Free Wildlife Recording Conference

The Greater Manchester Local Record Centre is holding its first Wildlife Recording Conference on Saturday 29^th March at Manchester Museum.  This event is supported by the National Lottery, through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The day will be a celebration of wildlife recording and a thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who spend time recording and submitting records. The day will be a chance to discover new opportunities for recording, meet like-minded recorders and find out what happens to data once it has been submitted.

If you would like to come along to this free event please fill in the on-line application form by Friday 28th February. Because places are limited we will let you know if your application is successful after this date. Full details of the programme and the booking form can be found here: http://www.gmwildlife.org.uk/conference/

It would also be helpful if you could complete the feedback questions with the application form as we will use the information collected to feed into the day’s event and help plan our next year of activities.

We look forward to seeing you on the 29th March.

Suzanne Waymont MCIEEM, Senior Ecologist
Greater Manchester Ecology Unit

Council Offices, Wellington Road, Ashton-under-Lyne
Tameside OL6 6DL

Tel: 0161 342 2771
Website: www.gmwildlife.org.uk

LOSYBC visits 8th Wigan Boys' Brigade in Hindley

Young Birders in the Making

The LOS Young Birders' Club Team of Tony, George, Brian and Martyn paid a very successful visit to the 8th Wigan Boys Brigade Company at St. Peter's Pavilion in Hindley last week.  It was initially thought that this presentation would be something of challenge due to the large 8 to 16 age range of the boys there, but it went very well.

You can read a full report of the evening's events on our LOS Young Birders' Website here:  LOSYBC visits 8th Wigan Boys' Brigade

Our next presentation is on Monday 24 February at 13th/18th Leigh Beavers who meet at the Scout hut next to St. Thomas' Church in Bedford, Leigh.

Conway & Tal-y-Bont Fieldtrip – 16th February 2014

Snowdonia (c) Joan Disley

In the middle of all the chaos with our recent terrible weather, somehow we managed to get a decent day for our trip. As we traveled nearer and the distant Welsh mountains came into view, we could see they were covered in snow on their tops.

A few stints at sea watching at Pensarn and Llanfairfechan gave us a few different gulls and some of the Black-headed Gulls were now getting their dark heads returning, Fulmar and Cormorant were seen flying past, as was some Common Scoter but way out at sea, Great Crested Grebe and the odd diver were seen again out at sea and a few members even saw a Surf Scoter. Joan managed to spot a few Grey Plover flying past and we could also hear a Dunnock from a nearby railway embankment.

The Spinnies, Tal-y-bont (c) Joan Disley

On to Tal-y-Bont but unfortunately by now the tide was fully in so most of what could have been there to see had been disturbed by the incoming tide. Out on the water we could see some Goldeneye, Shelduck and a Merganser was seen. We had a close look at some Curlew flying past us and Oystercatchers and Redshank were seen. Although it was a distance from us we could make out a single Heron perched on a dead tree by the edge of the water. While we were walking to “The Spinnies” reserve some Greylag Geese were seen in one of the fields and a few Starlings were feeding in another field. From the hides overlooking the pools we saw a few Teal, two Little Grebe and just one Little Egret, a Goldcrest was seen and coming to some feeders were 4 species of Tits, House Sparrow and a Great Spotted Woodpecker amongst others. A Buzzard and Sparrowhawk flew past again although this time it took one of the Blue Tits with it.

Near this reserve were clumps of Snowdrops in flower but I wonder if these are from garden escapees; despite all the bad weather spring is trying to get started as the leaves of Cuckoo Pint are showing through.

Conwy Castle from the RSPB Reserve (c) Joan Disley

Our last stop was at the RSPB reserve at Conway were we saw more Goldeneye plus Pochard, Teal, Shoveler, Shelduck, Merganser and both male and female Scaup. In waders we saw Lapwing, Curlew, Snipe and Oystercatcher. A Kestrel was seen hovering not far from the path and we saw more House Sparrows, Greenfinch and a beautiful Song Thrush singing from the top of a bush.

At this reserve the Gorse bushes were covered in their bright yellow flowers and the male catkins on the Hazel were a few inches long although I have been seeing these on our local Hazel for the past few weeks.

It was then time to start off back for home, so it is thanks to Al for organising the trip and to Joan and Jim for giving Jen and myself a lift.

Jeff Hurst

Iolo Williams and the 2013 'State of Nature Report'

Have a look at this impassioned speech by Iolo Williams relating to the UK's 2013 State of Nature Report (and don't worry, it's not all in Welsh):

Click the button in the centre of the video to play it

and then double-click on the video to make it go fullscreen.

Read or download the full report here (PDF format): State of Nature Full Report

or a summary of the report here (PDF format): State of Nature Report Summary

New L.O.S. Facebook Group

In an attempt to keep our members better informed as well as to help attract new members, I've setup a new L.O.S. Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/leighos/

A permanent link to this address can be found on the right side of this page. You'll need to login to Facebook to see the group - please invite anyone you know who may be interested in birding, wildlife, nature and the environment.

Please feel free to use this group to publish your bird sightings and photos, give details of events relating to our Society and ask questions or provide information that will be of interest to our members. I hope everyone will find it useful.

Martyn Jones

Bird Walk on the Salford Mosses - Saturday 1 February

There will be a guided bird walk on the Salford Mosses with Dave Steel this Saturday, 1 February 2014 from 9.00 am. You can find out where the birds live, the different species and the fascinating history of the Moss on Barton and Chat. We will visit the old Peat Extraction site and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust reserve and the walk will last approximately 3 hours.

Park and meet in the layby next to the entrance to Barton Moss Road and wear sturdy boots and waterproof clothing.

James Walsh (reprinted from Manchester Birding Forum)

L.O.S. Formal Response to HS2 Consultation

The route of HS2 through this area terminates at Lightshaw with a through-line joining the West Coast Main Line (WCML) just south of Dover Lock. On the south side of the through line at Lightshaw there will be a rolling stock depot 2.5km long and at least 175m wide which will cut through the garden of Byrom Hall and leave Lightshaw Hall marooned in a car park within the depot.

The through-line will pass just 70m away from the main waterbody in the Lightshaw Meadows Nature Reserve. Lightshaw Lane and part of the reserve will be obliterated. The Society cannot stand by and let this happen. A covering letter signed by David Shallcross accompanied the response attached to this e-mail which went to HS2.

Click to enlarge or download from link below

Also attached herewith is a sketch map of the location of the depot, through-line and designated sites at Lightshaw so that you can see what is proposed. I have liaised extensively with local residents groups and they have also seen our response. Local residents with British Rail experience and with economics knowledge have individually set out very persuasive cases which propose that HS2 goes through Warrington instead and that the financial case for the Golborne spur from the Ship Canal is badly flawed and would make a loss.

The full L.O.S. response document can be downloaded from here: LOS Response to HS2 Consultation Document and the map from here: Sketch Map of Proposed HS2 Route at Lightshaw.

You can respond by e-mail to:

HS2PhaseTwoRoute@Ipsos.com

in an online response form:

Phase 2 Route Consultation

or by post to:

Freepost RTEL-YAZX-HAZT

Phase Two Route Consultation
PO Box 1152, Harrow, HA1 9LH

There is a consultation response document available, but it covers quite a lot of things outside our area and interests.

Closing date is 5pm on January 31, 2014

Roy Rhodes, L.O.S. Conservation Officer

Big Garden Birdwatch at Pennington Flash - Sunday 26 January

It's that time of year again, the last weekend in January when the RSPB asks us all to take part in an hour of recording the birds in our garden, parks and schools.

Bird populations are a great indicator of the health of the countryside. That's why it's so important to take part in surveys like the Big Garden Birdwatch to keep an eye on the ups and downs of the wildlife where we live.

To recognise this national initiative, the Leigh Ornithological Society is holding an event in partnership with Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust (WLCT) at Pennington Flash from 10am to 3pm on Sunday 26th January. We're particularly keen to get young people involved in birding, nature and the environment, but all the activities are equally suitable for adults and families.

This year there will be stalls manned by the RSPB, Greater Manchester Ecology Unit and the Friends of Lilford Park as well those from the L.O.S. and WLCT. 

The activities will include:

• Guided birdwatching walks to and from the main bird hides
• Free bird ID sheets and identification help from experienced LOS members
• Making bird feeders with the WLCT staff
• Nature and wildlife quizzes with the GM Ecology Unit
• and hopefully a birds of prey display (to be confirmed)

The RSPB will be giving out information about how you can join their organisation and so gain free access to their many bird and nature reserves around the whole country, as well as having books, bird food and other products available to buy.

We hope you can join us at Pennington Flash from 10am onwards and come for a walk round the hides to see which birds we can see during this exciting season.  We'll lend you some binoculars or a spotting scope and give you a free bird ID checklist to use as we walk round.

You can also take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch at home or in school by following the links shown below:

• Big Garden Birdwatch 2014
• Big Schools' Birdwatch 2014

Why not have a look at the report of last year's event here on our Young Birders' Club Website: Big Garden Birdwatch 2013 - hopefully it won't be as cold this year!

See you soon

Leigh Ornithological Society's Young Birders' Club Team

Coming Soon ...

Reports on our two very successful Young Birders' Club presentations to Astley Beavers and Bedford Hall Methodist Primary school this week.

Astley Beavers' Report now on LOSYBC

Rostherne Mere Fieldtrip - 15th December 2013

Our last trip of 2013 was to Rostherne Mere, the largest of the Cheshire Meres and an English Nature site. On arriving we were met by some volunteers that were going to show us round the area so on the payment of £1 each we were soon walking through a small wooden area where we had Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, a few of the Tit family and Nuthatch. Redwing and Fieldfare were flying over, some of which landed near the top of the trees as did a few Goldfinch a little later.

There were some good sized trees in this wood, some of them having Ivy growing up them and I noticed one particular tree where the main stems of the Ivy coming from the ground were at least three inches in diameter so even that had been around for a few years.

We soon reached a small hide and because of the limited space inside we were split into two groups, one to go in the hide and the other to walk part way round the mere to where there was another wooded area. In their return we would change over so everyone had done the same things. Once in the hide we were told of a Bittern that had been seen in the reeds just by the side of the hide but we were not lucky enough to see it this time. Most of the ducks were quite a distance away towards the middle of the mere but we did manage to pick out the different species such as Goldeneye, Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Wigeon. On the far side of the mere we could see a group of Cormorants perched in some large dead trees and were told that these trees are where the Cormorants usually nest each year and some members also spotted a Heron not far from these. We heard Water Rail squealing in the reeds not far from the hide and the other group had a good view of a Marsh harrier that they disturbed as they walked round. The bird flew towards the hide but dropped into the reedbed on one side before all of us in the hide managed to see it and it didn’t show itself again after this.

Eventually it was our turn to walk round and as we approached the other wood I saw a Bullfinch in some bushes and we could see Woodpigeons keep flying up from the tops of the trees. A little later we found out why when we spotted a Buzzard flying round over the trees. As we walked by the side of the water we saw both Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe and the other group had seen Reed Bunting.

As we walked round I spotted the last remaining flower on a Red Campion plant and up in one of the trees a Grey Squirrel’s drey. We had earlier seen a Grey Squirrel in the smaller wood running along the thing branches of the trees much faster than we were walking on the solid ground.

We met up back at the small hide so we could all walk out from this area but had one last stop off in their observatory from where we had views across the whole mere. From here we saw a number of birds we had already seen but also saw a Kestrel that landed near to the building and watched 2 Ravens flying over the water as they flew towards each other they would tumble, twist and turn in their flight.

This finished our visit off nicely and thanks must go to the volunteers for showing us round and for all the information they gave us. Thanks also to Al for setting up this trip and to Martyn for my lift.

Jeff Hurst