Wildlife on my doorstep
Summer is normally a time of year for the Friends of Woodlands and Coachwood Green volunteers to sit back and enjoy the wildlife around us. But this year we are hosting our very first Family Nature Day on the Wildlife Discovery Area, Marina Drive, Shireoaks on Sunday 27th July from 10.30am – 3.00pm.
With Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, The National Trust, British Dragon fly Society, Chesterfield Canal Trust, Nottinghamshire Bat Group and Nottinghamshire Amphibian and Reptile Group, we will host a day of activities for you to learn wonderful new things about the wildlife and nature on your doorstep including pond dipping, butterfly counts and nature hunts.
Pop along and get involved, there is something for everyone of all ages to get involved. You don't need to be an expert but if you’ve counted birds or butterflies in your garden or local greenspace then you probably are! Enthusiasm and curiosity really are all you need!
We will also officially be opening our bird hide, funded by Asda Foundation which will be bookable for schools and community groups to use it.
Getting involved in nature identification is a fantastic way to explore nature on your doorstep
There are many ways we can all ‘do our bit’ for the environment, from recycling our bottles and cans, to caring for a local beauty spot so why not try monitoring wildlife and recording what you see. It benefits both you and nature.
You don’t need any special equipment, and data can be submitted in apps such as iRecord or Seek by iNaturalist to help identify the plants and animals all around you see and earn badges for seeing different types of birds, amphibians, plants, and fungi and participate in monthly observation challenges.
We are starting to build a picture of the plants, insects and birds we have on the Woodlands and Coachwood Green, and it would be great to have you contribute to this.
8 ways you can get involved
Here are some simple ways you can start:
Spend an hour on the Wildlife Discovery Area or in your garden and identify and record the different species of birds that you see. All the tools you need to learn how to identify and record the birds are provided, so why not try it next time?
Butterfly Conservation Big Butterfly Count
Spend just 15 minutes in a sunny spot watching and identifying butterflies, using a downloadable chart provided by the Butterfly Conservation. You then log your findings on their app. The Coronation Meadow is a great spot for this in the summer months.
Ever wondered how a noisy road might affect the way insects communicate? Pick an area beside the road and record audio for 5 minutes. Then write down any insects that you observe.
Use the digital splatometer to count the squashed bugs on your number plate before and after a journey!
Ensuring hedgehogs can pass freely through your garden is one of the most important things you can do to help them, so why not work with your neighbours to create a hedgehog highway then record it on this map?
Log plants with the National Plant Monitoring Scheme
Don’t let plants be left behind, they are the foundation of all our ecosystems. Record the plants you see in a 1km square on the Woodlands and Coachwood Green and record the species you see in the app.
Take a walk around the Woodlands and Coachwood Green once a month and record online which bumblebees you see.
Help map amphibian activity across the UK. It’s easy to take part in the PondNet Spawn Survey and help them, have a look in the pond on the Wildlife Discovery Area and log any sightings of Common Frog and Common Toad spawn
And finally, come along to our family nature day to learn more about any of these.
Volunteering Opportunities
With warmer and longer days, summer is a perfect time to try volunteering with Friends of Woodlands and Coachwood Green. Enjoy nature in all its glory and make an enormous difference for wildlife by helping us care for the site and wildlife on our doorstep. You don’t have to make a huge commitment – start small by joining a one-off event. Or take on a regular role to help with monitoring wildlife and much more.
Get involved today and make a difference, you never know where your volunteering might take you!
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You can also sign up to receive our newsletter for more details on our events and activities Woodlands and Coachwood Green Newsletter or simply email us at infowoodlandsandcoachwoodgreen@gmail.com
Enjoy the nature on your doorstep on the Woodlands and Coachwood Green