Tuesday 21 February 2023

Spring/Summer 2023 Quiz


See if you can crack the cryptic clues in our tree and shrub themed quiz
See if you can crack the cryptic clues in our tree and shrub themed quiz


The Spring/ Summer 2023 Prize Quiz consists of 50 cryptic clues to the names of trees and shrubs. All the plants may be found in the UK, although not all are native.

Price per entry: £1
All money raised by selling quiz sheets will go to Wirral Wildlife.

A £10 gift voucher will be awarded to the person with the best overall score.

The closing date is 31st July 2023.

Download the quiz and instructions here

Friday 10 February 2023

Autumn/Winter 2022 Prize Quiz: Winner and Answers


Curlew (the answer to question 12). Photo: MPF, Wikimedia Commons

The judging of the Autumn/Winter 2022 Red-listed Birds quiz is complete. The winner is John Bland of Sinfin, Derby. Congratulations John, your gift voucher is on its way!

Here are the answers to the cryptic clues.

1. This is where the quiz starts, so have a go! (4). Shag

2. Environment-friendly foxtrot, move along slowly (10). Greenfinch

3. Once round the track with outside left (or right) following (7). Lapwing

4. This one upset Milner (6). Merlin

5. One of a pair received on Boxing Day (6, 4). Turtle Dove

6. Sam, almost thirty, shaken up (5, 3). Marsh Tit

7. Duck hiding in the reeds has me wishing I could get a bit closer (4) Smew

8. Celestial body dallies without hesitation, not south (8). Starling

9. Type of clock, crazy, found in cloud land (6). Cuckoo

10. Is there a yodel gene for this one? (9). Goldeneye

11. In Switzerland, surrounded by what? (8). Whinchat

12. Copper, with both hands, caught you, I heard (6). Curlew

13. Italian river and Somerset town (7). Pochard

14. Accommodation, and market-trendy too (5, 6). House Martin

15. Not a bird, but a blithe spirit, according to one Romantic poet (7). Skylark

16. Herr Heinar disturbed this one (3, 7). Hen Harrier

17. Game of fifty shades, with section of a mountain chain (4, 9). Grey Partridge

18. Pine, alder or crab apple perhaps, and a seed of this last with sex appeal (4, 5). Tree Pipit

19. Deprived of all oxygen, newspaper exclusive about gold (5). Scaup

20. Flags out to celebrate a sore toe? (4, 7). Corn Bunting

21. Pure plans ripped carelessly (6, 9). Purple Sandpiper

22. In going birdwatching to find this bird, my hands were very cold, as I only had unlined gloves with me (6). Dunlin

23. Fish (that adorns the lady’s finger?) with person easily fooled following (7,4). Herring Gull

24. I hear equipment coming before the first thing I do every morning (9). Kittiwake

25. Sable followed our Lord with unfinished ... (5-6, 6). Black-tailed Godwit

26. ... business.  M & M working with North British Queen (6, 6). Common Scoter

27. Sounds like a shaggy dog story: and ‘e would briefly bow his head (4-6, 4). Long-tailed Duck

28. Exist with parts of candles, starts seeing way at night (7, 4). Bewick’s Swan

29. Does this one specialise in trapping insects with acne? (7, 10). Spotted Flycatcher

30. Shout “That hurts!”, starting with a good tantrum and injured looks! (6, 7). Yellow Wagtail

31. Look for this one in bushes, but don’t fall in nettles. (6). Linnet

32. Not so much hesitation seen; romantically pursue daughter, give ‘er a tiny kiss (6, 7, 10). Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

33. Wear preloved ring (6, 6). Ringed Plover

34. Accommodate Bath, perhaps, with right uproar (5, 7). House Sparrow

35. Wi-Fi in the street?  Not one iota! (5). Swift

36. Ways to raise money: for starters, hold a winter festival in next Christmas holidays (8). Hawfinch

37. Sounds like a description of the sea in stormy weather (4). Ruff

38. Cowardly implement (12). Yellowhammer

39. What stops you seeing the wood? Soft direction indicator (4, 7). Tree Sparrow

40. Fat French retail customer, a singer (11, 7). Grasshopper Warbler

41. Worried, he calls Peter (6, 6). Leach’s Petrel

42. Brew blood war?  Don’t start; just stir it up (4, 7). Wood Warbler

43. Could this be the contents of the hamper for a picnic in the meadow? (9). Fieldfare

44. “I said to him ‘Dickie bird, why do you sit, singing “.....  .....”?’ ” - (The Mikado) (6, 3). Willow Tit

45. Telephone, and maybe hear whose will get this one (4, 5). Ring Ouzel

46. After fog, the French take an unfinished article and go with haste (6, 6). Mistle Thrush

47. Take time out from a social medium, leaving it unfinished (5) Twite

48. Would, we hear, collect old carving knives originally (8). Woodcock

49. Thatcherite tax?  Not this colour! (7) Redpoll

50. Razorbills, guillemots, etc, come back from the northern ocean (6, 4). Arctic Skua