More than meets the eye - Grace Dieu Wildlife

Local group Phoenix have organised an expert speaker to cover a subject area that may be of particular interest to Osgathorpe residents, at the Queens Head Belton on Wednesday (evening) 4th September. See details below / attached including how to make a reservation and the entry fee.NB Phoenix has been formed by previous members of a now disbanded local WI group. This speaker evening is completely open invite - All welcome.

Phoenix – Wed. Sept. 4th 19:30 The Queen's Head, Long St., Belton

Speaker: Stephen Woodward

"MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE – Grace Dieu Wildlife"

Stephen Woodward, editor of 'Leicestershire & Rutland Recorder' wildlife journal, Joint County Recorder for Flowering Plants & wildlife photographer.

In the 1990s he helped Neil Adkin with the Belton Parish survey & was encouraged to look at wild flowers by Tony Primavesi, botanist of national standing.

Steve's a member of Loughborough Naturalists' Club which undertook a wildlife survey 2008 - 2019. Fieldwork covered all plants, animals & fungi that could be identified with confidence - 3403 species, 99 new for the county.

In addition to fieldwork around the ruins, woods & Cademan area much time was spent searching museum collections plus published & unpublished material. The oldest record was for Red Fox in 1242.William Wordsworth was the first to report Ivy (c. 1806). Grace Dieu attracted renowned naturalists in the 1830s. The most unlikely specimen is a Little Auk, native to the High Arctic!

The talk will present more interesting plants & animals, methods of finding them & previous naturalists.

The book, published in 2022, is probably the most comprehensive study of its kind for anywhere in Leicestershire. Available to buy on the evening at £18 (cash only please).

Please email phoenix@aegf.co.uk to reserve – visitor's fee £6