wildlife
ROCHDALE: A WILDLIFE HAVEN
Though the last few months have not been ideal for us humans, nature has flourished in the quieter times and lesser traffic. Many people began to enjoy the sights and sounds of the natural world close to home with time to slow down and enjoy it. Nature is a wonder tonic that we can all benefit from and there is an abundance of wildlife in Rochdale. We are blessed with some great open spaces such as Hollingworth Lake or Healey Dell whilst also being surrounded by moorland hills and canals to explore. You don’t even need to venture far as, believe it or not, our busy town streets can provide us with many opportunities to ‘bump’ into wildlife. No matter what your level of knowledge or mobility, the ‘trick’ is to keep your eyes open to what is around you. For many years, our Town Hall has been home to Peregrine Falcons. You may see them perched high up on the tower or see them swoop across the Esplanade in search of food (usually an unsuspecting pigeon). Rochdale Council built a nesting area for the birds in 2008 to give them a safe haven to sleep, breed and raise their young. Following the annual competition to 'name the chick' this year's beautiful falcon chicks were named Dino-soar and Beaky Blinder!
Image by Dennis Greenwood
Like many of us, Style writer Paul Brady used his spare time during lockdown to explore the great outdoors and discover the glorious countryside and wildlife all around us...
Peregrines aren't the only birds of prey to share our space. Walking through Littleborough, one afternoon, I was surprised to see a Kestrel, with its wonderful russet plumage, hovering intently over a grass verge close to a busy junction. A Sparrowhawk once dived into our front hedge, in Norden, with a great commotion, trying to get the sparrows within it. After a huge flurry of its impressive wings it sat on my car roof, its beady yellow eyes clearly visible as it patiently waited in vain. I was thrilled to see such a magnificent bird and able to admire its speckled, tan coloured plumage only metres away. Small but spectacular, Kingfishers are increasingly seen thanks to our cleaner waterways. Their iridescent azure blue wings are colourful and very noticeable as they fly low over flowing water - a brief glimpse is usually all you can get. I was lucky enough to see one close to Rochdale town centre, on the River Roch. As I waited to see if it would return, its mate appeared from a hole in the river bank and flew after it; to see not one but two was a rare sight indeed. And of course, statue-like herons are always an magnificent sight by the water. During a recent lockdown walk in Norden, I watched a Great Spotted Woodpecker with its vivid red markings pecking at the ground for food. It kept returning to the same spot, clearly undisturbed in the quieter surroundings. The borough, and Healey Dell in particular, is home to a variety of owls. The best time to go looking for them - known as owling - is at dawn or dusk when they are more active. Keep as quiet as you can and don't get too close. Roe deer are frequently seen in our town, close to woodlands and often spotted by early morning dog walkers. I have often seen them skipping across the fields of Norden and Bamford, though one encounter at Watergrove Reservoir stopped us in our tracks, coming across a large male deer stood quietly eating the vegetation in front of us. We stood absolutely still before the deer sauntered away and back into the trees.
34 | Rochdale Style
