Newsletter

The group received a request from a St. Catherine’s volunteer for advice on attracting birds to the site. The idea is to set up feeding stations and nesting boxes, with the dual intention of improving the habitat for birds and providing interest for patients.

The hospice is set on the edge of open countryside in Throxenby Lane and the grounds cover a considerable area. There are many shrubs, lots of grass and several courtyards which are overlooked by the patients’ rooms. It is these courtyards where the feeders would be needed and they also need planting up with plants attractive to wildlife and which also provide cover, since the courtyards are rather bare at the moment.

We have volunteered to assist with this and will meet with managers from St. Catherine’s soon. We hope to apply for funding from the Lottery’s Awards for All Scheme, but in the meantime, if you have any feeders, nest boxes or bird tables which you’d like to donate, then we’d be most grateful for them. They can be new or used – we don’t mind! Donations of plants would also be appreciated later in the project.

If you can help please let either of us know. Many thanks.

Trevor Charlton has been at Bempton for 19 years – yes, he’s almost as old as the group! He notes that 1986 marked the only record of a woodchat shrike for the Bempton reserve. To mark our 20th anniversary Trevor will give a prize to the group member who finds a Reserve First for 2006. So make Bempton your first choice for rarities in 2006 and you could be a winner.

A quick reminder to everyone to return their Listing sheets, and cheques, to me by 15^th January 2006. Despite my earlier hopes my trip to New Zealand is not to be, so the prizes will be presented at the January Indoor Meeting. I did not do a half year summary this year so I am looking forward to receiving your entries. I understand that, by mid September, Jack Thornton and Trevor Malkin were both in the mid 180’s in the British Listing race but I have not spoken to everyone else so is there a mystery competitor about to scoop the top prize? Will Chrys Mellor run away with the Local List total? And what is happening in our inaugural Garden Listing Competition? Good luck to everyone. I look forward to hearing from you.

David Woodmansey

PS: The competition will run again in 2006. When you read the article by Trevor Charlton, you will appreciate how the money we raise from this competition is helping to transform the feeding of birds at Bempton. It helps to ensure their winter survival and is encouraging more and more birds to the site, so adding to the numbers of birds we can see and enjoy. How can you not enter?!

Although the 2006 programme of walks is included in this mailing, I ‘d like to hear of your ideas for places to visit in the future. Is there somewhere you would like us to go to? Is there a site we visited years ago and have not been back to? Do you have a favourite site which we have never visited? Suggestions for evening and Sunday trips are welcomed, including future coach trips.

I’d like to echo David’s request for ideas and ask you to let me have suggestions for topics or particular speakers for indoor meetings. As you are now aware, I’ve been doing this for 20 years, so while the experience is probably valuable, I’d also like to hear from you. What sort of topics do you like? Home or away? Is there a particular place you’d like to hear about?
Email us at eymg@eymg.freeserve.co.uk
Alternatively give any suggestions to David or myself at an indoor meeting or field trip.