Founded 1889 – Affiliated to Yorkshire Naturalists' Union

Category Archives: Recent Sightings

2017 April 25

Posted on by Posted in Recent Sightings
 

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON: Tuesday 25th April 2017
VENUE:      St Catherine’s Hospice Education Centre                                                                            ATTENDANCE:    32 Members & guests.

CHAIRMAN:      Brian Walker was in the Chair.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Robin Hopper.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING(s): Minutes from 21st March 2017 were distributed.

MATTERS ARISING:  None.

 

 

CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED: YNU newsletter had arrived and was available electronically. Any members who wished to have the e-mail forwarded are to let the secretary Rob Stark know.

The YWT magazine and Yorkshire Geology Society had arrived.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The ‘Slowing the flow’ project was having an open day at Dalby.

Nick has provided the YNU with the details of our meetings to put on thier website.

Nick has arranged for our website to have the functionality to allow members to put on sightings directly.

 

The dates of the outdoor meetings are now on the website and hard copies were available for members. Not Rob Stark mobile number is not on the website but is on the hard copy.

 

The proposed coach trip to Saltholme was announced and members asked if they would like to commit to coming. The date is Saturday 16th September and will be subsidised by the legacy from Gwenda Wadsworth. Cost £10 adults and £5 children. We will need cash at the next meeting.

 

 

 

 
RECORDS AND REPORTS: for period 22nd March 5th Jan to 25th April

 

The bat box check on the 22nd April was a great success. 11 people checked 90 boxes finding 80 bats. The next bat box check is 30th April after the dawn chorus trip.

 

Pauline showed a brief video of Palmate Newts courtship and also of Turtle Doves in her garden in Broxa.

John Hume reported Green Hairstreaks at Reasty Bank and Grouse Hill on 23rd.

Alan Rodder reported Cuckoo at Castlebeck Woods on the 23rd.

Steve Buschell reported Slow worm at Hern Head in a Land Rover.

Jenny O’Conner noted an Adder on the 9th April in Harwood Dale.

 

 
SPEAKER FOR THE EVENING:

 

Petra Young of Forestry Commission gave a talk outlining the Trusts Forest plan and how conservation fitted into this. This was followed by a long question and answer session.

 

The date of the next meeting is 23rd May 2017 by Ros Lilley of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust on the Trust and it’s activities.

 
The meeting closed at 9.30 pm.

 

SIGNED_______________________________________________DATED_______________________

 

 

Key’s Beck Bat survey 11th August 2017

Posted on by Posted in Field Trips, Latest News, Recent Sightings, Sightings

Seven turned out to check what bats were using the Key’s Beck pond site where the spring bat box check showed a complete absence of bats. We managed to do recording at four different points around the site which consists of two ponds with a causeway between the two. Recorders were stationed at the northern and southernmost points of the pond, on the causeway and also on a forest ride through some mature trees to the west of the ponds. We started at 8.50pm and finished at 10.30pm.  We were a little surprised to find access tricky due to the extensive harvesting that is going on in the area but managed to all get down to the site ready to start on time. The felling will clearly make the site more exposed in the short term but will recover after restocking.

Results are quite interesting. Common pips were very active around the causeway between the two ponds.with an average of a pass every 20secs or so throughout the survey period, whilst none of the other points recorded anywhere near that activity. The lower pond where I was was a very sheltered spot, and plenty of midges, but very little activity which was a surprise. The upper pond site and the ride site had good Common pip activity but only in short bursts which is again surprising when compared to the causeway site. Despite the large area of water only a single Myotis species, almost certainly a Daubenton’s from the sonogram, appeared to do a fly through the site without stopping being recorded at the upper pond, on the causeway and at the lower pond all in the same 5 min period but not at any other time. Colin, on the ride, picked up a Brown long-eared bat at 22.18 and 22.19 and this was the only other species recorded. It ties up with the lack of usage we have found at the bat boxes but we will see what the autumn check turns up there.

 

Nick G

 

 

Dalby bat box checks 22nd April 2017

Posted on by Posted in Recent Sightings

12 turned out for the first bat box check in Dalby and Cropton forests on Sat 22nd April. We were rewarded with a great variety and number of bats. Of the 90 good boxes checked a total of 80 bats were found. Five species were found – Common and Soprano pipistrelle, Daubenton’s, Natterer’s and Noctule. In addition a further 30 boxes were removed that either had no lids or were damaged and these will be repaired where possible during the summer. The rest of the boxes will be checked on 30th April.