Big Lunch at New Ferry Butterfly Park

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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.