I attended the RSPB's Woodland Warden's Gathering today (well half of it) and gave a short talk on deadwood invertebrates and their management. It was a really good day with speakers from Plantlife and Butterfly Conservation also attending, so I got something out of it too, everyone wins! I love conferences like that. It was great to see some of my old colleagues from Reserves Ecology and it reminded me that I must get up to The Lodge sometime soon, it's been four years!
I did get one new species. This common lichen Parmotrema perlatum that was shown to me by Tim Wilkins of Plantlife. Now I come to think of it, I am sure I have seen this one at Woods Mill but I have never been able to put a name to it.
I was very proud to give this talk on Saturday at the National Moth Recording Conference in Birmingham. Putting this talk together made me realise just how active the group is and also, how lucky we are in Sussex. Some of the comments I got after giving the talk supported this further. I think that the most important thing with any such group is openness and inclusivity. Everyone and every group is talking to every other person and group. Strong relationships between the Sussex Moth Group and Sussex Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation and particularly the Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre are in my opinion (after an enthusiastic membership) the reasons why our group works so well.
I still get nervous before talking to this many (200) people and I think I always will but I do my best to hide it. I think the nerves keep you on your toes.
It was great to see some old friends and we came up with all sorts of ideas for field trips and holidays for the summer. I also spent over £100 on books...
My favourite talks were about the forthcoming micro moth book and the evolution of bats and moths. Oh yeah, the kites. On my north bound journey I saw 80, that's not a typo, 80 kites! On my way south today, I saw only three.
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