Halton and Warrington Wildlife Group

Your Local Group of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust

Newsletter September 2008

Recent Events
We have held the following meetings since the last newsletter.

26th April Dunham Massey
Highlights of our walk around and across the park included our first swallows, sand martins, green and great spotted woodpeckers and nesting coots.

17th May Woolston Eyes
An interesting walk to see the black necked grebes and other birds.

19th June Sutton Manor, St Helens
Having postponed our visit to this reclaimed mine and slag heap because of torrential rain, we were rewarded by surprisingly large numbers of bee orchids, blue eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bermudiana), and a range of other species such as yellow rattle, melilot, northern marsh orchid, rest harrow and common spike-rush.

16th July Rixton Claypits
It was fascinating to see how the site has matured over the years.

LOCAL MAMMALS

Five species of insectivores can be found in the Halton and Warrington area. All these species can be considered as common, although numbers of hedgehogs have declined in recent years. Common and pygmy shrew in particular are regularly caught in small mammal traps or found in owl pellets, whereas the water shrew is mainly found in and around waterways and their surroundings. The mole is the most elusive of the insectivores but evidence of its presence can be seen by the many molehills produced as a result of its tunnelling activities.

At least seven bat species have been recorded within the area, but being nocturnal are difficult to observe, and consequently our knowledge of their distribution is incomplete. The commonest species are noctule, Daubenton’s, brown long-eared bat and the common and soprano pipistrelles. Of the other species, whiskered and Brandt’s are uncommon, but most records of these species are from roost sites rather than actual sightings.
The rabbit is one of the commonest mammals within the area and is often viewed as a pest. The brown hare has undergone a dramatic decline in numbers in the last 50 years but is still found on local farmland.

Seven species of rodent have been recorded in recent years. The grey squirrel was introduced to Cheshire in 1876 but distribution was patchy until the 1980s, since when the species has become one of the commonest and most widespread mammals in the region. Both bank and field vole are widespread and are regular visitors to small mammal traps; both are important prey items for many predators. The water vole was once common on many wetlands, but has declined by 90% in recent years. It still survives in small numbers on local ponds and streams. The wood mouse is the most widespread of the mice species whereas the status of the harvest mouse is uncertain due to the difficulty of monitoring this species but there does seem to have been a decline in numbers in recent years. The house mouse and brown rat are still very common species but under-recorded.

Thirteen species of cetacean have been recorded off the Dee and Mersey estuaries and the eastern part of Liverpool Bay. Unfortunately many records concern stranded or dead animals. The harbour porpoise is by far the commonest, occasionally making it inland up the Mersey as far as Warrington.

Most of the UK’s terrestrial carnivore species are found locally. The fox is the species most often recorded: a highly adaptable mammal, it can be found in virtually any habitat where there is sufficient food and shelter. Of the British mustelids, stoats, weasels and badgers are common and widespread. The polecat was exterminated from Cheshire by the Victorians but has re-colonised virtually the whole county within the last 20 years. American mink, introduced for the fur trade, has colonized most of the county’s waterways to the detriment of many native species such as the water vole.

Of the deer, roe and muntjac are seldom seen but do appear to be slowly increasing.

Tony Parker

HOLCROFT MOSS RESERVE
Holcroft Moss Nature Reserve, near Culcheth and Glazebrook, is one of the Trust's largest reserves (18ha), and is a Site of International Importance for Nature Conservation, being the only lowland bog in Cheshire that has never been cut for peat.

Please note that CWT requests that anyone wishing to visit Holcroft Moss should first contact them.