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The Friends of Tring Church Heritage’s family fun day, which starts at 10.00 am. We will be inside the church with our stand and children's activity (as we were last year), so don't wory about the weather - come and see us there.
(Posted 06/05/12 Archived 13/05/12)
FoTR will be at the Aldbury May Fair, as last year. Our stand will be outside Aldbury Church, with our children’s colouring and sticking activity, weather permitting. You can find out more about what we do and will be able to join, or renew your membership if you have forgotten. Aldbury May Fair makes a great day out.
(Posted 14/04/12 Archived 08/05/12)
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Tring Reservoirs will take place at 7.30 pm on Friday 27 April 2012 at Wilstone Village Hall.
Following the AGM, at around 8.00 pm, we are privileged to be able to welcome Tim Hill, Conservation Manager with Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. Tim's illustrated talk, “Looking Forward, with an Eye on the Past” will cover the Trust’s plans for conserving and enhancing the nature of Tring Reservoirsfrom Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.
Cheese and nibbles, wine and soft drinks will be available at the end of the AGM, prior to the talk.
Entry to the AGM is free and open to all, but only fully paid-up Members of FoTR may vote - the formal notice was included in Grebe 57, published in early March. Please e-mail me if you need more details of the AGM part of the meeting (contact details below). And please note that the speaker from HMWT will be Tim Hill and not Paul Thrush as stated in the Grebe.
(Posted 14/04/12 Archived 04/05/12)
To conserve the scarce water reserves, British Waterways have closed the main line of the canal over the summit, so that water levels can be reduced to minimise leakage - and to give water levels in the reservoirs a chance to recover, which seems to be working. Dick Pilkinton, from The Tring Anglers has reported that an emergency fish rescue operation took place over the weekend from Friday 20th January in the 'Reservoir Pound' locks 39-40, following a larger than expected fall in water levels in the canal.
We have had some rain, but not enough. According to my own records, rainfall in January was about 75% of the long tem average and less then 50% in February. BW report that the canal will remain closed until 26 March, but there will be two weekends of restricted opening - up to 5 hours each day - on 9-11 and 16-18 March. The Aylesbury Arm is also closed for dredging and will open for just one weekend a month, on 23-25 March and 20-22 April. Water levels will still be kept down to minimise water losses.
(Posted 20/01/11 Updated 27/01/11 and 09/03/11 Archived 09/04/12)
Water levels at Wilstone and the other reservoirs remain very low. Do not be tempted to walk out on to the bed of the reservoir. This is not permitted at any time and can be dangerous to both people and pets. Blue-green algae has been present, which can cause severe reactions in dogs; so please keep off the mud - we have also seen people getting stuck in the mud, which is deep in places. This advice is as much for your own safety as for the welfare of the wildlife. (Posted 09/12/11 Originally Posted 26/08/11 Archived 11/02/12)
The Bittern roost watch, scheduled for Sunday next, 15 January has been cancelled.
The Truxor reed cutter is at Marsworth this week, but is struggling to make progress due to the lack of water in the reedbed. The very low water levels are probably one of the reasons why no Bitterns have been seen at Marsworth this season, although two have been reported from Weston Turville, where water levels are better. The very mild winter so far this year may also have helped keep the migrant Bitterns closer to home.
(Posted 09/01/12 Archived 15/01/12)