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YACWAG aims to establish and maintain nature reserves in the Parishes of Yatton and Congresbury for the benefit of the public, and to advance education in natural history and nature conservation.
YACWAG events guide:-
Tuesday 11 October, 7.30pm @ Horsecastle Chapel, Yatton – Talk by Tony Moulin – The Strawberry Line, past, present and future. Full details here. All welcome.
Saturday 22 October, 10am – noon Workparty at St Mary’s Churchyard, Yatton – all welcome. Tools provided. Please bring your own flask of drink – we will provide cake!
Tuesday 8 November, 7.30pm Wildlife Talk @ Kenn Village Hall – details to follow.
Read the latest YACWAG Newsletter here September 2016
GOOD NEWS from the Co-op
YACWAG has been selected to receive funding from the Co-op Local Community Fund – we have six months to collect as much money as we can through the Fund and if you are a Co-op member using the Yatton Store you can help us by registering YACWAG as the cause you wish to support – YACWAG will get 1% of the value of your purchases of Co-op products and services when you use your membership card. If you don’t register your choice by March 2017 your 1% will be divided by the Co-op among three local charities.
To register go online www.coop.co.uk/membership
The money we raise through the Fund will be used to support our work in Yatton Schools, Court de Wyck School, Claverham and St Andrew’s School , Congresbury.
Your support will be much appreciated. Win Lowman, Secretary YACWAG
Great White Egret on Kenn Moor – 11th Sept 2016
A Great White Egret was present on Kenn Moor on 11th September and Higgy was on hand to capture these shots (taken at very long distance). This constitutes the first record for the YACWAG area and it would be a ‘mega’ for birdwatchers in other parts of the country. 2016 is only the third year that Great White Egrets have nested in the UK and all nests are in the Somerset Levels. Indications are that their numbers will increase ( perhaps not to the levels attained by Little Egrets) and this beautiful White heron will become a regular feature of our local wetlands. Many thanks, Higgy.
Trevor Riddle
click on pictures to enlarge in a new window ….
Barn Owl watch – Wed 27 July 2016
A nice bright evening attracted a dozen members including two junior owl watchers. Initially three young owls emerged and sat around, then an adult flew in and at one point there were five owls in the air. There was plenty of action but eventually the darkness defeated us and we closed at 9.30.
There will be another watch on Weds 3 August at 8.30pm : this will be the last this year as the young owls will be dispersing soon.
Trevor Riddle
Hobby sighting in Claverham – July 2016
This very acrobatic bird hunts dragonflies and other insects and small birds on the wing.
Visit to Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserves – Thursday 23 June 2016
10 members, a picnic, a Glossy Ibis, Great White Egrets, Marsh Harriers, Hobbies, a Bittern and more… for information on our ‘Great Day Out’, click on the Birds link on the left hand side of the screen.
Hawkmoths in Yatton Gardens June 2016
Richard Croucher, one of our members, was pleased to find this fabulous newly-emerged Elephant Hawkmoth in his garden this month
and David Williams sent this photo of a beautiful Lime Hawkmoth found in his driveway.
Water Vole Training 4 June 2016
Sarah Dale led a group on this training at Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve – a hot spot for water voles. Signs of water vole were found – latrines, food stores, burrows and footprints – but no water voles! On Saturday 2 July the trainees will be carrying out a water vole survey on YACWAG reserves. If you wish to join in please see the details above. The photo shows Tony and Janice in action at Portbury Wharf – what beautiful surroundings despite being near the motorway and the port.
YACWAG’S 17th AGM 26 May 2016
Claverham Cricket Club proved a very pleasant venue for our AGM on a lovely, warm evening. The Chairman, Tony Moulin, presented his annual report on the activities of the Charity (copy to be posted on this site shortly) and the annual accounts. The officers and committee members were re-elected for another year. Congratulations to Gary Barker who received The Chairman’s Award for YACWAG Volunteer of the Year ‘ for his enthusiasm in promoting YACWAG in the local community for the good of people and wildlife’.
Spring has sprung – 7th May 2016
After a slow start to spring for our incoming migrant birds, the sudden warm weather and southerly winds has brought a rush of summer visitors…… for a detailed update on all the recent bird sightings, click on the Birds link on the left hand side of the screen
Early morning warbler walk – 2nd May
Led by Trevor Riddle, seven hardy members enjoyed a pleasant stroll along the Strawberry Line in rather overcast and at times showery conditions. Six warbler species were heard singing with Chiffchaff, Blackcap,and Whitethroat seen, Cettis Warbler and Sedge Warbler glimpsed whilst the Reed Warblers sang but remained hidden. A male Bullfinch was a popular bird, there were any number of Wrens singing and lots of Blue Tit activity.
A male Sparrowhawk shot low over the rhyne bordering 10 Acres field but the resident Kestrels seemed to be still in bed. Just a few Swallows flew past – they seem to be late arriving this year.
GOOD NEWS!
YACWAG HAS WON THE ENVIRONMENTAL HERO AWARD in the North Somerset Mercury Hero Awards. Tony and Faith Moulin attended the award ceremony at Cadbury House on 25 November and were presented with a framed certificate which will be on show at our next public events. Look out for the coverage in next week’s free paper!
NEW Jubilee Tree Website www.yacwagstreasuredtrees.webs.com
For the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee we planted 60 trees in Yatton and another 60 at St Andrew’s School, Congresbury. We now have a website on which you can learn more about the trees we planted and the wildlife associated with them, and keep up-to-date with the progress of these trees. Thanks to Higgy for all his hard work on this website. In due course we hope to include information about other ‘treasured trees’ in the two parishes.
YACWAG’S approach to development
With so many planning applications for housing in Yatton and Congresbury in the pipeline, YACWAG Chairman, Tony Moulin, has prepared a statement detailing YACWAG’s approach to development. Click on the link to read the statement.
Wetland Wildlife on The Strawberry Line
To see a copy of the information posters on the Strawberry Line notice boards, click here.
Articles on the home page are now also posted in their associated categories.
For home page items posted prior to October 2012, click here.
