Are we losing Haydn's Pool and Neumann's Flash to vegetation?
Doc Brewster said
Wed Jan 13 12:02 PM, 2016
Just a little addendum to a post I sent out over the Christmas/New Year period. There was an appeal on here for volunteers to come down and help clear invasive reedbed/scrub on Neumann's Flash, effectively addressing concerns raised in this thread. This is the second time I have posted an appeal for help from any interested Manchester Birding Forum Members. As happened the first time we had no-one from the forums turning up to help. A small core of patch watchers have one a fantastic job clearing the views, especially in front of what we call 'Scrapyard Hide'. I am sure everyone would like me to pass on thanks for their fantastic efforts.
Please watch out for the next workgroup details and we would welcome anyone's help. I hope that anyone who has strong feelings about any clearance issues will be the first to volunteer Please, please, please come along, only 3-4 people did the last work and many hands make light work, thanks
Adrian Irons said
Sun Dec 2 11:36 PM, 2012
Yes, I agree with all of the above, but in just over 3 years Haydn's Pool has largely disappeared in front of our eyes and Neumann's will eventually become two flashes if the reeds are not kept in check. Click on the attached link to see phographic evidence of the changes over the years.
I think myself, and other birders owe a lot to volunteers in Vale Royal who put a massive effort into keeping these sites fit for wildlife.
Quite right, John, the upkeep & driving force behing the bird/nature side of things is all down to volunteers, the good folk of FOAM - Friends of Anderton & Marbury. They suggest conservation & management ideas, raise funds & do lots of the voluntary work. My good friend Vernon Lundy, who many on here will have met, is the main man when it comes to all this. He would be made up if folk on here considered joining FOAM & lending a hand. Plans are in hand for clearance in front of the hides - planned for the best times of year to minimise disturbance. If folk care then please consider helping out - end of plug - thanks
John Williams said
Mon Nov 12 3:23 AM, 2012
I find the hide on the South bank of Neumanns still fine for viewing the main spit etc. I agree the tall reeds are close to the hide, but I've had stunning close up views of Water Rails and
Reed Warblers here and think clearing the reeds would be detrimental. The important factor being the small cleared area directly in front of the hide, especially for viewing Rails.
This hide is still excellent for photography as the sun is usually behind you.
There are a few small willows encroaching into the reeds, but that is ideal Cetti's warbler habitat is it not?.
I agree the hide on North East corner is now pretty useless, the reeds are tall enough to largely obscure the view and vegetation is smothering the structure on all sides.
The hide on the West side is still ok for viewing most of the flash, although the area of dry reeds in front of the structure usually does'nt hold many birds.
A good spot for viewing the flash is the small hill/mound on the South Eastern corner, but birch is growing rapidly here and starting to spoil things.
I'm amazed that the huge area of phragmites on the South Western corner does'nt seem to attract Bitterns etc, but it does seem to have largely dried up.
Regarding Haydn's Pool, dedicated local volunteers have put a massive effort into trying to improve this bed, but sadly it just doesn't seem to hold it's water level.
It's ideal for Green Sandpipers etc, on passage, but is slowly just turning into heath. The only bonus being that the Sand Martin bank as been a great success, but if the water
disappears completely, so will the martins.
I do not live in Northwich but love this area that much that I probably visit Witton Flashes/Marbury Country Park more than an other wild area, even though Woolston and Moore
are much closer to home. I think myself, and other birders owe a lot to volunteers in Vale Royal who put a massive effort into keeping these sites fit for wildlife.
The only thing that I did find upsetting at Neumanns was that the area set aside to seed a winter feed site for finches, alongside Marbury Lane, appeared to have been cleared
in May when I had already noted Linnets and Whitethroats on territory there.
John Irons said
Mon Nov 12 1:18 AM, 2012
The three [badly sited] hides around Neumann's are now all useless. The rapid growth and invasion of reeds has cut visibility dramatically and the water margins recede ever further. Another season/summer will surely make them redundant. The unrestricted growth of hawthorn and other bushes makes viewing virtually impossible from other parts of the perimeter, too.
Haydn's pool gets ever more disappointing. The original island is one no more, grass and reeds are encroaching steadily and reducing the open water area substatially. It is not my imagination is it, that this avian oasis is losing its attraction for all types of water birds?
Should CWAC be made aware of this loss of community amenity?
Just a little addendum to a post I sent out over the Christmas/New Year period. There was an appeal on here for volunteers to come down and help clear invasive reedbed/scrub on Neumann's Flash, effectively addressing concerns raised in this thread. This is the second time I have posted an appeal for help from any interested Manchester Birding Forum Members. As happened the first time we had no-one from the forums turning up to help. A small core of patch watchers have one a fantastic job clearing the views, especially in front of what we call 'Scrapyard Hide'. I am sure everyone would like me to pass on thanks for their fantastic efforts.
Please watch out for the next workgroup details and we would welcome anyone's help. I hope that anyone who has strong feelings about any clearance issues will be the first to volunteer
Please, please, please come along, only 3-4 people did the last work and many hands make light work, thanks 
Changes to Haydn's & Neumann's
Quite right, John, the upkeep & driving force behing the bird/nature side of things is all down to volunteers, the good folk of FOAM - Friends of Anderton & Marbury. They suggest conservation & management ideas, raise funds & do lots of the voluntary work. My good friend Vernon Lundy, who many on here will have met, is the main man when it comes to all this. He would be made up if folk on here considered joining FOAM & lending a hand. Plans are in hand for clearance in front of the hides - planned for the best times of year to minimise disturbance. If folk care then please consider helping out - end of plug - thanks
Reed Warblers here and think clearing the reeds would be detrimental. The important factor being the small cleared area directly in front of the hide, especially for viewing Rails.
This hide is still excellent for photography as the sun is usually behind you.
There are a few small willows encroaching into the reeds, but that is ideal Cetti's warbler habitat is it not?.
I agree the hide on North East corner is now pretty useless, the reeds are tall enough to largely obscure the view and vegetation is smothering the structure on all sides.
The hide on the West side is still ok for viewing most of the flash, although the area of dry reeds in front of the structure usually does'nt hold many birds.
A good spot for viewing the flash is the small hill/mound on the South Eastern corner, but birch is growing rapidly here and starting to spoil things.
I'm amazed that the huge area of phragmites on the South Western corner does'nt seem to attract Bitterns etc, but it does seem to have largely dried up.
Regarding Haydn's Pool, dedicated local volunteers have put a massive effort into trying to improve this bed, but sadly it just doesn't seem to hold it's water level.
It's ideal for Green Sandpipers etc, on passage, but is slowly just turning into heath. The only bonus being that the Sand Martin bank as been a great success, but if the water
disappears completely, so will the martins.
I do not live in Northwich but love this area that much that I probably visit Witton Flashes/Marbury Country Park more than an other wild area, even though Woolston and Moore
are much closer to home. I think myself, and other birders owe a lot to volunteers in Vale Royal who put a massive effort into keeping these sites fit for wildlife.
The only thing that I did find upsetting at Neumanns was that the area set aside to seed a winter feed site for finches, alongside Marbury Lane, appeared to have been cleared
in May when I had already noted Linnets and Whitethroats on territory there.
Haydn's pool gets ever more disappointing. The original island is one no more, grass and reeds are encroaching steadily and reducing the open water area substatially. It is not my imagination is it, that this avian oasis is losing its attraction for all types of water birds?
Should CWAC be made aware of this loss of community amenity?