🦋 Post by David Edwards from the Moreton Morrell Wildlife Group.

We’re delighted to be moving forward with plans to make the Moreton Morrell College Wildlife Walk even better for wildlife.

Following the award of a £2,800 grant from Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, we met at the college on Friday 16 October to identify two promising locations for new butterfly glades.

With advice from wildlife expert Mike Slater, we’re planning to open up carefully selected areas of woodland to let in more sunlight and create better conditions for wildflowers, butterflies and other insects.

🌿 What happens next?

We hope to begin clearance work before Christmas, subject to the necessary wildlife and tree checks, followed by habitat improvements and planting. We’re keen to involve local volunteers and college students in both the clearance and planting, giving students valuable practical experience in countryside management and conservation.

The £2,800 grant will fund the project, with the financial support we have received from Moreton Morrell Parish Council available to supplement it if needed.

We also spotted exciting potential at Lapwing Lagoon for future wildlife projects.

This is another positive step in our work to make Moreton Morrell a better place for nature. Thank you to everyone helping to make it happen!

We look forward to sharing progress — and hopefully plenty of butterfly photographs — next summer! 📷🦋 Those above were all taken on the walk this summer. 

The Tysoe Wildlife Calendar is now ready to go to print. The quality of entries to our photo competition was outstanding. Tysoe Wildlife are very proud of the end result. 

In order to confirm the print run, please place your orders ASAP, so that we can ensure you get your copies as the calendar is bound to be a sell-out. It makes an ideal Christmas present for friends and family!

We are offering it in two sizes: 

• A4 – £10  
• A3 – £12.50  

You can order online at https://cherry-paintings.sumupstore.com/ 

The calendar should be available for collection from Tysoe, towards the end of this month.

Thank you for your support. The proceeds from the calendar will go to support Tysoe Wildlife projects for 2027.

This summer, Banbury Ornithological Society members and volunteers found and monitored 7 curlew nests in the Edgehill and Napton areas. They also monitored two further nests in the Upper Cherwell area.

A total of 8 eggs hatched in the Edgehill area and, of these, 5 curlew chicks fledged successfully. In the Napton area, 8 eggs hatched and one chick fledged successfully. Most of the nests were protected with electric fences – which really improves egg survival, predators being the greatest threat to them.

The team are very grateful to all the farmers who support the curlews and to all who have generously donated to the curlew funding initiatives. They are also very grateful for support from the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment, the Cotswolds National Landscape and the Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme. There is more information about curlews here: Curlew Recovery Partnership.

All the photographs were taken by Mark Hunter.

When Robin Restall, passed away in 2023, his family were honoured to be able to donate nearly all his artwork to the Natural History Museum in London.  He asked them, however, to retain a few dozen pieces to sell in aid of the charity, The Friends of Sun Rising, which will care for the nature reserve where he was laid to rest into the long-term future. 

These pieces are now available for sale, at an event on 22-23 August Art for Sale in the Longhouse – Sun Rising and online. Some are from his opus, The Birds of Northern South America, with others painted for other publications and areas of study. His daughter, Emma Restall-Orr has written a blog giving the information to make it easy for you to do so. 
https://sunrising.co.uk/blog/2026/07/21/robin-restall-ornithologist-and-illustrator/

This year Tysoe Wildlife have initiated two new projects – both supported by Stratford on Avon District Council’s Community Climate and Nature Fund. This is an update from the Tysoe and District Record about the project on swifts.

Header image from TheOtherKev.

This year Tysoe Wildlife have initiated two new projects – both supported by Stratford on Avon District Council’s Community Climate and Nature Fund. This is an update from the Tysoe and District Record about the project on hedgehogs.

Header image from Alexas_Fotos.

The Upper Lighthorne Resident’s Association are inviting local residents to help care for trees and hedgerows in public areas of the town through its Foster a Tree Scheme.

Trees and hedgerows play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, improving air and soil quality, storing carbon and creating healthier, more resilient places for both people and wildlife. However, they need ongoing care to survive and thrive.

That’s where local residents can make a real difference. Simple actions such as watering, light pruning and keeping an eye on young trees and hedgerows can help them flourish and ensure that future generations continue to enjoy their many benefits. For more information or to get involved, please email pulra.upperlighthorne@gmail.com