SARUM UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE

The monthly Coffee Morning of Sarum U3A was held in our usual venue of St Francis Church Hall on Wednesday 17 October.    Information was given out on the activities of groups including:- the Town and Country Inns meeting at Nunton and the Exploring Bus Routes group who are planning trips to Warminster, Dorchester and also Bournemouth for the Christmas Market.

 
The speaker this month was Nigel Lewis talking about his work with birds of prey (especially Barn Owls) made homeless due to loss of habitat caused principally by changes in agricultural practices and the cutting of dead trees as fuel for wood-burning stoves.

Mr Lewis spoke to a packed hall, an audience who was fully engaged not only by the speaker’s enthusiasm for his work but held spellbound by the amazing photographic shots of the birds and  their lives. 

The imaginative use of materials that were turned into nest boxes (“homes”) for the birds (800 in Wiltshire) and the way in which this had enabled numbers to rise showed clearly how worthwhile and rewarding this work is.  We both saw and heard of the lives of many types of birds of prey and raptors including kestrels, hobbys, little owls, tawny owls as well as barn owls. Mr Lewis pointed out that the Hawk and Owl Trust have an “Adopt a Nest Box” scheme – an ideal Christmas present for a bird and conservation enthusiast.

In his vote of thanks Peter Tee commented on the patience and long hours of waiting that must have been required to get such wonderful close-up shot of the birds.

The next meeting is on Wednesday 21 November at our usual venue when we will be having a party to celebrate 25 years of the U3A organisation and in addition Alan Wood’s painting Group will be exhibiting framed paintings.

Information on the activities of Sarum U3A can be found in the reference section of the Public Library.