The first indoor meeting of 2013 was the AGM where, after the formal part of the meeting was over, president John Gardner spoke about the recent committee meeting, where a discussion of the peregrines on Wakefield cathedral took place and the result was that the society agreed to finance the construction of a peregrine nestbox to be fixed on the Cathedral tower, subject to approval from the Cathedral authorities.
As is now traditional, a wildlife quiz followed, with Francis Hickenbottom displaying his fascinating collection of skulls and feet, and our botanical expert Chris Hartley testing our brain cells even further with a group of tree branches, minus their leaves, for us to try and identify. John Gardner’s photographic quiz was as usual most interesting and frustrating.
Recent sightings: Scarce gulls still coming into the Anglers/Wintersett roost include Caspian and yellow-legged gulls. Long-tailed duck, scaup and 2 bitterns also noted. Many skeins of Pink-footed geese were counted locally flying mainly west. 29 shelduck were at Pugneys and 4 smew briefly on 18th . 5 chiffchaff have been seen roaming with a tit flock at a location by the river at Ossett, and a sighting of 2 flying bumblebees recently
was unusual for the time of year.
Next meeting on Tuesday 12th February at 7.30pm when Francis Hickenbottom
will give a talk entitled ‘Flight ’in the Quaker Meeting Hall, Thornhill St.Wakefield.
