Kingfisher success

Ribble Reserves Blog w/c 11.11.19

Our new Ribble Reserves blog combines news from all our Ribble reserve sites; Marshide, Hesketh out Marsh and the Ribble Discovery Centre, providing you with all the latest up to date information about sightings, events, shop offers and educational visits.

Ribble Discovery Centre

Success! The Fairhaven Lake kingfisher no longer eludes himself from the us at the RSPB Ribble Discovery Centre!  He is becoming quite bold and has been seen on the fence at the marina, using this as a hunting perch to look into the shallow lake water.  Kingfishers hunt small fish and other aquatic invertebrates.  It's fantastic to see this bird still here and it suggests that the lake has enough food to sustain him.  Lets hope this continues through the winter months.

Kingfisher Photo credit: Ben Andrew RSPB-images

Educational visits

We've really hit the winter season now, but there are still many bookings coming in for the Spring and Summer term.  Our keystage 2 "Investigating coasts" session has been very popular this term.  This session takes place up on the sand dunes, which is a fantastic place to be.  Children often feel they are on top of the world there.  The view is amazing, looking right across the estuary to our friends over at Marshside.  On a really clear day you can even see North Wales.  This session is again hands on, providing an opportunity to design a sea wall defence.  This really encourages children to work in teams and apply knowledge they have learnt in the session.  If you are interested in booking an educational school visit please contact out learning officer Jo Taylor at jo.taylor@rspb.org.uk. 

View from the sand dunes across the Estuary. Photo credit: Jo Taylor

Visitor Centre and family events

VBA are currently working on the sluice gate in the lake.  The sluice gate will allow the lake to refresh automatically in conjunction with the tides.  Whilst working on this, the company have recovered the original sluice gate machinery.  This machinery required an operative to turn it to actually open the gate in order o refresh the lake.  It's looking like this machinery will now have a home somewhere in the new visitor centre as part of the funding re development of the site.

Photo credit Steve Ball

Shop

It's nearly Christmas jumper time!

Photo credit: Jo Taylor

Check out our robin Christmas jumpers in stock now!  Perfect for the festive season!

We've currently got 50% off 3 Kg bags of High Energy Suet Sprinkles until 19.11.19 and 20% off 12.75 Kg bags of High Energy Suet Sprinkles and Buggy Nibbles normally £39.99 and now £31.99!