Wildlife Watch Events Diary 2010
We have an exciting program of events taking place all over Cheshire this winter. So Why not come along and join Watch and take a closer look at wildlife, have fun and make new friends.
Please book all events except where otherwise stated
N.B. Events can be cancelled at short notice due to bad weather. If this occurs we will do our best to inform all those who have booked on to the event.
Please note that there may be a charge of £2 per child for non-members who wish to participate in some watch events.
June
Tuesday 1st June 2.00pm
Activity – To be arranged.
Venue – Caldy Nature Park, Chester
Contact – Tina Watkins telephone 01244 347423 or watch@clocsen.org
Saturday 19th June 10.30-12.30pm
Activity – Wildlife Ramble. A chance to explore with all the family.
Venue – Teggs Nose, Buxton Old Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 0AP
Contact – The Rangers on 01625 504518 for more details & booking.
Saturday 26th June 10am - 12noon & 1pm - 3pm
Activity – pond dipping
Venue – Marshall’s Arm nature reserve, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire
Contact – Virginia Hunt virginiaannehunt@yahoo.co.ukTel 01606 42667
Sunday 27th June 12.30pm – 3pm
Activity – River walk
Venue - Mill Lane visitor centre, Reddish vale country park, Stockport.
Contact – The rangers on 0161 477 5637
July
Sunday 11th July 2pm - 4pm
Activity – Geo-caching and orienteering
Venue - Marshall’s Arm nature reserve, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire
Contact – Virginia Hunt virginiaannehunt@yahoo.co.ukTel 01606 42667
Thursday 22nd July 2pm - 4pm
Activity – Bug Bonanza
Venue – Caldy Nature Park, Chester
Contact - Tina Watkins telephone 01244 347423 or email watch@clocsen.org
Sunday 25th July 12.30pm-3pm
Activity – Tree walk. This will be a long walk around the park to learn how to identify trees in summer. Dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes and bring drinking water and a snack.
Venue: Visitor Centre, Mill Lane, Reddish Vale Country Park.
Contact – Alexandra Krause Tel 0161 4775637 or email Alexandra.krause@stockport.gov.uk
Thursday 29th July 2pm - 4pm
Activity – Wonderful Withies
Venue – Caldy Nature Park, Chester
Contact - Tina Watkins telephone 01244 347423 or email watch@clocsen.org
Saturday 31st July 2pm - 4pm
Activity – Meadow Safari(hunting for insects and minibeasts)
Venue – Wirral Country Park
Contact – Matt Thomas telephone 0151 6484371 or email mattthomas@wirral.gov.uk
August
Thursday August 5th 10am – 2pm
Activity - Seal Watch and rock pooling. This trip has always been a popular one for families. The group will leave the slipway at West Kirby at low tide and walk the 2 miles across the sands to Hilbre Island. At this time of year hundreds of seals are hauled out on the sand banks of the River Dee Estuary and can be seen clearly with the help of a telescope. Many more swim around to the end of the island for a closer encounter. The day will include a seaside scavenger hunt, rock pool dipping, bird and seal watching.
Not suitable for children under 5.
Venue – Hilbre Island, off the coast at West Kirby, Wirral.
Contact - Jan Shone Tel 01948 822218 or email
watchevents@cheshirewt.cix.co.uk for more details and booking
Saturday 14th August 8.30pm-10pm
Activity – Bat walk. Reddish Vale Country Park is a great place for bats. Come find more about these wonderful creatures on our guided walk around the reservoirs.
Weather-dependent (bats don't like to fly in the rain). Wear sturdy footwear and bring a torch if you have one.
Venue - Visitor Centre, Mill Lane, Reddish Vale Country Park.
Contact – Alexandra Krause Tel 0161 4775637 or email Alexandra.krause@stockport.gov.uk
Tuesday 17th August 10am -12noon & 1pm - 3pm
Activity – Bushcraft skills
Venue - Marshall’s Arm nature reserve, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire
Contact – Virginia Hunt
virginiaannehunt@yahoo.co.uk Tel 01606 42667
Thursday 19th August 2pm - 4pm
Activity – Beautiful Butterflies
Venue – Caldy Nature Park, Chester
Contact - Tina Watkins telephone 01244 347423 or email watch@clocsen.org
Thursday August 19th 10am – 2pm
Activity - Seal Watch and rock pooling. This trip has always been a popular one for families. The group will leave the slipway at West Kirby at low tide and walk the 2 miles across the sands to Hilbre Island. At this time of year hundreds of seals are hauled out on the sand banks of the River Dee Estuary and can be seen clearly with the help of a telescope. Many more swim around to the end of the island for a closer encounter. The day will include a seaside scavenger hunt, rock pool dipping, bird and seal watching.
Not suitable for children under 5.
Venue – Hilbre Island, off the coast at West Kirby, Wirral.
Contact - Jan Shone Tel 01948 822218 or email watchevents@cheshirewt.cix.co.uk for more details and booking
Tuesday August 24th 9am – 4pm
Activity – High tide Hilbre Island trip. This is an exciting opportunity to visit Hilbre Island over the high tide. The group will leave the slipway at West Kirby at 9am, 2 hours before high tide (plenty of time to reach the island before high tide). The trip involves a 2 miles across the sands to Hilbre Island. This trip will provide an excellent opportunity to have close encounters with many birds, such as waders and their predators as the high tide drives them onto the island. Seals and other sea birds will be seen offshore.
Not suitable for children under 5.
Venue – Hilbre Island, off the coast at West Kirby, Wirral.
Contact - Jan Shone. Tel 01948 822218 or email
watchevents@cheshirewt.cix.co.uk for more details and booking
Saturday 21st August 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Activity – badger watching
Venue – Bickley Hall Farm, Bickley, Cheshire, SY14 8EF
Contact – Nick Rowles Tel 01948 820728 or email nrowles@cheshirewt.cix.co.uk for more details and booking.
Thursday 26th August 2pm - 4pm
Activity – Fantastic Flowers
Venue – Caldy Nature Park, Chester
Contact - Tina Watkins telephone 01244 347423 or email watch@clocsen.org
Saturday 28th August 12.30pm-2.30pm
Activity – Minibeast hunt. Kids love creepy crawlies – we’ll have lots of them - and plenty of magnifying lenses! Dress for a ‘hunting expedition’, prepared for muddy conditions and uneven ground.
Venue - Visitor Centre, Mill Lane, Reddish Vale Country Park.
Contact – Alexandra Krause Tel 0161 4775637 or email Alexandra.krause@stockport.gov.uk
September
Friday 10th September 8pm
Activity – Mammal trapping and bat walk
Venue - Marshall’s Arm nature reserve, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire
Contact – Tom Hunt tom@record-lrc.co.uk
Saturday 11th September 9.30am
Activity – Mammal study and release
Venue - Marshall’s Arm nature reserve, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire
Contact – Tom Hunt tom@record-lrc.co.uk
Sunday 12th September 8.30am-12.30pm
Activity – Small mammals of Cheshire. Mammal trapping and learning about the lives of small mammals.
Venue – Bickley Hall Farm, Bickley, Cheshire, SY14 8EF
Contact - Nick Rowles Tel 01948 820728 or email
nrowles@cheshirewt.cix.co.uk for more details and booking
Wednesday 15th September 1pm - 5pm
Activity – Countryside Day
Venue – Caldy Nature Park
Contact - Tina Watkins telephone 01244 347423 or email watch@clocsen.org
Wednesday 15th September 7.30pm-9pm
Activity – Bat walk. Reddish Vale Country Park is a great place for bats. Come find more about these wonderful creatures on our guided walk around the reservoirs.
Weather-dependent (bats don't like to fly in the rain). Wear sturdy footwear and bring a torch if you have one.
Venue - Visitor Centre, Mill Lane, Reddish Vale Country Park.
Contact – Alexandra Krause Tel 0161 4775637 or email Alexandra.krause@stockport.gov.uk
Saturday 18th September 10.30-12.30pm
Activity – Autumn Arts and Crafts. Lots of fun activities using what we can find in the Park.
Venue – Riverside Park, Beechwood Mews, Macclesfield, SK10 2SL
Contact – The Rangers on 01625 504518 for more details & booking
Saturday 18th September 5.30pm-8.30pm
Activity – Bats and BBQ. Now a tradition at Reddish Vale - some people even created bat-shaped burgers. Bring your burgers (any shape will do) and some food to share – after the BBQ there will be plenty of bats to watch. Bat walk weather-dependent (bats don't like to fly in the rain). Wear sturdy footwear and bring a torch if you have one.
Venue - Visitor Centre, Mill Lane, Reddish Vale Country Park.
Contact – Alexandra Krause Tel 0161 4775637 or email Alexandra.krause@stockport.gov.uk
October
Saturday 16th October 10.30am - 12.30pm
Activity – Autumn Time. Looking at fruits and seeds and how animals respond to the changing season.
Venue – Riverside Park, Beechwood Mews, Macclesfield, SK10 2SL
Contact – The Rangers on 01625 504518 for more details & booking.
Sunday 3rd October 11am - 2pm
Activity – Fungal Foray
Venue - Marshall’s Arm nature reserve, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire
Contact – Pam 01606 75520
Sunday 17th October 10.30am - 12.30pm
Activity – Cheshire Wildlife Trust Autumn watch. Learn about wild food, native trees and bush craft skills.
Venue – Brereton Heath County Park
Contact – Nick Rowles on 01948 820728 or email nrowles@cheshirewt.cix.co.uk for more details.
Tuesday 26th October 2.00pm
Activity – To be arranged.
Venue – Caldy Nature Park, Chester
Contact – Tina Watkins telephone 01244 347423 or email watch@clocsen.org
Thursday 30th October 9am – 11am
Activity – Bird Ringing Display. Come and learn more about woodland bird at our bird ringing display. Help the ringers catch, record and release the birds. NB this activity is totally weather dependant and is not suitable for children under 5.
Venue – Norton Priory, Runcorn.
Contact – Nick Rowles. Tel 01948 820728 or email nrowles@cheshirewt.cix.co.uk for more details and booking.
November
Sunday 14th November 10am - 2pm
Activity - Rhododendron bashing
Venue - Marshall’s Arm nature reserve, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire
Contact – Nick Tel 07973 701898
Saturday 20th November
Activity – Bushcraft
Venue – Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve
Contact – The rangers on 01625 504518
December
Saturday 4th December10.30am - 12.30pm
Activity – Tracks and signs
Venue - Marshall’s Arm nature reserve, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire
Contact – Mac Carding Tel 0782 1173357
Saturday 18th December 10.30am - 12.30pm
Activity – Christmas tree Farm visit. A visit to Macclesfield Forest to see their busy Christmas tree farm.
Venue – Macclesfield Forest, Langley.
Contact – The Rangers on 01625 504518 for more details & booking.
Always wear suitable clothing and footwear
Please note that there may be a charge of £2 per child for non-members who wish to participate in some watch events.
How to Join Watch
You can join at any Watch event in Cheshire, just let the leader of the event know. If you would like further details or a membership application form you can either call us on 01948 820728, or email us. Alternatively you can join online join online.