Issue 12 by Nene Park

Parklife AUTUMN/WINTER 2013

INCLUD

s t n e Ev gs Lisatgiens 7-9 P

ISSUE 12

Chief Executive’s View

ollowing on from the previous special edition of Parklife earlier this year for the Trust’s 25th anniversary, we have continued as a team to think about the Nene Park of the past, and of the future.

contents

2 3

Chief Executive’s View Caught on Camera Happy Healthy Ducks 4 An Unexpected Journey Going Green 5 Ferry Meadows Play Trail Visitor Centre News 6 Bluebell Wood Steps Makeover 7-9 Autumn/Winter Events 10 25 Years on... 11 Watersports Centre Update Win a Car Park Season Ticket 12-13 Nene Park Volunteers 14 One Good Tern 15 Wild Child

We hope you enjoy reading this edition of Parklife. If you require Parklife in a Braille, audio or large text format please contact Nene Park Trust with the details below. If you would like to make any comments or go on our mailing list to receive information about the Park and future editions of Parklife, please write or email to Nene Park Trust at the address below.

We have been delighted with the response from Park visitors to the special photography project to capture how Nene Park is enjoyed throughout the year. Our photographer, Chris Porsz, has captured thousands of images throughout the four seasons, and the highlights now form a special exhibition in Ferry Meadows which you can read more about on page 10. We have also been working with local filmmaker, Martyn Moore, on the new Parklife Vision project to present short films about Nene Park through our web site, including a special film to explore the history of Nene Park Trust and its role in providing a Park that now receives over 1.5 million visits a year! Through both of these projects, it is clear that Nene Park means many different things to our visitors - from a place to relax, be active, escape the city, explore, and experience nature. It is also clear that whilst many things may have changed in the world since we were set up in 1988, our overall aim as a charity is just as important today; ‘to provide Nene Park to improve quality of life for Peterborough residents and visitors.’ In this issue of Parklife, you can learn more about a whole of range of projects currently happening in the Park through our work as a charity to deliver this aim. If you’d like to learn more about how we see the future Nene Park, why not have a look at out our ten year Trust plan, or the new five year plans we have been developing for each area in Nene Park. All are available on our web site, at the Visitor Centre in Ferry Meadows and on request from the Trust office. James McCulloch Chief Executive, Nene Park Trust

Telephone: 01733 234193 Address: Nene Park Trust, Ham Farm House, Ham Lane, Peterborough PE2 5UU Email: visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk Website: www. neneparktrust.org.uk Parklife is published by Nene Park Trust and produced by Connaught Media Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations – www.connaught-media.co.uk. The paper used for this publication has been produced using wood sourced from sustainably managed forests and is fully recyclable. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published in Parklife. Nene Park Trust and the Publishers cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers or contributors and any rights reserved. No part of Parklife may be reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any other means, electronic, photographic, mechanical or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Publishers. Copyright Nene Park Trust 2013. Cover image courtesy of Chris Porsz.

AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

Image courtesy of Chris Porsz

Caught on Camera

his year we teamed up with Wildlife Windows, a company that specialises in filming wildlife. A nest box with a camera inside was installed and the pictures relayed to a screen in the Visitor Centre, then we waited. We didn’t hold out much hope of the box being used in its first season so you can imagine how pleased we were when, on 5 April, a male Blue Tit took up residence. He promptly started filling the box with moss only to stop abruptly when the weather took a chilly turn. The bird eventually returned to the box with his mate and on 30 April she produced the first of nine eggs. The first chick hatched on 15 May and from then on it was like having our own mini reality TV series. Many visitors enjoyed the unfolding drama, with some people dropping into the Visitor Centre every day for an update on the family. Eventually all six chicks departed the box on 4 June. To keep up with the action a second camera was installed on a bird feeder. This camera similarly provided compulsory viewing by attracting a good variety of birds, including a family of Great Spotted Woodpeckers. As well as providing great wildlife watching opportunities, this feeder, along with the other bird feeders located next to the main car park, provide birds with much needed sustenance at times when their natural food is scarce.

Chris Park Conservation Officer

Image courtesy of Chris Porsz

Happy, Healthy Ducks

ur other new bird feeding initiative has been the introduction of a floating duck feeding platform on Overton Lake. Just look for the large wooden duck sculpture by the path which runs past the Visitor Centre, you can't miss it! Our happy, healthy ducks campaign aims to reduce the huge amounts of harmful white bread being fed to our ducks. We have been operating a bread amnesty, approaching people seen feeding bread and offering a swap for healthier more nutritious floating duck pellets. These can be fed onto the water from the new platform. The benefits of feeding the ducks on the water are: • Birds are less vulnerable to attack by dogs • It keeps the paved area around the café free from smelly mess • It stops grass banks being overgrazed and fouled by large numbers of birds • Less waste food is left lying around to attract rats • It encourages a more natural foraging behaviour, especially for ducklings • Our ducks and geese stay happy and healthy Free duck pellets are available from the Visitor Centre and people are welcome to leave a donation towards the cost of the pellets. So far the scheme has proved very popular and we would like to thank all the visitors who have helped make it a success. Chris Park Conservation Officer AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

An Unexpected Journey

y time with Nene Park Trust started back in January 2012 when I was appointed as a Trainee Ranger on a one year contract. I enjoyed working with the team and also the wide variety of tasks. A particular highlight for me was designing and subsequently planting up the wildlife garden next to the Ferry Meadows Railway Shed. Towards the end of my year, I started looking for jobs and had several interviews as a result of the experience I had gained. I was offered a job in Surrey as a Park Ranger which was a very exciting prospect and reassuring that other organisations valued my work and believed in my ability. However, when Assistant Ranger positions became available with the Trust towards the end of 2012, I submitted my application. Following a successful interview I was only too happy to accept one of the positions.

own projects to refurbish the bird hides on Ham Mere. I am sure they will create an interesting and appealing setting which will be much used. Managing a project from beginning to end will put them in good stead for their future careers. James Caldwell Assistant Ranger

My continued employment with the Trust has allowed me to see much of the work I undertook in 2012 develop, especially the wildlife garden which has been growing steadily and providing a continued array of colours throughout the year. The next development will be the installation of a purpose built and designed interpretation panel. I just hope visitors enjoy the garden as much as I do. In 2013 I was involved in selecting this year's Trainee Rangers, which was a rewarding challenge. We had to decide who would be most suited to the Trust and would benefit from the career development that followed. The two successful candidates started work in January 2013 and I have enjoyed working with Peter and Tom and hope to provide them with advice and recommendations for their

Going Green At Nene Park Trust we are always looking for ways to improve the green credentials of how we operate. Read on to find out about some of the schemes that have been introduced.

Image courtesy of Chris Porsz

AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

Rainwater Harvest We’ve installed three water butts to capture rainwater from the roofs of buildings to reduce our mains water usage. Some of the uses so far have included topping up garden ponds, watering plants and even washing pond dipping equipment. Pedal Power The Park Rangers have been leaving vehicles in the sheds whenever possible and have taken to two wheels in their pursuit of lowering the Trust’s carbon footprint. Cycle miles are recorded and in 2012 the bikes travelled approximately 10,800

miles. This is roughly the equivalent of cycling from Ferry Meadows to Sydney, Australia! Although this is an impressive figure on its own the amount of vehicle miles saved is even higher. With bikes, Rangers can take paths that a vehicle would not be able to. We’ve estimated, using the most direct route that a bike or vehicle can take, that a cycle mile is actually equivalent to 1.8 vehicle miles. This means that the vehicle miles saved so far this year to the end of July total 11,340. Steve Wickens Park Ranger

Ferry Meadows Play Trail

ver the Spring, Touch Wood Enterprises Limited and Davies White, Landscape Architects, have been working with the Trust’s staff, volunteers and Access Forum, as well as St Botolphs Church of England Primary School on the design of the new Ferry Meadows Play Trail. Workshops were held with these groups to investigate and discuss the future of play in Ferry Meadows, which included building dens and play constructions, model making and classroom sessions.

Image courtesy of Red Wellies Photography

Following on from this, visitors and volunteers were engaged in making some of the ‘pop up play trail’ which was installed in the Park in the summer weeks. The idea of the pop up play trail was to raise interest in the play trail project and to alert visitors of the great things to come over the three years of the project. At this time we are progressing with the detailed design for year one of the play trail. The first area to be enhanced will

be the small play area close to the Ferry Meadows Café. Installation of this area will start in early 2014 and the area will be closed for approximately 10 weeks whilst work is underway. You can follow the progress of all the projects underway in Nene Park on our website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr pages. Teresa Wood Visitor Services Manager

A few changes have been made to the Visitor Centre during the past few months, with the re-positioning of the counter to make way for a new automatic door to ensure easy access to the Visitor Centre. Further improvements will be made during the coming months including interpretation displays. The Visitor Centre is also full of great gifts and souvenirs as well as games, toys and everything you could need for a great day out. New stock is arriving all the time, so please pop in during your visit. We also offer 10% discount on all purchases to car park season ticket holders. If you need any assistance exploring Ferry Meadows, we offer a free rental service of mobility scooters. If you wish to use this service please call in advance on 01733 234193 to book, as they are very popular. We look forward to welcoming you on your next visit. Karen Butler Visitor Centre Officer

AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

Bluebell Wood Steps Makeover

ver the last few years Bluebell Wood boardwalk and steps have started to show their age. Replacing them is a major project so it was decided to phase the work. The Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engineers, Stirling Maynard, drew up the plans and worked alongside Access Matters UK, the Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s access consultants, to ensure that the boardwalk was as accessible as possible. Once planning permission was granted, the project went out to tender and Ability Construction were selected to carry out the first phase. Work began in July, which involved completing the two sets of steps leading down to the boardwalk. The steps are made from oak and in filled with gravel to give them strength and durability. A smooth softwood handrail has also been installed to help access up and down the steps. At the bottom of the eastern most steps a platform has been installed which is planned to be connected up to the boardwalk in 2014/2015. The riverside walk in Bluebell Wood can form part of a circular walk, or a great add on, with lovely views across the river to the wetland meadows. Some of the highlights of a walk through Bluebell Wood include mature oaks, ash, wild garlic, kingfishers, nightingales, grass snakes, herons, grebes and not forgetting the bluebells of course. Ian Lowe Park Ranger

AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

www.neneparktrust.org.uk

Autumn/Winter 2013

events

Guided Walks, Trails, Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Events... and much, much more

www.neneparktrust.org.uk

Events Information For bookings and enquiries: 01733 234193 visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk Event details correct at the time of going to press. Please check our website for up to date information. Events are free and take place at Ferry Meadows unless otherwise stated. If you book onto an event and are unable to come please let us know.

Easy Access Events These are events which are accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Events which require accessing uneven terrain or crossing obstacles are not classified as easy access. Please contact us if you have any queries regarding the accessibility of an event.

Walk Information Ranger led walks vary in length. Some walks involve crossing stiles and uneven terrain and are therefore not easy access. Please ensure that you wear suitable clothing and footwear and remember to bring refreshments.

Children’s events All children aged under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. One adult may accompany a maximum of three children.

October Monday 14 and Saturday 19 October

Get More from your Digital Camera 9.45am-3.45pm Digital camera stuck on “auto mode”? This one day photography course will show you how to get more from your digital camera and take better pictures in a variety of everyday situations. Suitable for: 18yrs+ Easy access: Phone for details Booking: For information and booking contact Course Tutor Peter Murray on 01780 410078 or at photo@pm-images.co.uk Website: www.pm-image.co.uk

AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

Saturday 19 October

Tracks, Trails and Signs 1pm-2.30pm Explore animal evidence and make plaster casts of animal tracks with Event Leader Claire Stevenson. Suitable for: 8yrs+ Easy access: Yes Booking required: Yes Venue: Discovery Den Monday 21 October

Walk with a Ranger 1pm-4.30pm A walk in and around Ferry Meadows with Ranger Ian Lowe, pointing out things of interest and answering your questions. Suitable for: All ages Easy access: Phone for details Booking required: Yes Saturday 26 October until Sunday 3 November

Half-term Trail 11am-3pm Collect a trail sheet from the Visitor Centre then return to claim your prize. Suitable for: All ages Easy access: Yes Booking required: No Cost: 50p Tuesday 29 October

Sleepy Hedgehog Crafts 10am-2pm Family crafts and the chance to learn about how to help our prickly friends. Suitable for: 5yrs+ Easy access: Yes Booking required: No (drop-in event) Venue: Discovery Den Thursday 31 October

Woodlands Day 11am-3pm Demonstrations, crafts and hands-on activities for all ages based on the theme of wood, woodlands and wildlife. Check our website for more details. Suitable for: All ages Easy access: Yes Location: Ferry Meadows Charge: Free admission but there may be a charge for some activities

Thursday 31 October and Friday 1 November

Halloween Night Train ride 5.30pm, 6pm, 6.30pm, 7pm and 7.30pm Dare you climb aboard for a dark and scary night train ride across the Park? See www.ferrymeadowsrailway.co.uk for details. Booking required. There is a charge for this event.

November Wednesday 20 November

Owls and their Bowels 10.30am-12pm Find out with Event Leader Claire Stevenson what owls like to eat by dissecting owl pellets. Suitable for: 8yrs+ Easy access: Yes Booking required: Yes Venue: Discovery Den Friday 29 November

Discovering Trees 1.30pm-3.45pm Join Ranger Ashley Wheal for an illustrated talk in the Visitor Centre for the first hour, followed by a walk to identify some of our native trees. Suitable for: 12yrs+ Easy access: Yes Booking required: Yes Meeting point: Visitor Centre Every Saturday and Sunday from 30 November until 22 December

Santa Special Trains Enjoy a steam train ride across the Park to visit Santa in his workshop. See www.ferrymeadowsrailway.co.uk for details. Booking required. There is a charge for this event.

December Friday 6 December

Walk with a Ranger 1pm-3.30pm A walk in and around Ferry Meadows with Ranger Ian Lowe, pointing out things of interest and answering your questions. Suitable for: All ages Easy access: Yes Booking required: Yes

www.neneparktrust.org.uk Saturday 7 December

Weekend Winter Wander 9.30am-3pm Join Ranger David Linscott on a ten mile walk around Nene Park. Suitable for: 16yrs+ Easy access: Phone for details Booking required: Yes Saturday 14 December

Christmas Fair 11am-4pm Get in the festive spirit at our first ever Christmas Fair at Ferry Meadows Country Park. Attractions will include carol singers, Santa train rides, a petting farm and a “Santa’s workshop” providing seasonal craft activities for children. Shop for Christmas presents and decorations from a range of crafts in our Christmas market and enjoy a wide selection of refreshment options. Suitable for: All ages Easy access: Yes Location: Ferry Meadows Charge: Free admission but there may be a charge for some activities Monday 23 December

Christmas Tree Decorations 10am-12pm Join Ranger Steve Wickens to make clay decorations for your tree. Suitable for: All ages Easy access: Yes Booking required: No (drop-in) Venue: Discovery Den

Events in 2014 This edition of Parklife contains events up until the end of December 2013. You can find out about our events in 2014 by regularly checking our website, by looking out for the events posters around the Park or by popping into the Visitor Centre at Ferry Meadows. We will also be producing an events guide for the first three months of 2014. This guide will be available on our website and will be emailed to those who subscribe to the online version of Parklife. There will also be copies available in the Visitor Centre in Ferry Meadows and the Ferry Meadows Café. Support our Work As an independent charitable trust, Nene Park Trust receives no funding from central or local government and is totally reliant on income we enerate ourselves. Most of the events led by Nene Park Trust staff are offered free of charge or on a cost recovery basis. Following events our staff may invite you to make a voluntary donation to the Trust. If you have enjoyed an event and would like to make a donation this will go towards the cost of continuing to offer events and facilities to the public.

11am-3pm Collect a trail sheet from the Visitor Centre then return to claim your prize. Suitable for: All ages Easy access: Yes Booking required: No Cost: 50p

HALLOWEEN SPECIALS 31 October and 1 November Dare you to join us for a scary train ride across the park. Werewolves, ghosts, ghouls, mummies, skeletons and lots more. Refreshments for mum and dad. Lucky dip and a goody bag for children.

£4.50 per ticket This is a ticket only event. Tickets available in Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre and online www.ferrymeadowsrailway.co.uk

Santa Specials 30 November and 1 December 7-8, 14-15 and 21-22 December Steam train ride to visit Santa in his workshop. Good quality presents for the children.

20 December until 7 January

Winter Trail

Ferry Meadows Railway Proudly presents two brand new events...

Wildlife Explorer/ Watch Events The group encourages an interest in nature via fun activities. There is a charge of 50p for members and £1 for non-members, adults go free. Non-members are welcome but will be encouraged to join the group after two sessions. For more information about the group contact Chris Park at chris.park@neneparktrust.org.uk or see www.rspb.org.uk/youth or www.wildlifewatch.org.uk

Refreshments for all. Free prize draw for mum and dad. £8.00 per person. £4.00 under 1 year old This is a ticket only event.

There will be time to take photos. One family at a time in with Santa. Tickets available in Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre and online www.ferrymeadowsrailway.co.uk

AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

25 Years on... I

n the last issue we wrote about how local photographer Chris Porsz would be capturing a year in the life of the Park. Chris snapped away through the four seasons and in summer he presented us with the fruits of his labour. An outdoor exhibition was thought the best way to display Chris’s work as this would allow as many people as possible to see the exhibition. We also liked the idea of showing the photos outdoors in the Park where they were taken. Chris had certainly been busy during his year in the Park and it was a difficult task selecting photos for the exhibition. By the time this magazine is published in late September the exhibition will already be in place. We really hope you get the chance to come to Ferry Meadows to see it. If you are reading this after the exhibition, don’t worry, you’ll still be able to see Chris’s photos on our Flickr page, which you can click through to from our website. You’ll also see more of Chris’s photos popping up in other places, as I said he was very busy and took a lot of photos! We think you’ll love the exhibition and who knows, if you were snapped by Chris you may even feature in it! David Radley Visitor Services Officer

10 AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

Watersports Centre Update

n April 2013, Lindum Sturgeon started work on the reconstruction of the Ferry Meadows Watersports Centre. The old building was reduced to a shell ahead of new steel columns being erected which showed the full extent of the new building. At the time of writing, work is on track to meet the late January building completion date. A large amount of the materials from the demolition of the original building have been recycled. Roof tiles and timbers will be reused. Of all the materials removed from site, an outstanding 98% were recycled. Despite all the building work Sailability and the Lakeside Sailing Club have maintained sailing during the summer months thanks to a close working relationship with Lindum Sturgeon. Following completion of the main building, for a period of approximately eight to ten weeks, internal fitment and mobilisation of a new watersports and activities centre operator and new c afé tenant will take place. The Trust is currently out to tender for the operation of both the Watersports and Activity Centre and the Café. We aim to secure tenants by early winter. For further information on the Watersports and Outdoor Activity Centre or the Café please contact the Trust on 01733 234193. Teresa Wood Visitor Services Manager

WIN! a CAR PARK SEASON TICKET with Parklife

Online versions of every edition of this magazine are available on our website and you can sign up to receive a link to the latest edition as soon as it is available. By reading or subscribing to the online version we can save on paper, printing and postage.

Park

AUTUMN/W

INTER 201

ISSUE 12

INCLUDES

Events Listings Pages 7-9

However, we appreciate that not everyone can access the internet and that some people prefer to have a paper copy so we made some changes to the way Parklife is delivered. Previously magazines would be driven to the Park where a team would fold and stuff them into envelopes. They would then be collected by the postman for sorting and delivery. Now the magazines are wrapped in biodegradable plastic film and sent on their way, helping to save time, money and resources.

TO ENTER THE COMPETITION for a 2014 season ticket just sign up through our website to receive a link to the online version of Parklife before 1 February. If you do wish to enter the competition and currently receive a mailed copy, just subscribe online and we’ll remove your name from the mailing list.

Image courtesy of Chris Porsz

AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

Nene Park Volunteers

o you enjoy being out in the fresh air and have a few hours to spare? If you do, have you ever thought about joining our regular band of willing volunteers? Nene Park Volunteers can be seen in and around Ferry Meadows every Wednesday, whatever the weather, carrying out all manner of different tasks with no two weeks being the same.

I love volunteering, giving my time back to Ferry Meadows and seeing what goes on behind the scenes at this beautiful park.

Who needs to go to the gym when I can keep fit volunteering on a Wednesday?

I’ve been coming to Ferry Meadows for years now, so I am giving back my time to what I think is one of Peterborough’s best assets.

People from all different backgrounds and ages volunteer and for lots of different reasons. For one it’s a great way to give back to your local community or maybe you’re thinking about a career in conservation. Not only would you learn new skills, volunteering would give you an insight into countryside management and be a great addition to your CV. There’s also the chance to meet new people, get some fresh air and to keep fit (providing you don’t eat too many biscuits during tea break!). There are also opportunities to volunteer with the Visitor Services and Education Teams. To find out more contact us on 01733 234193 or at visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk Gary Mason Park Ranger 12 AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

Image courtesy of Chris Porsz

Volunteer Profile

Name: Helen Prange

Name: Malcolm German

Name: Colin French

Helen is married with two children. She has a BSc in food science and nutrition and works as a development manager at Bourne salads. Helen loves swimming, tennis and walking.

Malcolm is a retired decorator who enjoys travelling, motor sports, steam fairs and repairing anything broken.

Colin is a retired engineer who is married and enjoys fishing, reading, bird watching and wildlife.

How did you hear about becoming a volunteer at Nene Park? In Parklife magazine What do you get out of being a volunteer? Regular commitment, mixing with lovely people and learning new skills. What’s the best part about being a volunteer? The other volunteers, the Rangers, the variety of jobs, being outdoors and watching the Park evolve.

Facts & Figures • 2000 hours volunteered • 220 tasks completed • 10 tonnes of mulch moved • 17,000 bulbs planted • 8,500 square metres of wildflower meadow seeded • 700 trees planted • 500 wildflower plugs planted

How did you hear about volunteering at Nene Park? About four and half years ago I asked if there was any volunteering work available at Ferry Meadows. I kept asking until volunteering became available and started on the first day. Why did you decide to become a volunteer? Doing something different with new people and to keep learning new skills. Which tasks have you enjoyed the most and why? All the things we have done where you can see the result of your work. What’s the best part about being a volunteer? The friendly banter and being part of something that is important to Peterborough What would you say to somebody who was thinking about becoming a volunteer? Try it. It’s enjoyable but it will not suit everybody especially if you think the work is going to be easy!

Why did you decide to become a volunteer? I thought I would like to help out with the conservation work in Ferry Meadows. What do you get out of volunteering? Seeing the improvements we can make to Nene Park and meeting and making new friends. Which tasks have you enjoyed the most and why? Sowing the wildflower seeds and seeing the results. What’s the best part about being a volunteer at Nene Park? Satisfaction from making improvements to the Park and the work we have done to help the environment.

Interested in volunteering? Would you like to find out a bit more? Contact us on:

01733 234193 or send us an email:

...it’s not all work of course!

visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk

• 1072 cups of tea drunk • 1608 biscuits eaten AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

One Good Tern ne of the aims of Nene Park Trust’s five year plan is to improve habitats and species diversity in Ferry Meadows. As part of this work we launched two floating ‘Tern islands’ onto Overton Lake back in March which were constructed from over 95% recycled materials.

Although Common Terns are often seen fishing in the lakes and on the river in Nene Park they haven’t nested here since the 1970s. In a natural environment Common Terns will nest by creating bare scrapes in poorly vegetated gravel or sand. At Nene Park this type of habitat is no longer readily available so we recreated these conditions by covering the two rafts in gravel. We then waited in anticipation until the breeding season. Once the season began we started to see adult birds taking an interest in the islands and making nest scrapes in the gravel. It wasn’t long until some of the birds appeared to be sitting on eggs in the very same scrapes. By early June we saw the first chicks and were absolutely delighted that they had successfully bred in the first season. But just how successful would they be? In June we were joined by Lloyd Park, a Reserve Officer from the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, who is a licenced bird ringer. We set out on a boat to ring all the Common Tern chicks. This gave us the chance to see the chicks up close and to examine their overall health. By ringing Common Terns it’s now known that many birds migrate to the West Coast of Africa in winter. However, one that was ringed in the UK was recorded as far away as Australia! The oldest Common Tern ever recorded was 33 years and six days old and was still in good health!

In our first year we managed to ring 25 chicks. Two chicks had probably only hatched that day and were too small to ring. One egg was hatching as we were on the Islands and there were a handful of eggs still to hatch. This means that in all likelihood we will have had over 30 chicks hatch this year. With such a successful first breeding season we are hopeful that many of the Terns will return again next year and lay the foundations for a thriving colony. Chris Rollason Assistant Ranger

AUTUMN WINTER 13 | ISSUE 12

Play Golf!

Two Great Courses- Two Great Choices

ORTON MEADOWS Golf Course

Orton Waterville, Peterborough PE2 5UU Tel: 01733 237478 www.neneparkgolf.com

THORPE WOOD Golf Course

Thorpe Wood, Peterborough PE3 6SE Tel: 01733 267701 www.neneparkgolf.com

Visit Visit Notcutts Notcutts for for over over 3,000 3,000 plants PLUS PLUS a fantastic fantastic range range of Spring flowering flowering bulbs.

• Pay as you play

• Club and Trolley Hire

• Large well-stocked Golf Shops • 12-hole Pitch & Putt Course at Orton Meadows • Golf Societies welcome

w ww.notcutts.co.uk www.notcutts.co.uk Oundle R oad, Ort on W aterville Road, Orton Waterville

Ferry Meadows Railway

Horse Riding in Nene Park

LYNCH FARM RIDING LTD WISTOW WAY • ORTON WISTOW PETERBOROUGH • PE2 6XA

www.lynchfarmriding.co.uk TEL:

01733 234445

Nene Park, Peterborough

Disabled? Come and enjoy the freedom of sailing ... every Tuesday and Thursday from April to October and Saturday for the working disabled 10.00am-1.00pm at the Watersports Centre, Ferry Meadows

• A train ride for children of all ages from 1 to 91 ! • Take a ride across the park from Ham Lane to the Watersport Centre • See website for Spring/Summer timetable.

For more information

Tel: 07948 262919

Tel: 01933 398889

or email:peterborough.sailability@hotmail.co.uk

www.ferrymeadowsrailway.co.uk

Nene glides SegwAY Experience

Captains Folly t Trip Boa Based at Overton Lake Ferry Meadows

We will be operating every day until winter

Saturdays, Sundays & Bank Holidays from 10am Cruises last approximately 30 mins Private trips also available

07513 193977 / 07757 740387 www.thecaptainsfolly.co.uk

07519 809 383 www.neneglidessegway.co.uk