The first Weekend Wildwatch session on Saturday 12th October proved a huge success. We had a great time searching for nighttime wildlife out on St Nicks nature reserve armed with torches and bat detectors. Lots of Pipestrelle bats were seen as well as heard plus a Noctule bat which was picked up on the bat detectors. The highlight was a Fox which trotted away gracefully in front of everyone. Next month’s session on Saturday 9th November will be earlier in the afternoon at 2 o’clock and we’ll be looking for mammal tracks and field signs so please join us to look for footprints, half eaten nuts and everyone’s favourite… poo!
Monthly Millennium Fields Volunteer Days started on Sunday 13th October thanks to funding by York CVS Growing Green Spaces. On a rainy day after the council had mown, we took the opportunity to do some serious wildflower seed sowing to increase species diversity in the grassland. Once we’d raked up the cuttings into habitat piles away from the main grassland, we set about exposing the bare earth through scarifying the remaining vegetation with rakes and sowing seeds. We also tidied up a small area of grassland near the Millennium Bridge to create a colourful and buzzing hot spot. Next month on Sunday 10th November we’ll be doing more seed sowing and planting.