Friends of Anderton and Marbury (Foam)
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Friends of Anderton and Marbury (FoAM) Don’t Miss the Splendid Autumn Colours Keep Social Distance and Keep Safe From the Chair This year has not only been turned on its head by You can also read about the remarkable find made by Covid 19, but we’ve also been experiencing unusual Liz Bentham on 10th August, when a beautiful marbled weather patterns, which have impacted what can be moth was in the trap at Marbury. This moth has only seen in the Woodlands. been found a few times on the South Coast and has never been found this far north before. I reported in the last newsletter about the fantastic display of orchids this year and those of you who have Some of the unusual finds being reported this year managed to visit the Woodlands recently will have might result from more people being out taking seen a magnificent display of autumn colours. exercise during the pandemic. However, this moth is more likely a result of the unusual weather. The August Bank Holiday weekend saw record numbers visiting and the car parks at both Marbury The Rotary Club of Northwich has volunteered in the Country Park and Anderton Nature Park were full to Woodlands for many years and contacted me at the overflowing. end of last year to offer to purchase and donate some tools for volunteers to use. Joanne and I paid several visits to the Dragonfly Pond at Anderton and were rewarded with memorable views We were unable to collect the spades earlier this year of dozens of pairs of common darter dragonflies flying when volunteering stopped as a result of the over and dipping into the pond as well as good pandemic. Now that volunteering has restarted, Dave sightings of other dragonfly species. James and I were able to collect the new spades at Carey Park – suitably socially distanced. Earlier in the year, dingy skipper butterflies are regularly found in the Woodlands, including one I saw near the rifle range and Dragonfly Pond on 6th May. On 8th August, Pete Leicester photographed one on the boardwalk at the Dragonfly Pond. I called Rupert Adams, County Recorder for Butterfly Conservation, who said he was picking up other reports of a second generation of dingy skipper in the area. We searched near the Dragonfly Pond but couldn’t find it. Rupert had also received reports of a sighting on the bund between Ashton’s and Neumann’s Dave James, Alan Redley and Tony Rowe Flashes, so we decided to walk along the bund. Again, we were unable to see it for ourselves! I thanked Tony Rowe, President of The Rotary Club of Northwich, for the generous donation and for the work This is the first time a second generation of dingy their volunteers do in the Woodlands. It’s a great skipper has been seen in Cheshire. You can read example of different local groups working together to more about this in Rupert’s article later in the improve facilities for visitors. newsletter. Alan Redley 1 www.foam.merseyforest.org.uk email: [email protected] Dragonfly Gates - a Ray of Happiness The dragonfly gates at the entrance to Anderton They had started to look a bit 'drab', so Anderton Nature Park have just received a make-over! Parish Council organised to get them cleaned and painted up and INOVYN paid the bill. The gates came about as a joint project with FoAM, INEOS Chlor, Cheshire County Council and pupils They are now restored to their former glory - and they from Russet school with design help from Stephen look very smart indeed! Charnock. Graham Walker It Was Just a Thought; that was Over 3 Years Ago! Like a lot of websites, there are limitations as to what Facebook has had some ‘bad press’ over the years – you can do to improve communication between an sometimes justified, sometimes unfair – but in general organisation (like FoAM) and the people it serves. it provides a good platform for people to communicate Some sites provide some sort of ‘blogging’ capability; easily. So the decision was made to ‘give it a try’. some will provide a ‘contact us’ capability. Mostly, to March 2017 was when FoAM started their foray into make any real change to adapt to the rapidly changing the ‘social media world’. online capabilities and habits we all have, you either have to make big changes to your website and/or Here we are – over 3 years later – and with over 1000 organisation to be able to cope. The FoAM Committee followers! No heavy persuasion to get people to is a very small group, very keen to keep people follow. No bribes! …. and not really all that much informed about the many aspects of the Northwich publicity. Woodlands, but they do have their own lives too! So any big changes to the FoAM website were not really We are very grateful to all those who have supported on. us over this period. Let’s hope the next 3 years will be as good, if not better. We may even break the 2000 So what do you do? You look around to see what you followers by then! can utilise that is already there, being used by large numbers of people already, is cheap – and Facebook Graham Walker fits this criteria extremely well. 2 www.foam.merseyforest.org.uk email: [email protected] Ranger’s Report Volunteering continues and huge amounts of work have been completed in the last few weeks since we have been back. The lime avenue has had its annual trim, volunteers have been removing the epicormic growth and raising the crown slightly on both avenues. Trimming the edges of the lawn areas and paths leading up to the Lodge sets it off and has given people a splendid view of the park this Autumn. Many visitors, including me, have been trying to capture the magnificent views and colours of Autumn. I am of course saving the best for the photographic competition! Similarly, the avenue at Anderton has had the same treatment, making the driveway much more cared for and attractive. Other work planned for this year includes a new figure of eight trail, taking visitors from Marbury and linking with a trail from Carey Park. This will provide a welcome addition to the existing Dragonfly and Orchid trail. I envisage a series of guide posts and other information being provided, plus a leaflet, which will enable new visitors, of which there are many, to navigate their way around the Northwich Woodlands. One issue which has become apparent is the constant and increasing pressure the park is under from visitors; a series of signs reminding people to keep to the main footpaths will be forthcoming. It seems we need to remind people that the Woodlands are very special, and the bluebells plus other flowers are taking a bit of a battering as people create their own routes through the Woodlands. This year we have been able to purchase a new flail and a new large brush, both machines powered by the Cheers Dave J tractors. Again, volunteers have been clearing footpaths and roadways using the brush, and the flail PS the frontage at the entrance to Marbury Park is now has been very busy knocking back brambles, nettles, finished, as contractors have put in the fence. We are thistles, and small scrub, all across the Northwich hoping to create a wildflower area, to help our Woodlands. That work hasn't finished yet as we are pollinators. So, watch this space. way behind due to having no machine and due to Covid. Cheshire West Voluntary Action FoAM is a member of Cheshire West Voluntary Action These masks are re-usable and offer much better and we were contacted recently by Development protection than simple face coverings. Officer Joanne Stanton, who offered the group some protective visors to be used by volunteers. Both these items are welcome donations, which will be very helpful in improving safety now that FoAM’s Subsequently, Dee Gunning contacted FoAM and regular volunteers have restarted work in the offered the group a supply of face masks. Woodlands following lock-down. 3 www.foam.merseyforest.org.uk email: [email protected] Autumn Wildlife Report from the Woodlands Amongst the large population of grey squirrels across The adult is easily identified by its bright yellow Northwich Woodlands, individuals occasionally turn abdomen. Huge numbers of its caterpillars could be up with eye-catching white fur. A pure white one is seen voraciously feeding on the rose leaves. Look out resident around the Arboretum, a greyish-white one for these in the garden as well. near Marbury Lane canal bridge and an unusual one with white paws and a white nose lives in Carey Park. It's worth looking out for these distinct individuals. large rose sawfly purplestem beggarsticks unusual squirrel cattle egret One new plant for the Patch this year, and new to the For only the second time, the Patch has recorded a Trent and Mersey Canal as well, was the London Bur- visit from a Cattle Egret this Autumn. In 2019 one marigold or Purplestem Beggarsticks. This grows on stopped at the Mere for a short time, but this latest one the very edges of the canal between the Anderton stayed at Dairy House Meadow for about two weeks, Boatlift and the Lion Salt Works. It has been moving closely shadowing the bullocks and finding plenty of north along rivers and canals and is now firmly frogs and insects to eat. It was occasionally spotted established as a resident.