Results from bat surveys

During the autumn we did two bat surveys at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, the Orchard and the Common. We found four species each time:

• Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus)
• Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus)
• Noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula)
• Serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our volunteers and visitors!

 

Merry Christmas from one of the Wapley robins

 

The robin is a very appropriate bird to feature on Wapley's social media. They live in the woodland and hedges throughout the year, and one particular robin often sings to visitors approaching the reserve via the bridge over the railway.

Wapley Bushes awards for 2025

We are please to tell you that we won three major awards in 2025. Two of them were South West in Bloom Neighbourhood Awards, both at the highest "Level 5 - Outstanding"

South West In Bloom certificate
Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve

 

South West In Bloom certificate
Wapley Common and the Orchard for the Future

We retained our Green Flag Community Award, but we have moved up into the highest marking band:
 

Green Flag Community Award certificate
Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve

 

Big thanks are due to all our volunteers and to Dodington Parish Council for all their help.

Report from Wapley Work Morning Sunday 30 November

Some of our volunteers at the work session

Ten of us planted 60 young trees on a sunny work morning in the Centenary Wood at Wapley Bushes. The ground was good and the trees just flew in - we finished a lot faster than we had planned!

 The mix of trees was as follows:

25 x Hazel - Corylus avellana
12 x Field Maple - Acer campestre
5 x Hornbeam - Carpinus betulus
5 x Dogwood - Cornus sanguinea
3 x Guelder Rose - Viburnum opulus
5 x Dog Rose - Rosa canina
5 x Hawthorn - Crataegus monogyna

Thank you to all our keen volunteers!