2024 NEWS

Events 2024

MONTHLY LITTER PICK

A Litter pick along the Emm Brook is undertaken on the first Saturday of every month. The next litter pick will be on Saturday 6th April at 10.00. Meet at Dragonfly Bridge to the rear of Morrisons Supermarket, Woosehill RG41 3SN at 10:00. Please wear suitable clothing, footwear and gloves.Litter pickers and bags provided. Parking is available at Morrisons.

AGM 2023

 AGM This years AGM was held on Monday 15th May at the Woosehill Community Centre (Upper Room) from 19:00-21:30.

05/11/ 22

BARBARA STAGLES TREE PLANTING

  Barbara Stagles English Oak In recognition of the role that Barbara Stagles played during the formation of FOTEB and her works with Wokingham District Veteran Tree Association (WDVTA) an English Oak (Quercus robur) was planted in Woosehill Meadows between the Community Orchard and the Wild Flower area.

WOKINGHAM DISTRICT VETERAN TREE ASSOCIATION (WDVTA) AGM

Wokingham District Veteran Tree Association (WDVTA)will be holding their AGM on Monday 27th March at Wokingham Town Hall starting at 19.30. Click on the link for more details WDVTA AGM

21/10/ 22

AN UPDATE ON TW PLANS TO IMPROVE THE WATER QUALITY OF HEATH LAKE

TW Update Heath Lake

The latest update from Thames Water can be found by clicking on the above link

BALSAM BASHING

Balsam Bashing is being undertaken on the Emm Brook a little later this year. Due to some of the team being on holiday.  Balsam Bashers The Three Amigos will walk the Emm Brook from Area 2 to Area 8 removing Himalayan Balsam as they go.

18/03/ 22

COMMUNITY ORCHARD PLANTING

 Community Orchard FOTEB working with the charity Freely Fruity planted 82 fruit trees (Apple,Plum and Cherry) in a community orchard in Area 5 between Dragonfly and Ripplestream Bridge.  Community Orchard Assisted by the children from the Windmill School, Laura Buck from WBC, , Kathryn from My Journey Wokingham(WBC) and other volunteers. Good to see it happen.  Community Orchard The Team from FOTEB keen to get started.Photos courtesy of Freely Fruity and WBC.

AGM

 AGM This years AGM was held on Monday 9th May 2022 at the Rose Room, Bradbury Centre, Rose Street, Wokingham RG40 1XS from 19:30-21:30.

02/04 /22

 Litter Pick April April's litter pick in Area's 4 & 5 to the rear of Morrisons , was completed on Saturday 2nd April . Apprxiamately 12 people helped and in 2 hours 15 bags of litter were removed from along the Brook(mostly bottles) including a safe and a couple of old road cones. Thanks to all that attended.

05/03/ 22

 Litter Pick A litter pick in Area's 4 & 5 , was completed on Saturday 5th March . Apprxiamately 15 people helped and in 2 hours 18 bags of litter were removed from along the Brook. Thanks to all that attended.

23/12 /23

BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH 2024

Big Garden Birdwatch is fun, free and for everyone. And you don’t need a garden to take part! Counting birds from your balcony, or your local park will play a vital role in helping us understand how UK birds are doing. Sign up for your free guide and let’s look out for birds together on 26-28 January 2024. Click on the link for more details Big Garden Birdwatch

25/12 /21

WOOSEHILL COMMUNITY ORCHARD

FOTEB in conjunction with Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) , South East Rivers Trust (SERT) and Freely Fruity are constructing a Community Orchard in Area 5. It would be located in the area behind Morrison’s supermarket, adjacent to where the original wildflower meadow was on the east side of the Brook running parallel to Arthur Road. Its location is shown here.  FOTEB Possible Community Orchard Location

To contact us with any comments please click on the link info@foteb.org.uk

MONTHLY BIRD WALKS AROUND DINTON PASTURES 2024

RSPB

A Date With Nature Monthly Saturday morning walk 1st Saturday of each month Location: Meet in the Dinton Pastures main car park in Wokingham RG10 0TH at 09:00. As the parking fee in the Dinton Pastures car park is £6 for 4 hours, the Local RSPB Group have arranged for participants to park for free in the car park of the Wheelwright Arms, which is close to the entrance to Dinton pastures but on the opposite side of the road. (Obviously, it would be appreciated if we give our custom to the pub RG10 0TR.) A three and a half hour walk around Dinton Pastures and Lavell's Lake (Area 10 of the Emm Brook) , suitable for everyone of all ages and we usually see/hear between 40 and 50 species of birds. Good cafe and toilets by the car park. Time: 9 am Price: £2 donation to the RSPB.

LAVELL'S WETLAND TRUST

On the second Sunday of every month Lavell's Wetland Trust formally Friends of Lavell Lake (FOLL) run a guided bird walk around the park covering Area 10 of the Emm Brook. Routes will vary depending on the time of year and last up to three hours. Wear suitable clothing as at times paths can be very muddy. We meet at 9am in the car park on Sandford Lane (opposite the Dinton Activity Centre entrance) and ask for a donation of £1 with no charge for children. For more information visit the FOLL website . Click here

Car park charges apply.

This Month on the Emmbrook
What to look for if you are out and about in

MARCH

General

Riverside Walk

Spring is usually said to start at the beginning of March and the 21st of March is the Spring Equinox; the date on which day and night are of equal length. This season is a time of days getting longer and the spring sunshine bringing growth and greenery everywhere with buds bursting and leaves unfolding. Birdsong reaches a peak and many flowers appear, in turn attracting insect-life, including bees and butterflies. Animals that hibernated over winter appear on the first warm days of spring so keep an eye out in early Spring for them. As the nights get longer, and at last the clocks change ("spring forward"), there is a renewed optimism for the new season ahead. The Vernal Equinox on the Astronomical Calender is on the 20th.However the Metrological Calender says that Spring starts on the 1st March

Birds

Chiffchaff

As more summer migrants arrive in late March, the woodland dawn chorus will swell. However the resident birds (Song thrushes, Blackbird, Greenfinch, Great Tit and Robin) are already in full song proclaiming their territories to all comers. One of the first migrants to arrive is the Chifchafff with its repetitive and distinctive song. These birds will have flown from West Africa to be here. The Chiffchaff is a small green warbler found in woodlands and scrubby areas.

Insects

Bumblebees especially the Buff-tailed Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris) can be seen buzzing around on the warmer days. This is a widespread and common Bumble Bee. The large, conspicuous overwintered queens are often among the first bumble bees to appear in spring, often occurring in late February/early March. Nectar sources are scarce at this time. They are black with a dull yellow band just in front of the wings, and another across the middle of the body. The abdomen of the queen is buff coloured, but workers are very similar to white-tailed bumble bees. This species nests below ground.

Dormant throughout the winter, Ladybirds wake-up in March and April and begin looking for partners to mate with. Ladybirds are normally found wherever there is food for them. Any plant, shrub or tree with greenfly or scale insects may attract Ladybirds.

Butterflies

Brimstone Butterfly (Male)
The first butterfly of the year to emerge from hibernation is the beautiful lemon yellow male and greenish white female Brimstone. It is possible that the word butterfly is derived from the yellow butter colour of this species . The adult is an important pollinator of the yellow Primroses flowering at this time, whereas its caterpillars feed only on Buckthorn.

Other Wildlife

In March and April bats emerge from their winter hibernation, to hunt out flying insects on which they feed. In towns the small pipistrelle is the most common species. Bats are very particular in their hibernating sites requiring a stable temperature and humidity. Toads start to emerge from their wintering hiding places and move towards their chosen breeding ponds.<

Plants & Trees

Along the banks of the Emm towards the end of the month the Blackthorn (also known as sloe) flowers. Their bushes are covered in clouds of white blossom borne on its dark, thorn laden branches. This shrub is sometimes confused with Hawthorn, but the Hawthorn does not flower until May and comes into leaf before the blossom opens. A sure sign of spring is the apperance of the furry looking catkins of the 'pussy' willow, found in damp places.

Early Lesser Celandines have already shown their yellow petals to the sun, however when its dull the flowers remain closed.


Emmbrook Weather

Bernard Burton has been recording the weather alongside the Emm Brook since 1976. His weather station originally situated at Emmbrook Secondary School till 1996 and now at Emmbrook Junior School daily monitors the weather. For a more detailed anaylsis of the previous month's weather visit this link. Emmbrook Weather

For todays Emm Brook weather Todays Weather

For todays Emm Brook sunrise and sunset times Click here


Newsletters

At their meeting in November 2010 the FOTEB management committee took the decision to discontinue the printed newsletters for members. This decision was not taken lightly since there is of course a tradition of keeping members informed of events and sightings by way of regular printed newsletters. However, knowing that the majority of members have internet access and are regular visitors to our website - and having received an increasing number of representations from members expressing a wish to receive literature in an electronic format - your committee felt that the time had come to cease the time-consuming and costly production of regular printed newsletters and replace them with an online noticeboard on our website.

Click on Archive page at the top of the screen to view one of the previous News letters.

Emm Brook River levels now on line

The Environment Agency Website now has a daily update on river levels of the Emm near Tesco's in Area 2

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