The health of Wharfedale’s natural environment has been under the watchful eye of nature enthusiasts for more than 60 years.

Voluntary recorders began collating records of the valley’s flora and fauna when Wharfedale Naturalists’ Society was formed just after the Second World War and the tradition has continued right up to the present day.

National conservation bodies do their regular own surveys and research wildlife diversity, however the work of the Naturalists and its own team of recorders provides a unique local snapshot each year of the state of wild Wharfedale.

Members of the 500-plus strong society report sightings of plant and animal life to the recorders throughout the year.

These traditionally present an annual report in the spring – the most recent being given to society members last week.

The cold winter in 2009/10 hit wildlife everywhere in the country, and society members are still waiting to see how the prolonged icy temperatures over the winter just gone will have hit populations of wild birds and other wildlife.

It also gave Wharfedale residents a better chance to see winter visitors, however.

The society’s bird recorder, John Flood, says flocks of the brightly-coloured waxwings arrived earlier than normal last year, often seen feasting on berries in parks and gardens. Winter thrush species such as fieldfares and redwings made more regular trips into gardens too.

And a rarer bird visitor, a bittern, may have come to the area because of even colder weather on the continent. The elusive wading bird, with a booming call said to be similar to the sound of blowing over the top of an empty milk bottle, made a brief stay at Otley Wetlands Nature Reserve.

Another rare sighting in the skies over Wharfedale was of a huge white-tailed eagle, believed to be a young bird from Scotland, which had flown down the east coast before heading north again via the Lake District.

Stonechats and kingfishers are thought to have suffered locally last winter.

Mr Flood said: “Kingfishers were very scarce for the first six months of the year, probably because they couldn’t get food.”

Despite a national increase in barn owls being found dead in the colder winter, the birds have started breeding in the area east of Wharfedale.

Another of the society’s recorders, David Howson, told members last week that 36 species of butterflies were seen in Wharfedale last year. The populations of some were down but others thrived.

Records of the orange and black painted lady were down by 94 per cent and there was a 25 per cent drop in common blue and 51 per cent drop in sightings of whites.

Sightings of the comma, with its ragged-edged wings, went up by more than half, however, and there was a significant increase in small coppers seen.

But Wharfedale Naturalists does not simply observe nature.

Working groups strive to improve the natural environment by working on four nature reserves in Otley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ben Rhydding, and near Grassington in North Yorkshire.

Society president, Peter Riley, says work will continue at Otley Wetlands Nature Reserve to manage plant life, which it is hoped will in turn help dragonfly populations to thrive. Nineteen different species have been seen at the reserve, situated on private land.

Members will also encourage the growth of wildflowers at Burley’s Sun Lane Nature Reserve. It is hoped this will in turn help the insect, amphibian and birdlife.

Additional volunteers are needed to help maintain Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits Nature Reserve.

Anyone interested in helping out, or joining the society, can contact Mr Riley on 01943 862916 or visit the society’s website at wharfedale-nats.org.uk.