Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom

The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom are hosting their annual garden party on 25th June from 12 to 4 p.m.

It will be held at Dane Cottage, 11 Ethelbert Lane, Meols.

There will be entertainment by local artists, stalls and a raffle.

Entrance is £2.50, which includes drinks and cakes.

For more information see www.hoylakeinbloom.co.uk

30 Days Wild

Make room for nature this June - no matter where you are or how busy your life! When you sign up to the challenge, you will receive a pack full of ideas, encouragement and Random Acts of Wildness. You’ll also get a wallchart to track your progress, a wild badge, and regular blasts of inspiration throughout June to help you make nature part of your life. 

What is a Random Act of Wildness?

A Random Act of Wildness is anything that you can do in an average working day to bring a little nature into your life. They can take a few seconds, a few minutes, or if you lose yourself completely, a few hours!

There are 101 ideas on the website www.mywildlife.org.uk/30dayswild - but you can make up your own, too!

Are you ready to take the challenge?

Butterfly Park Warden Opportunities

Brimstone butterfly, one of the species
found at New Ferry Butterfly Park.
Photo: Sharp Photography, Wikipedia

Have you visited New Ferry Butterfly Park? If so, you will realise what a special place it is. 

We open every Sunday afternoon between May and mid-September from 12 to  4 p.m. This depends on the volunteer wardens who go for two hours, either 12 to 2 p.m. or 2 to 4 p.m. Would you like to join us and expand our team? If so, please email or phone Linda on 0151 342 1395 for more information.

If you are interested in helping, you would be able spend some time at the Butterfly Park with two of the regular wardens to see what we do.

If you haven’t visited us yet, please do come along and discover our hidden oasis.

Bluebells Galore!

Bluebells Galore! - a guided walk through Dibbinsdale - certainly lived up to our hopeful title.

The bluebells were out in their thousands, and we were lucky enough to catch the later flowers on celandines and wood anemone, plus wood sorrel, golden saxifrage, hairy woodrush, barren strawberry and even an early pignut. A splendid display which amply showed why Dibbinsdale is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserve.

Forty people turned up for the walk, in excellent weather. In the picture, Pete Miller is welcoming the crowd at Bromborough Rake station and introducing the walk - not actually preaching in Biblical fashion as it appears.

Four Very Large Whites

Phil Gilchrist unveiling the cycle stands
at New Ferry Butterfly Park Open Day

With a 1560mm wing span, more than 25 times the wingspan of the commonly seen Large White butterflies, these butterflies are surely unique. They are the new installation, publically unveiled by Phil Gilchrist, chair of Wirral Active Transport Forum, to celebrate the start of the new season at the New Ferry Butterfly Park. Phil is a well-known local cyclist, long time environmentalist with a proven track record and constant supporter of the park. As Mayor of Wirral he unveiled the brown tourist sign locating the park in 2008 when we had only 250 visitors a year. The park receives ten times that number of visitors now. Appropriately Phil arrived by bicycle. As you may remember from a previous blog the butterfly themed cycle stand was sponsored by a bequest from the family of Francis Dorothy Murphy, a regular visitor with her family for over a decade.

Phil Gilchrist revealing the Butterfly Park signpost in 2008

Although it was a wet and cold day we still had just over 300 visitors who enjoyed the environmentally themed stalls. This year for the first time, courtesy of David Ellwand & co from Wirral Tree Wardens, we had Maypole dancing which was readily participated in.

The wildflowers were out, with an extensive host of cowslip flowers, an increased number of primroses, red campions and bluebells. The park looks a lot more open following an intensive winter work season. Thanks to all those involved in both the Open Day and throughout the winter season preparations.

Although we have cleared the road a little further for car parking, with increasing visitors it would be encouraging to see to see the bicycles nestling among these very large whites.

Help John Walk 195 Miles

Wirral Wildlife is always looking for ways to raise funds to help with wildlife conservation. The Group’s treasurer, John R Gill, has been taking part in the annual Wirral Coastal Walk and getting sponsorship from friends and contacts. He will be participating once again on June 12th 2016. This will be the 13th year that he has completed the walk and will bring his sponsored mileage up to 195 miles. 

Over the previous 12 walks he has raised £2,175, on top of which most of the donations were boosted by means of Gift Aid. John would be extremely grateful to you if you decided to sponsor him this year.

If you are able to help please contact John by email.