Jim Mart Nature Reserve – butterfly recording opportunity

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

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 ([email protected]) or by telephone (0784 214 8888).

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February 2014 Guided Bird Walk

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

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

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)

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)

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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Important Message from Keith Turton

The new keypads have been fitted to the hides. Please press the “c” button before entering the combination number to enter. Full instructions for using the new keypads will be provided as soon as possible.

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Important message from John Parlby

Over recent weeks a number of locks have been stolen.
If any member can shed any light or offer any information would they please contact the police on Tel. 101 asking for PCSO 4412 Michael Coates, crime ref. no. 3589/14. This can be done confidentially.

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Blacktoft Sands RSPB or North Cave Wetlands

Meeting Point: Car Park at Blacktoft Reserve on the Ouse near to Goole Time: 09:30 Transport: Members cars Cost: free for RSPB members,£5.00 non-members, Leader: Martin Kaye Numbers Limit: None.

Notes: A one hour 15 min easy drive from Chesterfield up the M1 then M18 to junction 36 on the M62. The last 10 miles are a bit slow (15 min) but are well signed.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/blacktoftsands/about.aspx

7 hides and small visitors centre selling drinks and hiring binoculars.  All flat, easy going.  This is one of the best reserves in the country to see Marsh Harriers and at this time of year is excellent for migrant warblers.  We would especially hope to see Grasshopper Warblers which have been readily visible for the last 2 years.

P1030449 grasshopper warbler

grasshopper warbler taken with a compact camera

We can opt to change the location to North Cave Wetlands, which although a bit further away is actually quicker to get to as it’s only about 5 minutes from junction 38 on the M62.

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