Wirral Wildlife Committee Visit the Hatchmere Beavers

Visit to Hatchmere, hoping for a beaver sighting

The Wirral Wildlife committee, and some of their family members, recently paid a visit to the beavers at Hatchmere Nature Reserve (near Delamere Forest), led by Martin Varley, Director of Nature's Recovery at Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

The beaver habitat at Hatchmere

Martin's determination and successful fundraising have been vital to bringing the beaver back to Cheshire. 

The party were rewarded with several sighting of an adult, along with plentiful signs of their activities, including the dam they have built, which is about a metre high.

A gnawed and felled tree, an obvious sign of beavers at work

Stephen Ross, Wirral Wildlife Chairman, reported “We spent over two hours walking in the 10 acre beaver enclosure. It was remarkable. They swam around in sight and we looked at their dam which has transformed a small pond and stream into a substantial lake. Fascinating to see their choice of site and line of construction which seemed to suggest that they were aware of how to get the depth they required across the site. Difficult to assess the length but at least 20 metres. Incredible how much stuff including branches that two animals can move in such a short time. Wildfowl were present on the lake and because of the fencing are probably safe from foxes. Martin Varley was most informative and generous with his time. We are all most grateful to him”.

Richard Ash recorded a short video of a swimming beaver. You can view it below or on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYvFMjaecMI