RECORDED SPECIES IN THE BRIERDENE WILDLIFE SITE IS NOW 985

Dates for your diary.

The Annual Bio Blitz will be on Saturday 28th July from 10:00am – 3:00pm, and the Annual Moth Night will be on Saturday 4th August from 9:00pm

AGM

The AGM was held on Wednesday 25th at the Whitley Bay Golf Club, followed by an excellent buffet. The committee all stood for re-election and were voted in by the members present. The minutes of the meeting will be sent to all members next month.

The main speaker this year was Paul Stevens from E.R.I.C (Environmental Resources Information Centre) Based at the Hancock Museum. He spoke about the work of the record centre and how the data was received and used, and then went on to say how the sightings can help protect our region’s wildlife and green spaces. More details about E.R.I.C. can be found on their website. www.ericnortheast.org.uk

NEWS

We were also judged for the Green Flag Award on the morning of the 25^th. The judge was very impressed with the work of the volunteers who were on site, the establishment of the Snake’s Head Fritillary at east end of the lower dene and the number of species that had been recorded in the dene. We will have to wait until July to find out if we have retained our Green Flag Award.

APRIL'S WEATHER

This month the weather has been mainly on our side and we have managed to catch up on our planned maintenance.

NEW SPECIES

No new species were recorded this month.

Cowslips (photo below left) can be found in both the upper and lower dene.

Wood Anemones (photo below right) are doing well on the eastern and western paths down to the lower dene

WORK SCHEDULE

April: We have laid new wood chippings along the walkways at the west end of the dene top.

We also completed the clearing of overhanging branches and growth along the length of the burn and the cutting back of the refuge areas alongside the burn.

May: General maintenance will be the plan for this month. We will also have to do a spring cut in the meadow areas and possibly in the glades.