Cumbria Wildlife Magazine

Dominic Boulding ©

Wild Britain, could we see large

predators return?

Animal tales from a Wildlife Rescue

centre

Cover photograph by: Dominic Boulding ©

CUMBRIAW i l d l i f e M a g a z i n e

LIFE ON A REMOTE WILDLIFE RESERVE

BRAND NEW PUBLICATION

2 Cumbria Wildlife Magazine f

contents

featuresp 4-5 Animal tales from a wildlife sanctuary

p 6-8 A return to the wild

p 9 What’s on Guide

p 10-11 Martha Kane interviews a wildlife crime officer

p 12 Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s ‘Meadow Life’ Competition

p 13 Renowned cameraman urges BBC to do more for conservation

r Cumbria Wildlife Magazine 3

editors letter

p 14-15 How to make your garden into an animal and mini-beast haven

p 16-17 Learning new skills in an islandic nature reserve

p 18-19 A tale of Persecution by guest writer Andrew Dent

p 20-21 A walk around Talkin Tarn by Katie Halsall

p 22-23 An interview with RSPB Scotland’s ‘Wildscapes’ winner, Dominic Boulding

Dominic Boulding ©

Cumbria is a beautiful county with a rich variety of plants, animals and marine life. I feel passionately about this part of the country

and wanted to capture that within mypublication and writing. I sincerely hope that you enjoy reading my

efforts. I would dearly like to thank the Wildlife and Media students for their valued contributions and in particular Dominic Boulding who kindly

let me use his stunning photography to illsustrate the magazine. I would also like to thank the

interviewees who have made this project both fascinating and possible.

Martha Kane EDITOR


It would have been expected that this nature rich haven would have been tranquil and calm. However this was not the case. Approaching the small holding I was greeted by a large rowdy looking goose as a heron took flight from a near

tree which left it still shuddering in its wake. Crows cawed rau-cously to each other from across the tree tops. Insects and small birds filled a garden awash with wildflowers and nettles, as cats and dogs strolled cheerfully around the wooded grounds.

There was a feeling of safety surrounding this sanctuary where humans were accepted and even trusted, which was heartening given the sad tales surrounding many of its guests and residents.

Emma Scott is the general manager at Knoxwood Wildlife Res-cue Trust, near Wigton where injured wild animals are rehabil-itated back to health, most are then released back into the wild however sometimes this is not always possible, often due to the nature of the injury and the type of animal suffering from them. The sanctuary is open to the public during weekends from spring to late autumn.

How it began

The sanctuary started out when Emma’s father, George Scott, went to the pub one day, and returned with a “gaggle of

Chinese geese.” Who had sadly just found themselves homeless, having had nowhere else who would take them. The sanctuary grew from there, Emma explained:

“My whole family has always been really animal orientated, there always seems to be space for one more.”

There are now 250 animals housed on a piece of land which had initially been bought by her parents to build a family home on.

The sanctuary is pretty rare in that: “very few sanctuaries cater for just wildlife.” They are an independent sanctuary whereby they receive no funding from local councils or other animal welfare organisations such as the RSPCA.

They also have their own wildlife hospital, which has saved and rehabilitated countless numbers of patients. The oldest inhabi-tant is Guinness, an 18 year old horse who had been treated so badly before arriving at the sanctuary that: “you couldn’t raise your voice or raise your hand or lift up a bucket without him more or less falling over in fright, he’d been that badly treated. He is now kept in a stress free environment.”

“It took years of work just to get him calm enough for the farri-er to come and trim his feet.”

No animal is seen to be more or less important: “we take a lot of young seagulls who have fallen off roofs and also young pi-geons, a lot of people do tend to think they are vermin and they shouldn’t be helped but we have a policy whereby if it’s alive and

it’s got a chance to take, it doesn’t matter what it is, we’ll give it a go.”

The surprised doorman

Other peculiar resident are the small army of skunks who have been gradually acquired from a variety of places,

following a fad whereby people started keeping them as pets. “The problem about skunks,” Emma admits: “is when they spray in your living room for example you have lost all of your furni-ture, carpet, the lot.” As one unsuspecting club bouncer found out when he saw what he thought to be:

“a little black cat plodding along on the street, he wondered what it was doing so he picked it up to find it was actually a

skunk and it sprayed him.”

Martha Kane looks behind the scenes at Knoxwood Wildlife Rescue Trust with manager, Emma Scott. Meeting the residents

and finding out their stories.

ABOVE Emma with her very handsome lurcher, Meg.

BELOW: One of Knoxwood’s most whiffiest residents.

Animal tales from a wildlife sanctuary


“So he phoned the RSPCA and they got sprayed as well. They then took it to the nearest shelter, which happened to be a cat shelter and it sprayed the shelter, which completely and utterly stunk the building right out.”

Fortunately the little skunk came to live at Knoxwood, where he has been joined by a number of friends over the last few years.

The most exotic resident to date was a bright pink flamingo. The Sanctuary specialises in birds as they are difficult to place elsewhere.

“We have two cockatoos who talk and do their thing. One of them has a penchant for destroying sofas, he can gut a sofa in twenty minutes and he doesn’t mind if it’s a brand new one from DFS or a cheap second hand one, he will destroy it regardless. They are flock birds so tend to be destructive when left alone.”

“People sometimes buy pets, without thinking it through completely, these cockatoos will live until they’re forty year old, people do get them thinking it’s a good idea at the time.”

“Dolly the goat was found in our local school, hurtling around the playground. We went for her as we couldn’t leave her at the school, she was quite happy to come home with us in the van. But she jumped out of every single pen we put her in and even broke down two doors. We never did find out where she came from so she has joined our little flock of goats.”

Fantastic Mr Fox

Dawson the friendly fox came to Knoxwood after a very confusing visit to a veterinary surgery.

“He was picked up by a lovely couple who thought he was a puppy, they found him under a lorry in a wagon yard,

soaking wet through, and on death’s door.”

“But because baby foxes are chocolate brown, like a Labrador, they assumed he was a pup and brought him home. So he spent the first part of his life sleeping on their bed, doing all the things a puppy would. But then they thought he is a funny looking thing and he does smell really bad so they took him to the vets to find he was actually a fox.”

Not a fox...

“We have made four attempts to integrate him with other foxes, but he doesn’t believe he’s a fox, as far as he’s con-

cerned he’s a human. He won’t have anything to do with the other foxes, he’s terrified of them. When he was young we set him up by himself to distance him from humans, but

he cried for six weeks.”

“He’s a failure on our part as we haven’t managed to rehabilitate him into the wild but he’s a huge success in himself, as obviously he’s quite pleased he’s still alive.”

Dawson is a lovely character with a great beaming grin. He bounds up and down his pen when anyone approaches, strug-gling to contain his excitement.

Emma admits that they did try to let him have his run of the centre but he would pick up pigeons in his mouth and leave them at their backdoor. Although not harming the birds, he did however give them somewhat of a fright. It is the chari-ty’s aim to rehabilitate and release the animals however this is sometimes impossible so they provide them with a comfortable and happy place to stay.

For the trust to work so effectively and independently they rely heavily on volunteers and are always looking for people who could lend their time and resources. Volunteer opportunities are wide-ranging. From more hands on, labour intensive duties to lighter tasks like weeding and sweeping, helping in one of their shops, or at one of their many fundraising events. “It’s really down to what people can give, if we get a volunteer who has a particular skill we can generally find a use for it.”

ABOVE: A tawny owlet being nursed by Knoxwood.

BELOW: One of Knoxwood’s most whiffiest residents.

BELOW: Dawson the friendly fox.

BELOW: Orinoco the red squirrel tucks into a flapjack.


A return to the Wild

HOW NATURE USED TO BE

A perfectly balanced ecosystem existed, just like a tall pile of bricks, certain pieces can be removed with few ill effects but choose the wrong block and the whole system can tumble down changing

the balance forever. These ‘key stone’ species are crucial for an ecosystem. Many of them have already been lost by manmade interference or persecution, often through hunting and habitat loss. Wolves, brown bears, big cats, beavers, elk and wild boars all used to roam the isles in abundance, but their loss has meant catastrophic changes to our ecosystem, leading to vast numbers of plants, animals, birds and insects becoming extinct. But this loss of life doesn’t just affect species numbers; it can create devastation for human inhabitants too.

‘Rewilding’ the British uplands would be a ‘highly effective’ method of combatting flooding scientists have argued. The government are currently carrying out trials to gauge just how significant this impact could be. Trees drag rain water down to their roots, whereas fields of grass do not have the same effect, meaning rain water washes off rap-idly and in higher volume, making flooding more likely.

Beavers have been recently reintroduced to the Argyll in Scot-land as part of a trial. They provide an effective water manage-ment system, meaning that flood water is kept in the uplands, draining gradually meaning lower river levels downstream. They also provide niches in an ecosystem which allow other creatures to flourish, making a more diverse habitat.

This unbalancing of the ecosystem is even thought to aid

climate change, for example where whale numbers are fall-ing throughout our seas it is thought that this could be hav-ing an effect on the “composition of our atmosphere.” By rewilding many, like the political and environmental activist and writer, George Monbiot, believe we can even slow down the effects of global warming. By interfering and killing off many species we are effectively unbalancing the ecosystem which is a finely tuned and effective way of supporting life.

By interfering with nature’s own super-efficient methods we have created problems for the population, deer are just one such example. There are no longer natural predators in the wild, leading to massive increases in their populations. They graze relentlessly affecting the growth of young trees and shrubs, meaning a reduction in natural habitat which is why ‘The Deer Initiative’ was created, in partership with DEFRA and The For-estry Commission alongside countless smaller organisations.

The main approach to control is through fencing to prevent deer from entering woodland areas and culls, where they are shot in the hope to reduce numbers. Culls can only go

so far and they do not affect the behaviour of deer. When there are natural predators deer tend not to overstay around the river banks, rarely grazing. But this is not the case now; they graze significantly, aiding the erosion of river banks.

Alastair Boston, Deer Liaison Officer for the north of England admits: “They are having a major impact on the woodlands within Cumbria and Lancashire as they affect the woodland’s

"There are 62million people on this small island and its whether there is enough wil-

derness left for predators."

Great Britain would have been almost unrecognisable a thousand years ago. Dense forests of oak, ash and silver birch populated much of the isles, awash with small and large mammals, birds and insects alongside a diverse selection of plants

and trees. Now Britain's woodlands only account for 12% of the land cover and much of these once thriving habitats contain only a small selection of the organisms they used to.

by: Martha Kane

r Cumbria Wildlife Magazine 7 ©

regeneration, establishment and succession, which is down to their grazing and browsing pressures.”

BRINGING BACK THE WILD

One attempt at helping to solve the problem is by reintro-ducing the Eurasian Lynx.

However as Alistair pointed out, questions remain about the feasi-bility of such a project:

“It’s whether it’s sustainable on our land as there are 62million people on this small island and it’s whether there is enough wilderness left for predators to es-tablish and be successful without coming into conflict with hu-mans, whether it is the farming communities or with vehicles.”

But others, like Steve Piper from the Lynx UK Trust, disagree, arguing that such a project could be very effective at helping to control deer numbers. Believing that the Eurasian Lynx could be the perfect candidate, he explained: “As a native, our ecosys-tem evolved with them in it and suffers for them not being there now.”

Wolves need “lots of space” and bears although “solitary and shy” are a lot larger meaning: “people are even more fearful of them because they’re so big, they can also be big roamers, both wolves and bears would seem more likely to attack domestic or agricultural animals.” Whereas Lynx behaviour is typically different, preferring not to leave “the forest for any reason. Running around after sheep in an open environment is a huge risk to them, and one they will probably only take if they are starving through lack of prey, during a bad winter perhaps, or through injury.”

Steve Piper believes such a reintroduction would mean: “deer will still overpopulate but much more slowly, so there will

be less need for culls by humans, and forests will have an easier time growing and expanding, creating more habitats for a growing lynx population and benefitting all our wildlife because it all evolved in a heavily forested Britain. They’ll

also help control rabbit populations in agricultural areas with forest fringes round the edges helping farmers.”

Such a scheme was very successful in Switzerland. However the ‘accidental’ wild

boar reintroduction to parts of the country has been met by mixed responses suggesting that public opinion is still not ready to share the environment with larger mammals. Many encour-age this enrichment of biodiversity whilst others live in fear of walking their dogs...>>

"As a native, our ecosystem evolved with them in it and

suffers from them not being there."

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

BELOW: Eurasian Lynx could be rereleased in Britain.BOTTOM: Wild boar were accidently released into the coun-tryside after farmers began rearing them for meat.


>> frightened of coming up against the tusked wood-land dweller. Despite their being only a very few incidenc-es where pet dogs have been injured, terror has engulfed villages as many living in proximity to the animals complain of having their gardens, verges and in some cases wheelie bins are being ransacked by the feral hogs.

Others complain that they could help spread diseases in livestock despite scientific studies suggesting this to be unlikely at present, however in the case of Foot and Mouth disease becoming established in livestock once more, this could become a problem in the future. All these factors have led to half of the wild boar population in the Forest of Dean being the subject of a cull. Boars usually have a positive impact on soil, by rooting through the undergrowth they fulfil a missing element which exists in current woodland ecosystems.

As human populations grow through-out our tiny little island it is difficult to see how the wild and people can coexist harmoniously. Many of the population lack the understanding to realise the positive effect these missing creatures can have upon habitats, preferring to focus on ‘tusks and teeth,’ it will take a lot of persuasion for many to believe otherwise.

Dominic Boulding ©

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 &7


Dominic Boulding ©

What's on guide...

Kielder’s Night Watch SafariGo on a trek through Kielder Water’s vast woodland expanse, which lays claim to the darkest skies in England, perfect for stargazing and making lasting memories.Join professional naturalist Bruce Ferguson, as he goes in search of nocturnal and crepuscular dwellers, like bats, badgers and owls. He will be armed with special equipment to carefully uncover the must ellusive of night time creatures.Event takes place on Wednesday 28 May 2014 at 9pm-10.30pm.

To book call: 01388 529154 or [email protected]

Age 8+ Accompanied by an Adult

£5 per person and £15 Family of four

Knoxwood Wildlife Rescue TrustTake a look at some interesting and characterful creatures whilst getting an insight into conservation and how treasured our wildlife should really be. Knoxwood is free to visitors but you can leave a donation if you wish. It is not a zoo so please be mindful that many of the animals are wild and recuperating.Open weekends 11am to 3pm. No dogs are allowed on the site.The sanctuary is on the A595, before the Thursby roundabout, in Thornby

Moor, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 0LA.

Conservation Work Parties A perfect way to learn about the practicalities of conservation whilst spending the day in a picturesque setting amongst new friends. It’s also best if you don’t have an aversion to getting your hands dirty! Witness first hand all the excitement nature has to offer. The Cumbria Wildlife reserves are dotted all over the county, and you are rarely far away from one. Please visit: http://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/whats-on to find out

about your nearest event.

Canopy Camp ExtremeSleep in a tree top amongst the branches and marvel at the view. You will learn how to climb whilst spending your evenings by a cosy campfire before retreating to your bed in the canopies above. A three day adventure in the heart of the Lake District.Booking Essential please call: 07702 256 425 or

email: [email protected]

Meeting at: Meet at the Footprint Building, St.Catherines,

Patterdale Road, Windermere, Cumbria.LA23 1NH

This is an adult only event. Cost: £250

2020 Vision Exhibition A stunning photographic exhibition, portraying the beautiful coastal waters surrounding our county. There will be two theatre shows on 25 June at The Winter Gardens, More-

cambe and on 21 August at Victoria Hall, Grange with photographers

involved in the project, and a photography workshop with Ben Hall at

Leighton Moss.

Morecambe Promenade from 20 May - 29 June

Barrow-in-Furness (outside the Forum) from 1 July - 2 August

Grange-over-Sands from 5 - 29 August

Osprey Watching at Dodd WoodCome take a look at the spectacular ospreys who are nesting in the area. There are lower and upper viewpoints which are both shrouded in forest, in a very picturesque setting, where red squirrels have also been known to visit. The lower point is in full view of the lake, and if lucky you could find yourself witnessing the osprey’s iconic swoop as they hunt fish on the water. The lower viewpoint is open between 10am and 5pm daily.

The Upper Viewpoint is open from 10.30am until 4.30pm daily, and high

powered telescopes and binoculars are provided but you are welcome to

bring your own. The Osprey viewpoint is 3 miles north of Keswick and on

the X4/X5 Bus route.

Wild food ForagingIf you were left alone in woodland would you know how to survive? Well Mark Williams from Galloway Wild Foods has the answers. You will go on a walk of culinary delight if tasty berries and insects are your thing. Tuesday 22 July 2014 at 1pm at Dodd Wood near Keswick.

ABOVE: The Solway Firth from the Cumbrian coast

by: Martha Kane


Wildlife crime is a disturbing aspect of rural life.

When a wild animal is killed or injured it can

have far reaching consequences for a rural com-

munity. Many rely on wildlife tourism in the Lake District; the

Osprey project alone has attracted more than a million visitors

resulting in extensive financial benefits for the area. The protec-

tion of wild flowers and plants is also extremely important, not

just for further generations to enjoy, but they provide

habitats for countless numbers of species, many

of which are already struggling or in decline.

It can be very distressing to the public when

they witness evidence of habitats and ani-

mals being mindlessly destroyed.

Therefore it is important that Cumbrian

wildlife is protected effectively. Helen

Branthwaite is the Wildlife, Rural and Envi-

ronmental Crime Officer for Cumbria and it

is her job to ensure that those showing blatant

disregard for wildlife are brought to justice.

She explained what initially drew her

to the role: “I have always had

a keen interest in wildlife so

on that level I find it very

interesting. However

due to the fact that I

am interested I do

find it hard to see

the persecution that

Wildlife is

subjected to. This is motivation though to work towards bring-

ing offenders through the courts for their actions and it is very

satisfying when we are able to do that.”

Wildlife Crime Officers rely heavily on intelligence received

from the public. Cumbria is one of the largest counties in the

country, therefore it would be impossible for the police to patrol

the entirety alone. During their current ‘Shine a Light’

campaign they hope to raise awareness about the

suspicious activities to watch out for.

“The Shine a Light campaign was set up to

raise awareness of wildlife crime and help

people to understand what it is and what

the main priorities are. We also wanted to

encourage the public to report suspicious

activity to us and outline how they can do

that.”

Helen says the main issues that face Cumbria’s

wildlife protection unit are “the

poaching of deer, persecution

of badgers, hunting

with dogs and

raptor persecu-

tion.”

All hunt-

ing with

dogs in

the UK

An interview with:

Cumbria’s Wildlife Crime Officer

Martha Kane speaks to PC Helen Branthwaite about her constant battle against the tide of illegal hunting, poaching and the trade in endangered species.

by: Martha Kane


has been outlawed however it is possible to hunt rats and rabbits

but only with the landowner’s consent. Nevertheless groups of

people are frequently found hunting, and it is crucial that such

activities are reported to the police.

Badgers, foxes and birds of prey are at particular risk due to the

levels of persecution surrounding

them. Just last year game keeper,

Cumbrian, Colin Burne was

found guilty of trapping and kill-

ing buzzards. Video footage showed the game keeper clubbing

to death two of the raptors. Countless remains of other buz-

zards were also found near the area. Burne narrowly escaped

a jail sentence due to inoperable bowel cancer but had this not

been the case the magistrate would have almost certainly have

prescribed a jail term.

Helen Branthwaite led the

investigation into the crime.

She feels it publicised the mes-

sage that: “wildlife crime is not

tolerated in Cumbria.”

Badgers have been subjected to harsh criticism of late due to

the number of cattle who have contracted bovine TB. However

many people who take part in badger baiting and the like often

have a violent disposition, enjoying watching the dismember-

ment and brutality that such attacks entail. Viewing the act as a

sport, testing their dogs and often gambling money during the

process, people taking part in these are often part of organised

groups.

The dogs themselves frequently become injured too, and due to

the illegality of the ‘sport’ they are left with injuries and subject-

ed to barbaric attempts at surgery by their owners, much to the

distress of the animals. “Offenders are often linked to organised

crime groups and use it as a

platform to commit other types

of rural crime.”

Surprisingly another area which

has seen a rise in popularity is the trade in endangered species.

“This is an area of activity which is a problem throughout the

country and we have dealt with some cases in Cumbria over the

past couple of years. This type of trade is much more accessible

now because of the internet. Criminals, many from organised

crime groups, do exploit wildlife as a commodity especially in

this area.”

Some birds of prey are very

valuable when sold abroad and

therefore attract illegal gangs who are often connected to a wide

network of other criminal activities.Any dead animals that are

found without an obvious cause of death should be viewed with

suspicion.

People who are seen with equipment or dogs, walking through

rural areas and appear to be acting suspiciously should also

be reported to the police.Destroying breeding or habitat sites

is a major problem and anyone found doing so should also be

notified to the police.

“Criminals, many from organised crime groups, do exploit wildlife as a commodity

especially in this area.”

“Offenders are often linked to organised crime groups and use it as a platform to commit

other types of rural crime.”

Often those involved in such

activities are unsavoury types

and should therefore never be

confronted. Any non-urgent

activity that raises suspicion

please call: 101 in order to speak

with a Wildlife Crime Officer

or alternatively email: wildlife-

[email protected]. If

the activities require immediate

assistance please dial 999.

LEFT: PC Helen Branthwaite on patrol. BELOW: Groups of men are known to go badger baiting whereby they set their dogs on the animal, resulting in horrendous injury and death.


Meadow Life Competition

Novice, professional and amateurs are all being invited to take part in this year’s ‘Meadow Life’ competition, run by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

Hay meadows are a wonderful picturesque setting teeming with rare birds, insects and plants and visiting one makes for a perfect day out. They support many species of animals, birds and wildflowers. Meadow voles and barn owls both rely on uncultivated grasses, and they are struggling because of the lack of them.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust would like you to capture this forgotten beauty in a photograph.There are four categories for you to express your creativity, ‘Living Meadows’ will show how people use and experience meadows. ‘Meadow Wildlife’ will capture the diversity of wildlife and meadow plants. Those with a creative eye can enter the ‘Artistic Vision’ category whereby the photographers can use more abstract approaches to illustrate hay meadows and their beauty. There is also a category just for junior entries (under 16’s) where they are invited to demonstrate any aspects from the other categories.

All prize winners will feature in the 2015 Cumbria Wildlife Trust calendar, with the winner showcasing their photograph on the front of membership magazine ‘Cumbria Wildlife.’ The winner will also have their work published in ‘Cumbria Life’ magazine. Photographs will be exhibited at the Westmorland County Show; with camera equipment vouchers awarded to prize-winning pictures. First prize winners in each category will choose between two inspirational books:A Year in the life of an English Meadow by Andy Garnett and Polly Devlin, or The Meadow by Barney Wilczak.

The closing date for all entries is: 1st September 2014. To submit your entry online and further terms and conditions please visit the link: http://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/haymeadowphotocompetition Entries can also be made by sending your photograph along with your name, address, and chosen entry category to: Claire Green, Meadow Life Photo Competition, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Plumgarths, Crook Road, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 8LX.

Do you have a passion for photography and a love of the countryside?

Previous winner Andrew Walters won the wildlife habi-tats catergory with this photograph of a hover fly

Sample photograph of a butterfly on a bluebell flower.

by: Martha Kane


Praised by Richard Attenborough as being “the best he has ever worked with,” Doug Allan has filmed a wealth of renowned nature documentaries such as Frozen Planet,

Life, and Planet Earth. He began his career as a Marine Biol-ogist but since realising that this career means very little time spent in actual living habitats and an awful lot in a laboratory he decided a cameraman would suit his interests more. What this has given him is the experience of witnessing the wild at first hand alongside the scientific knowledge to understand it. Frozen expanses appeal to Doug, after being a committed diver in the UK it became almost ‘second nature’ when he went out to the Antarctic and Arctic.

He spoke at the recent ‘North West Wildlife Trusts Irish Sea Marine Conference’ in Grange-over-Sands where he expressed a desire for wiildlife documentaries to tackle conservation issues head-on. It was initially diving in the coastal waters surround-ing the UK which first ignited Doug’s passion for marine life.

Doug commented: “Inspiring the nation I do find that if you are in a position to film for these big series’ which bring wildlife into people’s homes then I would like to see the BBC do more to connect an environmental message to these programmes.” Documentaries tend not to tackle conservation issues because scientific data is constantly being reproduced and therefore if they were to add such information the documentary would quickly become out of date. Therefore such information is fre-quently put in a ten minute separate segment at the end. Which misses opportunities to inspire the public to do more about climate change and habitat loss.

Doug said: “In other words not just making glossy programmes that don’t confront the issues but I prefer to show people the lovelieness and then give them a background to the challenges that are faced, and then something of the solution. Give it a bit more heart, so to speak, give it a bit more personality. Because that’s what we have to do.”

All the seas are interconnected on our planet and therefore a change in one part of the world will often be felt in another, this is why sea conservation will always be so important.Doug’s book ‘Freeze Frame’ is available from Amazon and all good book

stores, you can also download a sample for free from: http://dougallan.com

BAFTA winning Cameraman urges BBC to tackle climate issues head-on

Inspirational speakers spoke passionately about the ‘often overlooked’ and undervalued ‘Irish Sea’ as they gathered at the ‘The North West Wildlife Trusts Irish Sea Marine

Conference last month.

Due to the type of habitat in the Irish Sea we tend to have a lot of sediment in the water which often makes it appear murky and unwelcoming. But underneath there is a wealth of exciting wildlife, rarely seen and known about by many.

Sir Martin Holdgate, Trustee for Cumbria Wildlife Trust and former Chief Environment Scientist to the UK Department of the Environment provided and inspiring address spoke about the challenges the Irish Sea has faced in the past and how we can now safeguard it for the future. The Irish Sea has the potential to be one of the most productive and wildlife rich places on earth however pollution, climate change, and bottom trawling fishing methods has meant only a proportion of the once abun-dant life now still exists.

David Harpley, Conservation Manager at Cumbria Wildlife Trust provided an update on the ongoing process of designating Marine Conservation Zones in the Irish Sea. Laurence Brown-ing of Natural England outlined Allonby Bay as a case study for inclusion as a marine conservation zone.

Dr Tavis Potts, Marine Social Scientist and Karen Mitchell, In-dependent Communicator and Campaigner, both gave delegates ideas on how conservation can move away from “preaching to the already converted” to inspiring others into caring about wildlife and conservation, how it is possible to dispel common myths and inaccuracies using fresh ideas and approaches.

Sally Smith from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘Skills for the Future’ programme announced a new round of funding for the Trust’s very successful ‘Marine Graduate Training Scheme.’ Students were given a personal account from a trainee currently on the program.

The conference took place at the Netherwood Hotel in Grange-over-Sands. The event was funded thanks to the Heritage Lot-tery Fund as part of Skills for the Future programme.

Looking below the sea surface to find the forgotten life underneath

The Wildlife Trusts Irish Sea Marine Conference

by: Martha Kane by: Martha Kane


How to make your garden into a wildlife and mini-beast haven

Supporting our populations of wildlife is a good way of giving nature a helping hand whilst encouraging visitors who will enrich your garden and creating exciting nature

watching opportunities.

Bees pollinate a garden making the flowers more vibrant and pungent; they also encourage countless other creatures and critters. Being the most efficient pollinators in the world means without their busy work it could lead to disastrous consequenc-es for our food growing industries. There has been a worrying decline in our bee populations during the last fifty years.

Emma Scott from Knoxwood Wildlife Rescue Trust says a per-

fect way to encourage bees and support other wildlife, in your garden is by creating a ‘wild corner.’

“Behind a potting shed, around the back of a greenhouse” by just keeping the area generally unkempt, by allowing the net-tles to grow through and the moss to take hold, by scattering wildflower seeds it creates a little nature haven which helps to support our declining wildlife species.

“It’s a really passive way, but makes a real difference, as unfor-tunately humans have encroached so much on their habitat, it is necessary to help them out.”

Bird baths and water bowls left around the garden help to keep wildlife hydrated especially during the summer months and periods of dry weather.

Feeding the birds and small mammals such as hedgehogs is also another positive step, as food can frequently be scarce.

Little shelters, for bats, birds, hedgehogs and insects, placed in enticing areas can help increase their numbers, providing them with little places of safety and areas to nest.

by: Martha Kane


Using pesticides and weed killers in gardens can have drastic consequences for wildlife populations. Slug pellets often result in dead hedgehogs, rat poison kills our owl populations and by spraying weed killer on a full flowering dandelion you can inadvertently harm bees and other pollinators.

Do we really need our gardens and hedgerows looking per-fectly kept and impeccably neat? Or would we all benefit from allowing that caterpillar to chomp through a few leaves, creating a tasty evening meal for our colonies of bats to nibble upon. By allowing nature to take hold we can support many other creatures along the food chain, resulting ultimately in benefit for ourselves.

TOP: Bee loving plants in a gar-

den. UPPER RIGHT: Hedgehog

eating food left out by gardener.

RIGHT: Emma Scott from Knox-

wood Wildlife Rescue Trust. FAR

RIGHT: Bumble Bee

Living amongst a nature reserve on a remote island in the Irish Sea, could be seen as a lonely and isolating experience.

However Walney Island nature reserve offers a perfect oppor-tunity to witness wildlife in its most rugged and natural state, attracting those who wish to learn more about conservation in a more intimate and abundant setting. With miles of un-spoilt coastline and spectacular views of the Lakeland fells it provides a beautiful and unique habitat.

The largest surviving British mammal, the grey seal, has made its home upon the island alongside the common seal, which also frequently basks along its shores. Rare sea birds nest along the sands and the noisy but distinctive natterjack toad also inhabits this wildlife rich haven.

The wildlife reserve was recently cut off completely in the worst winter storms to hit us in living memory. Remodelling the island and unearthing evidence of extinct species, it cre-ated mountains of work for the volunteers and wardens who help keep the reserve habitable for its countless residents.

The Cumbria Wildlife Trust created a new placement scheme for an assistant warden, aimed at graduates and students, giving them unique experiences and valuable skills which will hopefully inspire life long careers in conservation.

The assistant warden currently spends much of their time maintaining habitats, monitoring colonies of sea birds and showing visitors around the reserve. It has been a fantastic opportunity for those who would like to have a more hands on approach to conservation.

The role requires the volunteer to live on the island, giving an idea of what life is really like in a nature reserve.

Lawrence Eagle currently holds the position; he describes the opportunity as being “a really, really good experience.”

Adding: “I have really learned a lot, enabling me to improve on my bird observation skills and exposing me to what it’s really like to be involved in active conservation.” His favou-rite part of the project to date has been the setting up of an electric fence, protecting ground nesting gulls from their relentless predators.

Joe Murphy, Senior Reserves Officer, believes that the scheme has been an overwhelming success. He said: “The trust gets an extra person and the volunteer gains valuable on the job experience, which is really what employers look for.”

“The reserve relies very heavily on volunteers and to have an extra pair of hands has been absolutely great.”

This is the first time that the Cumbria Wildlife Trust has car-ried out a live-in warden placement scheme on Walney and following its success they are hoping to open up the scheme to further students.

In September Laurence will be moving on to study for a Mas-ter’s degree in conservation at the University College London which will open up the position to further applications after the summer. If you would be interesting in this unique work experience opportunity please visit: http://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/ for further information, later in the year.

Learning fantastic skills in a unique and inspiring setting

When Lawrence Eagle was given the opportunity to become assistant

warden at the Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve on the island of Walney he jumped at the chance of experienc-

ing the wild, first hand.

Lawrence at the Irish Sea Marine Conference

by: Martha Kane

http://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/

LEFT: Grey seal pup. One of the last remaining areas in the British isles where grey seals can still be found.LOWER LEFT: The distinctive common eider duck. A large sea duck which breeds at Walney island.LOWER RIGHT: Barn owls are seen all year round at South Walney nature reserve.BOTTOM: Walney island lighthouse.

Images licensed by Getty images at istockphoto.com



By Andrew Dent

As the sun rises the habits of the crepuscular wildlife begin to show,. The rays bounce within the woods allowing an act of beauty to penetrate the darkness of the night before, the ferns and bracken enriched by different shades of green, a new day is getting older by the second.

A vixen emerges from her den, cautiously smelling, ensuring the air is clean from the scent of danger, the scent of man. She lives in a world where no one takes her side, witnesses her views or contemplates the plight which has had her species try in vain to adjust their natural ways to keep up with man’s ever present need to expand and destroy.

As she scavenges from scraps and feeding on fowl, fowl introduced to the isle as a means of sport, she confidently places all four paws on ground and begins going about her daily mission to source food. Her red fur bounces through the grass with her agility. Confident; the artful poacher is forever alert, as she knows too well that around any corner there could be lethal danger. As she continues her hunt, the skies become brighter, the forest is alive with noises, and birds broadcast their chorus telling the world of their presence.

On the outskirts of the forest the meadows are radiant with wild and sun flowers; high up in the air, another cautious animal ap-pears. The buzzard circles the open arable ground below. Scouring the land, scavenging the carrion of an animal who has lost its battle of survival. With its wings at full stretch, and the prominent fingertips showing along its feathers, it dominates the sky. It’s mewing echoes through the forest, but just like the fox, the buzzard is not appreciated within the countryside, and is often perse-cuted by man, to protect his stock.

As the day comes to an end, the sun begins to set and the crepuscular habits of wildlife begin again. The deer emerge from deep within the woods, the sun setting allows for another animal to begin its venture from their underground lair. Bold and often thought of as fierce, a snout mirrors the actions of the vixen, smelling the air for safety, once confident, its course black and white coat sets off from the sett, with one thing on is mind, food. The badger’s long claws dig and scratch the surface of the fields, giving a prominent excuse for man to eradicate them, for destruction to their land is unforgivable to the crops that he strives to grow.

A screech is heard and the ghostly white emerges from the sky, hunting in the ‘safety’ of the night, the barn owl searches for food. Everything begins to darken, darker than the night-time skies, persecution has took them all.

The common buzzard lies alive at the bottom of a trap struggling for life, for no one knows how long she has had to suffer inside. The deep truth within her eyes; does she want to be set free? Or does she long to be free from a world which can no longer admin-ister such suffering.

The vixen is dead. Trapped in a snare; her death sentence is final with a gunshot to the head. The vixen’s mouth is exposed and fur stained with her own blood.

As the owl hunts through the night, her silent flight allows success after success with the capture of her prey, but little does she know, the prey is a pest, not to nature but to man. As she feasts upon her food, she is unknowingly dying from the poison used to eradicate her prey to help against the invasion of pests in human crops. She writhes in agony but fights for survival for she must provide for her offspring who are now facing the same cruel fate.

Nature enthusiast and Wildlife and Media student, Andrew Dent took a walk through Whinfell forest in early 2013. He was upset to find a trap where three buzzards had been captured. He now feels even more strongly that we should

be protecting our wildlife not persecuting against it.

Persecution


ABOVE: Poisoned Owl

LEFT: Fox killed for attacking game.

BELOW: Buzzard with legs tied


On a cold wintery day Katie Halsall decided to go on a walk around Talkin Tarn in Brampton, with just herself and her camera. Catching the train from a bustling Carlisle city centre she found herself suddenly alone, with only the wildlife to keep her company.

A walk around Talkin

tarn with katie halsall

Stepping onto the platform, I wait for the train to move on, I then stand still. All that can be heard is the rustle of trees and the call of birds. Brampton Station is quiet and often deserted. I walk up the long, winding road, which runs almost parallel to the tracks, only having to stop once for a car to pass. I was making my way to

Talkin Tarn, a last minute decision of the day.

It was a cold. A crisp day and I could hear lots of birds calling and flitting between the hedges as I walked by. A Robin popped out to say ‘hello,’ watching me before disappearing again into the hedge. To get to Talkin Tarn, you have to walk through a field, which often has grazing animals on it. This morning it had cows. A cow spotted me walking by, and instead of wandering in the other direction, it carried on moving towards me. It was a little unset-tling, being so close to a huge cow with it eyeing me as I walked past. I went through the gate quite quickly after that!

Once within the Talkin Tarn boundaries, the atmosphere felt really strange. It was quiet, with just the occasional bird call, and it felt like the birds were watching and waiting for something to happen.

I had been sitting there for a while when I heard the fluttering of wings on my left side. It sounded like it was really close, and I slowly turned my head to see a Robin sitting on the fence around half a metre away from me. I slowly lifted my camera, and it just stood watching me. It was almost too close for my lens to focus. I managed to snap a few photos before it flew away again though it did return for a second time! It was quite happy to sit and watch me, watching the other birds.

This nuthatch takes advantage of a busy bird feeder.

KATIE HALSALL


An inquisative robin catching a closer look and to 'say hello.'

A fidgety blue tit watching out for predators.

KATIE HALSALL

An Interview with:

Dominic Boulding

22 Cumbria Wildlife Magazine f Dominic Boulding ©

A Wildlife and Media student at the University of Cumbria, he recently won a prestigious photography award from RSPB Scotland. He spoke to Martha Kane

about his passion for photography and his ambitions for the future.

Dominic’s passion for wildlife photography began when as a teenager his grandfather introduced him to bird watching. Later on in his teenage years he developed

an interest in photography. When he combined the two it ignited more than just a hobby but hopefully a lifelong career.

He is currently coming to the end of a three year degree in Wild-life and Media Studies at the University of Cumbria. A setting that at first wasn’t his first choice but Cumbria’s rugged and vastly contrasting landscapes have opened up endless opportunities for him to develop his skill. He said:

“Having come up here it’s ideal; the lakes aren’t far away, Scotland isn’t far away either and you

have the Solway.”

Dominic makes the most of any time he spends outside, looking for wildlife on his daily trek through Carlisle’s city parks he has found a surprising number of wild birds and animals.In particular, he especially enjoys the serene and relaxing nature of wildlife photography, revealing that: “It’s kind of nice to get

away from everything and just be on your own waiting for an animal or bird to show you the inside of its world as it were. It feels like a pure time for you.”His favourite types of animals to photograph are woodland birds. As he feels they are frequently overlooked in favour of what many perceive to be the more impressive predators. But one of his favourite activities is just sitting in a garden watching the array of visiting birds flock to a feeder. Walking through Carlisle’s parks he listens for bird song, excitedly he admits to hearing a chiffchaff there just yesterday.

Nuthatches are notoriously difficult to spot, descending trees upside down and looking very mouse like they are a favourite of Dominic’s, who spends long periods of time watching out for wildlife in pursuit of the perfect shot. What this type of photographer needs in droves is perseverance and patience. He admits:

“you can be sitting there for three days, slowly getting demotivated that no animals will come

and see you. It’s just beating that.”


Dominic Boulding ©

Not only this but exposure to the elements is frequently an issue, in his recent expedition to the Cairngorms in Scotland he found himself to be to unsuitably prepared due to the depth of snow meaning they had to take a train rather than walk, result-ing in missing out of much of the wildlife.

“Sometimes it is weather restrictions that get in your way, just like when it’s raining, you could

go out but the lighting is going to be pretty horrible.”

His favourite photograph to date is one he took from the heart of a Thailand jungle, where there was “no real light pollution” as he looked up there were countless stars, much brighter than what he is used to, which he admits was “pretty amazing.” He took thirty second exposures on a constant timer and then stitched the photographs together which gave him am effect of trails of light, “as the stars move whereas everything else stays still which looks quite cool.”

Dominic hopes the next few years will see him doing more of what he loves, travelling and taking photographs. He hopes to build an impressive portfolio in the hope it will help him secure a rewarding career in the vocation he is so passionate about, admitting:

“...as long as I’m still taking photographs in ten years, I will be happy.”

Dominic Boulding ©

Dominic Boulding ©

LEFT: Ptarmigan watching in the CairngormsTOP RIGHT: Dominic and his beloved camera.MIDDLE RIGHT: A spring duck-ling captured by Dominic.RIGHT: A Snowy crowned robin-chat captured during one of Dominic’s many photography expeditions.

WHATS ON IN CUMBRIA

w

Cover Photograph by Dominic BouldingDesign by Martha KaneEdited by Martha KaneProduced by Martha Kane

Thank you for reading Cumbria Wildlife Magazine

dFollow us on Twitter @CumbriaMag

Documents

Cumbria Wildlife Magazine