Hi everybody!

There is a nature fair at Rodley Nature Reserve (RNR) on 19th July 2025. It is called Nature Quest Day. It will be running from nine until four and is free entry.

If you’ve never been to RNR it is well worth a visit. There are plenty of trails (wheelchair friendly), half a dozen hides, lakes, marshes, coppice woodland, flower meadows, many small ponds, a visitor centre and cafe. There are several live screens in the visitor centre including one monitoring a Barn Owl nest. We have recently recorded Bee-eaters, Bitterns and Otters on the reserve. It’s a nationally important site for dragonflies too with over twenty-five species on the reserve list.

Around the visitor centre area will be lots of stands representing local and national bodies like the YWT, RSPB, etc plus activities such as pond dipping and owl pellet dissection. MYFG are having a stand there too. More information is on the Rodley Nature Reserve website.

As part of the management committee I have been co-opted into other duties on the day including helping out with owl pellet dissection. We could really do with more volunteers for the MYFG stand. You only need to man the stand for an hour or two and you’ll not be left on your own. You don’t have to be an expert on fungi either, just somebody who can chat to the public.  Anyone willing to help on the day, please contact Andy via info@myfg.org.uk.