Next CBCG meeting - a reminder

The next meeting of the CBCG will be of a slightly different format to previous meetings in that it will include two short presentations that will hopefully be of interest to all birders (not just CBCG members). The first will be by Giselle Murison of West Yorkshire Ecology who will give a brief resume of the findings of the moorland fringe surveys which were undertaken by WYE in our area last year. The purpose of these surveys was to increase the information they currently have on the distribution of breeding birds in the important, yet largely unprotected, area that borders the moorland SPA, without this info it is difficult to actively challenge planning applications etc in this sensitive habitat. If there is sufficient interest Giselle has also offered to bring colleagues from WYE to explain the way the organisation works and the importance of them holding as much info on local bird populations and distributions as possible. This will be an ideal opportunity for any local birders who have reservations about the sharing of information with WYE to come along and discuss their concerns.
The second presentation will be by Edie Jolley of Pennine Prospects who will be accompanied by Phil Sanderson (West Yorkshire Police), Edie will give full details of the recently set up Moorwatch website (http://www.moorwatch.com/) and the way it can be used to report damaging activities on our moors.
There will also be the opportunity for local birders to discuss the Wildlife Sites Criteria that will be in the consultation period by then, the CBCG has already submitted comments but this will give non members an opportunity to have their say. In addition to this I believe there will be representative/s of the RSPB Twite recovery project also attending.

As the above issues are likely to be of interest to all local birders the meeting will be open to anyone who wishes to attend and will be held at the offices of the Calderdale Council Countryside Unit above the library in Mytholmroyd on Tuesday 5th April and will begin at 1930.

In order to ensure there are enough seats etc would any non CBCG member who will be attending please let me know in advance on midgleybirder@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks

Nick Carter