Anyone interested in finding out more about the wildlife at nature reserves in Christchurch, and helping to identify the species found there, can join the ‘Bioblitz’ taking place at Stanpit Marsh Nature Reserve from 8am on Saturday 7 June to 8am on Sunday 8 June.
This is the second year for a Bioblitz, organised by Christchurch Council’s Countryside Service, after a successful event in 2013 discoveredover 400 species on the nature reserve.
A Bioblitz focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a 24 hour period. Members of the public are invited to come along to some or all of the events to help add to the wildlife inventory for the marsh.
The Saturday daytime events include an early morning photographic workshop, bird tours, plant walks, pond and stream dipping and minibeast safaris. The evening features a dusk birds walk, bat talk and walk and moth trapping into the night. There’s even a history walk with a re-enactment of smuggling as a reminder of the value the marsh has had, and continues to have, for its human visitors. An astronomer will be on hand to tell people about the night sky.
Sunday morning begins with a dawn chorus walk, with early risers treated to a fully organic breakfast served on the porch of the MarshPod information centre. The finale, some 24 hours after the start, will be a review of the overnight sightings from the trail camera and the grand opening of the previous night’s moth and mammal traps.
Wildlife experts will be on hand to help everyone identify and record their finds and, together with nature trails and quizzes, there’s something for the whole family. The countryside service’s pop-up Leafeater café will be serving hot and cold drinks and homemade cakes to keep everyone’s energy levels up.
As well as an important recording effort and audit of the health and well-being of the marsh, the event is designed to promote public interest in biodiversity.
Senior Countryside Officer Peter Holloway said: “The Bioblitz is an opportunity to encourage more public participation in nature conservation through a series of guided walks and workshops. With the public’s help we will be able to conduct an intensive field study of the reserve that will add to our knowledge of the marsh.”
Each walk or workshop costs £3 but an all-day event pass costs just £10.
Further information is available at www.dorsetforyou.com/408717.
Anyone interested in taking part should contact Christchurch Countryside Service on 01425 272479 or email [email protected].
