Nature In June

Wildlife & Nature In June
This month look out for:

Animals:
*Roe deer are born this month
*Common seals are giving birth this month
*Fox cubs are out and about

Birds In June*Sea bird colonies - great time to visit with lots going on
* Birds and baby birds are about everywhere!
* Bittern - probably the best time to try to spot these birds as they are out and about, busy gathering food for their chicks

Flora In June
*Moorland heather is in bloom from now until August
*Elderflowers
*Foxgloves
*Ragged Robin
*Poppies
*Wild Cornflowers
*Orchids

Find nature, eco and wildlife watching events and activites on the Wild & Green Escapes website

Osprey Chicks For Tweed Valley

First osprey chick in Scotland hatched in Tweed valley

The Tweed Valley ospreys have hatched what is believed to be the first osprey chick in Scotland.
The first egg was laid around the 9th of April and a second one soon after.  It is not clear if there are other eggs because the nest is piled so high with twigs and branches. 

The osprey family can be viewed on high definition cameras at Forestry Commission Scotland’s Glentress Forest and at Kailzie Gardens, both close to Peebles.


As part of the Tweed Valley Osprey Project, the chick will be ringed so that its movements can be monitored over its lifetime.

Glentress Forest’s wildwatch room is situated within the new Peel visitor centre development and is part of the wider Tweed Valley Ospreys Project.  The project is a partnership between Forestry Commission Scotland, Kailzie Gardens and RSPB Scotland.  

The project not only offers close circuit TV footage of ospreys at Glentress Forest and Kailzie Gardens, but also of other birds too. For more information on the Tweed Valley Osprey Watch project log on to www.forestry.gov.uk/tweedvalleyospreys.

Call To Help With Red Kites

Public encouraged to help monitor Grizedale Forest’s red kites

Wildlife lovers are being asked to keep an eye out for red kite chicks, released as part of a Forestry Commission-led reintroduction programme in Cumbria’s Grizedale Forest.

A dedicated Facebook page has been created to help people report sightings, get updates on the birds’ progress and to share photographs.

A dispersal map has been produced by Forestry Commission wildlife rangers at Grizedale. It shows that most of the red kites that were released in the first two years of the reintroduction programme have been spotted in the North West – particularly Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Lancashire. However, other birds have travelled into Scotland and as far south as London and over the English Channel.

Iain Yoxall, the Forestry Commission wildlife ranger who has led the red kite reintroduction programme in Grizedale, said: “The birds appear to be faring as well as we expected and are adapting to life in the wild.
The birds from our first release, in 2010, should start looking for nesting sites in the South Lakes area between April and July this year. Although we do not expect any successful mating attempts this year we should see displays of courtship behaviour such as hunting for nest sites in woodland, pairing up and building nests.

"We would really like the public to help us monitor the progress of the red kites. The more information we can get back from people the bigger the picture we will have on how the kites are faring. We would like people to let us know if they see any of our birds, which are marked with distinctive tags, by using our new Facebook page or by sending us an email.”

All of the birds released in Grizedale carry an orange tag on their left wing. The red kites released in 2010 have a blue tag on their right wing, and last year’s birds carry a white tag on their right wing.
People can report sightings of the Grizedale birds by visiting the newly created Red Kites Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/GrizedaleRedKites or by emailing red.kite@forestry.gsi.gov.uk


For more information about the Forestry Commission in the Lake District please visit http://www.visitlakelandforests.co.uk/.

Inland Beach Wins Top Award

Inland beach wins award for third year running

One of Scotland’s best kept secrets – a beach that is 300m above sea level - has won a prestigious national award for the third year running!

Loch Morlich in the heart of Glenmore Forest Park in the Cairngorms is managed by Forestry Commission Scotland and is the first and only fresh water loch to ever have received the Rural Beach Award in Keep Scotland Beautiful’s (KSB) Seaside Award campaign.

Graeme Prest, the commission’s manager of the Inverness Ross and Skye District, said: “Having recently moved up to Inverness to take on this role I was expecting a few pleasant surprises…but never dreamed that a beach award would be one of them! Glenmore contains some of the best preserved areas of ancient Caledonian Pine Forest in the country and also offers great opportunities for outdoor activities like walking, cycling, orienteering and bird-watching, but it must be one of the few Commission sites where you can also go sailing!"


2) Loch Morlich is only 10km west of Aviemore. For more information visit  http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/recreation.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/ScotlandHighlandGlenmoreForestParkGlenmore

Green Holidays In Dorset

Marston Holiday Flats, Swanage, Dorset

www.marstonholidayflats.co.uk
Welcome to Marston, a green holiday business, committed to providing excellent accommodation for families, groups of friends, or couples who wish to enjoy the fantastic Dorset countryside and famous Jurassic coastline.

 The three apartments are maintained to a high standard and can accommodate up to six guests.

Marston are members of the Green Tourism Business Scheme and are proud to currently hold a silver award.

Find eco friendly holidays on the Wild & Green Escapes website

Eco Holiday Cottages in Forest of Bowland

Caldertop Cottage, Higher Landskill Farm, Calder Vale, Forest of Bowland, Lancashire

www.caldertopcottage.co.uk

Welcome to Caldertop Cottage 3 star self catering Green Tourism Gold holiday accommodation on the edge of the Forest of Bowland, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The cottage adjoins the owner's farmhouse on a working sheep and stock rearing farm, with spectacular views over open countryside.

The cottage has a fully equipped kitchen, cosy lounge with open fire, colour TV, DVD player and CD player. There are three bedrooms sleeping 5 persons plus 1 baby. Outside is an enclosed garden with garden furniture, barbecue, swings, slide and trampoline. All bed linen, towels, electricity and central heating included.

Garstang, the world’s first fair-trade town, is 5 miles away where there are supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Find eco friendly cottages on Wild & Green Escapes

Wildlife Watching - On TV!

It's that time of year again - Springwatch returns to our TV screens from next Monday, 28th May!

Springwatch brings us loads of great wildlife watching opportunities (plus flowers, trees and great scnerey!)  from the comfort of our own homes!

Find out more on the Springwatch website including the latest Tweets and blogs

Green Tourism Week

It's Green Tourism Week until May 27th - find out what's going on, discover great special offers and much more on the Green Tourism Week page on facebook:


http://www.facebook.com/Greentourismweek

Forest Diary Update In May

From the Forestry Commission:

Forest Diary, Cycling in the New Forest  

"There are numerous ways to explore the New Forest and take advantage of all the wonderful sights and sounds that it has to offer. Whether you’re in need of a gentle stroll out in the fresh air or fancy taking a horse ride across the open heathland, the Recreation Team at the Forestry Commission and I make sure there are plenty of opportunities for visitors enjoy the forest.

As Recreation Manager, a large part of my job is ensuring that visitors to the forest have a great experience. That means making certain that the New Forest is always looking its best and continues to be protected and cared for, so it can be enjoyed for generations to come.

A great way to get out and explore is on a bike - and you can’t fail to have noticed the recent media coverage relating to this activity locally. The New Forest is a great place for a ride – for solo cycling enthusiasts to a family day out – and we try to ensure that cyclists can enjoy the very best of the forest safely and responsibly. 

The Forestry Commission manages and maintains an off-road cycle network in the New Forest that covers over 100 miles of surfaced tracks leading through mature woodlands, young plantations and alongside the open forest. We try to ensure that cyclists get the most from their visit whilst safeguarding the New Forest .   

Over the past couple of months, we’ve been upgrading the cycle network so that cyclists find it even easier to follow the designated routes. Along the 100 mile network, there are around 400 direction posts being replaced with fresh signs and more information to help visitors have a fantastic day out.

The Forestry Commission has been working closely with our partners under the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme to help fund the works. As a result, the Recreation Team has been out in the forest putting the new-look posts in place and an extra 60 marker posts at key location points along the route which offer more advice and information, such as National Grid references and QR codes. The QR (Quick Response) codes are a great way of offering cyclists up-to-date information about the forest using their smartphone; linking straight to the Forestry Commission’s website.

We are also launching a brand new cycle map which includes all of the updated information we’ve added to the cycle network. It will be much easier for visitors to use and follow the clearly marked routes. We’ve made certain that the new network is easy to access for all visitors, so whether you’re wanting good exercise or a gentle bike ride, there are some great routes for people of all abilities to enjoy.

Don’t panic if you have one of our older maps – for this season, we’re retaining the old numbering system on the marker posts along with the new ones, so there’s no excuse for getting lost!

The new cycle maps will be available at Cycle Hire outlets, Tourist Information Centres, Bolderwood Information Unit and other retailers across the New Forest , priced at £2. It will soon be available on our website.

For more information visit www.forestry.gov.uk/newforest.
Gary North, Recreation Manager

Eco Holidays In Scotland

Wild At Heart, Forres, Moray, Scotlandwww.wildatheart-ecoholidays.com

Wild At Heart offer unique wildlife watching and natural history breaks, volunteering holidays, nature retreats and family holidays, located in the stunning and unspoilt region of Moray Speyside, near the Scottish Highland capital of Inverness and based in beautiful eco-friendly accommodation.


Discover eco and wildlife friendly holidays with Wild & Green Escapes

Wildlife Watching With The Experts - Cornwall

Marine Discovery Penzance

www.marinediscovery.co.uk




Marine Discovery can take you on an exhilarating sea safari from Penzance Harbour along the beautiful Land's End coast.

In the far west, marine wildlife is varied and abundant. Seabirds like gannets, fulmars, kittiwakes, terns, shearwaters, razorbills and guillemots are common sights; more occasionally you might see puffins, skuas, peregrine falcons, rare waders and divers. Grey seals are seen on virtually every trip all year round.

Harbour porpoises are often seen; these are secretive cetaceans but you could see a little dorsal fin break the surface. Common, bottlenose and Risso's dolphins are all visitors to these waters, and other encounters can include awesome basking sharks, mysterious ocean sunfish, various species of jellyfish and even whales!

Marine Discovery Penzance offer the only true marine eco-tour in the South West -  on a purpose built sailing catamaran designed to maximise your enjoyment while minimising environmental impact. Nothing beats the feeling having a fabulous wildlife encounter under the power of the wind alone.
Discover wildlife and eco friendly holidays on the Wild & Green Escapes website

Wildlife Watching in Scotland

Wild & Green Escapes has put togther its own mini-guide to wildlife watching in Scotland - from forest to coast, mountain to nature reseve, what to look for and where!

http://www.wildandgreenescapes.co.uk/scotlandwildlife.html

Wildlife Watching With The Experts - Isle of Mull

Mull Charterswww.mullcharters.com
Mull Charters aim to provide you with the ultimate wildlife experience.

They take small groups of people (up to 12 max) to see the magnificent White Tailed Sea Eagle in it's natural environment around the coast of Mull.

Every trip is a different adventure and most trips result in amazing views of these spectacular birds taking fish from the surface of the sea as close as 7 metres away.

Every trip has stunning scenery, a helpful crew and a taste of the wild, usually a hot drink and a biscuit as well!

Check out their youtube link for more wildlife watching experiences www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKVp6l0-99g

Find out more about Mull Charters and wildlife watching on the Wild & Green Escapes website

Have A Wild & Green Holiday!

Do you want to holiday with a green conscience? Prefer to opt for eco friendly holidays? Looking to discover the amazing wildlife of the UK in a low impact, user-friendly way?

Then you’ve come to the right place because Wild & Green has all the information right here so you can quickly and easily plan your next green holiday...

* Eco friendly, green award winning hotels, B&Bs, cottages, camping and places to visit
* Nature watch - what to look out for each month in nature in the UK - birds, flowers, animals, signs of the season etc
* Our top spots to wildlife watch in the UK
* Details on wildlife watching events and festivals all over the UK, throughout the year
* How To be Green on your holidays

Plus much more...

Wild & Green brings you ideas for enviromentally friendly, organic holidays and wildlife watching experiences in the UK.

Wild and Green: eco friendly, green, organic and wildlife watching holiday inspiration; helping you get back to nature...

What's Happening In Nature In May

Despite all the rain, cold and wind, have you:

* Spotted butterflies in your garden, woodlands or parks?

* Heard the cuckoo yet?

* Discovered bluebells in your local woods?

* Noticed hawthorn in flower?

Record your sightings and download free wildlife and nature factpacks on the Woodland Trust website:
http://visitwoods.org.uk/en/visit-woods/for-nature/Pages/nature.aspx

Nature Watch In May

Wildlife Watching in May

This month look out for:
*Hedgehogs - in courtship mode.
*Foxes - look out for playful cubs this month.
*Badgers - plenty going on at the sett this month with badger cubs out and about.
*Roe deer - the babies are born this month.

Birds in May*Swifts
*Seabirds - colonies of seabirds, especially gulls, guillemots, gannets and kittiwakes, are very active at the moment in the breeding season. Seabird colonies are buzzing with birds between now and August. Most of these colonies are situated in the north of the country.
*Puffins - now breeding on various islands including Farne Islands, Northumbria.
*Wading birds - avocets, lapwings, terns.

Flora in May*Hawthorn - hedges full of heavy white/ cream blossoms are a great sight at this time of year.
*Violets - spot some of the 13 varieties of these flowers with their purple petals in bloom this month.
*Early purple orchid - tall, 'spiky' flower heads pinky mauve in color, can be seen in meadows or by roadsides this month.
*Horse chestnuts are in bloom now with their delicate pink and white flowers.
*Common gorse - bright yellow flowers on spiky greenery with a 'coconut' type smell.
*Cow parsley - around hedges and at the sides of country roads you'll see clouds of these small white flowers on top of tall thin green stems.
*Giant Hogweed - tall, more substantial plants, with large 'canopies' of white flowers.
 

May Special Offers From Exmoor House

Exmoor House B&B in glorious Somerset in running some special offers in May:


*Bed and breakfast special
For stays in May of 3 or more nights at Exmoor House, pay just £38 per person per night (sharing a double or twin room) - normally £42. Must be booked in advance; quote reference WGBB May

*May special dinner B&B breaks
In May, you can enjoy a weekend dinner, bed & breakfast package at Exmoor House, in the heart of the National Park, for the same price as midweek: that's from £174 per person for a three-night break. Quote reference WGDBB May when booking.

Exmoor House, Wheddon Cross, Exmoor National Park, Minehead, Somerset www.exmoorhouse.com
For a thoroughly relaxing stay, with excellent food, escape to Exmoor House. Very comfortable, thoughtfully-designed rooms, a friendly welcome and great attention to detail make this a really special place (recommended by The Guardian, 101 Holidays and Lonely Planet). Exmoor House was the first accommodation provider in Exmoor National Park to gain the Green Tourism Gold Award, in 2010.
They specialise in dinner, bed & breakfast breaks and the daily-changing dinner menu combines lovely local produce with expert cooking. There's also a good range of wines, local beers and Somerset ciders for you to enjoy. In Exmoor's highest village, we're ideally placed for walking, cycling and exploring.


Tel: (01643) 841432            e-mail: info@exmoorhouse.com  
web: http://www.exmoorhouse.com/   blog: http://exmoorhousewx.blogspot.com/ twitter: http://twitter.com/ExmoorHouseWX
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ExmoorHouse

Exmoor House is a very special place to stay, in the heart of beautiful Exmoor
**** Recommended by the Guardian, Lonely Planet, 101 Holidays, The Times *****
**** Twice nominated for the UKTV Food Local Hero award****
**** Green Tourism Gold Award 2010 & Best Performer Award 2008 ****
**** VisitEngland 4* + Silver Award 2011 ****

Badger Watch Events This Summer

Magical mystery badger tours in local forest  

Nature fans are being offered a close encounter with badgers deep in a Forestry Commission woodland in North Yorkshire.

Mystery tours led by Scarborough expert Jane Payne begin in mid-May and run until August revealing the highs and low of badger family life.

Strikingly coloured, the creature is one of England’s largest wild mammals – yet spotting one can be really tough. They spend long hours underground in their multi-chambered setts, which can be hundreds of years old, and are mainly active during the night.

Jane Payne explained: “My children went to see badgers when they were just six years old and that helped to get me hooked. Since then studying and observing the animal has become a real passion. Watching them in the forest is magical.

"Cubs born in February will be taking their first few steps outside the sett in May, emerging as night falls. 
Still being weaned by mum, she will teach them how to dig for food like worms. By the year’s end, male offspring are often shown the door, as Dad doesn’t want to be challenged.  But adults may also be keeping their own secrets from each other – cubs often have different fathers!   

“We will be visiting a Forestry Commission hide in a remote wood, overlooking a den which has been used for well over 100 years by generations of badger.  We get people coming from all over the UK and even further afield.  Keeping the location secret helps protect the animal from illegal persecution.”

To check dates and times call 01723 882295 or email brockview@live.co.uk  Meeting details will be given at the time of booking. The event is suitable for adults and children over 10 years old (who must be accompanied).