Porlock Marsh BioBlitz
Wildlife Adventure day
12 noon on 9th July to
12 noon on 10th July 2016
Bossington
Exmoor National Park
Grid reference SS896479
(Accessed from the A39 Porlock to
Minehead road)
Become a wildlife explorer for a day and
discover what’s living on Porlock Marsh.
Our team of experts needs you to help identify
as many birds, bugs, plants and beasties over
24 hours.
Events for kids, grown-ups, beginners and
experts will be running throughout the day …
and night.
What will you discover?
Website: http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/bioblitz
Twitter: Follow us @WildlifeENPA, @HolnicoteNT,
@SomersetWT; #pmbioblitz
Organisations running
the Bioblitz
24 hour events:
D&SIFCA – Devon & Severn Inshore Conservation Authority
ENPA – Exmoor National Park Authority
FSC – Field Studies Council, Nettlecombe Court
HE – Helix Ecology
NE – Natural England
NHM (Natural History Museum)
NT – National Trust
SCC – Somerset County Council
SOS – Somerset Ornithological Society
SPRG – Somerset Rare Plants Group
SW – Sea Watch
SWT – Somerset Wildlife Trust
FAMILIES AND BEGINNERS: Get introduced to nature
with stacks of family and beginner friendly activities. Join a
guided walk looking for birds, butterflies, bugs and
saltmarsh plants, or join the sea-watch crew looking for
porpoises and seabirds. If you’re a night owl, then join the
creatures of the night walk and get up close to real owls
from the Exmoor Hawk and Owl Centre. Or if you’re an
early bird, you can join the breakfast bird walk and see
some of the creatures that have been spotted overnight at
basecamp. Whatever you’re interested in, experts will be
on hand to show you some of the amazing finds as we
explore the varied nature of Porlock Marsh.
AMATEUR NATURALISTS: Join one of our survey
teams! Led by local experts and enthusiasts, you can take
part in identifying and recording particular wildlife groups
and help complete the big nature survey. Just like the
wildlife, different teams will be active at different times of
day so you can jump between groups if you want. Help us
to rack up a great species list – and perhaps find something
rare!
All activities are FREE but numbers may be
limited for some walks. See the programme
opposite for full details.
The organisers would particularly like to thank Mike Dyer
for the use of his barn for Basecamp and the activity
leaders and volunteers for helping to run the event.
Please take care when visiting Porlock Marsh, keep to the
footpaths and be aware of the tide times as the Marsh and
some footpaths will be flooded at high tide, including the
boardwalks.
Do not attempt to cross the breach at any time.
Tides times:
Saturday: High Tide 10.40am (9.27m) and 22.57 (9.38m);
Low tide 16.40
Sunday: High Tide 11.22am (9.38m).
Low Tide 5.07am and 17.23
Saturday 9 July
12 – 5pm Drop into Basecamp for fun activities, and to see what’s been spotted so far. Talk to experts about the range of wildlife
on the marsh including birds, bugs, butterflies, otters, plants and much more. Pick up a self-guided trail or kids scavenger hunt.
Start
time
End
time
Activity
12pm
12pm
5pm
5pm
12pm
3pm
12pm
3pm
Sandwiches & light refreshments available from Kitnors mobile catering
Stream dipping
Ali Hawkins (ENPA), Ben Bryant (SWT),
(Fixed station)
Harriet Cuthbert (FSC)
Beautiful butterflies
Pat Watts-Mabbott (ENPA)
(Fixed station)
Fish survey
Libby Ross, Tom Stamp (D&SIFCA)
(Fixed station)
Bugs and Beasties walk
Tony Serjeant (SCC)
Saltmarsh plants walk &
Flemming Ulf Hansen, Cath Mowatt (NE), &
survey
Alistair Stevenson, Graham Lavender
(SRPG)
Lichen walk
Pat Wolseley (NHM)
Birds and butterflies walk Nigel Hester (NT)
Bring your binoculars!
Nigel Phillips (SWT)
Soup and light refreshments available from Kitnors mobile catering
Meet the owls
Rod Smith
(refreshments available)
Setting moth traps
Jack Siviter, Rob Skinner, NT Rangers
12.30pm 2.30pm
2.30pm 4.30 pm
3pm
3pm
5pm
5pm
6pm
8pm
8pm
9pm
8.30pm
9pm
9pm
10.30pm
Creatures of the night
walk (bats, owls, moths)
Leader
Liz Bradshaw (HE)
Bring your torches!
Location
NT car park, Bossington
Horner water outlet / lime kiln leat
Bossington orchard
(NT overflow car park)
Shingle ridge breach
Meet at Basecamp
Meet at Basecamp
Meet at Basecamp
Meet at Basecamp
NT car park, Bossington
Exmoor Hawk & Owl Centre
Meet at Exmoor Hawk & Owl
Centre
Meet at Exmoor Hawk & Owl
Centre
Sunday 10th July
9am - 12pm Drop into Basecamp for fun activities and to see what’s been spotted overnight. Talk to experts about the range of wildlife
on the marsh including birds, bugs, butterflies, otters, plants and much more. Pick up a self-guided trail or kids scavenger hunt.
Start
time
7.30am
End
time
9am
8.30am
9am
10am
12pm
10.30a
m
9am
10am
Activity
Leader
Location
NT car park, Bossington
Hurlstone Point Coastguard’s
hut
12pm
Breakfast bird walk
Tony Serjeant (SCC)
Bring your binoculars!
Nigel Hester (NT)
Breakfast baps available from Kitnors catering
Sea watch
Vanessa Lloyd (SW)
Bring binoculars!
Nigel Phillips (SWT)
Brian Gibbs (SOS)
Plant Walk
Steve Parker (NE)
12pm
Moth display
Basecamp
1pm
Sandwiches and light refreshments available from Kitnors mobile catering
NT Rangers
Meet at Basecamp
Meet at Basecamp
NT car park, Bossington
All timings are a guide and could be subject to change. Some activities are also weather dependent. Please check at Basecamp.