The Rainford mosslands, St. Helens (1 Viewer)

[ColinD]

Hello Colin,
Congratulations on your very informative report. It sounds like a great birding area.
I have a couple of questions.
Firstly, is the area privately owned; you mention gamekeepers?
Is the property used for shooting game species?
And lastly, the more important one, I'd like to know exactly what is meant by "Rainforest Mossland"?
...........................QUOTE]

Hello Nancy,
Rainford Mosslands NOT Rainforest mosslands! Raindford is a village to the north of St .Helens. Unfortunately, not even I would claim that there is a rainforest in St. Helens!

St. Helens is right on the southern edge of an area known as the Lancashire mosslands. This is a large area, stretching from Fleetwood in the north to Liverpool / St. Helens in the south.

It is a very flat area of drained peatland and is a very good area for farming. The most famous birding sites are Plex Moss, just inland of Southport and Martin Mere.

Typical birds are huge numbers of wildfowl, especially geese, and good numbers of raptors.

Red Squirrels are certainly increasing in St. Helens. I've spoken to farmers and gamekeepers who have lived in the area for 30 years or more, and they've never seen Reds so frequently. Over the past 3 years they've been seen at many sites where they had never been seen previously.

The land is private and heavily keepered for game, but there are many public footpaths.

Colin

 

[Nancy]

Rainford Mosslands NOT Rainforest mosslands! Raindford is a village to the north of St .Helens. Unfortunately, not even I would claim that there is a rainforest in St. Helens!
The land is private and heavily keepered for game, but there are many public footpaths.

Colin[/QUOTE

What a stupid reading error. I guess that moss is associated with rainforest in my mind. I still don't understand why the areas are called 'Moss' if it is farmland. Maybe 'moss' means something different in Lancashire. What happens to the wildbirds during the shooting season? Are there any accidental deaths (birds I mean) and do they get scared off when the shooting starts? I'm full of silly questions but I am intrigued.
Thanks for the information

 

[AnnieW]

... I still don't understand why the areas are called 'Moss' if it is farmland. Maybe 'moss' means something different in Lancashire.

Nancy - the Lancashire Mosses are so called because pre-medieval influence they were just that ..... large expanses of peaty bog or moss land. Around the 13th century it was realised that draining this land produced a rich environment for crops. Whole scale drainage carried on through the 1700s and early 1800s (I think) and reulted in the typical pattern (for this area) of large, square fields bounded by drainage ditches.

It's sad how the memory goes, in a past-life I wrote an essay in one of my university finals on the geology, ecology, and soci-economic significance, of the Lancashire Mosses. I can now remember very little of this .... however, your question re-ignighted my interest and if you're really interested I found this site gives quite a good summary of the environment :

http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/landscape/landscapecharacass/charcarea16.asp

Annie

 

[Nancy]

Thank you Annie, my curiosity is now satisified. I know what you mean about the memory fading, I suffer from the same syndrome myself.

 

[PeterK]

Hi Colin What agreat write up for Lancashire Birding, its amazes me to realise the good birding Ive been ignoring for years, I use the route as a short cut to Martin Mere and Mere sands failry often, never thought to stop and bird there, Thats going to change in future. Usually bird on along the Dee and Mersey Estuarys, Ive never failed to find Kingfishers at Carr Mill Damn, mostly at the far end which is much quieter than the East Lancs Road end.
Looking forward to exploring these ancient lanes and Mosses, its really exciting to find something so exciting on ones doorstep

Thanks Mate PeterK

 

[ColinD]

Hi Colin What agreat write up for Lancashire Birding, its amazes me to realise the good birding Ive been ignoring for years, I use the route as a short cut to Martin Mere and Mere sands failry often, never thought to stop and bird there, Thats going to change in future. Usually bird on along the Dee and Mersey Estuarys, Ive never failed to find Kingfishers at Carr Mill Damn, mostly at the far end which is much quieter than the East Lancs Road end.
Looking forward to exploring these ancient lanes and Mosses, its really exciting to find something so exciting on ones doorstep

Thanks Mate PeterK

Thanks Peter,
If you're interested in the area, you might also be interested in a more recent thread I have here. This is more up to date, with recent sightings etc.

Colin

 

[katykrunch]

Wow, what a great write up! Thank you so much for that. We live in Rainhill, which is obviously pretty close and spend a lot of time at Mere Sands Wood, where we fell in love with the Kingfisher but really have a great time watching all the birds and other wildlife.

Since Rainford is far closer, I think we may be venturing out there, soon...

Much appreciated.

KK