Nick's Notes - November 2013

Staff news

Many of you may have noticed by now that our wonderful Wendy Murray is expecting a baby.   Wendy’s last day in the classroom/office will be Friday 20^th December.  We know you will join us in wishing her well and Wendy – we are looking forward to meeting your ‘baby bird’ in the new year!

 Did you know?   We are recruiting for a Community and Volunteer Development Officer at Sandwell Valley.  This HLF funded post will be at the core of developing our future relationships with local groups.   and communities as well as increasing the volunteering opportunities available to local people when the new Visitor Centre is built in 2015.Click here for more information.  The closing date is Thursday 28th November.

 On the reserve

At Sandwell plans for the new works on the island and reedbed are coming to a head with the contractors rolling in later this month. The Environment Agency have been on site to look at the plans first hand and have been able to consent to the works with only a couple of minor tweaks to the design. The work parties now will be preparing the way for the machines to come and doing some important prep work in the reedbed. Next time that bittern comes by we reckon he will like what he finds!

 The last Holiday Wildlife Club of the year had a Hibernating Hedgehogs theme!  23 children attended across the two days learning about hedgehogs, the dangers that they face as well as finding out ways to help them.  Jane, who runs the Hogfields Hedgehog Rescue Centre gave a talk and brought Norman along for all of the children to meet - an amazing experience for them, most of whom had never held a hedgehog before!  And because of the generous donations of wood from the Wednesday Gardeners, Roger and Judith, we had lots of wood to build some HOGITATS for the hedgehogs to use as shelters and to hibernate in as well which have now been placed around the reserve.  Massive thanks to Pippa and Holly for helping out on the day as well as to Roger and Judith for donating the wood.

 Lucy, one of our Field Teachers had a busy session with a school in Willenhall when she was invited along to help 60 children site 12 bird boxes in their school grounds, which they had made.  She also ran lots of activities about the importance of feeding our birds and then made 60 log feeders with them to each take home.  Thanks to Brian and Tony for making them all and drilling all of them holes!

 Nicky and Wendy then visited a school in Nechells more recently and built 18 bird boxes with a class (kits again kindly made up by Brian and Tony!).  The day was a great success and the children took the bird boxes home to put up in their gardens as well as a couple for their wildlife garden at school.  Quote of the day from one of the children “The best bit of the day was getting to work in a team with my friend to build the bird box”.  Brilliant day for birds and buddies!

Great Wildlife sightings have included marsh tit, barnacle geese and a flock of parakeets mobbing a buzzard (ten years ago you would not have even dreamt it!) at Sandwell.  

 Looking ahead

Our visitor promotions team have had little time to recover from the success of their half term events. There are several happening between now and the New Year. Please do look at our website for full details.  Nicky, Alex and Chris would love to hear from you if you are able to lend a hand.  Please also spread the word to your friends and invite them to come along.

On Sunday 15th December  we have our ever popular Christmas Winter Warmer Walks including refreshments and 'festive punch' ‘wink, wink’.

 Clothing Amnesty

We are still looking for any children’s clothes, particularly trousers / jogging bottoms, for children ages between about 4 – 8 so if any of you have any children or grandchildren who have outgrown some clothes, we would love to take them off your hands!  Any donations to please be dropped off at the Sandwell or Middleton office.

 One last thing…………

 Have you booked your place at our pre-Christmas meal at Jimmy Spices?  There are approximately 20 people coming so far.  Please get in touch if you would like to come too!

 Thank you as always for your support.