Dear Tom,
I must apologize for not writing before. The fact is things have been rather at a standstill lately and there has not been much to write about. My mothing activities have had rather a blow. The light which I had in my bedroom window or my garden, and by which I caught many new moths, I now am unable to use owing to the fact that certain people have complained to the Council about it, so I have had it. Anyway,I am trying to carry on the best way I can without it and I did find two new moths before I lost my garden light – the Olive and Oak Hook-tip..........
I am at present sugaring in Borsdane Wood, Hindley, but I haven't found any new moths yet........
Last Saturday, Frank and I went to Ainsdale. I was delighted with the plant life on the sandhills – Field Restharrow, Sea Holly, Sea Kale and many more........
Next year I hope to get a light trap. I could not afford one this year. I would like to thank you for all you have done to help me.
Your friend always,
Michael.
Dear Tom,
Thank you for your letter and the three-drawer cabinet. It is very good of you to give it to me. I will call for it as soon as I can.
I told you in my last letter that I had sent my records of moths to the Lancashire and Cheshire Fauna Committee. Last week I received a reply from Mr.M.W.Michaelis, the reorder. In it he said that I had worked very hard in my district and my list covered nearly all the common species likely to be found in my own area........
I cannot get any more new species without the use of a light trap and, as it is not possible to use one at my home, I might sell my furniture and try to get two rooms in a house with a large garden so that I can use one, but of course it is a big step to give one's home up, and I shall probably be misunderstood wherever I go.........
Your friend always,
Michael.
Dear Tom,
I hope you won't be offended in me sending you this postal order. It is a contribution towards the cost of your reprints of your paper in the North Western Naturalist........
We know that you must be under great expense as you have worked very hard on this and other papers and it contains some of my records. This is the best I can do to help.
Friend,
Michael.
Dear Tom,
…..... Things are fairly well with me and I have been seeing interesting birds on the flashes. There have been Pintail at Astley and two Scaup ducks and an immature drake at Pennington, as Raymond Yates will have told you about, and yesterday there was a lovely drake Garganey at Astley.......
The only migrants we have seen up to press are Wheatears and we have noted a movement of Bramblings, seeing them in places where we have not seen them before. On 25th March, I noted a flock at Lilford Park, Leigh, and Raymond saw some at Dean Dam. There were also some at Worsley Woods on Friday – three cocks and two females........
I am finding it increasingly difficult to find new moths, but I keep on trying now and again. After a very cold February the weather turned fairly mild and there was a good emergence of the Dotted Border.........
Your friend always,
Michael.
Dear Tom,
Frank has told me you would like a copy of the list I sent to Oakes. It is only a small one as I have not put down anything I have seen with Frank, only things I have seen on my own........
[ Following details of probable Blackcap nesting at Newton; duck numbers at Pennington; Goldfinches, Bullfinches and Long-tailed Tits at Risley; and Coots at Astley, the final paragraph in the last surviving correspondence ended:-]
Anyway, if there is anything else you would like to know I will help you if I can, but the most important thing is how are you.
Your old friend,
Michael.
Dear Sheila and Tom,
A man who lives close to here came on Friday evening with the terrible news that Michael had been found drowned on the beach at Southport. Perhaps you have read of it in the newspapers.
He called here on Tuesday evening having just bought a new wireless, and being on holiday he mentioned that he was going to Southport the following day, when the tragedy must have occurred. It has been an awful shock to us all.
The only other information I have is that the inquest is on Tuesday. What actually happened I don't think we will ever know, but probably he was trapped by the tide.
Yours sincerely,
Frank.
The Forestry Commission nurseries at Delamere grow millions of trees per year and there is always a surplus, especially when some don’t quite make the grade for commercial planting. At the moment these trees are stored in chillers, so they are still OK to plant. However these will be turned off fairly soon, and so these trees are offered to charity/conservation groups before they go to the compost heap. They usually have to be signed for because of this.
Although they could be planted out now (they’ve been ‘checked’ in chillers) if they can be maintained, it might be best to heel them where they can be looked after in until autumn. The holly are as plugs I believe.
I was wondering too about a bank or hedge of holly and rowan at Colliers Wood, Higher Folds where it could benefit birds without detracting from the open views/space some of the locals want. If I cannot find somewhere to heel the trees in here (they don’t actually take up too much space) then a summer planting session might be on the cards!
If L.O.S. members want some of these trees for sites then they should be suitable to heel in. I also suggest that trees are planted quite densely, then thinned out at later dates to allow for loss. Trees come in bags of 50 to 100+ normally.
- Holly -~2k
Please contact Duncan by email: Duncan.Macnaughton@forestry.gsi.gov.uk if you are interested.
- Sycamore – 5.4
- Wild cherry – 3.6
- Sweet Chestnut – 2.2
- Beech – 1.8
- Sessial oak - bits
- Grand Fir – 1.5K
- Rowan – 29.9k
- Various Sitka
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| Yellow Wagtail (c) Alan Wilcox |
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| Lesser Redpoll (c) Alan Wilcox |
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| Sponsored Bird Race 2016 Winners - The Duck and Drakes |
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| Sponsored Bird Race 2016 Runners Up - Angela Pike from Eddie's Eagles |
“Do you know, Dave? Today has been one of the greatest days of my life.Thank you for arranging it.”
“Leigh's 'father of conservation', 86-years-old Tom Edmondson, has been honoured. The former New Hide at Pennington Flash has been renamed Tom Edmondson hide and was unveiled by the pioneer himself on Tuesday.”My contribution was -
“It's no overstatement to say that Tom's pioneering spirit makes him the father of conservation, not just in Leigh, but for the borough as it is now. His contribution to alerting people to the importance of the Flash as a wildlife haven was massive.”And Tom's own comment, in connection with the aspirational, but short-lived Leigh Field Naturalists and Town Improvement Society (1948-1950), read -
“The scheme was visionary and ahead of its time, and a decade or so would elapse before the movement to establish county conservation trusts became widespread. However, the rich bird life of the Flash had been established and the emergence of a group of like-minded individuals eventually resulted in the formation of the Leigh Ornithological Society. One of the Society's many aims was to promote wildlife conservation in the Leigh area.”Tom's parents, Martha (nee Derbyshire) and James, were born in Wigan, and Tom was the fourth of five sons. He was educated at St. Peter's School (in Firs Lane) and Leigh Boys' Grammar School; studied later at Manchester Technical College; qualified as a Chartered Chemist and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry; and thereafter worked as a research chemist to various companies. His marriage to Sheila Cartwright of Bedford was blessed with a daughter, Linda, and a son, Stephen. In his own words, Tom's non-professional interests were 'The British countryside and its flora and fauna. Particular interests in Chat Moss, the birds of the South Lancashire flashes and in the conservation of prime sites.'
“The earliest landmark in a history of continuous concern by local naturalists was on 29th September, 1938, when Tom Edmondson (while still a student at Leigh Grammar School) persuaded three other young men – Wilf Cartledge, Tom Durkin and Frank Horrocks – to consider the formation of a local association (to be named the Firs Lea Naturalists' Association), two of its objectives being “to study and record the natural history of the Leigh district” and “to promote the preservation of the local countryside.”Uppermost in the minds of these pioneer conservationists was concern about the future of Pennington Flash. The 1939-45 War brought about an end to the 'association', but did not dampen the enthusiasm of Tom Edmondson, who motivated interest in the flash and other local sites in his capacity as secretary of the short-lived Leigh Field Naturalists' and Town Improvement Society (1948).
“Local citizens would appreciate it if local councils were to show awareness of fundamental problems by publishing, for all to see, a full development plan for the district. In such a plan, if civilised ideals are to survive, it is necessary that 'green belts' should be clearly defined so that the abuses which have continued since the war and which threaten to increase may be checked. Among other things the future of Leigh Flash should be assured, and it should be confirmed as a nature reserve where sailors, anglers, naturalists and countrylovers exist peacefully. When that occurs we may have hope for a much abused region which has long been one of the Cinderellas of an industrial country.”In a short note about the time he lived in Cheshire since 1957, Tom mentioned that his main activity was now botany, and included intensive studies of plant distribution in the parishes of Frodsham and Helsby and then, following the family move to Chester, of Flintshire and the eastern part of Denbighshire. In the Botanical Society of the British Isles publication 'Dandelions of Great Britain and Ireland' (1997), his contribution was recognised in the Acknowledgements with the statement -
“Foremost among the workers in the British Isles has been Tom Edmondson, who, despite ill-health, has made an important and original contribution to the study of the dandelions of North-West England.”This praise would have been accorded Tom on account of his commitment to botanical studies in general and to his identification of two new species of dandelion – Taraxacum nigridentatum (Edmondson) and Taraxacum edmondsonianum.
“Many years ago there was an old chap who used to visit Frodsham Marsh and would regale tales of his early birding visits to the marsh and many other sites (mainly Pennington Flash) in the North-West. Tom was a proper old school birdwatcher and he would raise an eyebrow if I ever called him a 'birder'. One thing Tom had was time to spare and share his love of birds and birdwatching. I'm a sucker for such things, especially those pioneers of Cheshire birding in the years following the end of WWII. Tom was a generous old man and would kindly give me copies of photographs and documentation from the marsh during his pioneering days here.”Throughout his lifelong interest in natural history, Tom Edmondson was a prolific writer whose style and vocabulary suited any occasion, be it notes on bird recording, letters to newspapers, descriptions of treasured sites, tales of memorable past events, or whatever was required to please the reader. His output, chiefly between 1942 and the 1990s, included contributions to the North Western Naturalist (14), the Field Naturalist (3), Country-Side (16) and the Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley Journal (42). With such a vast collection of interesting material, I propose to use a few of the most memorable extracts to allow Tom, in a way, to use his own words to conclude my article of profound appreciation and admiration.
“8 believed “Icelandic” ('robusta') sleeping together with several active 'britannica' a few yards away for comparison. Seen in bright sunlight at thirty yards with steady 30x telescope. White nictitating membrane closed. Appeared a little bigger and bulkier than 'britannica', but this may have been because they were hunched up in sleep. Plumage, under conditions of observation, perceptibly different – upper parts much darker brown, bill dark red at the base, remainder greyer than 'britannica' with smoky grey flanks and breast much more heavily streaked and darkly marked. Only flew when disturbed. April 20th.”Part of the chronological account in 'The Spring Migration of Wagtails and Hirundines in South-East Lancashire” illustrating committed recording and a huge change in the local status of wagtails in the past half century -
“1951. April 8th: gale force W. wind. 1 White Wagtail with 10 Pied Wagtails on Chat Moss. At Leigh, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Chiffchaff. Also 4 Wheatears at Leigh and 23 on several mossland fields. These migrants may have been “grounded” by the wind strength or may have been deflected from a preferred coastal route April 9th – 14th: cold, bright cyclonic weather, gale force on the 14th. April 15th: strong southerly wind. At Leigh, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Sand Martins and 2 Swallows. April 16th: W. gale. 2 Yellow and 2 White Wagtails, several Swallows moving north across the strong wind. April 17th – 25th: fine, warm and dry, anticyclonic with light variable winds. During this period, Swallows and Sand Martins were moving north continually in small numbers or small flocks; a mixed party of 80 halted at Astley on the 20th. 2 Swifts appeared at Leigh on the 22nd – the earliest record for the district.
Although the weather was obviously suitable for migration, both kinds of wagtails were constantly at both flashes. Feeding conditions at Astley were exceptionally good and there were two peaks in numbers there on April 20th (45 Yellows, 12 Whites) and April 24th (124 and 34). On both these days there were halting flocks of hirundines. On the rich feeding grounds at Astley some 20 Pied Wagtails fed regularly during this period. These were nesting in the district and when approached too closely they flew away in various directions. Migrant parties of Meadow Pipits were similarly attracted.
April 26th – 29th: strong, cold northerly winds with rain. Wagtail migration was retarded and their high numbers remained constant; on the 27th, many were sheltering from the wind behind tussocks of reeds. There were “build-ups” of Swallows and Sand Martins. As is usual under such conditions, they were fly-catching and flying upwind very low over the flashes. May 1st – 3rd: light SE winds, mild.. Rapid decrease in wagtail population at both Leigh and Astley. No obviously migrating Yellow Wagtails were seen after May 3rd: there were about 25 breeding pairs at Leigh and 15 at Astley.”On a late summer walk with members of the fledgling Leigh Field Naturalists across part of Chat Moss in 1948 -
“Even more people went on the early September meeting, probably because the mosslands were unknown and intriguing. About thirty folk walked from Astley to Glazebury across the moss, seeing such new birds, at least to some of them, as Turtle Doves, Whinchats, Wheatears and Corn Buntings. Attendances remained high during the society's first year and the future seemed secure.”
"It may have been a glacial torrentA short extract from a Leigh Journal article on 14th November, 1947 -
That carved, through rock, a bleak ravine
And Nature's healing hand had fashioned
An Eden from the cheerless scene.'
Truly an Eden, a hidden gem of beauty near a wilderness of industry.”
“Every year, in nature's inexorable way, vast numbers of Redwings from Northern Europe and North Asia seek the milder climes of the British Isles and the North Mediterranean countries. This year, I heard that welcome sound, so full of mystery, over Leigh on October 17th, which is also the average date for eight years. The following evening there occurred one of the greatest migratory movements that I have ever known. Above the glare of the brilliant lights, great multitudes were flying south-west and, during lulls in the traffic's roar, their calls were distinct but ignored by the crowds below. In the quieter reaches of the town they could be heard continually.”Movingly bemoaning the destruction of a much-loved place, from “Astley Flash: A Lost Bird Haunt” in the magazine Country-Side (1970) -
“For many years Astley Flash gave considerable pleasure to birdwatchers. Unfortunately, coal production was increased after re-organisation of the industry and the spoil was tipped into the flash at an increasing rate. I re-visited the site after a few years' absence and found little left. I walked over the vast new tip where the flash lay buried and tried to visualise the teeming life of previous years. All was silence and death as if a primeval monster, regretting its act of grace, had devoured its own fair child. Even avoiding all sentiment, I felt that I was witness to a crime which ought not to happen in a proper society.”In the closing lines of two of the last letters he wrote to me, reminiscing about two sites which are still being developed as wildlife havens. Of the Bickershaw complex - “ … a haven for a young lad who was fascinated by the countryside – as he is still”: and of the mosslands - “I must make an effort to look over Chat Moss again. A good day on Bedford Moss or Woolden Moss was as joyous as anything that I have enjoyed in the wilds of Scotland.”
“In future years, when flicking through the pages of memory's notebook, I shall always remember the spring of 1954 and the sight of thirty-odd exquisite Black Terns floating and swinging in the air against a background of colliery headgears and mill chimneys. Perhaps, however, I shall recall those things which belong more permanently to Leigh Flash – an elegant White Wagtail hurrying along Sorrowcow Creek and Swallows arrowing to and from their nest in the barn, elusive Sedge Warblers scolding the intruder from the depths of the reeds, or clamouring Redshanks on the west shore, unheedful of miners cycling homeward along the cinder path. The last birds I saw at the Flash before returning to the Metropolis were three young Lapwings – little, animated blobs of down, cheeping and tottering on tiny legs. That is what I preferred, since it is the birds which make the place their home which belong there most.”In concluding my words of appreciation for a dear friend, I need to mention that Tom's superb photographic collection, along with copies of his writings, will now be lovingly catalogued and made available to a wider audience when/if the proposed Leigh Archive opens in the Town Hall. As our “Father of Conservation”, his contributions towards the town and its surroundings will occupy its rightful place alongside those other daughters and sons deserving of recognition – good, ordinary folk in company with the more well-known – Alfred Wilkinson VC; James Hilton, the author of “Goodbye Mr. Chips”; the world of music's Tom Burke (the Lancashire Caruso), Georgie Fame and the recently-departed old boy of Leigh Grammar School, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Master of the Queen's Music; and countless others from many fields, not least in sport during peace-time and in other activities during war-time.
“The flash became a new Country Park in 1981 but before that the splendid east reed bed and the equally fine south-side marshland east of Sorrowcow Creek had been tipped on.'The Conservation of Pennington Flash: Early Considerations'
The main water is still there but no longer can you stand on the eastern shores, far from habitations and people, in an autumn dusk and listen to garrulous wild ducks from afar as they cross the moon and pitch gratefully into the welcome reed beds.”
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| Spotted Flycatcher (c) Meg Steele |
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| Arcadian Flycatcher (c) Alamy |
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| Sage Thrasher (c) Dave Wilson |
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| Gray Flycatcher (c) Dave Wilson |
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| Great Horned Owl fledgling (c) Dave Wilson |
The wildlife and sights of Shetland, starting on Fair Isle and finishing with a view of Out Stack, the most northerly part of Britain. Photographs include birds, wild flowers, butterflies and mammals.Everyone is welcome and entrance is free, although we'd really appreciate a small donation on the door in the form of buying a couple of raffle tickets.
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| Willow Tit at Pennington Flash (c) Martyn Jones 2016 |
If you enjoy watching Willow Tits and would like to contribute to their conservation in Greater Manchester then this is an opportunity not to be missed.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust would like to invite you to be involved in a Willow Tit Survey Training Day which aims to standardise recording methodologies and gain habitat data from across our region. This will benefit long term planning for species recovery.
Willow Tits are suffering an alarming decline, with around 3,400 pairs remaining in the UK. The Great Manchester Wetlands Nature Improvement Area which extends across Wigan, Salford, Bolton and into Cheshire, holds around 10% of this number. We want to learn more about the population in our area. This will involve identifying suitable habitat and recording the presence or absence of Willow Tit. The aim is to build up a better picture of the region's populations. This will be done in conjunction with The Carbon Landscape Project and Greater Manchester Ecology Unit. The survey results will inform some very targeted habitat development work on existing Willow tit sites, and also be used to develop neighbouring sites, allowing populations to spread.
The training day is to be held at Three Sisters Lakeside Office, at a date still to be arranged between 10am-3pm. You will need to bring a packed lunch, and suitable clothing for the weather on the day.
If you are interested please contact LWT at The Lakeside office to book, on 01942 726214 or email Cheryl Knott on cknott@lancswt.org.uk
