December 2020 Newsletter
Author: Roger Francis (Chairman (SWC)
Dear all,
Next Meeting Sometime in the future?
Severn Wildlife Carvers:
Please note the group has renewed the subscription for the website, Jim has been working hard to update the site and in January he will launch three new articles “The Mystery Carver” a profile of a group member which will be updated every second month, (We have come up with a template/questions to help people complete it, so be warned I will be asking individuals to participate in due course).
The second article will be about your workspace and where you work.
The third article will be entitled Isolation Projects and we thought it would generate some interest if we were to show what we have been carving during lockdown and the enforced isolation that we are all experiencing, so again we will be looking for some photos of any projects you have.
Many thanks to Jim for the work he has done on the site.
I am sure you will all join me in wishing Ian well, he is undergoing surgery on his eyes on the 18th of December, he will have to be screened for Covid first but as long as he is clear he will be operated on the day, then he will not be able to drive for 7 days afterwards.
Slimbridge:
In last month’s newsletter I mentioned the “Up Curlew “ carving by Guy Taplin that the Trust reckoned would go for £5,250 at auction, try as I might I cannot find what it went for, but I will keep looking. I am sure that many of you will have seen on the news that there have been a number of fatalities (amongst the birds) at the Trust caused by Avian Flu. This has led to some areas of the trust being closed off on top of the general lockdown conditions.
As a number of the group are keen photographers I thought that when “lockdown” conditions reduce or disappear altogether, it might call for a sit in on the Zeiss hide. Whilst looking through the Trust website I noted that there is now an Otter holt (not sure if it’s a natural one or man made) and that a female otter has taken up residence. I assume this is located on the water outside the Zeiss hide and is physically outside of the grounds as such. It was reported that the otter has been showing well.
There are huge flocks of Wigeon and Lapwing with over 3,000 of each species having been counted, but as of yet there are still only 13 Bewicks present. The wader flocks have also started to build up with over 500 Godwit, 200 Curlew and numerous Dunlin Ruff and redshank, needless to say such a gathering has led to an influx of birds of prey.
I will be keeping an eye on the trust to see when we might be able to meet there again but at the moment cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel and generally reckon it will be after we have all had the vaccine!
I hope you all have a very peaceful and happy Christmas and a Very Happy New Year and look forward to when we might meet up again.
Stay safe and well.
Hope to see you all sometime soon.
Next Meeting Sometime in the future?
Severn Wildlife Carvers:
Please note the group has renewed the subscription for the website, Jim has been working hard to update the site and in January he will launch three new articles “The Mystery Carver” a profile of a group member which will be updated every second month, (We have come up with a template/questions to help people complete it, so be warned I will be asking individuals to participate in due course).
The second article will be about your workspace and where you work.
The third article will be entitled Isolation Projects and we thought it would generate some interest if we were to show what we have been carving during lockdown and the enforced isolation that we are all experiencing, so again we will be looking for some photos of any projects you have.
Many thanks to Jim for the work he has done on the site.
I am sure you will all join me in wishing Ian well, he is undergoing surgery on his eyes on the 18th of December, he will have to be screened for Covid first but as long as he is clear he will be operated on the day, then he will not be able to drive for 7 days afterwards.
Slimbridge:
In last month’s newsletter I mentioned the “Up Curlew “ carving by Guy Taplin that the Trust reckoned would go for £5,250 at auction, try as I might I cannot find what it went for, but I will keep looking. I am sure that many of you will have seen on the news that there have been a number of fatalities (amongst the birds) at the Trust caused by Avian Flu. This has led to some areas of the trust being closed off on top of the general lockdown conditions.
As a number of the group are keen photographers I thought that when “lockdown” conditions reduce or disappear altogether, it might call for a sit in on the Zeiss hide. Whilst looking through the Trust website I noted that there is now an Otter holt (not sure if it’s a natural one or man made) and that a female otter has taken up residence. I assume this is located on the water outside the Zeiss hide and is physically outside of the grounds as such. It was reported that the otter has been showing well.
There are huge flocks of Wigeon and Lapwing with over 3,000 of each species having been counted, but as of yet there are still only 13 Bewicks present. The wader flocks have also started to build up with over 500 Godwit, 200 Curlew and numerous Dunlin Ruff and redshank, needless to say such a gathering has led to an influx of birds of prey.
I will be keeping an eye on the trust to see when we might be able to meet there again but at the moment cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel and generally reckon it will be after we have all had the vaccine!
I hope you all have a very peaceful and happy Christmas and a Very Happy New Year and look forward to when we might meet up again.
Stay safe and well.
Hope to see you all sometime soon.