We’ve reached the end of the second lockdown and for some locals, Burton Mere Wetlands remaining open throughout was vital for them to get regular exercise, fresh air and see a few friendly faces – all at a safe distance, of course.
As we exit lockdown, Cheshire will be under Tier 2 local restrictions from Wednesday 2 December which means we are able to reopen some of the facilities that were closed during lockdown, namely the hides.
Everything else will continue largely as it has been throughout lockdown, with a staffed outdoor welcome point, takeaway refreshments available and toilets open. However, our opening hours will be shortened slightly to 10am to 4pm daily throughout the middle of winter; this applies to all the facilities including the hides, though the car park and trails will still be accessible from 9am as normal.
To help keep you and our team safe, we will not be opening our visitor centre at this time. Additionally, our mail order shop will remain closed, due to insufficient capacity of the stock warehouse to process extra orders in the busy period up to Christmas, owing to the huge growth in popularity of the RSPB online shop whilst all our stores were closed during lockdown. This will be reviewed in the new year.
So, from Wednesday, visitors will be able to use Bunker hide, overlooking the main scrape, and Marsh Covert hide, with views into the reedbed and across Bridge Pool’s wet grassland. As before lockdown, please follow all signage and verbal instructions from the welcome team regarding face coverings being worn in hides, and their maximum capacity.
As always, please follow the latest Government guidance around hygiene, social distancing, the rule of six and travelling within Tier 2 areas. Residents of Tier 3 areas are advised to avoid travelling outside of their area. For the latest RSPB Covid-19 updates please visit: http://bit.ly/ReservesCovidUpdates
The long-awaited new hide at the far side of the reserve adjacent to the railway line is finished, although will not open until early in the new year as we await the conclusion of the new electric fence installation in that area, as well as allowing the warden team to carry out the winter habitat management without causing disturbance to visitors in the hide.
We are, however, delighted to reveal the name of the new hide; after much deliberation, it’s geographical position virtually atop the invisible but significant line dividing England and Wales, and already having a similarly titled pool, resulted in the name Border hide being chosen. Here’s a sneak peek of how it looks and feels inside – so spacious!
The triple-aspect hide gives improved views onto Centenary Pool which Inner Marsh Farm hide looked onto, but with a more northerly outlook making it better in the morning sun. The new location, around 100 yards south of Inner Marsh Farm hide, means far better views onto Border Pool, and the surrounding wet grassland which can be packed with grazing wildfowl and probing waders in winter, then dotted with nesting waders in spring into summer – especially once it has the completed electric fence around it to deter ground predators.
Last week certainly marked the end of an era as Inner Marsh Farm hide, built and opened in 1992, was carefully dismantled by contractors who were completing the approach to the new hide, in order for the fencing contractors to complete their job. Many of us have incredible memories of time spent birdwatching in that hide, and I vividly remember my first day in the job a decade ago when I walked down from Burton Point Farm for the first of countless times.
It’s certainly been a busy autumn, and if you haven’t been able to visit us recently, we look forward to welcoming you back over winter and showing you the improvements that have been made, along with our usual winter wildlife spectacles of pink-footed geese, hen harriers and colourful thrushes and finches to name just a few.