River Tales; SPIKE ISLAND

My mum who is now 75 tells me how she used to walk with me and my brothers and sisters all aged 5 and younger from our house in runcorn over the bridge to take my eldest sister to ST Patricks school in west bank.   If it was a nice day we’d stay at my nanas in Wright   street, West bank and sometimes she’d take us the prom to play in the park. We never visited spike island it was too overgrown and undeveloped.

Years later after lots of investment and regeneration spike island was open to the lucky people of Widnes, Runcorn and the surrounding areas.  It provided open grassed areas of natural beauty to allow our community to enjoy nature. I also provided enough room for the council to host the Halton show.   Millions of pounds each year was spent hosting the annual show which would last for two days.   Local industry, community groups, dancers, musicians, Police, ambulance and fire brigade were all present to show  the community the latest vehicles and would help to educate the people of their rolls in society. The two days would always end with a fantastic firework display. Spike island also became famous for Stone roses outdoor gig to which thousands of people attended and it was the talk of the town and is now part of rock history.

It was in the summer of 1999 that i last attended a Halton show. I had originally decided not to go but then had a change of heart. I put my two and a half and one year old sons into the car and drove down to the market car park where you could easily walk down the canal towards Spike Island in there tandem buggy. By the time we got to the music marquee at Spike Island to enjoy the bands i just flopped into the plastic chairs with my swollen ankles and Braxton Hicks contractions and my unborn baby doing summersaults to the music. Whilst the two boys were entertained by their aunties, uncles and cousins. I didn’t want to think about the walk home.

As the boys grew up we’d regularly take them to spike island for a walk in the park or a game of football. We would might even take a picnic and make a day of it. Spikey Bike was a small event raised by local people Anne and Tom.  Again there were lots of live music by  local bands, a motorbike competition and an arts and crafts tents. It was a roaring success. The Halton shows have now stopped due to High costs and lack of money, but we still managed to have our Bonfire night firework display. The people of Widnes and Runcorn are able to join in with the free festivities.  This year i thought we would all be going as a family but the boys had other ideas and are arranging to meet their friends over Facebook. They walked from their house to west bank by themselves, finishing the night off at the local KFC. How things have changed since 1960 when spike island wasn’t a place to be visited.

By Kathy Loftus
29/11/11

RINGING THE CHANGES: the Oxmoor story…

Prof David Norman from Merseyside ringing group has now monitored the movements of five species of birds between Oxmoor and Norton Priory – Treecreeper, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit and Greenfinch – all of them at Oxmoor during summer and Norton Priory in winter.

 Oxmoor local nature reserve was part of the medieval estate and gained its name from the practice of grazing oxen on the rich marshland pasture, and there is reference in 1522 to ‘ Oxen , other cattle, and horses at the Mershe’

Oxmoor is a fantastic site for summer migrants – warblers,martins and swallows and other species including Kingfisher,set the alarm clock – its well worth it!

 To find out more about Oxmoor local nature reserve why not sign up for Artery of Life projects summer bird ringing demonstration at Oxmoor on Sunday July 15th 6am start.   Contact Artery of Life project on 0151 511 7801 or Anthony.Brandreth@halton.gov.uk

new details….

back at Picow Farm Depot,new number for you all 0151 511 7801

There may be bunnies…

Bored at Easter? Fed up of Chocolate and Bunnies?   Why not come to Wonderful Wigg Island where I am leading two guided walks for Cheshire Wildlife Trust Open Day @1pm and 3pm on the 9th (Easter Monday Bank Holiday) fun, frivolity,local history and warblers!

 

 

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND…

RINGING THE CHANGES…

‘Runcorn: Ringing the Changes. ’

 

In conjunction with Merseyside Ringing Group and Professor David Norman, this year the Artery of Life Project and Norton Priory Museum will be investigating the ‘state of play’ with our common bird species and Winter/Summer visitors.

Using David’s vast experience and technical know-how and the ‘hands on’ joy of birds ‘close up and personal’ we will monitor two sites and seek to find out the relationships between Oxmoor LNR and the Priory Grounds.

 

NORTON PRIORY 26th FEBRUARY 8:30-11.30AM

 

        JULY 15^th OXMOOR NATURE RESERVE

        6:00-8:30 AM

 

Events are free, but booking is essential, via both sites:

www.nortonpriory.org or www.arteryoflife.co.uk

or via Facebook (both sites)

 

So wrap up warm and make the effort to get up early and see the hidden lives of our feathered neighbours!

a fishy tale…

‘Salmon returns to the Mersey for the first time in 100 years’

 

“It was the splashing below the bridge that first drew my attention to it and on looking over the side I was surprised to see a large silver fish swimming close to the bank below me.   My curiosity was aroused as in all the years I had been working alongside the River Mersey, fish were definitely not something you would expect to see this far above the tidal limit!”

As Projects and Conservation Officer and founder member of the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group, the route I took on 14^th August 1989, was one taken several times a week to carry out some task or survey on the No 3 bed.   On crossing the bridge between No2 and No 3 bed, it was my habit to check the river for signs of wildlife which, apart from the movement of an occasional Mink, was often just a blank canvas, but not on this occasion!

As I scrambled down the bank to get a closer look, the fish swam off upstream towards Woolston Weir but after a short distance it stopped swimming and was quickly swept back to where I was standing by the strong current.   Over the next 10 minutes it repeatedly tried to swim upriver but each time gave up after a while until finally, it rolled onto its side and gave its last gasp in front of me.

After taking the fish to a local angling shop and getting confirmation from the National Rivers Authority, the news found its way into the Warrington Guardian (photo), Angling Times and some national newspapers who were keen to record this historic and significant piece of local interest

Although the Salmon was an exceptional ‘catch’ at the time, it was an early indication of the changes occurring in the Mersey as subsequently birds such as Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe not only began appearing more frequently on the river but increasingly seen diving and surfacing with fish.    Within a few years anglers were competing along its banks and Salmon were recorded moving up river beyond the modified Woolston Weir to breed.

At the time it was an interesting experience and a forerunner of an exciting new phase in the history of the once badly polluted River Mersey and I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to record this historical event!

Rob Smith

July 2010

Results in…ARTERY OF LIFE BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH…Results…Results…

A cold and sunny Saturday brought intrepid birdwatchers out in force to help the AOL Officer in a quest for common species in Victoria Park,Widnes.

From 10:45 until 11:45 we counted everything that moved, and found time to have a sneaky piece of Chocolate Cake for Jane’s birthday too!

‘VPet’ and’ Just Chill’ sent their best people for the job and after a quick lesson in ‘binocularology’ and a quick practice on a passing teenager, they where ready for the task:

VPet Woodland Walk:

Black Bird 7

Blue Tit 9

Carrion Crow 2

Chaffinch 4

Collared Dove 3

Dunnock 1

Feral Pigeon 2

Great Tit 3

Greenfinch 5

Long Tailed Tit 4

Magpie 8

Robin 4

Starling 2

Woodpigeon 2

Wren 1

Greater Spotted Woodpecker 1 (female)

Boating Lake:

Mute Swan 8

CanadaGeese 27

Mallard 39

Moorhen 3

Coot 1

Field (using ‘Ninja/Sneaky/Swagger’ technique):

Pied Wagtail 8

Overflying:

Herring Gulls 18 all South East

A superb morning and great to see young people giving up their time to provide data for UK monitoring of common bird species – thanks to all who took part!

More pictures over at the FACEBOOK site…

are you joining in? BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH 2012.

BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH For over 30 years, the RSPB been asking you to count the birds in your garden – and you’ve been brilliant at it. Every year, even more of you join in with the count, and 2011 turned out to be one of our best yet. Thank you. With results from so many gardens, we are able to create a ‘snapshot’ of bird numbers in each region. This is important because we’ve been able to see that some of our birds are disappearing in scary numbers. We’ve lost more than half our house sparrows and some three-quarters of our starlings. And your results have helped highlight these dramatic declines. However, it isn’t all doom and gloom – these surveys help us spot problems, but more importantly, they are also the first step in putting things right. We look forward to finding out what you’ve seen.

ARTERY OF LIFE PROJECT AND VPET PRESENT A FREE EVENT: VICTORIA PARK WIDNES, just turn up a little before 10:30 AT THE BANDSTAND

Come and discover your local common species over one hour and provide scientific data in the biggest co-ordinated count of the year!

Further details from; anthony.brandreth@halton.gov.uk Or 0151 906 1595

The event is on Saturday 28th – its fun, its free and you can learn things in ONE HOUR!

‘DEAD DOGS AND DANDELIONS’ by Pat Allen

Pat Allen is a member of  ‘Northern Mix’ a writing group who meet in Runcorn and share experiences and memories of the local area, using the idea’s generated to produce prose,poetry and written words focussing on their recollections of the past and wishes for the future.

AOL engaged with the group to get them involved in our ‘Show me the River’ event and also to get them onboard with the audiobook.

‘Dead Dogs and Dandelions’ is the first piece to be published on the website, more to follow…

DEAD DOGS AND DANDELIONS

What does your mother tell you what not to do or where you must NEVER go?

I remember being told, quite forcibly, NOT to go ‘down the cut’ and never ever to go near the water ‘it was full of fever’.

I know, the fact that I can, at my great age, remember anything is surprising – but I can – and in great detail.

For don’ts, I remember all the dids.

Have you been down to Spike Island?

That, to me is ‘down the cut’. The ‘cut’ being what was the first canal- used to supply chemicals to the various factories along its banks.

You will have seen the lovely landscaped grass and tree planted areas. Beautiful views across the river, and just a remaining square of water from the dry dock used to repair the many flat boats used on the river and the canals. Flat boats – many having been built only a few hundred yards along the shore fromSpikeIsland.

There is though a clean stretch of canal complete with a marina of pleasure boats, beautiful swans and a myriad of ducks – BUT – no dead dogs. These are now just part of my memories of Spike Island. 

So – what was the attraction? – just the same as it is today we had been told NOT to go there.

The fact that we had been warned not to go near the water took a while to understand.  It was the fact that unwanted pets were simply got rid of by dumping them in the ‘cut’. Their bloated bodies – at first – didn’t register as horrible – it was just part of Spike Island, as was the fact that the water in the canal was a strange colour and a very unusual smell.

To be honest, you didn’t even notice the river fromSpike Islandthen, you were too busy trying not to trip over the railway lines or the worn footpath along the canal. Either side of the canal is now pleasantly landscaped with a variety of healthy, trees waving in the breeze, blackberries and willow herb with the ever present dandelions.

The soap works has now been changed into a museum – ‘The Catalyst’.

Have you been in there?

If you do go in, you’ll find lots of interesting information and displays telling how life working in the chemical industry used to be.  In some cases it could only be described as primitive – dangerous – dirty and was extremely hard physical work.  Not the work of today where buttons are pressed and computers continue the various processes. In the ‘old’ days buckets of nitric acid and other chemicals had to be carried by the men from one vat to another. No Health and Safety in those days, but quite a few accidents I believe, but the workers were possibly more aware of which chemicals could be mixed together and the possible dangers if the wrong ones were mixed. Some of the older generation chemical workers were always concerned that one day someone without that knowledge would press a button and disaster!!!

Young people can see the value of technology in this work but process work in the past was very hard work – mentally and physically.

One of the plusses of this was the need to have many workers

Technology has changed this.

Would you say that things have changed for the good of all? A leisurely walk around Spike Island now, on a nice day, is really enjoyable. The Council organise activities which encourage young people to use the area and to learn about the wildlife which has now returned after the industrial devastation of the past. They tell them about the wild birds which can be seen in the now mature trees, and the sea birds and fish which are now returning with the clean-up of  the river and canal both of which had been used as sewer for the waste chemical products manufactured in the adjoining factories.

My memory is of a few pigeons and seagulls. Now we have herons back feeding on the sandbanks. Progress at last.

Where we dodged across railway lines, there are now slides and ‘zip’ wires and plenty of space for a game of football – but – in this same space, I remember that groups of men would gather to play ‘pitch and toss’ gambling and hoping for a win to buy a few necessities. They may have been lucky or they may have been caught by the ever vigilant police who cracked down quickly on any form of gambling.

Just going down to Spike Island, is to take a walk through our recent history and to relive our memories.  Now it is somewhere to actually take our children to – to look and learn about some of my own memories and history.  

Fifty years ago, it was a no-go area, blighted by industrialisation. Then came the idea to use the obsolete sight for a public recreation space. It was a fantastic idea. It is no longer a relic – unused by the public but a place so special, that when it was first opened, the Queen came to ‘do the honours’ and hundreds of people came to join in the celebration and ‘meet’ the queen – I was one of the lucky ones to speak to her. I don’t somehow think my mum and gran would have minded my being ‘down the cut’ with my youngest child and the children from St. Patrick’s school on that occasion and though there were- in spite of the landscaping, dandelions, there were definitely no ‘dead dogs’.

 Pat Allen

20th November, 2011.