Latest news with #CumbriaWildlifeTrust
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Warning as South Walney seal colony disturbed by kayaks
People in kayaks and canoes have been urged to stay away from a grey seal Wildlife Trust said there had been a rise in people disturbing the seals at its South Walney Nature Reserve near charity reminded people the government advises all watercrafts stay a minimum of 328ft (100m) away from seal haul-out sites, and that area on the beach had no public Gould, marine officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said when the seals were disturbed they were prevented from resting, digesting their food and caring for their young. "While wildlife encounters can be an exciting experience, there are important guidelines in place to protect people and seals from harm," the charity would know if they were too close if the seals started to look at them, it added."If this happens, immediately start backing away quietly to avoid further disturbance." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Guardian
30-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Country diary: A springtime with an ending
I was in Cumbria this week to bid farewell to a beloved friend, the uniquely talented naturalist, conservationist, educator and campaigner Jamie Normington. We met when we were crowdfunding campaigns to supply copies of The Lost Words, the celebration of nature's disappearing lexicon, to schools in our respective counties. Jamie would never describe himself as a writer, but he had a unique talent with words: his old Twitter account was one of the literal handful I ever set notifications for. He embraced it as his genre, managing to be idiosyncratic, insightful, sometimes profound and often spit-your-tea funny. Those same qualities made him a superb teacher, mentor, interviewer and compere, most particularly for Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Kendal Mountain Festival, both of which will be immeasurably depleted by his loss. Jamie's last words to me were via WhatsApp. A three-word message: 'Jinny Greenteeth vibes', comparing me to a female water demon of northern English folklore. Historically, Jinny (or Jenny) was depicted as a murderously rapacious hag who lured innocent young men to a watery demise. In an attempt to redress the routine demonisation of feminine spirits, I've been seeking to rehabilitate her as a fearsome but not necessarily malign guardian of our abused rivers. We commissioned a badass verdigris mask, which was first worn by my friend Helen Mahoney, a local arts promoter – who, as brutal coincidence would have it, was taken by the same hateful disease as Jamie last year. Two days before Jamie's funeral – a beautiful woodland burial – I swam in my home river, the Yorkshire Derwent. The surface was twitching with thousands of dying mayflies trapped in a floating fog of fluffy willow seeds. Lives ending, lives beginning. I climbed out with them clinging to my skin and snagged in my hair. Jinny Greenteeth vibes indeed. I laughed, then cried, because this spring has provided such a potent counterpoint to personal and global turmoil. It's been a hell of a show: epic blossom, intense birdsong, more swarming insects than I've seen for years, and now this mass emergence of mayflies, icons of carpe diem, a spirit that Jamie personified. A message from the river and those who've crossed too soon. It's over so fast. Make sure you live it. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hopes rare dragonfly will thrive at new site
A rare dragonfly is being introduced to a hidden corner of Cumbria. The white-faced darter, named for its distinctive chalk-white profile, has seen its numbers severely decline in England where it only exists in a handful of sites. Having suffered from its lowland peatbog habitats being destroyed over the years, the creature will find a new home at RSPB Campfield Marsh nature reserve in Wigton later this week. Mhairi Maclauchlan, Cumbria coastal reserves manager, called it an "exciting opportunity to boost biodiversity" and help create a new population of a "charming but endangered species". Small but striking, the male white-faced darter is black with vibrant red-orange markings, while females are black and yellow. Other than the west of Scotland, they can only be found in a few places in the Midlands, as well as at Cumbria Wildlife Trust's Drumburgh Moss and Foulshaw Moss nature reserves. Conservationists at RSPB Campfield Marsh have been carefully managing the area to create just the right habitat conditions for it to thrive. "By carefully restoring the wetland habitat we're hopeful that these dragonflies will establish themselves here," said Ms Maclauchlan. "If this year's translocation is successful, we could see adults emerging next spring and this area coming alive with this species in the coming years." Staff and volunteers have collected moss containing dragonfly larvae and transported it in buckets from a stable donor population to the site on the shores of the Solway Firth, one of the UK's largest estuaries. It is a process which will be carried out each April and August for up to five years to ensure new life can establish. Eleanor Colver, British Dragonfly Society conservation officer, said: "The white-faced darter is one of our rarest dragonflies and we are committed to stabilising the British population. "Success will depend on many factors, but the cooler climate of the Solway coast and the healthy peatbog of Campfield Marsh provide perfect conditions for the species to thrive." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Rare habitat becomes protected nature reserve Dog owners warned of bird nests at nature reserves British Dragonfly Society RSPB Campfield Marsh
BBC News
22-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Rare dragonfly to be introduced at Cumbria's Campfield Marsh
A rare dragonfly is being introduced to a hidden corner of white-faced darter, named for its distinctive chalk-white profile, has seen its numbers severely decline in England where it only exists in a handful of suffered from its lowland peatbog habitats being destroyed over the years, the creature will find a new home at RSPB Campfield Marsh nature reserve in Wigton later this Maclauchlan, Cumbria coastal reserves manager, called it an "exciting opportunity to boost biodiversity" and help create a new population of a "charming but endangered species". Small but striking, the male white-faced darter is black with vibrant red-orange markings, while females are black and yellow. Other than the west of Scotland, they can only be found in a few places in the Midlands, as well as at Cumbria Wildlife Trust's Drumburgh Moss and Foulshaw Moss nature reserves. 'Perfect conditions' Conservationists at RSPB Campfield Marsh have been carefully managing the area to create just the right habitat conditions for it to thrive."By carefully restoring the wetland habitat we're hopeful that these dragonflies will establish themselves here," said Ms Maclauchlan."If this year's translocation is successful, we could see adults emerging next spring and this area coming alive with this species in the coming years." Staff and volunteers have collected moss containing dragonfly larvae and transported it in buckets from a stable donor population to the site on the shores of the Solway Firth, one of the UK's largest is a process which will be carried out each April and August for up to five years to ensure new life can Colver, British Dragonfly Society conservation officer, said: "The white-faced darter is one of our rarest dragonflies and we are committed to stabilising the British population. "Success will depend on many factors, but the cooler climate of the Solway coast and the healthy peatbog of Campfield Marsh provide perfect conditions for the species to thrive." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Yahoo
Dog owners warned of bird nests at nature reserves
Dog owners have been warned to keep their pets under control as ground-nesting season starts for a rare bird. Cumbria Wildlife Trust said South Walney Nature Reserve and Foulney Island Nature Reserve near Barrow are coming to life with birds including little terns. As the birds nest on the ground their eggs are easily camouflaged among the shingle, meaning they can be trampled by dogs or chicks can be eaten or disturbed. "Even a good-natured, curious dog can cause extreme disturbance as the birds will always perceive the dog as a very real threat, causing them to react," said Bekka Watts, assistant warden for the charity. As well as the little tern, the reserve at Foulney Island is also home to visiting Arctic terns, while South Walney features birds including oystercatchers, ringed plovers, skylark and meadow pipits. They are all ground-nesting. Dr Jenna Kiddie, head of canine behaviour at the Dogs Trust, said it was important to remember any dog was capable of chasing as this was normal behaviour for the animal. She said: "We urge dog owners to consider their surroundings, particularly when visiting areas where they might encounter wildlife." She advised keeping dogs on a short lead as the best way to control them around wildlife or livestock. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Beach cages to help protect threatened birds Seabirds' breeding success after tough few seasons Cumbria Wildlife Trust
