Exmouth & Bystock Local Group

Latest news - Winter 2012

Wildlife events and quiz

This group has lots of exciting events coming up including wildlife presentation and annual meeting 10 Dec, bumblebee talk 14 Jan and bird watching walk 2 Feb. They also organise work parties at Bystock nature reserve and a wildlife quiz. More

In 2011 Local Group member Mike Tracey came up with the idea of a wildlife quiz. With the help of the DWT Nature Reserves Guide, he compiled some quite difficult anagrams of birds and reserves in Devon. This was a good idea as it raised awareness of the range and diversity of our reserves in Devon. The quiz sold well thanks to Mike's winning ways to persuade folks to take part. A prize of £20 was given to the winner and raised £108 for the Local Group.

For his 2012 puzzle, Mike decided to compile anagrams of 101 birds that can be seen in Devon. The draw will take place on 1 January 2013 and the winner will receive a £20 gift voucher. 191 copies have been sold so far and you still have time to get your copy! The answers and winner's name will be published on www.dlrcards.talktalk.net

Combined with a clever brain and the right approach, Mike, who is treasurer of the Local Group, has raised 'a fair bit of cash'. He is already thinking about another quiz which will be on sale in the New Year.

The quizzes are sold at Exmouth DWT Local Group events throughout the year. Events are held once a month during the winter at the Bastin Hall in Exmouth. They are advertised in the DWT Events leaflet and on the events webpages.

Local group activities

Monthly indoor meetings
From October to March in the Bastin Hall, Elm Grove Exmouth. Admission £2.50. Illustrated talks are followed by questions and answers.

An annual guided bird watching walk
Along the Exe estuary to watch birds.

East Devon Heath Week in July
One of the highlights of this group’s summer is the annual East Devon Heath Week in July, organised jointly by DWT, RSPB, the East Devon AONB and the Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust.  The week starts with a family fun day at Woodbury Castle and continues with a wide range of events throughout the week. Bystock reserve holds an open day in conjunction with its regular conservation day.

Bystock Pools Nature Reserve Work Parties

We hold regular work parties at our local Bystock Pools nature reserve led by a DWT Nature Reserves Officer. We welcome newcomers. Although our hours are from 10 am to 3 pm you can do as much or little as you like. Tasks include scrub clearance and bracken bashing. Tools and gloves are provided. Please wear suitable clothes and, if you wish to stay for the day, bring food and drink for 'tea break' and lunch. ###PLEASE NOTE: At the moment we have the maximum number of volunteers that the site can accommodate. If you wish to join another group please view the other opportunities.###

Exmouth Wildlife Garden

Our wildlife demonstration garden began in 2001, with the financial (and physical) assistance of our local Quaker group, to whom we are most grateful. The garden was originally a badly overgrown allotment plot, but a band of intrepid volunteers cleared all the weeds, excavated a pond, installed a shed and began planting for wildlife. Our aim is to show members of DWT and the general public what can be achieved in a space about the size of an average garden.

We are proud of the fact that we now have a woodland, a butterfly/bee border, a fruit garden, a vegetable garden, a heather patch, and, of course a pond. We have recently added an 'insect hotel', built into a flower-covered bank rescued from nettles and bindweed. We have also our own two-bay compost area, constructed from old pallets. We hope to add a third bay in due course. Above and around the compost bin and the flower bank, we have areas of wild growth, with nettles, wood piles, trees and bushes, to provide homes for insects, reptiles and birds. Slow worms love compost heaps!

We have printed a leaflet about the garden, with brief details of its features and planting. If you would like to visit us to see what we are doing, and perhaps pick up some ideas, we are open on the first Sunday of every month (weather permitting), from 10am until noon. There are also one or two open days per year, details of which will be publicised at the appropriate time. Access is via the Gorfin Hall car park in Claremont Lane, Exmouth (please park in the road and not in the car park, which is for hall users only).

For more details of activities please have a look at the Devon Wildlife Trust's events leaflet or visit the events webpage.

Visit the Exmouth & Bystock DWT Local Group webpage