Berwick Wildlife Group

Present: : Fiona Aungier, Leslie Cook, Molly Hardie, Malcolm Hutcheson, Elizabeth Martin Fisher, Enid Turnbull, M. Williams, Gill Young.

Apologies:. John Inglis, John Rae.

Items	Subject	Decisions to Make	Outcome
1	Minutes of last meeting	Agreed?	Agreed
2	Matters arising not below	Discuss briefly.	None.
3	Records.	Bluethroat(s), Speckled Woods, others.	Two sightings of Bluethroats recorded, one E. Ord & one Holy Island. ET reported sighting of Speckled Woods. FA & M Hardie reported Walls. Discussion on desirability of obtaining corroboration of sightings and of putting them in writing for ease of adding to national databases.
4	Recent events.	Save our Squirrels Walk in Detchant, 19th April. BSBI Spring Conference, May 9th/10th/11th. AGM + Kevin Rideout 13th May – excellent. Thanks for minutes, John. Change to constitution – notice of AGM changed to 7 days.	Save our Squirrels Walk in Detchant, 19th April went well with lizard, flowers and butterflies plus signs of squirrels. Thanks to Elizabeth Bamford and forester. BSBI Spring Conference, May 9/10/11. Several members attended and found the conference both interesting and stimulating. AGM + Kevin Rideout 13th May – excellent talk from Kevin once again.
5	Elizabeth Martin Fisher & Gill Young	Offer of help in running group. Thank you so much.	FA thanked Gill & Elizabeth for their offers to help with running of BWG. There is plenty to do!
6	Forthcoming events.	Border Events – site eventually seems to be working, + pictures! Trees (Alchema area 24th May and Castle Terr. 10th June. Bioblitz. Bat survey 12th June, plants 13th June. Goody Patchy Walk 14th June. Bumblebee Walks 17th and 20th June	Border Events – Our events now included on their site. FA requested photos to highlight forthcoming events. M Hutcheson to supply trees, Gill to supply Holy Island. Town Trees. Walks by M Hutcheson. Alchema area 24th May and Castle Terr. 10th June. Bioblitz. Bat survey 12th June, LC to let everyone know where to meet. Plants 13th June, Snook, with Clare O’Riley, not necessary to book. Goody Patchy Walk 14th June. Bumblebee Walks 17th and 20th June
7	Forthcoming Surveys	Butterflies – Ralf Ohlemuller, plant/larva dynamics + climate change. Reptiles/amphibians 19th May and/or Banded snails 29th May. Bat detector teach-in evening (26th May) + bat surveys (Riverdene) 28th May, 11th &18th June. Offer of help from Janet Simkin re. Whin Sill grassland.	Corrections to list needed. FA to deal with it. Butterflies – Ralf Ohlemuller, studying phenology, plant/larva dynamics + climate change, has contacted FA with view to visit Cocklawburn transect, maybe T the M next year. Reptiles/amphibians 19th May and/or Banded snails 29th May. Bat detector teach-in evening (26th May) + Bat surveys (Riverdene) 28th May, 11th &18th June. Whin Sill grassland. Janet Simkin has offered help. Sites - West Kyloe, Swinhoe Crags, plus two non-whin sites Oxford Pits & Goswick. M Hutcheson – Spittal cliffs are a good site; he has seen unusual Early Purple orchids there.
8	Future Events	Winter programme – need Jan and March speakers: Liza Kirslake?.	Winter programme – need Jan and March speakers: JR to confirm with Liza Kirslake. Discussion on speakers and their fees.
9	Stevenson Bridge lighting scheme.	Meeting with organisers Fri. 22nd May. What exactly should be our stance on bats and on climate change?	Meeting with organisers Fri. 22nd May. FA, LC, ET to attend. FA has received a long e-mail from DO Architecture. LC - there are bats in vicinity of rail bridge, but it is not appropriate to survey until end of May. Lighting cannot be installed if a breeding colony is there. BWG delegates will also mention problems of climate change and light pollution. LC - The only reasonable place to install power cables is under river bed, and disturbance could jeopardise stability of viaduct.M Hutcheson - Largest colony of House Martin in N Northumberland is on bridge. M Hutcheson to give LC details of bird numbers. Have organisers consulted bodies such as Natural England?
10	Purchases	Bat detector, tree tapes, GPS. Finally got them. (Batscan software and detector cheaper (diff. supplier). £84.29 left to spend on ?	BWG now in possession of new bat detector, tree tapes, GPS. Batscan detector and software were cheaper from a different supplier and because software copyright lapsed, so surplus £84.29 to be used towards more bat detecting equipment. FA to explore costs.
11	Any other business	.	This month’s squirrel report. No reds sighted but bat hairs found in squirrel tubes. Conifer woodland good place to put bat boxes, so M Hardie to ask Elizabeth Bamford to approach forest manager re. installing some.
12	Date/venue of next Meeting	.	17th June, then 15th July (7.00 @ The Castle).