Bird and Bat Box Making
Saturday 9th September
1-30 pm until 4pm
Price: £6 per box
All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Please bring your own hammer.
Other materials provided by members of the team.
It’s a drop in activity, so no booking required.
That’s B+B for bats and birds.
Here’s your chance to build new homes for wildlife. This weekend. On 9th September…
Stage 1: Pick up the flatpack
Stage2: The finished product
Friends will be there to help as you build your own box (or boxes).
The design for bat boxes is slightly different from those for birds. Often visitors like to make one for bats and one for birds.
A bird box is completed by a proud young craftsman:
This visitor is keen to add a home for bats and birds, making two boxes during the afternoon, ably assisted by the Senior Warden.
A bat box made by a father and daughter team out in the sunshine by the Chapel:
The bird boxes have small round entrance holes and the most likely occupants will be blue tits. During the winter family groups, perhaps with as many as 20 birds, gather together in the boxes to keep warm. This will help more of them survive the cold. In the spring most of these survivors will find a new place to nest. But if the owners of the new bird boxes are lucky, a pair will breed and bring up their brood in the box.
In comparison, bat boxes are of slightly different design. The bats land on the underside and then walk into the box through a gap. Bats make use of the box at different times of the year. Although any bats looking for a roost in the autumn may use the box now, it is more likely that they will wait until the spring. During the winter bats need more shelter and would look for some where offering more protection from the lowest temperatures – perhaps in a barn or a cave.
For visitors building a brand new bat box, it might be the spring time before bats move in. Then female bats will be looking for a roost to give birth to their young, usually one offspring to each female. All bats are protected species, so once there is evidence that a bat is using the box, it cannot be opened and the bats cannot be disturbed. This may help offset all the roosts that have been lost as people reduce habitats and roosts.
We look forward to hearing about any future inhabitants of the new boxes. Even better, perhaps, photos to share on the blog.
Saturday 9th September
1.30pm until 4pm.
Price: £6 per box.
All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Please bring your own hammer. Other materials provided by our team.
No need to book, just drop in.
Posted in Ecology, Events, Uncategorized
Make something new.
Provide a home for wildlife.
Have fun!
Bats and birds need places to nest and roost.
And you can do a little something to provide them.
Here’s the link to previous posts about this annual event at Chadkirk.
In the Chapel (if weather wet) or outside in the sunshine and fresh air.
People of all ages welcome. Making: by young ‘uns. With assistance from adults and Friends.
Bird and Bat Box making by the Chapel, Chadkirk.
Photo: Artemisia
One of each – bat box and bird box. Each with a different entrance.
Photo: Artemisia
New Bat Box.
Proud owner/maker.
Photo: Artemisia
Saturday 9th September
1.30pm until 4pm.
Price: £6 per box.
All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Please bring your own hammer. Other materials provided by our team.
No need to book, just drop in.
The Bird and Bat Box making, where children can assemble the boxes, is
held in the Chapel (or outside if fine) on Saturday 9th September from
1.30pm until 4pm. The cost is £6. No need to book, just drop in.
All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. All the
necessary materials are provided but please bring a hammer if you have
one.
Our activities are listed in the Stockport
Museums Exhibitions and Events Guide – available at all their Museums
including Chadkirk Chapel and, of course, Staicase House.
Posted in Events
Our Friend from South Africa has recently shared her stories of the renovation of the gardens. I wonder if there are people out there, reading this, who have been involved in the renovation of the Chapel at Chadkirk? This black and white photograph reminds us that Chadkirk Chapel was in a sorry state. If you have stories to tell of how the semi-derelict building was transformed into the building we enjoy today, we’d love to hear from you. Did you take part in the restoration? Or create any of the art works that are displayed there today? With your experiences, memories and photographs we can tell the tale of Chadkirk.
Posted in Chadkirk Chapel
For those interested in the history of Well Dressing at Chadkirk, this link might be of interest. There you will see photos of St Chad’s Well and the Well Dressings over the years.
Posted in Uncategorized
