Page 19 - feb2024

February 2024 February 2024

FIRST THURSDAY CLUB WILD WOODBURY

(AUTUMN LEAVES) Water restoration and
quality
Last month I was moaning about the weather on
first Thursdays. Our new Year Meeting in 2024, was It’s been a year since the
the worst yet. The heavens opened after Storm stage 0 river restoration was
“Henk” swept the Midlands, a months rain completed at Wild Woodbury
descended on us on this Thursday. Bere Stream and what a great difference it
was in spate and hurled itself to Poole Harbour but this did not deter the First has made. As well as smashing
Thursday Club members and helpers who turned out to welcome 2024. field drains, the deep ditches
around the site were filled in
We had forty four people in the scout hut and were entertained by the Dorset allowing the water to follow its
Wrecks Sea shanty singers. With all the weather outside one could really imagine natural path through the lower ground. Subsequently, the previous deep, straight
were out at sea with all the traditional sea faring songs. Afterwards we enjoyed flow paths of the water are now widespread and meandering. The ground is
a new year tea of sandwiches sausage rolls and cake. saturated and wetland loving rushes are thriving. The wet ground and rushes have
Looking ahead next month, on 1 February, we have Alistair Simpson. He is an “a resulted in some wetland birds using Wild Woodbury. We have been seeing
st
Knitter”. His hobby is knitting. He will bring and wear examples of his work and lapwing, common snipe and jack snipe on site, all indicative of the wetland
talk about them. He has requested that if anyone is into knitting he would very habitat created. Not only has the water restoration benefitted the site, but
much enjoy looking at your work. He is not only a knitter he is an avid rambler of allowing the land to recover after intensive farming has already resulted in
Dorset byways and musician so I am sure he will be able to entertain us before tea improvements to water quality. By ending the input of fertilisers, nitrate levels have
reduced. Water clarity has improved as the level of suspended solids has
Please turn up at the Scout hut at 2.30 p.m. The cost is £3.00 to cover cost of talk reduced.
and tea.
Overwintering birds
MILBORNE MOVIES

The winter is often perceived as a
quiet time; the trees have lost
Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny their leaves, many birds aren’t
singing, and we don’t see
Friday 16th February 2024 at 7.30pm butterflies on the wing. However,
Village Hall, The Causeway, Milborne St Andrew DT11 0JX the winter is a great time to get
outside and spot birds that have
Doors and bar open 7.00 travelled from cooler places
down to our warmer Dorset
Tickets cost £6, which includes a drink or an ice-cream climate.
Daredevil archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary The hedgerows at Wild Woodbury
dial that can change the course of history. Accompanied by his goddaughter, have been laden with berries. The hawthorn bushes have been packed full of red
he soon finds himself squaring off against Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi who works berries which are a type of fruit called a pome. Such red berries added vibrancy
for NASA. on days that were otherwise a little grey and provides a great food source for
With plenty of entertaining action and a few surprising twists, Indiana Jones and thrushes such as redwing and fieldfare.
the Dial of Destiny ends the series on a high note The redwing is a winter visitor and is the UK’s smallest thrush. Approximately
Let's face it, we could all do with a little Action, Escapism, Comedy and Fun at this
time of year!

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