Gowy Meadows is an area of marshland opposite the massive Stanlow Oil Refinery complex. Although Shell UK owns the site, it is managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust.Despite holding plenty of promise the reserve is generally disappointing for birds, although recent spring migration has produced good falls of Wheatear and the odd Whinchat.
Frequently encountered residents include Kestrel, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting and at least two pairs of Stonechat. Winter is slightly more productive with Snipe, Jack Snipe and Water Rail joining the permanent population.
Encouraged by the potential of the area, I have been visiting on a regular basis for over two years but my patience is starting to run out. Reading the CWT action plan on their website perhaps indicates why there has been no real improvement: four out of the eight ‘planned works’ are related to visitor welfare with two of those predictably pertaining to ‘elf and safety – how depressing!
Enabling the fields to flood more often – especially during winter – would be a start, but the banks of the Gowges are presently far too high for this to be a regular occurrence. This would surely attract more wildfowl and augment the rather modest numbers of Teal and Mallard. On the odd time the waters have broken through the defences, the flow has been over a farmer’s field on the opposite side of the river.
When this happens the flood waters are used by bathing Gulls as they commute between the Mersey and the nearby Gowges Landfill site. Thousands of Gulls use the tip but close scrutiny of the scavengers is difficult as there is no suitable observation point and few gulls tend to roost nearby, preferring to return to the estuary.
This morning is a rather typical visit. One Buzzard perched on a fencepost watching a herd of Welsh Long-horned Cattle munching away is the only bird of note. I recognise the individual as an old hand, its extremely pale plumage making it easily identifiable. It looks bored.
The Meadow Pipits are in good voice though – walking to the metal bridge I pass three
singing males and there are plenty of ‘tsrpping’ Reed Buntings. In the distance thousands of Gulls are circling over the dump. I find this a rather apocalyptic sight and a signal of what the future may hold if we are not more intelligent in our relationship with the environment: a world of Corvids, Gulls and Feral Pigeons.
Gowy Meadows CWT: http://www.cheshirewildlifetrust.co.uk/res_gowymeadows.htm
Until later.
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