RSPB Fairhaven Lake celebrates a super successful Summer Term with an unprecedented number of school visits!
Getting out in nature has never been more important for our young people and we are celebrating a bumper Summer season, which can also been seen across our fantastic network of nature reserves. Pre-covid over 32,000 children from across England, Wales and Scotland took part in the Schools on Reserves programme nationally, and it looks like we have smashed that number this year.
We're not stopping there either and are already chomping at the bit to get more children out in Autumn. Our dedicated Education Team have a suite of curriculum linked sessions that encourage discovery, exploration and hands on learning. Ensuring that the visit is loads of fun, informative and connected to the habitats on-site.
The ‘Council for Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge’ accreditation also assures schools that our sessions are of high quality, safe and are well resourced.
Follow the link for further information and booking.
What's been going on at Marshside and Hesketh out Marsh?
Our wardens at Marshside and Hesketh out Marsh sites have been incredibly busy this Summer too. If you have recently visited you may have noticed our plans being set into place. Not only have we seen new viewing screens installed at Junction Viewpoint, you may also have spotted one or two of our new benches. Proving popular resting spots for many a visitor.
We have also been very busy repairing Nel's Hide after the vandalism earlier in the year. Thanks to our fantastic fundraisers, a substantial donation from the Liverpool Local Group and another local Community Charity Giving donation we have been able to not only repair the damage but future proof the hide, with the addition of a strong and robust door and other anti vandalism mechanisms. Out of hours viewing screens have also been put in place, allowing for day round viewing too.
Nel's Hide out of hours viewing screen by Wes
Our reserves are not only managed to provide a good visitor experience they are of course primarily managed for wildlife. This means constantly monitoring and changing the landscape to best suit those species it is of specific habitat for. In the case of both of our reserves that's waders and wildfowl. In the Summer we prepare the land (and the water) so it's suitable habitat for breeding birds such as Avocet, Lapwing and Redshank amongst others. In the case of Hesketh out Marsh we hope for Arctic Terns.
This year at Crossen's Marsh we have restored ditches and installed new water control structures, allowing for greater control of water levels all year round. Contractors have been busy on Rainford's Lagoon, pushing spoil material into it and thus creating new islands. And, at Sutton's Marsh ditches have recently been cleared by the removal of Sea Club-rush. Club-rush is a very common plant on marshes and tends to build up to the point it prevents the flow of water in the ditches. It's removed methodically, down one side of the ditch to ensure minimum disturbance. Whilst over at Hesketh out Marsh bunds have been repaired to ensure the integrity of the islands which are so important for breeding Avocet.
Like life, work on reserves is a cycle, we are now preparing for the Autumn and Winter. The wet muddy areas we currently have that are so fabulous for passage waders such as the Curlew Sandpipers we have recently observed will give way to slightly wetter areas. The water will be controlled to allow for the creation of pools for the over-wintering wildfowl that are also arriving.
In the Visitor Centre at Fairhaven Lake we now have Christmas stock available. Cards and calendars are very popular so make sure you grab yours whilst we have them. Our wide range of binoculars and telescopes can also make a great gift for many a nature lover.
If you'd like to brush up your wader and wildfowl identification then join one of our Autumn Wader Wanders with Ribble Bird Tours from the Fairhaven Lake Visitor Centre. Check out the link here for dates up to December. Booking is essential to secure your space as they can be very popular.
See you out and about in the Autumn air
Jo
Photos School children on the mudflat by Jo, Curlew Sandpiper and Ruff by Martin Campell and Nel's Hide and Junction viewing screens by Wes