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NEWSLETTER No. 42 -  Spring 1999

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCH, BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

 

Dates for your Diary

APRIL
2 April Wyre Forest Moth night. Contact Frank Lancaster for details 01299 266168

24 April Spring Meeting at Bishops Wood Environmental Centre. at 6.30 pm (see page 3 for map and further details).

MAY
1 May Trench Wood Bird ringing event. 5.00 am .Meet in car park Sale Green Dunhampstead Road. OS Map 150 GR SO 929587

2 May Grafton Wood Bluebell Walk 11.00 am. Meet at Three Parishes Hall. Refreshments afterwards. OS Map 150 GR SO 963557 Leader John Tilt 01386 792458

3 May Monkwood Bluebell and Spring Flower Walk 11.00 am. Meet at reserve car park There will be a charge of £1 for adults and 50p for children. OS Map 150 GR SO 803603 Leader Claire Turner 01886 888504

7 May Wyre Forest Moth Night. Contact Frank Lancaster for details 01299 266168

8 May Monkwood Caterpillar Crawl and Moth Night. 8.00 pm An evening of moth trapping and identifying night-feeding butterfly and moth caterpillars. This event will go on until approx. midnight. Dress warmly , bring torch. A charge of £1.00 includes a glass of mulled wine. Wildlife Week Event. Meet at reserve entrance on Sinton Green - Monkwood Green Road OS Map 150 GR SO 803603 Leader Jeff Andrews 01432 870301

15 May Prestbury Hill - Gloucestershire Branch see page 28

22 May Daneway Banks - Gloucestershire Branch see page 28

23 May Monkwood Beetle Drive. Photographing Butterflies and Beetles 11.00 am. Meet in car park This will go on until approx. 4.00 pm. There will be a charge of £1 for adults and 50p for children. Bring your own lunch. OS Map 150 GR SO 803603 Leader Kevin McGee. Further details contact 01299 824860

29 May Rodborough Common and Daneway Banks. 10.00 am. Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak and others. Bring lunch. Meet at Bear Inn between Roman Camp and Houndscroft at southern end of Rodborough Common. OS Map 162 GR SO 846027 Leader Mark Farmer 01242 621008

29 May Newent Woods - Gloucestershire Branch - see page 29

JUNE
4 June Wyre Forest Moth night contact Frank Lancaster for details 01299 266168

6 June Wells Cottage, Norchard, Crossway Green, Stourport-on-Severn. 11.00 am Off A449 Worcester Kidderminster Road. Environmentally Friendly Farm Bring lunch OS Map 138 GR SO 846684 Leader Mike Southall 01299 251467

12 June Haugh Wood Moth Night 9.30 pm Meet in car park. OS Map 149 GR 593365 Leader Jeff Andrews 01432 870301

12 June Wyre Forest, Earnwood Copse 11.00 am. Fritillaries and Grizzled Skipper. Bring lunch, cycling/walking 5 miles + OS Map138 GR SO 745784 Leader Frank Lancaster (walkers) 01299 266168, Mike Williams (bikers) 01299 824860 A National Bike Week Event.

13 June Malverns, Bracken bash and Fritillary hunt. 10.30 am Meet at Gullets Quarry car park (bottom of minor road running westward across Castlemorton Common). OS Map 150 GR SO 762381 Leader Digby Wood 01905 830391

26 June Prees Heath and Whixall Moss 11.00 am Silver - studded Blue. Bring lunch. No smoking on sites. Stout shoes, wellingtons for Whixall. Insect repellant for horseflies. Meet at Prees Heath A49 car park. Map 126 GR SJ 558368 Leader Peter Boardman

JULY
2 July Wyre Forest Moth Night - contact Frank Lancaster for details 01299 266168

2 – 5 July Balmoral Estate, Highlands Scotland Mountain Ringlet and large Heath, Atlas recording. See page 4 for further information. Warm clothing - boots for rugged walking. Contact Mark Farmer for details and see enclosed booking sheet. Deadline for booking May 1st.

10 July Bircher Common 10.30 am Fritillaries. Meet at Highwood End gate at bottom of lane passing Croft Castle. Bring lunch. OS Map 138 GR SO 458658 Leader Andy Nicholls 01432 275834

10 July Trench Wood Glow worm & Moth Night 9.30 pm Meet in Trench Wood car park Sale Green Dunhampstead Road. OS Map 150 GR SO 929587

11 July Atlas Recording. Manifold Valley 11.00 am Meet Wetton Low off track that leads to Castern Wood. Brown Argus Nearest Rly Stn Stoke - on - Trent. Strong boots. OS Map 119 GR SK 120539 Leader Phil Hopson 01902 620189

16 July Bredon Hill Moth Night 9.30 pm. From Bredon Village OS Map 150 SO 945381 take road to Kemerton (east) after 1/4 m take second left to Westmancote. Go through the village and keep straight on until road becomes a stone track. Cherry Tree Cottage on right. Park on tarmac on left hand side just before cottage. If lost phone 01684 773073. Leader Ian Duncan 01684 568415

17 July Radnor Wood 10.30 am. White Letter Hairstreak and Silver – washed Fritillary. Meet off A49 at Craven Arms on B4368 Clun Road. Park approximately 1 mile on right hand side after Clunton. OS Map 137 GR SO 321812 Leader Jean Armstrong 01588 640689

17 July Birmingham University Botanical Gardens (Winterbourne), Warwickshire Branch see page 29

17 July Lower Woods and Wetmoor, Gloucestershire Branch see page 29

18 July Coach Trip Blackmore Copse, Purple Emperor, Wiltshire Summer Specialities. Bus pick up Worcester Coach Station 7.30 am, Bromsgrove Bus Station 8.00 am. Bring lunch.Contact Jan Smith 0121 430 3945 (use enclosed booking form). Closing date for this trip is July 3rd. Leader Mark Farmer 01242 621008

24 July Haugh Wood Moth Night 9.30 pm. Meet in car park. OS Map 149 GR 593365 Leader Jeff Andrews 01432 870301

25 July Atlas Recording - Wye Valley walk, Chase Wood and Penyard Park. 10.30 am Meet Ross on Wye car park. Bring lunch, stout shoes 5 mile + walk. OS Map 162 GR SO 593239 Leader Andy Nicholls 01432 275834

28 July Trench Wood 2.30 pm White Admiral and White letter Hairstreak. Meet at Trench Wood car park Sale Green Dunhampstead Road. OS Map 150 GR SO 929587 Leader Ken Thomas 01905 381394

AUGUST
1 August Monkwood Butterfly and Dragonfly day. There will be two guided walks one at 11.00 am and one at 2.00 pm. These will both start from Monkwood car park. A charge of £1.00 for adults and 50p for children will be made. Leader Mike Averill

6 August Wyre Forest Moth Night contact Frank Lancaster for details 01299 266168

7 August Brown Hairstreak Conservation Day. 10.00 am Meet Three Parishes Village Hall – old clothes, gloves. Stay as long as you like. OS Map 150 GR SO 978553 leader Mike Williams 01299 824860

7 August Ravenshill Reserve Moth Night 9.30 pm. Meet in reserve car park OS Map 150 GR SO 539739. Details contact Ian Duncan 01684 568415

14 August Coach Trip Goring Gap and Kidlington Hill. Downland specialities Adonis Blue, Silver spotted Skipper. Bring lunch - stout shoes. Bus pick up Worcester Coach Station 8.30 am and Bromsgrove Bus Station 9.00 am Details from Jan Smith (use booking form enclosed). Closing date for this trip July 31st

14 August Stinchcombe Hill - Gloucestershire Branch see below

22 August Eudon Mill, Eudon George. 2.30 pm Garden open day - guided walk. . Take B4364 Ludlow Road from the A458. After 2 miles (Down Inn) turn left for Middleton Scrivens & Eudon George. After 1/2 m, (past cottages) turn left along farm track (sign board in hedge) park in courtyard. OS 138 Map GR SO 689897

29 August Grafton Wood 11.00 am Brown Hairstreak and Purple Hairstreak. Meet Three Parishes Hall car park off A422 Worcester to Stratford Road. Bring lunch. OS Map 150 GR SO 963557

SEPTEMBER
3 September Wyre Forest Moth Night contact Frank Lancaster for details 01299 266168

3 – 5 September International Symposium, Oxford. Details see Butterfly Conservation News.

19 September Monkwood, Fungal Foray and Feast. 10.30 am. Meet in reserve car park. This will go on until about 2.00 pm. Leaders Diane and Tim Bateman who will also cook our finds afterwards – just the edible ones! Charge of £2.00 per person. Booking is essential and should be made with HQ at Smite by Thursday September 16th.

OCTOBER
1 October Wyre Forest Moth Night contact Frank Lancaster for details 01299 266168
 

Gloucestershire and Warwickshire have asked us to publicise the following field trips:

Gloucester Branch

15 May, Prestbury Hill – Bill Smyllie and Masts reserves 11.00 am. A look for early species such as Green Hairstreak, Dingy and Grizzled Skippers. Meet on the minor road to Cleeve Common by the main gate to the reserve (OS map 163 GR. S0 993245). Leader Andrew Daw (Daytime phone 01454-207800)

22 May, Daneway Banks and Siccaridge Wood 11.00am. Duke of Burgundy and Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Bring a picnic lunch and meet at lay-by near bridge at bottom of hill (OS Map 163 GR S0 939034). Please do not park in Daneway Inn car park. Leader Christine Tracey (01285-760621)

29 May, Newent Woods 2.00pm. Wood White. Meet outside the village hall at Clifford's Mesne (OS Map 162. GR SO 699232) Leader Simon Barker (01531-821057)

17 July Lower Woods and Wetmoor, 2.00 p.m. White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary. Meet at Lower Woods Lodge (OS Map 172 GR ST 746881), access up gravel track opposite Inglestone Farm to Gloucester Wildlife Trust's 700 acre woodland reserve. Leader Chris Bolton (01454-294500)

14 August Stinchcombe Hill 2.00 pm . for Chalkhill Blue and possibly even Essex Skipper! Meet in the public car park on the hill (OS Map 162 GR ST 744984) Leader Chris Wiltshire (01453-545509)

Warwickshire Branch

17 July 2.00 pm University of Birmingham Botanical Gardens and SSSI. (Winterbourne) Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham. Meet with Warwickshire Branch in the car park. Details Sarah Wager (0121 354 5822)