Record-breaking bird settles into new home at RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh

It’s smiles all round for staff and volunteers at RSPB Hesketh Out Marsh after efforts to create a safe home for a record-breaking bird have proven to be successful.

Both Arctic and common terns are now nesting safely at the reserve after the team placed two brand new purpose-built rafts out on site, thanks to funding of £43,026 from The Veolia Environmental Trust, which was awarded through the Landfill Communities Fund. Covered in cockle shells to replicate the shingle beaches where they would normally nest, the tern rafts help to protect the eggs and chicks of these delightful birds from predators.

The Arctic tern is famous for holding the record for the longest migration of any bird – over 25,000 miles every year all the way from Antarctica. It is an uncommon bird in North West England, with the Ribble Estuary at the southern limit of its breeding range. These incredible creatures can now be seen gracefully patrolling over the reserve’s newly-created lagoons, before stooping to catch a fish from the surface.

Nick Godden, RSPB Ribble Reserves Warden, said: “The day after we put the two tern rafts out, there were birds already investigating them. It is so exciting to see these birds nesting on the purpose built rafts so soon and we are really hoping they will be successfully raising chicks in a few weeks’ time.

“Of course, it’s not just terns that are making themselves at home at Hesketh Out Marsh. Visitors can expect to see other fantastic wildlife such as redshanks, brown hares and nesting avocets, all set against the atmospheric backdrop of the stunning song of the skylark. With summer in the air, it’s the perfect time to come and visit and get closer to nature.”

The terns are the latest creatures to make a home at the site since the RSPB transformed wheat fields back into a thriving home for nature eight years ago. The new pools and nesting sites – created thanks to the £43,026 grant from The Veolia Environmental Trust - are giving visitors a chance to get better views of wildlife at the reserve than ever before.

The Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor, added: “It is great to hear that this important project is achieving what it set out to do. The results show that the Landfill Communities Fund makes a real difference to England and Wales’ biodiversity. I look forward to hearing about the continued growth of the tern population in the future.” 

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

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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