Another of the months when the main activities are either physical conservation tasks, or trips to watch birds. As usual the harbour has a good crop of winter visitors, and Poole RSPB has boat trips on 4th and 25th January and on 1st February. Details on tel. 748445. There are also watches organised at most other Dorset Reserves including Studland, Durlston, Lodmoor, Radipole and Hengistbury. Details from phone numbers below or the Greenlink website.

Despite the main attraction being sea-birds, most of our resident species can still be seen - like us they have to eat. Over Christmas I saw a Dartford Warbler and a stonechat on Corfe Hills, and a walk along the Branksome promenade yielded a tawny owl in bushes at the cliff top.

There is a walk round Upton Country Park on 24th Jan, 2.00 PM, but in view of the proposed re-organisation of the Countryside Wardens into 'Rangers' and a conservation squad, it is not clear what the future for Poole's SSSIs and Local Nature Reserves, will bring. There is supposed to be Public Consultation on this matter, so if you get an opportunity to express your views, do not hesitate to do so!

Friends of Broadstone Nature Reserve have their Annual Review on Tuesday.

13th January Upton Heath Volunteers work normally on Thursdays. (DWT for details).

Poole RSPB work at Arne on the first Sat and Sun. in the month, 10.00 AM car park.

Also a task group on Canford Heath (tel. 261337 for details).

East Dorset District Council run frequent tasks, details from Moors Valley.

Useful numbers:

Other useful wildlife web sites for wildlife news in this area are:

http://www.greenlink.co.uk/

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/dorset

http://www.dorsetbutterflies.com

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dudley.hull

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