Dads go free this Father’s Day at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands

Family trial - David Levensen RSPB  images

Enjoy a family day out at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands, near Neston this Father’s Day and dads will be treated to free entry, to marvel at the wildlife spectacles on offer. Dozens of elegant avocets, one of the nature reserve’s star birds and the emblem of the RSPB, will be on view with their youngsters. A stroll along the nature trails will serenade visitors with birdsong, whilst the wildflowers, butterflies and dragonflies add a rainbow of colour. 

On the day and throughout June families can also take part in the ‘Wonderful Wildflowers’ trail - a self-led quiz to discover more about the incredible variety of flowers at Burton Mere Wetlands. Normal admission charges apply to non-members, no additional charge for the event. Available 9.30am-4.30pm daily in March.

On any day Explorer Backpacks are available for families to hire, packed with everything needed to discover more about the creatures that call Burton Mere Wetlands home. No booking required, cost £3. Self-led den building is also available close to the visitor facilities, at no additional cost.

Visitors can enjoy some lunch at the reserve, with a variety of fresh, locally-made sandwiches available to buy daily along with hot and cold drinks and a range of snacks.

Venue: RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands, Puddington Lane, Burton, Cheshire, CH64 5SF

Contact: For further details visit www.rspb.org.uk/burtonmerewetlands or phone the visitor reception on 0151 353 2720.

Record-breaking year for bird that fronts the RSPB logo

On the day of the charity’s Annual General Meeting it has been revealed that the avocet, a bird once close to extinction in the UK and the emblem of the RSPB, has enjoyed a record breaking year across RSPB reserves. 

Avocets

Mike Clarke, RSPB’s Chief Executive, said: “Where avocets lead, nature follows. The arrival of avocets on the Suffolk coast in 1947 heralded our continuing relationship with this special place. Minsmere is now a flagship RSPB reserve, beloved by the many visitors that are drawn to the wildlife spectacle. Since avocets colonised Minsmere, they’ve been crucial for the survival of many species, including bitterns and marsh harriers, and under our care is home to a wealth of wildlife.

“Avocets continue to take up residence around the country – often colonising places that we and others have created for them. They are a symbol of conservation success – and the reason they feature as the logo of the RSPB.”

This year, Minsmere celebrated what was the best breeding season for avocets in almost 30 years, with 58 chicks being successfully reared.

Ian Barthorpe, Visitor Experience Officer at RSPB Minsmere, said: “We’re thrilled to have had such a successful breeding season on the reserve this year. Avocets hold great symbolic significance for Minsmere, and they attract thousands of visitors to the reserve each year who hope to get a closer look at these beautiful and unusual birds.” 

The long-legged bird also reached a record number of 172 pairs on Cliffe Pools reserve in North Kent, the highest number recorded at Cliffe and one of the highest concentrations ever recorded in the UK. Habitat work undertaken at the nature reserve has led to the creation of individual islands which have been successful in enabling avocets to use these areas as secure nesting sites, away from predators.

Further north, avocets were amongst many wader species to nest at Middleton Lakes in Staffordshire this year, representing the first breeding of avocets in the county. Frampton Marsh reserve in Lincolnshire welcomed their best ever year; the number of breeding pairs reached 81 compared to 0 in 2008 due to their dynamic management work. Small ‘nursery pools’ have been created on wet grassland which are ideal for chicks to feed on as they offer protection from predators. Record numbers were also recorded at the Dee Estuary reserve in Cheshire due to efforts to improve an anti-predator fence last winter. 

With autumn now upon us, the number of wintering avocets will soon reach approximately 7,500 across the country. Poole Harbour in Dorset attracts a huge wintering colony of avocets, with numbers having risen from 25 to almost 2000 in just 30 years, now accounting for an astonishing 40% of the UK wintering population, making it the most important British wintering site.

Pioneering science, saving species from the brink and working with landowners and businesses are amongst the major RSPB successes from the past 12 months. Other notable successes, which will be celebrated at this year’s AGM include; RSPB’s partnership with Crossrail in breaching the seawall at Wallasea Island; tracking the migration route of a turtle dove for the first time; and taking on the management of the world-famous Sherwood Forest Country Park and visitor centre. 

With over 200 nature reserves across the county, there is an abundance of wonderful wildlife out there to be seen and opportunities to get closer to the natural world. So far we’ve discovered 16,000 species on RSPB reserves, including a multitude of moths, mosses, molluscs and mammals, and we think there are many more still to be recorded. To find a site near you visit www.rspb.org.uk/reserves

Head behind the scenes at RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh and witness a wildlife spectacle

BROWN HARE - CHRIS GORMERSALL RSPB

There is a wonderful wildlife spectacle to witness on the Ribble Estuary as the breeding season gets underway, with fantastic views of nesting birds and other wildlife to be had – and what better way to experience this than on a guided walk with the RSPB at Hesketh Out Marsh.

Thanks to a £43,000 grant from The Veolia Environmental Trust, which was awarded through the Landfill Communities Fund, the RSPB has transformed this saltmarsh reserve from fields back into a thriving home for nature, with the creation of new pools and the provision of nesting sites attracting a range of wildlife.

Now the team are offering people the chance to join a guided ‘Springwatch-walk’ at the reserve, near Hesketh Bank, on Saturday 23 May and take a look behind the scenes to see the recent changes and the wildlife spectacle that the nesting birds provide.

John Langley, Assistant Warden for RSPB Ribble Reserves, said: “Thanks to the funding from The Veolia Environmental Trust, we have been able to turn the reserve back into a wonderful, tidal wetland, with the new pools offering a variety of wildlife a home, including avocets, redshanks, peregrines and brown hares.

“It is a truly fantastic site and a guided walk is a great way to find out more about the wildlife here and the changes we have made on the marsh. We hope as many people as possible come and join us.”

Paul Taylor, the Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, added: “It is great to hear that this project has been a success. It has brought many benefits for birds and people and is a great example of how the Trust and the Landfill Communities Fund can both help improve habitats and make it possible for more people to experience and enjoy the natural world. I look forward to hearing about the reserve thriving in the future.”

The guided walk will include some moderate periods of walking along footpaths and sturdy footwear and waterproof clothing is essential.

This event will cost £4 for RSPB members and £5 for non-members. Booking is essential, please call the Ribble Discovery Centre on 01253 796292 to book your place.

Meet at 2pm at the Hesketh Out Marsh car park, Dib Road off Shore Road, between Hesketh Bank and Banks villages.

For more information about Hesketh Out Marsh, please visit rspb.org.uk/heskethoutmarsh

Pools set to improve home for nature at RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh

RSPB Hesketh viewing platform

New pools are being created at RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh to help give nature a home and provide more feeding areas for the reserve’s special nesting birds.

In a bid to improve the site for birds such as lapwings, redshanks and avocets, shallow ditches are being dug and dams installed to hold water. Land drains, which were installed when the area was farmed, are also being removed to increase the wetness of the site.

The work has been made possible by a grant of £48,786 awarded by The Veolia Environmental Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Tony Baker, RSPB Ribble Sites Manager, said: “The work to retain some water on the marsh at low tide will make the site much more attractive to wildlife and as a result, we hope to encourage more visitors to come and see the incredible nature this area has to offer.

“Increasing the wetness of the site is especially important in dry spells like we enjoyed this year, when the wet edges will help the parent birds supply insects for their hungry chicks to eat.”

The Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor, added: “We support community and environmental projects across the UK and it is great to hear that this scheme is going well. I look forward to hearing about how the works are benefiting birdlife, and, in turn, creating a wildlife haven for all to enjoy.”

The work builds on the initial restoration of the site, which took place between 2006 and 2008. This saw the reserve transform from a featureless field into a vibrant saltmarsh providing a home for a variety of wildlife.

Hesketh Out Marsh was isolated from the estuary in 1980 by a private developer and was used for growing crops until the RSPB purchased the land in 2006.  Due to rising sea levels, we urgently need to replace some of the saltmarsh being lost in the UK.  Every year an area the size of 140 football pitches (140 hectares) disappears beneath the waves.  In partnership with the Environment Agency, we have restored the land to saltmarsh and pools.  The tide is now free to flow in and out twice daily. Soil taken from the restored creeks and pools has been used to build stronger sea defences to protect homes and farmland inland. The project has created more homes for wildlife and better protection from flooding for people

The restoration of Hesketh Out Marsh forms part of the Ribble Coast and Wetlands Futurescape, an ambitious conservation project in which the RSPB is aiming to work with a range of partners to create a network of linked wildlife havens across the area.

For details about Hesketh Out Marsh visit www.rspb.org.uk/heskethoutmarsh.

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