Wildlife
at Lymm Golf Club
2005-2006
Third in an occasional series by Brian Ankers detailing the
wildlife to be found on the Golf course
The first nest found this year was the beautifully constructed
dome-shaped nest of a pair of Long Tailed
Tits:  the
nest consists of lichen, cobwebs, and moss, and was located at the side of the
fourth fairway in a gorse bush. As far as I could tell, six chicks fledged. With
the nest being in a gorse bush, it was one of the few that avoided the
attentions of the squirrels.
 The
most exciting find was the pair of now increasingly rare Bullfinches
which nested in a conifer to the left of the first tee.
By coincidence a pair of Dunnocks
also bred in the same tree.
Unfortunately the tree behind the third green which was
regularly used by a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers
had to be cut down; the birds did however find another suitable tree well into
the wood behind the 10th tee.
 Green
woodpeckers were regularly heard calling with their distinctive harsh
laughing call, but bred outside the confines of the course.
The pair of Greenfinches
that regularly nest in the conifers on the putting green did so again this year
and produced two young.
In the past a pair of Tawny Owls nested in an old
squirrels dray in one of the conifers that was by the 13th tee, but
since this tree was cut down the owls have moved to new location off the course.
The rarest bird observed on Nov 5th 2005 was a Chimney
Swift  which
was seen over the sixth fairway, a sighting confirmed later in the day by
wardens from the nature reserve across the canal.
This bird is a North American bird and was blown over to this
country on strong Westerly winds which were the leftovers from a hurricane in
the Caribbean. It appears that a number of these birds were seen around various
parts of the country, but this was the first record ever for the North West.
Another pair of open nesting birds that escaped the
ravages of the vermin grey squirrel was a pair of Crows
who produced two young from a nest high up in a conifer to the right of the 9th
tee.
The nest box scheme was more successful this year than last due mainly
to a better supply of food at hatching time and also because the grey squirrel
could not get at them due to a protective shield we have put around the hole.
Unfortunately for me, some of the broods flew a bit earlier than
expected whilst I was away on holiday, so although I know the species I don’t
know the exact numbers that finally fledged!
Ten nest boxes are now in situ. I am hoping to make some more
over the winter for next year. At this point I would like to thank Paul Ellis
for helping to construct the nest boxes.
The boxes and positions are listed below.
No 1. Green
keepers shed. These boxes are
grouped together to encourage House or Tree Sparrows but so far no luck. Just a
pair of Great Tits inhabited one box but they bred successfully.
No2. In trees
left of 10th fairway.
Great Tits Number unknown.
No3. Near entrance to toilets on 10th.
Great Tits 3 fledged.
No4. Behind
& to right of 10th tee
Blue Tits 10 fledged
No5. Right of
9th green Blue Tits
4 fledged.
No6. Left of
9th tee. Nest built but
abandoned.
No7. In copse
between 6th & 7th fairway.
Great Tits number unknown, but at least three.
No8. In copse
left 4th tee. Blue Tits 10 fledged
No9. Between
15th & 16th fairway.
Great Tits 6 fledged
No10. East
side of clubhouse. Great Tits 4 fledged.
A regular nesting place for both Blue Tits and Great Tits
is in the ventilation bricks on the West side of the clubhouse where the old
flat was located.
On a different subject it was very interesting to find a Marsh
Orchid growing in the rough ground to the left of the path leading from the
18th tee. As far as I am aware this is the first time a marsh orchid
has been found on the course. There was only one spike this year, but hopefully
with sensitive management of this valuable little area, more spikes will appear
in the future.
Below is a photograph of the actual orchid.
If
anyone has any interesting wildlife sightings please let me know.
Brian
Ankers
Oct 2006
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