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No. 54 NEWSLETTER Spring 2003

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCH, BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

 

Dates for your Diary
Butterfly walks, workdays, moth events, meetings etc.

 

September to April: Herefordshire Work Party Every Thursday from September to April Mike Harper leads a group of volunteers to carry out work to improve the habitats for moths and butterflies in Herefordshire. Various sites are visited, mostly Queen’s Wood near Dymock but also other areas such as Vinesend near Mathon and Dead Woman’s Thorn near Ledbury. The work usually lasts from 9.30 to 13.30. Help with transport might be possible. If you are interested in participating please contact Mike on 01531 632030.

9 February (Sunday) Conservation task Grafton Wood. Meet 10.00 am at three Parishes Hall Grafton Flyford (next to the church).Just off the A422 the Worcester – Stratford Rd. OS map 150 GR SO 963557.

9 February (Sunday) Log sale at Monkwood 10.00am - 1.00 pm. The reserve car park is just off the Sinton Green – Monkwood Green Rd. OS map 150 GR SO 803603.

23 February (Sunday) Conservation task – Trench Wood NR. Meet 10.00 am at the reserve entrance on Sale Green – Dunhampstead Rd. OS map 150 SO929588.

2 March (Sunday) Conservation task Monkwood. Meet 10.00 am in the reserve car park just off the Sinton Green – Monkwood Green Rd. Glade management. OS map 150 GR SO 803603.

9 March (Sunday) Conservation task Grafton Wood. Meet 10.00 am at three Parishes Hall Grafton Flyford (next to the church).Just off the A422 the Worcester – Stratford Rd. OS map 150 GR SO 963557.

23 March (Sunday) Conservation task – Trench Wood NR. Meet 10.00 am at the reserve entrance on Sale Green – Dunhampstead Rd. OS map 150 SO929588.

27 March (Thursday) Hunt for Pearl-bordered Fritillary larvae in the Wyre Forest. Meet at the Wyre Forest Visitor Centre at 10.30am (SO749740). Please contact Jenny Joy on 01952 245684 if you plan to attend this event as it will only take place if weather conditions are suitable.

30 March (Sunday) Conservation task Grafton Wood. Meet 10.00 am at three Parishes Hall Grafton Flyford (next to the church).Just off the A422 the Worcester – Stratford Rd. OS map 150 GR SO 963557.

13 April (Sunday) Conservation task Grafton Wood. Meet 10.00 am at three Parishes Hall Grafton Flyford (next to the church).Just off the A422 the Worcester – Stratford Rd. OS map 150 GR SO 963557.

19 April (Saturday) Compton canal walk, Wolverhampton. Target species: Holly Blue & Orange Tip. Meet Oddfellows P.H. car park 11.00 am. Follow A454 to Compton Island and park in P.H. car park.leader Phil Hopson

27 April (Sunday) Grafton Wood open day. 11.00 am – 5.00 pm park at Three Parishes Hall, Grafton Flyford (next to church). Just off the A422 – the Worcester – Stratford Rd. OS map 150 GR SO963557. Guided bluebell walks, Crafts, Stalls, Children’s competitions, Wildlife displays, delicious home-made refreshments. Free admission. For further details contact John Tilt on 01386 792458

13 May (Tuesday) West Midlands Fritillary Action Group - meeting at 11.00am at the Wyre Forest Visitor Centre (SO749740). Contact Jenny Joy on 01952 245684.

18 May (Sunday) Hawne Colliery, Halesowen – Green Hairstreak Meet in the car park at 2.00pm just north of the river Stour after passing Clanceys Factory, 400 yards to the south, GR SO952848. An opportunity to walk a transect and also appreciate why the Branch is objecting to a planning proposal to build houses in an area that is the highest in the branch for sheer volume of butterflies. Leader David White tel 0121 550 3807

18 May (Sunday) Abberley Hill, target species Wood White and Dingy Skipper. Meet at Hundred House PH 11.00 am map 150 GR SO752662 details Trevor Bucknall tel 01905 755757

24 May (Saturday) Spring/early summer meeting. 11.00 am Dinedor village hall; in the afternoon, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries in Haugh Wood. See page 3 for full details.

31 May (Saturday) Baggeridge Country Park near Sedgley. Target species Dingy Skipper & Green Hairstreak. Meet 11.00 am Visitor Centre. Walk with Wolverhampton RSPB. 1.5 miles each way to Himley Hall. Bring packed lunch. Café and WC on site. From A449 Kidderminster to Wolverhampton Rd. take A463 Wodehouse Lane to BCP on right. Track to car park SO896937. Details David Jackson tel 01802 344716

31 May (Saturday) Anchor Meadow, Aldridge– Dingy Skipper and rare day-flying moths. Meet at main entrance to Safeway Supermarket 2pm GR SK054006 Leader Peter Newell tel 01905 820726. Note 1

31 May Dudley Wildlife Corridor. Meet 11.00am by War Memorial off Vicarage Rd. by Russell’s Hall Hospital Dudley SO815894. Walks with British Dragonfly Soc. and Pensnett Wildlife Group to record biodiversity. BC target species Green Hairstreak and Dingy Skipper. Leaders Richard Southwell tel 01384 397066 & Brian Marsh (Pensnett) 01902 894386. Note 2

7 June Dudley Wildlife Corridor—See 31 May

13 June (Friday) Survey for Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary in the Staffordshire Moorlands. We need your help to try to survey a large area for this species so please come if you can. Meet at the Visitor Centre at Consall Nature Park (GR SJ994484) at 11.00am. Contact: Jenny Joy on 01952 245684

21 June (Saturday) Introduction to moths workshop at Wyre Forest Visitor Centre. GR SO749740. This workshop will be led by Tony Davis, Moth Conservation Officer for Butterfly Conservation. There will be a short indoor meeting introducing moth recording and identification, followed by afternoon fieldwork on three UK BAP moths with a light trapping session in the evening. Full details are available from Tony Davis on 01929-400209 or e-mail tdavis@butterfly-conservation.org

24 June (Tuesday) Survey of the Malverns for the High Brown Fritillary. We really need branch members to help us with this one as we hope to cover many of the historical sites for the High Brown in this area as well as looking at sites which now may have improved habitat as a result of the current grazing regime. Meet at the car park at 11.00am just off the unfenced road across Castlemorton Common that leads to Gullet Quarry (GR SO765382). Contact: Jenny Joy on 01952 245684.

28 June (Saturday) Survey for Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary in the Staffordshire Moorlands. Meet at the Visitor Centre at Consall Nature Park (GR SJ994484) at 11.00am. Contact: Jenny Joy on 01952 245684.

29 June (Sunday) Survey of the Malverns for the High Brown Fritillary. Meet at the car park at 11.00am just off the unfenced road across Castlemorton Common that leads to Gullet Quarry (GR SO765382). Contact: Jenny Joy on 01952 245684.

12 July Baggeridge Country Park near Sedgley. Target species White-letter Hairstreak. Directions as for 31 May.

27 July (Sunday) Transect Training Day at the Wyre Forest. If you are interested in setting up a butterfly transect or already carry out one but would like to learn how to use transect walker please do join us for the day. Classroom session in the morning with afternoon practical session in the Wyre Forest. Meet at the Wyre Forest Visitor Centre at 11.00am (SO749740). Contact: Jenny Joy on 01952 245684.

29 July (Tuesday) Survey of the Malverns for Grayling. Meet at the British Camp Car Park (SO762403) at 11.00am. Contact: Jenny Joy on 01952 245684.

11 October (Saturday) Monkwood a Fungal Foray with Diane and Tim Bateman. Meet in the car park 10.30 am (probably lasting until about 1.00 pm) OS map 150 GR SO804606 Adults £1, children 50p

11 October (Saturday) AGM; Bishops Wood. Speaker Richard Fox (Millennium Atlas results)


Note 1:
The Branch led a campaign 3 years ago to save the Dingy Skipper and after a few compromises between Bryant Homes, Walsall Council and ourselves an area has been set aside for conservation which has been added to by the council. The local health centre has also left land fallow to help protect the species. We hope a number of the new residents will be in attendance. If you have a concern in your local patch about some development we strongly recommend you attend this walk to give you a practical case history demonstration you can relate to your council.

Note 2:
These walks are to record in an important area where there is a proposed road scheme. Birds, plants and Great Crested Newts will be seen. It is also intended there will be moth events.