Yellowhammer Walking Route Re-launch and early August sights

On 4 August West Lancs Borough Council re-launched the Yellowhammer Walking Route. We had been working with Lisa from West Lancs Council regarding the new map and leaflet and the launch was scheduled to coincide with our usual Sunday opening.

To help mark the route Derek had the idea of making two sign boards; he carved out the lettering which Mitch painted, Lelia painted the Yellowhammer and then Mitch varnished the boards. We put out one of the boards at the start of the route through the Reserve in time for the inaugural walk.

The walk set off from the railway station car park in Ormskirk about 11 am and arrived at Gorse Hill just over half an hour later. We provided tea/coffee and cake for the 40+ walkers.

Chris, one of the Council’s Parks and Countryside Rangers headed up the walk.

The Mayor Cllr Gaynar Owen came to support the inaugural walk and joined Jonathan for the photo in our 5 Acre Meadow.

The Town Crier helped the launch at the Station car park and came to see them off on the second leg of their walk.

Many of the visitors had not seen or heard a Yellowhammer so we had a display board giving information about this iconic Red Listed bird; a bird of conservation concern.

onathan gave the walkers an overview of Gorse Hill Nature Reserve and what we do to help provide habitat and conserve birds species such as the Yellowhammer as well as other flora and fauna.

Soon it was time for the walk to continue on the rest of the Yellowhammer route.

Outside the Cabin we have a small buddleia and this time of year it really attracts insects, especially butterflies.

This year there are lots of Painted Lady butterflies and our little buddleia is becoming a real visitor attraction.

Seldom Pond in Cabin Wood is a beautiful place to sit when the weather is fine and at the moment there is an abundance of Water Mint and Teasels are beginning to show their lilac/purple flowers; already attracting a hoverfly.

Did you know there are over 280 species of hoverflies in Britain? (Information from NatureSpot)

In the centre ride in our newest woodland Gorsey Croft we found a small patch of Scarlet Pimpernel growing .

These tiny flowers close up in bad weather leading to it’s common names of ‘shepherd’s weatherglass’ and ‘old man’s weathervane’. (Information from Plantlife)

Several of our Pendunculate oak trees have Knopper Galls. These galls develop as a chemically induced distortion of growing acorns caused by the Knopper Oak Gall wasp (Andricus quercuscalicis) laying its eggs within the buds.