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Information
Oglet Bay lies on the north bank
of the River Mersey in the middle estuary. Here clay cliffs line
the river while the bay itself comprises of banks of mud and
salt marsh. The Mersey is of international
importance for wildfowl and waders and along this stretch of
river is one of the few accessible viewpoints for seeing these
birds.
The Mersey Way runs along
the cliff top here making viewing easy, access to the river
banks are from Dungeon Lane in Speke near to Liverpool Airport
or from Hale Village. The farm fields and woods above the river
are host to many birds with mixed flocks of finches roving the
fields during the colder months. Out in the bay waders and
wildfowl can be seen all year round, with large influxes in the
winter, with its mud banks and salt marsh Oglet Bay is a major
feeding and and roosting area for these birds.
Large flocks of Dunlin can be seen as they swirl around in ever
changing patterns, out on the mud banks Curlew, Black Tailed
Godwits, Grey Plover and several other species can be observed
feeding off the many invertebrates which live in the mud. Over
the Winter Teal numbers rapidly increase and fill every creek
and gully along the salt marsh's with the Shelduck providing a
striking pattern a little further off shore. Across the river
Wigeon feed on the areas of salt marsh between Ellesmere Port
and Runcorn .
The living to be made off
these rich pickings entices numbers of raptors with peregrines
a regular sight along with other avian predators.
Hale point by the occupied, but long inoperative
lighthouse provides a good migration observation point
during the spring and autumn movements, especially in the early
morning.
 
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Images © of the photographers
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