Birdwatching at RSPB Marshside Southport, Jewel of the Ribble

RSPB Marshside - Jewel of the Ribble

Marshside is one of the best places for birdwatching on the internationally important Ribble Estuary, which holds more birds than any other estuary in the UK. Upto 40.000 birds in winter.

Marshside has some of the best lowland wet grassland in the north-west of England, including the habitats of swamp, saltmarsh and scrub with 11 km of ditches. (Migrant hawker dragonflies patrol the ditches on sunny days). It is an important refuge in winter for Pink-footed geese, Wigeons, Black-tailed Godwits and Golden Plovers and in spring provides nesting places for Lapwings, Redshanks, Shovelers and Skylarks.

A favourite haunt of upto 4,000 Golden Plover this area also attracts up to 1,500 Black-tailed Godwit and small numbers of Ruff, with ‘lekking’ spring males reported recently. Other typical waders of the area are Snipe and Curlew. Rarer visitors seen recently are Little Egret, Spoonbill, Marsh Harrier and a variety of waders such as Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint on passage. On the seashore Bar tailed Godwit, Knot, Sanderling, Dunlin, Ringed and Grey Plover can be seen.

Birds of prey regularly hunt the area such as Peregrine, Merlin, Hen Harrier and rarer the Short-eared Owl. Flocks of smaller birds which feed on the saltmarsh and scrub along marine drive include various finches & buntings, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Whitethroats and the occasional Twite flock.

Marshside is managed by cattle grazing every summer to keep the grass in good condition for breeding ducks-Garganey, Teal and Shoveler and waders Redshank, Lapwing, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover and recently Avocets. Other wildlife you may see are Hares ‘boxing’ in the early morning.

The first flowers to appear at Marshside each year are daisies, these are followed by masses of buttercups, then red and white clover and marsh orchids and finally red bartis and yellow autumn hawkbit. After the first frosts of winter, the leaves of sedges and rushes give the marsh a rusty glow.

Marshside has 2 hides and 2 viewing screens, Wheelchair - friendly paths and a rough path round the entire perimeter of the reserve. Toilet facilities.

(Click on images for larger view) Images © of the photographers

The RSPB on the Ribble

The Ribble is one of the longest rivers in North West England. From its source in the limestone country of the Yorkshire Dales, it flows south-west through Lancashire , meandering through a wide glacial valley, gently rolling hills and pastureland.The estuary it creates between Blackpool and Southport is the UK's most important river estuary for wintering birds such as Whooper and Bewick's Swans, Pink-footed Geese, Wigeons, Knots, Dunlins, Sanderlings, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits. An incredible 250,000 birds make the estuary their winter home every year.

Hesketh Out Marsh - a reserve in the making?

Update Feb 07:

Land purchase of 170 hectares has gone through for Hesketh Out Marsh Site. The land is currently farmed , but when the the outer sea defences are breached by the Enviromental agency, water from the Ribble will create a haven for breeding birds. The new reserve will restore the coastal landscape to how it was before the land was reclaimed from the sea a quarter of a century ago. Work is expected to start in March and will include the excavation of former creeks, construction of a new embankment to Hesketh Outer Marsh East, and strengthening of the existing sea defences around Hesketh Out Marsh West.

Subject to a successful planning application, we plan to recreate 168 ha of estuarine wetland nature reserve at Hesketh Out Marsh, on the southern shores of the Ribble Estuary.

The project will see us working with the Environment Agency and other organisations and, while ensuring flood protection is maintained, will also result in a new RSPB nature reserve, creating saltmarsh, saline lagoons and muddy creeks. This will provide improved habitat for breeding waders, and will also provide a new, recreational asset for the local community and visiting walkers.

The works will require the construction of a new embankment, strengthening the existing inner embankment and breaching the existing outer embankments around Hesketh Out Marsh West. Material resulting from the re-creation of the tidal creek system will be used to upgrade the sea defences.

Hesketh Out Marsh West will become one site within the wider RSPB strategy for the Ribble area. The site will have some low key visitor facilities such as viewing areas and seating. The reserve will be accessed by foot. As part of the scheme, it is proposed to extend the network of dedicated footpaths in the area and to complete the Lancashire Coastal Path route, providing great wildlife views over the proposed RSPB reserve.

Map of Ribble Estuary

2008 update

The first steps towards the creation of an RSPB reserve at Hesketh Out Marsh on the southern shores of the Ribble took place late in 2006 with the purchase of 180 ha of arable farmland and surrounding sea-walls near Hesketh Bank. The land had previously been saltmarsh, reclaimed from the sea in 1980 by the creation of an outer (private) sea wall. It was subsequently converted to arable, but the land is now being returned to saltmarsh with creeks, saline pools and mudflats, via the process of managed realignment.

This process involves breaching the outer sea wall in strategic places, while at the same time strengthening the inner sea wall, resulting in the reinstatement of a semi-natural tidal regime, so hastening a return to saltmarsh. Four breaches are to be made in 2008.

The prime habitat will be a fine example of actively-developing saltmarsh at one of the largest sites of its kind in Europe. We are confident that the new marsh will soon support a wide range of saltmarsh plants together with nationally-important high tide wader roosts, important breeding wader populations and significant populations of breeding and wintering passerines and raptors

In March 2007, we ploughed up some areas to give the lapwings somewhere to nest away from the Environment Agency diggers and dumpers engaged in digging out creeks and pools. After a slow start, the lapwings took to these very well and twelve of the nineteen or so pairs nested in the plots and every one of the eight pairs of oystercatchers used them.

The numbers of small birds increased through the season and by the end there were probably even more than the estimated 30 pairs of skylarks nesting. Seven pairs of reed buntings and eight of corn buntings were the other "important" farmland bird nesters. The newly-flooded creeks have attracted a few new birds and six green sandpipers were surprise guests. There have been no redshanks nesting here for many years, a situation we hope will rapidly change once the tides return to the site.

The bulk of the digging is now finished, but much remains to be done before the breaches in the outer bank are made - which will probably take place next summer. If you are interested in helping out with the project and you have bird-counting, surveying or report-writing skills do get in touch with me on 01704 536378 or Tony.Baker@rspb.org.uk. Ribble Sites Manager