Greetings everyone –  in our deep and dark December. I understand we have just experienced the wettest autumn for many years!

It has been delightful to welcome our new benches to the park. Our thanks to South Glos for these fine new additions. I particularly like the wooden ones.

Some of us have been exploring the idea of setting up some form of local naturalists group with the aim of discovering the wildlife in the park and its surrounds. With this in mind I am pleased to announce a meeting on Wednesday Jan 15th at Emersons Green Library from 7.30 – 9pm when Sally Pattison of South Glos will help us think about the wildlife corridors in our area and we will focus on the subject

Nightlife on Emersons Green – have you seen any foxes, badgers or hedgehogs?

The idea is to recognise these creatures of the night that live among us and learn to appreciate them. Please come if you can – especially if you have news of one of these animals living in the neighbourhood.

I wonder what you think about all the pumpkins left out in the park? I gather that this arose because Chris Packham said how much wildlife would appreciate them as a food source. My first thought is that leaving food out in the park can be difficult eg in attracting rats but it would be good to hear other opinions about this. I am biased – any food sends my dog AWOL!

Some have asked me about the old oak tree that has been felled at the corner of Hicks Avenue. I asked South Glos about this and was pleased to see a note there now saying that it was felled because of disease and would shortly be replaced.

On a less encouraging note I was sorry to see this graffiti appear on the board in the formal garden.

For a treat Bobbie and I recently went on a ferryboat trip up the Avon Gorge with naturalist Ed Drewitt. We had a great time and saw Red Shanks, Curlew, Lapwing, Common Sandpipers, Cormorants, Shelduck and right at the end, on A Bond warehouse, this peregrine falcon, which I thought you might like to see.

And finally – by way of Christmas celebration in this most inclement weather, Bobbie and I would like to invite all the Friends of Emersons Green Park to mulled wine and mince pies at 50 Guest Avenue on Saturday 21st December from 5-7pm. We hope you can come.

Have a good Christmas