Watching out for Wildlife
5 July 2010
A brand new Wildlife Watch group for children and families in the Fleet area has just been launched. Wildlife Watch is the junior branch of The Wildlife Trusts and the UK's leading environmental action club for children. Group activities for children, with a strong family focus, are organised by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust volunteers.
At the Fleet launch, several families met at Hook Heath Common to discover the bugs and butterflies that live there. Local naturalist Peter Vaughan also brought along a selection of moths caught the previous night, including an amazing elephant hawk moth.
Wildlife Watch leaders Karen Charlesworth, Vicky Harrison, and Heather Hickman had prepared a range of fun activities such as making craft butterflies, spotting real butterflies, bug hunting and fishing for dragonflies which involves sitting like gnomes beside a pond, waiting for dragonflies to settle on poles.
The next meeting in July will be investigating a subject that fascinates many children - poo and pellets - finding out the eating habits of local wildlife.
If you've never dissected an owl pellet, now's the time!
Further monthly meetings will take place from 2-4pm on:
Saturday 24th July at Ancells Farm Wildlife Reserve,
Saturday 21st August at Fleet Pond,
Sunday 26th September in Hartley Wintney.
So if you're interested in wildlife and would like to find out more about Wildlife Watch, please phone Karen on 01252 650183 or Vicky on 01252 623746 or visit the Wildlife Trust's website http://www.hwt.org.uk/
For additional images or to arrange photography, please contact:
Diana Smith, Senior People and Wildlife Officer, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust,
dianas@hwt.org.uk, 01489 774400
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Notes to Editors
For further information please contact:
Diana Smith, Senior People and Wildlife Officer, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust,
dianas@hwt.org.uk, 01489 774400
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The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust strives to create a better future for wildlife and wild places in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It is the leading wildlife charity in the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and is part of a nationwide network of 47 local charities. We work together to create a better future for wildlife and wild places in the UK. With the support of our 27, 000 members, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Trust is taking effective action to protect our natural heritage, helping it to flourish again. Find out more at http://www.hwt.org.uk/
