The visitor season at New Ferry Butterfly Park got off to a good start with this year’s open day attracting 350 guests. There were the usual favourites; trying your luck at the tombola, wildlife related sales, face painting, delicious homemade cakes and the smell of a summer BBQ! Additional attractions this year included an extensive plant sale, an eye spy game by Eric from Record and 'make a dragonfly on a stick' activity by Jan Shone from Cheshire Wildlife Trust. All went down a treat with visitors.
Friends of Dibbinsdale had a display on mammal trapping and surveys. A host of 500 yellow flowering cowslips heralded the open season and several species of butterfly were in flight including our first small copper butterfly of the season who landed on the wildlife sales store. This year we centred some stalls on the caravan based visitor centre, which was great as it attracted visitors up the road and left some space in the event field for visitors to sit and relax, thereby alleviating trampling pressure from pond side grassland. The pond side grassland is used by orange tip and green veined white butterflies. These species prefer these damper areas; most of the site being former railway land is free draining and dry.
The open day raised the profile of the park and increased awareness of the Comma Project shop. Approximately £650 was raised to run the park and its many projects. Thanks to the thirty or so volunteers who took part in making this event happen.
Do
come and visit the park. We are open every Sunday afternoon from 12 until 4 p.m. between now and September. Speak to the voluntary warden and they will
point out what exciting wildlife to look out for on your visit.
