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Haigh Hall and Country Park is a well-known sanctuary for wild birds and
for the next couple of Sundays local people are being given the chance
to get up close and personal with Wigan’s feathered friends.
Haigh may be famous for its Sunday Carvery, but this time it’s the local
birds, not local lunchers, who will be treated to a special Sunday
platter. In an effort to help keep the birds stocked up for the months
ahead, Haigh is hosting two feeding events during November.
On Sunday 19th November, from 1pm to 3pm, Haigh’s park wardens will be
holding a ‘Buffet for Birds’ to show people how to make ‘fat cakes’ and
feeders. Each item costs £1 and the event is open to anyone over the age
of five, but booking is essential. For more constructive bird lovers, on
Sunday 26th November, from 1pm to 3pm, Haigh hosts a ‘Construction Day’
where the public are invited to help build a new bird hide by the
miniature railway. This free session is for the over-12s, but stout
footwear, gloves and pre-booking are all essential.
Claire Duffy, Deputy Manager at Haigh Hall and Country Park, said,
“These events are designed to give people an opportunity to help the
birds stay well-fed and healthy during the autumn and winter months. At
the same time we want people to have some fun and develop a greater
appreciation of the wildlife that we have here in Wigan.”
Graham Workman, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust’s Wildlife and
Countryside Development Manager, who supports the activities, said,
“Haigh Plantations provides the perfect habitat for woodland birds and
it is one of only a handful of woodlands where all three species of
woodpecker can be found. The Great Spotted being the most abundant and
easily heard, the Green Woodpecker with its characteristic ‘laughing’
call, less common and the smallest and rarest the Lesser Spotted
woodpecker.”
“On a wander through the woodland you should see a good few number of
birds including, woodpigeon, wren, chaffinch, blackbird, robin, blue,
great and coal tits. With a pair of binoculars you could get lucky and
see one of the ‘shyer’ species such as jay, treecreeper, nuthatch,
long-tailed tit, sparrow hawk, one of the three species of woodpeckers,
or even a kingfisher on one of the woodland ponds,” Graham continued.
Both of the bird-loving Sunday events must be pre-booked. For further
details please contact Haigh Hall and County Park on 01942 832895.
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NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this News Release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Public Relations Manager, Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust on 01942 486937 or at
c.dunbar@wlct.org.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org.
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s vision to ensure that people across the Wigan Borough have the
opportunity to become more physically, mentally and creatively active.
It also aims to increase community activity and to encourage good
citizenship.
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A jay at Haigh Country Park
(Image is Copyright
©
2006 Wildlife & Countryside Services) |