf course is not far away from where the deer was seen it could easily make it’s way down to our area…Very interesting.

Spring migrant update: 3 Swallow flew S/W + 2 passage Willow Warblers at Caldene fields on 27/4

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Workday at the meadow…

You may recall that the meadow at Raw Nook NR has been neglected over the years which has encouraged grasses to push out the native flowers thence over the years I have starting to record fewer butterfly and moth species at the meadow.

However, our group recently had a meeting with Sarah YWT and her new assistant Peter Gurney Community Nature Reserves assistant for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust where we highlighted the meadow issue.

Well we recently received some good news from Peter as he and 10 of
(Tomorrow’s Natural Leaders WYT)  had given the meadow a much needed spring cut…They did a brilliant job but just couldn’t rake up all the cuttings… No problem…an ideal opportunity for our group’s workday which was on Saturday.

We decided to rake up the cuttings and because Peter and team had cut the meadow we were able to dig up small areas of grass and spread wildflower seed which will start to restore this valuable wildlife meadow.

There way a few blisters and arching backs but knowing we may have Common Blue butterflies coming back to breed on the meadow made the work worthwhile…

A special thank you to one of our members, Gillian who is not so well at the moment but still attended and did a brilliant job.

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Migrant counts…

Today I conducted a survey of spring migrants that are passing through or staying to breed on the local patch.

I first started at Caldene fields where there is a nice male Wheatear (passage) which arrived yesterday and is feeding up in readiness to complete it’s journey. Also there was a male Blackcap in full song and a Common Buzzard circling the fields.

Wheatear

At Raw Nook NR there was a welcome sound a singing Willow Warbler I say welcome but the species was very uncommon at the site last year. Blackcaps were evident with 5 seen including 2 females and at least 3 Chiffchaffs were noted.

TH beck held at least 5 chiffchaffs and 6 Blackcaps including 2 females. So all in all a reasonable sprinkle of migrants for this time of year. Also at the site was a male Orange Tip butterfly.

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Swan news…

Some maybe aware of the Mute Swans at Toad Holes Beck. I say Swans because there were originally 2 on the 19/2 but one has left and the other one has remained. The Swan has been ringed and today I got a glimpse of a ring which I believe to 634Y.

Research reveals the Swan ‘ may’ have been ringed by
Yorkshire Swan Hospital Rescue. I have contacted them so I will update when I get some news.

Also there was a Kingfisher…a bit of a surprise in early spring and 2 singing male Goldcrest.

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    Frog spawn and signs of spring…

    As yet there are no signs of any Frog spawn at either Raw Nook NR or Toad Holes beck. However, over the years my records indicate that the third week in March is a average time for spawn so maybe there’s a way to go yet…

    The Blackthorn shrubs at TH Beck are in flower at the moment and are looking lovely and with a bit of sunshine there could attract some mining bees.

    Six Siskin were at Caldene fields on 4/3 suggesting they were moving birds.

    Of interest in the very warm weather in February were the sighting of 2 moth species on the 27th at Caldene fields. I have never had a winter records of either the Common Plume or Grey shoulder-Knot….both records sent to Yorkshire moths.

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    Nature Play Walk a great success…

    My perception of the Nature Play Walk arranged by Sarah from the YWT was probably an audience of around 10 people would attend. I was wrong as 26 adults and children some from the Shipley area greeted us at Victoria park in Oakenshaw.

    We started off on our nature walk in Toad holes Beck admiring the lovely Hart’s tongue fern and the children looking out for the resident Coots as we slowly made our way to Raw Nook NR.

    Once there Sarah talked about mosses and mini beasts and the children added more and more leaves to their collections.

    The next challenge on the reserve was for the children to find the delightful Scarlet Elf cup (fungi)…Thankfully ( with a bit of help) all the children found the magical fungi

    Whilst Sarah was explaining about the delights of the Hazel catkins to the enthusiastic audience I set the children a challenge to find a pine ( Scots) tree and it’s cones. Their little legs were off…and soon their hands were full of pine cones…

    So as the walk ended and smiling faces were evident I thought the real winners of the walk are the next generation as they enjoyed and discovered ‘ URBAN ‘ biodiversity which is only 4 miles from Bradford city centre..

    With special thanks to Sarah and YWT.

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