1

The RSPB Macclesfield Local Group

The

HeronHeron Newsletter - January 2016

The Royal Society for the protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: in England and Wales no. 207076, in

Scotland no. SC037654

The Macclesfield Big Bird Box Build An exciting new project for Wildlife Explorers - We need your help!

Macclesfield RSPB Wildlife Explorers is hoping that an exciting new project will provide fresh inspiration for children & young people to take action for their local wildlife. The Macclesfield Big Bird Box Build (MBBBB) launches on January 12 with the support of a local nature conservation partnership that also includes The RSPB Macclesfield Local Group and Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

The group aim to raise £500 for bird box kit materials and tools to allow local children and young people to construct a wide selection of bird boxes at a public participation event at Lyme Green Business Park on Sunday 28 February 2016. Different bird box designs will be created to cater for a range of bird species. The completed boxes will then be installed in local green spaces across the Macclesfield area including Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s Danes Moss Nature Reserve on the outskirts of the town.

Many bird species are declining across the country. Hole-nesting birds such as blue tits, tree sparrows and pied flycatchers depend on the availability of suitable nest sites. Without mature trees, that provide natural holes and cavities, birds can struggle to find homes. Many sites across Macclesfield could become much more attractive to breeding birds with the addition of suitable bird boxes.

The Group will install a selection of bird boxes at Danes Moss in time for the 2016 nesting season. Experts will help monitor breeding success and the findings will be published on the Macclesfield RSPB Wildlife Explorers website. Once the boxes have been installed, supporters and those who have worked on the project will be invited to join the Project Team for a guided walk around Danes Moss Nature Reserve to see the results for themselves’.

Macclesfield Big Bird Box donations can be made online via the Crowd-funding website

‘Just Giving’ (http://bit.ly/macclesfieldbigbirdboxbuild) or

in person at any of the Macclesfield RSPB Wildlife Explorer or Macclesfield RSPB Local Group meetings.

Keep up-to-date with the progress of The Macclesfield Big Bird Box Build by liking the Macclesfield Wildlife Explorers Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @MaccWildlife. Wildlife Explorers run a varied programme of nature events and activities for children, teenagers and families - details can be found on the website www.macclesfieldrspb.org.uk .

Photograph by Martin James

Photograph Wildlife Explorers Library

Photograph Wildlife Explorers Library

2

We welcome Ian Butler as our speaker tonight

This will be the first talk Ian has given to our group. Natural history, travel photography and taking the perfect photograph have always been obsessions and as a result he can boast a diverse portfolio with images appearing worldwide in magazines, websites, newspaper articles, brochures, calendars and book publications, as well as in private homes through his print and canvas collection. For the material in his talk he spent three months in Costa Rica exploring different species and locations ranging from resplendent quetzals in the high mountains, magnificent frigate birds along the coastline, hummingbirds such as the white-necked jacobin to strawberry poison dart frogs and tarantulas in this exotic world of wildlife diversity. Tonight’s talk is entitled ’The Jewels and Hidden Gems of Costa Rica’.

Heaven and Earth by Ray Perry

D���� D���

J������ 2016

Sunday 17

WGBG Coach Trip: Wirral Depart at 8 am from Wilmslow Guild, Bourne Street, Wilmslow, SK9 5HD Contact: Steve McGann 01625 533652

Saturday 30

National RSPB Event: ‘Big Garden Birdwatch’ Take part in The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch with birdwatching experts from The RSPB Macclesfield Local Group and Wildlife Explorers. There will be advice on using binoculars and telescopes and help with identifying common garden birds, as well as lots of helpful hints on completing your own survey at home. Meet at Jacksons’ Brickworks car park, Pool House Rd, Higher Poynton, SK12 1TY. LR Grid Reference: SJ947844; WGS84 N 53.35616, W 2.08068. 10:00 am to 12:00 noon Contact: Tina Hanak 07870 804413

Friday 5

CAWOS Meeting: ‘Florida’ A Winter Wonderland by Dennis Atherton 7:30 pm for a prompt 7:45 pm start at St. Vincents Roman Catholic Church, Tatton Street, Knutsford, WA16 6HR

F������� 2016

Tuesday 9 Indoor Meeting: Art of Our Nature by Philip Snow Plus ’Bring and Buy’ in aid of Group Funds Introduced by: David Tolliday 01625 432105

Sunday 21

Outdoor Meeting: Wigan Area A search for winter thrushes, grebes and sawbills. Meet at Duke Street car park at 9:00 am for an all day visit Leader: Abercrombie 07842 912094

Heaven: The heavens contain many planetary systems including our own, generally known as the solar system, but there are many out there which twinkle as star systems (galaxies). The heavens have been known for thousands of years because of stargazers who viewed the sky without the use of telescopes. When telescopes were invented the viewers realised that there were yet more systems in the heavens than had been previously realised. Our own solar system (part of the Milky Way) is well understood and all planets circle the sun, Earth taking a year to go round. Although movement can be seen on some planets, e.g. Venus and the Sun, the planets and star systems remain more or less in the same place, except for their circulatory movements,

3

in our case around the Sun. Over hundreds of years star charts have been constructed due to observation. As a result of these historic observations we know where planets & star systems are and where they will be in the future. It is therefore possible to predict the time and position of tides well ahead of when they occur.

Seafarers in the past have relied on human invented gadgets to find their position, particularly at sea. The ASTROLABE was invented around 200 BC and used in different forms until the advent of the sextant in about the 17 – 18 hundreds AD. The astrolabe was particularly useful at night because stars could be locked onto to guide the ships. In the daytime seafarers had to fix on the Sun, if it wasn’t cloudy! Relatively recently a buckled metal astrolabe was found in the sea off the coast of Greece. A scientist attempted to build a copy of the device in wood. This he did but because of tiny marked segments, only measurable by him with modern instruments, he wondered how on earth in the distant past astrolabe makers could measure these segments and then mark them up on metal! The research is ongoing!

An interesting gadget, the ORRERY, was made in the 1700’s. It was a mechanically operated device which accurately showed the movement of the then known planets, around the Sun. The Orrery was named after the Earl of Orrery who ordered the first such gadget.

Earth: Although it is possible to accurately predict movement of stars in the skies and have tide tables (ebb and flow twice a day) for at least a year ahead, Earth’s weather interferes with such heavenly influences. Although we know when the tides will occur, we don’t know what bad weather will do to the moving sea. Will the sea lash the shoreline? Will there be massive floods? If the daytime weather is hot, will there be fires. When will it rain? When will it snow? All unknowns because of variable weather patterns. There are so many variables that the weather agencies cannot properly predict for more than a few days ahead thus there is no reliability.

None of this helps the birds, particularly on migration. They know where they want to go but can get diverted by bad weather. How do they know where to go? It’s far from clear. Is the direction instilled into young birds by their parents? Do they follow landmarks? Do they interact with the world’s magnetic field or at night do they rely on the stars? It’s not known but they probably use a bit of all possibilities.

For more information about migration, read The Migration Atlas, movements of the birds of Britain and Ireland. This large tome was published by T & AD Poyser for the BTO in 2002. At that time the ISBN number was - 0-7136-6154-9.

Crossover: In 1966 Margaret and I visited the Jodrell Bank observatory on its opening day. It was not very interesting. Sure the large radio telescope was in place but very little else. I remember there was a shed and inside there was a tape player issuing forth sounds from outer space. Very enlightening!! Many years later, it was much more interesting. There was a planetarium (closed in 2003), an arboretum and gardens laid out according to a plan designed by Chris Beardshaw, a TV presenter of gardening programmes. Chris released a book in 2003 entitled The natural gardener – lessons from the landscape. The thing about Chris is that he much prefers to design gardens using nature or incorporating nature into his designs. In a sense this reflects current RSPB thinking in relating all aspects of nature to site designs. I agree with

this philosophy. You cannot divorce bird life from the rest of nature. It’s all interlinked. Chris has the same beliefs.

A few years ago Tina Hanak’s Young Explorers visited Jodrell Bank and had a thoroughly enjoyable day exploring the site.

Bernard Lovell was responsible for the radio telescope and the general layout of the site but during the cold war Lovell’s people had to track all sorts of stuff on behalf of the Americans and the Russians!!

Ph

oto

gra

ph b

y

Photograph by Darren Mayer

4

News from our Wildlife Explorers

Volunteer Long Service Awards by Ray Evans

As front-of-house for our Indoor Meeting in December it was my privilege and pleasure to present, on behalf of the RSPB, Long Service Awards to two of my dedicated and hard-working Committee colleagues, Lydia Taylor and Abercrombie.

Lydia (pictured on the right) has been the Group’s Membership Secretary since the beginning of the millennium. During this time she has not only excelled in this important role but also undertaken numerous additional substantial tasks. In particular, I wish to mention her fantastic contribution to all five of our highly successful Wildlife and Outdoor World Extravaganza (WOW) events, latterly as one of the major organisers and in taking overall responsibility for refreshments and the raffle. Lydia’s baking prowess is now legendary, a fact to which I know many of you who attend our events will testify. In recognition of

Lydia’s volunteering contribution to the Society and our Local Group during the past 15 years she received The Kingfisher Long Service Award. Abercrombie (on the left) has been a volunteer and Local Group Committee Member for the past 5 years. Until the start of this season Abercrombie occupied the important role of ensuring the availability and efficient serving of interval refreshments at Indoor Meetings. More recently, she has taken over responsibility for the Group’s Conservation Activities, a role that she has embarked upon with her usual gusto. This aspect of the Group’s effort is becoming more important to the RSPB as they encourage us all to look after our nature locally. In recognition of Abercrombie’s volunteering contribution to the Society and our Local Group during the past 5 years she received The Swift Long Service Award.

N ews item: Wildlife Explorers have been voting! Members took a democratic decision on which types of wildlife-friendly flower they will plant as part of

their springtime programme. Explorers will be working with Food4Macc as part of the ongoing development of Heritage Walk (off Churchill Way in Macclesfield) as a resource for wildlife and the community. Lavender was the outright winner, however, the group will be planting a range of flowering plants to benefit bees and butterflies at the March outdoor meeting.

T ree Dressing: Wildlife Explorers celebrate National Tree Week each year with an afternoon Tree Dressing session where families get creative to celebrate the cultural, historical and ecological

importance of trees. This year the group selected the woodland at Tegg’s Nose Country Park as the venue for their outdoor gallery of clay-based creations. Inspired by nature, mythology and popular culture the

Photograph by David Tolliday

Photograph Wildlife Explorers Library

Photograph Wildlife Explorers Library

5

Notices

artworks incorporated a range of themes including wildlife, dinosaurs, Christmas and Star Wars! All the materials used are natural and have no impact on the environment as the sculptures weather. Tree Dressing is a fantastic way for families to enjoy being outside together – all ages enjoy the creative process as a way of expressing their interest in nature. The group rounded off the session with festive refreshments – hot drinks, mince pies and hippo-shaped, homemade shortbread lovingly made Leader Martin.

Photographs by Darren Mayer

RSPB Coombes Valley : Come and take in the heritage and natural history of the Churnet valley. Including the history of their newly acquired, Heritage Lottery funded land, Bellpit Meadows.

Sunday 7 February: This walk will focus on Consall, Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary habitat, Consall Mill and Bellpit Meadows.

Sunday 6 March: The final walk will focus on Consall, Bellpit Meadows, Prices Cave, Devil's Stairs, Consall Forge Lime Kilns and railway history.

All walks start at 1pm and finish around 4pm. Meeting at Consall Nature park, ST9 0AF. £3 per person, 20% off for members, children (under 18) Free. If you mention 'MACCLESFIELD RSPB LOCAL GROUP' when booking and you take your membership card, your place will be FREE. Limited spaces so booking essential.

Please contact rebecca.blackman@rspb.org.uk or call 01538384017

6

Health and Safety

In the event of fire or other emergency necessitating evacuation of the building, please leave in an orderly manner

via the nearest available Emergency Exit or as instructed by a designated Committee member. Emergency Exits are

indicated by the internationally recognised symbol of a ‘running man’ on a green background.

If required, there is a first aid kit in the kitchen. (If you do have an accident, however minor, while here tonight please

report it directly to a Committee member who, amongst other things, will ensure that details are logged in the

Accident Report Book.)

D oing Stuff: Dave and Darren will be available at the ‘Doing Stuff Table’ to answer questions about the Launch of the Macclesfield Big Bird Box Build (MBBBB). They will have some leaflets, bird ringing equipment and some bird boxes to see. Everybody is welcome to come along and chat about their garden and how to attract wildlife or even

sign up to help make bird boxes on Sunday 28 February or you may prefer to just donate to this exciting Wildlife Explorer project. On Sunday 17 January from 10 am - 12 noon there will be an opportunity to walk the breeding bird survey area at Danes Moss. If interested in being involved in future surveys, or seeing the site that morning, please come to the Doing Stuff table or contact Abercrombie on 07775904683 / Alan Brereton on 07760 156153. There are two local conservation groups looking for volunteers. Cheshire Wildlife Trust (CWT) meet on Tuesday each week at various sites. Please pick up a leaflet from the Doing Stuff table to join and Adam the ranger will contact you direct. Congleton and District Conservation Volunteers work at various local sites on every other Sunday, Danes Moss included. Please visit the Doing Stuff table for further contact details; and also information on the joint CWT and Butterfly Trust run joint work parties at Swettenham Meadows on the last Sunday of the month - next one is Sunday 31 January.

F ood4Macc - Potato Day and Seed Fair. Inside Macclesfield Town Hall at the Treacle Market on Sunday 31 January 10 am to 3 pm. Buy everything you need for the growing season: Seed Potatoes, Onion Setts, Vegetable Seeds, Fruit Bushes, Rhubarb,

Strawberry Plants, Fruit Trees, Dahlia Tubers and Gladioli Bulbs.

This event is supported by Macclesfield Town Council.

For prices and pre-ordering visit www.Food4Macc.org. For more details contact food4Macc@gmail.com or call 07710 878348

D anny Green is presenting ‘The Long Journey North’ for the Macclesfield Camera Club on Monday 18 January 8 pm, at the first floor lecture theatre above Macclesfield Library. Access via Brunswick Street between the library's main entrance and the police station. Macclesfield RSPB Local Group members can get a reduced

admission £3 (instead of £5) on presentation of their Local Group membership Cards. Any questions please contact David Tolliday 01625 432105 or david@macclesfieldrspb.org.uk

D id you know: One of our members saw a black headed gull stood on ice last January 2015 at South Park Lake Macclesfield. He was able to report the ring identification to the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) and last September received a reply. What a surprise,

this bird was ringed when it was two years old by the Gdansk ringing scheme on 4 January 2011 at Zbiornik, Przykona, Radyczyny, Przykona, Wielkopolskie, Poland. This was 1,323 days after it was ringed and 1,409 km or 875 miles west from its Polish starting point. While black headed gulls appear to be very common sights around our local patches, we never can tell what a journey they have experienced to be with us!

Black headed gull by Powell