Willow Tit Survey Project
The Willow Tits at Danes Moss
Danes Moss to the South of Macclesfield is a local stronghold for the Willow Tit - our most endangered resident bird species which over the last 50 years has seen its numbers plummet by an estimated 94%. The Willow Tit lives in young, scrubby wet woodland on former industrial sites, along streams and rivers and in regenerating birch and willow woodland on mosses and mires. The Northern part of Danes moss, accessed directly from Moss Lane is currently earmarked for a housing development - which if it goes ahead it will have a major impact on Willow Tit populations in the Macclesfield area.
Willow Tit habitat
In spring Willow Tits excavate a nest hole in the rotten trunks and branches of young willow, elder and birch and they need a succession of young, permanently wet, woodland with a plentiful supply of rotten wood for nest hole excavation. Willow Tit are sedentary birds and avoid crossing open ground to establish new breeding territories so areas of wet woodland suitable for breeding need to be connected by hedgerows, woodland or scrub to maintain a thriving Willow Tit population.
The Willow Tit Survey Project – finding out where the Willow Tits are
There are known Willow tit populations on the southern edge of Macclesfield at Danes Moss and at Rudyard, Tittesworth and Coombes Valley. There are also other areas of potentially suitable habitat where Willow Tit where there may be other populations. The Willow tit is a shy and retiring bird and the only reliable method of confirming their presence is using playback recording in their breeding season.
Macc Wild are surveying potential Willow Tit sites and exploring opportunities to create a network of suitable habitat that would enable the expansion and dispersal of existing populations and secure the future of these threatened birds in an area that may be one of their strongholds in the North West. This work is funded through the Peak District National Park’s Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.
Danes Moss Willow Tits – rare birds in a precious place
UPDATE: The Race to Save the Willow Tit
On Saturday 16th March over 200 people filled St Michael’s Church to hear why the endangered Willow Tit is a perfect symbol of the threatened habitat at Danes Moss, and what we can do to ensure a positive future for the bird and the place.
We were informed and inspired in equal measure; by Mark Champion’s talk on Willow Tit ecology; by Steve Ely’s poetry celebrating this elusive bird of forgotten and under-valued places and by Laurence Rose’s inspiring stories of nature recovery. Mark Cocker highlighted the importance of language and how the word scrub has such negative connotations meaning that rich and important scrub habitats, such as Danes Moss, are often dismissed as worthless and ripe for development.
We need science, art and literature, and we need action and hope, to save the natural world. The Race to Save the Willow Tit and Danes Moss gave us hope that with an urgent programme of habitat conservation and creation to expand and connect Willow Tit habitats this species could see a resurgence in Cheshire.
This was a collaborative event between Macc Wild, Save Danes Moss, RSPB Local Group, Buxton Field Club and Moorlands Climate Action funded by the Peak District National Park and Scoop and Scales. Thanks to everyone who helped to make it happen and to all who turned out to support the fight for our wildlife and our precious places.
