Bleasby Nature day - October 2023

Families from the parish came together on Saturday 7th October to help build a giant bug hotel at Jubilee Ponds as part of a Nature Day organised by Bleasby Grasshoppers and the Parish Council.

Participants also constructed around 30 bird boxes from pre-prepared templates along with a number of mini-bug hotels to take home to their own gardens. The enthusiasm to help improve the wildlife habitats on our doorsteps, especially from many of our younger generation, was wonderful to see.

Our “Duck, Duck or Goose” team of birding experts helped introduce visitors to the ornithology of Jubilee Ponds. Binoculars and guides were provided to help identify the birds that can be seen throughout the season, right on our doorstep.

In the evening, around 40 people of all ages enjoyed a bat-walk which took us back to Jubilee Ponds, detectors in hand! We were able to identify Common Pipistrelles, Noctule and Soprano Pipistrelle enjoying a dusk feast on the abundant insect life around the wildflower meadow. After returning to St Marys for refreshments, a late-night expedition into the fields behind the church found more species, including Brown long-eared bats, one of the Myotis bats and possibly Barbastelle.