Malcolm Brownsword writes: On 9 August Valerie and I went for a walk along the banks of the Thames, from the bridge by The Barley Mow downstream towards Little Wittenham. After only a few hundred metres we came to a large pool, one of several created by The Earth Trust in the Upper Thames region, and were pleasantly surprised to see a (ringed) Great White Egret.
Lindsay Fisher writes: Maggie C’s recent post about alder tongue galls reminded me of a curious disease that ruined our damson crop this year. Suddenly the apparently normal young fruits exploded into grotesque elongated shapes, turning pale and withering without forming stones.
Sixteen members signed up for the FarmEd walk before the Club’s 60th birthday lunch on 3 August. We learned a great deal from Danielle, our walk leader, who gave us a short introduction about the aims of the not-for-profit organisation at Honeydale Farm, ie “to inspire, educate and connect people to build sustainable farming and food systems that nourish people and regenerate the planet”.
Maggie Collins writes: After the FarmEd lunch last Thursday (3 August), a few of us took a walk around the farm. Down near the pond we spotted some young alder trees with interesting additions.
Sue Morton writes: The Club is 60 years old this year, and we marked the occasion with a lunch on 3 August at FarmEd, near Shipton under Wychwood.
John C. writes:
Out for a walk today (6 August) in the Hailey, New Yatt, Ramsden area to look for bush crickets we made a rather pleasing find as we were passing through Holly Grove.
Lindsay Fisher writes: And thinking about butterflies, as we were last week in Charlbury, reminded me of a recent visit to the Hampton Court Garden Festival.
Despite the recent unsettled weather, our butterfly hunt on 20 July struck lucky with the elements, and fine, calm conditions netted a fully subscribed haul of members, and a good range of butterflies too.
Brenda Betteridge, a long term member and one-time Newsletter editor of WOFC, has written some of her memories of the early days of WOFC [which seemed to be rather more adventurous then!]
John C. writes: Late on a rather warm Sunday afternoon nearly three weeks ago we were intrigued by the behaviour of some small bees in the unmown ‘meadow’ area of Sue’s garden.
WEST OXFORDSHIRE FIELD CLUB