Popular Owl Prowl at Wapley Bushes

 

Around 75 people attended the Wapley Bushes Owl Prowl on 26 October, including some 20 or so children. We had a great time exploring the woods in the dark while Ian McGuire explained the different types of British owl and showed us his excellent photos of the iPad.

Ian played owl calls in various places round the wood - including some spots we haven't tried before - but we only had one brief POSSIBLE sighting of a tawny owl. If it really was an owl it didn't respond to our calls, so it may have been a juvenile that hadn't paired up, so hasn't established a territory to defend.

Photos courtesy of Rich McD

Short back and sides ready for the Owl Prowl

Two of us spent yesterday morning tidying up the vegetation on the paths at Wapley Bushes, ready for this Tuesday's Owl Prowl.

Why not come and join us at 7 pm at the Shire Way Gate to the Nature Reserve?

More details here: https://wapley.blogspot.com/2021/10/family-owl-prowl-at-wapley-bushes.html

Kennedy Way Pond Workday - Saturday 30 October

We shall be carrying out general management works in and around this local wildlife haven. This is our smallest local nature reserve and a valuable breeding ground for amphibians. The workday is being organised by the Southwold Group of Avon Wildlife Trust.

Meet at the Kennedy Way Pond, Link Road, Yate Shopping Centre, 10.00am 

Parking is available at the Yate shopping centre car park on the western side of Link Road, BS37 4AY.

Please wear stout footwear and bring gloves if you have them. If not, we’ll provide gloves that you can keep until the next workday – as a COVID precaution we’re not sharing gloves.

Please come and join us even if you haven’t been before. You can bring your own tools or tools will be provided. Everyone is welcome, though children under 16 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. 

Green Flag Community Award for Wapley Bushes

 

Wapley Bushes has once again won the Green Flag Community Award, a category for green spaces that are managed by voluntary and community groups. There are only 14 Community Awards in the whole of the South West. In fact there are only two Green Flag Awards of any kind in South Gloucestershire, the other being the lovely Page Park in Staple Hill.

Committee member Paul Hulbert said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Community Award yet again”

“Our local green spaces really matter to residents and visitors. They made a major contribution to health and wellbeing right through the period of COVID”

“This award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Wapley Bushes to such a high standard - the real credit goes to our hard-working volunteers, and to Dodington Parish Council for their unfailing practical and financial help”