The appearance of blue in the sky feels all the more special after a seemingly endless blanket of grey.  But March has arrived and a blackbird is once again building his nest in our garage.  Songbird Survival has published this useful Nest box guide to helping our feathered friends.
 

Our Pub Social Tues 10th (from 7.30pm in the Liberal Club) will include a short talk and informal chat on Pond Life from Katie Butterworth (8.15pm).  Katie would like to take people to visit a few of our local Ponds in April, so get in touch if you have one and would be ok with people taking a look with Katie. 

You may have seen mention of a new Frog and Toad Patrol crossing operating with Volunteers at Middlehill. This was set up as so many frogs and toads were crossing there last year.  Do slow down if you see High Viz jackets, though sadly, there has been very little action so far this year.  Perhaps the drought was just too hard for them last Summer, or the nearby pond Heron a bit too greedy. Which makes every one saved even more special. The Figures are collected and it will be interesting to compare with the National Picture. For more see  htttps://www.froglife.org/what-we-do/toads-on-roads/.
 

River health has been much in the news with the disturbing docudrama “Dirty Business” on Channel 4. Do help if you can by taking part in The Big River Watch 24th to 30th April. It is simple to do, just note what you see using the App. See  https://theriverstrust.org/take-action/the-big-river-watch.   An optional extra is to also test the water for Nitrate and Phosphate levels, and application for Testing kits has just opened.  They are much in demand so do apply soon using this Earthwatch link.   Can you email info@wildcolerne.org if you receive a test kit so testing places aren’t duplicated. This map shows data from previous years.
 

You may not be aware that the Government published a strategic assessment report in January, exploring how global biodiversity loss and the collapse of critical ecosystems could affect the UK’s resilience, security and prosperity.  It was released with very little publicity for something so important for all our futures.  MP’s were all invited to a National Emergency Briefing last November with talks from leading scientists and a powerful film about this is due to be released in the first half of April. Watch this space as we hope a local screening can be hosted in Colerne. 
 

I have attached the event poster for March.  Can you email if you plan to join the bird walk so we can co-ordinate lifts to Marshfield, and let us know if you want to borrow Binoculars.  Boots of course advised!
 

1st March is the start of Wild Colerne’s Membership year.  We try to keep events free to attend, and open to all, but having paying Members (£10 a year) is appreciated and supports what we can do.  Feedback and suggestions are also welcome. Look under “get involved” on our website and feel free to donate more!   

Best Wishes

:-) Wild Colerne.

Our events are open to all, and are mostly free to attend.  

Support us if you can by becoming a Wild Colerne member
(£10 annual membership fee) via wildcolerne.org/support.

Imbolc greetings!

The word means 'in the belly', a life still unseen but stirring. This ancient Celtic festival celebrates the midpoint of Winter, bringing hope of new life and the return of light.  Our birds are already sensing the coming of change. An otherwise rather gloomy walk along the Old Road yesterday was alive with birdsong.  If you haven’t walked there recently, do go and take time to pause and listen.  The field of uncut Sunflowers has become a mecca for birds, with mixed flocks of finches, including Brambling. Also Corn buntings and yellow hammers.  It has been fascinating to see what a difference this provision of food and shelter has made to our feathered friends. 
 

Our bird walk this month is a local one, starting from the Fox and Hounds, 10th Feb 8.30 to 10.30am. 
 

We are putting together our Programme of events for 2026, so do get in touch with suggestions for field trips, speakers or any issues we can usefully highlight. One focus for 2026 will again be water:

• Wild Colerne is linking with 'We are Avon', an initiative linking communities who have in common the desire to do something about the River Avon being in the top 10 in the Country for pollution. River Action | We Are Avon.  River Guardianship groups are forming along the length of the river with links to Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Our ByBrook Tributaries Group is “adopting” the stretch from Real World studios to Ford, including Doncombe brook and Lidbrook. Early days, but riverfly and phosphate testing have begun. Do get in touch to be involved. We are keen to hear your thoughts, especially if you are a fisherman, landowner or someone who regularly walks by our brooks. 
• Do you have a pond? The Freshwater Habitats Trust runs the PondNet Spawn survey from December to May. Sign up to help collect important data on the location of breeding frogs and toads. For details, click on the link PondNet Spawn Survey - Freshwater Habitats Trust.
• In more water news, we are linking with Wessex Water to become a .Watermark Community'. This is a pilot, less intensive Parish Council version of their Watermark Town Scheme - see Become a Watermark Town | Wessex Water.  Watch this space, but amongst other things they will host a local “drop in” session for people to be able to bring any queries or concerns about their water supply or bills.  
   

Finally, two links of interest:

• Wiltshire Council has just published their local nature recovery strategy - see Wiltshire and Swindon Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
• The woodland Trust have published this important report on the state of the UK’s Woods - Trees in a changing world - see State of the UK's Woods and Trees 2025, Woodland Trust.
   

:-) Wild Colerne.

Our events are open to all, and are mostly free to attend.  

Support us if you can by becoming a Wild Colerne member
(£10 annual membership fee) via wildcolerne.org/support.

What better start to 2026 than a New Year’s Day bird walk with Keith Mortimer! Redwing are busy feeding up and there is still a lot of activity over the Sunflower field.  I haven’t seen a fieldfare yet so am hoping Keith will find me a few. The weather looks perfect, though wrap up warm and a hot drink wouldn’t go amiss.  We will end up in the Fox and Hounds around noon.  There are bound to be birds to see in there! We have a relaxed 10am start from the Church gates. I’m not quite sure where Keith will take us so be aware there may be stiles. No need to book, but email if you wish to borrow binoculars. 

Staying with the bird theme, don’t forget to sign up for the RSPB Great Garden Birdwatch 23rd to 25th January - see Big Garden Birdwatch

The RSPB also run a birdwatch for schools which runs from 6th Jan to 13th Feb. Our School has signed up to take part again this year. We have helped previously by taking small groups of children into the school playground to see who comes to the feeders that Mike Rogers puts up.   Can you get in touch if you can potentially help out with this. No special skills needed, just enthusiasm.

The British Trust for Ornithology will soon be launching “Birds in Greenspaces”, a new, UK-wide citizen science survey of birds that use our greenspaces. They want local groups and individuals to take part to help understand how people and birds interact. It will be open to people of all ages and experience levels, across the UK.  Do look at the website as it has a useful “winter warm up pack” with information and you can sign up for their newsletter - Birds in Greenspaces | BTO.

Also well worth a look at is the website of SongBird Survival. More than half of our songbirds are threatened or in decline, and this UK wide charity is sponsoring some important research.

See you tomorrow we hope, and do come along to our first Pub Social of 2026 - Tues 13th Jan from 7.30pm, informal nature chat over a few beers in the Liberal Club.
 

Best Wishes for a nature filled 2026!

Wild Colerne

Our events are open to all, and are mostly free to attend.  
Support us if you can by becoming a Wild Colerne member🙂
(£10 annual membership fee) via wildcolerne.org/support.

Today, December 1st, is the official start of meteorological winter as defined by services such as the Met Office - and looking out the window it feels like it! 

But far more ancient is the start of astronomical winter on winter solstice (this year 21st December), when the earth’s axis is tilted furthest from the sun. Our Celtic ancestors knew it not as a time of gloom, but the start of hope for renewal as the Holly King, who has ruled since Summer, gives up his throne to the Oak King who will rule over the resurgence of life.  

“Deck the halls with bows of Holly” has long been a thing, predating the Victorian spruce Christmas trees, bringing colour and hope of ongoing life to a dark time.  This year the Holly tree in the churchyard has been well up to the task - the berries have been magnificent.
I have attached a poster for our last events of the year. 

Keith has promised me a woodcock (or two) on our bird walk Sunday. Our breeding population of around 15,000 pairs (and falling 🥲) swells to 1.4 million in Winter, but out of sight for most of us as so well camouflaged.  If you haven’t watched Hamza’s Wild Isles series, do catch up on iPlayer  - there is an amazing woodcock feature. So no pressure Keith! 🤣
 

The winter moth reveal on Sat 13th is, of course, weather dependent. I will send a link to register to make it easier to let you know if cancelled. To get in the mood, if you are free this Thursday 4th, do sign up for this fabulous free webinar - 'The Moth Wonderful Time of the Year' - the-moth-wonderful-time-of-the-year-tickets.
 

And finally, a couple of links you might find interesting:

• Bristol Avon River Trust has published their 2025 -2030 strategy
• The Royal Horticultural Society describes gardening as “a national passion with untapped resources”. The RHS report “is the first in-depth look at gardening’s impact on UK health, communities, the economy and the environment, with insights, data and trends, written by some of the UK’s leading garden scientists and horticulturists” 

Do come along to our Winter Social on the 9th. 🤞🤞we can be around the fire pit as in previous years. I have attached a photo to entice you.

Wishing you all the best for a Nature and fun filled Christmas🎄, Wild Colerne.

Our events are open to all, and are mostly free to attend.  
Support us if you can by becoming a Wild Colerne member🙂
(£10 annual membership fee) via wildcolerne.org/support.

This month we are celebrating our trees as part of National Tree Week 22nd to 30th November.

I hope you can join us in pausing to appreciate  a few of our special trees on Saturday 22nd. Expect folklore, cultural and natural history and some tree poems - do bring any favourites. Meet at the big Ash tree at the Recreation Ground. On Wednesday 26th, Catherine Truscott will continue the theme of taking time to connect with our trees in a contemplative session with gentle breathwork in Franks Wood.  

In other tree news, we are in one of the priority areas for the Western Forest, the UK’s first new National Forest in 30 years. The aim is to increase woodland cover and create more connected tree corridors, rather than a single big new Forest. One focus will be to help farmers integrate trees into their farms for climate change resilience.  Do take a look, especially if you own land. 

Our bird walk this month on the 8th Nov is a local one,  looking out for the arrival of winter visitors such as redwing. The berries on our Whitebeam are waiting. 

A “don’t miss” diary date (not on our event poster) is a talk by Clive Spencer for Colerne Gardening Club Thursday 6th Nov 7.30pm in the Village Hall (£4 cash entry fee for non members).  Clive’s talk “My Gardening Journey”  from traditional to a “gardening for wildlife approach” will inspire.  His garden is extraordinary.

Finally, do you have a cat or a dog, and use spot-on flea and tick treatments? If so, can you take a few minutes to help with an important survey from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the uk’s regulatory body for vet medicines (part of DEFRA)?

The survey: Flea & Tick Talk: UK Pet Owners’ Practices and Environmental Awareness 

This is the start of much needed research into the whole issue of how to minimise harm to the environment from these products, whilst also protecting our pets.

For interest, 'Songbird Survival' have a page on their website looking at whether flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats harm nesting birds.  See songbird-survival.org.uk/categories/veterinary-drugs.

Best  Samhain Wishes,
Wild Colerne. 

Our events are open to all, and are mostly free to attend.  
Support us if you can by becoming a Wild Colerne member (£10 annual membership fee) via wildcolerne.org/support.

The season is changing. The Spindle trees in Frank’s Wood are covered in their outlandish pink and orange fruits and an Autumn colour paintbrush is splashing our trees in yellow, orange and red.  I do love this time of year!

Although sad to see our swallows, house martins and swifts leave on their extraordinary migrations, we have our Winter visitors to look forward to. Redwing have already been seen on Lundy so might be here by our November bird walk on Saturday 8th. This will be a local one looking to see who might have arrived.

For October (Monday 6th), we are going to Severn Beach with Keith Mortimer, on hand to help identify whatever seabirds and waders turn up for us.  I will send out an event invite as booking needed to sort car sharing. We leave the Market Place at 8.30am. 

We have a treat in store for the Wild Colerne AGM Monday 13th October. Our speaker Dagmar Junghanns will be sharing her reflections on the current State of Nature in Wiltshire, the opportunities for Nature recovery and what we can do to help. Recently retired after a long career in conservation at Natural England she has extensive experience of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s reserves and is now one of their Trustees. All are welcome. There will be a brief AGM at 7pm with the talk starting at 7.30pm. Refreshments available. We hope to add to, and refine the list of suggestions gathered at our recent “Bring your ideas” session in Frank’s Wood. So do join the discussion.

   Note our PubSocial is later than usual, on 21st October to avoid being the same week as the AGM.

Finally, here's a few useful links to check out:

• A petition to consider signing as part of Butterfly Rescue Mission from Butterfly Conservation - Remove Pesticides from UK Shelves.
   
• Hedgehog advice to help them through the winter - Hedgehog homes - Hedgehog Street.
   
• Take a look at the Avon Fest November 2nd: a celebration of the River Avon and its valley, with river-themed talks, activities, stalls, feasting and music. It looks fantastic. Book via Eventbrite - Autumn Fest 25. 
   

Happy Autumn,
Wild Colerne.

Our events are open to all, and are mostly free to attend.  Support us if you can by becoming a Wild Colerne member (£10 annual membership fee) via wildcolerne.org/support.

Rain, glorious rain!  Apologies if the change in weather has just ruined your weekend plans, but the sense of relief rising from our rivers, gardens and wildlife is palpable. Talking of rain - the forecast looks dodgy for the birding trip to Chew Valley Lakes on Tuesday. It is quite exposed to the elements there. A final decision tomorrow so expect an email if you have expressed an interest in going. One option might be to do the more sheltered Broadmead Brook walk.

A lot of people are away in September, so the only other Wild Colerne event this month is our usual Pub Social, this time in the Six Bells from 7.30pm. If you missed our Jinny Matters Hedgehog talk in the Fox and Hounds there is another chance for another hedgehog evening with Jinny Matters in Batheaston 24th September.

We had an excellent “Bring your ideas” evening in Franks Wood last week. It is such a lovely space to be in. We will take a look at the list of things to decide on priorities, so more of that in future newsletters. Do email to add your thoughts. There will be habitat work to be done, so we are setting up a 'Volunteer WhatsApp Group'. Can you email info@wildcolerne.org if interested in being included.  No regular commitment needed -  just come along if free. 

Wild Summit 2025, organised by Wildlife and Countryside Link, is taking place 11th September in Bristol -  "celebrate nature in the UK, and discuss the action we must take together to restore it".  Buy a ticket to attend in person (Bristol Beacon, Trenchard Street), or pay a small fee to attend online.

UK's three big insect conservation groups are part of the wildlife summit and they are asking for responses to this brief survey - https://tinyurl.com/Insect-rescue-plan - to help put together an insect rescue plan. Without doubt, this year’s weather has again been a challenge for our insects.

Now is a good time to be sowing local wildflower seeds so this new guidance from Plantlife is timely.  Our Guide to When and How to Sow Wildflower Seeds  - from Plantlife.  The more wildflowers the better!

One more thing - make sure our AGM on 13th October in your diary.  Hear what is happening for nature recovery in Wiltshire from Dagmar Junghanns, a Trustee from the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.  

Enjoy the rain!

Where did July go? There is already a sense of change in the air. Our swallows are gathering and chattering on the departure lounge of our telegraph wires. I would love to know what they are saying!  I mentioned in the July newsletter that a pair of swifts were checking out our box. We thought for next year, but we became proud swift parents this year! Such a thrill.  Our skies are falling silent now - such a sad day when that ethereal swift “scream” ends for another year. Safe travels Colerne swifts!

It is a good time of year to be spotting some of our less usual birds as they head off on migration.  The August bird walk (Tuesday 12th) with Keith Mortimer will be looking out for spotted flycatchers and other migrating birds alongside Broadmead Brook, a tributary of the ByBrook near Marshfield.  I will send out a specific invitation to register but put the date in your diary. Leaving 8am from Colerne Market Place, sorry no dogs.

Tuesday 12th evening, from 7.30pm is our usual informal social get together for a bit of nature chat. Do join us in the Fox and Hounds (garden if fine). 

We have sent out info and put up posters advertising Wild Colerne's free Children’s Nature Activities session Tuesday 19th 10 -12 at the Recreational Ground. No unaccompanied children and weather dependent 🤞.  We have lots of fun things planned. 

August is a good time for taking stock and making plans for what next. We really hope you will come along to an “open to all” session Tuesday 19th evening. What would you like to see happen for nature in our Parish?   Bring along your wish list for walks/talks/films and projects.  How can we help make them happen. Refreshments 6.30 pm, discussion from 7pm. Venue Franks Wood if weather allows. Do email your thoughts if you can’t be there. 

Frank’s Wood has been alive with butterflies this year. Chris Woods will be leading a butterfly hunt in the wood Friday 22nd August from 1.30 -2.30 pm if weather allows. Accompanied children are welcome, but sorry no dogs

Don’t forget it is not too late to sign up for the Big Butterfly Count which runs until 10th August. https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/big-butterfly-count-2025-is-underway.

And here is a helpful link for telling apart some of the butterfly “lookalikes” https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/spot-the-difference-identifying-common-garden-butterflies.

And finally, a big shout out to our Parish tree wardens who have been doing a sterling job keeping our tree and hedge saplings watered. Such hard but vital work in this weather. Do help if you pass young trees on your walks. Every little helps.

Happy butterfly hunting!

Sunny greetings! Our Spring birding got off to a cracking start with the Marshfield bird walk last Saturday: we saw six Corn Buntings, around 30 Meadow Pipits and a similar number of Yellowhammers were seen. Plus a fly-by from 3 Sand Martins. Not bad eh?  A swallow was seen on Eastrip Lane on Monday and the blackcaps are singing.  Lots to celebrate!  

Our next bird get together will be Wednesday 30th April. Come along to the churchyard at 6.30pm for a short stroll (then a beer!) to see if anyone can spot our first swifts arriving. Won’t be long now!  The earliest birds to arrive will be those returning to their long-used nests. Later arrivals will be younger birds looking for somewhere to breed so if you live in a swift “hot spot”, it’s a good time to get swift boxes up. Check out the article towards the end of the Parish Magazine for more on this. 

We are beginning to “think water” as we prepare to take part in the Wild Water Festival June 1st to 15th. Check out the website as some lovely events are already on there wildwatersfestival.com/events/. If you are a photographer, there is a photo competition to enter and photography workshops on the By Brook. We will be adding our events shortly so watch this space. 

We are so fortunate to live in a Parish surrounded by water.  Wild Colerne has signed up to take part in the Great Water River blitz theriverstrust.org/take-action/the-big-river-watch. We will be checking phosphate and nitrate levels on our brooks during April 25th to 28th. 

Running alongside the testing, the Rivers Trust wants as many people as possible to feed back what they are seeing on their riverside walks 25th April to 1st May. There is a simple App to download (isn’t there always!) which lets you easily describe wildlife sightings as well as water quality and habitat issues. I have looked at it ... and it really is simple. Do email to let us know if you take part.  I have attached a photo with the instructions. 

A few other things - No Mow May will soon be here. Managing our garden green spaces to help pollinators is more nuanced than that catchy phrase and it is well worth looking at the Plantlife website www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay. If you need to keep your lawn fairly short, check out the “short grass flowering lawn” section. There are some lovely signs to download to explain and promote what you are doing. Let’s make it normal for Colerne’s lawns to have some life and colour.

Look out for our event posters around the village, and here on our events page. If you are free Wednesday 23rd 10am, do join us to appreciate the wonderful trees we have in our churchyard 🌳.