An exciting climax to the year, with the reported sighting of a tawny owl on the Common, just before Christmas, and then two little owls in the same NW corner of the Common in the New Year. Local birder Nick Rutter saw them first and then Peter White went along to confirm the ID - not an easy task given that the owls only appear at dusk, making positive ID very challenging. There are definitely little owls around (see picture) and this is not the first time they’ve been reported. The tawny owl, however, is not confirmed and it may be that this was actually a little owl. We’ll only know if it returns, in which case it would be the first tawny owl sighting in over 60 years.

Earlier in December a few sturdy Friends helped the Common’s
contractors - idverde - clear brambles from areas of the Scope, to enhance the
meadow areas and encourage wild flowers and butterflies to thrive. This involved some of us receiving a lesson in scything - not something many of us have cause to do in the garden! We’re
pleased to have done our bit to help and hope there will be more volunteering
opportunities this year.

Two other bits of news. First, the Jaggard Way planning application, against which the MAC and Friends had objected because of its impact on the Common, was rejected again. Second, the Council are to upgrade the toilet facilities behind the bowling green, to include full accessibility, after prompting by the MAC/Friends. A small group of us met the project lead on a site visit and look forward to work commencing soon.

Happy 2020 everyone