Brimstones Breeding at Butterfly Park

Brimstone caterpillar camouflaged while feeding on Alder Buckthorn
at New Ferry Butterfly Park

Some great and encouraging news...

I have spotted Brimstone caterpillars of various sizes feeding on alder buckthorn, four of them on the alder buckthorn bank, just south of the calcareous meadow. There is another single caterpillar on the isolated alder buckthorn shrub at the end of the ditch at the upper level behind the garden, almost at the Brick Pit Coppice. Just look for leaf damage which can be considerable as the caterpillars will grow up to 3 cm long and at that stage will eat whole leaves. I am sure there are more to spot.

See the photograph above of a brimstone caterpillar at the park in the classic mid-rib position on the leaf. When at rest, the larva has a curious habit of lifting the front half of its body off the leaf. Already, 20 Brimstone Imagoes have been counted this spring, the most ever recorded at the park. The alder buckthorns were planted over a decade ago by 4th Bebington Scouts, St John’s New Ferry, so we have waited a long time for this.

It is great news for New Ferry Butterfly Park, as the adult male butterflies being bright yellow are highly conspicuous, being the longest lived British butterfly they have a long flight period, so there is a relatively good chance for visitors to the park to encounter them flying by at some speed, adding greatly to their experience.

This is the first time that we have been able to confirm that they are breeding at New Ferry Butterfly Park. Barry Shaw, Cheshire County Butterfly Recorder for the Cheshire and Peak branch of Butterfly Conservation said “Whilst I suspect that not too many contributors actually look for the early stages of Cheshire butterflies I have checked data going back to the year 2000 and this would seem to be the first confirmed breeding on the Wirral”.

Some of the smaller instars, may be big enough in a fortnight so that they can be stars of the show on the Insect Day guided walk on Sunday 29th June at 2 p.m.

So this is an interesting find for wardens to share with visitors. This is a first breeding record for the park and a first breeding record for Wirral.

Paul Loughnane

Talk - Wildlife on your Doorstep

Burton Manor Gardens are hosting an evening talk entitled "Wildlife on your Doorstep".

It takes place on Wednesday 25th June at 7.30 p.m. at Burton Manor.

The cost is £7.50 for Friends of Burton Manor Gardens and £10 for non-Friends. This includes tea, soft drink and buffet supper.

Colin Wells and Lynne Greenstreet will talk about the wildlife that can be seen through the seasons at RSPB’s Burton Mere Wetlands Reserve.

For more information, please see this link: 

http://www.burtonmanorgardens.org.uk/wildlife-on-your-doorstep/

To book, phone Neil Johnstone on 0151 336 7332 or send an email

Payment can be made on the night.

Gowy Meadows walk

Sunday 15th June

Gowy Meadows Walk

10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Gowy Meadows has an excellent variety of wildflowers and attracts several species of summer visiting birds. We’ll explore the mix of wildflowers grassland, wetlands, hedgerow and river bank habitats across the Cheshire Wildlife Trust largest nature reserve, on the lookout for raptors, warblers and newly fledged summer migrants.

After a wet spell it can be very muddy and boggy in places, so if there has been rain please wear suitable footwear.

Meet at Thornton Green Lane, CH2 4JH. Directions and map on the CWT website:

www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves/gowy-meadows

To book a place telephone Linda on 0151 342 1395.

Natterjacks at Red Rocks

The new scrapes at the CWT Red Rocks nature reserve have been a success. Male natterjack toads were heard calling and spawning took place. You can listen to a recording of their calls from April this year: http://picosong.com/CfXh/

The pools now contain lots of tadpoles which hopefully will metamorphose and increase the population of toads.

For more information about the work being carried out by CWT, including an update on habitat management, see the news section on their website: New Home For Natterjacks

Cheshire Wildlife Trust events on Wirral in May

A shelduck. Photo: Wikipedia

Wednesday 14th May

12 noon

Sunset at Sheldrakes

Enjoy this late spring guided walk along the Dee estuary with the Wirral Rangers and Cheshire Wildlife Trust to discover seashore and clifftop wildlife as migration is in full flow. We will be returning along the flower-rich meadows of Heswall Fields and the Wirral Way to a mediterranean-style tapas taster at Sheldrakes Restaurant as the sun sets over the estuary.

Children to be accompanied by an adult please and remember stout footwear.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Location: Sheldrakes Restaurant, Lower Heswall. Map.

Cost: £8 (including walk and tapas).

Contact: 0151 342 1556 or email Sheldrakes Restaurant

More information on the Cheshire Wildlife Trust website.

Sunday 18th May

12 noon

Sheldrakes Sunday Carvery

Enjoy this late spring guided walk along the Dee estuary with the Wirral Rangers and Cheshire Wildlife Trust to discover seashore and clifftop wildlife as migration is in full flow. We will be returning along the flower-rich meadows of Heswall Fields and the Wirral Way to a delicious Sunday Carvery at Sheldrakes Restaurant as the sun sets over the estuary.

Children to be accompanied by an adult please and remember stout footwear.

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

Location: Sheldrakes Restaurant, Lower Heswall. Map.

Cost: £10 (including walk and carvery).

Contact: 0151 342 1556 or email Sheldrakes Restaurant

More information on the Cheshire Wildlife Trust website.

Saturday 18th May

Sunset Walk to Hilbre

Join the Friends of Hilbre, Wirral Coastal Rangers and staff from the Cheshire Wildlife Trust and RSPB on this guided walk to Hilbre Islands. Seals, seabirds, rockpool wildlife and migratory birds are all possible at this popular nature hotspot. The trip involves walking across wet sand and rocks, approximately a mile each way.

Location: Meet in West Kirby

Cost: Free. BOOKING ESSENTIAL.

Contact: 0151 648 4371 or email

Carol's Reflections on the Butterfly Park Open Day

Peacock butterfly seen at the Open Day. Photo: John Gill

Well, wow what a really lovely day we've just had.

Now that it's over we're actually quite sad. 

Many thanks to the Mayor and also to the Dame, 

to the stall holders and everybody else who came.

A few butterflies were spotted as the weather stayed nice,

and ladybirds and shield bugs as well as woodlice.

People loved pedalling the smoothie bike

and the Barbecue was another big like. 

Green flag rose high, seen by visitors and passers by;

but the newts are now tired; we cannot lie. 

The day is over, the volunteers are all spent, yet we're all 

delighted with how well it went.


For a slide show of pictures from the Open Day, please visit the events page on our website:
www.wirralwildlife.org.uk/events.html

Wirral Coastal Walk

This is a plea for sponsorship for our treasurer, John Gill, who is going to take part in the Wirral Coastal Walk once again this year to raise money for Wirral Wildlife (the Wirral Group of Cheshire Wildlife Trust). 

The walk takes place on Sunday 11 May 2014.  It is a total of 15 miles starting at Seacombe Ferry and finishing at Thurstaston Country Park Visitor Centre.

If you would be willing to sponsor John’s walk please send him an email stating your name, first line of your address, postcode, the amount of money you pledge to give, and (if you are a UK taxpayer) whether you are willing to Gift Aid* your donation.

* If you ask for the money to be Gift Aided this means that you want the charity (Cheshire Wildlife Trust) to reclaim tax on the donation. You must have paid, or will pay, an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the Charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs that you donate to will reclaim on your gifts for that tax year. Cheshire Wildlife Trust will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that you give.