Autumn 2015

A U T U M N
2 0 1 5
the
YACWAG newsletter
newsletter
Volume 16 Issue 3
newslett
Legal Eagle?
National Moth Night
this year challenged
participants to try
finding moths which do
not come readily to
light traps.
Some wine ropes
(as the name suggests,
jute ropes soaked in a
potent mixture of red wine
and brown sugar) were
hung on bushes along the
Strawberry Line south
from Yatton station and
then examined by
torchlight to see what had
been attracted. Some
interesting moths were
seen drinking from the
ropes – including the Red
Underwing pictured right.
YACWAG Is extremely grateful for
the pro bono services of Rob
Murray of Wards Solicitors, who
helped us greatly with legal advice
for over a decade.
As Rob has now retired we are
looking for someone who might be
able to look over documents for us
when the need arises.
The Red Underwing is rather scarce
in the southwest. It is a large moth
which flies in August and September.
It lives in woodland, parkland and
marshes and its caterpillar feeds from
May to July on willow, poplar and
aspen.
Also seen on the ropes: Silver Y,
Dark Swordgrass, Snout, Setaceous
Hebrew Character, Large Yellow
Underwing and others.
We don’t have much requirement
for legal advice or for solicitors but
on the occasions when we do, it
would be very helpful if we could
tap in free of charge to that
expertise. If you can help please
would you contact Win Lowman.
Natterers’ Bat Roost Found in Littlewood
At the annual bat box check in Littlewood in September, Nigel
Milbourne, Tony Moulin and Irene Mills were delighted to find,
in the twenty-ninth box they looked in, a colony of Natterers
bats. This is the first evidence of a species other than soprano
pipistrelles roosting in the wood. Three other bat boxes
contained soprano pipistrelles.
Red Kite
over Cadbury Hill.
These raptors are now visiting our
area, so let us know if you see one
YACWAG NEWSLETTER
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AUTUMN 2016
YACWAGger Profile
Colin Higgins (Higgy)
Colin Higgins (Higgy) is known in the community for
his wildlife garden in Stowey Road, Yatton, which has
been featured in the local media. Members have had
the opportunity over the past two years to share the
moths in Higgy’s garden. Higgy told me:
I first became interested in wildlife as a child. I grew up in Backwell and used to fish in the stream
for stone loaches, eels and sticklebacks in jam jars. I then started doing a lot of fishing in the
brook, finding it very relaxing sitting watching nature. I enjoyed seeing kingfishers. At that time
there were a lot of mink, following a release from a mink farm. One day I saw a stoat chasing a
mink and got fascinated by it. I then watched out for wildlife and have done ever since.
In the last seven years I have had more opportunity to get into wildlife. I had always
gardened with wildlife in mind, had a pond for fish, fed the birds, but when I moved to our current
house in Stowey Road, Yatton, I set out to plant up the garden with wildlife in mind. Pam likes to sit
and enjoy the wildlife that comes along; my daughter Chloe is very interested in the garden and
helps me with some of the jobs. She particularly enjoys the butterflies and other insects.
I became interested in YACWAG when I saw an otter talk advertised in the early part of 2012 and
thought that was something that would interest me, but unfortunately I missed it because I went to
the wrong hall! I had met John Croxton and Trevor Riddle through my interest in photographing
birds and, after checking me out to make sure I wouldn’t disturb wildlife at Littlewood, I was given
permission to visit the reserve and take photos of the birds.
My involvement in YACWAG has grown since then. I have been monitoring the
management of Littlewood through fixed-point photography. My interest has spread to insects,
especially butterflies and moths, mainly because of recording what comes to my garden, but now
also developing into a more general interest. I find insects fascinating and challenging.
I have held moth-trapping events in my garden, opening them up to YACWAG members on
a Saturday morning to investigate the catch of the night before. Moth traps are a way of finding out
what species are visiting during the night and releasing the moths unharmed the following day.
Pam kindly provides us all with a cream tea on these special occasions.
Over the last two years I have also been able to help YACWAG by giving talks on their
behalf on wildlife gardening, visiting two local schools to inspire them to encourage wildlife into the
school grounds, and various photography projects. Recently I have been helping Faith Moulin
develop a new website to record the Jubilee Trees Project.
In the future I would like to continue the involvement I have – I have just become a life member
and am here to stay! I would like to do more on the promotion side of YACWAG and its aims and
may consider joining the committee to help with running the charity. I would like to see the moth
recording developed further and am interested in the reintroduction of butterflies on some of the
reserves.
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YACWAG NEWSLETTER
AUTUMN 2016
Higgy’s garden (photos by Higgy)
There is a small wood near Littlewood and I would like YACWAG to buy it if it becomes available and
create a wildlife corridor to it so there was more woodland habitat available for wildlife in that area. If
I won the lottery I would buy all the land coming up for sale around Yatton. I think the current building
proposals are frightening and will have devastating impact on wildlife. I would like to see YACWAG
buy up more parcels of land so they can be protected. There isn’t really a problem with managing
land for wildlife. At the end of the day, even if land is left totally unmanaged it will still be of great
benefit to nature.
I would like to see more joined up working between the many local environmental groups
such as North Somerset Bee Group, Yatton Horticultural Society, Backwell Environment Trust and
others. It would be good to see some joined up work, sharing of practices - maybe an annual
conference to showcase the work being done by all the groups and help us to identify where we
overlap and how we could help each other more.
With the number of groups locally and a host of very knowledgeable people, this part of North
Somerset could become a flagship area for wildlife conservation at a local level. It's the logistics of
getting the right people in the same room at the same time which is difficult - but not impossible in
my view.
In the long-term I would love to see more planting projects around the villages to enhance the
area for both wildlife and the residents that live here.
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YACWAG NEWSLETTER
AUTUMN 2016
The History of YACWAG Part 5
Littlewood
In the summer of 2001 YACWAG had a stall at
Congresbury Fete. One of the people who came up to
have a chat with Tony Moulin was Brian Wilson along
with his wife Sara. Brian asked if YACWAG was
aware of a small wood off Claverham Drove which
was up for sale. Perhaps YACWAG could buy it?
Nature takes its course
Over 200 alder trees!
The wood in winter
What a gem Littlewood turned out to be! Owned by
the Sweet family since the 1950s, it had started life
as a plantation in about 1820. It was advertised as
an oak wood, but actually was dominated by over
200 alder trees, over 50 of which were ancient
enough to be regarded as veteran trees.
Broom, gorse and bifid hemp-nettle!
The wood gives a glimpse of the natural history of
Kenn Moor before Enclosure. It contains a remnant
flora and fauna and provides refuge for many birds
and small mammals. Otter, hare, fox and badger
keep company with the roe deer. Both barn owls
and tawnies nest as do buzzards and
Broom at Littlewood
Six acres of wildlife
Tony went headlong again into serious fundraising and raised the whole purchase price and the
seller’s legal costs. Everything was in place except for an essential ‘third party’ deposit to unlock
the larger grant. At that time Transco was laying a high pressure gas main across the moor and
Tony rang them up: ‘It would be good publicity for you to help us buy the wood. People are
complaining about the mess you are making. This would be something positive.’ They gave us the
ten percent and the wood became ours in February 2003. Brian Wilson became its first warden.
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YACWAG NEWSLETTER
AUTUMN 2016
Tree Dressing Day Saturday 5th December 2015
Having demonstrated flair with their knitting needles last
autumn, YACWAG volunteers are being asked to pick
up their sewing needles for Tree Dressing Day 2015.
Saturday 5th December is when we hope to dress trees
in Yatton and Congresbury with sewn depictions of
animals that depend especially on trees for their
survival.
Congresbury Beaver and Cub Scouts are lending a
hand but, for this project to be as eye-catching as the
knitted scarves that festooned local trees last year, we
need adult input too.
There are two basic designs for which all materials will
be provided:
Bunting – hessian pieces, on which a pre-cut animal of
felt (e.g. squirrel, owl, bat, butterfly) is to be stitched,
then the pieces joined together to make lengths of
bunting.
Hanging animal decorations – two pieces of pre-cut
felt to be sewn together, stuffed and a length of jute
twine added from which the decoration will dangle in the
tree.
Tree Dressing Day
was initiated in
1990 by Common
Ground. Tree
dressing is based
on old customs
from all over the
world. It is a crosscultural
community
expression for
everyday nature.
YACWAG aims
to draw attention
to the trees we take
for granted, as a
first step towards
them being better
looked after.
Embroidered, stitched or extra felt detail can be added to either design in line with
the skill of the sewer. We hope to organize a ‘sew-in’ at the Strawberry Line Café to
show some samples and distribute materials.
Please contact Win if you would like to help, or for more information:
[email protected] or ring 01934 833596.
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NEW Jubilee Tree Website
For the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee we planted sixty trees in Yatton and
another sixty at St Andrews School Congresbury. We now have a
website on which you can learn more about the trees we planted and
the wildlife associated with them, and keep up-to-date with the
progress of these trees. Thanks to Higgy for all his hard work on
this. In due course we hope to include information about other
‘treasured trees’ in the two parishes.
www.yacwagstreasuredtrees.webs.com
2012 Some of the Jubilee
trees waiting to be planted.
Higgy’s Cadbury Hill Therapy - September 2015
It’s the 7th of September and my mood is a bit down; I’m waiting for an operation and I’m currently
signed off work until the time comes. It’s early, the house is empty and Willow our family dog is
looking at me with those big brown eyes, she deserves a nice walk for being such a loyal friend and
maybe a walk up onto Cadbury Hill would improve my mood and get the old joints working again!
We stroll up through the field below Cadbury Country Club and I’m amazed by the amount of hawker
dragonflies on the wing. I identify a Migrant Hawker but it’s too fast for the camera and my tired
bones! As for the other hawkers they are just too fast for me to identify let alone photograph, but what
a treat!
The sun has now broken through the cloud and it looks as if it’s going to be a hot sunny day.
We walk past the restored dew pond and Willow stops for a quick drink; here a Common darter
dragonfly flies past settling on a nearby bramble bush, I approach slowly for a better look and taking
care not to cast a shadow over this beautiful insect I take a couple of pictures for my records before
leave it to enjoy the considerable warmth of the sun.
I take the path up through the woods as it’s not quite as steep as the other paths. As we enter
the woods the dense tree canopy casts shade to cool us both down and I’m relieved to be out of the
sun that is climbing higher into the sky. Large White and Speckled Wood butterflies flutter by but
neither stop for the camera. The birds are singing and I can hear a Bullfinch with its distinctive one
note song that I liken to a creaky door. It’s one of my favourite birds and no doubt enjoying the
blackberries that are now on the brambles. I can’t see him but knowing he is there lifts my spirits and
puts a smile on my face.
On top of the hill it’s hot, really hot! A small vole interrupts us and scurries across our path, Willow
pounces but as usual the target is long gone working its way through the long grass. The call of a
Buzzard close above us makes me wonder if the vole is brave or stupid for being out in broad
daylight.
Willow is panting and the trickle of sweat down my forehead tells me it’s time to stop for a drink
and a rest. The viewing area looking out across Congresbury Moor is approaching and offers the
ideal place to stop and just enjoy the day, especially as nature has once again lifted my mood.
I settle down next to one of the extensive patches of Small Scabious that this part of the hill now
proudly boasts and watch the bees and other pollinating insects go about their daily business. What a
perfect day and what a perfect place to spend it and right on my own doorstep, how lucky we are?
I recognise the numerous Carder Bees that are feeding on the Scabious and take some pictures of
them while lying on the grass beside them. It’s now that I feel really relaxed and completely in tune
with nature, at their level, eye to eye with these incredible creatures.
Another bee joins the party and I easily recognise this as a Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus
terrestris) I snap a picture and then notice a smaller insect, definitely a bee but smaller and slimmer in
appearance. Having identified it in my own garden recently I know it as Halictus tumulorum with its
metallic green colour and small size helping with identification.
Movement on the brambles to my left focuses my attention away from the bees and a small
blue butterfly lands on some bramble flower. Further examination shows it to be a Holly Blue, a
species which seems to have had a good year locally from my observations. Another small butterfly
flies in and this time lands on the Scabious, a Brown Argus, and another! Photographs are duly
Meadow Brown butterfly
Holly Blue butterfly
taken and I’m building a good count for a September morning. A bigger butterfly joins our party and
this time a Meadow Brown in perfect condition lands taking a long drink form the pretty mauve
flowers. A Large White flutters by disturbing the Meadow Brown and settles down on the same flower
giving me the perfect picture from my position - propped up on my elbows lying on the ground. A
hoverfly attempts the same flower but settles on the next after the White shifts its position. This is a
fly that is easily recognised due to its long protruding ‘horn-shaped’ nose: it’s a Rhingia campestris - a
fantastic pollinator busily moving from one flower to the next. Another hoverfly joins us and this time
it’s Sericomyia silentis identified by its large size and the fact that it is a wasp mimic making me look
twice just in case! Further observation throws up other hoverflies; Helophilus is a species easily
identified by its striped Thorax and this one is most likely to be H Pendulus as it’s our commonest
form. Eristalis is another common family of hoverflies and I have a stab at E Tenax with my
identification.
A wet nose in my ear jolts me back to the hot sun and this is obviously Willows hint to get on
with the walk! I reluctantly move away from the two large patches of Scabious just as another Brown
Argus heads in for a feed. As Holly Blue continues its dance around the bramble flowers we walk on
to the old quarry, now partly filled with bramble. It’s here that another butterfly grabs my attention a
beautiful Small Copper but this one is tatty obviously coming towards the end of its life, I wonder if it’s
done its job and mated to bring new life here next year. A flash of blue spins me round and I’m
looking at a Common Blue butterfly again tatty and torn but supping on the nectar of these bramble
flowers. These late butterflies make me aware of just how valuable a plant the bramble is not only for
its flowers but the fruit it provides at this time of year for Blackbirds and the flock of 20+ Sparrows that
are stripping them from my hedges at home before I have time to pick them for our own consumption!
Another Common Darter passes and then movement by my feet uncovers a mint moth – Pyrausta
aurata. This is a small but very pretty purple moth with orange markings.
A wet nose in my ear jolts me back to the hot sun and this is obviously Willow’s hint to get on with the
walk! I reluctantly move away from the two large patches of Scabious just as another Brown Argus
heads in for a feed. As the Holly Blue continues its dance around the bramble flowers we walk on to
the old quarry, now partly filled with bramble. It’s here that another butterfly grabs my attention - a
beautiful Small Copper but this one is tatty obviously coming towards the end of its life. I wonder if it’s
done its job and mated to bring new life here next year. A flash of blue spins me round and I’m looking
at a Common Blue butterfly, again tatty and torn, but supping on the nectar of these bramble flowers.
These late butterflies make me aware of just how valuable a plant the bramble is not only for its
flowers but the fruit it provides at this time of year for Blackbirds and the flock of 20+ Sparrows that are
stripping them from my hedges at home before I have time to pick them for our own consumption!
Another Common Darter passes and then movement by my feet uncovers a mint moth – Pyrausta
aurata. This is a small but very pretty purple moth with orange markings.
Willow’s pulling on the lead, persuading me that it’s time to move on and unfortunately time to
head home. On the way across the hill we see both Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies
moving through with purpose.
We descend using one of the steep paths and a female Speckled Wood settles to warm herself
in the sun on a nearby leaf. She allows me to move in close for that intimate moment that only a true
nature lover can understand. She is perfect, bright and pristine, obviously newly emerged, and the
‘yellowy’ markings that help me determine her sex. Males have white markings which shine brightly in
the morning sun. This is a special morning in a truly special place and therapy, yes therapy for my
mind, body and soul!
A later count shows my morning stroll producing eight butterfly species, six hoverfly, five bee
and three dragonfly species as well as numerous birds and of course that dear little vole! Not a bad
collection on a September morning and only minutes away from all our doors! So next time you need
some therapy remember the simple things that we are so fortunate to have right on our own doorsteps
and many of them are thanks to the hard work that so many of you do to support YACWAG.
EDITORIAL
I was interested to read Higgy’s aspiration for the group – that YACWAG would work more closely
with other local wildlife groups. One reason why YACWAG’s membership fee remains small is so
that people can also belong to other nature conservation groups and we can all benefit from that.
There is a lot of jealousy and competitiveness between the larger wildlife organisations and we don’t
want to be tainted by those thoughts. The nature conservation movement has strayed mightily from
its grassroots. Indeed in some cases it questions the need for grassroots at all – preferring to rip ‘em
out and make do with professionals instead. My personal view is that local nature conservation is
too important to leave entirely to NGOs. Local people and volunteers need to be involved and make
a difference. Over the years YACWAG has made various attempts at joint working which have
been successful in their way but, like all relationships, those between communities and organisations
need time and commitment. Sometimes we are so busy ploughing our own furrow and dealing with
all the difficulties that life throws at us that there just isn’t time to do more positive things. If any of
our members out there does have the time and would like to get involved in forging links with other
local like-minded groups, please step forward and take this mission on. To mix my metaphors, no
group is an island and we can all make ourselves better heard by shouting together.
Faith Moulin
Building on Green Fields in Yatton and Congresbury
Our villages are facing an unprecedented onslaught from developers. Each application has to be
considered on its own but this means that a lot of work for volunteers wishing to make a case for
conserving our environmental heritage through comment and objections to the planning authority. Our
main concern is the cumulative impact of the loss of farmland.
You may have seen YACWAG’s statement on this situation. YACWAG has recently objected to the
proposal for houses on land just off Stowey Road, Yatton, where species-rich hedges used by
foraging bats, including Lesser and Greater Horseshoes, are threatened. YACWAG is grateful for its
volunteers who are working tirelessly in Claverham and Congresbury to assist with similar
applications, particularly for work by Gary Barker, Chris Barrington and Judy Ashley. Wherever
possible please do write to the planning authority with your own objections to these developments as
they arise.
YACWAG will be giving input to Yatton and Claverham’s Neighbourhood Plans. There is an
opportunity for YACWAG members in Yatton to participate in the online questionnaire.
(www.yatton.org) We would urge members to take advantage of this chance to raise awareness of
the environmental aspects which are important to them.
RECYCLING TONER CARTRIDGES
We are still collecting used inkjet toner cartridges
for recycling. NO EPSON please. For details please
contact Win Lowman or Sue Lovesey.
NO MORE STAMPS THANK YOU
We will not continue with stamp collecting but
they can be dropped into local churches.
For enquiries about YACWAG:
Please see www.yacwag.org.uk, email our
secretary, Win Lowman at
winlowman.hotmail.co.uk or telephone 01934
833596.