COUNTRY LIFE
Countryside news
with Tony Ridd
Riverfest 2014 is sailing ahead!
What to look out for...
Following on from the biggest ever attendance at last year’s
Riverfest on Newport Quay, Riverfest 2014 will be on Saturday
May 17 from 11am to 3pm. This free event is now the largest
community event in Newport, last year attracting over 5,000
people. The Footprint Trust, who have organised the last three
events, are now looking for more input from the boating
community. The River Medina is navigable from Cowes and on
May 17 the tide will enable boats to visit Newport Quay from about
11am to 4pm, depending on their size.
“We would particularly welcome those with historical vessels to
sail along to the event, but we also welcome modern craft too,”
said organiser Ray Harrington-Vail. The Medina Valley Centre’s
Eco-Challenger will be present along with interesting local crafts
and local foods, and dozens of Island charities. Those wanting
to find out more about Newport Riverfest can visit the Footprint
Trust’s website http://www.footprint-trust.co.uk/riverfest.html or
phone 01983 822282 or email [email protected]
Wych Elm
This is similar to hazel in that its
flowers appear in early spring,
well before the new leaves
open out. The flowers are dark
reddish-purple in colour, 4mm.
in size, and produced in clusters
of 10 to 20, spaced along the
twigs and small branches. They
are hermaphroditic, meaning that
the organs for both sexes occur
in each flower, and pollination is
by the wind.
Swift
These birds are superb fliers,
even sleeping on the wing! They
are summer visitors coming
here to breed form Africa. They
eat insects and airborne spiders.
After leaving the nest where they
have hatched, they will keep
flying non-stop for three years.
They eat, mate and sleep in the
air. They breed in buildings,
squeezing through tiny gaps to
nest inside roofs.
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Small Copper
This sun-loving butterfly is often
found resting on the ground,
on vegetation or flowers, as it
absorbs the sun’s rays. Males
establish small territories and
fly up to intercept any passing
insect in the hope of intercepting
a passing female. When
egg-laying, females are easy
to distinguish from males, as
they fly low across the ground
searching for suitable food
plants on which to lay.
Hawthorn Flies
The large female hawthorn flies
begin hatching around St. Mark’s
Day, April 25, but their smaller
male mates are seen a week or
so earlier. On sunny spring days
they flit along the hedgerows and
among bushes, often at head
height. They are a fish’s delight
and once on the water they are
unlikely to escape the attention
of the trout.