BRIDGWATER and District U3A
Natural History
Meetings: 4th Wednesday of each Month
Group Leader: Hilary
Telephone: 431853
The Natural History group includes bird watching, but titled thus gives us a wider scope.
We are planning various visits to local wildlife hotspots over the next few months.
Natural History Group ~ update
Our
group’s
new
format
has
been
working
well;
each
of
us
takes
a
turn
to
organise
a
trip
or
event
and
this
helps
spread
the
load.
We
have
just
had
our
post-Christmas
meal/planning
meeting
at
the
end
of
January,
with
lots
of
idea
and
suggestions for things we can do or places to visit, down the year.
John
took
us
butterfly
watching
in
July,
to
an
area
of
woodland
that
was
totally
new
to
me,
and
to
many
others
of
the
group
I
suspect,
Hatch
Hill,
up
behind
the
‘Pipers’
pub.
We
were
very
lucky
with
our
sightings,
as
he
said
in
his
write-
up.
We don’t hold an ‘event’ in August, largely due to school holidays.
In
September,
Briggitte
took
over
the
organising
of
a
trip
to
another
new
venue,
Thorney
Lakes,
near
Muchelney,
which
included
a
visit
to
potter
John
Leach’s
pond
and
was
followed
by
lunch
at
The
Swan
in
Langport.
The
weather
was
glorious
and
really
hot
in
the
sun.
It
was
so
tranquil
by
the
lakes,
such
a
lovely
change
from
the
usual
surroundings
most
of
us
experience.
There
were
several
fishermen
trying
their
luck
and
we
could
see
there
were
fish
rising.
We
could
hear
lots
of
bird
life
in
the
surrounding
trees
but
not
many
showed
themselves,
except
an
assortment
of
tits
and
‘little
brown
jobs’.
It
was
a
bit
busier
on
the
water;
a
large
heron
flew
in
and
a
couple
of
moorhen
were
scudding
about
and
calling.
We
were
lucky
with
butterfly
sightings,
but
not
at
all
sure
of
our
identification;
could
have
done
with
John
being
with
us!
John
Leach’s
pond
was
much
more
enclosed
by
trees,
with
evidence
of
recent
storm
damage,
lots
of
branches
and
twigs
on
the
banks
and
in
the
water.
We
were
a
bit
puzzled
by
the
neatly
nibbled
remains
of
corn
cobs
lying
around
near the entrance to an adjacent field; human thieves eating them raw or squirrels, maybe? Guess we’ll never know!
In
October,
a
study
day
was
advertised
by
Crewkerne
U3A,
about
the
Jurassic
Coast,
so
a
group
of
us
went
along
as
it
sounded
interesting.
And
so
it
was!
We
had
a
couple
of
talks
by
members
of
the
Jurassic
Coast
Trust,
great
photos
and
graphics, plus good food.
As
the
weather
was
deteriorating
in
November,
June
had
offered
to
put
on
a
film
show
about
Yellowstone
National
Park.
This
was
held
at
Woolavington
Village
Hall,
fifteen
of
us
turned
up
and
enjoyed
it
very
much,
then
we
had
an
excellent
lunch at the Knowle Inn.
If
you
are
interested
in
finding
out
more
about
us,
please
ring
me
on
01278
431853.
If
I’m
not
around,
please
leave
a
message and I will endeavour to get back to you.
Hilary
Note: In all cases before joining a group for the first time please telephone the group leader.