Monthly Archives: October 2012

Making a difference with the Bulb Bonanza – by Chris Parapia

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Making A Difference

Saturday 27th October was “Making a Difference Day” coordinated by CSV nationwide.

The Friends of Parkinson’s park really made a big difference to how the park will look in the future by planting 500 Tete a Tete daffodil bulbs kindly donated by the Groundwork Trust in Leeds.

We had an excellent turnout of volunteers including 5 young volunteers all of whom got “dug” in to make the morning such a success.  Special thanks to Jessica, sister Katie , Sophie May  and Katie and William  seen wearing the ” Make a Difference” t shirts. We had a new and unusual volunteer this week, Grace a beautiful chicken belonging to Katie and William. Continue reading →

Get To Know Your Fungi – Sunday 28th October

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Feast or Poison?

The number of Friends groups looking after areas of green space are growing; as well as Friends of Parkinson’s Park,  there is also Friends of Engine Fields in Yeadon, and Friends of Yeadon Banks, which has just started up,  following the successful designation of Yeadon Banks as a village green.  It does make sense for us all to keep in touch and help each other.

So, we are very happy to promote this event on Sunday 28th October 2012,  by Friends of Engine Fields.  They are inviting people to join their regular group of volunteers  from 10am to noon, when  local Fungi expert  Andrew Woodall, President of the Mid – Yorkshire Fungus Group will walk the site looking for and identifying fungi.

Anyone who would like to come along, should meet at the car park to Engine Fields, which is behind the Curtain Mill shop  between the Tut’nShive Pub and Homebase, just of Kirk Lane, Yeadon  (Miry Lane or Well Lane will get you there).                                       

The 2012 Bulb Bonanza Makes a Difference – With Your Help

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500 Bulbs to Plant

Saturday 27th October is “Make a Difference Day” – run by the Community Service Volunteers (CSV), it is the UK’s biggest day of volunteering, and provides opportunities for thousands of people to volunteer every year in activities across the country. 

The Friends of Parkinson’s Park, have therefore decided to dedicate our regular Saturday morning working party to  a special project to ‘make a difference’ to the Park .   The task is to plan 500 small daffodil bulbs which have been given to us by the Groundwork Trust Continue reading →

Bird Watch – Nuts About Nuthatches by Darren Shepherd

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Nuthatch Feeding – sitta europaea

Well,  the summer is officially over, and,  as we move into autumn,  the post breeding tits, and other small insectivorous  birds,  start to roam  the countryside in flocks.  These flocks find Parkinsons Park much to their liking, with the wealth of cover and food on offer.  Last Friday, when entering the park from the Nethercliffe Road entrance, I could hear the ‘twittering’of such a flock feeding in the tall trees and scrub that borders Kelcliffe House.

Amongst the noise, I was  pleasantly surprised to hear the call of a “NUTHATCH” (sitta europaea). “Superb”, I thought, “a completely new bird for the parks list” !  The bird is a stunning little thing,  not much bigger than a sparrow, but a true Olympian for its climbing prowess, and adorned in red/orange,white,and blue plumage looking rather exotic in Jubilee colours. Other birds in the flock, included blue, great, and coal tits, along with my favorite the long tailed tit. Continue reading →

Sandringham Sends A New Jubilee Tree

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Sandringham Estate’s Gift to Guiseley

Following the publicity about our stolen Jubilee Oak,  we have received an email from Mr Alexander George, Deputy Land Agent for the Sandringham Estate,  offering us a new Jubilee Oak.  This has now arrived safely,  and is a few years older than the last one –  big enough to be surrounded by some protection.

Darren Shepherd will be doing the planting honours again, as in March, and we will let all Friends know when planting will take place.   Barbara Winfield thought it would be nice to have a special Guiseley guest at the event, so ideas for who that could be are welcome.

If anyone has any thoughts about protecting the tree,  do let us know.   Josie pondered that a surrounding ditch covered in leaves might do the trick, and Andy wondered about hiring a Barghest. Continue reading →