Environmental News October 2007
September was a very good Autumnal month, without extremes of weather. Most flowers and animals were to be seen, and at least in this part of the world major disasters like fires and diseases stayed away.
Apart from well publicised stuff like foot and mouth, and blue tongue, there is a nasty bug going round the Home Counties, that causes the death of small birds like tits and finches. I just hope we have a cold winter, and the disease is killed off.
Seen some migrant birds, mainly swallows, but Durlston Country Park (Oct 14th 10.30AM) is the best locality round here, as the birds stop to get their strength up before setting out.
Not a very good Autumn for butterflies. There have been a few around, but I have gone the whole year without seeing a small tortoiseshell.
Saw a friend last week, who is a keen seeker of snakes and lizards. One area he studies is the Golf Club, and he reckons it has been a fairly good year for all species. On his last trawl, he saw three smooth snake, which is a good population for this very scarce reptile.
Plenty of walks and talks in Dorset Countryside this month, with Fungi a recurring theme (3rd Oct Affpuddle, 6th and 7th Moors Valley, 13th Vernditch Chase, 14th and 20th Avon Heath , 20th BoP Upton Country Park, 21st RSPB Arne, 24th Steamer Point Christchurch)
Borough of Poole have a Canford Heath Walk (21st, Gravel Hill, 2.00PM) and tasks at Bourne Valley (20th) and Canford heath (27th).
Poole RSPB are organising a Bird Boat round the harbour for the next 6 months, starting on 28th.
Friends of Broadstone Nature Reserve will be holding their Annual review Meeting on 17th October, details tel 250148.
For those of you with lots of energy, most conservation groups will also be starting winter tasks soon, and are always glad of help. Gorse, brambles and small trees never take a holiday! The latest Coast and Countryside lists telephone numbers for 14 organisations in E and N Dorset actively seeking volunteers.
Useful Numbers of organisations running tasks or walks:-
| Dorset Countryside | 01305 225037 |
| Durlston Country Park | 01929 424443 |
| Avon Country Park | 01425 478470 |
| Moors Valley | 01425 470721 |
| NT (Studland) | 01929 450259 |
Other useful wildlife web sites for wildlife news in this area are:
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