Kicking the New Year off in style
Welcome to 2024! It's already been quite a busy one on the Ribble, bird-wise.
Our Christmas walk with Ribble Bird Tours was a bit on the windy side, alongside the hardy bunch of participants the walk threw up an albino Herring Gull foraging on the tide line, a Common Scoter bobbing in the estuary waters and a Ringtail Hen Harrier blown across the marsh at seemingly 200 mph! The windy weather may have deterred the eagerly sought after Marsh Harriers with just two spotted in the mid distance by the trained eye. There are however, around 4 regularly observed hunting across the marsh around Lytham Quays. A couple of Merlins satiated the raptor craving and were spotted braving the gusts.
New dates for up and coming walks January-March will be coming out imminently so keep your eyes peeled for them on our website.
There's no shortage of birds to be seen in the area too, with reports of Snow Bunting in Southport and Cockersands, Great White Egrets on Lytham Marshes and Purple Sandpiper at Fleetwood Marine Lake.
We are also approaching the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, now in its 45th year. A fabulous opportunity to get involved in this citizen science project, which informs us of the bird biodiversity in our gardens. We have witnessed some changes over the years, such as severe declines in the numbers of Song Thrushes, down by 80% since the first Birdwatch in 1979. Whilst House Sparrows remain in the top spot, the total number counted is down 57% since the survey started. The results indicate where we need to better target our conservation efforts and the advice we provide. Our aim being to create a world where wildlife can thrive.
This years Big Garden Birdwatch takes place on 26-28 January, sign up for your pack and to submit your results, or text Bird to 82727.
To help get Big Garden Birdwatch ready there's a fabulous offer on a Big Garden Birdwatch Kit Bag in the Fairhaven Lake Centre too. This special pack is full to the brim with RSPB birdwatching goodies and includes:
RSPB window feeder - perfect for watching the birds up close, attaches to your window with suction cups and is made from non yellowing polycarbonate material.
RSPB Buggy Nibbles 1Kg
RSPB Table Mix 1.8Kg
RSPB Super Suet balls x6
RSPB Mealworm Super Suet cakes x3
When bought together in this kit all of this can be picked up for only £20, saving £12.50 when bought individually.
Observing nature can also boost our wellbeing. Spending time in nature is known to improve our mood and focus, linking to our reptilian or primal brain and allowing feelings of peace and harmony to overtake any of stress and anxiety. Before starting work this morning I myself went for a 20 minute walk, I may have been looking for Waxwings (which I didn't see), but just being out lifted my mood on what is a another damp and grey day. So, I'll be doing my Garden Birdwatch with a brew and a couple of chocolate biscuits and settling down for an hour in anticipation of what I might see this year. I'll also be ensuring I'm stocked up on plenty suet nibbles as that is what the birds visiting my garden seem to eat at a rate of knots! (Not the bird!)
We look forward to seeing you in the Visitor centre to gather up your birdwatching goodies and to let us know what you've seen.