Environmental News February 2008
We are about to leave January behind, and look for first signs of Spring. (Perhaps that’s why snow appears on the forecast?) Snowdrops at Kingston Lacy though. For once the walks and events are not dominated by birds, though of course some of the wintering visitors on the water will still be around. But they quietly slide away northwards, looking for their traditional breeding grounds. It seems to be getting earlier each year – climate change- and I have not seen the Lapwings alongside the Stour at Wimborne recently.
The resident birds are warming up for competition for territories, and when the sun is shining there is plenty of birdsong to be heard. This is a very good time of year to ‘learn’ bird calls, as it is much easier to locate the singer and match it to the call. My garden bright spot is a spotted woodpecker nosing round one of the holes in my old chestnut tree. I have also seen one early red admiral butterfly, but they are far fewer than at the start of 2007. Lets hope it isn’t typical of the rest of the year.
There are plenty of events going on, and ’Coast and Countryside’ lists orienteering, stone walling, fossils, bird box building and animal tracking, as well as walks (One up to 25 miles).
Poole News lists a lot of conservation tasks in February, but no guided walks. RSPB is active at Arne, Radipole and Lodmoor. There is also a bird-boat round Poole Harbour on Feb 24th and again on Mar 9th (01929 462383).
Lots of varied activities, including some for children. All to be found on the website www.dorsetaonb.org.
Useful Numbers of organisations running tasks or walks:-
| Dorset Countryside | 01305 225037 |
| Durlston Country Park | 01929 424443 |
| Poole Countryside | 01202 265265 |
| Avon Country Park | 01425 478470 |
| Moors Valley | 01425 470721 |
| NT (Studland) | 01929 450259 |
| DWT | 01305 264620 |
Other useful wildlife web sites for wildlife news in this area are:
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