NORTH WEST BIRD FAIR
Coming up in November is the North West's answer to the Rutland Water Bird Fair.
The North West Bird Fair is to be held at Martin Mere on the 20th & 21st November '99. Admission charges (according to the publicity leaflet) are as follows:-
| Adults | £4.75 |
| OAP's | £3.75 |
| Children | £2.75 |
| WWT Members | FREE |
As well as a full programme of Natural History talks and workshops from well known speakers, there is the opportunity to see thousands of ducks, geese and swans from Iceland and the Arctic Tundra
DARWEN RIVER VALLEY INITIATIVE
A couple of committee members recently attended the launch of the new strategy for the Darwen River Valley Initiative, which was held at Hoghton Tower. The River Darwen passes through the Chorley Natural History Society recording area at Hoghton Bottoms, which is the main reason for our interest in the initiative. The river valley has been divided into seven Focus Areas , of which the section at Hoghton Bottoms is No. 5.
Hoghton Bottoms is an area rich in wildlife and any strategy to protect the environment is to be applauded. However the river already supports Dipper, Kingfisher and Grey \Wagtail, so as naturalists we need to be vigilant that work intended as an improvement doesn't damage a fragile habitat. We all know that the creation of Country Parks is often of more benefit to Homo Sapiens than the resident wildlife.
FORTHCOMING FIELD TRIPS
| Wednesday 29th September | A Fungal Foray around Rivington led by Joyce Riley. Meet at the Great House Barn car park at 10.00 a.m. This mid-week field trip is a new venture in response to requests from members. It will be a morning only field trip. Please support it if you are able. |
For further information, please e-amil Joyce Riley.
No further field trips have yet been organised, but will be announced at indoor meetings when details are available. Suggestions from members for venues for field trips are always welcome.
BTO/RSPB MANCHESTER REGION CONFERENCE
If all goes according to plan, included with this newsletter is a Programme and Booking Form for 'Into the Millennium', which is a conference on the subject of Bird Trends into the next century, and is to be held at Rivington Hall Barn on Saturday, 20th November, 1999.
The last such conference was excellent, and, no doubt, looking through the programme, this one will be equally as good. The cost, including hot pot lunch, is £10.00, which has to be a bargain. It very much deserves to be supported by our members, and if nothing else, it should provide a welcome escape from a gloomy November day, and an excuse for avoiding Christmas shopping.
WINTER PROGRAMME 1999/2000
| Sep. 15 | AGM and 'An Evening with Nature' | Colin Preston |
| Oct. 6 | 'British Butterflies' | Colin Twist |
| Oct. 27 | 'Mountain Flowers of Munster' | Vincent Pedley |
| Nov. 17 | 'In Search of Himbrini' | Gordon Yates |
| Dec. 8 | 'The Woodland Trust' | Keith Rothwell |
| Jan. 5 | 'Early Days in the Central Highlands' | Joe Moran |
| Jan. 26 | 'Playing with Flies' | Lance Gorman |
| Feb. 16 | 'Exposing Wildlife' | Colin Smith |
| Mar. 8 | 'Wild Flowers of Mountain and Moorland' | David Edwards |
| Mar. 29 | 'Marine Life Around the British Isles' | David Moss |
All the above meetings will be held at The Howard, Whittle Springs and commence at 7.30 p.m. Visitors are welcome at all the meetings.
For confirmation of the programme and further information about the Society, please contact :-