Category: Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

 

If you are interested in wildlife in and around Wenvoe keep an eye on our Facebook page ‘Wenvoe Wildlife’. We can no longer post to our original page ‘Wenvoe Wildlife Group’ but you can still look at the site where there are many years of posts. All new posts are on the new page. We continue to support the school wildlife patch and plan to install more planters and a small, guarded pond in the coming months. Anyone who would like to help with this project, please contact the Wildlife group – sometimes just 10 minutes of your time every now and again can make a difference.

We have mentioned in the past that we have just one Mistletoe growing in the village as far as we know and there are only two live plants on record in the county. If you have a mature apple tree and would like to try out germinating some berries, contact the Wildlife group as we shall have a limited number of berries you can use this Autumn. We are also planning to do our own simplified version of the Big Garden Birdwatch which takes place at the end of January which will enable us to find what birds are doing well or not so well in Wenvoe. Watch this space for more information

 

The School Nature Club

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

The School Nature Club continues to flourish. This month they learned to identify Horse Chestnut which gives us Conkers and distinguish them from Sweet Chestnut which we love to roast. They assembled two more planters and will be filling them with Bee-friendly shrubs such as Escallonia, Mahonia, Caryopteris and Salvia in the Spring as well as sowing seed of Limnanthes, the Poached Egg plant. Vegetation cutting is expected any time on the Upper Orchid Field, Community Orchard and Cae Ysbyty but is weather-dependent. Ian Moody and other volunteers turn up once a month to help with manual maintenance on the Upper Orchid Field – why not wander up and join them? Third Monday in the month or check this newsletter for date and time. Do you have a mature apple tree and want to try getting Mistletoe to grow on it? If so, contact the Willdlife Group.

 

WENVOE BUTTERFLIES

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

The weather has not been kind to our conservation work but thanks to some of our observant residents we continue to record species which have not previously been registered in the Parish. An example is the Mint Moth which is probably not uncommon but easily overlooked. This small day-flying moth tends to inhabit patches of mint so one to look out for. We have now recorded 40 wildlife species in the School wildlife patch but expect the numbers to increase steadily, particularly if we get some better weather. The grass, Timothy, shown in the photo is doing very well – this is the foodplant of the caterpillar of the Essex Skipper (recorded in Cardiff and Barry) and the Marbled White butterflies.

CAN YOU SPARE A FEW MINUTES

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

We continue to work on our sites but (and we are not alone as far as village groups are concerned!) we do need more residents to get involved and spare a few minutes helping out with simple jobs. We held a session at the Elizabethan Orchard during July encouraging new volunteers to spare an hour in the evening but no new helpers turned out. Meantime we do what we can and recently have started refurbishing our noticeboards. Elizabethan Orchard noticeboard has been completed – next we shall focus on the Wild Orchard board. At least we have been awarded with 7 Green Flags again which is a tribute to those who help to care for the sites and the landowners who make it all possible. An important function of the Wildlife Group is to record species that are seen within the Parish of Wenvoe and St Lythans. Many of our records are firsts for this area such as the Common Purple and Gold Moth shown here which was spotted by members at the Elizabethan Orchard. They do not have to be rare and many common species are under-recorded. It is unlikely that anyone else is recording wildlife in the Parish and an apparent absence of wildlife can have a bearing on planning applications, especially for large-scale development. You do not have to be an expert but a photograph can usually help with identification. Do get in touch if you would like to get involved.

 

WILDLIFE GROUP

 

WILDLIFE GROUP

Turning out with other volunteers on the School’s Big Help Out we installed two planters, filled them with soil and planted them up with pollinator-friendly plants. A bird feeder was erected which will really come into its own in the Autumn and through Winter. Mike Tucker created a log pile which will be good for small mammals, beetles and amphibians as well as fungi and lichens. If you have a spare log or two feel free to add it to the log pile.

It was nice to see that solitary bees are using the bee hotel and small amounts of collected pollen are visible through the viewing screen. Autumn projects agreed include two more planters and a small pond. Already we have recorded the Red Tailed and Buff Tailed Bumblebees and the Common Carder Be. All species are reported to the Biodiversity recording database.
The Wenvoe Gardens Open Day provided an opportunity to see the wildlife patch but also all the other gardening and horticultural projects being carried out by the school. They are making a great effort to reconnect children with nature and deserve our full support.

 

 

Tuckers Spring Plant Sale

 

TUCKERS’

SPRING PLANT SALE

Saturday 69th April
Once again, by popular demand, the Tuckers will be holding a Spring Plant Sale on the drive at 29 Vennwood Close on Saturday 29 April. So please mark the date and come to snap up some garden bargains.

You can choose your plants, browse a few local craft tables and buy a slice or two of home made cake. We will be joined by other local gardeners and there will be lots of free gardening advice on offer. (If you are interested in having a table to sell your plants please get in touch.) There will also be the usual raffle with good quality prizes and proceeds will go to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group to help enable them to continue with their excellent work in and around the village. Wenvoe Wildlife Group will have a table and will be able to answer questions and give information about their work.

Come and have a chat and pick the Village Gardener’s brains. We’re looking forward to seeing you all.

 

What An Outing !

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT TEAM

What an outing on our first meeting of the year!

Before we got going a concerned citizen reported that suspicious activity was afoot at the church. We voted for Ian to go and investigate, as he was nearest. All ok though as the gentleman was investigating a problem with the roof. Neighbourhood Watch proved its worth.

The team then found a series of small holes on the village green. We thought at first folk had been metal detecting but as it turned out Brenig Davies and Gareth Sing Song had been settling their differences after the Christmas carol service and lost an earring in the melee. To make amends for his behaviour, Gareth collected litter all along Old Port Road.

We did plant three gifted trees, a couple of roses and some bulbs before departing. It was heart-warming to see a daffodil out on a lovely morning.

Our next meeting will be on 13th February at 9.30am by the Community Centre.

 

Hedge Laying Course

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Three members of the Group attended the hedge laying course organised by the Vale Local Partnership team and found it very valuable. It was originally scheduled to take place in our Community Orchard but this was flooded so the venue was switched to Cosmeston. It is still planned to layer the hedge by our Community Orchard but this will depend on the floodwater receding.

 

 

The Tuckers Raised £1,155

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Our thanks, as always, to the Tuckers who raised £1,155 for the Wildlife Group from the Reindeer sale. Thanks also to those of you who donated raffle prizes or bought tickets, manned or purchased items from stalls, or who helped out in other ways. One of our first purchases will be a new bench for the Community Orchard which has been missed by many of you when the first one disintegrated. Also taking place between the 11th and 15th January is a hedgelaying course at the Community Orchard. The instructor will be doing preparation work for the first three days and the course then runs on the 14th and 15th. At least three members of the Group have registered for the course which will not only pass on this ancient skill but should tidy up what has become a quite unruly hedge.

 

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