Wagtail Newsletter Issue 39

issue no.39Make way for summer www.damstodarnley.org Welcome to our thirty ninth edition of Wagtail, the newsletter and events calendar for Dams to Darnley Country Park. Inside you will find: – Spring events look back – Wagtail circulation – Joe and Alyson’s wildlife witter – Greening up the country park – What do countryside rangers do? – Spotlight on the tree bumblebeeOx eye daisy; a sign of summer. The next edition of Wagtail will be out in autumn 2018.Last grip of winter Wagtail circulationSPRING MAY HAVE TAKEN Flood pond frog spawn. YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD focus Wagtail’s circulation byits time but our events in about the new General electronic means, via emailMarch and April went ahead our return to the car park. Data Protection Regulations and through the country parkregardless, with a great Our Easter event involved which came into force on website and facebook page.turnout as usual. 25 May 2018. As we held Paper copies will still be more than ‘one egg or two’. names and contact details available from local libraries. We got a reasonably chilly We made nests, mini dens, of everyone who receives abut clear night to spot some decorated eggs, pinned the copy of Wagtail we needed So if we do not have yourplanets, constellations and tail on the Easter bunny and of to check that individual’s email contact details and youstars at Balgray, with thanks course, hunted for chocolate privacy was protected. As would like to receive a copyto Glasgow University and eggs to finish up. a result we recently got in of Wagtail, and other countrytheir powerful scope. touch with all our email park news, just get in touch Our ‘food for free’ event contacts to ask if they still The weather was not so was a surprise hit. Firstly, wished to receive information We do realise that somekind for ‘what’s whittling’, the sun was shining and it relating to the country park. people may not have an emailbut we sheltered under the felt like summer might be address or easy access to agazebo and kept warm with coming, and secondly we Given limited resources library, so let us know and weregular cuppas while wands, managed to taste many of we have also decided to can still send you a paperbutter knives and spoons the edible plants found in the copy.were crafted. country park, even though the extended winter had delayed Our ever popular pond spring somewhat. Wilddipping event ‘wet ’n’ wild’ garlic pesto was made anduncovered the creatures sampled, along with botanicalbeneath the surface of beverages, nettle coveredthe flood pond and finally cheese and dandelion coffee.spotted some frog spawn. The first of our Aprilevents, ‘bedtime bugs’,involved some of the slimierinhabitants of the countrypark, with plenty of snailsand slugs coming out to greetus, as well as bats beingdetected round the pond on

Spotlighton park wildlifeJoe and Alyson’s Toads and toad spawn.wildlife witter WE THINK SPRING HAS parents for food in the in Eilidh’s Pond along at a perfect 45 degreefinally sprung, but there heronry. with staggering numbers angle. By carrying out aare many species that have of newts. These are very survey we can determinetaken their time to emerge The lowering of the water good signs that the pond how to protect the residentafter the long winter. level at Balgray Reservoir is doing well, despite the population in the country has resulted in a shelduck recent drainage issues park by creating and We spotted a tree being spotted on one of which caused it to silt up. managing their preferredbumblebee in the country the islands. Meanwhile habitat of long grass,park for the first time (see the swallows have been We will be carrying which they can takeour spotlight feature). It was feeding over the waters on out a water vole survey cover under and feed on.even the first bumblebee we Waulkmill Reservoir to stock over the next month or Water vole populations insaw full stop. up on midges after their so after feeding runs and Scotland have declined long flight back from Africa. stations were spotted. due to loss of habitat and Birds like the chiff chaff House and sand martins The giveaway signs are predation by the non-have returned from their have also been spotted small holes and tunnels native American mink. Sosunnier climes and are flying around. through long grass near it is great to have them atstarting to nest in the riverbanks with the blades Dams to Darnley.country park and the heron Long strings of toad of grass being nibbledchicks are calling their spawn have been recordedGreening upthe countrypark OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS OR SO THE COUNTRY Tree planting with volunteers.park seems to have been in a constant state of upheavaldue to the new Scottish Water pipe. Now that the work has At the Balgray Reservoir side we have been busyfinished we have begun to look at how we can begin to planting more than 1,200 trees. These are mainlyaddress some of the impact that it has had. hawthorns and blackthorns and we have been using them to repair some of the old hedging along the Balgray and Our first task is to try and return the Darnley bleach field Springfield Road path beside the railway. The hedges willarea to something resembling its former self and, to that provide excellent cover and food for birds and animals.end, we have been busy planting trees and wildflower plugsand seeds. Along with a group of volunteers from Spinners We were very fortunate to receive a £500 ‘grab-a-grant’Gate Resource Centre, we planted more than 400 native from Volunteering Matters which met some of the costs ofwildflower plugs. We are still working on the bleach field the work, whilst the trees were specifically funded by thesite and hope to remove a temporary path and plant the environmental charity Trees for Cities.area up in the coming weeks. Our own volunteer group has planted 12 larger, orstandard, trees at the end of the avenue, near to wherethe pipe runs under the Brock Burn. The species mix wasmade up of oak, rowan and cherry. They also planted hazelwhips, which are smaller than the standard trees.

What docountrysiderangers do?IN EARLY 2018 THE SCOTTISH COUNTRYSIDE RANGERS’ Pond dipping during a school visit.Association (SCRA) asked its members exactly what theyhad got up to in the previous year. Countryside rangers country park countryside rangers ran several Continuingare professionals and the majority of the 269 full-time and Professional Development courses for local teaching staffthe many part-time rangers have degrees in conservation, on environmental and outdoor education.zoology, biology, ecology or a similar discipline. Thisis important as countryside rangers are tasked with Throughout Scotland countryside rangers engagedprotecting, enhancing and surveying the biodiversity of with 26,677 volunteers in practical conservation. Thisthe areas where they work. They are also responsible for total includes over 800 hours of volunteer work at Damsraising awareness and understanding of access rights and to Darnley with our own volunteer group. Finally, overresponsibilities, including the Scottish Outdoor Access 50,000 people attended countryside ranger led activitiesCode, amongst visitors, the general public and land in Scotland, including more than 400 at our own freemanagers. events. The SCRA survey concentrated on the environmental So with these statistics it is not surprising that countrysideeducation and volunteering work that we do and the results rangers play such an important role in improving theshowed that countryside rangers saw over 68,000 pupils health, education and environment of their local community.during the year. These ranged from nursery right up touniversity level. Here at Dams to Darnley we saw 1,312pupils either in the country park or when we visited them.Many countryside rangers also ‘teach the teachers’ and theon the treebumblebeeTree bumblebee facts:• First recorded in Scotland in 2013.• One of the first bumblebees to be seen in spring.• Nest searching queens have been known to evict blue tits and use their nests for themselves.THE TREE BUMBLEBEE (BOMBUS HYPNORUM) IS A VERY Tree bumblebee.distinctive bee and is easily identified. The thorax is tawnyto reddish brown, the abdomen is black and the tail is the name suggests it makes its nest in tree holes or anythingwhite. No other British bumblebee has these markings. It similar. This includes holes in houses and, in particular,is a recent arrival from Europe, with the first UK recording bird boxes. This has led to many calls to the Beekeepersin 2001. It has slowly made its way north since then and Association from people frightened about bee swarms in birdappeared in the country park for the first time in April. boxes or a buzzing coming from the walls of their house. Tree bumblebees have even been known to build nests in the fluff Unlike many recent arrivals the tree bumblebee does that has built up in tumble drier vents!not seem to do any harm to our native wildlife and, asa pollinator, is probably a good addition. That is not to Global warming is likely to be behind its rapid movementsay that there are no issues with the tree bumblebee. As northwards, but it has also been suggested that the British tradition of erecting nest boxes in gardens has greatly helped the tree bumblebee.

Dams to Darnley Country Park • All events are FREE. • Booking is required for some events.Events calendar • All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.Midsummer meander for the summer solstice Big Butterfly Count Sunday 12 August, 2-4pm Thursday 21 June, 9-11pm Description: Join in with this national survey led by Butterfly Conservation as we try to count as manyDescription: Enjoy great views over the wider countryside butterflies as possible. Or simply come along to learn a bit more about these fascinating insects.on the longest day of the year and celebrate the end of Location: Meet at Parkmanor Green, off Parkhouse Road, Parklands Meadow G53 7ZE.spring and the arrival of summer or Litha in the Pagan Home-made homescalendar. This event is celebrated in many different ways Sunday 26 August, 11am-2pm Description: Join the countryside rangers on our everacross the northern hemisphere. Join the countryside rangers popular den building event. Come along to this family day and try out your survival skills building a summer shelter.for some solstice related shenanigans. Then once we are finished you’ll have somewhere to eat a picnic al fresco. All building materials and guidanceLocation: Meet at the Balgray Reservoir car park, supplied but not the picnic! So bring one with you. Location: Meet at the World BuffetBalgraystone Road, off Springfield Road, restaurant car park, Corselet Road, Darnley G53 7RN.Barrhead G77 6PG. Scottish summer jammin’ sessionTree-mendous tales Saturday 8 September, 12noon-2pm Sunday 29 July, 10.30am-1pm Description: Jam making in the outdoors? Come alongDescription: Come along on this walk through the country and join the countryside rangers to help forage for ediblepark as we explore the fascinating folklore associated with berries and other fruit, then learn how to make jam fromsome of our most common trees and find out a bit more about your bounty. Enjoy the jam with scones and a hot cuppahow our ancestors used them for many different things. made with freshly boiled water from a storm kettle.Location: Meet at the World Buffet Location: Meet at Patterton overflow car park, oppositerestaurant car park, Corselet Road, side of the road from Patterton Railway Station,Darnley G53 7RN. Newton Mearns G77 6NR. Booking KEY CHART Bring required a torch Wear suitable clothingJoin our mailing list or contact the countryside rangersThe Dams to Darnley countryside rangers are planning a series of events throughout the year.If you would like to be sent information on upcoming events and all the latest news join our mailing list.Name _________________________________________ Email Address _________________________________Address _______________________________________ Telephone No _______________________________________________________________________________ This information will be treated as confidential and used only for the purpose stated. If you do not wish your details to be held on computer tick this boxTo join our mailing list post or email your details to the address below.Email: [email protected] Post: Dams to Darnley Country Park, East RenfrewshireTel: 0141 577 4053/54 Council, Environment Department, ThornliebankWeb: www.damstodarnley.org Depot, 190 Carnwadric Road, Thornliebank, East Renfrewshire G46 8HR.