Minibeast Safari

Minibeasts quaked in their leafy arbors last Sunday as a safari swept across the West bank of the Medina, sweep netting and shaking the bugs out of their hiding places*. Participants were fascinated to see red weevils, a large harvestman, a very fat spider, crane flies, various beetles and bugs, springtails and an impressive looking shield bug turn up in their nets.












*No minibeasts were harmed during the afternoon's activities.

Doorstep Medina - Bats in the Estuary

Last Friday 21 intrepid explorers set out along the Newport-Cowes cycle track at dusk with bat detecting equipment to try and track down some bats before they hunker down for hibernation.

Whilst we still had some light we swept the nettle verges for insects and bugs to discover what would be coming out for the bats to feast on.

The bat detectors were surprisingly easy to use, and as the sun set and darkness fell we began to hear the bats echo-locating via the equipment. Once they had been heard they were easier to spot, and we soon saw a lot of bat activity up and down the cycle corridor. You can see the excitement in a young detective whose detector has just shown a bat in flight.

Ian, leading the walk, was fairly sure that we saw at least 2 species of bat, the Pipistrelle flying around the trees on the cycle track and the Daubenton's flying low over the water on Dodnor Creek.

Canoe Safari on the Medina

Sixteen intrepid Islanders met at Medina Valley Centre yesterday afternoon to take part in the Medina Rediscovered canoe safari. We all had a brilliant afternoon, many thanks to Roger Herbert and his team at MVC for their expert tuition and hospitality. The cup of tea at the end of the afternoon was particularly welcome.

Look at us conquering the river:

All Aboard

Last week on Midsummer's Evening (the longest day of the year) a crowd gathered to join the "Medina at Midsummer" boat cruise - a tour from the Medina Rediscovered project funded by Heritage Lottery.

Over 60 people crowded into a Solent Jenny boat to enjoy a sedate motor up river as far as the Folly Inn (no, we didn't stop) listening to the Captain's commentary on local landmarks along the way. The river is so peaceful, especially in the evening, and there was plenty to look at in terms of boats, architecture, industrial heritage and wildlife.

Everyone aboard had the chance to test their sea legs as we motored back out of the Medina into the open waters of the Solent, where you can really feel the difference from the calm inland waters of the river. We became caught up in a Thursday evening Isle of Wight Sailing club racing evening, and caught some wash from several large passing ships and a Red Jet, which all added to the exciting finish. The grand finale was a glimpse of Norris Castle, a romantic gothic looking house that can only be seen by the public from the sea. Surrounded on all sides by woodland and water, it really looks like A house from a Daphne DuMaurier novel.

Minibeast Safari at Cowes

Ian and Suzie met pupils from Love Lane Primary School on the Cowes-Newport cyclepath this morning on the hunt for ferocious minibeasts and bugs. A fantastically warm sunny morning - perfect for butterflies and bees feasting on the hedgerow flowers we passed.

Unfortunately we didn't find anything dangerous, but there was certainly a lot of life in them there nettles.

Ian brought the bush-sweeper with him so that we could tap the hedgerows and discover the life within. We found a lot of spiders, beetles, leaf hoppers, ladybirds, earwigs, crickets, caterpillars, a red admiral and a white admiral. Not bad for an hour's work.

Doorstep Medina

We've just done the first in the series of wildlife and heritage walks focusing on the Medina Valley from the Solent right up to Newport Quay. The overall project is called 'Medina Rediscovered' (funded by Heritage Lottery) and the walks bit 'Doorstep Medina'. There is also a schools programme making use of all the Medina's varied characteristics and features as local learning resources, plugging into as many bits of the curriculum as we can. The walk on Thursday went from Whippingham down to the river at Island Harbour and back again and what a splendid spring day it was! 2 Swallows, Orange Tips, Tortioseshells, Brimstones, Oystercatchers shouting all over the place, Great-crested Grebe and about a million Primroses. We went by St. Mildred's Church too where, in the graveyard, you can find Samuel Saunders and Uffa Fox, two absolutely extraordinary men who must have helped to make East Cowes the buzzing hub of engineering and design brilliance that it once was.
Being so close to them is kind of inspiring and makes you want to rush back and do something spectacular for the town. We love East Cowes.