Manx National Heritage is holding its sixth annual Wildlife Week at the end of this month.

Taking place across the island, it will hold a number of events that anyone can book onto.

These include guided walks, talks, workshops and family-friendly events.

Beginning on April 30 with a Himilayan Balsam Walk with the Friends of Neb at The Raggat, MNH promises fun and educational experiences.

Many local charities will be taking part and leading the events, such as Manx Wildlife Trust, Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch, Manx Bat Group, Supporters of the Curraghs Wildlife Park, UNESCO Biosphere, the Manx Ornithological Society and Manx BirdLife.

May 1 will see MWDW’s seawatch at The Sound where those who book on will be looking out for dolphins, porpoises, whales and seals, while MWT will be taking a group out to Cooildarry Nature Reserve for a guided walk looking at spring flowers and providing an opportunity to learn about the history and management of the site.

The next day the Manx Ornithological Society will give a birding walk at Langness and MWT will have a treasure hunt at the Ayres Discovery Centre in Bride and have a macro photography session with photographer Jeremy Broom-Smith in Castletown.

Meanwhile, it will see the launch of UNESCO Biosphere’s Young Nature Writer award. Young people who love nature are invited to partake in the summer writing challenge.

challenge

Entrants should write up to 500 words on Manx nature and send it in to [email protected].

The challenge closes on September 7.

On May 3, MNH will be giving a behind the scenes tour of the Natural History Collections in the Manx Museum.

UNESCO Biosphere will be hosting a talk by Dr Clemency Fisher, ex-Natural History Museum and National Museums Liverpool, entitled ‘Birds as a cultural image: pre-history to the present’, at 7pm on May 4.

From May 5 to May 8 will include Manx BirdLife giving a guided walk at Point of Ayre National Reserve, Manx Footpaths Conservation Group giving a chance to see the bird life around Langness, Supporters of the Curraghs Wildlife Park having a guided walk around the park as well as a nature detectives trail, plus a dawn chorus walk guided by Chris Sharpe MBE, and Manx Bat Group giving a tour of the bats of Silverdale Glen.

It will run from April 30 to May 5.

More information on each event throughout the week can be found on MNH’s website.