October is all about getting to know your new habitat

This month, Sustainable Halls will be looking at some of the lesser-known wildlife you might be able to find if you look hard enough during your time in Liverpool.

While you might have familiarised yourself with the seagull and pigeon population, there’s no shortage of interesting and elusive wildlife across Merseyside. Keep reading to find out what’s out there and the best chance of seeing them!

Red Squirrel

Do you know that Merseyside is home to one of the UK’s last red squirrel communities?

The red squirrel is the UK’s only native squirrel species and has been pushed almost to extinction by the introduction of grey squirrels 150 years ago. Today, red squirrels exist in only small parts of the UK. One of these refuges is Formby – the woods there are home to a small population of these rodents, and if you arrive early in the day, you’ll be in with the best chance of spotting these elusive animals! Why not join us on our trip to Formby on 25th November for a chance to see them?

Grey Seal

While these pinnipeds are not nearly as rare, you’ve got to go a little bit farther than Formby if you want to spot a grey seal. Grey seals can most often be spotted on sandbanks in the Dee estuary, a short train journey from Liverpool city centre. From the beach at West Kirby, a good pair of binoculars will give you an excellent view of the herd which regularly rests in the estuary at low tide. Join us on our trip to Hilbre Island on 17th October to get an even closer look!

Harbour Porpoise

Another aquatic mammal, the harbour porpoise used to be a regular visitor to the Mersey’s waters, but pollution tragically drove it away during the 20th century. Thankfully, recent clean up efforts have improved the quality of the water, and the harbour porpoise can again be seen from the promenade at Otterspool from time to time. While we aren’t running a trip there this semester, you can easily find your way there by following the shoreline south from the docks – an excellent route for a walk or a cycle. You can also grab a Merseyrail train to St Michaels station, and it’s only a short walk from there.

Wirral's Wonderful Waders

There’s no shortage of avian visitors to Merseyside’s coastline, and one of the best places to see them is the Red Rocks Marsh in Hoylake. Alongside other rare flora and fauna, this area is abundant with native and migratory birds, including Slavonian grebes, turnstones, oystercatchers, ospreys, and goldeneyes. The best opportunity to visit is on our trip to Hoylake on 24th October!

Plenty of other events taking place this month 

If you can’t make it to any of our trips this month, don’t worry! We’ve got plenty of other events taking place on campus, from our monthly Halls sew-cial on 8th Oct and 5th Nov, plant pot painting on 14th Oct, and a quiz at Bertie & Bella’s packed full of sustainable trivia on 21st Oct! We hope you get the chance to come along!

If you have any questions about Merseyside’s wildlife, or any trips you can take to green spaces in the region, contact us at LGsustainability@liverpool.ac.uk.