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RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands (aka Inner Marsh Farm)

  Before Inner Marsh Farm Reserve was created, the inner Dee marshes off Denhall Lane and the Decca Station (Decca Pools) were already well known birding hot spots. The grazed saltmarsh attracted huge flocks of wintering lapwing and lesser numbers of Golden Plover. In flood during the autumn tides, good numbers of migrant waders could be seen, especially Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, Ruff and  large numbers of wildfowl, Bewick's Swan, Wigeon and Teal being the main species. In 1986 the RSPB was given the opportunity of purchasing 75 acres of abandoned arable fields at Inner Marsh Farm. The purchase was completed and over the next couple of years a complex of freshwater pools and flood areas were developed. In 1988 the remains of  Burton Point Farm was purchased and the reserve opened in June 1992.  The reserve had 30 hectares of wetland including 3 pools. 6.5 hectares of farmland, which provided feeding, nesting habitat and roosting sanctuaries for wintering wildlife and waders including passage waders. Increased numbers of wetland passerines are managed on Burton Point farm and it has been to the benefit of declining farmland birds. 30 acres of arable field have been converted to an internationally important wetland, designated by the government as SSSI (Sites of special scientific interest) and is a proposed European specially protected award area: Ramsar. In September 2006, the RSPB additionally purchased 194 hectares of saltmarsh and adjacent farmland at Burton Marsh Farm, this addition allowed access to manage around 1,000 hectares of grazable saltmarsh on the English side of the estuary. The purchase connects the existing land holdings of Gayton Sands and Inner Marsh Farm together. The saltmarsh and adjacent Burton Marsh Farm are now protected for posterity. In 2008 Burton Mere fisheries was purchased, this led to the creation of the reserve today, and a name change.

RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands, Puddington Lane, Burton CH64 5SF Click  for  Multimap link

O.S. Map Reference SJ319739. Burton Mere Wetlands is off the A540 (Chester High Rd) and just 10 minutes from the M56. Look out for the brown signposts on the A540. Otherwise turn down Puddington Lane - the reserve entrance is off Puddington Lane just outside Burton Village just past  Bishop Wilson School.

Check before you go? Warden Staff :   0151 353 8478

At the moment approximately 15,000 visitors enjoy the reserve each year. There are 85 spaces (7 disabled) in the car park - please ring for details on parking coaches and larger minibuses

The reception building is open from 9.30am until 5pm (or dusk if sooner). The reserve is open between 9am and 9pm  (or dusk if sooner). There is a modest entrance charge for non  RSPB members - £4 adults, £6 family, £1 kids, £2 concessions (You can join at reception!)

Hot and cold drinks available. Toilets, disabled toilets and Baby-changing facilities on site.  

www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dee-burtonmerewetlands

Burton Mere fisheries and the land to the south-east of the reserve, was sold to the RSPB in 2008, subsequently doubling it's size. The Fishery consisted of large pools, mature woodland and a complex of four lakes once home to angling record catches of a 62lb catfish, 32lb carp and a 24lb rainbow trout, this beautiful area is now  an integral part of the reserve, a  larger wetland/reed bed has been created . The Water lily filled lakes have been retained with seating and picnic tables installed lakeside...watch out for the Kingfisher and the scarce red-eyed damselfly as you eat your lunch! .

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Kids, look out for specially  created animal wood art around the reserve 

The new visitor centre/hide - similar to Leighton Mosses picture window Lilian's hide,  looks over the new wet grassland and pools. A Sand Martin bank is in development, and it is hoped  the newly planted  5 acre reed bed will attract Bitterns and Bearded tits.  Corvids, Herons and Egrets roost in the woods adjacent to the fisheries at the back of the reserve. To date there are approximately 30 pairs of Egrets and 30 pairs of Grey Herons on site. An estimated  250-300 Egrets are now roosting in the woodland, with a record in 2010 of 318. Other wildlife you might just see be lucky to see are resident  Harvest mice, Water voles and Brown hares.

Star species for Burton Mere are Little Egret, Black tailed Godwit, Buzzard, Kingfisher, and Linnet.

Checklist of  birds frequenting the area/passage migrants include Great Cormorant, Shelduck, Wigeon, Common Teal,  Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Shorteared Owl, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Oystercatcher, Little Egret Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Red Knot, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Jack Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull,  Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Kingfisher, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Water rail, Chaffinch, Brambling, Greenfinch, Linnet, Twite, Reed Bunting, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Little Stint and Green and Curlew Sandpipers,Whooper and Bewick swans, Reed and Grasshopper Warblers, Reed Bunting, Pipits,Wheatear, Fieldfare and Redwing

There are two main hides  : the reception building and Marsh Covert hide - and several viewpoints. More screens to come in the future. Alongside the reception building are bird feeding station areas

There are three nature trails currently:

Gorse Covert Woodland Trail (600m) meanders  through woodland that is full of bluebells and birdsong in the Spring. Autumn offers a burst of colour. It can get muddy in wet weather. 

Burton Mere trail (900m and fully accessible) A splendid stroll around the old mere (fisheries) which in Summer is covered in lily pads with dozens of dragonflies. If your lucky you may see a Kingfisher

Reed and Fen trail : leading to the Marsh Covert Hide and fully accessible, this trail is sandwiched between our new reedbed and wet woodland - in spring it is a wall of warbler song.

It is hoped by Spring 2012 a trail extension will see it joining the Old Inner Marsh Farm reserve path which takes you to the  'bench viewpoint' and over to Burton Point . 2  trails yet to be opened: Farm and Willow trail and the Hillfort Trail

Click map for larger image