Cheshire And Wirral Birding: Hills, Lowland and Coast (1 Viewer)

[bartolli]

Had a couple of hours spare this afternoon, so thought I'd check out the pool east of dodleston next to the bypass a483. Turns out to be part of the Chester lakes fishery, public footpath runs past it going to dodleston. On the pool plenty of mallards, coot + tufted duck. Heard another chiffchaff. In the wet fields beyond the railway line, more mallards, Canada + greylag, 2 oystercatchers and a fair few lapwings. 1 buzzard perched in tree and the highlight was a peregrine flying over towards dodleston.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Today - Kumlien's Gull, Caspian Gull, 3 Iceland Gulls and 5 Yellow-legged Gulls at Richmond Bank; Mealy Redpoll at Neumann's Flash; 2 Black-necked Grebes at Woolston Eyes; White Wagtail and 2+ Purple Sandpipers at Hilbre; 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers at Moore NR; 2 Twite at Leasowe;

CB

 

[deeestuary]

Red Rocks

See http://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/news/2014/01/29/new-home-natterjacks-wirral
and http://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/february_e-news.pdf

Having contacted various people I get the impression that neither CWT or NE have recognised the local importance of this habitat for nesting birds. In my opinion some mitigation or at least some compromise should have been made before this wholesale destruction took place.

 

[Jane Turner]

and if they are going to try and build a Natterjack scrape there - and reintroduce them from Formby are they going to eradicate the newts, common toads and frogs that are the reason that Natterjacks are now extinct?

The only place they have a chance is in the brackish slack in the fore dunes? Council activity preventing these forming has been instrumental in the demise of the Natterjacks.

From their notes

also a key migration stopover point for birds arriving in the UK in spring and autumn,

Not any more it isn't! Its going to be strictly overhead passage

I can't bear to go down at the moment

 

[deeestuary]

I gather they are going to turn the area where the trees were into sand dunes and plant marram grass right up to the fence.
Seem an awful lot of work just for a very small portion of the dunes. I was looking at it today and thinking that at least what remains will be good for ground nesting birds - but, no, all that ivy and scrub will be pulled up.

 

[deeestuary]

I gather they are going to turn the area where the trees were into sand dunes and plant marram grass right up to the fence.
Seem an awful lot of work just for a very small portion of the dunes. I was looking at it today and thinking that at least what remains will be good for ground nesting birds - but, no, all that ivy and scrub will be pulled up.

They will have to bring heavy machinery in to remove the tree stumps - may be tomorrow? Should they be doing all this at the start of the breeding season??!!

To contact CWT see http://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/contact-us

 

[Jane Turner]

No they shouldn't - Robin, Wren, Dunnock and Blackbird are nesting now in the Ivy....

 

[Jane Turner]

Better point out that Grasshopper Warblers breed in the dunes scrub before they grub them all out too. It makes no sense at all- the dune specialist plants and animals are in the foredunes - seaward of the reed bed -fencing them off and protecting them would be a jolly fine idea. The fixed dunes are 150years old. (I have a painting from the mid 1800s) and would be wooded a la Formby if not for the golf course keeing them as is- you can't turn back the process of dune formation.

It took 7-10 years for the breeding birds to recover from the last attempt at habitat improvement!

 

[deeestuary]

No they shouldn't - Robin, Wren, Dunnock and Blackbird are nesting now in the Ivy....

Scene on the beach NOW

 

[Jane Turner]

Mark is on the phone to the CEO as we speak

 

[deeestuary]

Mark is on the phone to the CEO as we speak

Yes, I threatened to stand in front of the digger if they didn't stop. Of, course that will be only temporary so I am talking to trustees and offcials of CWT and Wirral Wildlife hoping to get some consultation on this.

 

[Jane Turner]

Mark told me about it - well done. I can't leave the house at the moment or I'd be there too

There will be a site meeting with Natural England called in, either today or tomorrow morning. I'm putting together bird breeding records - in context with the county and national records - eg they are planning on grubbing out the nest site of the Grasshopper warblers.

Anyone else willing to get in the way would be handy

Thanks again Richard - I owe you a big hug!

 

[MartinMcD]

Stunned by the photo of Red Rocks and have written to CWT. Sorry I can't get there until next week but happy to stand in front of digger then if necessary.
Martin

 

[Jane Turner]

Cheers Martin

 

[MartinMcD]

Had this response from CWT:

Thank you for your email.

The management work at Red Rocks Marsh, as agreed with and funded by, Natural England (the government’s official conservation body), is intended to enhance the features for which the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is designated. The citation for the site includes the sand dunes and their associated flora, and the amphibians, notably natterjack toads, in the open brackish slacks (small pools within the dune system). The breeding habitat for the toads should be considerably improved by this project. The site remains the only known location for natterjack toads in Cheshire & Wirral. The site is not notified for its nesting birds although the designation notes that it is important for migrants.
Along with natterjack toads, the reserve is also a key migration stopover point for birds arriving in the UK in spring and autumn, and boasts an impressive list of rarities, along with breeding species like skylarks and reed warblers.
Another key aspect to the changes will be limiting the impact of scrub and small trees which are encroaching into the reserve and have to potential to interfere with the natural processes that see dunes forming naturally.
One of the biggest problems facing the Wildlife Trust is the loss of the typical open sandy areas that demonstrate the dune habitat is in the most optimum condition for the species that usually thrive there.
To help maintain this, some areas of soil and vegetation will be removed to expose the sand below, with typical dune plants like marram grass being reinstated to help reduce wind speed and trap sand within the dunes as would naturally occur. Invasive non-native species such as willowherb and an aggressive form of ground rose will also be controlled to limit their impact on more delicate native dune flora.
The nature of the changes we’re making in conjunction with Natural England may look quite stark to begin with, however our aim is to achieve the right balance for these delicate dunes which has been lost in recent years.


Jacki Hulse
Head of Estates & Land Management
Mobile: 07968503747
[email protected]


I have responded. Bluntly.

 

[Jane Turner]

I just got this - having emailed details of breeding species and their status in the area they are planning to dig out.....

"Natural England have just emailed me to ask that we postpone the work on the ground ivy in light of the confirmation of nesting birds in the patch. They are unable to attend a meeting tomorrow as they have other commitments but will make a decision soon about the future of the ground cover to which I assume you will be invited to comment".

Its from your reply Martin seems that they really don't understand the difference between hind dunes and fore dunes..... whilst the invasive form of ground rose is presumably this one

http://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/index.php?q=plant/unmatched-species-name-346

a native dune specialist!

 

[Jane Turner]

The nature of the changes we’re making in conjunction with Natural England may look quite stark to begin with, however our aim is to achieve the right balance for these delicate dunes which has been lost in recent years.

The fixed dunes have not changed since they put the boardwalk in - before that footfall artificially kept open some sandy areas... I can only go back to 1974, but with the Help of David Bates and Tony Bell - I expect we can get back at least another 20.

 

[MartinMcD]

Latest from CWT...
Martin

It is unfortunate that you feel the way you do. Cheshire Wildlife Trust has entered into an agreement with Natural England to manage the site in such a way that the habitats it is notified for are enhanced. Natural England have to police SSSI’s to ensure they are being managed in accordance with the citation for the site. If it is not then it is classed as unfavourable and they can fine the owners.

The bird records we have do not specify sub compartments within the site, they just show records as being for Red Rocks.

Natural England have now decided to ask us to postpone the removal of ground ivy until they can review the situation.

Please be assured that your views and those of other bird watchers will be considered during this review.


Jacki Hulse

It is a shame that they don't seem to have an understanding of the local area or take people's views into account before they cut down the trees.

 

[Jane Turner]

The year before last, before I could stop them, just about the entire population of this

http://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/index.php?q=plant/unmatched-species-name-210

was strimmed

Its the only site in England where it grows


and why did they leave a flowering currant and daffodills while removing anything with wildlife value?

 

[deeestuary]

Had this response from CWT:

Thank you for your email.

The management work at Red Rocks Marsh, as agreed with and funded by, Natural England (the government’s official conservation body), is intended to enhance the features for which the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is designated. The citation for the site includes the sand dunes and their associated flora, and the amphibians, notably natterjack toads, in the open brackish slacks (small pools within the dune system). The breeding habitat for the toads should be considerably improved by this project. The site remains the only known location for natterjack toads in Cheshire & Wirral. The site is not notified for its nesting birds although the designation notes that it is important for migrants.
Along with natterjack toads, the reserve is also a key migration stopover point for birds arriving in the UK in spring and autumn, and boasts an impressive list of rarities, along with breeding species like skylarks and reed warblers.
Another key aspect to the changes will be limiting the impact of scrub and small trees which are encroaching into the reserve and have to potential to interfere with the natural processes that see dunes forming naturally.
One of the biggest problems facing the Wildlife Trust is the loss of the typical open sandy areas that demonstrate the dune habitat is in the most optimum condition for the species that usually thrive there.
To help maintain this, some areas of soil and vegetation will be removed to expose the sand below, with typical dune plants like marram grass being reinstated to help reduce wind speed and trap sand within the dunes as would naturally occur. Invasive non-native species such as willowherb and an aggressive form of ground rose will also be controlled to limit their impact on more delicate native dune flora.
The nature of the changes we’re making in conjunction with Natural England may look quite stark to begin with, however our aim is to achieve the right balance for these delicate dunes which has been lost in recent years.


Jacki Hulse
Head of Estates & Land Management
Mobile: 07968503747
[email protected]


I have responded. Bluntly.

She's just quoting from the article on their website!
She mentions the citation for the SSSI both above and her later email. What I don't understand is that the citation seems to be written in stone (in Red Rocks's case in 1979?) and they never seem to review them. They don't seem to understand that sites change, or indeed that things (such as breeding birds) may have been wrongly omitted in the origianl citation.
So what they are saying is that we have to get the site back to how it was in 1979!!