I first met Alan shortly after we moved to the village and immediately recognised a kindred spirit: we shared a passionate love for nature in all its forms. I met up with Margaret shortly before his funeral, when she explained to me that he wanted his Nature Notes to continue and, when she asked me if I would take on Alan’s role, I was very happy to agree, indeed I felt privileged. As Alan’s life ebbed away, it was replaced with a huge surge in bird numbers. Over a period of three days in June fourteen different families fledged in the …
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Winter scene in the middle of July – hay rack, troughs and no grass With the shearing all completed last month, the next main sheep task was to give the dear ewes a complete break from their ever demanding lambs. The lambs have been on their mums for at least 4 months and with some of the lambs growing to be really large, it was time to wean them. We always try to wean them at a time when we can put the ewes onto a field where we have cut hay, or where the grass is not in abundance – this is so the ewes milk dries up as quickly as possible. …
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Tributes to Alan The Parish paper is just one of many village organisations which have benefited from Alan's time, expertise and willingness to help. He was not only our treasurer for many years, a post which he took up with a typical 'of course I'll help' when asked, but also a regular contributor with his much loved Nature Notes page. He will be greatly missed. Mary Whiting From the time that Alan and Margaret arrived in the village 27 years ago, Alan volunteered to help local organisations. He became Clerk to the Parish Council and a …
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Hello again, We've been enjoying lovely Spring weather recently, haven't we? So sunny that a green woodpecker has been attracted into our garden. He quarters the lawns, looking for ants. There are plenty about, even in the house. I understand that there has been a cuckoo, at Yellingham - Janet has heard it calling. Lucky her! The birds in the garden seem to be fewer than a month or so ago. They must be busy nesting and raising young. We see a few goldfinches, robins, dunnocks and a pair of greenfinches. One day, a young sparrow hawk flew …
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Our May meeting was really well attended by both members and visitors and Anne Swithinbank encouraged us all to grow something different! Hopefully many unusual plants will now be being propagated in Broadhembury and the surrounding areas and we await to see the results. We were blessed with excellent weather for our annual plant sale which was very successful once again. Our thanks to everyone who contributed in any way. The annual show will soon be upon us and here is a reminder of the classes. It is a relaxed and friendly occasion and we …
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To read or save this very interesting article about the work which has been going on at Hembury Fort, please click https://broadhemburyparishcouncil.org.uk/blog/.     …
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Hello everyone, I recently visited Exmouth with my brother Dave and we walked round the old docks area. We saw three house martins wheeling around in the sky above us. They looked in very good condition, considering that they had probably very recently arrived from their Winter quarters in Africa. We moved on to Topsham and Bowling Green Marsh, where we did not see many waders, ducks or geese. It seems that they had already departed for their breeding grounds in Russia and northern Europe. Still, we did see a few blackcaps in the hedge (and …
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