fulking.net - This is the community website for the people of Fulking, West Sussex

Swains Farm Family Fun Day

Saturday 14th June, 1:00pm–5:00pm
Harris’s Fun Fair, Huxley’s Birds of Prey, The Pizza Oven, Boogie Hoops, Punch & Judy

Ecobluff called

Michael Brown of CPRE writes in the Mid Sussex Times:

Both Horsham and Mid Sussex District Councils are in advanced stages of developing long term plans for their Districts: neither of their plans calls for any new market town to meet their Districts’ housing needs. As to location, it is difficult to envisage somewhere less suited to a mega-development than the lovely open countryside around Wineham with no significant local unemployment, with no road, rail or other infrastructure, and on low lying fields prone to flooding from the Adur. Not to mention the barn owls, nightingales and other wonderful wildlife.

We challenge Mayfield to publish the ecological and flood reports that it claims to have commissioned so that we can all judge for ourselves.

Steyning Downland Scheme

Steyning Downland Scheme have a handy two page PDF calendar of their events.
Click on the map to download it.

Mayfield owl alert

Update 4th May: the West Sussex County Times has elicited some (more) ecowibble from Mayfield Market Towns:

As part of any planning application we would be required to carry out a number of ecological assessments to ensure that development does not pose any threat or danger to protected wildlife. We have already employed ecologists to carry out preliminary studies, and the next stage will carry out in depth ecological studies which will of course include surveying birds and other wildlife in the area. This ensures that the development can be designed so that it protects areas with existing wildlife habitat.

The rest is here.

Join Andrew Armitage and experience the awakening countryside between 7:00–9:00am on Wednesday 28th May or Saturday 31st May. Listen for the Nightingale, the rattle of the Whitethroat and the nasal song of the Yellowhammer. Watch out for deer and other early morning wildlife, followed by a cooked al fresco breakfast. Two miles, wear stout footwear. No dogs. Meet up at the grass bank by Mouse Cottage, just off Mouse Lane in Steyning [Map Ref: TQ173,114].
Must book: The Steyning Bookshop, tel: 01903 812062, cost: £7.50.

Steyning Saplings

Birds, bugs and butterflies – these are just some of the creatures that a new nature group for 2 – 4 year olds will be learning about on the Steyning Downland Scheme from Easter. The aim is to run fun outdoor sessions, where parents and young children can explore and enjoy nature right in the heart of Steyning. The group will run on Tuesday mornings 10 -11.30am from 29th April to 27th May 2014. The cost is £25 for five sessions. To book a place email: katie.scanlan@theoutdoorsproject.co.uk

Nightingales to perform in LAMBS benefit concerts

Get stuffed

Local readers who qualify for a bus pass will recall childhood visits to Potter’s Museum when it still occupied the building in Bramber that housed it for a hundred years. Somewhat younger readers may have visited it in Arundel. The youngest will have had to travel to Cornwall to see it prior to closure a decade ago. Today’s Telegraph provides a convenient photo sequence to awaken the relevant memories.

Monday 21st: the Daily Mail catches up.

Evenings with nightingales

Mike Russell is offering four of his evenings with nightingales this year, including two at Woods Mill and one at Knepp Castle (which “hosts two percent of the national nightingale population”). Links to booking details at the end of this post.

Category: Birds