Wirral Wildlife Blog

Living Seas website

2012-02-16T15:42:00.003Z

You may be interested to look at this website about the Irish Sea

www.irishsea.org

Orchard Pruning

2012-02-10T15:09:00.003Z

Wirral Tree Wardens would like to invite you to the second guided pruning session at Brimstage Orchard, behind the Country Mouse, Brimstage Hall.

The work day will take place on Sunday 19th February between 1.30 and 4pm. It is free to members of Wirral Tree Wardens, Wirral Environmental Network, Wirral Wildlife and BTCV as all these organisations have members committed to the Orchard and its care.

If you would like to book a place, please call or text Gen on 079797 54011 or send an email.

If you are not a member of a group mentione, a fee of £15 is payable by individuals who wish to learn pruning skills but cannot commit to spending time on the orchard. (Sessions in future years would then be £25).

Last guided pruning session attracted 18 people, all of whom agreed to commit 6 hours a year and therefore no-one was charged. 36 trees were pruned and everyone enjoyed the learning experience.

Please wear old clothes and sensible work boots and, if you have them, work gloves. If you have good secateurs and loppers, please bring them and we can sharpen them on site if needed.

Genevieve Woodland

Wirral Tree Warden co-ordinator

COMMA Project

2012-02-05T12:37:00.014Z

New Ferry Butterfly Park have recently been awarded an Empty Shops Fund grant by Wirral Council to encourage the use of vacant shop premises for creative activity to reinvigorate the town centre and help economic recovery. The idea is also to raise awareness of the Butterfly Park.

Carol Ramsay, Project Manger of The Comma Project thinks there is no reason why, in the future, New Ferry can’t have enough butterfly attracting plants within its open spaces to attract many more butterflies to the area. Maybe one day New Ferry could become a town of biodiversity, a Butterfly Town.

They are now looking for expressions of interest from artists and creative enterprises. ‘Comma’ Community Arts Project programme for 2012 is aiming to create 5 mini residencies (4 weeks each between May – Sept) working in an empty shop space within New Ferry, Wirral.

Comma Butterfly. Photo by Jean-Pierre Magloire.

Artists will be producing artwork about, for and with the local community. The proposals we choose should be nature/environment based to tie in with the work of New Ferry Butterfly Park. There is emphasis on interaction, we really would like the people of New Ferry to feel a part of this project.

The support and funding we have received will cover the cost of premises rental, utilities, premises insurance, marketing and publicity.

Funding is available per artist/project for expenses and materials and to provide workshops.

Carol said: “I'm also on the lookout for new volunteers, perhaps local people who have visited the Butterfly Park in the past but maybe not been involved as it's all outdoors. I need volunteers to help staff the shop. It would be really great to be able to have the space open to the public as often as possible.”

For further details of what your proposal should include or details of how to volunteer please email Carol Ramsay.

Closing date for completed proposals is Friday 2nd March 2012. The link to Carol's blog about the project is:
http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/1838820

People can also take a look at her book about the Butterfly park published here:
http://www.blurb.com/books/2408319

Follow progress on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NewFerryButterflyPark

Recording Winter Wildlife

2012-01-29T12:24:00.002Z

Click on the image below to read the details.

Learn about fruit tree pruning

2012-01-17T16:41:00.007Z

Wirral Tree Wardens invite you to a Guided Pruning session at Brimstage Orchard.

10am - 1pm Country Mouse, Brimstage on the 21st of January.

Please book your place by calling 652 5135 or 079797 54011. Anyone wishing to join WTW is welcome to apply when booking their place.

Costs:

Free to Wirral Tree Wardens, £15 to subsided people (wishing to donate 3 or more hours a year to Brimstage Orchard), £25 to people who just would like to know how to prune.

Members of WEN can attend the Brimstage orchard event on Saturday free. Non-members can become members on the day.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T11:22:00.004Z

Thank you to Matt Thomas for the photo.

Hedgelaying In Action at Greasby Library

2011-12-09T15:47:00.001Z

Click on the poster to view it at a larger size

40th Anniversary celebration

2011-11-16T15:01:00.007Z

A group of Wirral Wildlife members met at Brotherton Park, Dibbinsdale on November 12th to mark the 40th anniversary of the group. Many had given 30 years or more of support.

The afternoon was dry and mild and two native Black Poplars were planted. A thousand years ago Black Poplars thrived on floodplains but it is now Britain’s rarest native timber tree. In 1993 scientists warned that this great tree could be extinct by the end of the century.To reduce this risk clones from Cheshire trees have been raised at Chester Zoo with the aim of re-establising the trees in suitable habitats. Our planting was to help to save what is becoming known as ‘The Forgotten Tree’.

Also a quince was planted in the walled garden in memory of Ray Walkup who organised valuable recording work at Dibbinsdale.

After these commemorations tea and homemade cakes were happily consumed. We are very grateful to the Rangers for enabling us to have this celebration at the park.

There is a slideshow from the afternoon on the events page of our website.

Tribute to Eric Warner

2011-11-02T13:56:00.003Z

Eric Warner who died on the 28th September at the age of 91 was a past Treasurer of the Wirral Wildlife Group. When our late Group Chairman, Graham Harrison, was looking to fill the role he knew that Eric's past experience was just what the Group needed and a little persuasion did the trick.

As a committee member Eric not only kept a sharp eye on the accounts but also set out to contribute his bit to keeping a healthy balance. He set up the distribution of the Natural World, the Grebe and our newsletter by hand across the whole of the Wirral, thus saving the postage costs. At that time the Trust, in its early days, had little money on which to run and the savings were important. To achieve his aim of 100% hand delivered Eric drew in members from all parts of the Wirral to deliver in their own locality. This system is still running thanks to the solid basis he set up and, with rising postage costs, remains an important savings.

This was not the only innovation Eric set up, nor his only contribution to fund raising. During the early more financially difficult times of the Trust Eric seized on the opportunity to organize a fund raising game. The Trust was found to have small prizes and game facilities doing nothing. Without a moments delay and a quick car journey it was all gathered up and put together to become the “Frog Dip”. With its popularity at local events, and a small charge for playing, it became a steady source of funds for the group and continues to this day.

Eric's ablity to organize came from his long experience in the printing and publishing business during which he was responsible for setting up factories and running them both at home and abroad in Africa. It was typical of his character that he took time out, during that period, to take his degree at Sheffield University, having deffered the opportunity when leaving the RAF so that he could get down to work. In the RAF during the war he trained as a pilot but failed at the last ditch for medical reasons, and saw his time out as a bomber navigator in North Africa.

Eric was a keen walker and spent many happy hours in North Wales and Cheshire, rambling the footpaths and lanes in sunshine and rain. As his strength began to lessen the distances shortened but were still enjoyed, as was the pub drink and lunch. His health began to fail over quite a long period, but his strong character and determination enabled him to face this time with great courage and with the will to remain up and doing to the last.

The Trust owes a great deal to Eric who was, over a long period, an active supporter. His legacy remains with us.

We offer our condolences to Hope, his wife of more than 60 years, and his family of children and grand children.

Red Rocks Nature Reserve

2011-10-28T15:16:00.008+01:00

There are several voluntary wardens checking all is well at Red Rocks Nature Reserve and this summer they started their 8th year of monthly visits. This is from their October report.

Sadly, there were no signs of breeding natterjack toads this year. However, the species is doing well at Ainsdale, north of Formby (from where spawn was transferred to the newly created scrapes at Red Rocks many years ago to boost its small population). At Red Rocks, it appears to be very difficult to provide these rather fussy little toads with suitable and safe breeding pools, despite Wirral Rangers continued efforts.

Looking beyond the reserve to the shore, we can see that waders have already returned to Wirral’s foreshores in good numbers, coming from their more northerly breeding areas. Some just stay briefly to ‘refuel’ before continuing their journey to southern Europe or even Africa, others will spend the winter around the British coasts.

The Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens have resumed their job, protecting wader flocks from disturbance at high tide and providing information about the various species. They do this on behalf of Wirral Borough Council who has a duty to safeguard the North Wirral Foreshore for wildlife.

Not everybody is aware of the ecological importance of this Foreshore. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (as is the Red Rocks Reserve in its own right), a national designation also given, in our area, to the Dee and parts of the Mersey. All these areas were afforded further protection at European and International levels several years ago, when they were granted “Special Protection Area” and “Ramsar site” status. For the Mersey Narrows and North Wirral Foreshore, these designations were only given on a provisional basis. Because of their continuing importance for waders and other bird species, they should soon become fully “designated” sites under the European Bird Directive and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

This step is good news and is being prepared by Natural England on behalf of the Government who is currently consulting on it. More information and site maps are available at:

www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/consultations/merseynarrows.aspx

Tam O'Shanter Apple Day

2011-10-13T11:20:00.006+01:00

Following our two successful Apple Days at Brimstage Hall and Eastham Country Park (there is a slide show on our website) we helped the Tree Wardens with their Apple Day at Tam O'Shanter Farm.

Wildlife fun at the library

2011-10-12T15:37:00.002+01:00

During the school summer holidays we were asked to organise a wildlife themed morning at Pensby library. The 20 children learnt about two aquatic habitats and made dragonfly models, cardboard frogs and otter masks. Working in two groups they created two large collages of a pond and under the sea which now decorate the front of the customer desk at the library.

New Ferry Butterfly Park needs your vote

2011-09-28T17:46:00.003+01:00

Carol Ramsay, our artist in residence at New Ferry Butterfly Park Park, has put in a grant proposal (with NatWest Community Force) for hosting a wide range of workshops at the butterfly park next summer. Also for converting one of the empty shops in New Ferry into a temporary visitor centre/ art exhibition space, to help raise the profile of the park and encourage further community involvement.

In the NatWest Community Force scheme, which projects will gain funds is decided by a public vote. Voting opened yesterday (26th Sept).

Please would you sign up and vote for this, to help win some of the funding to make these projects happen:

http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1375

New Ferry Butterfly park websites:

www.newferrybutterflypark.co.uk

www.wirralwildlife.co.uk/butterfly_park.html

www.cheshirewildlifetrust.co.uk/res_new_ferry.htm

Carol's book, showing the development of the art trail and other projects at the butterfly park during the last 2 years of her MA (fine art: archiving & site intervention) is here: www.blurb.com/books/2408319

Please do forward this on to any other interested contacts.

Many thanks,

Laura Jakobson

Tribute to Peter Saunders

2011-08-24T13:52:00.007+01:00

Peter Saunders, who died on 11 August after many years of heart disease, was a great character - and a great supporter of Wirral Willdife.

He served on our committee for many years, drawing on his career as a local newspaper reporter to author many press articles. He knew just how to get them printed! He also inspired, started, and for a long time edited, our Newsletter, writing much material himself from "interviews" with the rest of us. Peter was very good at getting at what we were trying to say, and putting it in comprehensible form. He was always positive, never one to sit back and do nothing. John Magee wrote to say "I remember the help he gave when he received any article he had requested, he edited and livened up any story in a very professional way. He will be sadly missed by many."

Peter was also active in our sister organisations, Wirral Green Belt Council and Wirral Footpaths and Open Spaces Society. His wife Sheila supported him in many of his activities and cared for him in his later years. We send her our sympathy.

Hilary Ash remembers "Peter had a wide range of interests. I found myself meeting him in all sorts of venues: writing reviews of concerts I played, touring a model railway exhibition (where he enthralled our two sons by telling them of the time he got a footplate ride on the last steam train out of Birkenhead), at Wildlife Trust walks and talks, and simply walking across Wirral on the footpaths. he taught us all the value of good writing and good publicity."

Butterfly Park artist goes into print

2011-08-22T09:55:00.005+01:00

Please find a link below to Carol Ramsey's Masters thesis on New Ferry Butterfly Park entitled 'Endangered Habitat: Place People Environment'.

The Thesis is an work of art in itself and can be previewed at the link below:

www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/1915727/da0c5083c231dde4428759777c06d45d372abdd1

The photography is superb and if you view it under full screen you can read the text.

It is a wonderful resource for the park and a memento of the last 18 months of hard work and achievement put in by Carol and the team of artist that she curated. Carol’s project has boosted visitor numbers to the park way beyond our expectations and at a time when we desperately needed that public support while under imminent threat of closure.

Not resting on her laurels, Carol has put forward a project to host more workshops at the park and in New Ferry town centre. See the link below:

http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1375

To be successful in winning the award, there is a public vote starting 26th September.

The future of the park is still not certain but projects like this really keep the excitement and interest in the park going

Paul Loughnane

New Ferry Butterfly Park committee member

Seal spotting on the Mersey Ferry

2011-08-04T17:12:00.004+01:00

Yesterday, while on a ferry to Liverpool, we spotted a seal. As we don't often do this trip we aren't sure how common this is but it brightened our journey.

Mersey Ferries are running some special wildlife cruises up the river and into Liverpool Bay. They take place on August 18th, September 3rd and September 15th. More details can be found on their website.

Badgers and Bovine TB

2011-07-21T12:06:00.003+01:00

After the Government announcement about plans to control TB in cattle by culling badgers, you may be interested to read the information on this Wildlife Trust webpage:

www.wildlifetrusts.org/badgers-and-bovineTB

Leafhopper Identification Workshops

2011-07-06T19:58:00.008+01:00

Saturday 20th August

National Museums Liverpool, 10.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To book please email Tristan Bantock

Click on the image below for more information.

Drawing and Photography Workshops at Butterfly Park

2011-07-06T18:13:00.009+01:00

Saturday 16th July

11 - 3 p.m.

New Ferry Butterfly Park

Drawing Workshop

FREE Drawing Workshop for artists to meet, have a tour of the Butterfly Park Nature Reserve and art trail and then spend time either alone or in groups drawing within the park.

We hope to concentrate on the history of the park through drawing. The site is based on the old railway sidings of Bebington Station where industry once thrived in the form of an old water treatment plant and former brickworks. There are still relics of the past to be found on the site and the industrial waste left behind by humans provides a rich and varied soil base for plants to thrive that would not usually be native to this area.

The workshop will take a very relaxed format whereby artists are encouraged to investigate the space and draw whatever appeals to them. Workshop leaders will be wandering throughout to offer advice. We will all then meet up over tea and cake to present our drawings to the group and offer constructive criticism and advice to each other.

Bring own paper and drawing equipment and a packed lunch.

The workshop is free but as the Butterfly Park is run by volunteers and these events are non funded, any small donations, though not necessary, would be appreciated.

The Butterfly Park will be closed to the public on this day. This is an outdoor event and as such weather dependent. Booking required via email to Carol Ramsay

Sunday 17th July

11 - 3 p.m.

New Ferry Butterfly Park

Photography Workshop

FREE Digital Photography Workshop for amateur and professional photographers to meet, have a tour of the Butterfly Park Nature Reserve and art trail and then spend time either alone or in groups taking photographs within the park.

We hope to concentrate on nature and wildlife photography as there are many beautiful and unusual types of flora and fauna at the park. The industrial waste left behind provides a rich and varied soil base for plants to thrive that may not usually be native to this area, thus attracting many new species of butterflies and insects to the site.

The workshop will take a very relaxed format whereby participants are encouraged to investigate the space and photograph whatever appeals to them. Workshop leaders will be on hand throughout to offer advice. We all then meet up for discussion over tea and cake to present our images to the group (as seen through digital display panels on your cameras and possibly through a laptop) and offer constructive criticism and advice to each other.

Bring own camera equipment and packed lunch. There is no electricity on site so no place to charge cameras, batteries etc.

The workshop is free but as the Butterfly Park is run by volunteers and these events are non funded, any small donations, though not necessary, would be appreciated.

The Butterfly Park will be open to the public this day. This is an outdoor event and as such weather dependent. Booking required via email to Carol Ramsay

Wirral Council's Free Insulation Scheme

2011-07-03T15:19:00.007+01:00

Janet Thorning, Education Officer for Wirral Council, has asked us to pass on details of a scheme to encourage people on the Wirral to insulate their house:

Free insulation is available to those living within the Wirral Council area. If you own your home, or rent privately and can get landlord's agreement, check out the Wirral Free Insulation programme. It's funded by the Council and British Gas, and managed by Wallasey-based energy efficiency charity Energy Projects Plus.

What is covered by the scheme?

Cavity wall insulation

Generally, houses built after 1930 have cavity walls. If yours have not been insulated, you can have it done - for nothing.

Loft insulation

If you have less than 150mm (6") insulation in your loft, you could have it topped up free of charge. If you're over 70 or have health problems that mean you can't get into your loft to clear out the space, the scheme can arrange to do that for you at no cost. If you're not in that category, the scheme could still do it for you, but you'd have to pay. If a small section of your loft is boarded over, you might still be able to have the rest done.

Uninsulated cavity walls can let around a third of the heat in your home escape, and an uninsulated loft can let around a quarter of it out. That adds up to a massive heat loss - bad news with fuel prices rising. Now's the time to get the work done, before next winter, and while there's still money in the kitty for the scheme.

To find out more, ring the free advice line 0800 512 012. Once you've registered your interest, a surveyor will arrange to call to check suitability, and you'll be put on the list to get the work done by Hillserve contractors.

Good news for future of Butterfly Park

2011-07-01T20:16:00.007+01:00

On 29th June 2011 Judge David Hodge at Liverpool Crown Court confirmed that we will not have to vacate our lease at the New Ferry Butterfly Park.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust's chief executive Dr. Janel Fone said: “The New Ferry Butterfly Park continues to be a highly-valued community wildlife resource and we welcome this decision by Judge David Hodge, not only for the biodiversity at the Park but also for the local community that enjoy spending time there. We are of course disappointed that we have had to take these steps to secure the future of the Butterfly Park. The wildlife benefits of sites such as New Ferry Butterfly Park within the wider urban context cannot be underestimated, and we hope we can now work towards safeguarding the nature reserve for future generations.”

Although Cheshire Wildlife Trust could still be issued with a notice to quit, Judge David Hodge said: “The only grounds on which I can conceive it succeeding are on redevelopment of the site, and there may be difficulty in securing planning permission in view of the nature of this land.”

Common sense about Ragwort

2011-07-01T20:08:00.005+01:00

Monsanto, Barrier Biotech Ltd, Ragfork, The British Horse Society and Warwickshire Council have been caught out by the Advertising Standards Authority displaying inaccurate and misleading information on their websites and in leaflets about Common Ragwort, a British wildflower important for wildlife conservation. All the organisations have agreed to remove information that wildly exaggerated how many horses die from Ragwort poisoning or made false claims that landowners have a legal obligation to 'control' it.

Advertising codes are laid down by the Advertising Standards Authority to ensure advertising is legal, decent, honest and trustful.

Monsanto, an agricultural company who sell a range of ragwort herbicides made false claims on their website stating that "landowners have a legal obligation to control Common ragwort and prevent its spread". This is not true. A land owner may be ordered to control ragwort if there is a significant risk to livestock and they have not followed the Government's 'Ragwort Code' but there is no automatic legal obligation.

Defra state that "The code of conduct does not seek to eradicate ragwort. Ragwort as a native plant, is very important for wildlife in the UK. It supports a wide variety of invertebrates and is a major nectar source for many insects".

Ragfork a company selling a ragwort removal tool, claimed that "It is responsible for the deaths of up to 6,500 horses and ponies in the UK each year." They conceded there was no evidence for this and removed the statement from their website. In fact numbers are so low that the Government have stopped recording them. In the UK Government figures for 2005 record just 13 deaths.

Matt Shardlow, Buglife Chief Executive said "At least 30 insect species are entirely reliant on Ragwort and about a third of them are scare or rare. Ragwort is also a critically important nectar and pollen source for hundreds of species of butterflies, bees, moths, beetles and flies, helping to maintain what remains of our much declined wildlife. While it can be harmful to horses in large amounts the main threat is dried ragwort illegally sold in hay and this is where we should focus efforts, not on spraying the countryside with more pesticides, or ripping plants out of roadside verges.

Mersey Barrage Scheme on hold

2011-06-24T12:07:00.007+01:00

Claire Reed, Marine Conservation Officer (North West) for the RSPB, has news of the proposed Mersey Barrage Scheme:

"Peel Energy is putting the Mersey Tidal Power project on hold for at least the duration of this term in government as the scheme is not financially viable under current renewable energy subsides. This is obviously great news (for now) and I want to say a huge thank you for all your support over the past year. Below is the official press release produced by Peel, which was sent out this morning:

http://www.peelenergy.co.uk/mersey-tidal-power-feasiblity-

A preferred option report (Stage 3 Feasibility Study) which includes the final decision on the type of tidal technology to be used in the Mersey Tidal Power project has also been produced and is now available for comment at the link below:

http://www.merseytidalpower.co.uk/

It states that, although currently uneconomical, the preferred option for tidal technology on the Mersey came out as a full impoundment barrage, as we thought. We know this to be the most environmentally destructive type of tidal technology that exists to date, even though Peel have stated in the study that it is broadly environmentally acceptable. Consequently, we are pulling together a press release in response to this. We will also state that we welcome the fact that this proposal has been shelved, but that we do encourage the developer/government to continue to look into the environmental implications of new types of tidal power technology so we may better understand these should the proposal on the Mersey resurface in the future.

This now brings into question our proposed programme of summer Mersey campaign activities, and where this announcement leaves us. This is certainly not the end for the Mersey Barrage Campaign. Over the next few weeks I would like to encourage as many of you as possible to write to your local press editor and express your views at this announcement. I will be in touch with further details about this soon.

Many thanks again for all your support. We don’t know to what extent local voices have influenced this decision, but I like to believe voicing your concerns certainly added weight to this."

Tree Bumblebee

2011-05-30T14:25:00.006+01:00

Steve McWilliam of rECOrd has emailed with news of a Tree Bumblebee.

Have you seen the 'new' Tree Bumblebee yet? The information sheet below describes the bee and shows some good photographs to simplify recognition and identification. I hope it helps you to record this species whilst you are in your garden or out and about in the countryside.

It seems to favour nectaring on Cotoneaster flowers but I have also found it at Columbine (Aquilegia), Rhododendron and Raspberry flowers.

You can help plot its increasing distribution by submitting your sightings to the rECOrd website www.rECOrd-LRC.co.uk. We look forward greatly to receiving your records of this bee.

Butterfly Park Open Day

2011-05-09T11:09:00.006+01:00

Despite a wet start people turned up for New Ferry Butterfly Park Open Day on Sunday. Local MP Alison McGovern formally opened the new Caravan Visitor Centre and planted some common sorrel in the Mobile Allotment. The sun shone in the afternoon and photographs from the day can be seen in a slide show on our website www.wirralwildlife.co.uk/events.html. There are also three new artworks to be seen in the park.

Burbo Bank extension consultation

2011-05-09T11:02:00.003+01:00

The Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm Extension programme of community consultation has begun. The first series of public consultation events are happening in the area later this month as follows:

Tuesday 17th May 2011 – 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Wellington Community Centre, Wellington Road, Rhyl, Denbighshire, LL18 1LE

Thursday 19th May 2011 – 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
St Stephen’s Church Hall, St Stephen’s Road, Hightown, Merseyside, L38 0BL

Friday 20th May 2011 – 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Floral Pavilion, Marine Promenade, New Brighton, Wirral, CH45 2JS

Saturday 21st May 2011 – 12pm to 6pm
Hoylake Community Centre, Hoyle Road, Hoylake, Wirral, CH47 3AG

These events are to present details of the proposed project, to listen to your views and obtain community feedback.

Wirral orchid theft

2011-05-04T08:53:00.006+01:00

A number of native marsh orchids have been illegally dug up from a field managed for nature conservation in south Wirral.

Wild flowers are protected from destruction in the UK through the Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) making their removal a criminal offence, with penalties ranging from a £5,000 fine or up to six months imprisonment.

A number of wildflower species such as bluebells, snowdrops and orchids receive additional protection under the Act, in some cases against sale. It is not known why the orchids were removed in this case.

The theft was discovered by the owners of the field where the orchid colony was thriving. Dr. Hilary Ash, Hon. Conservation Officer for Wirral Wildlife said: “We’re deeply concerned to have heard about this destruction of protected wild flowers, especially given the stiff penalties that are in place and several years since similar offences took place on the Wirral.

“Digging up wild orchids is particularly senseless, as due to their complex relationship with a fungal species in the soil, they are unlikely to survive once transplanted. Our wildlife is already under immense strain from the threat of climate change and other pressures without the added problem of people digging up our native flora.”

The news comes as the Government asks the public to review all of the 278 pieces of environmental legislation in the UK as part of its ‘Red Tape Challenge’ – including the Wildlife & Countryside Act that currently protects much of the UK’s wildlife against disturbance or removal.

Charlotte Harris, director of conservation at Cheshire Wildlife Trust added: “This worrying case of the removal of one of our most striking native flowers only seeks to highlight the crucial role that our 30 year old wildlife legislation plays in the UK.

“Should those responsible have been caught in the act of destroying these marsh orchids, the full force of the Wildlife & Countryside Act may have been brought to bear, as we increasingly see with high-profile species such as wild birds - with imprisonment now a real possibility in the most disturbing cases.”

Ms Harris added: “With the loss of police Wildlife Crime Officers in the region last year, to also find our wildlife legislation - the last line of defence, under threat makes for challenging times for our wildlife.”

People being offered ‘wild’ plant species should make sure they have been grown in cultivation and not removed from nature conservation sites. Native British orchids are particularly difficult to cultivate and only a specialist supplier will be able to offer them.

Anyone who believes they have seen the removal or destruction of protected wild flowers should report the matter to their local police station.

Butterfly Park Open Day - 8th May

2011-04-15T11:42:00.005+01:00

Don't forget to put this date in your diary.

Tombola prizes and homemade cakes welcome. Help also needed to put up and clear away or to take a turn on a stall or with pond dipping.

Contact Paul or Hilary for more details if you want to help.

Hoylake Food Fair

2011-03-21T10:17:00.003Z

Abseil for Cheshire Wildlife Trust

2011-03-14T17:23:00.001Z

Swarm to Ness Gardens

2011-03-07T13:41:00.002Z

The future of the UK bee population is under threat. On Sunday 13th March, Ness Gardens are hosting a full day of bee activities to support the ‘Save our Bees’ campaign as part of National Science and Engineering Week.

You will be able to test your navigation skills in the 'Bee-line' orienteering course, plant bee-friendly flower seeds in plant pots of your own creation, explore the world of honey through your tastebuds with honey sampling, learn all about the many different bee species from local experts, and much more.

Ness gardens staff will also be installing hives on the day which will be home to new bee colonies. These bees will collect pollen and nectar from Ness’s award-winning bee garden.

Buzz on down to this family friendly event and learn what you can do to help the bees before its too late...

Wildlife Gardening event

2011-03-07T11:57:00.000Z

Save England's Forests

2011-02-25T16:59:00.005Z

Whilst welcoming Government intentions to abandon plans for disposal of public forests, the campaign to protect and restore England's ancient forests must go on, warns the Woodland Trust.

"We welcome the opportunity for a more considered approach to the future of our much loved woodlands but our campaign continues. Whilst we welcome the removal of threats to public access, there is still an acute need for better protection of Ancient Woodland, our equivalent of the rainforests, and restoration of ancient woods planted with conifers. Even if there are no sales of publicly owned forests, the worst of all worlds would be for there to be no change to the loopholes that have allowed 850 ancient woods to be threatened by built development over the past decade. Ministers have made strong commitments over the past few weeks to increase protection for ancient woods, and we will be holding them to these commitments.

As I write, there is a proposal to water down protection for ancient woodland in the planning system. We need your help to defeat this proposal by 28th February.

What's it all about:
www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/campaigning/planning-changes/Pages/default.aspx

Take action now:
www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/campaigning/planning-changes/Pages/planningpolicychanges.aspx

We must not let public passion and support for our woods and forests die down and now that ownership is no longer an issue, we must not lose sight of the need to increase protection for ancient forests and restore those planted with conifers, a once in a lifetime opportunity for woodland conservation.

Our campaign will continue and we urge everyone to continue to sign our petition and transfer their passion about who owns England's public woods to ensuring that all of England’s woods survive in the future".

Thank you,
Sue Holden,
Chief Executive Woodland Trust

Good news and bad news

2011-02-17T11:31:00.001Z

An otter has been found in Wirral!

Unfortunately the animal was electrocuted on the railway line not far from Meols Meadow SSSI. Its body was recovered by Duncan Bevell, a Biodiversity Officer from the Environment agency who was alerted to it by a train driver.

Brightening up Bidston

2011-02-14T17:29:00.005Z

Wirral Tree Wardens and the 8th Tranmere Brownies did their bit to help Wirral's environment last Saturday, with help from the Forestry Commission and Wirral Wildlife. 100 trees and shrubs were planted on the edge of an old landfill site at Bidston, on the northwest side of the M53 J1 roundabout. Trees were supplied by Wirral Countryside Volunteers, Wirral Tree Wardens, the Brownies and the Forestry Commission, with some grown from local seed. They included oak, hazel, dogwood, guelder rose, cherry, elder, purging buckthorn and hawthorn. This is part of the land, a former tip, which the Forestry Commission leased in 2006 and has been developing as community woodland. The 1970s landfill concerned was cleared and planted with trees and wild flower grassland. However, it became obvious that some extra trees and shrubs were needed to make an informal tree line near the road edge, to make sure the barn owls which feed in the area fly up over the traffic and do not get hit by vehicles. The weather was perfect and an enjoyable if muddy time was had by all planting the trees. Do look out for them when going past (but not if you're driving!)

The future for the Bidston complex, like all the Forestry Commission lands, is in doubt under Government proposals to sell off woodland or pass such areas to other organisations such as charities. Funding for those organisations which might take the woodlands on is doubtful, especially in the long term. Please make your voice known against these plans. See the DEFRA website for proposals and to make your views known, or sign the petition at www.38degrees.org.uk

Hilary Ash,
Hon. Conservation Officer

Garden Moth Scheme

2011-02-01T19:54:00.007Z

Have you heard of the Garden Moth Scheme? The purpose of the Scheme is to try and find out what’s happening to our common garden moths. What do you need to do to take part? You just need to count the numbers of common moths you see, for one night every week from March to November. The list of moths consists of about 200 species, common in your area and those that are difficult to identify are intentionally left out.

As well as sending results to your county's recorder you can also get involved in a nationwide scheme to get standardised data, which can then be used to study the effects of climate change, and changes in habitats, to act as a biodiversity indicator and to plot against garden features such as distance from nearest wood, greenspace etc or presence of pond, log pile etc in garden.

Further details can be found at www.gardenmoths.org.uk

Contact the local NW co-ordinator, Steve Orridge, by email or, the National co-ordinator, Dave Grundy, by email or telephone on 0121 446 5446.

Underground power cable route

2011-01-28T16:42:00.005Z

There is a proposal to run part of an underground power cable from Wirral foreshore, down the length of the peninsula to Connah's Quay. To find out more about this and the public information events, please read the details below sent to us by SP Energy Networks.

I am writing to invite you to a public information event, which National Grid and SP Transmission are holding to outline proposals for the development of an underground cable route from the Wirral foreshore, to Connah's Quay, Deeside.

The plans form part of a larger scheme to connect new renewable energy sources in Scotland to the electricity grid in England and Wales through a high voltage subsea cable. To explain the proposed plan, answer your questions and listen to any concerns you may have we will be holding two drop-in public information events in your area.

Tuesday 8th February
Neston Community and Youth Centre, Burton Road, Neston, CH64 9RE
2 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Wednesday 9th February
Moreton Community Centre, Maryland Lane, Moreton, CH46 7TS
2 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Representatives from the National Grid and SP Transmission project team will be on hand to explain the programme and answer any questions you may have.

You can find more information about the project at: www.westernhvdclink.co.uk

If you have any questions about the events, please do not hesitate to contact our Community Relations team on: Freephone 0800 030 4137 or email

Claire Watson
Environmental Planner, SP Energy Networks
On behalf of SP Transmission and National Grid

Help needed at Irby Quarry

2011-01-24T15:55:00.002Z

Wirral Rangers are organizing another Irby Quarry task day on Sunday 30th January meeting at the Quarry 11.30am. Volunteers are welcome.

This is a continuation of scrub clearing both on the ground and on the rock face (provided we have sufficient climbers available).

All tools, gloves etc are provided. Hope to finish around 3.00pm -3.30pm.

If you have trouble finding the entrance to Irby Quarry check on our web site www.wirral.gov.uk and search for Royden Park or ring here on 0151 677 7594.

Thanks

Paul

Wirral Rangers

Last chance to attend Mersey Barrage consulation

2011-01-21T12:41:00.008Z

Peel Holdings have a final exhibition on the Wirral this Saturday, 22 Jan from 10am - 2pm at Eastham Country Park Visitors Centre.

Here is a copy of a letter from Janel Fone, CEO of Cheshire Wildlife Trust, and Charlotte Harris, the Director of Conservation:

Dear Cheshire Wildlife Trust member/supporter,

You may have read in the media recently about Peel Energy Ltd’s plans to construct a tidal energy structure in the Mersey estuary to generate renewable energy. Although Cheshire Wildlife Trust has urged Peel to consider less environmentally damaging technologies, their current shortlist of options focuses on the use of barrage systems. Tidal barrages are typically large dams incorporating turbines, that hold back or ‘impound’ a large volume of water, and then release it through the turbines to generate energy. In the case of a tidal barrage, it may be necessary to impound water within an estuary - in contrast to the natural tidal flow, reducing available areas of mud used by feeding birds.

The Trust is concerned about potential damage to the finely-balanced estuary ecosystem of the Mersey, through the use of a technology that is largely untested with regard to potential impacts on wildlife. Similar, small-scale projects elsewhere in the world have however, had damaging effects on estuary ecosystems, and environmental impacts were one of a number of concerns over the recent £30billion Severn barrage proposals shelved by the Government last year.

The Wildlife Trusts support the need to move towards ‘green energy’ to meet the Government’s ambitious, but necessary, targets for 15% of UK energy from renewable sources by 2020 – but striving to meet these targets should not be at a cost to the very wildlife and habitats we are seeking to safeguard from the effects of climate change.

There will be strong economic arguments put forward in support of the project, however we must fully understand the impacts of such a scheme in the long-term, both in terms of potential damage to an internationally-recognised wetland, and also aspects such as flood management. Can we justify such a high cost to a natural icon of the north-west, without knowing the consequences?

It is likely that any barrage scheme will affect the flow and dynamics of the estuary ecosystem, and Peel have recognised that the Mersey’s Special Protection Area (SPA) – a level of protection for birds at a European level, must be considered. We will not fully understand the potential damage to the estuary though until a full ecological assessment has been undertaken.

Peel Energy are hoping to have a preferred option by March 2011. They have said whichever option they choose, they will introduce measures to reduce the damage to the Mersey Estuary, but whatever they do, there may still be a significant reduction in the intertidal habitats, and the amount of time the remaining areas will be exposed for birds to feed on them.

Peel are asking for comments on their stage 2 report before 21 January 2011. The report can be found here

www.merseytidalpower.co.uk/sites/default/files/MTP%20Feasibility%20Stage%202%20Options%20Report%20Summary%20-%20November%202010_0.pdf

You can make your views known by commenting on their website or by email.

Peel Energy Ltd are also organising a series of community consultation events. If you can make any of these events, please do go along and ask them questions, such as:

1. Why have they discounted various options for technical and financial reasons, but have not discounted any for ecological reasons?

2. How will they assess the ecological impacts of each option?

3. Have they fully considered the impacts on flood risk as a similar barrage in the Netherlands seriously increased flood risk.

4. You could ask about the carbon budget, and if construction or carbon locked-up in estuarine sediments have been factored in.

5. Why they are not waiting for emerging technologies that may be able to harness energy without having a serious ecological impact? A technology known as SMEC (Spectral Mass Energy Converter) appears to have been dropped despite promising energy returns and reduced ecological impacts.

Dr. Janel Fone

Charlotte Harris

New Ferry Butterfly Park Events

2011-01-17T15:08:00.004Z

Sunday 13th March
9.30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Removal of Portuguese Laurel and replacing with a holly hedge to benefit the Holly Blue Butterfly

Sunday 10thApril
9.30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Spring clean up and preparation of the park for open day

Sunday 8thMay
Open Day 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sculpture trail, artists displaying their creations, various stalls, environmental games, guided walks and pond-dips, children's activities and a BBQ.

Sunday 31st July
9.30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
The start of the annual mowing season regime. Come and have a go at scything - it is easier and gentler than you think. Lunch time BBQ - bring along a contribution to cook.

The Butterfly Park is open to visitors 12 - 4 p.m. every sunny Sunday from May 1st until September 4th. Volunteer Wardens are present to give you some information and a guided tour if you would like one.

For further details, contact Paul Loughnane by email or telephone on 0151 645 8937.

RSPB Mersey Barrage Campaign

2011-01-17T15:00:00.008Z

We recently had an email from Clare Reed of the RSPB and thought it would be useful to let more people read it.

"Let me first introduce myself, I am the RSPB’s new Marine Conservation Officer for the north west of England. I will be helping to ensure the continued conservation of our glorious coastline by speaking up for birds and wildlife from the Solway Firth down to North Wales. More specifically I will be helping to take our Mersey Barrage Campaign forward in order to keep the Estuary a magnificent place for birds and wildlife.

Peel Energy is hoping to announce its chosen option for barrage technology on the Mersey in March 2011, with a view to applying for planning permission in December 2011.Over the next few weeks the RSPB will be working hard to identify our response to this damaging proposal, and to allow us to put together a timeline and a programme of work for our Mersey Barrage Campaign. If Wirral Wildlife would like to get more involved with the campaign, either as a group or on an individual level, please let me know and will be happy to provide you with further information on becoming a campaigner. Campaigning can range anywhere from putting up posters, to writing to MPs, to inspiring the public about wildlife. I am also happy to come and give a short presentation at one of your meetings about the Mersey Barrage proposal and our Campaign if this is something that you may be interested in?

Look forward to speaking with you further, Clare Reed"

Contact details for anyone interesting in joining the Mersey Barrage Campaign are as follows:

Address:
Marine Conservation Officer (North West)
RSPB Northern England Region
7.3.1 Cameron House
White Cross Estate
Lancaster
LA1 4XF

Telephone: 07702 891480

Email Clare

New Natural England officer for Wirral

2010-12-29T19:42:00.003Z

Natural England have appointed Alice Kimpton as temporary officer for Wirral terrestrial SSSIs. Some of you may remember Alice as a Ranger on North Wirral Coastal park about 10 years ago.

Hilary Ash, Mathilde Baker-Schommer and Ranger Lynne Greenstreet met up with Alice on a chilly West Kirby beach in December to look at management, especially of the reedbeds and natterjack toads. Alice had not visited the beach for 8 years, and was amazed and delighted at the new "Green Beach" of salt marsh and sand dune which is developing there. The new area already supports a variety of specialist flora and fauna, including one rare moth, the Sandhill Rustic. It is developing pools which will hopefully be suitable for natterjack toad breeding in a few years. Lynne and Alice talked about creating temporary pools for the toads in the meantime. The only problem is the salt marsh taking over some areas of mud used as high tide roosts - the birds tend not to come into the marsh which is more liable to disturbance by dogs and people. Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens do a good job in educating users about not disturbing the birds, but cannot control everything! We walked round the CWT reserve at Red Rocks marsh, admiring the spread of Mackay's horsetail, a rare fern, which has greatly increased in recent years along the southern part of boardwalk.

Christmas wishes

2010-12-24T18:54:00.001Z

Merry Christmas from John, our Treasurer, and the rest of the Wirral Wildlife committee.

Mersey Tidal Power

2010-12-16T10:02:00.005Z

We have received this information from Peter Robertson, Acting Regional Director of the RSPB, and want to let as many people as possible have the chance to comment on the proposals by Peel Renewables to harness energy from the River Mersey.

At our meeting on 9^th September we told you that Peel Renewables were drawing up a shortlist of projects. However, at that stage we did not know what was on the shortlist. We were hoping that Peel would seize the opportunity to utilise emerging new technologies that could operate without harming the Mersey Estuary’s important wildlife. Unfortunately Peel have not done this.

We argued from the outset that the aim of the project should not be to maximise energy outputs in such a sensitive wildlife site. However, their shortlist of three options all put energy before wildlife. A full impoundment barrage is worryingly emerging as the frontrunner, though largely because of economic arguments. However, this option would need to be situated in deep water downstream of the ship canal, which would therefore need locks to allow ships to pass, or an expensive extension to the ship canal. A full impoundment barrage would undoubtedly be the most damaging option.

The two remaining options are what they term a “very low head barrage”, one in a similar position to the first barrage, and one in shallower water upstream of the ship canal. What they term very low head would still create a difference in water levels of two to three metres, and would only be 2 metres lower than the full impoundment barrage. It would also be very likely to cause significant damage to the Mersey estuary and the wildlife it supports. We cannot yet say how much damage would be caused, because in spite of the fact that schemes have been ruled out on the basis of economic and technical assessments, no full ecological assessment has yet been undertaken.

Peel are hoping to have a preferred option by March 2011. They have said whichever option they choose they will introduce measures to reduce the damage to the Mersey Estuary, but whatever they do, there will still be a significant reduction in the intertidal habitats, and the amount of time the remaining areas will be exposed for birds to feed on them.

Peel are asking for comments on their stage 2 report before 21 January 2011. The report can be found here
www.merseytidalpower.co.uk/sites/default/files/MTP%20Feasibility%20Stage%202%20Options%20Report%20Summary%20-%20November%202010_0.pdf

You can make your views known by commenting on their website which some of you have done already, thank you, or by sending an email. Peel are also organising a series of community consultation events which are listed below. If you can make any of these events, please do go along and ask them questions. For example, why have they discounted various options for technical and financial reasons, but have not discounted any for ecological reasons? You could ask them if they have assessed the ecological impacts of each option. Or more specifically, what will the impact of each option be on Dunlin, Teal or Redshank? You could ask if they have fully considered the impacts on flood risk as a similar barrage in the Netherlands seriously increased flood risk. You could ask about the carbon budget, and if construction or carbon locked-up in estuarine sediments have been factored in. Finally, you could ask why they are not waiting for emerging technologies that may be able to harness energy without having a serious ecological impact. A technology known as SMEC (Spectral Mass Energy Converter) appears to have been dropped despite promising energy returns and reduced ecological impacts. We are particularly disappointed that more environmentally friendly options were ruled out, mainly because of their flawed aim to maximise power output. This should never have been the aim within one of Europe’s richest and most protected wildlife sites.

The dates and venues of the community consultation events are:

· Thu 16 Dec 12pm - 6pm, The Bluecoat, Liverpool

· Tue 11 Jan 2pm - 7pm, Ellesmere Port Civic Hall

· Thu 13 Jan 12pm - 6pm, Bromborough Library and Civic Centre

· Sat 15 Jan 10am - 2pm, Britannia Inn, Riverside Drive

· Thu 20 Jan 12pm - 6pm, Stobart Stadium, Widnes

· Sat 22 Jan 10am - 2pm, Eastham Country Park Visitors Centre

· Mon 24 Jan 12pm - 5pm, Garston Community Library

MP visits Butterfly Park

2010-11-30T20:52:00.008Z

Last Friday Alison McGovern MP enjoyed a "frosty" visit to New Ferry Butterfly Park on Friday, hosted by Janel Fone, chief executive of Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Stephen Ross, chair of Wirral Wildlife and members of the Butterfly Park committee. Fuelled by hot coffee, she had a tour of the Park and discussed various topics including:
- The on-going campaign to save the Park, including access.
- Problems with damage by a neighbour
- The effect on Cheshire Wildlife Trust and on people seeking careers in ecology of the demise of the Future Jobs Fund.

Janel and Hilary Ash will now be writing letters for Miss McGovern to bring to the attention of relevant ministers.

Award winning Sparrow

2010-11-30T10:47:00.006Z

Our Treasurer John Gill is far too modest to tell you himself but his picture of a house sparrow recently won a local photography award.

Cockling on Leasowe Shore

2010-11-26T11:04:00.007Z

The cockle bed at Leasowe (off Leasowe Gunsite) has recently been opened by North West Fisheries for commercial cockling resulting in many vehicles on the beach racing up and down without any regard to local residents or the birdlife. This area is a Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation, a Ramsar site and a SSSI yet the fisheries can completely disregard all this. As well as the disturbance and noise there is litter and mess scattered everywhere; local tax payers will have to pay to get it all cleaned up. There is also the question of public safety as this is an area where many people go walking. I would advise everyone who is concerned by this to voice their concerns to the local press, MPs and councillors, but in particular complain to North West Fisheries -

http://www.nw-sfc.gov.uk/enquiry.asp. The more people that complain the better.

This video of the beach gives an idea of the scale of the problem

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dewmuw/5199138659/

Thanks to Richard Smith of the Dee Estuary Birding website for the information.

New Ferry Butterfly Park on Merseyrail poster

2010-10-21T11:30:00.007+01:00

When Alex Rowan came to the New Ferry Butterfly Park with his Scout group he really enjoyed it. In school, he was asked to draw a poster for travelling somewhere by train and he picked the Butterfly Park. He was one of the winners. The poster is going to be up on Merseyrail stations and is part of their new calendar.

Another date for your diary

2010-10-14T09:37:00.002+01:00

Another Apple Day

2010-10-07T10:45:00.008+01:00

Did you miss our Apple Days at Brimstage or Eastham? Or did you enjoy it so much you want to do it all over again?

Wirral Tree Wardens are holding their own Apple Day at Tam O'Shanter Farm on Sunday October 17th 12-3pm.

As well as apple varieties and the Wirral Wildlife wooden press to make juice, there will be many children's activities.

Everyone is welcome.

Overchurch woodland saved

2010-09-29T15:02:00.002+01:00

Jean and her team have asked us to pass on the good news to all the people the appeal went to. A tremendous effort by local people has raised over £34,900 and the decision of the public meeting was to pursue an agreement with the Woodland Trust, so that the Woodland Trust would hold the land but it would be managed by a local group, similar to the Friends of Storeton Woods.

Because Jean doesn’t have all the contacts, and some donations have been sent in anonymously, she has asked us to send out the great news and a massive thank you for what everyone has achieved in such a small space of time. There is to be a follow-on meeting on Wednesday 20th October at the Overton Community Centre at 7 p.m.

‘Many thanks again and congratulations to everyone’ Jean

Botanical Recorders at work

2010-09-29T14:55:00.007+01:00

Voluntary botanical recorders have been doing a survey on Wallasey Golf Course SBI. This photo shows them busily engrossed in identifying a plant that turned out to be Fool's Parsley. It fooled them by being rather shrivelled after the salt-laden gales of the previous week.

Thankyou to Ron Warne for the photograph.

Wildlife Quiz

2010-09-15T12:52:00.002+01:00

The latest Wirral Wildlife Prize Quiz is now running. The price per entry is 60p and copies of the quiz may be purchased at our meetings or obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope with your 60p payment to:
Wirral Wildlife Prize Quiz, Lindisfarne, 25 Park West, Heswall, Wirral, CH60 9JE

There are 21 clues. The first 7 clues lead to the name of a bird; the next 7 are other animals; and the rest are places in Wirral where you might find wildlife.

The closing date for receipt of completed entries is 31st January 2011. The prize for the winner will be a gift voucher value £10.00. The judges’ decision in all cases is final. The name of the winner and the answers will be published in the newsletter of Wirral Wildlife. All the proceeds from this quiz will go to Wirral Wildlife.

Save the bat roost

2010-09-14T18:56:00.008+01:00

We have heard about an appeal relating to part of Overchurch Park Woods SBI, which is adjacent to the western end of the J2 spur of the M53. It is SBI because it contains bat roosts in trees; Noctules, Pipistrelles and Brown Long-eared. Most of the SBI is owned by Wirral MBC, but part was originally Scout land and recently has been owned by a developer, who put it up for auction on 9th September 2010. Local people, desperate to protect the land, have managed to win at auction, and now need to make up the funding. Please read what they have to say:

"We would like to make you aware of some developments in our local area, namely the sale of the woodlands that run alongside part of the Upton By-pass to behind the Overton Community Centre. These Private Historic Woodlands were auctioned on 9th September 2010.

Many local residents had concerns that these woodlands may fall into undesirable hands, the woodlands becoming damaged and Anti-Social Behaviour occurring causing great fear and distress that the general peace and serenity of our area may have been adversely affected. So Volunteers from Friends of Warwick Park and Overchurch Residents Association worked quickly to spread the word to residents and have worked together to find a solution to a potential problem at very short notice.

Since last Monday more than £16000 has been pledged by local residents of Upton, who felt that the risks were too high if we didn’t attend the auction and attempt to purchase the land. At auction we purchased the land at a cost of £28500 plus legal fees. We are now keen to raise the rest of the funds required as if we are unable to pay within 28 days of the auction the land will be sold to another bidder.

The generosity and pride in our community has been overwhelming and we need to work together to ensure the safe future of this woodland.

If you have questions about why we are doing this or would like to make a DONATION please Ring Jean on 07762641297 or via email

Please help us to raise the rest of the money needed to secure our historic woodland or who knows who will buy it or what may happen?

All previous and new donators are invited to attend a meeting at Overton Community Centre (160 Royden Road, CH49 4RH) on Wednesday 15th September at 7pm to consider the future management of the woodland.

New donations can be made by ringing the above numbers or at this meeting on Wednesday. All donations are greatly appreciated (receipt will be given).

Cheques should be made payable to “Overton Community Centre” and have your address, contact number & name written on the back.

MANY THANKS"

Silver Jubilee for Wirral Countryside Volunteers

2010-08-17T13:00:00.018+01:00

On August 14th Alison McGovern MP was invited to New Ferry Butterfly Park to unveil a seat made by Wirral Countryside Volunteers to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

A splendid cake had also been made (but didn't last as long as the bench will!).

The volunteers celebrated their work with an afternoon barbecue.

For details of Wirral Countryside Volunteers and how to join them in their work, see their website http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/~jpl/wcv/

Wildlife Watch group is relaunched

2010-07-30T17:58:00.006+01:00

The Wirral group of the Wildlife Watch club is relaunching this weekend with a Meadow Safari. This is a club for children aged 8 to 12. Places are limited and booking is essential. Telephone the Visitor Centre on 0151 648 4371 to reserve your place.

Saturday July 31st

Meadow Safari 2 – 4 p.m.

We will be making our own “pooters” before investigating the insect life of the meadows at Wirral Country Park using sweep nets, beating trays and our own pooters.

Saturday 14th August
A Big Moth Breakfast 10 – 11.30 a.m.

Join us at Wirral Country Park to open up the moth trap to see what’s been caught overnight. There will be some weird and wonderful moths inside, but don’t worry you won’t have to eat any!

Saturday 11th September

Bat Detectives 7 – 9 p.m.

On this trip to the Dungeon Woodland we will be searching for bats before they go into hibernation for the winter. Come along and have a go on our bat detector!All children must be accompanied by an adult for this event.

Saturday 9th October

Wildlife Garden 2 – 4 p.m.

Come along and help us to create the Thurstaston Watch Club’s very own wildlife garden at Wirral Country Park. We’ll make bug boxes and create habitat piles for now, but this is just the start of a long term project! We’ll do more in the spring.

Saturday 20th November

Mud Soup 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

We’ll be out and about on Thurstaston Shore to look at the thousands of waterbirds that visit us in the winter. They feed on worms in the gloopy mud but we won’t be getting muddy we’ll use telescopes to spy on them!

Saturday 4th December

Our Days Are Numbered 2 – 4 p.m.

Come and join us making calendars for 2011. We’ll use recycled materials to make a calendar to record our wildlife moments for the coming year.

Talk at Thurstaston Visitor Centre

2010-07-26T17:05:00.002+01:00

BIRDS : AN ILLUSTRATED TALK

Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre, Thurstaston
Wednesday 28th July 2010
7.30pm

An illustrated photographic talk by Derek Cotgrave, a well known and accredited bird ringer and photographer, featuring birds from the African continent and elsewhere. Entrance is £2 per head, with refreshments included.

Ness Gardens summer events

2010-07-14T10:18:00.004+01:00

Andrew Lambie, Adult Education Co-ordinator at Ness Gardens has asked us let our members and supporters know that they will now be running all adult education activities themselves as their partnership with the Welsh College of Horticulture has ended.

Andrew says: "We have developed what we feel is a strong, interesting programme of courses, workshops, guided walks and lectures at Ness for anyone who is interested in learning more about plants, wildlife and gardening. This includes a range of introductory workshops/courses and the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture."

Gardening Club
What should you be doing every month to get the best of out of your garden? All is answered in this monthly guide.
First Tuesday of every month, 10.00-12.30.

Ness through the Seasons
There is always something see at Ness, with thousands of plants from all over the world. Learn more about the plants at Ness and gain inspiration for your own garden.
Last Tuesday of every month, 10.00-12.30.

A full list of upcoming events can be found on the Ness Gardens website. To book and for further information telephone 0151 353 0123.

Big Lunch at New Ferry Butterfly Park

2010-07-03T20:18:00.007+01:00

Carole is organising a 'Big Lunch' at New Ferry Butterfly Park, kicking off at around 12.30 p.m. on Sunday 18th July. Pop down to the Butterfly Park, bring some food to eat and share with others, enjoy a walk around this beautiful nature reserve and take in the art trail. Our entrance is up Howell Rd (at the back of Aldi), New Ferry and next to Bebington Rail Station car park. (all outdoors so if it rains too much we may have to cancel, keep up to date on our facebook page). http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Ferry-Butterfly-Park/112509052095055

The Big Lunch began life as a wild seed at The Eden Project who believe the world can get better by working together, with nature, optimism and common sense. By simply having some fun on one day in July, we can build new friendships that we can enjoy for the rest of the year. For more details see
http://www.thebiglunch.com/what-is-the-big-lunch/index.php

Have you seen this bee?

2010-07-03T20:13:00.010+01:00

We are being asked to look out for this bee, Bombus hypnorum.

This is a new bumble bee for us in Cheshire. It is a frequent species in Continental Europe, but first appeared in the UK in 2000 and has been expanding its range steadily since. It has been found near Warrington this year. It appears to like urban and woodland habitats. Look out for the fox-coloured thorax and the white tail. If you see one, please report to rECOrd via their website http://www.record-lrc.co.uk/

Seaside events in July and August

2010-07-03T20:04:00.008+01:00

Sunday 11th July Count Me In Beach Party. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Join Count Me in for a day on Thurstaston beach recording its marine life. Meet at the Thurstaston visitor centre Wirral Country Park.

Thursday 22nd July Life at the Seashore. 10 a.m. – 12 noon

Join the Wirral Rangers and staff from the Blue Planet Aquarium and discover what has been washed along the shore by the tide. Meet at Hoyle Road slipway (next to the RNLI Station) Hoylake. No need to book. For further enquiries Tel: 0151 678 5488 or email

Thursday 29th July Life at the Seashore. 10 a.m. – 12 noon

Join the Wirral Rangers and staff from the Blue Planet Aquarium and discover what has been washed along the shore by the tide. Meet at the end of Marine Promenade New Brighton . No need to book. For further enquiries Tel: 0151 678 5488 or email

Thursday 5th August Seal Watch and rock pooling. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Join Cheshire Wildlife Trust on a trip to Hilbre Island. The group will leave the slipway at West Kirby at low tide and walk the 2 miles across the sands to Hilbre Island. The day will include a seaside scavenger hunt, rock pool dipping, bird and seal watching. Not suitable for children under 5. Venue – Hilbre Island, West Kirby, Wirral. Contact Jan Shone by telephone on 01948 822218 or email for more details and booking.

Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th August Albert Dock Watch

This year the weekend will be devoted to the biology and history of the Albert dock and the Irish sea beyond. There are many events. Check the Liverpool museums website for more details.

Thursday 12th Aug Life at the Seashore. 10 a.m. – 12 noon

Join the Wirral Rangers and staff from the Blue Planet Aquarium and discover what has been washed along the shore by the tide. Meet at the sea front car park at The Gunsite, North Wirral Coastal Park . No need to book. Tel: 678 5488 or email

Thursday August 19th Hilbre marine life

Join Cheshire Wildlife Trust on a day at Hilbre seal and bird watching and rummaging on the rocky and sandy shores we will leave the slipway at West Kirby at low tide and walk the 2 miles across the sands to Hilbre Island. The day will include a seaside scavenger hunt, rock pool dipping, bird and seal watching. Not suitable for children under 5. Venue – Hilbre Island, West Kirby, Wirral. Contact Jan Shone by telephone on 01948 822218 or email for more details and booking.

Tuesday August 24th High tide Hilbre Island trip. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

This is an exciting opportunity to visit Hilbre Island over the high tide with Cheshire Wildlife Trust. The group will leave the slipway at West Kirby at 9 a.m., 2 hours before high tide. The trip involves a 2 miles across the sands to Hilbre Island. An excellent opportunity to have close encounters with birds, such as waders and their predators as the high tide drives them onto the island. Seals and sea birds will be seen offshore. Not suitable for children under 5. Venue – Hilbre Island, West Kirby, Wirral. Contact - Jan Shone or Gill Bellairs. Telephone 01948 822228 or email for more details and booking.

Butterfly Park Open Day

2010-05-04T17:00:00.016+01:00

Last Sunday New Ferry Butterfly Park opened for the summer. Despite a chilly day with no butterflies flying, we had nearly 400 visitors and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

The art installations are staying for the summer (indeed, there will be more of Carol's engravings on perspex as the season progresses), so do come any Sunday afternoon to visit.

More pictures from the day can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30661871@N03/sets/72157623983850284/

And for further details about the park, see our web site:

http://www.wirralwildlife.co.uk/butterfly_park.html

Thanks to Richard Ash, John Gill and Jan Peddie for sharing their photographs.

Woodland Walk

2010-04-29T12:38:00.012+01:00

Thank you to Paul for taking us on a guided tour of Tom’s Paddock, Foxes Wood and Thornton Wood last Saturday. The weather was lovely and 15 people, including two welcome visitors from CWT North group, enjoyed the afternoon. The photographs give you some idea of the plants we saw but we also spotted 4 species of butterfly and heard black cap and chiff chaff singing.

The hedge laid at the edge of Tom's Paddock...

Foxes Wood and the Clatter Brook...

An impressively twisty old oak tree in Foxes Wood...

Pink purslane...

Wood Sorrel...

A clump of Kingcups...

An unfurling fern...

The pond in Thornton Wood...

Butterfly Park springs into action

2010-04-18T15:27:00.006+01:00

Sunday May 2nd 2010 sees the Grand Opening of New Ferry Butterfly Park for the Summer of 2010. Artist in Residence Carol Ramsay has curated an Art and Sculpture Trail with her own work and also featuring work by artists Karon McGunigall and Hayley Parfitt, as well as a joint installation by Emma Kemp and Chris Colville. The event will take place from 11am to 4pm.

Amongst other things, visitors will be able to see an interactive percussion instrument, multi-storey insect habitats and a range of hanging botanical illustrations to help inform their visit. Children will be invited to help cover the park’s new (t)wigwam with found objects from the park itself. The Day will include a series of art workshops and woodland craft demonstrations, tours of the park, nature walks, art and craft sales, tombola, face painting and a BBQ. Entry is free and all proceeds from donations and sales will be in aid of New Ferry Butterfly Park.

Carol Ramsay has a blog describing her work at the Butterfly Park as Artist In Residence:
www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/614513

How to make a bat box

2010-04-10T16:57:00.006+01:00

If you came to Nic Harding's talk about bats last night you will agree it was most interesting and entertaining - and will have enjoyed meeting Bert the Pipistrelle bat.

Some people were interested in making a bat box so here are some instructions you can print off (right click on the image and save it to your computer first).

Don't forget that the wood must not have any preservative or varnish on it as this will poison the bats that use it. Put it about 9 feet above the ground and wait for the bats to arrive.

Don't forget that the Wirral Ranger Service holds guided bat walks for the public. You can always let us know of your bat sightings by sending us an email.

Wildlife Crime Unit Investigator wins international award

2010-03-22T19:35:00.005Z

Andy McWilliam, a former Wildlife Crime Officer with Merseyside Police and now a National Wildlife Crime Unit Investigator, has won the Clark R. Bavin Award. The announcement was made this month at the 15th meeting of the CITES Conference in Doha, Qatar. For several years, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), a non-governmental organisation based in the United States of America, has presented awards to people who have engaged in law enforcement actions to protect species of wildlife listed in the Appendices of the Convention. These awards are given in cooperation with the Species Survival Network, an international coalition of over 80 non-governmental organisations, including AWI. The awards, named after a former chief of the law enforcement division of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have traditionally been presented by the Secretary-General of CITES. Apart from his CITES work, Andy has worked tirelessly over the years to bring to justice people who have persecuted and abused birds and animals in the UK and this award is very richly deserved.

Butterfly man wins Dragonfly Award

2010-03-06T16:52:00.009Z

After two decades of dedicated voluntary nature conservation work, Paul Loughnane, Secretary of Wirral Countryside Volunteers and Secretary of New Ferry Butterfly Park, has scooped the prodigious Unilever Dragonfly Award and a £1,000 prize in recognition for his environmental efforts at sites around the Wirral Peninsula.

The Unilever Dragonfly Awards are run by the Mersey Basin Campaign and recognise volunteers from across the Mersey and Ribble river catchment areas whose dedication has made a real impact on environmental improvement projects. This is the last of the Unilever Dragonfly Awards, as the successful 25 year old Mersey Basin Campaign draws to a close next month.

Paul has been honorary secretary of Wirral Countryside Volunteers for 16 years and has organised a varied programme of events throughout the Wirral and beyond. Paul has had a sustained relationship with the Mersey Basin Campaign gaining 23 grants and awards in the last 15 years. The Wirral Countryside Volunteers have been involved in pond restoration at Thornton Common a Site of Biological Importance which has benefited wildlife including longhorn beetles and thick-legged flower beetles and has been naturally colonised by Great Crested Newts. At Thornton Wood, a Site of Special Scientific Interest which lies along Clatter Brook, Paul and the volunteers have developed a six year hazel coppice rotation supplying hedging stakes for hedgerow restoration projects throughout the Wirral. Here bluebells and primroses flourish under this coppice regime. Paul has organised a woodland craft display at Eastham Country Park’s annual Woodland craft for more than a decade. Here the Mersey Basin Campaign have sponsored many interesting and hard to come-by woodland craft tools. The volunteers also work on the most westerly point on the Mersey Basin catchment area, at Gilroy Nature Park, West Kirby, near the source of the river Birket.

The Wirral Countryside Volunteers are currently based at New Ferry Butterfly Park. Here Paul has organised hedge-laying training days, scything parties to mow the meadows, and he hosts an annual celebratory BBQ in August. Paul enthused “We have been mowing grasslands and raking up the cuttings for over a decade now. It is a long haul; we are seeing the fruits of our labour as there are an increase in the number of cowslips in the spring and common sorrel, betony, meadow buttercup and red clover in the summer.” Paul, receiving the award at the park, reflected that “Here, at the park, is an area of land previously used for antisocial behaviour which has now turned into a community asset. This microcosm, admirably reflects the aims of the Mersey Basin Campaign which has helped to turn the Mersey from something neglected into an asset. In our own small way we have an impact and reflect the aspirations of the Mersey Basin Campaign.”

Spring tide

2010-03-04T17:03:00.006Z

The spring tide this week saw the water covering the marsh at Parkgate and reaching the wall. The Dee Estuary website contains information about dates of future high tides, as well as all the species of birds that were seen this week. I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle of seeing so many birds on the move. If anyone has any photos or details of sightings they would like to share, please email us and we will add them to the blog.

Seashore search

2010-02-15T18:52:00.010Z

Sixteen people joined Kathryn Turner on the beach at Thurstaston. Half an hour of searching revealed 23 species, ranging from hydroids to seaweeds. These will all be entered into a database of species found on the coasts around the Irish Sea.

Here are some photos of the afternoon...

If you want to get involved in recording beach finds, you can contact Kathryn by email.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

2010-02-09T14:02:00.006Z

Kathryn Turner will be giving a talk about the Irish Sea this Friday (the 12th) at Heswall Hall. There are more details on our website. If you would like to meet Kathryn before the talk, she will be at Thurstaston Visitor Centre at 2pm and will then lead a walk along the beach. This is an opportunity to spend some time exploring a local beach with an expert on hand.

Butterfly Park case in court

2010-02-03T17:10:00.011Z

Last month Wirral Council agreed to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order on New Ferry Butterfly Park so that it can continue to be run as a nature reserve. After this the current owners threatened to damage the site. So, on Monday, Cheshire Wildlife Trust took the case to court and were granted a legal injunction to prevent any damage. The land owners have now agreed not to enter the park without the permission of the Wildlife Trust.

After the hearing at Birkenhead County Court, Janel Fone, chief executive of CWT, said: “What is important is to secure the long term future of the Butterfly Park, and I think today has helped us ensure the short term future – which gives us space to work towards the longer term.

“We really did not want it to come to this. We have been trying to have discussions with Brock and get an undertaking from them and to work with them on the future of the park. It’s a shame it has come to this.”

New Ferry councillor Steve Niblock, who has been supporting the campaign to save the park, said he was pleased with the outcome of the court hearing. He said: “This is a short term step towards a fuller court hearing in some weeks time.” He added CWT had offered to buy the park site from Brock and had they accepted “their generous offer” the court action could have been avoided.

Brock again refused to comment. Although any activity by the company (or associate companies, D. Morgan plc and Frithmere Ltd) on the reserve would now be a criminal offence we ask anyone who spots anything suspicious to report it to one of the following groups:

New Ferry Butterfly Park Committee: Paul Loughnane 645 8937 or Hilary Ash 327 5923

Cheshire Wildlife Trust: 01948 820728

Police Wildlife Crime officer, DC Kenneth Dummigan: 777 5447 or police HQ 709 6010.

British Transport Police (for trouble at the height barrier on the access road): 0800 405040.

In emergency, if there is evidence a crime is in progress: ring 999.

Thank you for your support.

Black Poplar Planting

2010-02-02T11:54:00.009Z

Irby Primary School pupils are doing their bit to help Britain's rarest tree, the native black poplar. Last week they planted 13 young trees in their school grounds, with help from Wirral Tree Wardens. The young trees have been raised from Wirral and Cheshire stock by members of the Cheshire Black Poplar Biodiversity Action Group.

Mrs Joan Sheery, from Irby Primary School, said: "We are pleased to plant these trees in our grounds, where they have room to grow to maturity. As well as helping local wildlife, they will in future provide much-needed shade for pupils and staff when out of doors."

Native Black Poplar has become rare because its natural habitat, unaltered river flood plains, is now in short supply in Britain. Wirral has about 70 trees, but most are elderly, so it is important to plant new stock to replace them. All those found so far in Wirral Borough are male, though female hybrids do occur.

Wirral's Black Poplars grow mostly in gardens, but one is very visible along the Upton Bypass, on the Cricket Club fence just behind their nets. This is quite a short tree compared to many Cheshire specimens, but shows the gnarled bark, red catkins in April, and habit of growing slanting.

More information on black poplar in Cheshire can be found on the Cheshire Biodiversity Partnership website.

Wirral Borough Council takes action to save Butterfly Park

2010-01-15T16:26:00.003Z

The Cabinet of Wirral Borough Council decided on 14th January to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order on New Ferry Butterfly Park, to save it from closure. The process will start within the next few days, but can take some months to complete.

The CPO is being issued on environmental and social grounds. The Park supports at least 397 species, including butterflies, moths, bees, spiders, shield bugs, pond life, and a long list of plants including two species of orchid. The social benefit has been shown by the willingness of people to sign the public petitions.

Hilary Ash, Hon Conservation Officer, said "We are very grateful to everyone who has signed our petitions, and all the people who have made great efforts to collect signatures on behalf of the Park. The paper petition submitted to Wirral MBC reached 1990, and the e-petition 1542, a grand total of 3532. Thank you, everyone."

Once the legal procedures have gone through, it is the intention of Wirral MBC to sell or lease the Park to Cheshire Wildlife Trust, to continue as a nature reserve managed by the local community. Substantial donations have already been offered, and a public appeal for funds will be launched in the near future. Over the last 16 years, the New Ferry Butterfly Park committee has raised over £24000 in grants and £3000 in donations, all to make the Park accessible for visitors, keep it secure and aid the wildlife.

Cllr Steve Niblock, who has been actively backing the campaign, said “I am delighted that the Cabinet have agreed to Compulsorily Purchase the Park, following the groundswell of support from local people to save this gem in New Ferry.”

The Butterfly Park currently has about 35 volunteers involved in various roles, including wardening, practical management, hosting educational and other groups, fund-raising and publicity. However, more volunteers are very welcome! Contact Hilary Ash (327 5923), Paul Loughnane (645 8937) or send an email.

Butterfly Park Fight Taken To Parliament

2010-01-07T17:18:00.009Z

Wirral South MP, Ben Chapman, will present a petition against the closure of New Ferry Butterfly Park to the House of Commons, on Monday 11th January. This is a last minute attempt to stop the park from closing, after landowners Brock PLC gave notice to vacate the land by the end of the month.

The presentation of the petition will take place just days before Wirral Borough Council’s Cabinet Meeting, on 14th January, where a decision on a Compulsory Purchase Order is expected to be made. The petition, which has been available for the last few weeks in the MP’s constituency office, requests that the House of Commons “urges the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to encourage Wirral Council and others to do all they can to secure the retention of the Butterfly Park”.

Ben Chapman commented: “I hope that this gesture in the House will go some way to encourage those that have the power to save the park, to do so.

I have expressed my view on the importance of safeguarding this urban nature reserve countless times. Many of my constituents as well as wildlife enthusiasts have written to voice their support. Lord Harrison, who once represented Wirral in the European Parliament also wrote to express his concern for the future of this invaluable asset. I have passed all correspondence on to Steve Maddox, Chief Executive of the Council for his consideration.

I hope the Council is fully aware of the vast amount of support this campaign has attracted, and will consider all possible measures to secure the park’s future”

Hilary Ash, Hon Conservation Officer for Wirral Wildlife, added “We have been amazed and touched by the support from all sides of the community for our campaign to save New Ferry Butterfly Park from closure. Over 3000 people have signed out petitions to Wirral Borough Council. We are especially grateful to Mr Chapman, a long-term supporter of the Park, for taking this to national level. Hopefully it may also benefit any other nature reserves that find themselves under threat from private interests.”

December Watch Meeting

2009-12-28T15:39:00.008Z

Thankyou to everyone who came to the last Watch meeting, especially Steve Harris and his wonderful friend Eric the Barn Owl. It was a fantastic way for me to end my time as Watch leader, as everyone was captivated by Eric and fascinated by dissecting the owl pellets to reveal the bones of the small mammals that had been caught as food.

The star attraction, Eric...

Investigating the owl pellets...

Thankyou to everyone for the lovely flowers and other gifts but most of all thankyou to anyone who came to a Watch meeting over the last 10 years.

As always thanks to Sue and Margaret for the photographs.

Matt, Margaret and Sue would be willing to carry on running the Watch group BUT WE NEED A NEW LEADER. If you are interested, please email us for more information.

Linda

New Ferry Butterfly Park petition download

2009-12-19T10:54:00.005Z

If anyone would like to collect signatures to support the campaign to keep New Ferry Butterfly Park open, you can now download a form and a poster to print yourself.

Forms need to be returned to 5 Dearnford Avenue, Bromborough, Wirral, CH62 6DX by January 8th.

New Ferry Butterfly Park campaign update

2009-12-18T11:36:00.013Z

We are delighted at the support we have received for the Butterfly Park over the last week. On Monday night, Cllr Steve Niblock was able to present a paper petition of 735 signatures to Wirral Borough Council - the first tranche, with more to come. An e-petition has topped 1300 people already.

Both petitions are still open. Find the paper one at Ben Chapman's constituency office and Andy's Aquatics in New Ferry, and the e-petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethebutterflypark

Hilary Ash and Michelle Stamp, who were collecting signatures outside the Farmers Market last Saturday, said "It was heart-warming how many people were eager to sign the petition. Thanks to excellent publicity from the local press, most people already knew about the campaign. We had so many supportive comments, it made up for standing in the cold!"

The Butterfly Park's monthly workday went ahead as normal last Sunday, mowing grass and coppicing hazel. The regular volunteers were joined by two Chinese students from Liverpool University, who much enjoyed themselves helping the wildlife.

Brock plc, who have ordered the closure of the Park by the end of January 2010, still refuse to comment.

Did you know?

New Ferry Butterfly Park supports:

18 species of butterfly breeding on site, plus another 8 recorded as visitors
60+ species of moth
36 species of spider, 3 of them rare in Cheshire (it's all right, most of them hide in the vegetation and don't frighten visitors)
All 6 widespread species of bumble bee
5 species of shieldbug including a blue one which is rare in Cheshire
At least 9 species of hoverfly
2 ponds with smooth newts and frogs, and a good collection of water invertebrates, including dragonflies and damselflies
Loads of minibeasts which haven't been identified yet, especially beetles, true flies and solitary wasps

Butterfly Park petition website

2009-12-15T13:40:00.004Z

There was a fault with the petition website over the weekend. This glitch has now been repaired so if anyone was unable to sign, please have another go...

www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethebutterflypark

New Ferry Butterfly Park campaign update

2009-12-08T17:31:00.009Z

Hilary and and Linda were interviewed on Tony Snell's show on Radio Merseyside this morning.
You can listen again on the BBC iPlayer until Tuesday 15th December.
There is discussion about the park at 50 minutes and the interview itself is 1 hour 42 minutes into the programme.

Hilary and the Butterfly Park are now starring on You Tube.

If you haven't already signed the e-petition, please take a few moments to do so.

Nature Reserve Threatened With Closure - We Need Your Help

2009-12-07T11:10:00.015Z

New Ferry Butterfly Park, the community-run nature reserve next to Bebington Station, is threatened with closure. Brock plc have told the Cheshire Wildlife Trust (CWT), which holds the lease, to vacate the Park by the end of January 2010, and have refused repeated offers by CWT to buy it. The Park site, already a nature reserve and Site of Biological Importance, was sold at auction in 1997, when British Rail was told by the then Government to sell much of its land.

The Butterfly Park is one of the best butterfly sites in Cheshire, and also home to many other mini-beasts such as spiders, moths, bumble bees, grasshoppers, shield bugs, woodlice, snails and hoverflies. It is used for education and training, from infant schoolchildren up to post-graduate professionals, as well as quiet recreation and enjoyment of wildlife. Its unusual management has featured in national scientific journals.

Hilary Ash, one of its management team and Hon Conservation Officer for Wirral Wildlife, says "There is simply no equivalent site in Wirral or Cheshire. Its ecology is unique, which is why Cheshire Wildlife Trust leased it in 1993. It is also in the urban area, with excellent public transport access, more than 2000 schoolchildren within walking distance, and in an area with little natural open space. It will be a huge loss to people and wildlife if it is destroyed."

Ben Chapman, MP for Wirral South, who has often visited the Park, said “The Butterfly Park is a vital asset to New Ferry. Many local schools, societies and other organisations have visited and benefited from its presence. The Park Committee has put in a great deal of effort over the years to regenerate what was essentially a useless piece of land into a thriving urban nature reserve. The conservation work of Wirral Wildlife has also recently been recognised at a Downing Street Reception. I am very disappointed that the landowners have expressed their desire to close it and I very much hope we can reverse this decision”.

New Ferry Councillor Steve Niblock said “It is a disgrace that the future of the Park is under threat. This gem in New Ferry must be preserved at all costs. It is sad that the owners will not sell the land to the dedicated volunteers that manage the park. I am asking that the community rally round and sign the petition to save the park.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savethebutterflypark/

I have been pushing the Council to do all in its powers to help keep this oasis of wildlife for the people of New Ferry and the rest of Wirral. To help with this please sign the petition.”

DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE PARK STAY OPEN? YOU CAN HELP!

Please write to your councillor (the local ones are Bob Moon, Alan Taylor and Steve Niblock) at Wallasey Town Hall, Brighton Street, Wallasey, CH44 8ED asking Wirral Council to use all measures in its power to save the Park. Or sign the petition to be found around New Ferry including at the Farmers' Market on 12 December and the constituency office of Ben Chapman MP. The Park is normally closed for the winter, because the mini-beasts are in hibernation and we need to get management work done. However it will be open on Sundays 13 December and 10th January and possibly other times - contact Hilary on 327 5923 or Paul on 645 8937, or check the website at http://www.wirralwildlife.co.uk/. We are at the top of the access road to Bebington station car park, off Bebington Road between Aldi and the railway bridge. Look for the brown tourist sign, open when we are.

Mayor Peter Johnson opening a new interpretive board, April 2007

More pictures can be found at:

www.flickr.com/photos/nfbp

www.flickr.com/photos/30661871@N03/sets/72157622573067211

Marine and Coastal Access Bill 2009

2009-11-19T17:38:00.002Z

Dr Kathryn Turner, Irish Sea Advocacy Officer for the North West Wildlife Trusts, has written to us with her comments on the new Marine and Coastal Access Bill, which received Royal Assent on 12th November and has now passed into UK law.

"This is great news for the species and habitats of our Irish sea. The future of marine species is intimately tied to what happens in the sandy muds of our local sea, and this new act will provide a statutory duty to protect representatives of all our marine habitats.

The act does this by allowing the designation of a set of marine conservation zones (MCZs). These will be placed to give all our marine habitats some protection. Each site will be placed because that area is a high quality example of one of these habitats. But each site will be managed differently. In very important and rare habitats there may be high protection (Highly Protected Marine Conservation Zones or HPMCZs) which means that little or no commercial activity is allowed. In many sites, some, but not all, activity will be allowed and possibly in some sites, all activity will be allowed. The marine bill states that where these sites have other key users, the socioeconomic factors may be taken into account.

We strongly support the designation of highly protected sites (HPMCZ) which will give our sea bed communities the best chance to recover from historical damage and allow the Irish sea to become a truly vibrant living sea once again. This will allow cuttlefish, sea mice, basking sharks, and countless other Irish sea natives to thrive.

It's a great day for marine life."

Autumnwatch at Thurstaston

2009-11-12T11:15:00.008Z

Last weekend found the Watch group out and about looking for signs of Autumn. We thought about how plants and animals survive the winter...

...noticing the seeds and berries on the trees and bushes and remembering the birds we saw in spring which have now migrated.

When we got to The Dungeons we collected short branches from the woodland floor and placed them carefully, covering them with leaves to create a habitat pile. This will provide a winter home for many invertebrates.

Award Winners

2009-11-09T12:42:00.010Z

Four members of Wirral Wildlife's committee were honoured to be presented with Eric Thurston Awards at the recent Cheshire Wildlife Trust AGM at Burton Manor.

The award is given for their support of wildlife conservation and the work of the Trust.

Left to right:

John Somerville (North group), Linda Higginbottom, Ruth Dann, Paul Loughnane, Mike Maher

Apple Weekend

2009-10-08T12:00:00.009+01:00

Another successful Apple Weekend with our annual events at Brimstage Hall and Eastham Country Park.

Lots of tasty local apples to sample...

The return of the 'Longest Apple Peel' competition...

For more pictures see the slideshow on the events page of our website.

Elephant Hawk Moth

2009-10-06T11:38:00.004+01:00

After the success of our moth night, Fay Samuels has sent us some of her photographs of an Elephant Hawk Moth throughout its life cycle.

Caterpillar...

Chrysallis...

Beautiful moth...

National Moth Night - update

2009-10-03T11:18:00.008+01:00

David, our Events Organiser, has sent this species list following the moth night event.

Wirral Wildlife: Moth Night Event - Friday 18th September 2009 at Claremont Farm, Bebington (SJ325826)

Species List

Lamp on sheet

New Zealand apple moth E. postvittana - 11
Marbled Carpet C.truncata - 7
Satellite E. transversata - 1
Large Yellow Underwing N. pronuba - 13
Common Wainscot M. pallens - 8
Setaceous Hebrew Character A. c-nigrum (Xestia) - 9
Grey Pin Carpet T. obeliscata - 4
Centre-barred Sallow A. centrago - 1
Angle Shades P. meticulosa - 3

MV lamp

Blastobasis lignea - 2
Copper Underwing A. pyrimidea - 3
Flame Shoulder O. plecta - 1
Silver-Y A. gamma - 5
Smoky Wainscot M. impura - 1
Rosy Rustic H. micacea - 3
Shuttle-shaped Dart A. puta - 2
Red-green Carpet C. siterata - 2
Square-spot Rustic A.xanthographa (Xestia) - 3
Frosted Orange G. flavago - 1
*Oak nycteoline N. revayana - 1
Lesser Yellow Underwing N. comes - 3
N. fimbriata - 1

Peronea variegana/ Hedya nubiferana

Clepsis consimilana/ unifasciana Duponchel

A total of 24 species.

* New species to Alan Creaser and new to grid reference SJ38.

Events at Ness Gardens

2009-09-24T16:13:00.005+01:00

Andrew Lambie, co-ordinator of adult education at Ness Gardens has sent us information about courses and talks that might be of interest. Coming soon...

29th September

Autumn Fruit and Berries - Guided Walk

4th October

Talk from the Estate Manager at Dunham Massey

6th October

Gardening Club

7th October

Magnificent Trees - Guided Walk

The full list can be found on the 'Courses' page of the Ness Gardens website, along with booking details:

www.liv.ac.uk/nessgardens/events/courses.htm

National Moth Night

2009-09-21T14:57:00.008+01:00

On Friday night seventeen intrepid members joined Alan Creaser to trap moths as part of the National Moth Weekend. Around the country about 500 similar events were taking place. Alan told us that although there are now more species of moths being caught, the number of specimens of each has decreased.

Passers-by might have wondered what a circle of people gathered around a bright light and a white sheet were up to in the darkness of a field at Claremont Farm...

The species attracted to the lamp were:

Light Brown Apple Moth
Carpet Moth
Satellite Moth
Large Yellow Underwing
Common Wainscot
Setaceous Hebrew Character
Grey Pine Carpet Moth
Sallow
Tortrix

Here Alan Creaser and Ed Samuels, Wirral Wildlife's Recording Officer, are trying to identify one of their finds...

Irish Sea Advocacy Officer

2009-09-18T14:25:00.011+01:00

The three wildlife trusts of the North West have recently employed an Irish Sea Marine Advocacy Officer, Dr Kathryn Turner. Kathryn says "I have ten years experience as a marine biologist. I ran and am still, the Director of the Fylde Coast Marine Life Project. I have also been a freshwater biologist for the last 15 years and my PhD was on the impacts of invaders on wetland/aquatic systems in the UK. I have taught biology at university level, for children's and adults groups and have a great enthusiasm for our local North West species, who needs tigers when we have octopi and cuttlefish on our doorsteps!

The role of Irish Sea Advocacy Officer is three fold: Firstly to bring together local knowledge about the Irish Sea. This includes talking with our local sea users, making contacts with local authorities, NGO's and other interest groups, locals and businesses and sharing information about what we have and how it’s used.

Secondly, maximising the local wildlife trusts marine expertise and ability to protect marine species and habitats, this by making the best possible use of our current biodiversity work and legislation and by adding marine species to education, campaigning and local training.

Thirdly, as the Marine Bill progresses ensuring that our local highly diverse marine hotspots are highlighted and go forward as marine protected areas and gain the maximum protection possible from the Bill.

I look forward to meeting and working with as many local groups as possible and in providing better protection and knowledge of our fragile marine habitats and species."

Kathryn produces an 'Irish Sea Species of the Month' email which contains fascinating information on marine species. This month it's an echinoderm, the Sea Heart Urchin. Recently thousands have been washed up on Wirral and south Blackpool beaches. If you would like to receive these monthly updates, email Kathryn and ask to be put on her distribution list.

If you, or anyone you know, can help Kathryn in her role, please email her.

Hop, hop, hurray for volunteers

2009-09-09T09:38:00.015+01:00

by Paul Loughnane

In August the New Ferry Butterfly Park held its annual barbecue and boules match for park volunteers, Wirral Countryside Volunteers and friends of the park. We were very fortunate this year with good weather and a donation by local brewer Mike McGuigan from Betwixt Brewing Company of a cask of Skyline beer, which added to the conviviality of the barbecue. Mike set up a hand pump so that guests could enjoy having a have a chance to pull their own pint.

Mike took a keen interest in one of our butterfly projects, the growing of hops as a food plant for the comma butterfly larvae. Previous hops we planted back in 1998 turned out to be male plants, so no good for the brewer, but acceptable to the larvae of the comma butterfly. Recently we took some cuttings of female hop from a hedgerow in Wirral. There was no fruit on the vines this year, as they have not built up enough energy reserves to flower and fruit, however they did grow an impressive 1.8 metres.

In future the brewer could collect some of the hop fruits to make a small batch of harvest beer made from fresh hops rather than pelleted hops. This will not effect the butterflies as, at this stage of the season, the larvae will have left the hop plants and the adult butterflies will have emerged, busily feeding on nectar to sustain themselves through the winter hibernation.

The numbers of comma butterflies at the park continue to rise reflecting the national trend. The park has been mentioned in the Cheshire and Peak Butterfly Conservation annual report a number of times as it had a significant number of commas.

Comma butterflies suffered a tremendous decline in number and distribution in the 1910s being restricted to an area of garden hop yards in the Worcester area. It is thought the female butterflies lost their taste for hops but then developed a taste for a botanical relative of the hops, the ubiquitous stinging nettle. Since this change of preference of larval host plant the butterfly has made a great recovery.

We hope some butterflies can change their preference again and make use of hops as sometimes our nettle areas can be subsumed by bindweed. The hops give us some further habitat niches for the butterflies as the hops can climb up and beyond the reach of bindweed to sunnier aspects where they can be of benefit to egg-laying commas.

Year Number of Commas recorded
2003 20
2004 26
2005 29
2006 16
2007 38
2008 36
2009 44

Visit to Cleaver Heath

2009-08-29T11:40:00.015+01:00

The summer committee meeting is always held at one of the reserves and this year we visited Cleaver Heath in Heswall.

This lowland heath has a wonderful display of heather and western gorse...

... and fantastic views over the Dee Estuary to Wales.

In the 10 years since the reserve was purchased by Cheshire Wildlife Trust the site has been managed by removing birch trees which create shade and prevent heather growing...

In the cleared areas heather is regenerating to help maintain this lowland heath...

It takes many hours of work by Mike and his volunteers to keep the birch at bay. If you want to help maintain the biodiversity on this reserve you can join in the work days on the first Sunday of every month through the autumn and winter. The next one is September 6th so contact Mike via email if you are interested.

Mourning Gnats

2009-08-19T14:07:00.011+01:00

Click on the photo to see the gnats in all their glory.

On Monday, at our open air committee meeting at Cleaver Heath, we spotted several fungus gnats. John Gill, Wirral Wildlife's Treasurer, has been interested in these insects since first seeing them 5 years ago:

"Back in 2004 I first noticed these flies on Thurstaston Common when there were large numbers of them, all associated with the purple moor grass. I managed to get them positively identified as Sciara hemerobioides. This is a species of the group known as fungus gnats and doesn’t seem to have an accepted English name. The German name though translates as “mourning gnats” which I think is very appropriate with their black colouration.

2005 saw about one tenth of the numbers of mourning gnats at Thurstaston, and 2006 was even leaner with just a few individuals to be found (late July to early September seems to the period to find them, with August being the best time). 2007 saw an increase in numbers and 2008 was a big year again. I haven’t been to Thurstaston since the beginning of August yet so I don’t know how they are faring this year; but I found none in July.

Monday was the first time I have spotted mourning gnats anywhere other than Thurstaston Common, so finding about a dozen at Cleaver Heath was very good. As an update, this afternoon (Wednesday) I visited Heswall Dales and found another 11 mourning gnats on the purple moor grass there. Another first for me!"

Visit to Number 10

2009-08-05T11:40:00.006+01:00

Environmental activists left their waterproofs and wellies at home and dressed up for a unique opportunity last week. The Prime Minister held a reception at 10 Downing Street "to celebrate the contribution that people make every day in support of their local environmental wildlife projects and organisations". Hilary Ash, volunteer conservation officer in Wirral for over 20 years, represented Cheshire Wildlife Trust at the event, as one of over 40 people from the national Wildlife Trusts movement.

Hilary says, "While the Prime Minister moved through the throng shaking as many hands as possible, we were able to talk to other politicians present. In particular I was able to discuss improvements to the forthcoming Marine Bill with Hilary Benn, and measures to get action on global climate change with Ed Milliband. It was also an interesting opportunity to talk to like-minded people in other organisations, such as Sustrans and the Womens Institute".

Gordon Brown made a short speech thanking those present for their hard work over many years to protect our environment and wildlife, long before the current rise in interest. He said that thanks to his children the garden at Number 10 is being made more environment-friendly, with a vegetable plot and bird boxes. The reception was held in the garden of Number 10, and Hilary noted that the pond installed a few years ago by The Wildife Trusts is still flourishing, though a heron has eaten the goldfish! The event is a welcome sign of government appreciation of the environment, and of the work done by volunteers in protecting it for the benefit of everyone. Hilary adds, " For those of us who have been involved as long as I have, and remember lobbying when national government took little notice of the environment, it is a pleasure to be listened to at national level. But the job is not finished - we need to continue to talk to government to encourage real and fast action on global climate change, or all our efforts over decades will be wasted."

Memorial orchard

2009-07-24T10:52:00.004+01:00

On July 10th, Wirral Wildlife dedicated a new orchard in the walled garden, Central Park, Wallasey to A. Graham Harrison, a former chairman of the group.

Representatives from Wirral Wildlife group welcomed members of the Harrison family to this special occasion.

Watch group at Royden Park

2009-07-07T12:40:00.011+01:00

For our July meeting we had an interesting walk around Royden Park and discovered how to identify trees from their leaves and bark. Unlike last month it only rained for the last 15 minutes!

Matt explained how important dead trees are - this one had woodpeckers nesting in it in previous years.

Daniel is making a leafy picture - assisted by Sue.

Luke worked hard too and found somewhere handy to store his collection.

Some members had their Dad as an artistic advisor.

Thanks to Margaret for the photographs.

Bee Orchids at Butterfly Park

2009-06-23T18:06:00.014+01:00

News from Paul Loughnane...

New Ferry Butterfly Park has had record numbers of visitors this year. Through the seasons the grassland species change. Initially on the lime grassland there was a host of golden cowslips heralding spring. These have now given way to some more unusual plants.

These are bee orchids, rather strange plants that give the striking illusion of a bumble bee nectaring on a pink flower. These plants are essentially a Mediterranean type plant, however they are expanding northwards.

Charles Darwin noticed that insects rarely visited bee orchids. Who would want to muscle in on a bumble bee? So why did they evolve into these bee shape flowers? These plants use bee-like scents instead of nectar to attract a pollinating bee to visit the flowers. Unfortunately for the bee orchid this species of solitary bee does not exist in Britain. So after all this show of flower and frustratingly no visitation from a pollinator, they go for the self pollinating approach. These bee mimics flower for a short time and disappear by the end of June.

More information about the Butterfly Park and its opening times can be found on our website.

Sue's seagulls

2009-06-22T10:18:00.006+01:00

Here are some photos from Sue, one of our Watch helpers...

This year there are 2 herring gull families on the top of Mount Pleasant car park (near the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool). Not sure if they are the same parents as last year but there are 3 chicks in the same lamp as last year.

Another pair also chose the car park roof as home to bring up their family of 3 chicks. The nest is situated behind 2 large bales of cable and the parents make sure the chicks are behind these when anyone comes close. Therefore, it's not easy to catch them all on camera but I thought you might be interested to see the photos.

Watch group - Pond Dipping

2009-06-22T10:08:00.008+01:00

We had a very wet, but still enjoyable, pond dipping experience for the June WATCH meeting.

Thanks to Sue and Margaret for the photos.

Visit to Raby House Farm, Willaston

2009-06-09T12:57:00.009+01:00

On Friday evening we enjoyed a guided tour of Raby House Farm in Willaston, farmed organically by David Tedstone.

David is applying for Higher Level Stewardship, a Natural England scheme to provide funding for farmers who manage their land to deliver environmental benefits.

This is one of two barn owl boxes installed by Wirral Barn Owl Trust.

One of the ponds had two families of Canada geese, seen here guarding their chicks from us.

This is one of several wild flower meadows that impressed us. They provide a fine hunting ground for the barn owls.

Wirral Countryside Volunteers

2009-05-08T14:56:00.007+01:00

Wirral Countryside Volunteers take part in practical conservation work on sites across the Wirral, including Thornton Wood and New Ferry Butterfly Park, two of Wirral Wildlife's reserves.

They recently won the Unilever Dragonfly Award for their activites and were presented with a trophy. The photograph shows Paul Loughnane, WCV Secretary, being handed the award in Thornton Wood...

Anyone interested in joining the group can find a list of forthcoming events on their website.