Our new community web site gives us a great opportunity to share our interest in the wealth of wildlife to be found around Curry Rivel. At this time of the year it is difficult to visualise how difficult it is for wildlife to survive. Every autumn much is written about how we can help. The basic need is for the traditional natural habitats to remain available. TV programme give us a vivid close up of the harsh reality facing any wild creature. The Somerset Wildlife Trust  offers a lot of advice on how we can all make a contribution, for example by leaving some untidy areas of our gardens, leaving berries on shrubs and hedges and growing late flowering plants. Its all too easy to tidy every thing up but wildlife needs places to get food as long as possible and to hibernate through the winter.

Getting out and about , there is plenty of interest to be found. Many people know about the Starling Spectacular which takes place every year. You don't need to drive to Westhay to realise what  an unusual happening this is. Twice a day from October through to March or April large flocks of starlings gather and fly over Curry Rivel on their way to roost in the reed beds in the Westhay area.They are easily seen flying over between 3 and 4 pm each afternoon and returning the next morning about 8 am.

On our doorstep is the nationally recognised RSPB reserve at Swell Wood and West Sedgemoor. Great numbers of wetland birds can be seen by joining organised walks. You may see Cranes now and also see the herons and egrets nesting in Swell Wood in the spring.

But if wildlife is all around us , can we take it all for granted? I'm sure you know the answer.If you do and you have joined the Somerset Wildlife Trust then you making a big contribution to protecting the future of wildlife in Curry Rivel and throughout Somerset. That is also true if you have joined the Somerset and Bristol Butterfly Conservation Society or the RSPB or the Woodland Trust or many other conservation groups.

Our local group of members of the Somerset Wildlife Trust organise a range of activities, open to all, to support and promote the interests of wildlife in this part of Somerset.  We started our group five years ago.  Some 60 members of the Trust live in and around Curry Rivel and we try to provide information about all aspects of wildlife conservation through our public meetings and by helping members find the answers to their questions about the natural history  of our local wildlife. We hope you will share with us your experiences of wildlife in your garden or out and about.

From April to July we are organising visits to all our local nature reserves and details will be shown on the Wildlife Trusts web site There are around 15 reserves within about 10 to 15 miles of Curry Rivel. 

If you have read this far then we just want to finally welcome you to our meetings whether a member or not and if possible to hear from you about your interest in wildlife in and around  Curry Rivel.

If you would like more information about anything said here just call me,

David German

Telephone; 01458 259688

or by email.

Email address:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Take a look at our Blog on:     www.heartofthelevels.blogspot.com

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