MR JAMES DEREK MART

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Paul Beard

It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of Ogston bird club Life Member Mr James Derek Mart of Alton.

 Mr Mart approached Paul Beard and myself during 2005 offering Ogston bird club a parcel of land on Press Lane at Alton should we be interested, he also offered to  pay all legal fees for the transfer, after a short discussion we decided to accept and that became the start of the story of the Jim Mart Nature Reserve. Mr Mart went on to present us with another parcel of land closer to his home.

As Chairman of Ogston bird club I had the honour of presenting Mr Mart with his Life Membership certificate and remember clearly saying to him that it seemed a very poor exchange, a parcel of land for a framed certificate, his response was that he was delighted that the club had transformed the land into something he could and was very proud of.

Many members have spent lots of hours on JMNR and it has produced a phenomenal species list, particularly Dragonflies, and Butterflies and Birds, the interest in the site I am sure will continue for many years to come and will provide a lasting memorial to his name.

Keith Turton.

Chairman Ogston Bird Club.

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Jim Mart Nature Reserve work party – Saturday 15th March

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Nikki M

Spring has arrived at the Jim Mart reserve with the first flowers now showing. This month’s work party at the reserve will continue with the removal of decaying vegetation and cutting back/digging up bramble regrowth. Following some recent hedge laying there is also an opportunity for a keen pyrophile to demonstrate his/her skills.

Meet at the reserve on Saturday, 15th March, at 9:30am. We will finish as usual around lunchtime.

All members are welcome and no previous experience is necessary. Please wear appropriate work clothes, stout shoes, boots or wellies, and gardening gloves or equivalent. Appropriate tools to bring, though some are available, would be spade, rake, loppers, secateurs.

Organised work parties at the Jim Mart reserve are held on the morning of the third Saturday in every month, except for December. For further information, contact Peter Faulkner by email (jimmart@btinternet.com) or by telephone (0784 214 8888).

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JMNR 9th March 2014

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Paul Beard

17C sunny

30 Jackdaw, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Wren, Blackbird, Pheasant.

Frog spawn in all ponds, some spring flowers now in flower

3 Peacock butterflies

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Jim Mart Nature Reserve – butterfly recording opportunity

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Nikki M

Following a very successful first year of implementing the butterfly transect at the Jim Mart reserve, there is now an opportunity for one or two more club members to join the recording team.

If you can identify the majority of Derbyshire’s butterfly species, and can spare an hour or so once a month to visit the Jim Mart reserve (Wingerworth / Clay Cross / Ashover area), then you will find it a rewarding experience. All that is involved is to pick a sunny day, walk round the reserve on a pre-defined route, and note down the number of each species of butterfly seen in each section. After that, put the results on the provided record sheet and send it off by email to the rest of the team.

The recording season runs from the beginning of April to the end of September, so there will plenty of opportunity to see all of the site’s 25 species, including Dingy Skipper and Small Heath. On-site training will be provided in early to mid-March.

The Jim Mart transect results are input to the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme supported by Butterfly Conservation, so you will be personally contributing to ongoing research into butterfly distribution in the British Isles.

If you are interested in joining the team, then please reply using the contact form below before the end of this month.
[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]

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Jim Mart Nature Reserve – February Work Party

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Nikki M

The wet weather persists, so this month’s work party at the Jim Mart reserve will continue with removing decaying vegetation and cutting back/digging up brambles. Parts of the reserve currently resemble a wet sponge underfoot and, although we will aim to avoid working in those areas, members might like to take this into consideration when pondering which outfit to wear on the day.

Meet at the reserve on Saturday, 15th February, at 9:30am. We will finish around lunchtime.

All members are welcome and no previous experience is necessary. Please wear appropriate work clothes, stout shoes, boots or wellies, and gardening gloves or equivalent. Appropriate tools to bring, though some are available, would be spade, rake, loppers, secateurs.

Organised work parties at the Jim Mart reserve are held on the morning of the third Saturday in every month, except for December. For further information, contact Peter Faulkner by email (jimmart@btinternet.com) or by telephone (0784 214 8888).

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February 2014 Guided Bird Walk

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Paul Beard

The Ogston bird walk on the 1 February was led by Paul Beard and there were 17 who joined the walk. The weather was bright and sunny a bonus as it has been such a wet winter with standing water in the fields and the reservoir water levels very high. We all met in the West Bank car par k and we walked down the West Bank to Brackenfield Church, we turned up Church Lane, across Brackenfield Green and down Millers Lane and back to the car park.

26 different species were seen: — Blackbird, Blue Tit , Bullfinch, Buzzard, Canada Geese, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Magpie, Mallard, Nuthatch, Redwing, Robin, Starling, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren

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Alert! – Trip change

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Martin Kaye

Padley Gorge – Grindleford, Derbyshire – Sun 8th June has been changed to Sun the 15th June (see below) because the selfish trip leader prefers to go birding in Scotland on that date (the trip organiser is also going, so also collects the selfish badge).

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Jim Mart – Butterflies and Dragonflies – early Aug 2014

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Martin Kaye

A nice warm Saturday or Sunday and Jim Mart is an ideal spot to catch up with myriads of butterflies and plenty of Dragonflies too.

This trip will be arranged very close to the time and is totally dependent upon the weather.

Those interested should let Martin Kaye know (see contact details on the ‘Booking trips’ post).

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Clumber Park – Nightjar Evening 3rd July 2014 (second of two trips)

Posted on February 8, 2014 by Martin Kaye

Date: 03/07/2014 Meeting Point: Clumber Park for the nightjars. Details to be announced nearer the time Time: evening Transport: Members cars Cost: nothing Leader: John Parlby Numbers Limit: 5 – a shared event with Derbyshire Ornithological Society.

Notes: Pre-booking with Martin Kaye essential – precise details to be announced at a later date.  This trip will only run if the weather is perfect (little/no wind, no rain).

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Clumber Park – Nightjar Evening 26th June 2014 (first of two trips)

Posted on February 8, 2014 by Martin Kaye

Date: 26/06/2014 Meeting Point: Clumber Park for the nightjars. Details to be announced nearer the time Time: evening Transport: Members cars Cost: nothing Leader: John Parlby Numbers Limit: 5 – a shared event with Derbyshire Ornithological Society.

Notes: Pre-booking with Martin Kaye essential – precise details to be announced at a later date.  This trip will only run if the weather is perfect (little/no wind, no rain).

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