We trust you will find that your quarters and feeding grounds are once more up to the standard you might expect from this wondrous sweep of land that we locals oft refer to as Chat Moss.

In truth, this landscape is made up of several mosslands, including Barton Moss. Oh dear, I think someone wants to concrete over a large area of this moss and plonk warehouses on it. I know dear winged visitors, it sounds almost preposterous.

Moving on we also have Irlam Moss, Cadishead Moss, Little and Great Woolden Mosses and, if you care to fly north over the Manchester-Liverpool Railway line, you will find Astley and Bedford Mosses - the Lancashire Wildlife Trust also has a reserve on this part of the moss.

This labelling of your chosen resort, I feel, perhaps means little to you as long as it has food and shelter.

 We get the impression that you are satisfied with your winter wonderland resort and I see, on Day Eight of the #12DaysWild, a nice mixed grouping of you, lesser redpoll on mugwort, starling and fieldfare on the ground with a couple of our most diminutive of winter visitors weaving your way through the undergrowth. You too, dear goldcrest, are more than welcome.

Might I also offer you a glance at our 2024 and beyond catalogue of this your winter retreat, for there may very well be much more of this landscape made more welcoming for wildlife as Natural England and your old faithful friends the Lancashire Wildlife Trust pour more effort into helping in your protection for generations to come.

So might the wording of an imaginary brochure for wildlife read “Here on Chat Moss on this Day Eight and all future days we hope that our moss can help redress the awful losses we humans have wrought upon this beautiful and so precious World and its wildlife that we ALL share.”

You can support Step Up for Wildlife, Lancashire Wildlife Trust's biggest every appeal, individually or get you school, community group or business involved.