247 April 2015 - Gryffe Advertizer

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48 the advertizer t: 01505 613340 e: info@advertizer.co.uk Windows on Wildlife Update The Windows on Wildlife Project aims to bring people closer to wildlife, gaining a unique insight to the furry & feathered inhabitants of Castle Semple Country Park. Project Officer Hayley Douglas gives us an update. Wildlife News Whoopy the Whooper Swan has now reappeared after disappearing for a month. We were all starting to get worried about him as he had never disappeared for such a long time before. This has now been his seventh winter at Castle Semple and despite his old wing injury, he continues to thrive. You may notice that he pecks at the other swans which have greatly increased in number over the last few weeks. This is all normal behaviour amongst the swans which have a pecking order which helps to establish dominance amongst individuals in the flock. This behaviour is different to the ‘battleships’ displays that you see when the breeding male chases off the other swans when he brings his cygnets over to feed in the summer. On the subject of dominance, Old Boy, the big male badger, is constantly on patrol in the woods at the moment. I believe Tufty, the female, has had cubs, which results in her becoming receptive again. Rough and Tumble, last year’s cubs, are still part of the clan but Tumble, who is a young male, is getting a hard time off his dad and may soon leave the group. April is the month where cubs usually make an appearance and I will let you know as soon as I see them. Lastly some exciting news. On 10 March, I collected in one of the loch cameras to find that we have two baby otters! They look like they are about 4 months old and are with a female I don’t recognise, she may be the female that lives on the Barr Loch. Please remember to watch your speed on the A760 between the RSPB and the village as the water levels are high and the family may try to cross the road. Events The next Big WoW Weekend, including all the new footage of the baby otters, takes place at Muirshiel Country Park on the 11 and 12 April from 11am to 4pm. Drop in at any time. If the weather is nice, mist nets will also be deployed and there will be bird ringing demonstrations throughout the day. More Info… Details can be found on the Park’s website www.clydemuirshiel.co.uk or by emailing wow@clydemuirshiel.co.uk. Footage can be viewed on the Park’s Youtube channel or on the WoW Facebook page. Talks to groups can be arranged by sending me an email. For more information, please contact Hayley Douglas, Windows on Wildlife Project Officer – CMRP tel 01505 842 882 Ex 25.
CMRP Roundup www.advertizer.co.uk april 2015 49 49 Pedal the Park is Nearly Here! Join us at Castle Semple on Sunday 29th April for Pedal the Park! There will be lots going on for all the family at the Event Village like the fixed point challenge – how far can you pedal in one minute? Take on your partner pal or parent! Plus we’ll have a bicycle powered cinema, trade stands from Merida and Moore-Large, skills courses, try a bike – trike, hand or mountain! All that plus the main rides themselves 68km sportive, family ride treasure hunt ride through Parkhill, hand bike time trail and mountain bike ride. Register online now through British Cycling’s website or see http://www.clydemuirshiel. co.uk/things-to-do/cycling/pedal-the-park/. Easter at Clyde Muirshiel Get the whole family out for some fresh air, visit a Centre or Country Park and get some fresh air and exercise! There’s junior multi activity weeks for 8-15 yr olds so they can try out new sports on land and water as well as gain confidence and make new friends. Plus we have the lochshore field challenge at Castle Semple and Easter quiz sheets at Muirshiel and Greenock Cut! Scottish Multi-Class Regatta Entry forms are out and you can now be part of the Race 2 the Games legacy event the Scottish Multi-Class Regatta on 20th & 21st June. See p63 for more info. Crit on the Green – Clyde Muirshiel aids Paracycling Event CM was at the Glasgow Riderz Crit on the Green event at the end of March talking Pedal the Park and showing everyone our new accessible hand bikes and trikes! Contact Castle Semple if you’re interested in them! Duke of Edinburgh Programmes Clyde Muirshiel is an approved activity provider to deliver Duke of Edinburgh programmes. We’re currently working on new opportunities for 14 – 25 year olds, no matter what their ability, to do their Duke of Edinburgh at Clyde Muirshiel. There are new offerings contributing mainly to the skill, physical and expedition sections of the award. Look on our website for details. Ride 63 Club News & Ride Out Info! A Community Cycle Group ‘Ride 63’ is up and running, next ride out on April 30th. More info on when they’re going out on their Facebook. Email the Secretary at ridesixtythree@gmail.com to become a member or email the Park at routes@clydemuirshiel.co.uk for more information. Regular Events Mondays (put not public holidays) - Lochwinnoch Community Walks meet 10.30am at The Cross, Lochwinnoch; Weekly Volunteer Groups - Newcomers always welcome!; Thursdays Castle Semple Conservation Volunteers, Adult group, from 12.30pm - 3.30pm; Saturdays Greenock Cut Conservation Volunteers, Adult group, 10.30am-2.30pm; Sundays Castle Semple Young Volunteers, 12-18 yr olds, 10am-12noon. Bridge of Weir Horticultural Society Moths and Butterflies by Jo Davis Moths are night flying butterflies, or so one might think, but, in fact, the reverse is true as butterflies are moths that fly by day though there are day flying moths too. Thus began Dr Jo Davis’s fascinating talk about the world of the Lepidoptera or scaly-winged ones. There are over 2,500 moths in the UK but only 58 different butterflies and Scotland is ‘on the edge’ of the butterfly world with only about 35 species. Before advising us on which plants to grow in our gardens to encourage moths and butterflies, Dr Davis gave us an appreciation of the variety of moths and their caterpillars and their many strategies for survival. Moths and butterflies produce huge numbers of eggs and we could see why when Dr Davis listed the parasites and predators that threaten them. Apart from mice and bats representing mammals, birds, amphibians, spiders, wasps, hornets, beetles, dragonflies and robber flies are all happy to feed on moths or their larvae. 20,000 caterpillars are required to feed a brood of blue tits! Moths have evolved various forms of defence. The Camouflage Moth looks like a bird dropping and the Cinnabar Moth caterpillar ingests poison from ragwort and it becomes poisonous as does the adult moth. Sometimes warning colouration is exhibited alongside these defence mechanisms; the Cinnabar Moth has yellow and black warning stripes. The fairly common black and red Burnett Moths are also poisonous and the Buff Tip looks like a birch twig, employing camouflage for survival. Other moths exhibit Batesian Mimicry and look like hornets or bees. Many of us are aware that Buddleia, sometimes known as the Butterfly bush, is attractive to butterflies. Jo Davis recommended Buddleia davidii as being one of the best species to plant. The Peacock, with its 4 eyes, Painted Lady and Red Admiral butterflies can all be found on the flowers. Buddleia x weyeriana, a hybrid between B. Davidii and B. Globosa also provides early Autumn flowers. Other flowering shrubs and herbaceous plants suggested for encouraging butterflies and moths were ivy, lavender species, knapweeds (Centaurea spp.), marjoram, thyme, Michaelmas daisies, scabious and valerian. Sedum spectabile, commonly called the ice plant, is particularly good as a source of nectar for the Small Tortoiseshell. Useful larval food plants, in other words food plants for caterpillars, include nettles, willow herb, oak, ash, birch, lime, hawthorn, brassicas, garlic mustard, broad-leaved dock, ivy and ragwort. We were encouraged to record the moths and butterflies which we find in our gardens. Dr Davis’s enthusiasm for his subject was infectious; he is much involved in Butterfly Conservation in the West of Scotland.
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247 April 2015 - Gryffe Advertizer

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