2018 Wyre Estuary

Wyre Estuary 12 2018 11 1 10 po 2 nd dip g p n in li g w - a c r h t i - l d g r e n i n p ’ s p a a r 9 c 3 t t i l v a i t i m e s m - a b m a l l t a & m b s i r d & w h t a o l k m 8 - 4 7 5 6 A REPORT ON THE BIOBLITZ CONDUCTED ON THE WYRE ESTUARY IN JUNE 2018 Things You Will Never Know – #42 Preface For Toby and Felix and in memory of my uncle Robert “Bobby” McLoughlin Mike Harding : Comedian, Author, Artist, Photographer and Presenter who took me there. This motorway you think was here since Time began And here just where the motorway now dips Was once a dene where larks sang, fieldmice ran The deepest, once was marshland: rushy, pooled, Through ferns and brambles, there were bumble bees, A childhood jungle of sally, birch and fallen logs, Hawks, hedgehogs, badgers, hares and centipedes. Dimpled with newts and loud with frogs Where water boatmen scudded on shallow ponds. A small child running wild I wandered here, Picked ripe blackberries and mushrooms, Here where the concrete piles hit bedrock One summer saw great ranks, platoons Culverts drain and spew the motorway’s runoff, Of soldier orchids studding a high bank. I used to lie and watch entranced Here was a lake where the old headmaster Belly down, my child’s eyes dazzled, Heron on the pool’s soft edge, Filled with the flickering, shimmering dance Hunched and shifty, stalked the sedge Of the sapphire sparks of damselflies. For schools of gudgeon, perch and sticklebacks; It’s now a red brick maze of avenues, and cul-de-sacs With barbecues and trimly barbered lawns. Cosmos All gone the fields where they once grew wheat Mariner And barley and the winter hay; And for the rest? This retail park, back in the day Acres of fat meadows filled with sweet Things You Will Never Know was written What’s left?” He answered, “Nothing.” I asked, Soft grass and shiny-coated, brindle cows. about Besses O’th Barn and the land south “You have one planet. You eat it. What do you This lorry park – two dairy farms, of Heywood in Lancashire where I played, have left.” The answer came, “Nothing.” And do This bowling alley – a marsh and a small lake; wandered and cycled as a child. We cling to you know, that man, soon to have a doctorate the idea of England’s Green And Pleasant Land in business studies had never been troubled by This McDonalds’ drive-thru was a copse at the same time as we destroy it in the pursuit that thought before. Of silver birch where once a big dog fox of “growth”. Toby and Felix are my grandchildren. The poem And I outstared each other face to face I once asked a business studies Post Grad who appears in Cosmos Mariner, my latest book of Until he realised I meant only good was doing a PhD at Manchester Met if he knew poems, published by Luath Press of Edinburgh And padded off again into the sheltering wood. Poems the most important rule of economics. He said in May Mike Harding no. I asked him, “You have one cake. You eat it. 2 3 Contents Acknowledgements Sponsors 2-3 Preface By Mike Harding, Comedian, Author, Artist, Photographer and Presenter 5 Acknowledgements A small thanks to the sponsors and supporters of the 2018 BioBlitz 6 What is a BioBlitz Partners Jean Wilson outlines what a BioBlitz is and why we did it 7 Why the Wyre Estuary for a BioBlitz? Tom Myerscough highlights the importance of the Wyre Estuary and why it was suited to a BioBlitz 8 The Sponsors 9-11 The experts Biographies from the recorders that took part in the event 12-13 Day 1: Schools Activities - Jean Wilson A summary of the activities provided for local schools on Friday the 22nd of June 14-15 Day 2: Community Engagement - Alison Boden and Tom Myerscough A summary of the activities provided for the local community on Saturday the 23rd of June Fylde Cluster (Northfold, Hambleton, St Mary’s Catholic Primary, Shakespeare Fleetwood Primary, St Johns Catholic Primary) 16 BioBlitz Surveys Knott End 17-19 BioBlitz 2018 - Results Hillhouse International Industrial Estate Karen Lawson (RSB member, Preston 644 Species - Highlights, common species Northwest Bees Moth Society) and rarities! Over-Wyre Art Society Jennifer Sharples (RSB member) 20 BioBlitz Bird Survey Mike Harding (Comedian, author, artist, Wyre Coast and Countryside Service Ian Coote reports on avian activity across photographer & presenter) Ian Coote (bird expert) the Fylde coast David Wareing (RSB) 21 2015 - 2018 Contrasting Results Jackie Williams & Barbara Matley Volunteer Naturalists and Recorders How do the results of the 2018 BioBlitz (caterers) Report edited by Tom Myerscough compare with 2015? Geoff Holroyd (RSB member) and Lucy Brookfield, Wyre Rivers Trust 22 Health and Wellbeing Amy Sissons reports on the importance of the great outdoors to health and wellbeing 23 BioBlitz Final Report Reed Warbler 4 5 What is a BioBlitz? Why choose the Wyre Estuary for Jean Wilson MBE a BioBlitz? BIO … means LIFE Thomas Myerscough - Programme Manager - Wyre Rivers Trust BLITZ … refers to anything that is completed thoroughly and quickly. The Wyre Catchment is home to a wide variety Other habitats seen in the lower catchment of flora and fauna. The lower catchment is include sand dunes, rock pools and clean The BioBlitz concept was first developed by renowned for the vast flocks of migratory birds beaches and muddy shores. Each of these Sam Droege in the USA in 1996, BioBlitzes which gather on the mudflats of the estuary habitats are home to important species of flora have been taking place in the UK since 2006, to feed. As a result of the huge numbers of and fauna. The beaches of Blackpool, Cleveleys co-ordinated by the Bristol Natural History migratory birds which gather within it, the and Fleetwood are home to a wide variety of estuarine section of the catchment is designated invertebrates which are food sources for fish, Consortium. as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), birds and marine mammals. Among the most Effectively they are a race against the clock Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Specially commonly seen are Blow and Black Lugworm, to record as many species of living things as Protected Area (SPA). The mouth of the Wyre also Ragworm, Masked Crabs, Shore Crabs, Edible possible within a designated area over a set sits at the southern boundary of the Morecambe Crabs, Mussels, Razor Clams, Cockles and period of time, usually 24 hours. Bay RAMSAR site. There are a large number of Periwinkles. Rarer species include Peacock species which gather on the mudflats of the Worms and Burrowing Piddocks. Wyre Estuary BioBlitz estuarine area, among the most commonly seen The estuary of the River Wyre forms a critical A gathering of both professional and amateur are: Shell Duck, Black Tailed Godwit, European pathway for a number of important species of wildlife experts were recruited in the months Oystercatcher, Knot, Turnstone, Redshank, Migratory Fish. Atlantic Salmon, sea trout, eels, prior to the June BioBlitz. They came from The sites and, therefore, the area were much Dunlin, Plover and Sanderling. smelt and river lamprey all use the estuary to near and far(ish) including North wales, increased from the more modest BioBlitz The farmlands of the lower Wyre Catchment make their way between the Irish Sea and the Bristol and the Wirral! All had the same aims, conducted in 2015 at Stanah, Wyre Estuary also host a wide variety of migratory birds. Wyre. Salmon and sea trout which are returning to the Wyre to spawn will make use of the to locate, identify and confirm as many Country Park. In 2018, our area extended to During the winter months vast gaggles of Pink brackish waters of the estuary for a number of species as possible within the Wyre Estuary as Rossall Point, Knott End and the Wyre Channel, Foot, Grey Lag and Barnacle Geese are often spotted, along with deceits of Lapwings and days to allow their bodies to adapt to increasing parameters, such as access, would allow. Hillylaid Industrial Site, Burrow’s Marsh and herds of Curlews. The farmlands and saltmarshes amounts of freshwater. In the spring months the of course Wyre Estuary Country Park. The are a useful source of food for the birds which estuary forms a thoroughfare for elvers (Juvenile timeline was almost one week, mainly due to are en route to their winter-feeding grounds. European Eels) and thousands of salmon and the limitations of access imposed by the tides The estuary is also home to vast expanses of sea trout smolts as they make their way out of and availability of the recorders. saltmarsh habitat such as Barnaby’s Sands and the Wyre. Meanwhile smelt and river lamprey are moving toward the tidal limit of the Wyre A BioBlitz is a great activity for engaging Burrows Marsh, many of which are Natura 2000 at St Michaels to complete their spawning participants to learn together, sharing sites. The saltmarsh habitats are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna and are also critically activities. The Wyre estuary also forms a key expertise and passion for nature. It is a great important feeding and roosting grounds for spawning ground and home to a wide variety way to break down barriers by engaging all many migratory bird species.

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