I'm always impressed when a community pulls together for a cause they feel strongly about.
Recently I helped organise a local wildlife walk in one of Warwickshire's more rural villages, and the nearby farmers, as well as villagers, certainly turned up in force to support the nature on their doorsteps.
The event highlighted how important their parish was for two particular species - turtle dove and grizzled skipper butterfly. Like much of the UK's nature, they're in trouble, but can be helped by creating homes that are just right for them.
When it comes to choosing where to lay their eggs, grizzled skippers are like Goldilocks, explained Warwickshire Butterfly Conservation officer, Mike Slater. They need everything to be just right. Right plant, right place and a leaf at just the right angle...
Fortunately, the countryside around the village has all the right ingredients to support a scattering of grizzled skipper colonies, as well as providing a summer home to several turtle doves. Indeed, it was local bird-watcher and surveyor Tim Marlow who highlighted the importance of this area nearly a year ago, and started the idea of running an event for local people.
Turtle doves were once more purring from the lines of mature scrub, displaying over a stretch of disused canal, and feeding on fumitory, and even oilseed rape, in nearby arable fields.
Matt Willmott from Natural England pointed out that providing the right plants for turtle doves to feed on during their breeding season was key, and could often by supported financially through agri-environment schemes.
Lots of villagers were quick to volunteer their own sightings, and it was great to be able to highlight how several local farmers were already doing their bit to help these species. Lots of the farmers, as well as managers of nearby angling clubs, fishing lakes and nature reserves ended the event offering to help. Each of them will get more one-to-one support over the coming weeks.
Only time will tell how successful this community will be in helping their special wildlife celebrities. The collective of conservationists will be on hand to support them, but ultimately it will be up to the enthusiasm and dedication of local people to make sure turtle doves and skippers continue to have a home in the area.
From what I saw that evening, I think they're in good hands.