Saltmarsh Celebration Day marks completion of RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh

To mark the creation of an important nature reserve - RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh at Hesketh Bank near Southport, adults and children alike are invited to join a day of family fun celebrations.

The incredible site, which is part of the Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve has undergone a transformation over the last decade from farmland back to saltmarsh. This rare and vital habitat ishome to a rich variety of unusual wildlife and has huge benefits for people too, by reducing flood risk and capturing carbon to help combat climate change.

Thanks to a partnership of the RSPB, the Environment Agency and Natural England, and generous support from WREN (granting funds donated by FCC Environment), this award-winning project to restore the land back to saltmarsh reached its final stages of completion in September 2017. Now, 18 months on, with the site looking its wild and wonderful best in spring, the public are invited to join in a day of celebrations.

Tony Baker, Site Manager of the RSPB Ribble Reserves said: “It has been a long journey to get to this point, first with the restoration of the West side of the site in 2008 and now with the completion of the final piece of the jigsaw on the East side of the reserve. Thanks to all the partners and funders involved, the site now attracts thousands of internationally important birds such as pink footed geese and wigeons in autumn and winter, to nesting wading birds such as avocets - the emblem of the RSPB, and the song of skylarks in spring and summer.

“Many locals have been enjoying visiting the site throughout its development but may not be aware of the significance of the habitat here. We’re hoping lots of people will come along to our ‘Saltmarsh Celebration’ event to discover more about the work that has gone into creating this special place and take part in our exciting activities to get closer to the wildlife that calls it home.”

The ‘Saltmarsh Celebration Day’ will take place on Saturday 18 May from 10am-4pm. A whole host of free, drop-in activities including behind the scenes saltmarsh safaris, mud dipping and more will allow the public to explore the site.

For further information on Hesketh Out Marsh, visit www.rspb.org.uk/heskethoutmarsh

40 years of the RSPB giving nature a home on the Dee Estuary

Harrier over marsh, Parkgate

The popular RSPB Dee Estuary nature reserve is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2019. The well-known nature conservation charity first purchased an area of saltmarsh and mudflats the size of 2000 football pitches at Parkgate in 1979.

Doing so created a sanctuary area for the tens of thousands of water birds that flock to the estuary from Arctic regions every year, to spend the cold winter months in the UK. Their numbers had been falling during the preceding years and were at further risk from proposed development and disturbance.

Graham Jones, RSPB Dee Estuary site manager said: “I started coming to Parkgate as a teenager in the 1980s to watch the birds that thrive on the marsh and mud. This place played a major part in growing my knowledge and passion for birds and wildlife and helping me end up in the fortunate position I am today.

“Shortly before the RSPB established the reserve, by purchasing the land from British Steel, there were proposals to build a barrage across the Dee, or create a recreational lake within the marsh at Parkgate. Either of those would have caused the bird numbers to plummet further.”

Since securing the initial part of the reserve on the estuary, originally known as Gayton Sands, the RSPB land holdings have expanded significantly, particularly around the village of Burton, four miles from Parkgate.

Graham added: “The brilliant visitor facilities we opened at Burton Mere Wetlands in 2011 have been a major step in bringing the Dee Estuary’s rich wildlife closer for the public to enjoy easily. Since opening, we’ve welcomed nearly a quarter of a million visits, with excellent wildlife spectacles to be enjoyed every day that continually change through the seasons.

“As well as protecting these valuable spaces for birds to spend the winter, we’ve also undertaken extensive land management to support birds to nest, helping species like exotic avocets establish breeding, the largest little egret colony in the country and for the first time in 2018, a successful pair of marsh harriers raised young. The reserve also supports a whole range of other special wildlife; from the large like badgers and otters, to the small such as insects, orchids and lizards.”

To mark this significant milestone, the RSPB will be running some special events in 2019 to celebrate 40 years of giving nature a home on the estuary. They hope to welcome back those already visiting the site as well as introduce more local people to the extent of this important reserve. The site now encompasses half of the Dee Estuary, including most of the Welsh shore, forming one of the largest protected wetlands in the country.

The reserve team are keen to receive any photos, memories or tales of visitors’ experiences enjoying the Dee Estuary reserve over the past 40 years – or even before, given its rich history. These can be sent by email to deeestuary@rspb.org.uk or posted to the reserve office at RSPB Dee Estuary nature reserve, Burton Mere Wetlands, Puddington Lane, Burton, Cheshire, CH64 5SF.

For further information on the special events and wildlife at RSPB Dee Estuary, visitrspb.org.uk/burtonmerewetlands.

RSPB nature reserve gets a facelift at 30

Progression of inner marsh farm -Alisdiar Grubb

This month marks five years since RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands opened its doors, but parts of the land managed by the wildlife conservation charity have now entered their fourth decade as a nature reserve and have just undergone some home improvements.

The origins of the reserve date back to 1986 when the RSPB bought the flooded crop fields of Inner Marsh Farm in Burton. Five years of planning and hard work saw three freshwater lagoons created and then a hide was built in 1992, to bring the public closer to the great variety of birds that call the Dee estuary home. However, after years of natural change, the wetland had silted up in places and now major improvement work has provided a much needed rejuvenation of the old pools.

Colin Wells, Site Manager at RSPB Dee Estuary nature reserve said: “I’d not long moved to this reserve when the RSPB bought Inner Marsh Farm. I was responsible for creating the wetland which is now home to internationally important numbers of ducks, geese and wading birds, along with a whole host of other wonderful wildlife.”

In recent years however, despite regular ongoing management through mowing and sheep grazing, time had taken its toll and the pools were silting up, with rushes and reeds starting to dominate the water. This meant they were less suitable for the birds which were becoming further away from the hide, making it more difficult for visitors to view them. The RSPB decided more drastic work was needed, so set about a project to dredge the pools and remove the layers of silt and vegetation that had established over the years.

Colin added: “Before the diggers had even finished the work, there were various wading birds taking advantage of the newly exposed mud to find food. This bodes well for the weeks ahead as the reserve is a vital rest stop for wading birds on autumn migration from other parts of Europe.”

This desilting work is the first part of a series of improvements to the Inner Marsh Farm area of the RSPB reserve; the site team are hoping to change from sheep grazing to cattle later this year, with a view to tackling the tough rushes and restoring the area to a rich wet grassland. This along with the installation of an electric predator exclusion fence will make it ideal for nesting wading birds.

In addition, the RSPB are currently embarking on a project to fund the replacement of the aging hide, and upgrade the accessibility of the path, bringing the whole site up to the high standard of Burton Mere Wetlands.

For more information on the important work carried out at the reserve as well as upcoming events, visit www.rspb.org.uk/deeestuary

The Leasowe light brigade go Wirral birding

Looking towards Leasowe lighthouse from path to Meols 

The Leasowe light brigade (8 of us in total - not even a squad really) joined Chris bright and early on Saturday.  A wonderful cheery sunny morning with clear views across the river to the wind farm and Formby dunes.

Arriving at the car park it was obvious others had the same idea, besides the early dog walkers, a multitude of birders, telescopes at the ready where either in situ on the sea wall searching through the gulls, or beating a path to the Lingham lane area, where we were to follow. Not a sign of the Iceland gull, but really nice views of a gang to terns, commons and jazzy sandwiches!

Wheatear -Paddocks  Leasowe - L Bimson

On our way, hardly a charge but more of a spring saunter inland, were it was noticeably warmer than on the raised embankment path. The area around Leasowe lighthouse includes scrubland, areas of standing water, wildflower meadows and reedbeds.  We headed down the footpath leading to the paddocks; this whole area behind the coastal embankment is a haven for resting migrants and nesting birds. Chiffchaff and blackcaps were amongst the more common finches in the shrubs and hedges. Early swallows sweeped the fields.  Our pal Sean had visited during the week and had reported wheatear, whinchat and redstart,  so we were pleased to see the first of our targets, a striking wheatear popping  about the fields with others such as linnets, meadow pipits, skylarks and white wagtails, in fact wheatears turned out to be plentiful, over half a dozen in one paddock.  Or second quarry a whinchat was seen distantly through John’s scope further a field, but had flown by the time we got to a closer vantage point.

Moving on to Park Lane by the farm, a party of birders put us on  to the spot the redstart had been seen, sure enough a little further down the lane a couple of telescopes were trained on it! What a beauty, a striking male redstart perched in a field edge shrub, flitting down to the grass and back...marvellous.

Stonechat -N prendergast

No sign of the whinchat so we headed back towards the coastal path which gave us good views of the shore line and of the enclosed common/sandy area. This was to prove fortuitous. Whilst observing some splendid feisty stonechats, sparrows, linnets and goldfinches in a patch of flowering gorse, a whinchat was seen being mobbed by a male stonechat, not happy the other chat was on his patch!

Looking out to sea we focused our attention on a mixture of feeding waders, as well as a little egret and a curlew, no whimbrel today.

Returning through the reed bed area we discussed and observed the differences between chiffchaff and willow warbler, the legs have it apparently; chiffchaffs always dark, willow warbler more pinkish. More blackcaps recorded and a reed bunting, sedge warbler heard but not seen. As well as the migrants, the warmer weather had brought some others out to play. Peacock and Tortoiseshell butterflies flitted about, huge bumble and red-tailed bees explored the grassland, and a yellow flourish of daffodils, primroses and celandines lifted their heads to the blue skies.

Male Blackcap  at leasowe- N prendergast 

Time to leave, however a detour was in the air, a desperate twitch ensued, apparently a blue winged teal was sunning itself at the old RSPB Inner Marsh farm pools.  Well it was only 25 minutes away as the crow flies. 

Kestrel  at IMF -N prendergast

Arriving at the reserve, we were told it was showing well and had been snoozing in front of the hide for 3hrs, however our grand day out was about to end on a slightly sour note, as we approached said hide, the birding community were telling us the bird had moved, as it happened it had moved to the furthest pool from the hide, beyond binos!  An enclave of birders with telescopes packed the far end of the hide, promising if it came into view they would give is a gander, but they weren’t giving up their seats!  After 30mins or so we resignedly gave up the twitch, jobs to do, people to see…we left the enclave to their vigil.  Still the avocets and godwits were resplendent in the sunshine, and the newly arrived whitethroats were ticks for the day.

Oystercatcher and avocets IMF - L Bimson

Our Wirral Day list : 64 species

Little egret, grey heron, mute swan, canada goose, shelduck, gadwall, teal,  mallard, shoveler,  tufted duck, common  scoter, buzzard, kestrel, pheasant, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, ringed plover, lapwing, dunlin, black tailed godwit, curlew, redshank, turnstone, black headed gull, lesser black backed gull , herring gull, sandwich tern, common tern, wood pigeon, skylark, sand martin, swallow, meadow pipit, white wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, redstart, whinchat, stone chat, wheatear, blackbird, house sparrow, mistle thrush, whitethroat, blackcap, chiff chaff, willow  warbler, blue tit, great tit, long tailed  tit, magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, linnet, reed bunting.

River Birket, Leasowe

Bimo

Liverpool RSPB Field trip report

RSPB Leighton Moss Sunday 22/04/12.

16 determined birders ignored the weather forecast and headed out to RSPB Leighton moss. We were not disappointed. 

Our first highlight of the day came with a chance sighting of 3 frolicking Otters, splashing about in the sunshine, observed from the roadside on the way into the reserve the first tick of the day and it wasn't a bird!

Once inside the reserve we were only confined to quarters on  2 occasions - when it really was raining stair-rods, but this proved to be no hardship tucked away  in the reserves  cosy hides observing -  smart spring migrant Garganey. A pair of Great Crested Grebes performing their ‘running on water’ courting ritual, pond weed offerings clenched in beaks. The barbarism of 2 male Moorhens locked in a fighting frenzy, furiously kicking out with their feet.  And the ‘Ahh’ moment? Watching the wobbly antics of 2 clutches of Greylag goslings finding their feet.

Without doubt one of the major events of the trip was the Osprey that flew in from the estuary ahead of a squally band of rain, you’ve never seen so many people move so fast, jostling to get a better view as the bird flew over the Eric Morecambe hide on the look out for its fish dinner. Other diners on the pools, alongside the many Godwits and Redshank were impressive Spotted Redshank, Avocets and Egrets. After lunch the group had a lucky break with a tip off of where to find the lonely, lingering Glossy Ibis, another tick for the day.

A walk round to the public hide rewarded us with some great views of a pair of Marsh Harriers flying low along the tree line and woodland slopes. A comical moment was a peckish Cormorant struggling to swallow a rather large eel, believe me that eel wasn’t going out without a fight; you could see it wriggling all the way down.

The day finished with the group taking a diversion from the road home. Stopping off on the A6 to a riverside spot, where we were told a kingfisher hung out; the bird was there but sadly only a few of us got a fleeting turquoise glimpse of it as it swooped along the riverbank. A dippy Grey Wagtail was a welcome bonus to our tick list.

The tickmasters list recorded 70 species seen and a few that got away, being heard but not observed, Reed warbler, and most frustratingly Cetti's warbler and Bearded Tit...Ping.  

Bar headed goose-Greylag goose-Pheasant-Collared dove-Robin-Woodpigeon-Jackdaw-Mallard-Great tit-Blue tit-Chaffinch-Buzzard-Black headed gull-Coot-Great crested grebe-Pochard-Gadwall-Tufted duck-Garganey-Canada goose-Greenfinch-Lapwing-Teal-Moorhen-Shoveler-Reed bunting-Great spotted woodpecker-Wigeon-Lesser black backed gull-Wren-Blackcap-Bullfinch-Coal tit-Magpie-Marsh tit-Dunnock-Grey heron-Chiff-chaff-Swallow-Spotted redshank-Pied wagtail-Shelduck-Avocet-Redshank-Oystercatcher-Little egret-Black tailed godwit-Carrion crow-Osprey-Meadow pipit-Long tailed tit-Goldfinch-House sparrow-Glossy ibis-Mute swan-Feral pigeon-Kestrel-Sparrowhawk-Marsh harrier-Cormorant-Great black backed gull-Little grebe-House martin-Sand martin-Willow warbler-Grey wagtail-Kingfisher-Skylark -Song Thrush.

A mix of heavy down pours and sunshine, but we didn’t get wet, and a great day out was had by all even if we did leave behind the sea odyssey spectacular.

Cheers

Stores & Laura.