Conservation & Ecology


whether, before we did so, we could have someone come to the course to advise us on what we can do to encourage the bird and allow it to flourish.”


“We had a guy called Wayne over, who is the willow tit expert in the area. He’s doing a PhD on the bird. He’ll be putting some appropriate feeders up, and measuring the activity of them to prove there are some here, which there almost definitely are.” “I know we also have tree sparrows, and we’re going to consider ways to preserving their habitat as well. And there are nesting boxes around for similar birds.” “We have to move some of the boxes we currently have around the site, however, as they’re frequented by blue tits, which are aggressive competition for the willow tit. They’re a common bird, and we want to encourage the rarer ones to get by.” “The next step is that we also have someone coming in to give a talk on bats. We have a few in the area, which roost in the barns.”


“Tom Clare has organised for a friend of his to visit during the summer to give some insight into conservation of the bats and how they affect things.”


“We don’t have an official conservation budget, but we do try to set aside some money to tackle that as an isolated issue.”


“Another factor in all this is that the site is ancient woodland ‐ the


clubhouse, Arley Hall, and its moat have existed in some form since the 1200s.” “The entire course is subject to tree preservation orders, and we rarely undertake thinning, because it requires council involvement every time. We can’t just chop away.”


“James Hutchinson from BIGGA comes to visit and compiles a report. He tells us what we need on the course as well, then I just look around at suppliers to see who has it.” “So far in the year, we’re seeing nuthatches, blue tits, goldcrests, thrushes, blackbirds, kestrels, and we’ve got about three or four buzzards flying around too.” “We’ve also got two black swans in the moat around the clubhouse. It’s very traditional within the club, and the two black swans feature on the club’s crest.” “We had to get rid of the first pair while I was here and sent them to a private household. Then, the second pair died ‐ one was caught by a mink and the other drowned when the moat froze.” “James’s report said that rhododendrons and creeping thistle have been major concerns across the edges of the holes.”


“We’ve already got rid of the


rhododendrons. The creeping thistle, however, lies amongst some semi‐ protected types of orchid. So, we can’t spray in those areas.” “On the site, we also have some other less common birds, including nuthatches, cormorants, tawny owls, greater spotted woodpeckers and


redwings.” The course


Wigan Golf Club is touted by its staff as the area’s hidden gem, both because of its tucked away location down the side of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and its policy of accepting fewer members than the other clubs nearby.


This allows fewer tee‐off times in a day,


quieter rounds for the golfers, and fits in aptly with the club’s aims to continue as a centre for wildlife conservation. It dates to 1898, with the new nine holes only a couple of decades old, built on land donated by former JJB and Wigan Athletic FC Chief Executive Dave Whelan.


The building at its core has been used for various purposes, including personal residence and as an abbey, although some of these remain a mystery.


Its inception was at the home of a local doctor and was decided upon by eight men including the local MP. It was quickly agreed that female members would be accepted. Prince Andrew, a two‐time visitor, was in the 1990s named an Honorary Life Member. The original nine holes were designed by George Lowe, who had been an apprentice of Old Tom Morris while working at the R&A’s St. Andrew’s.


One of its other most famed sons was John Wild. After his reported death in the Second World War, he re‐emerged from a prisoner‐of‐war camp to lead Wigan GC, then the English Golf Union, and spend much of his time attempting to persuade the R&A to accept Wigan as a venue for The Open.


Once R&A Captain Hugh Griffiths described Wigan in Jack Winstanley’s book “The Wigan Century” thus: “It lies like some secret garden to be entered only by those privileged to be its members, or fortunate enough to be their guests.”


The club’s website claims that: “Our tree‐ lined fairways lead you to some of the best greens in Lancashire… The course presents a fair challenge to any standard of golfer.” “Over the years, few have beaten it; all have enjoyed it… If you enjoy peace and tranquillity, then Wigan is your course ‐ the sound is the wildlife.”


The willow tit (Poecile montanus)


The willow tit, which is closely related to and extremely like the marsh tit, and similar to the coal tit, is active all year round. It requires this behaviour to compete with similar birds for the same food sources. They are tiny insectivores, being four


PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 I 111


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