Wild About Wildlife: Continuing our exploration of old Limerick hospital grounds

THE EXTENSIVE lawns had a rich diversity of leaves and they have probably had very little work done to them for years at St Joseph’s Hospital in the city. We recorded creeping buttercup in flower, leaves of ragwort, broad and narrow leaved plantain, clover, horsetail and groundsel. I think there could be many more hidden botanical treasures waiting for their chance to grow and it would be an very interesting project to let a few sections bloom uncut in spring and summer.

The sterile concrete of the water tower was also becoming a habitat for wildlife. Ivy was slowly climbing up and it will in a matter of years cover this structure entirely. Inside the fence, elderberry and willow had sprung up and also at the base of the tower there was shepherds purse growing.

We walked beneath lines of beech trees and the ground underneath was covered in winter helitrope. This winter flowering plant produces large leaves followed by the very fragrant flowers. These have an unmistakable scent of coconut or vanilla.

We could see the high walls of St Lawrence in the distance and this is another amazing habitat and I was long overdue a visit. While the wall is a barrier to humans it does not stop wildlife and this creates one massive habitat for nature.

On a bare piece of ground we found more native wildflowers. Germander speedwell will have sky blue flowers in a few months and ragwort was flowering and also creeping thistle. By the car park there is a big green lawn and this would be an excellent location for a pollinator garden that could include fruit trees like apples and pears.

When it was time to head back black headed gulls wheeled about overhead in the darkening skies. This was a warning that rain was not too far off and we could feel the moisture in the air. A hooded crow also joined in with urgent calls and this was another signal that we needed to get a move on.

We explored the edge of the main building complex and saw a man and his dog who were out for their evening walk. We also met several other walkers and the grounds are an important place where people can clear their heads in nature and find a little quiet time. The walls of the buildings had wall rue growing between the gaps in the stones.

The seed heads of knapweed had been left uncut and these are food for birds. We carefully checked in a few of the heads as sometimes they contain an earwig or some other insect. When flowers have finished we have a tendency to want to clear them away but the seeds are a vital source of energy for wildlife.

Next generation 'counting on bike lane' for Limerick, says Cycle Campaign

Decaying timber often contains as much life as living timber and there was plenty of stumps of trees and fallen branches to provide a habitat for mini beasts like woodlice and earwigs. Large bracket fungi were growing in some of the stumps and these help with the natural decay. Himalayan honeysuckle is a very interesting plant and its fruit taste like chocolate. I have found it growing in several locations in the city and it is spread by birds who eat the seeds. Around my house it has reached the conifer plantations and it is covering sizable areas. Whereas in cities it is limited by the environment, in woodland it can have a free rein.

I think we only scratched the surface in terms of wildlife found in the grounds. I would love to run a moth trap here and record some of the hidden wildlife. Moths have suffered massive declines and they are an important food for bats and their caterpillars are also eaten by birds. This would also be a potentially great bat habitat and especially with all of the trees. Bats could also be roosting in the buildings and their lives are just waiting to be revealed.

On the way home we were all hungry and stopped in for a warming fish and chips and this was the perfect way to finish of a day of exploring nature and been with the family.

For More
albert.nolan@rocketmail.com or 089 4230502.