Howard Gibson: a Tribute

Howard's smile when given his retirement present after he stepped down as Butterfly Park Treasurer in 2021

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Howard Gibson, the treasurer of New Ferry Butterfly Park for 22 years and chief lawnmower operative for 26 years.

When Howard retired from being a bank branch manager, he wanted to use his banking skills to serve the local community. He first started at Merseyside Improve Housing Association Tenant Participation group, where he met Mel Roberts, the visionary founder of the Park. Mel soon recruited Howard into the Park’s team, with Howard becoming the Park’s treasurer in 1998, taking over from the first treasurer Vi Otter.

The Treasurer’s role started on a small scale but developed into a much more involved role, reflecting the considerable development and increased activities taking place at the Park. It is a busy job in the summer, sorting out weekly collections put in the donation tin and distinguishing between donations: general, wood chip, soil improver, or group visits. These were accurately and clearly presented in the annual accounts. The accounts give the committee a clear picture of the financial resources and how each income stream has contributed over the year. Howard’s accounts were used to demonstrate the Park is a business - we sell wood chip. This was a crucial point raised in court in 2009 when protecting the Park’s business tenancy. Howard became an expert in VAT and claimed a 20% refund on our disabled accessible composting toilet via Cheshire Wildlife Trust. This refund helped with funding the required surrounding ground works.

The busiest day of the year for the treasurer is the Opening Day, when around 1,000 visitors are entertained. It can be complicated, with cash floats required for several stalls and refreshments, along with the purchase of materials, some items being purchased on the day as the opening day progresses. On the following day, whilst volunteers are all recovering, Howard quickly presented the accounts for the Opening Day, as a thank you to all the volunteers who had contributed to the success of the opening day and sharing their part in fundraising endeavours.

Howard also became expert in handling grants and reporting clearly on how they had been spent. Anything from a few hundred for the artwork which graces our pondside container, to several thousand for the toilet.

The most complicated and involved financial project handled by Howard, and one which cost the most at £17,000, was the Comma Project in 2012, during which a shop in New Ferry Precinct was rented for six months. Each month there was a different artist and a private viewing party at the end of the artist’s residency. It was a challenge to collect all the receipts: “No receipt, no payment” was Howard’s mantra and quite right too. There were rent, gas, electric and water bills along with decorating bills, artistic materials, and artist’s payment at the end of their residencies. When Howard stood down as treasurer in 2021, he was presented with a framed picture, a caricature of himself drawn by the park’s artist in residence, Carol Ramsay. He was delighted by it as evident in the photograph above.

Caricature of Howard, drawn by Carol Ramsay

Along with his banking skills, Howard brought many practical skills and joined in with the weekly Tuesday workdays with Dave the boat, Dave Holms, Mel Roberts and Ian Jones, as well as the twice monthly Sunday workdays during the fledgling years of the Park. Howard also installed, fixed and painted much of the park’s furniture and carried out many successful infrastructure projects at the Park: the BBQ stand, the much-used bench by the container, designing compost bins and, best of all, adding a sloping roof to the metal container, keeping it dry and harvesting rainwater. We are still finding new volunteers for the things that Howard used to quietly do annually, such as treating handrails and posts with preservative, which he did up to 2024. He mowed our paths throughout the growing season for 26 years, from 1998 to 2024. At the 2025 Opening Day, Justin Madders MP presented Howard with a gift token as a small appreciation of all that work.

Howard and Peter preparing the hole for the industrial history display board at the brick pit

Howard bravely took on intruders in the Park, removing an air rifle from a gang of youths trespassing in the Park. In 2011 as part of a survey of volunteers’ hours for Cheshire Wildlife Trust, it was realised that Howard was giving 140 mid-week hours per year plus seven Sundays, amounting to 20% of the total volunteer input at the Park that year, very impressive.

Howard has always been a quiet strength of the Park, and this was recognised and celebratedby Cheshire Wildlife Trust, who awarded Howard the Eric Thurston Award in 2015.

Howard receiving the Eric Thurston Award

Howard’s twin daughters Dawn and Fiona carried out their Duke of Edinburgh community service at the Park, and his wife Enid came to the opening days with the wider family. Enid was able to join us at celebratory events such as the Liverpool Echo Environment Award for Community Impact 2019.

Echo Environmental Awards Community 2019

The Green Flag at the Park has been flying at half-mast in tribute to him and at the recent group meeting we held a minute silence to reflect on Howard’s contribution to the Park and his fellowship over the years.

Howard has left a legacy through his financial acuity and hands-on involvement with the much-loved community asset of New Ferry Butterfly Park. As many have said, he was such a kind and peaceful man, with an extraordinarily strong work ethic. We were incredibly lucky to have him as a volunteer for all those years.

Howard at the entrance gates to the Butterfly Park, ready to great visitors

Cleaver Heath - Mushrooms from the Ashes

Toodstools growing in the burnt area at Cleaver Heath

Less than two months after the summer fire at Cleaver Heath in August last year, mushrooms appeared growing directly within the burnt ground. During the period between October and early December they gradually spread across most of the burnt surfaces and by mid-December they had all disappeared.

Taking into account this particular habitat and their distinguishing features, they are likely to be Rooting Bonnet (Mycena megaspora) mushrooms. The preferred habitat for this uncommon species is burnt heathland (also Sphagnum bogs) and they are described as having dark, ridged, conical caps, each with a prominent central 'swelling'. They also have stems which penetrate deep into the growing surface, hence the term 'rooting'.

This species appears to fit within the definition of so-called pyrophilic or 'fire-loving' fungi, i.e. fungi that are either associated with fire or found within post-fire environments. Are the spores dormant within the ground and then triggered to germinate by the fire heat? These fungi were certainly not recorded within these areas at Cleaver before the fire.

Definitely a need for further research I think!

John McGaw
Voluntary Warden Cleaver Heath

A Sunny Sunday Afternoon at the Butterfly Park

The sunshine on Sunday February 22nd inspired amazing photographer Roy Lowry to make his first trip of the year to New Ferry Butterfly Park. Throughout most the year he makes weekly visits to record on camera any animals and plants that he sees. This creates a wonderful visual record for the Butterfly Park and is a source of lots of Facebook posts.

Roy reported “Despite the sunshine, there wasn’t much activity. Sadly, the big surprise of the day - a male brimstone - avoided my lens, flying around for five minutes before vanishing into the gardens”.

However, he did manage to photograph some insects and flowers.

A very dopey tree bumblebee trying to warm up

A common wasp queen,

also feeling the chill and trying to get warm in the sunshine

7-spot ladybirds.
These were everywhere with no other ladybird species in sight.

A bluebottle

Winter heliotrope

Common field-speedwell

Common field-speedwell and winter heliotrope made up about 75% of the available nectar sources in the park. There were very few primroses, no celandines and the marsh marigolds were way off flowering.

We're sure that warmer weather will provide more subjects for Roy to aim his camera at.

Check our Facebook page for updates.

Helping Hands for Wild Flowers at the Butterfly Park

If you have been to New Ferry Butterfly Park, you may remember the bramble-dominated patch opposite to Mel’s Garden. Like the picture shown below, two suffocating species, ivy and brambles, operate like ground and air forces driving all other species to the edge. However, can you imagine that the exact area was once grassland some 20 years ago? While brambles are important to wildlife and there are plenty of them in the Park, flower-rich grassland provides an equally important but different wildlife habitat.

Ivy and brambles opposite Mel's Garden at the Butterfly Park

The work was started by Brian Burden from Wirral Countryside Volunteers and his helpers last autumn. We seized the opportunity and were carried away to transform this patch of ground back to its original shape. The tasks involve removing the prickly and scrambling brambles together with their roots and (as much as possible) the ivy crawling on the ground surface. While doing these tasks, some redcurrant bushes were revealed, the remnant of an allotment site many years ago!

Now the area looks so different, more open and fresher. Some dormant wildflower seeds in the soil will germinate soon. More wildflower seeds were added to the soil and more seeds to follow! Wildflower plug plants gifted by Cheshire Wildlife Trust were already in the ground last autumn, thanks to the helping hands of students from Liverpool John Moores University and refugees residing in Hoylake. 

A dead hedge at the edge of the garden area

In the picture above you may just make out a dry / dead hedge on the left, adding some style and decoration, as well as a demarcation “advising” the brambles and ivy where to stop!

Like managing any other wildlife habitats, there will be plenty of maintenance work to do in the years to come. However, the efforts will be hugely rewarded by watching the butterflies and other animals attracted to and making good use of the area! 

Yan and Charles, Butterfly Park volunteers

Autumn/Winter 2025 Prize Quiz: Winner and Answers

Fingal's Cave, the answer to clue 26. Photo. luxpim, Flickr

Very many thanks to everyone who entered our Scotland-themed quiz and attempted to crack John's cryptic clues. Your support is very much appreciated.

Thank you also for the money sent to Wirral Wildliife for the entry fees, and we are especially grateful for the donations we received.

We received a total of 132 entries, of which 38 were all correct. We had a random draw to select the winner, who is M Twaits of Northwich.

Here are the answers to the clues:

1. Think seriously of oak-apple with nil route for this headland. (4, 2, 8). Mull of Galloway.

2. Inlet with place to shop for a hairpiece, before another year starts. (7, 3). Wigtown Bay.

3. Water for Mr Gosling or Mr Reynolds? (4, 4). Loch Ryan.

4. Originally a naked nurse, a naked doctor, and little else in this valley. (9). Annandale.

5. Water body named after Barbie’s friend? (4, 3). Loch Ken.

6. Get roll-on mixed up here. (4, 5). Glen Trool.

7. Marry Eli Gates and see this waterfall. (4, 5, 4). Grey Mare’s Tail.

8. “I wish you were whisky.” (11, 4). Campbeltown Loch.

9. Need help to mend a puncture?  You’ll find it if you look in “Tyre Repairs” on the peninsula. (7). Kintyre.

10. Capra hircus lost its footing on this mountain. (4, 4). Goat Fell.

11. Poor Clifford, they drowned him in this. (5, 2, 5). Firth of Clyde.

12. Did Baldrick get wet in this? (10, 5). Blackadder Water.

13. Prof Jap, USA, is a “Corbett” and two “Grahams”! (4, 2, 4). Paps of Jura.

14. He’s bats, bad. Should be transformed on this promontory. (2, 4, 4). St Abbs Head.

15. Climb onto Mr Scargill’s Spanish car. (7, 4). Arthur’s Seat.

16. But German Frau (English) initially boasted about youthfulness of this local nature reserve. (8, 3). Aberlady Bay.

17. This stream just missed out on the medals, we hear. (5, 5). River Forth.

18. A mountain, or a fruit dessert with a rich cake-like crust. (3, 7). The Cobbler.

19. Two men or another name for 18. (3, 6). Ben Arthur.

20. Cook Nelly’s offal at this beauty spot. (5, 2, 4). Falls of Leny.

21. Water supply from hole in track? (4, 7). Loch Katrine.

22. A chemist could make a point using two halogens, iron, an inert gas and two helpings of sulphur. (4, 4). Fife Ness.

23. Staple food for Hertfordshire saint, first of English in this region. (11). Breadalbane.

24. Turbulent ivy terra flower. (5, 3). River Tay.

25. Love our Caledonian hills initially and get paid a salary. (4, 4). Loch Earn.

26. Felix wrote a concert overture about this one. (7, 4). Fingal’s Cave.

27. A valley for nuts? (4, 6). Glen Almond.

28. Faith forty displayed. (5, 2, 3). Firth of Tay.

29. Metric weight and Greek letter have a curtailed reply for these mountains. (9). Grampians.

30. Connor Horam lost his way in this boggy upland area. (7, 4). Rannoch Moor.

31. Sebastian’s valley. (4, 3). Glen Coe.

32. Initially, a Russian driver nearly always muddles up roads, coming home after nightfall. (12). Ardnamurchan.

33. Little Benjamin from St. Kitts? (3, 5). Ben Nevis.

34. A magnifying lens, he exclaimed, is needed to see this valley. (4, 4). Glen Shee.

35. There must be a type of smoked haddock in this valley. (4, 6). Glen Finnan.

36. The home of Morag, Nessie’s cousin? (4, 5). Loch Morar.

37. That fiend, Noel, spoiled this gorge. (4, 2, 3). Linn of Dee.

38. Kemi. (8). Badenoch.

39. On the mountain, instruction to terrier: “Take yourself to the small room”. (5, 4). Cairn Gorm.

40. It sounds as though the temperature is droppin’ in these peaks. (3, 8). The Cuillins.

41. Information left inside, easily broken in this valley. (4, 7). Glen Brittle.

42. A Swiss capital next to your woodland. (9, 6). Abernethy Forest.

43. Monstrous water body! (4, 4). Loch Ness.

44. A Scottish country dance. (10). Strathspey.

45. The name of this lengthy feature sounds like a description of Miller, the magnificent band leader. (3, 5, 4). The Great Glen.

46. This area lacks bile, surprisingly. (5, 4). Black Isle.

47. Little Rowan Martyn embraced by King George VI actor north of 46. (8, 5). Cromarty Firth.

48. Wolf runs backwards in this part of the world. (3, 4, 7). The Flow Country.

49. Superhero’s sleeveless garment incurring divine retribution in extremity. (4, 5). Cape Wrath.

50. One of the Small Isles the French initially found listed under Glasgow’s green areas. (6, 6). Muckle Flugga.

Here are some notes of the ones that seemed to cause the most difficulty

1. MULL OF GALLOWAY – To Mull is to think seriously. An oak apple is a Gall.

8. CAMPBELTOWN LOCH – Almost everyone correctly identified the song (apologies if you found it to be a bit of an earworm!) but a lot of answers spelled Campbeltown incorrectly. There were 9 different wrong spellings! And 9 people scored 49 out of 50 because they got this spelling wrong.

9. KINTYRE – “… look in “Tyre” repairs …”

10. GOAT FELL – This is the highest peak on Arran.

11. FIRTH OF CLYDE – A few people missed the anagram in the clue: “Clifford, they”.

12. BLACKADDER WATER – We did not accept “Blackadder River” or “Whiteadder Water”.

13. PAPS OF JURA – These are a set of three breast-shaped mountains on Jura. A “Corbett” is a Scottish mountain between 2,500 and 3,000 feet high; a “Graham” is a Scottish hill between 600 metres and 762 metres (2,500 feet).

14. ST ABBS HEAD – Some people put St Bees Head, but that is in England.

17. RIVER FORTH – We also accepted “Forth River”.

18. THE COBBLER – We did not accept “Ben Cobbler”, which is not a fruit dessert, nor is it the usual name of the mountain.

23. BREAD ALBAN E – Staple food … Hertfordshire saint … first of English.

29. GRAMPIANS – We did not accept “Grampian” as it doesn’t fit the letter count.

34. GLEN SHEE – The answer is hidden in the clue: “… magnifying lens, he exclaimed …”.

39. CAIRN GORM – Cairn … go … rm.

42. A BERNE THY FOREST – A … Swiss capital … your … woodland. BERNE, the French name, used to be the standard English spelling for the capital of Switzerland, although nowadays the German spelling, BERN, seems to be preferred. As Switzerland uses both these languages, either spelling is acceptable.

47. CROMARTY FIRTH – Ro … Marty … C. Firth.

50. MUCKLE FLUGGA – The Small Isles is the name given to the group of Inner Hebrides islands south of Skye and north of Mull. They include Canna, Rum, Eigg, and Muck. It is Muck we want here. Flugga is formed from the initial letters of the words in the clue.

Cleaver Heath 2025 - An Eventful Year

Two significant events occurred at Cleaver Heath during 2025 that largely determined the nature of the work carried out by the volunteers during the year. Firstly the contractor led heathland restoration project which was part-funded by a very generous grant from Woodchurch High School and which was carried out in February and secondly, the fire which severely damaged the main heather panels during August.

For the restoration project, an area approximately 0.25 hectare in size within the southern part of the reserve that had been covered in bracken and gorse with some birch and very little heather present, was cleared of vegetation to ground level by specialized contractors. After this initial scrape, the plan was for the volunteers to clear regenerating scrub, monitor any existing heather regrowth and spread heather seed collected from other areas of the reserve over the site later in the year to encourage new heather growth.

Contractors working on site at Cleaver Heath

More machinery to help clear the ground for heather regeneration

Although the contractor scraping had removed a significant amount of bracken rhizome, much still remained deeper in the soil and initial volunteer work during March involved digging out and removing as much of the dense underground rhizome network as possible.

Volunteers clearing bracken rhizome

Bracken rhizome

During April and May, sprouting gorse stumps and the first young unfurling bracken fronds from the remaining rhizomes were removed. Further clearance work continued monthly throughout the summer dealing with even more bracken pulling and rosebay willow herb, birch, oak, bramble and fresh gorse seedling removal. A few pioneer stage heather plants were observed.

Removal of gorse stumps using tree-poppers

Uprooted gorse seedlings

In October, seed-containing heather shoots were harvested from other areas of the reserve and spread across the cleared restoration site. Germination and growth of the new heather will be monitored while continuing to keep the site clear of unwanted scrub regrowth.

Fresh heather shoots spread over the restoration area

Heather seeds

The second main but very much unwanted event of the year occurred during August when after many weeks of hot dry weather, significant areas of the heath were severely damaged by fire.

Fire damage at Cleaver Heath

An extensive area of heather was burnt

Remarkably within a couple of months, fresh regrowth of vegetation was apparent across the blackened surfaces. Initially purple moor grass tussocks sprouted followed by other grasses, rosebay willow herb, extensive coverage of germinating gorse seedlings and some bracken.

Regrowth of grasses along edge of footpath

Rosebay Willowherb regrowth

Volunteers are working to control this regrowth to prevent the return of excessive amounts of scrub and invasive species and allow for the hopeful germination of existing heather seed and the growth of underground heather shoots already in the soil They are also cutting down and removing large blackened gorse bushes especially within the lower slopes of the reserve.

Volunteers scraping out surface regrowth

Blackened gorse

One undesirable effect of the fire was to totally remove a significant area of the surface vegetation within the lower heathland slopes thus allowing easy access to this previously inaccessible area for visitors and their dogs. In order to limit this access we have constructed a dead hedge along the edge of the main public footpath which together with some appropriate signage will explain to members of the public why it is important to keep off the burnt areas to encourage the natural recovery of important plants and animals.

Thanks are due to both the Wirral Wildlife and Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers who together with Graham Borden-Long, Living Landscape Officer at CWT, have worked hard throughout the year to progress the restoration project and deal with the aftermath of the fire.

John McGaw
Volunteer Reserve Warden Cleaver Heath

Fungal Safari at Hoylake Willows

Earlier this month a Wirral Wildlife member got in touch with us to ask for help identifying the fungus she had photographed on a willow log at Hoylake Willows, near Manor Road station.

What fungus is this?

We sent the query to fungus expert John Ratcliffe who said it was probably Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor) but he would need to have a closer look to be sure. He set off for Hoylake Willows the following day and found the log where the fungus was growing. John was able to confirm his identification of Turkeytail.

Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor)

Not one to miss a chance for some mycological exploration, he had a look around the site and spotted all these other fungi too!

Willow Barkspot (Diatrype bullata)

Common Jellyspot (Dacrymyces stillatus)

Crystal Brain (Exidia nucleata)

Netted Crust Byssomerulius corium

Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha austriaca

Amber Jelly Exidia recisa

Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta

Yellow Brain Tremella mesenterica

Poplar Bells Schizophyllum amplum

The underside of Poplar Bells Schizophyllum amplum

White Brain Exidia thuretiana

Blueing Bracket Postia subcaesia

Scurfy Twiglet Tubaria furfuracea

Oysterlings Crepidotus sp.
These need microscopy to get to species level
but John's microscope was away being serviced!

Many thanks to John for sharing his knowledge and going above and beyond in not only providing the answer to the initial question but going on a fungal safari and sending us these wonderful photos!