Page 2 - Wildlife News August 2018

Nature reserve & project

I can hardly believe we XFORD Creating a buzz at the Wild Fair. (RIC MELLIS)
are more than halfway FESTIVAL OF
through the year! The
transition to summer NATURE
brought mixed
fortunes for birds; the Nature wows the crowds
notable absence of
swifts, swallows and Pop concerts, sporting finales, royal there’s still time to enter. You can find all
house martins gracing our skies has weddings… they’re all crowd pleasers, but the details at oxfordfestivalofnature.org/
caused particular concern. The theory it’s wildlife that undoubtedly steals the photography-competition
is many were lost during March’s bitter show! After a late start to spring, nature
cold, though successive breeding certainly made up for lost time and by June Next in the calendar was Milton Keynes
seasons will reveal the true impact. when BBOWT’s summer festivals arrived, Festival of Nature, a relatively new festival
But how the summer’s come on! our local wildlife seemed livelier than ever. that continues to grow each year. The
Many nature reserves have now 10-day celebration of the nature found
reached their best as wild plants, The wildly popular Oxford Festival of within the town’s 6,000 plus acres of
birds, bees and butterflies flourish Nature runs across the first two weeks of parks, woodland and lakes included a
in the summer sun. I recently took June and always enthrals, entertains and programme of events to match.
a stroll around my closest reserve, enlightens through its programme of
Whitecross Green Wood, and it wildlife-themed events. From bat walks to The centrepiece was Nature Day, held
reminded me what a heavenly place it swift walks, a night-time safari to a moth at Shenley Wood in partnership with The
is. As I walked, its many grassy glades morning, and wildlife comedy to wildlife Parks Trust and Milton Keynes Natural
formed green highways reaching out storytelling, there was something for every History Society, where visitors joined in
into the distance. The sounds, smells taste and interest. guided walks, bug hunting, children’s
and diversity of life that buzzed and activities and browsed nature stalls.
chirped around me was overwhelming, The festival’s headline act was the Wild
all shimmering green and gold in the Fair, held at the Oxford University Museum BBC Countryfile Live at Blenheim Park
afternoon haze. of Natural History and run in partnership is our festival finale from 2 to 5 August.
This special place is just one of our with the museum and Oxford City Council. Come and meet us and all our partner
87 nature reserves. Can you even begin Building on the success of previous years, organisations including the Wildfowl and
to imagine this 87 times over! As a the Wild Fair attracted around 4,000 Wetlands Trust and Butterfly Conservation
member of BBOWT you are helping to people curious to learn more about local in the Wildlife Zone. Full details at
safeguard these amazing places forever. – and exotic – wildlife. Whether coming countryfilelive.com
Beyond our nature reserves the face to face with an owl or peering at some
battle continues to save other precious mini-beasts, the atmosphere among the Photography competition sneak preview: Mel
sites. The Oxford to Cambridge crowds was relaxed and happy as they Smith’s photo of a comma at Finemere Wood.
Expressway and growth corridor is the browsed the stalls, sampled the creature
latest threat. We are working closely crafts and admired our mini-meadow.
with other organisations including
RSPB to prepare for the inevitable As usual a selection of entries to the
fight. The proposal represents the Wildlife Photography Competition was on
most ambitious infrastructure project display. See right for one of the highlights.
since the Second World War. In an area The competition closes on 3 September so
already fraught with development
pressure, it will be a fight like no other.
You can read more on page 10.
More positive are the wildlife
success stories highlighted in this
issue. Turn to page 6 for a summary of
the remarkable Linking the Landscape
in West Berkshire project, or page 8
for more on our Wild Banbury and
Wild Oxford Projects – all working
to connect more us to our incredible
wildlife.
Thank you for your continued
support, which makes all that we do
possible. Please take the time to visit
some of our truly life-affirming nature
reserves to remind yourself why you
became a member.

Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive
2 Wildlife news / August 2018