Category Archives: MNA reports

I had a morning wander around Dibbinsdale – my new local patch. Birdlife included Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, some vociferous Jays, Buzzard, Bullfinch, a party of Long-tailed Tits and Song Thrush. Oak Artichoke Gall The Oaks were infected with a … Continue reading →

  Smardale Gill National Nature Reserve is about 100 acres in size and occupies a 3.3 mile stretch of the disused Tebay to Darlington railway line. It is maintained by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust and has been designated as a … Continue reading →

Tony Carter asked me to circulate this to members regarding research into Powdery Mildews. Please contribute if you are able 🙂 Powdery mildews commonly occur on garden plants, are unsightly, and can cause serious damage. To help understand how widespread … Continue reading →

Spent a wonderful weekend at a wedding reception at Plas Maenan, a beautifully restored Edwardian mansion on a bluff 300 feet above the Conwy Valley. Managed to drag myself away from the champagne to have a wander around the grounds. … Continue reading →

After dropping off the half a dozen members to explore the National Trust’s Bodnant Gardens the remainder continued the short distance to the village of Abergwyngregyn and a walk to Aber Falls . The Aber Valley is geologically rich with … Continue reading →

This was a dual-destination MNA coach trip, and six of us softies were dropped off at Bodnant, then the coach carried on with the hardier souls to Aber Falls. As naturalists, we were not particularly interested in Bodnant’s exotic garden … Continue reading →

John Clegg took some pictures of Great Crested Grebes nesting at Carr Mill Dam in early May.

Richard Surman, Ron Crossley, DaveB and I headed over to Coed Llangwyfan, a broad-leaved and coniferous woodland below the Iron Age hillfort on Pen-y-Cloddiau in the Clwydian Range AONB. A cool start as we parked up with Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, … Continue reading →

We visited a new venue on our MNA Coach Trip – Manifold Valley in Staffordshire’s White Peak area. The track ran along the former route of the Leek and Manifold Light Railway through a wooded valley beside the Manifold River. … Continue reading →

Kodchasri – a Thai mythical creature with a lion’s body and an elephant’s head Spent the Easter break indulging the cultural and culinary delights of Thailand. A hectic trip  – as per the norm but I did find some time … Continue reading →