Normanby Enterprise Zone, Scunthorpe, N Lincs

Over the last few weeks I have been regularly visiting the area of ground behind Nisa off Moat Road on the Normanby Enterprise Zone.  I started going in early spring to watch the passage of Wheatears and had around 10 birds over a period of a couple of weeks and quickly realised what a brilliant area for wildlife this area is.  So in order to try and protect it from impending development I have decided to monitor, record and publicise everything I find there hopefully on a regular basis and encourage as many people as possible to go.  So without delay I would encourage everyone to go over the next few days/weeks to see the hundreds (yes I mean hundreds!) of Bee Orchids...

Park next to the cycle path on Moat Road and follow the path round to the escarpment ridge to see the Bee Orchids - on the way you will see masses of Marsh/Common-spotted hybrid Orchids including the biggest Orchid I have ever seen

Probably the most exciting find of all is this little fellow - I see him regularly on a tiny pond immediately next to the cycle path..

Water Voles are protected  - extract from GOV.UK

"The water vole is fully protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is a priority conservation species.

You’re breaking the law if you:

• intentionally capture, kill or injure water voles
• damage, destroy or block access to their places of shelter or protection (on purpose or by not taking enough care)
• disturb them in a place of shelter or protection (on purpose or by not taking enough care)
• possess, sell, control or transport live or dead water voles or parts of them (not water voles bred in captivity)

If you’re found guilty of an offence you could get an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison."

So maybe this little one might halt/stop any proposed development?

The bulk of the site is grassland/meadow and currently supports several pairs of breeding Skylark and Meadow Pipit.  The hedgerows are full of Whitethroats and Linnets whilst the scrubby areas have breeding Reed and Sedge Warblers.  Also there yesterday morning were Green Woodpecker, Cuckoo, Kestrel and 3 Buzzards - Marsh Harrier was using the area to hunt in early spring.  The site holds a number of ponds, this one is teaming with Smooth Newts and has breeding Broad-bodied and Four Spotted Chaser along with numerous Damselflies.  Plenty of butterflies on site too I recorded the following species last week; Wall, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Small Heath, Peacock, Tortoiseshell and Common Blue

Another interesting plant on site is Yellow Bartsia, a member of the Broomrape family and found on reclaimed heath pasture

Much of the grassland is covered in Birdsfoot Trefoil with 5 species of Bumblebee feeding and Five-Spot Burnet

So in brief a haven for wildlife and a site that would be great to preserve, where else in Scunthorpe can you see all this whist listening to the ever decreasing Cuckoo.  I have asked the council for a plan of the land to see which areas are under threat as I understand some of the area has been designated a local nature reserve.

GoApe and Normanby Park

So GoApe have submitted their planning application to put their business into the one hectare woodland in Normanby Park - if you feel strongly enough to protect this habitat for nature and not to fill it with stag parties and corporate team building exercises then please click on link below and submit your objection, we have until 29th June to object.  All the planning docs are available to view and I note a "desktop" bird survey has been done but it was also noted by the BSG Senior Ecologists from Derbyshire on their site visit that "three bird species, robin, mallard and crow were recorded during the extended Phase 1 habitat survey"!!!!!  Well I am not a senior ecologist but on a walk through the wood this morning I had 18 species singing in just ten minutes so words fail me.  Please urge anyone you know with a interest in the natural environment to object.

http://www.planning.northlincs.gov.uk/

Burnt-Tip Orchid time

In various light

J

Global Big Day 2017

Yesterday was Global Big Day http://ebird.org/ebird/globalbigday and as we did last year we decided to participate but to also see if we could break the Lincolnshire Record for how many bird species we could see in 24 hrs.  We understood the record to be 128 so it would be tough to do that in our local area so we decided to do our local sites here in North Lincolnshire and then to head south to the coastal reserve at RSPB Frampton - to cut a long story short we got 131 species.  Biggest surprise miss was Sparrowhawk, biggest dip was Spoonbill and Bittern, best find was two fantastic female Dotterel.

Normanby Park and Go Ape

North Lincs Council have invited Go Ape to take over the wood within Normanby Hall Country Park -  http://www.northlincs.gov.in-north-lincolnshire/

As someone who visits this wood most days to monitor the birds and wildlife it doesn't take a genius to work out my thoughts on this.

I wrote to Go Ape on the 10th April expressing my concerns along with the following to which I still have not had a reply

• Breeding bird survey - please confirm if this has been carried out and please send me a copy if it has - there are four red data birds breeding in the woodland currently  - Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Greenfinch and Spotted Flycatcher, another two red data birds Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (was seen in the park last Saturday and although hasn’t bred in the last few years did always breed in this area of the wood) and Woodcock.  On the amber list there is Stock Dove and Tawny Owl which also both breed in the wood.
• Bat survey -  7 species use the park so please also confirm what bat activity studies and by whom have been carried out
• Great Crested Newts - it was said on Wednesday evening that a survey had been carried out and no newts were present, again can you confirm when this was done as although I would agree there is no suitable habitat for breeding I know of a registered Great Crested Newt colony which is literally over the otherside of the wall from your proposed site and these newts may hibernate in the wood
• Please confirm exactly how many mature trees are being removed, obviously you cannot replace mature trees but are there any plans to make amends for their loss nb;
  0. Planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including ancient woodland and the loss of aged or veteran trees found outside ancient woodland, unless the need for, and benefits of the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss.” 

At a meeting held in the park for parish councillors a number of Normanby residents expressed strong concerns over increased traffic and noise pointing out that the car park is often full at weekends now, however in Go Apes information leaflet to residents it states "Go Ape will create a very small increase in car journeys".  The council representative at the meeting also stated that "this will not be a big money earner for the council" which begs the question why then invite them in!

Again the Council/Go Ape literature says up to 30 jobs will be created - in reality their Business Development Manager says there will be 2 full-time jobs and then part-time students will be used - presumably not on the living wage.

This Friday 12th May 1.30-6.30 and Sat 13th May 9.00-1.30 reps from Go Ape will be in the stable yard within the park to speak to personally so if you wish to find out more go along - however I would go after 4.30 on Friday or before 10.30 on Saturday otherwise it will cost you £7 to get in! 

Go Ape have yet to apply for a planning application - when I know details of their application I will post it on this blog with details on how to comment.

Herb-Paris

A record nineteen spikes around our pond this year of this unusual plant

Royal Fern - Osmunda regalis

Uncurling Royal Fern at Messingham this morning and our first Cuckoo at Laughton ...

Longhorn Moths

Fabulous Longhorn Moths at Messingham this morning..