Report of meeting

Report of the meeting held on  Wednesday 16 February 2011 in Ferintosh Hall, Easter Kinkell

1         Attendance: Sheila Maher, Joan More, Lesley Robb, Graham Sullivan, David O’Brien, Helen Chance, David Hooper

2         Apologies: Julie Lee-Stewart, Noelle MacFadyen, Mary Jane McWilliam

3         Report of meeting of 10 November 2010 Item 5 – amendment – add “and noted.” at end.

4         Matters arising from the previous meeting: Item 4d and 4e – Events had to be postponed/cancelled due to weather.

5         Projects

1. Footpath – Phil Waite, Highland Council Access Officer, had been contacted re. the removal of the stile and putting up of barbed wire on the fence at the end of the floodbank. He had visited Mrs Sutherland, and suggested that as a first step we write to her son regarding this. This is in hand.
2. Red Squirrel Survey: need to discuss future activity.
3. Social: Rescheduling cancelled meeting [Friday 3^rd December] – It was agreed to re-schedule the meeting for Friday 11 March when Juliet Robinson is available. Format to be as originally agreed – talk by Juliet, presentation of survey results, followed by another activity. Lesley and Helen will present the results, Members to organise refreshments, advertising to be through the usual channels, and Sheila to host the evening.
4. ispot: this is a BBC/ Open University website which can be used to help identify species. Murdo MacDonald represents it locally. This might be a topic for part of a future winter social.
5. Ferintosh Primary School Nature Footpath: David had provided help with points of interest and questions and answers for the new Ferintosh Primary School Nature trail.
6. Bird ringing: agreed that we should try a new location on the Monadh Mor for our next event. Graham to contact Simon Foster to arrange a suitable date, on a Saturday outwith school holidays.
7. Ferintosh Primary School signs, Monadh Mor. These had been removed for felling and were now replaced. A leaflet for the trail was planned, for which the school had half of the £400 required. It was agreed that we should ask the Community Council to support this financially. David to draft letter and Joan to raise at Community Council.
8. Agency activities: Red Kite walks taking place at Tollie.

Highland Environmental Network AGM 12 March.

Transition Black Isle Potato Day 6 March Findon Hall.

6         Organisational Issues

Reporting to/reports from Ferintosh Community Council:

i)         Joan will report to Ferintosh Community Council

ii)       Funding; see 4.7 above.

iii)      Community Council Noticeboard; Lesley will write an article for the next issue and will also send a copy to Mike Noble for inclusion in a future Chatterbox.

7         Member information : Sightings, observations, queries and questions:

It was agreed that a 15 minute slot should be included at the start of future meetings with a topic for discussion. David will introduce at the April meeting on amphibians. Roger Piercy to be asked if he will talk on bees at the May meeting.

There will be a fungal foray led by Dave Genney for Plantlife at Culbokie Woods on 12 October.

Sightings of waxwings, twite, brambling, redpoll and a tagged buzzard were discussed.

8         Red Squirrel Group AGM: Lesley reported back from this event. We need to formalise what we will do in relation to this in future.

9         Date and time of next meetings: 9 March, 6 April, 11 May, 8 June 2011, all 7pm.