<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society Newsletter
Newsletter of the Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society
HEYSHAM NATURE RESERVE  -  TWENTY YEARS ON
Sept. 2003
Birdtours.co.uk
Worldbirder.com
Local Sightings
LDBWS Website
Newsletter Index
(An abridged version of the article in summer edition of LAPWING by Morag Angus)

PLEASE JOIN LWT THEN YOU WILL GET LAPWING - AN EXCELLENT PUBLICATION

In 2004 the partnership between British Energy and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust will celebrate its twentieth anniversary. What began in 1984 with a group of dedicated volunteers producing a plan and doing the practical work necessary has developed in many ways. In 1998 a part-time warden funded by British Energy was appointed (initially Steve Bradley and now Morag Angus). The area managed has increased to include the Landscape Strip and the Nature Park. Since 1998 the grassland on the Landscape Strip has been reseeded with a wildflower mix, which benefits the butterflies.

Created during the power station construction, the mosaic of habitats is now recognised as a County Biological Heritage Site. The rubble mounds have developed a calcareous grassland rich in small mammals which attract Kestrels. The plantations have matured and the Speckled Wood, absent until the early 90's, is now the third most common butterfly. The heathland habitat is good for Linnets and the reedbed has successful breeding Water Rails.

The reserve has excellent educational facilities with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust education department having a series of programs on conservation and environmental issues. This includes the Wildlife After School Project for two local primary schools.

The reserve is well monitored. A moth trap is run nightly. Butterfly transects are done weekly. Seabirds and visible migration are recorded daily in season and regular bird ringing both for CES and migration studies are done. Plants, other insects and mammals are recorded. In 2001 Sphecodes punticeps, a parasitic bee, was first recorded for Lancashire.

The success of the site and its volunteers was recognised in 2000 and 2002 when Heysham won the Community section in the BTO Business Challenge. In 2000 it also won the Coastal sites section with 144 bird species.

Many of the volunteers are still active after 20 years. Thanks to all for their efforts.




Birdtours.co.uk
Worldbirder.com
Local Sightings
LDBWS Website
Newsletter Index