6th December 2018
AGM and Quiz at Llanblethian Church Hall

There were 18 members present and apologies from 6. The AGM business was run through as quickly as possible. The general chaos of the 2018 programme was highlighted in the overview of the year, which served to demonstrate that despite the fact that most of the meetings had to be re-arranged for one reason or another, we managed to have a good turn-out on each occasion and in the end it didn't really matter.
Steve presented the Accounts which are very healthy and he has been able to reduce the subs for 2019 by a half to £5 .
No-one came forward as candidates for leader or Treasurer and so the present incumbents continue in post.
A number of members brought suggestions and offers for meetings next year.
After the serious stuff, the sherry and mince pies were distributed, groups of 3 or 4 were formed and Dave Evans presented his quiz. The quiz featured wildlife of , but not necessarily native to, the UK. There were 35 questions, some of which were in several parts so there was the potential to score highly, but it has to be said, that no-one did. The quiz was wide ranging with slides of animal tracks, droppings and evidence of activity, winter tree buds, sea shore findings, fungi , nests and animals to identify. Marking the papers was contentious but everyone learned a lot when Dave went through and explained the answers, and in the end there was a clear winner, and the newly invented Iolo Williams Trophy, in the form of a bottle of wine was presented to Dave Webb as he answered by far the most questions in the winning team. He has also won the honour of setting the quiz for next year.

Many thanks to Steve and Val for providing the festive refreshments, and to Dave Evans for all his time and effort in preparing and presenting the quiz.

TJ

28th November 2018
Soup and Starlings. Newport Wetlands.

RSPB Cymru organised a series of events mainly in November for its members and others to come and witness the Starling Murmuration at Newport Wetlands, so the group comprising 13 of us, decided to go and join in on the last of the originally scheduled dates. The weather was atrocious with high winds and heavy rain making for an unpleasant drive to the Wetlands and we feared a cancellation, but the starlings need to find a roost for the night whatever the weather, so we felt very fortunate that just in time, the rain stopped and the wind dropped and the birds put on a show.
Duly refreshed by cups of leek and potato soup, tea or coffee we sat down for a short but very informative talk about our starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, which are one of 120 species of starlings in the world but the only species to exhibit the murmuration behaviour. They are related to the mynah bird which are also great mimics. The starlings learn more calls as they get older but they only live for about 4 years and about 2 thirds of them are lost in their first Winter. They are perching birds with sharp beaks and strong legs, well adapted to digging in fields for food items and heaving them out.They are very much in decline , probably due to a loss of habitat related to changes in farming practices. They are crevice nesters and favour dry stone walls which are also disappearing. So they are having a hard time.
In Summer the well known iridescent plumage lacks the white tips to the feathers because of wear and tear and the yellow beak has a blue base in the male and a pink base in the female. That's easy to remember. Come the Winter, when they have fresh plumage, the birds have a spotted appearance, and the beak is black due to increased melanin which adds the necessary strength to dig in frozen ground.
There was some discussion about where the name came from related to the colours looking like a starry night , the shape in flight looking like a 4 pointed star, and even its stare-y eyes. The real explanation has obviously been lost in the mists of time.
The biggest question was why a murmuration? It comes down to safety in numbers made up of 3 elements. 1)To confuse predators .2)A dilution effect for an individual--the more there are of the birds the less likely an individual will be taken. 3) Response to a predator----many more eyes to spot danger.
Other theories abound, such as that the murmuration is a form of communication similar to that exhibited by bees which are able to inform the rest of the colony about good feeding areas.
In due course we ventured out into the reserve. As well as the starlings, we were on the look out for the predators which not surprisingly , home in on the murmuration and after a short time small flocks of birds appeared, and as they gathered and increased in numbers we moved to watch them skimming over the reed beds , swooping and diving , amalgamating and separating, drawing in starlings from a 20 mile radius ,forming a fluid mass of 20-25,000 birds. Two Marsh Harriers made an appearance as expected, but we didn't see them take anything. One large flock of starlings flew over low enough for us to hear the whirr of thousands of wings before joining the others and as they all settled on the reeds, although they were largely out of sight, we could hear them chattering for a while before they settled for the night.
One of the guides told us that the reverse process happens in the early morning when the birds leave the reeds. He has watched as they all take flight and it is all over in 42 seconds.
The guides were thanked for an excellent afternoon, and we slowly made our way home to tackle the traffic on the M4, the Bryn Glas tunnels and the return of the heavy rain which had thankfully held off at just the right time for us.

TJ

1st November 2018
Coach trip to Westonbirt Arboretum

Once again we were lucky with the weather when 14 of the Natural History group , accompanied by 16 others set off in a coach for the trip along the M4 to Westonbirt. Autumn is the peak time to visit the arboretum to see the trees changing colour but due to the unusual weather conditions experienced this year, the spectacular show had peaked a week or two earlier than expected. We arrived after an hour and a half , ahead of schedule ,and dispersed to find the cafe for leisurely refreshment before our tour. We were divided into two groups each with two volunteers who took us around selected highlights of the 15,000 tree specimens which includes 2,500 species of which well over 100 are champions. The seasonal stars were the Japanese Acers many of which were a glorious red, but we also saw Sequoias a Meta Sequoia , Cedars, Swamp Cyprus, Redwood Pines, Magnolias not in bloom but some with fruit, and the Indian Bean tree. We prodded the bark of the sequoias which feel spongey. We were told that this is because they lack resin which make them resistant to fire, and that some trees such as the Douglas Fir need extreme temperatures such as produced by fire( or freezing below -20 degrees C) to initiate germination of the seeds in their cones.
We learned that the gardens were originated by the extremely wealthy Holford family during the Victorian era, a background story not unlike like our own Dyffryn Gardens. Although careful notes of every stage of development are kept now of the seedlings and trees that are planted, that was not always the case, and so, many of the trees cannot be dated more accurately than from about 1850. The planting is in the picturesque style and sounds instinctive rather than scientific, with specimens from different climates planted in groups with protection afforded by native trees. In the Spring it is possible to witness the blooming of the ericaceous plants such as the rhododendrons and magnolias which thrive here on the acid soils. It was not possible to test soil for pH at the time of planting, so it must have been a bit hit and miss combined with the common knowledge that the soil" looked different" in some areas and the local farmers knew that their crops would grow well in some places and not in others. This is due to variations in the underlying geology.

Lunch had been pre-arranged which was as well as we had a struggle to find tables and chairs in the dining area but the soup and sandwiches were just right when they arrived.
There were then 3 hours to spend on further exploration of a number of different paths, a craft exhibition and a shop to visit. The arboretum management are keen to maintain a dog and child friendly policy so the paths are busy and noisy in places, but it was possible to take the path less travelled and enjoy peace and tranquility. Other delights to find included the 2000 year old small leaved lime which is managed by coppicing every 20 years, the original stem is likely to be hundreds or possibly thousands of years old, and there was the very occasional bird to spot such as a silent sparrow hawk which alighted on the top of the tallest pine tree for a while before disappearing again.
A very popular feature appealing to young and old alike, was the Tree Top Walkway which gives a different perspective and from where one could have a birds' eye view of that part of the arboretum and at the same time read and absorb even more tree information along the way.
By 4.30pm the light was fading and the crowds were leaving. We left the carpark in the dark for the drive back to Cowbridge through the rush hour which took just 2 hours.

Our thanks to Val Monaghan, for yet again arranging a very good day out.

TJ

13th September 2018
Bat Walk Llanblethian and Cowbridge.

True to form we were let down again for the planned Bat Event for this month which had been booked months ago so instead we did it ourselves, again. With 5 detectors to share between 10 of us it worked quite well. We had fingers crossed that it would not rain but in fact we were very lucky to have a fine evening after the best day by far for a while. The insects were out in force and we could expect the bats to be hunting them wanting to fatten up before the Winter hibernation.
We met around sunset (7.30pm) at St Quentin's Castle in the hope of catching the bats leaving what was a likely roosting site. It was quiet for 20-25 minutes but then we picked up lots of common (45 kHz) and soprano (55 kHz)pipistrelles with the detectors.*
After a while larger bats were noted and these were consistently emitting at about 75kHz and 105kHz which according to the crib sheet made them greater and lesser horseshoe bats. Intriguingly, Greater Horseshoe bats are very rare and are only known in 3 different areas in Wales, none of them anywhere near here!
We wanted to find Daubenton's bats too which typically feed over water so we walked to the river at the bottom of Constitution Hill and then via Twt Parc and then to the High Street, but the water was very low and although there were a few bats they were probably all pipistrelles. None were dipping into the water. We could have done with an expert at this point. The Daubenton's makes a series of clicks at 45kHz and the Common Pipistrelle sounds like a wet slap at 45 kHz.
Strolling back along the High Street, half the group peeled off to go to the pub and the rest checked out the pond in Old Hall Grounds (nothing), and looked at the river again before crossing Three Fields and searching the river once more this time from the bridge in Piccadilly, but we found nothing convincing before dispersing after an enjoyable couple of hours of bat hunting.
TJ

• Insectiverous bats feed by echo location in the range 18-120 kHz. There are tables indicating the frequencies you are most likely to receive the strongest signal for a given bat species. The exact peak frequency varies between individual bats and the habitat. By altering the dial on the bat detectors you can tune in to different frequencies.

23rd August 2018
Dyffryn Gardens Arboretum

It's always a pleasure to have the company of an expert who clearly loves his subject,and who enjoys and relishes the challenges of his job. Such a person is Rory Ambrose , the head Arboriculturist in Dyffryn Gardens which was the site of our visit this month.This trip was originally booked for May but it had to be re-arranged because the BBC were filming Dr Who there.Traditionally there is a poor turn-out in August because of holidays and grandparent duties, however ten members turned up to Dyffryn and had a highly informative tour of the Arboretum and beyond, led by Rory, which lasted nearly three hours.
As we strolled along the paths , Rory pointed out and explained the plans for each area. Much of the tree and shrub planting occurred in the early 1900's, but the fortunes of the gardens have waxed and waned and are now in need of revival .The Arboretum can be divided into 37 areas , and he is concentrating on 5 or 6 areas each year to focus on. It is very much work in progress, opening up overgrown spaces, clearing areas around important trees and propagating from those that are at the end of their lifetime.
Everyone loves a champion, and there are 18 UK and 80 Welsh champion trees here following a recent survey. Some trees lose their champion status because they are no longer of the greatest height or girth, and others are champions simply because they are one of a kind.
Rory previously worked at Kew, and one big difference in the challenges here is coping with the effects of strong winds--- only the strong trees survive. A shared problem is the effects of thousands of visitors causing compaction of the ground around the root systems just by walking up to the trees to have a better look or to read the labels. Hence, the most vulnerable trees are roped off.
The discussions were wide ranging and everyone learned a lot no matter what their base-line level of knowledge . We saw an area cleared of heather and staked up ready for planting of birch and ornus species. Yellow rattle seeds have been harvested to aid meadow development as it is semi-parasitic on grass.We talked about their hedgehog population and the use of felled wood to make piles for the wildlife and also as a potential source of income to finance further tree planting. There was an oak tree which was dying back at the tips because it had come to an over-mature stage. (not unlike our members!) We saw the effects of dwarf bamboo --an all- pervasive species which needs constant cutting back but cannot be eradicated . We saw biomechanics in action, studying a cut stem which had been 2 stems squashed together with included bark forming a compression fork and 'ears'. We saw the knock- on effects of losing a tree within a group and how that made other trees more vulnerable to the wind having lost their protection. Other trees which had been planted in the wrong place like blue atlas cedar which looked out of place and which would be removed in due course. Rory explained plans to open up vistas and to maintain wind breaks. He showed us a second meadow under development at the site of an orchard which is being re-sited on the periphery of the gardens where a heritage Welsh apple and pear orchard will be planted.
Individual trees were remarkable --for example the famous Lucombe oak on the Archery lawn which may be 400 years old, significantly predating Dyffryn; the UK champions Magnolia acuminata cordata, and the Acer griseum . Perhaps the most special individual tree was the horse chestnut with veteran features near the entrance of the grounds with its huge branches one of which touches the ground and is establishing roots several metres away,so that in time when the main trunk dies this tree will move itself.
Rory was thanked warmly for a fascinating tour and promised a donation for his tree projects rather than to the general National Trust.
Many thanks also to Bob Bevington for organising the trip (twice).
TJ

6th July 2018
Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol Cymru.
National Botanic Garden of Wales

There had been no suggestions for the July meeting and so it seemed appropriate to tag along with the general U3A trip to see these splendid gardens in Llanarthne , near Carmarthen. It was a beautiful day and it took marginally more than an hour to get there by coach, and having arrived, everyone dispersed to do their own thing in the next 7 hours. With a determined effort it's probably possible to see everything in that time, but most would prefer to be selective.Any of the specialist areas could occupy you for a long while : Plas Pilipala (ButterflyHouse) with lots of exotic and delightful butterflies ( too hot to stay long):the Apothecary Hall and Garden (cool and dark) was full of ancient herbal remedies; the Physic Garden as work in progress;the Double Walled Garden, so colourful and with inventive planting; the Wallace Garden with references to the evolution of plants; Rock of Ages showing the Geology of Wales; and the Ghost Forest with huge chunks of rainforest trees brought from Ghana each with their own story; and of course the famous Great Glasshouse with a number of different environments reproduced for growing plants of South America, South Africa, Western Australia and California as well as the Mediterranean, all observed to the chirping of many house sparrows which were nesting in there.
There was an opportunity to go on a conducted walk for an hour and a half to view the Regency parkland which is undergoing restoration. It is a huge and expensive project and lakes that were drained in the past are to be re-instated. This will involve the loss of a number of trees and other vegetation that have grown in the meantime. Along the way we saw a pair of buzzards, and a red kite, great spotted and green woodpeckers and plenty of moths and butterflies and grasshoppers. Earlier, by the Aqualab there was a reed warbler too.
Fortunately there is a plentiful supply of cafes and restaurants within the gardens providing much needed refreshment on a long and hot day. We arrived back in Cowbridge about 6pm having had an excellent time. Many thanks to Val Monaghan for organising the trip.
TJ

7th June 2018

VISIT TO COED NANT BRÂN, near Brecon

We had not had much luck with our meetings this year what with the snow and the BBC disrupting our plans and for a while it looked as though our trip to Coed Nant Brân would suffer a similar fate. However, at the eleventh hour all fell into place and 8 members in two cars made the journey to Brecon and beyond, to this ancient woodland which has recently been purchased by the Biosciences Department of Cardiff University in order to conduct long term studies. Here we met two of the team, Libby a soon to be graduate, and Amy, a PhD student.They conducted us with due care through the wood and explained the various projects which they are involved in. The big attraction for us were the pied flycatchers, and we were able to view these from the road before we entered the wood.These are Summer visitors from Africa which are particularly attracted to the wet upland Welsh woodlands for breeding.
The first part of the wood is full of oak trees showing evidence of historical coppicing and these tall thin trees made handy props to hang on to on the slopes. Hanging between some of the trees were Fras traps, collecting the droppings from caterpillars. This gives a measure of the size of the population of caterpillars which is a food source for the pied flycatchers. The ground cover under the oaks is sparse and mossy, but where the oaks give way to beech and birch, the ground cover is grassy and at the far end of the wood is a relatively open area which is ideal habitat for the winter visiting woodcock.One of these tagged woodcock has turned up in Russia.
Three rows of bird boxes have been put up. We only attempted to look at the lowest row, and Amy checked to see if they were currently or recently occupied. The blue tits make neat little nests but the pied flycatchers make more of a token gesture with just a few oak leaves. Sometimes the pied flycatchers take over a blue tit nest box. Before opening a nest box, Amy tapped on it to alert any sitting birds, but we did not disturb any, but we did find a clutch of 7 blue eggs of a pied flycatcher. Any eggs found were deemed viable if they were warm, and assumed abandoned if they were cold. We were particularly delighted and privileged to see a nest of pied flycatchers and another one of blue tits.
Situated wedged between small trunks of trees were some black plastic tubes which were not bits of rubbish but small mammal traps with a special sort of double sided sticky tape inside to collect hair from any little creatures passing through . The hairs are then studied under a microscope to ID the animals.
After a thorough search Libby found a hair outside one of the entrances to the extensive badger sett we also looked at . The hair was unusually soft , and so it was concluded that it had come from a juvenile.
Coming out of the wood and walking back slowly along the quiet country lane we took time to spot a number of Beautiful Damoiselle damsel flies.
We thanked our guides for a very instructive morning and wished them luck in their endeavours and we hope to sponsor a bird box with our name on it by way of a thank-you.
We mentioned that our next stop was Craig Cerrig Glieisiad for a picnic lunch and an attempt to find the elusive Ring Ouzels, and we were delighted that our guides were very keen to join us for that.It was unfortunate that one of our cars got a flat tyre, so one way and another only half of us made the steep climb up to the ridge where we searched diligently and listened carefully. Fleeting glimpses were caught of a female so we sat patiently on top of the crag until she flew out again and onto the grassy area behind us where eventually we all had very good views of a pair, and an extra male for good measure. Satisfied, and very grateful for the help of our young friends, we then tackled the descent, which was difficult, not to say precipitous in parts, but it was worth it .
We said goodbye and thanks again to Libby and Amy and found the nearest mobile kiosk and celebrated with a much needed cup of tea.

TJ

26th April 2018

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE DINOSAURS.

This was a re-arranged event as the original day was snowed off.
Thirteen members gathered in the foyer of the Museum of Wales to meet Cindy Howells and Tom Cotterell. We divided into two groups and had a session with each of the leaders in the store rooms to see samples of the fossils and minerals not normally on view to the public. The emphasis was on objects found in Wales which held the most interest. There are half a million fossils in store and Cindy had made a representative selection for us to see. Starting with Trilobites which were very common creatures in Wales the Silurian and Devonian and which ranged from the tiny to the huge in size evolving for different conditions and becoming completely extinct by the end of the Permian, 250 million years ago. There was a fossil from Porthmadog in shale, one from Russia with eyes on stalks ( enabling it to crawl through the mud but also to see where it was going) a photo of a very rare one from New York where it's feet had been preserved due to it having died and been rapidly preserved in anoxic conditions and another preserved in iron pyrites (fool's gold) giving it a golden glow.
Coming forward in time to the Devonian period there was a slab of red sandstone from the Brecon Beacons which was full of trace fossils, formed in the uplands one afternoon in a muddy pool which then dried out . The fish would have "walked" along the surface in search of water , rather like lungfish in Africa today.
In the Triassic and Jurassic periods the first dinosaurs appeared about 200 mya when this area was bathed in a warm tropical sea. There were tiny teeth from one of the earliest mammals( found in the Bridgend area),an Icthyosaur found 25 years ago in Penarth and a paddle bone from a Plesiosaur which was a long necked creature with a long tail. There was clear evidence of teeth marks showing it had been attacked, but must have escaped as there was also signs of healing within the bone. One of the things the Plesiosaurs would have predated would have been the Ammonites which are probably everyone's favourite
fossils . One example also had signs of possible predation although, equally ,the holes in it may have been caused by limpets attaching themselves to the mother-of -pearl surface.
We then moved on to the dinosaurs. We were able to see and handle a vertebra and a vertebral spine which came from the tail of an Iguanodon. Finally there was an enormous tooth from a Mammoth.
Moving on to the Mineral Room where there are 40,000 specimens kept in vented conditions to prevent the build up of Radon gas. These are stored according to their chemistry, and again the emphasis was on Welsh minerals. We have a lot of silver in Wales but it occurs in mixtures so it is not easily accessible, but we saw some pure silver from Norway. There was also gold from North Wales. Tom explained how it was possible to identify the source of such minerals from the minerals they were associated with, for example the gold from Gwynfynydd mine typically is associated with sphalerite---the chief ore of zinc. Again there is still a lot of gold in the National Park in Snowdonia , but the sites are unpredictable.
We also saw some meteorites and finally a series of rocks which fluoresce under UV light.
Just as interesting was learning about the preservation of the samples, which essentially need to be kept in a similar environment to that in which they are formed. Otherwise, they are subject to ongoing chemical reactions with the air and quietly crumble to dust.All part of the rock cycle, which happens even in the drawers of the storage cabinets.
Both halves of the tour provoked a great deal of questions, not to mention a lot of "oohs" and "aahs". Cindy and Tom were thanked for a most enjoyable, instructive and unusual morning in the Museum.
Our thanks also to David Edmunds who organised, and re-organised the trip.
TJ

5th April 2018

HIGHLANDS TIGERS

Cowbridge U3A Natural History group was extremely fortunate to welcome back Alicia Leow-Dyke in April 2018, who travelled all the way from Llandrindod Wells to give an illustrated presentation, entitled “The Story of Wildcats in Britain”.
Before her appointment as the Welsh Beaver Project Officer, Alicia had been involved in a captive wildcat breeding programme in the Scottish Highlands and this formed the basis of her talk.
The Scottish wildcat (also known as the Highlands Tiger) is a dark coloured subspecies of the European wildcat, native to Scotland. Its range previously also included England and Wales, but it became extinct in these areas, as well as in southern Scotland, within the last 150-200 years. The reasons for the population decline include loss of habitat, as commercial forestry offers little in the way of prey and den sites, persecution by gamekeepers (pheasants and grouse are on their menu, along with mice, rats, voles, rabbits and carrion), road kills, and hybridisation through interbreeding with feral domestic cats (who can then also transmit diseases to the wildcat).
Wildcats are, in general, slightly larger than domestic cats and they don’t purr, but make a screechy sound. Unlike their domestic cousins, wildcats only breed once a year, producing a litter of 1–3 kittens. This feline species is reputably untameable.
There is estimated to be a population of 400–1,000 wildcats in the Highlands, but, as a result of the interbreeding, fewer than 100 genetically pure animals may exist.
Alicia described some of the methods of distinguishing between domestic cats, hybrids and wildcats. Genetic testing is one method, while the robustness of the skull and the length of the intestines are useful in post mortems, but for quick field identification it is the tail that holds the clue; wildcats have a broad, blunt tail with a black tip, no rump spots and the dorsal stripe stops at the base of the tail.
The Aigas Field Centre, near Inverness, started a captive breeding programme in 2001, initially with a single breeding pair of wildcats. The aim was to raise wildcats and release them into the wild eventually. The natural behaviour of the young was to hunt (something also seen in domestic cats), so there was no need to train them to do so, unlike the experience with larger feline species, such as lions.
Other centres are now involved in the breeding programme; there are currently 50 males and 30 females in captivity, all at least 75% genetically pure wildcat.
To reduce the hybridisation risks, responsible cat ownership is being promoted and farm cats are being neutered and vaccinated. Gamekeepers are being taught how to differentiate between feral domestic cats and wildcats.
At present, no wildcats have been released into the wild, but surveys are being undertaken to identify suitable sites where they can be set free safely.
The wildcat is traditionally an icon of Scottish wilderness, but the species is under serious threat of extinction; one can only hope that the breeding programme eventually makes a positive impact on numbers.
SPM

Our thanks to Steve for organising this event. Twenty three members and guests attended.

!st March 2018
The arranged meeting at the Museum had to be postponed due to the snow.

1st February 2018
A talk on Bees by Clive Farrant

It's a hard life being a worker honey bee. It's a well organised slog for up to six weeks, and then they die.These utterly selfless females give their all, for the good of the colony. They clean and polish cells ready for the queen to lay her eggs. They feed and nurse the larvae as they develop, they do running repairs, process the nectar into honey, maintain the temperature of the hive and guard against intruders defending the colony with their lives if necessary. They go foraging and report back to the colony ( by dancing) to tell the others where the best food is. These workers organise themselves so there is a division of labour, but they can also adapt to do another worker's tasks if needed. After about three weeks of foraging, the worker dies, to be replaced by a younger model.
The male bees, the drones, have only one function, and that is to mate with the queen.
The queen lives about 4 or 5 years. Her function is to lay eggs and keep the colony going which she does by laying up to 1500 eggs per day. When the queen first hatches, her first job is to see off the competition, so she kills the other larvae queens which have not yet emerged.
The life and complex interactions of a honey bee colony are fascinating. We depend upon them to pollinate about 1/3 of our food crops. For example, 85% of apple crops and 45% of our strawberries rely on the bees for pollination. A single colony of 50,000 bees can pollinate 4,000 square metres of fruit trees and in the process produce 14Kg of honey. They are struggling against a number of diseases. They are prone to infestation by the Verroa mite , which is a vector for other diseases, in particular, the Deformed Wing Virus, which does what it says on the tin---results in bees that cannot fly. Another big threat is the Asian hornet, which is progressing across Europe. This insect predates the bees at the front of the hive.
Growing suitable flowering plants for pollinators would help the bee population, but our speaker presented us with a dilemma . Himalayan balsam will flower right through Summer to Autumn , providing a ready supply of nectar after other flowers have failed, so the bees love it.But Himalayan balsam is an invasive non-native species that many Wildlife Trusts try very hard to exterminate .
There was no time to debate this particular question, as the talk had engendered great interest among the 17 members who had attended and there were many other questions for our speaker to answer. He showed us a display of various items of equipment used in dealing with the bees, and gave us a taste of the produce at the end of a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting morning.

Clive was warmly thanked by Ruth Jenkins . Our thanks also go to Ruth who had arranged the talk .

TJ

January 2018----Porpoise seen from Southerndown on a calm day.
A water rail in a riverside garden.
Male blackcap on a garden feeder.
Redwing in garden tree.