Welcome to the first newsletter. In the future we hope to include our work day projects and special events on our reserves as well of interesting spots.
Friends of the Lakes
(Volunteering 1st Sunday in every month)
Autumn round Belgrave and Stoneydelph lakes has been particularly colourful this year. Anybody who likes kicking their way through the golden leaves should head to the footpaths here for a great time. The apples on the trees in the Orchard have been wonderful. They can even be seen since the wonderful job Tameforce did in cutting back the mass of brambles that was choking them. The Friends of the Lakes have been trying to keep them down, and replace them with wild flowers. Even the low sun is a spectacle as the long shadows on the grass look charming.
It’s a great time to see the birds flitting around now the leaves are much thinner. The little robin that hops around by the little wooden bridge responds to his name and comes bob bob bobbing along for his handful of seed. Families of long tailed tits can be seen along the footpaths. The bright blue of the kingfisher is still lighting up both Stoneydelph and Belgrave lakes. Whether it is one bird or two is anybody’s guess. It’s well worth looking out for.
Work on litter picking still has to be very regular. The volunteers have worked hard on thinning out self-set trees and opening up views. The picnic table now has a better view and is a better place to sit. Watch this space for new benches so that you can sit whilst you wait for that kingfisher.
In October Tame Valley Wetlands did a super bat walk round Stoneydelph lake. Armed with bat detectors a large group of all ages watched as the bats swooped round. They were feeding of insects near the water, and the corridors between the trees, created by the paths, were perfect feeding sites. Many thanks to all involved in organising this super event.
As the cold weather approaches it’s worth remembering that when the lakes freeze, or the frost is thick, the combination of water and trees round Stoneydelph and Belgrave lakes makes it’s footpaths well worth a visit!
By Angella Rodgers
The pictures above are from Belgrave and Stoneydelph Lakes.
Dosthill Park Wildlife Group was formed in June 2007 following a public meeting held at Dosthill School. The meeting had been called by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust working in conjunction with Tamworth Borough Council on the Wild About Tamworth scheme. A number of local residents came forward and formed the group now known as Dosthill Park Wildlife Group.
Our logo was chosen following a competition held at Dosthill School, children were asked to design a logo and the pupils put forward several very good ideas. The final choice the deer in silhouette signified the meaning of Dosthill – “Hill on the Deer”.
The Group’s aim is to manage and improve the 12ha of valuable habitat including woodland, grassland, ditches, watercourses and a stretch of the River Tame. We actively encourage local residents, groups, nurseries, teachers and children to visit and enjoy the park in all its seasons. The group runs popular bio events including bird ID, dawn chorus and bat walks. They also complete surveys of species found in the park which are forwarded to the relevant agencies and posted on the web site.
In July this year we celebrated the groups 10th Birthday with a picnic in the park. Peter Thurgood, deputy mayor, cut the cake! Also there were Mayor John Cheswood and the first WAT officer Kath Stapley and her family…… great to see them all. They seemed to enjoy the bacon sandwiches ably cooked by Sue and Dave!
Other events this year have included taking part in the Keep Britain Tidy campaign with a mass family litter pick, wildflower planting by Dosthill Beavers, Wilnecote Guides and Tamworth college students, also organising park walks for Dosthill WI Open Gardens Scheme. The Lions donated and planted 100 daffodil bulbs and Dave Ansell, our group’s chairman, gave a guided walk to members of the Civic Society. All in all a very busy anniversary year!
Our involvement with Tameforce has included scrub and bramble clearance in the river side wildflower meadow and around the pond we hope this will help the spread of Common Meadow Rue, a rarity in Staffordshire. The installation of two oak benches in the third field has been a welcome addition to the park.
This winter the seasonal pond should be re-dug and a 10th anniversary celebration oak planted. There was much interest in a rareish fungi found by Esther from TBC. The monthly task days will continue with nest box maintenance, scrub removal, sapling thinning and general park maintenance, not forgetting the never ending litter picking! The group are always up for the challenge!
There is a Facebook page informing people and sharing photos, posts and comments on events, hopefully encouraging a sense of community and willingness to come and join in with group activities. We’re very friendly and love to welcome new members.
Photographs from Dosthill Park Wildlife Group including Wilnecote Guides tree hugging, a lovely beech tree, clearing willow scrub and a zoned rosette (fungi)
facebook@DosthillPark
View of a new volunteer by Sue Gallagher
I recently joined this amazing group of enthusiastic and friendly volunteers on Tameside LNR at a BioBlitz weekend and became hooked. I wish I’d joined ages ago! I’ve been to three workdays now and thoroughly enjoyed joining in the broad variety of tasks to help maintain this site. There’s lots of banter whilst working and a cuppa at ‘halftime ‘ with bickies too.
I’ve seen a multitude of wildlife on the lakes. Beautiful dragonflies darting around and laying eggs in pond margins. Frogs in ponds around the site and an amazing bee colony in a damaged tree. I’ve learned that we have owls nesting and breeding here too. None of which I’d have seen if I hadn’t joined.
How many people passing by realise we have such a treasure so close to Tamworth town centre. I certainly didn’t.
What’s it like to be a Volunteer on Tameside LNR by Marie Bell
I joined Tameside Wildlife Conservation Group nearly 4 years ago and I joined the Group in order to meet new people (hopefully friends) but mainly to help wildlife. I wanted to “do my bit” to help the local environment for the benefit of the wildlife and for the public to enjoy our green spaces.
I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every work day that I have attended over the years and feel that I am making a difference for the wildlife. I love being in the outdoors and “doing my bit” and having the feeling of achievement when a task/job has been completed however large or small.
The jobs that are completed are very varied and you can choose which of the jobs you would wish to help with on each work day. One particularly enjoyable work day was back in October 2014 when I had helped build a hedgehog house and placed some logs in specific places to build log piles creating shelters for small mammals, bugs and insects. There is a job for everyone and no experience is required. We work on (amongst other things) hedgerow management, clearing the islands, little picking, mowing the paths, planting and we also test the water quality on site.
The wildlife on site is also very varied with regular and occasional visitors.
I personally have learnt so much more about wildlife and their habitats by listening to other volunteers. I feel that Tameside is an amazing place and I am proud to be part of the team that help to keep the site tidy for all to enjoy. Due to joining the group I have new friends and I have also found a passion for photography of the wildlife and enjoy my time walking around the site even when it’s not work day.
As the year draws to its close we reflect on the successes of the previous twelve months. The river island that was part of the scenery for 200 years but disappeared in 1953 has not only been re instated but is now flourishing with all sorts of wildlife, birds mammals, flowers, trees and around it the fish are thriving.
The dead hedges that we built are no longer dead, full of life in fact. The islands are busy with lapwing, snipe, sandpipers and the kingfisher frequenting. The lake too, improvements in the water quality means more of everything, water insects and fish, feeding heron, egrets, water rail and an ever increasing number of ducks.
Otter sightings this year so far number ten reported and recorded. No mink means we’re a step closer to re introducing the water vole which was last seen in 2007. Mammal trappings have also Green, greater and lesser spotted woodpeckers have all been seen on the reserve through the summer, but the cuckoo was elusive, only heard one day early in may.
Not a bad year, bigger and better years to come.
By Ron Timms
Tameside sightings over the past week or two include the little egret, 20 lapwings, little grebe, great crested grebe, kestrel, 10 shovellors, green sandpiper, great spotted woodpecker and Ron has heard the tawny owl hooting in the wood.
A Treemendous Day Out
In October the Tameside volunteers went on one of our trips, this time we branched out normally we go to a bird site like Slimbridge this time we went to Westonbrit National Arboretum. It was a lovely day out, even managing to stay dry, one thing I found very surprising was just how many people there was visiting the arboretum seemed like thousands. Westonbrit holds an amazing collection of trees from around the world. We had a private tour (that you need to book in advance) of the collection although you can go on a public tour if you decide to go take a look for yourself. Collecting trees and plants was a favourite pass time of the wealthy Victorians and Westonbrit was planted by the wealthy Holford family, but is now cared for by the Forestry Commission. Walk along the treetop walkway to get a different perspective or lose yourself in the wonderful golds and reds of the Acer glade and Japanese Maple collection. By late afternoon our feet ached, feeling a little treed out and ready for food. Well worth a visit.
By Mandy Austin
Please support your volunteers and share this page. Thank you for the help given by Angella Rodgers, Sue Jones, Sue Gallager, Marie Bell, Marion Parnell, Ron Timms, Lee Latham.
Mandy (Tameside) x
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Wellies and Warblers 