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What a week for observing wildlife at this smashing nature reserve – the suns been out, bright yellow willow catkins are on show and there is a real feel of spring in the air. High above a large flock of Golden Plover can be heard though its hard to hear over two hundred of these wading birds with all the Skylarks and Curlews singing and displaying nearby…how inconsiderate!

Arguably the highlight of the week has been the many newts seen in the wetlands – three, four, five then six Smooth Newt were evident in the ditch near the old hide. At least two pairs were displaying in front of my eyes – the male, sometimes more than one, attempting to  lure the nearby female with tail wagging motions and elaborate body movements. What a privaledge to see…and i’m supposed to be at work! A solitary female Great Crested Newt was also evident. Soon the wetlands will be awash with egg laden plants and the next generation of newts will emerge later this summer. interestingly, just a few days before, the same wetlands were teeming with mating Toads – some of which had clearly over exerted themselves as a few dead Toads were evident along the ditch. School children from Trinity School, Carlisle, had witnessed this Toad breeding spectacle and its fair to say the experience left some of them asking more questions than I could possibly answer! Water Scorpion, Greater Diving Beetle, Frog and Backswimmers were also noted – the Water Scorpion, with its pointed tail and scorpion like claws, was particularly interesting.

After the delights of boxing Hares just a week before, a tiny leveret was found in rough ground close to the visitor centre – the leveret will remain in the relative safety of the ‘form’ for a few more weeks (the mother or doe may move the leveret to another form) and will be reliant on the mother for milk and nourishment.

The woodlands are coming alive with all the catkins and bird song. Bud burst is in full flow and before we know it the bare twigs and branches will be conceald by the emerging leaves – those birds we can now see will only then be identifiable by their song and call.

Were open everyday so pop along for great walk. (Tim Lawrence)

Skylarks are once again displaying at Watchtree – their beautiful song whistling through the wind from a seemingly impossible height! Also in the meadows Lapwing have been noticeable of late – lets hope this charismatic bird stays and breeds following a three year absence. Two Brown Hares were seen staring at each other just this morning (14th Feb – maybe its a Valentine days date!) and possibly an indication that hare ‘boxing’ is just around the corner – this mammal tends to remain solitary during the winter. Two Grey Partridge were recently sighted close to a hedgerow as was a Hedgehog and Fox – at different times and dates of course!

 Within the woodlands a white pheasant was a nice suprise – looking very much like a ghost compared to the rather dull looking female nearby. Long-tailed tits, Wren, Blackbird, Robin, Chaffinch, Blue, Coal and Great tit are also common. Those fortunate enought to detect high pitched sounds might also locate the secretive Treecreeper, this bird scurries up trees looking for tiny morsels that might have emerged from behind the bark. Great spotted Woodpeckers have been heard drumming lately and a sure sign that the breeding season is just around the corner.

On the main lake in front of the old hide Goldeneye have been performing their ‘neck-breaking’ displays – the males looking rather dazzling in their newly aquired pre-breeding plumage. Teal can often be heard from a distance but just as you sit down and expect to see them they always seem to be just around the corner – is this coincidence or are they very adept to not wanting to be seen! Snipe are often near the waters edge and amphibians are beginning to show – Frog spawn already noticeable around the wetlands. We are open everyday so why not pop along and experience this great place for yourself? Two miles of dedicated trails and footpaths, two public bird hides, visitor centre, coffee machine, viewing areas, cycle track and specially adapted cycles (on request and at certain times of the week).

Tim Lawrence

Registered Charity No.1127029

Sixth form students from both Limehouse and William Howard Schools have recently teamed up with Watchtree as part of a National Engineering Education Scheme (EES). The Engineering Education Scheme links teams of four Year 12 students and their teacher with local companies to work on real, scientific, engineering and technological problems. The Limehouse School students were given a brief by Watchtree to investigate ways in which persons using a wheelchair could more easily see into the wildlife haven that is the ‘decked pond’ at Watchtree. Access to this pond is currently only accessible on guided tour/education projects and only to those persons able to walk to the water’s edge. Following a three day residential at the University Of Newcastle the students have designed a piece of apparatus which at first sight resembles Victorian-style engineering but which, on closer inspection, utilises cutting-edge technology. Indeed, the viewer/camera will be available for all visitors to Watchtree and it is hoped to be ready for use during the next month or so. A very special thank you to those students who also raised funds for this project which enabled the students to purchase the all-important ‘extendable’ underwater camera. The other potential ‘I. K. Brunels’ from William Howard School were given the slightly different challenge of investigating and assessing the various ‘web cams’ currently on the market and with which Watchtree could then successfully establish a series of ‘live’ wildlife cameras. The cameras/pictures would eventually be based both within the Watchtree visitor centre and also on our website: www.watchtree.co.uk. Importantly, both school projects will enable greater access to wildlife through the use of modern technology. Of course, technology is not everyone’s cup of tea and indeed there is no better way of seeing and ‘experiencing’ wildlife than actually visiting and exploring Watchtree by one’s own steam! We’re open every day including weekends so why not pop along – Curlew and Skylark have both returned to their breeding grounds here at Watchtree and by the time this article is printed Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler will be bursting with song, Brown Hares will be boxing and Wheatear should be dropping in to feed before flying off to their breeding grounds.

Other exciting projects currently in progress include the development of an elemental garden, situated close to the visitor centre – staff and users based at Garden Links in Carlisle have been particularly busy helping to plant hedges, sow seeds and design and construct a super ‘Invertebrate hotel’. The Marsh Fritillary project – Watchtree hopes to establish a viable ‘wild’ breeding colony at the reserve – is now well into its second year and overwintering larvae are already becoming ‘active’ with the warmer and longer days. Our small meadows have already been planted with Devil’s-bit Scabious, the larval food plant and it is anticipated that in a year or two’s time these beautiful creatures can be released into the wild here at Watchtree.

Schools are already booking educational visits and young persons’ holiday activities are planned for both April and the long summer holidays – watch this space or check out the website: www.watchtree.co.uk

With over 100 members already why not become a Watchtree member? At only £15 for an individual, £25  for family/joint and £45 for group membership, all members receive daylight hours access (perfect for those summer evenings and sunsets over the Lakeland fells), quarterly newsletters, free or reduced entry to Watchtree events, discount on Wheels for All cycle sessions and a free membership card. Just call 01228 712539 or visit the website: www.watchtree.co.uk

Fancy volunteering? Planting trees? Studying wildlife? Feeding the birds? Administrative roles? Watchtree could be the perfect place for you to volunteer. Contact Tim on 01228 712539 or email wnr@watchtree.co.uk

Tim Lawrence

What’s On

March: The reserve will be open daily (inc. weekends) 9:30am – 4:30pm.

Volunteer work party every Wednesday and the first Saturday of the month all at 10:30am.

Coffee morning. Saturday 5^th March 10:30am – 1pm.

Watchtree Wheelers ‘drop in’ sessions every Sunday 1pm – 4pm

Other events as advertised in the press or website www.watchtree.co.uk

Contact: Tim Lawrence, Watchtree Nature Reserve, Nr Great Orton, Carlisle. Tel: 01228 712539 or Email:wnr@watchtree.co.uk. Website: www.watchtree.co.uk.

For Membership and Watchtree Wheelers information contact ryan@watchtree.co.uk

After a brief walk – to fill up the bird feeders – some superb wildlife was on show. The outline of a Mute Swan, its body shape and wings including footprints, perfectly ’imprinted’ on the snowy surface of the south lagoon. Observations suggest the swan ran out of space during a take off as the final skid marks stopped just before a grassy bank! Brown Hare footprints are everywhere and give an indication of how busy these mammals must be during the night, they rarely venture out during the daylight. Eight Lapwing were seen roosting in the southern meadows, they appeared motionless as they sat, some with just the one leg, upon the snow ladened meadow.

A Buzzard perched motionless from the top of a  Willow tree, casting its eye over the reserve. Smaller birds, buzy searching for food, were far more active. Small flocks of Linnet, Tits and Tree Sparrow passed overhead on their way to feeders or uncovered grassland.

A Jay was sighted briefly in the woodland, whilst approximately twenty Fieldfare roamed the plantation adjacent to the neighbours farmland. Goldfinch with their charming, light calls, flew overhead as I walked back to the visitor centre. One, then two Brown Hares fleeted past me at right angles - seemingly to avoid me and my inquisitive dog ‘Buster’.

Tim Lawrence

Registered Charity No.1127029

By the time you read this article work will have begun on the creation of over a mile of new ‘species-rich’ hedgerows through a project called ‘Hedgerows – Great for Biodiversity and Landscape’. Thanks to funding from BIFFAWARD – award funding comes from tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services – essentially any rubbish that is thrown away and cannot be recycled is sent to landfill, operators of landfill then pay a tax on each tonne of waste, to try and make waste disposal less attractive and encourage recycling and re-usage. A small proportion of this tax is then used to support exciting biodiversity projects such as Watchtree’s ‘Hedgerows – Great for Biodiversity and Landscape’ project.  This is a project where everyone wins, wildlife and people. Hedgerows provide cover, shelter, nectar sources for insects, nesting habitat, food (think of all the insects, millions of berries and flowers at various times of the year!) and help sustain many ‘target’ species including Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Grey Partridge, Song Thrush and Tree Sparrow, not to mention cover for Brown Hares and any nearby amphibians. The benefits to people are many and varied but include; landscape enhancements, prevention of flooding and soil erosion.

Winter is a surprisingly productive time for observing wildlife – particularly our feathered friends, the birds, as many leaves (camouflage as far as birds are concerned!) have mostly fallen to the ground allowing us a quick glimpse of some very attractive and lively bird species. Siskins, small members of the finch family with yellow/green streaked plumage, have a lively ‘busy’ nature and this, added to their distinctive piercing call. The woodlands at Watchtree provide perfect habitat for this species – Alder cones (seeds) galore with plenty of emerging pine seeds throughout the plantations. Another small and often overlooked bird is the Linnet, a small, slim finch with crimson forehead and breast (male) with a chatty, melodious song. The Linnet can be found throughout the open areas of Watchtree with favourite hotspots along fence lines and rough verges where they forage for seeds at this time of year. This species often forms gregarious flocks, resident birds often joined by migrants and the more widely recognised Goldfinch – up to 400 birds have been in such flocks at Watchtree.

 A mobility scooter has been kindly donated to Watchtree by Ada Johnston from nearby Thornby. Watchtree receives many visitor groups and a number of persons less able to walk longer distances have requested the use of a mobility scooter or wheelchair in the past. The new scooter is ideally suited to the flat and smooth footpaths and trails around the reserve. Please contact site staff if you would like to use/request the scooter on a forthcoming visit. Everyone at Watchtree would like to say a special thank-you to Ada for donating this superb scooter.

Membership offer!!! The directors of Watchtree are delighted to offer all prospective members four months free membership. By joining now you will receive a total of four months free membership in addition to a complete membership year. Contact staff on 01228 712539 or join online at www.watchtree.co.uk

What’s On

December: The reserve will be open Monday-Friday 9:30am – 3:30pm (closed except to Members 23^rd Dec – 3^rd Jan. Saturday 4^th 10:30am – 1pm Coffee morning and crafts.

Monday 27^th walk off the Christmas pudding walk at 10:30am – open until 3pm

Tuesday 28^th. Open 10:30 – 3pm

January: The reserve will be open Monday-Friday 9:30am – 3:30pm (closed weekends except to members)

Volunteer work party every Wednesday and the first Saturday of the month all at 10:30am.

Other events as advertised in the press or website.www.watchtree.co.uk

Contact: Tim Lawrence, Watchtree Nature Reserve, Nr Great Orton, Carlisle. Tel: 01228 712539 or Email:wnr@watchtree.co.uk. Website: www.watchtree.co.uk. For Membership and Watchtree Wheelers information contact ryan@watchtree.co.uk

Registered Charity No.1127029

Our stunning 2011 calendar – packed full with superb wildlife and landscape photographs, and the important events and guided walk dates – is now available for purchase. At only £5 each (£6 each inc. postage and packaging) the calendar makes for the perfect Christmas gift. Calendars can be purchased by the following; 1) collecting directly from the nature reserve (we are open Sunday-Friday 9:30am-3:30pm throughout November and Monday to Friday 9:30am to 3:30pm throughout December), 2) by telephone (contact 01228 712539) and speak to a member of staff or leave a clear message stating you wish to purchase a calendar – please include your name and telephone number so we can call you back,  3) by emailing Watchtree at wnr@watchtree.co.uk or 4) by using our online purchase facility on our website www.watchtree.co.uk.

Watchtree has, for a number of years, allowed members of the public access to the reserve outside of ‘normal office hours’ through our ‘Friends of Watchtree’ facility. Here, anyone who had completed the site induction has been able to access the reserve during daylight hours at weekends and evenings. The ‘Friends’ system will very shortly be changing to a membership system and only Members will have access privileges. To become a member of Watchtree please contact a member of staff or visit our online membership page at http://www.watchtree.co.uk/membership.php The benefits of membership are many and include; daylight hours access at all times, quarterly newsletter, free or reduced entry to all Watchtree special events, discount on ‘Wheels for All’ cycle sessions, priority booking for all  Watchtree or Watchtree Wheelers events, voting privileges at AGM’s and a personal membership card. Importantly, your membership helps us to raise essential funds for Watchtree which are then invested in quality projects to further develop the nature reserve.

Our re-seeded areas of grassland appear to be developing as planned, particularly the ‘demo-plots’ located near to the site entrance. When fully established, these plots will show the visitor exactly the type of grassland we are striving for across the entire grassland area. Our grasslands are currently managed in two main ways; 1) as traditional hay meadows – cut just once a year and which provide optimum habitat for Skylark, Curlew, Brown Hare and Meadow Pipit and, 2) by pasture for the benefit of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly. Last year’s very cold winter has possibly helped to breakdown some of the panned soils whilst the ideal sowing conditions this autumn (mild) has enabled many of the seeds to germinate. The grasslands at Watchtree really are worth checking out – whether for wintering birds including Golden Plover and Fieldfare or just for watching the Brown Hares in the winter sun!

Watchtree is ‘open’ to everyone and is especially keen to welcome school groups and young people – the site making the ideal base for educational visits. Right now Limehouse school are busy with the John Muir Award and Houghton School recently had a great day visiting the reserve – one of our Bank Voles taking a particular liking to one of the students – one did its best to hide in a jacket of one of the students, much to the amusement of his school mates. This incident is already part of school folklore!

What’s On

November: The reserve will be open Sunday-Friday 9:30am – 3:30pm. Volunteer work party every Wednesday and the first Saturday of the month, all at 10:30am. Coffee morning on Saturday 6^th at 10:30am. 

Other events as advertised in the press or website.www.watchtree.co.uk

Contact: Tim Lawrence, Watchtree Nature Reserve, Nr Great Orton, Carlisle. Tel: 01228 712539 or Email:wnr@watchtree.co.uk. Website: www.watchtree.co.uk. For Membership and Watchtree Wheelers information contact ryan@watchtree.co.uk

                                                                  Registered Charity No.1127029

 One of nature’s best land managers – cattle – have returned once more to Watchtree’s grasslands and begun grazing the regrowth following the recent hay cut. After a very dry summer it appeared that hay yields might be down on previous years but the slightly wetter conditions up to and around hay cutting time encouraged the fresher green grass which helped bolster the hay yield. Occasional showers and warm conditions ever since have left a healthy crop for the stock. Appropriate grazing of hay meadows, indeed any pasture, in the absence on machinery, is vital in order to ‘maintain’ grassland habitat and prevent succession to scrub and eventually woodland. Generally speaking, overgrazing causes damage to the soil, an increase in bare ground and encourages weed invasion with consequent  loss of desirable herbs and grasses, not to mention pollution from surface run-off. Undergrazing has the opposite effect; rank grasses and perennials establishing at the expense of delicate herbs, finer grasses and ‘annuals’. Once the desired grazing regime has been established (this can also change over time!) cattle then do what they do best – gradually removing ranker vegetation over large areas whilst creating opportunities for wild  seed establishment – within the space left by hoof marks! Cattle dung is another vital ingredient in the grassland ‘cycle’ as this attracts invertebrates and the basis of grassland ecosystems. Watchtree is beginning a new grazing regime in the smaller ‘central’ paddocks as we hope to integrate cattle grazing with our new Marsh Fritillary butterfly project. Cattle and/or ponies  offer the best chance for this endangered butterfly as the alternatives; cutting – which destroys habitat in one clean swoop, and sheep – being generally selective grazers, target the main butterfly food plant – Devil’s-bit Scabious. Why not visit Watchtree and see nature’s best land managers at work? We’re open Sunday-Friday throughout the autumn and winter.

Watchtree is as much about people, as it is wildlife these days. It would be a fair assumption to suggest that what we ‘put in’, so the wildlife ‘gets back’ by way of habitat enhancements. Our Marsh Fritillary example being a case in point – ‘we’ plant the Devil’s-bit Scabious plants, and ‘they’, the butterflies, get back as essential plant species critical to their very survival. Similar relationships exist which include; building bird and bat boxes for our woodland birds and bat populations, creating Ringed Plover breeding mats for breeding waders, planting and sowing wild bird food crops to benefit wintering bird species and creating ponds and other wetlands for our aquatic wildlife. Just in the past few weeks volunteers have been busy clearing excessive pond vegetation from Pond wood and removing black nylon (soil consolidation) matting from the main lake – the efforts involved in these jobs are considerable yet the rewards, for both people and wildlife, is there for everyone to see. If you fancy a fresh challenge, making new friends and learning new skills…and having fun…then volunteering at Watchtree is for you. Volunteers meet every Wednesday and the first Saturday of the month at 10:30am.

What’s on (October)

The reserve will be open Sunday-Friday 9:30am to 4pm. Saturday members only.

Watchtree Volunteer work parties every Wednesday at 10:30am (bring suitable clothing, footwear and food).’Saturday’ volunteer work party on the first Saturday of every month, again at 10:30am.

Wheelers ‘Drop-in’ sessions every Sunday 1pm to 4pm. Coffee and crafts morning on Saturday 2^nd beginning at 10am

Other events as advertised in the press or website.www.watchtree.co.uk

Contact: Tim Lawrence, Watchtree Nature Reserve, Nr Great Orton, Carlisle. Tel: 01228 712539 or Email:wnr@watchtree.co.uk. Website: www.watchtree.co.uk. For Membership and Watchtree Wheelers information contact ryan@watchtree.co.uk

                                                                  Registered Charity No.1127029

Our exciting Marsh Fritillary butterfly project took on a new twist recently when students from James Rennie School in Carlisle went ‘butterfly crazy’! The students began to take an interest in these stunning butterflies as part of their contribution towards the John Muir Award – this award focusing on wild places and developing a greater understanding and awareness of what’s around them – Watchtree making for the perfect John Muir venue. Following a number of interesting ‘introductory’ sessions whereby the students ‘discovered’ and ‘explored’ the nature reserve through orienteering, cycling and investigating the many habitats, students and teachers decided to focus on engaging different senses through art-based activities. On visiting the school to see the art at first hand, it was difficult not to be overwhelmed by the beautiful mobile butterfly displays hanging gracefully in the main hall – over fifty Marsh Fritillary butterflies hung above the students, moving very slightly as if mimicking the real things! Not content with such a fantastic display, the students even made a larger version for display at Watchtree – why not pop in and see for yourself? The students then decided to help our Marsh Fritillary project directly – raising over £70 which will enable us to purchase literally hundreds of Devil’s-bit Scabious plants – the butterflies’ key larval food plant.

The students have now completed the John Muir ‘Discovery’ Award and have made a very positive contribution and impact on Watchtree and their own school. Watchtree staff and volunteers would like to say a very big thank-you to everyone from James Rennie School.

September is a great month for visiting Watchtree; many of the 65,000 plus trees planted here produce fruits and berries including rowan, elder, crab apple, holly and bird cherry,  whilst the many miles of hawthorn hedgerows provide a bounty of ‘haws’ for resident wildlife and winter visitors including Fieldfare and Redwing. The variety of fruiting trees (food) really is the spice of life as far as the wildlife is concerned as each tree ‘fruits’ at slightly different times  - offering a succession of available food over the autumn and winter.

Wheatears, so-called because of their white-arse or rump, are striking birds with a distinctive black cheek and inverted T-pattern at the end of the tail. These birds are often seen hopping or running along the recently cut meadows at this time of year. Interestingly, six wheatear were seen ‘hanging around’ some plastic bollards (with holes in them resembling a hole in a stone wall and thus their preferred breeding habitat!) during the spring but decided to move on, presumably to their typical breeding sites in the uplands.

A Green Sandpiper, a ‘passage migrant’ was sighted recently near a small pond – this species is rather nervous with the best chance of identification being at take-off when the bird’s dark plumage contrasts with the white rump before it flies off in this species’ typically  zig – zag fashion. After what has seemed like a quiet year for the Brown Hare, large numbers can be seen running throughout the grasslands and scrub. Look out for this charismatic mammal on one of the many walks and events taking place at Watchtree during forthcoming months – were also open EVERYDAY in September!

What’s on (September)

The reserve will be open every day from April-September from 9:30am to 4pm.

Watchtree Volunteer work parties every Wednesday at 10:30am (bring suitable clothing, footwear and food).’Saturday’ volunteer work party on the first Saturday of every month, again at 10:30am.

Wheelers ‘Drop-in’ sessions every Sunday 1pm to 4pm and Thursday evenings on the 16^th and 30^th. Coffee and crafts morning on Saturday 4^th  18^th 10am-1:30pm.

Other events as advertised in the press or website.www.watchtree.co.uk

Contact: Tim Lawrence, Watchtree Nature Reserve, Nr Great Orton, Carlisle. Tel: 01228 712539 or Email:wnr@watchtree.co.uk. Website: www.watchtree.co.uk. For Membership and Watchtree Wheelers information contact ryan@watchtree.co.uk

Registered Charity No.1127029

There is simply so much happening from a wildlife perspective at Watchtree that the space in this article is not large enough to describe everything, though here are a few highlights of recent activity; Leverets (young Brown Hares) are beginning to emerge from their nursery ‘forms’ amongst long grasses, many now free from their mothers constant care; tadpoles (in their tens of thousands) are rapidly developing from their jelly like – aquatic beginnings into fully developed amphibians; Fledgling birds, which just a few weeks ago where themselves a tiny egg, are taking their first flight and, just in the last week or so, the first of the dragonflies emerged from the many ponds, ditches and wetlands. July and August seems to ‘belong’ to the dragon and damselflies. These simply amazing creatures, despite their relatively small size, (most are no more than a few inches long), have a very domineering presence about them. Maybe this is because many seem to fly at roughly the same height as our heads and so we readily see and hear them buzzing about. It might surprise many readers but both dragon and damselflies spend most of their lives as aquatic larvae, remaining in the water for up to five years for larger species. Here, amongst the pond weeds and silt, these voracious predators are perfectly adapted; larvae have extendable lower jaws enabling them to grab passing prey including tadpoles and other invertebrates. Larvae remain hidden for long periods but at any moment these creatures force water through their body enabling them to move like underwater jets – perfect for grabbing a quick snack! . Arguably the most impressive part of the dragonfly life-cycle is when the larvae are ready to metamorphose into a flying dragonfly. Here, the larvae emerge from the water and crawl up emergent vegetation. At a suitable point the larvae’s external skin (exuvia) begins to break at a weak point behind the head and splits – enabling the winged adult dragonfly to emerge. After allowing the wings to fill with fluid and basking in the sun, (dragonflies are like solar panels and need the sun to generate energy), the adult can make its first flight. The largest of the native dragonflies will probably live for a few months. The many wetlands at Watchtree are perfect for observing dragon and damselflies, the decked area in Pond wood arguably the best. Look out for Four-spotted Chaser (brown with a distinctive ‘spot’ on each wing), Emperor (large and impressive, blue and yellow body), Common Darter (red and with a body shaped like a ‘dart’), Azure (small and slight damselfly with distinctive ‘azure’ colour), these often group together to form an azure ‘haze’.

Watchtree is OPEN EVERYDAY from April through to September in addition to various themed events and guided walks. Visitors still have the opportunity to see the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly in our specially constructed butterfly pens. The grasslands are also at their best at this time of year – look out for Bird’s – foot Trefoil, Ragged Robin, Ox-eye Daisy, Yellow Rocket and the amazing Yellow Rattle. 

What’s on (July)

The reserve will be open every day from April-September from 9:30am to 4pm.

Guided walks every Thursday evening at 7pm

Watchtree Volunteer work parties every Wednesday at 10:30am (bring suitable clothing, footwear and food).’Saturday’ volunteer work party on the first Saturday of every month, again at 10:30am.

Wheelers ‘Drop-in’ session on Sunday 18^th 1-4pm. Coffee Morning on Sunday 18^th 10am-1pm. ‘Word on Wood’ wood carvings will be here from 2pm on Saturday 10^th.

Other events as advertised in the press or website.www.watchtree.co.uk

Contact: Tim Lawrence, Watchtree Nature Reserve, Nr Great Orton, Carlisle. Tel: 01228 712539 or Email:wnr@watchtree.co.uk. Website: www.watchtree.co.uk. For Membership and Watchtree Wheelers information contact ryan@watchtree.co.uk

Registered Charity No.1127029

Young people from Thursby Junior School, on a recent school outing at Watchtree, saw for themselves the wealth of biodiversity at this special nature reserve. First stop for the intrepid explorers was a bridge over a shallow beck, in the hope that we would catch a brief glimpse of our normally shy newts. One, two then three male Great Crested Newts decided to make a dramatic appearance in addition to what looked like a male Palmate Newt!  It’s rare that one newt is seen here – these creatures are generally secretive and often hide at the sound of approaching footsteps.  The young people were obviously in awe of the newt’s wavy crest, short sharp bursts of movement and relatively large size – looking a little like miniature aquatic dinosaurs – and a few ‘ooohs’ and ‘ahhhs’ were audible. Next stop was the bird hide and fortune was with us again as the recently hatched Mallard ducklings made for pleasant viewing…again, a few ooohs and ahhhs were heard. Little Grebes and other water birds were present but quiet – no doubt safely incubating their eggs in nearby nests. We then wandered along a trail close to a flower-rich meadow and listened to the sound of Skylark and Oystercatcher whilst Curlew flew nearby. After observing the dates inscribed on the old runways ‘21/9/1942’- which brought about much wartime debate and discussion – we entered the woodlands. It was here that the students had to hone their listening skills, as woodland creatures tend to be well camouflaged and remain hidden! The children were encouraged to listen for different bird species and much to their surprise – being quiet, for all of 20 seconds…must have felt like an eternity… enabled them to hear the songs and calls of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch and Blue Tit! Then it was off to the pond for some pond dipping – the main attraction – and again the wildlife played its part as everything from tadpoles (in their thousands), dragonfly and damselfly larvae, alderfly larva, water mites, water beetles, pond skaters, water boatmen and Whirligig beetles obliged themselves to the trusty pond net. After some closer observations through magnifying glasses, the creatures were carefully placed back in their aquatic habitat. After a long morning on the trail the young people headed back to the visitor centre, passing Brown Hares on the way, before tucking in to a well-earned packed lunch.   

We will have plenty of other school visits during the next few months and if your school or educational establishment would like to get involved with wildlife studies or the John Muir Award, please contact Tim, contact details below.

Membership is now available at our website: www.watchtree.co.uk,by post (see address below) or by collecting a membership form at the nature reserve. The benefits of membership are many but include a personal membership card, reduced  rates for Watchtree Wheelers events, voting opportunities at AGM’s, quarterly newsletter and daylight hours access.

What’s on (June)

The reserve will be open every day from April-September from 9:30am to 4pm.

Guided walks every Thursday evening at 7pm

Watchtree Volunteer work parties every Wednesday at 10:30am (bring suitable clothing, footwear and food).’Saturday’ volunteer work party on the first Saturday of every month, again at 10:30am.

Wheelers ‘Drop-in’ sessions on Wednesday 2^nd, Sunday 13th and Sunday 27^th between 1-4pm.

Coffee morning on Sunday 13^th between 10am and 1pm. Other events as advertised in the press or website.www.watchtree.co.uk

Contact: Tim Lawrence, Watchtree Nature Reserve, Nr Great Orton, Carlisle. Tel: 01228 712539 or Email:wnr@watchtree.co.uk. Website: www.watchtree.co.uk. For Membership and Watchtree Wheelers information contact ryan@watchtree.co.uk