Wild East Devon July news

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Wild East Devon news - East Devon District Council

Our summer events are filling up fast! Have you booked yet?

Summer holiday club

We have lots of exciting events coming up for you to get involved with. Our holiday club is back for two weeks this summer. If you know a 7-11 year old,  adventurous and curious about the countryside, then come along for a couple of days or the whole week(s) for a discounted price where you will learn about wetland wildlife, explore Seaton Wetlands nature reserve, make crafts and cook on a campfire.  Week one is from the 1st August to the 5th between 10am – 4pm. Week two is the 15th-19th August 10am-4pm. Seaton Wetlands Summer Holiday Club 1st August - 5th August - East Devon

All are welcome to come along to medical herbalist Maggies’ third plant medicine walk where she will go into the history and medicinal uses of plants found at Holyford Woods. Her previously sold out walk is back on the 30th July Plant Medicine Walk at Holyford Woods (30th July) - East Devon

On the 9th August, AV&DCS with ranger Penny are putting on another of their ever popular family fun days, this time at Seaton Wetlands. Fun for the whole family for only £5! AV&DCS Family Explorer Day at Seaton Marshes - East Devon

Delve into the underwater word and have a go at finding creatures in the stream at Seaton Wetlands with our educational ranger Penny on the 24th August Fun in the Stream - East Devon

Dip in the stream and take your sweep net through the meadows at Honiton Bottom to see what bugs you can find on the 26th August. No need to book onto this event, just show up on the day. Honiton Bottom bug hunt - East Devon


My first nightjar walk

nightjar

Seaton Wetlands Assistant Ranger, Lydia, shares her experience of her first nightjar walk on Trinity Hill LNR.

Last month Wild East Devon's guided walk around Trinity Hill LNR went in search of the elusive nightjar and I was lucky enough to go along joining my colleagues Jon, Ben and Amelia as well as our eager guests. It would be my first time seeing one, so to say I was excited was an understatement! Being a nocturnal species meant our best chances of seeing one would be around dusk as they came out to feed, so we set off just after 8:30pm in the hope of finding ourselves a nightjar.

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East Devon reserves roundup

kestrel ringing

This month’s highlights from the reserves are multiple so there are plenty of good news stories to bring to you in spite of the heatwave!

Back in early, July the team joined forces with the Thursday Group volunteers and undertook a series of surveys at Knapp Copse Local Nature Reserve, our newest County Wildlife Site. Firstly, we completed a standardised floral survey of a pasture, recently over-sown with a species-rich grassland seed mix. Following a set format for the survey means we can repeat this each summer and have comparable statistics on how the field is improving in botanical terms. Seven linear transects were laid out over the meadow and a number of random 1x1 metre quadrants were placed along the transect length and a point given for each of a set number of flowering plants being present. In this first year of appraisal it was noticeable that following the reseeding we experienced heavy rainfall and the majority of the newly introduced plants are indeed on the downward slope of the hillside! This is only a temporary setback however, as now the wildflowers have established themselves in the sward, the annual management of the compartment should lead to the promotion of these native blooms.

Follow the link to find out more about flowering plant species plus news about our kestrel chicks at Seaton Wetlands.

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Follow a circular stroll from Newton Poppleford along the River Otter

Circular stroll from Newton Poppleford

Follow this walk on the Relive app. From the Back Lane car park by the playing fields at Newton Poppleford, turn left onto the road. After 20m, at a left hand bend on the road, turn right onto a signed footpath through a kissing gate. Follow the footpath with the river Otter on your right. After passing through 2 further kissing gates cross the river on the red footbridge. Upon meeting the road turn left to walk up past Harpford village hall and church.

At the T junction by the church turn left and then take the first right up Knapps lane. Continue up the hill to pass ‘Owlshayes’ where the tarmac road becomes a grassy gravel track and soon crosses the old railway bridge. 20m after crossing the bridge turn right and then right again to walk back under the bridge. The path now follows the course of the old railway track which we follow until it takes us back to the road. Turn right onto the road to walk into Tipton St John. Continue along the road (Hayne Hill) to a T junction where you turn left to pass the Golden Lion pub. After crossing back over the river turn left onto a footpath which follows the river and leads us back to the starting point.

Follow the walk