Dawn ’til dusk: Discover the secrets of Stroud’s wildlife

Two events being presented by a Stroud charity cater for nature lovers who enjoy early mornings or late evenings – or both.

Skylarks are one of the most enduring signs of spring and their song in flight has been the inspiration for poets and composers for centuries. This month, Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) will be giving people the opportunity to find out more about these beautiful but threatened birds.

The wildlife and community-building charity is inviting people to join them and a local expert for an early morning walk on Minchinhampton Common on Saturday 14 May. The walk is being run in collaboration with the National Trust.

“We’ll help people to spot and identify these iconic but threatened birds,” explains SVP project officer Sharon Gardham. “You’ll learn about their habits and habitats and we’ll also give you some insider tips about what you can do to help in their recovery as a species.”

The event starts at 6.30am and runs until 9am.

If you’re more of a night owl, the second event of the weekend takes place during the evening hours.

A Bat Walk on Sunday 15 May will see intrepid wildlife detectives tracking these shy but fascinating mammals with a local expert. The group will be using specially designed detectors to listen for bats… and, hopefully, spot some in flight.

The walk starts at 8.15pm – to buy tickets for either walk, visit stroudvalleysproject.org.