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28/4/2017 0 Comments Bonnets In BloomWe do love being crafty at BVWI and so it was inevitable we would indulge in a traditional Easter Bonnet Parade at our April meeting! Not only was it fun but it really highlighted how imaginative and creative our members are. Everything from hot cross buns in a basket to bird's nest fascinators and traditional spring flowers. All the bonnets are featured in close up detail over in the gallery. As well as such prancing about, we also enjoyed a talk from Sue MacDonald, a member of FBCP (Friends of Bestwood Country Park) and a former ranger in the Park for over 16 years. Her knowledge of local wildlife is second to none, and even those of us who feel we are quite well versed on English wildlife were very surprised with what we learned. Sue is also a very engaging and funny speaker and we do love a giggle at BVWI! At Bestwood Country Park we are lucky to have a diverse range of wildlife visit and make their homes, all of which can be encouraged by a few changes in the villagers day to day activities and garden design. Hedgehogs are in decline, but are creatures of habit, and tend to have specific routes. The surge in gravel boards and brick walls around gardens have stopped some of these routes, so if you have any gaps, don't fill them up! Also ensure your bird feeders are squirrel proof, and simple sunflower hearts and meal worms are the perfect snack to leave out. Around the park our most regular furry visitors are badgers, foxes, voles and stoats, an occasional weasel and more rarely, the dormouse, which was re-released into Nottingham to help breeding. On the far side of the park, closer to the fire station HQ, Roe deer and Montjack are still seen, and hares and rabbits generally frequent the old 'pit-tip' top. In a move of evolution and mutation, an occasional 'black' squirrel has been spotted as well as the greys. Any walkers around the park at dusk will no doubt have spotted a few bats on their way out, and we have twelve species recorded in Notts alone. We most likely spot the noctule and brown long eared fellows, who are known to lurk around Alexandra Lodge in the evenings. Sue offers bat walks in April and September if you fancy joining her to spot them! An ideal activity for the kids in better weather is to also help record the wildlife you spot - look out for the 'Three F's': Footprints, Fur and Faeces! And teach them of the main concerns - litter and dog fouling - and to always pick up after themselves. If you spot anything interesting, get in touch with Sue via the FBCP website and let her know what you've seen.
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May 2021
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