Proposals to expand fishing at Terry's Pool... again

We've been here before, but again proposals have been submitted to Canal and River Trust regarding expansion of fishing at Terry's Pool, and apparently the fisherman pushing this is taking them to court over it! Currently fishing at Terry's Pool is restricted to the eastern side that adjoins Engine Pool. The following is from Earlswood Wildlife Partnership, and the expansion proposals are in the image at the bottom:

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Dear Members

Attached are details of proposals sent to Canal and River Trust regarding changes requested to fishing rights on Terry’s Pool.

Earlswood Wildlife Partnership will oppose these changes which we see as detrimental to the wildlife of this area but we have been asked to forward this proposal to our members in order that as many people as possible have the opportunity to make their views heard.

Any views you may wish to put forward should be sent to Len Cresswell: Irecresswell@btinternet.com

no later than 19^th September to enable him to compile a reply to these proposals based on interested parties views (we would be grateful if you could send a copy of your response to us as well).

Please do forward a copy of this to anyone you feel maybe interested in this proposal and may wish to make a response but, most importantly, please send your responses to Len Cresswell BEFORE 19^th September.

Best regards

Cheryl Roberts (Secretary)

Earlswood Wildlife Partnership

Rose Farm habitat changes

In the wooded part of Rose Farm adjoining Little Clowes Wood, trees have been cut down and the stream dredged. It's no longer possible to access Clowes Wood meadow via here as the stream has been re-directed around the culvert, which formerly you could walk on to cross the stream. Most alarmingly though is the fact that this has been done in the immediate vicinity of bat boxes, and some of the trees felled may have had bat boxes on them! Some of this land may be owned by Canal and River Trust too, but as far as I know this work has been done by the Parker family who are the new owners of Rose Farm! Pictures taken today:

Trees have been cleared all the way along the stream to where it joins Terry's Pool feeder channel

Cleared area looking towards the railway

Cleared area looking towards the railway

The now defunct culvert, the stream having been re-directed around it

Cleared area right next to bat boxes :-(

Cleared area right next to bat boxes :-(

Cleared area looking towards Terry's Pool

Earlswood autumn all-day birdwatch 2016

This autumn's patch all-dayer produced a cumulative total of 57 bird species. Many thanks to John Sirrett for compiling the following list for the day:

1. Mute Swan
2. Greylag Goose
3. Canada Goose
4. Mallard
5. Tufted Duck
6. Little Grebe
7. Great Crested Grebe
8. Cormorant
9. Grey Heron
10. Sparrowhawk
11. Buzzard
12. Kestrel
13. Pheasant
14. Moorhen
15. Coot
16. Common Sandpiper
17. Black-headed Gull
18. Lesser Black-backed Gull
19. Herring Gull
20. Stock Dove
21. Wood Pigeon
22. Collared Dove
23. Swift
24. Kingfisher
25. Green Woodpecker
26. Great Spotted Woodpecker
27. Sand Martin
28. Swallow
29. House Martin
30. Meadow Pipit
31. Grey Wagtail
32. Pied Wagtail
33. Wren
34. Dunnock
35. Robin
36. Blackbird
37. Song Thrush
38. Mistle Thrush
39. Blackcap
40. Chiffchaff
41. Goldcrest
42. Long-tailed Tit
43. Blue Tit
44. Great Tit
45. Nuthatch
46. Treecreeper
47. Magpie
48. Jay
49. Jackdaw
50. Carrion Crow
51. Raven
52. Starling
53. House Sparrow
54. Chaffinch
55. Greenfinch
56. Goldfinch
57. Bullfinch

I could only manage to find 40 species (re-counted) in the 4 hours I could spare due to uni coursework, so many thanks to John Oates, John Sirrett and Jim Winsper for also participating. It rained for part of the day, and many of the passerines were elusive, often just heard-only observations in vegetation still in full-leaf, so conditions were especially challenging. Seeing as we got 56 species on the all-dayer last autumn, 57 this autumn was a very good score!

By the way, I realise that I never got round to writing up the results of the Earlswood all-dayer back in the spring. The 77 species recorded in one day was a fantastic result and must surely be a patch record - one which we may never beat again! I got 67 species which was a personal best. Many thanks to the participants on that day, who were Jon Chidwick, Paul Fitzgerald, Yvonne Heward, Mike Jeeves, John Oates, Barbara Philp, Tony Philp, John Sirrett and Jim Winsper.

I'm so proud of Team Earlswood! :-)