|
ACCESS
TO SEAFORTH NATURE RESERVE
The
Port Police and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company
have recently agreed to increase the number of passes
issued to birdwatchers.
In
order to qualify, birders must be members of the Lancashire
Wildlife Trust.
Entry
to the Port of Liverpool is tightly controlled under
international regulations regarding port security.
Anyone entering the docks is required to hold a personal
pass and a vehicle pass, both issued by the Port Police.
Passes
will be issued for a period of two years. They must
be obtained in person from the Port Police once the
application has been forwarded to them by the Wildlife
Trust. A charge of £10.00 will be made to cover the
Port Police's administrative costs.
Please
note that every visitor needs a pass; a vehicle pass
does not give entitlement to bring non-passholders
into the docks.
In
view of the cost and processing time of the applications,
we anticipate that only those who use the reserve
regularly will wish to obtain a pass.
The
existing system, whereby groups or individuals can
gain access provided they give 7 days notice, will
not be affected.
Contact
Steve White by email at swhite@lancswt.org.uk or write
to Seaforth Nature Reserve, Port of Liverpool, L21
1JD. Please do not contact the Port Police directly.
Nearest
town: Crosby (Liverpool)
Grid reference: SJ318971, Landranger 108
An
area of 30ha in the heart of the Liverpool Docks at
the mouth of the Mersey, comprising two lagoons surrounded
by tipped infill, and a small reedbed. A major roosting
site for waders and seabirds; large numbers of ducks
in winter; nationally important for spring passage
Little Gulls.
Gulls:
Many thousands, predominantly Black-headed, Common,
Herring, Lesser and Great Black-backed, roost - especially
at high water in autumn, winter and spring. 15 species
recorded include Ross's and Bonaparte's; Yellow-legged
regular; particularly in autumn and winter, Ring-billed
annual; Mediterranean seen most days. Little Gulls
seen at any time of the year; winter storms bring
birds in from the Irish Sea to shelter but most spectacular
is the spring passage from the last week of March
to the first week of May, when up to 500 gather en
route to their breeding grounds in Finland.
Seabirds:
Cormorants roost on the reserve daily but are most
common in autumn, when huge numbers (up to 900) shelter
from storms. Terns: Up to 2000 Common Terns roost
in late summer. Small numbers of Sandwich and Little
in both spring and autumn; Arctic regular, mainly
in spring; Roseate annual in summer; Black annual,
usually in autumn; Forster's, White-winged Black and
Gull-billed also recorded. Colony of Common Terns
breeds on rafts.
Ducks:
Up to 1000 Teal in winter with other dabbling species.
Winter diving species include Pochard and Tufted,
but of more significance are regular flocks of Scaup
and Goldeneye. American Wigeon, Smew, Long-tailed
and Ferruginous Ducks also recorded.
Waders:
38 species of waders recorded. The bulk of the high-tide
roost is made up of just two species: Redshank (up
to 2000) and Oystercatcher (up to 1000), together
with smaller flocks of Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Curlew.
Turnstone, Knot, Black- and Bar-tailed Godwit are
regular, while 50 or more Snipe and two or so Jack
Snipe can be seen in winter. Common Sandpiper, Little
Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Little Stint
and Curlew Sandpiper are regular during passage periods.
Scarcer species include Temminck's Stint, Purple,
Green and Wood Sandpipers and Red-necked and Grey
Phalaropes. Rarities include Kentish Plover, Pacific
Golden Plover, Long-billed Dowitcher, White-rumped,
Buff-breasted, Marsh and Terek Sandpipers.
Passerines:
The main focus of attention is during spring and autumn,
when White Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and Wheatears feed
in hundreds on the rabbit-grazed grassland. Yellow
Wagtails and Whinchats are regular but becoming less
numerous. Rare ground-feeding species recorded include
Red-throated Pipit, Pied Wheatear, Bluethroat, Song
Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow. Scattered scrub
supports small numbers of migrating warblers. Rarities
include Icterine, Yellow-browed and Blackpoll Warblers.
Other
birds: Large numbers of Swifts and hirundines
feed over the freshwater pool during spring and summer.
Little Swift has been recorded.
Visible
migration: With the right weather conditions in
autumn, huge numbers of passerines fly over; most
numerous are Meadow Pipit, Skylark, hirundines, Swift,
Chaffinch, Redwing and Fieldfare. Raptor migration
is unpredictable but occurs in spring and autumn with
Osprey and Marsh Harrier seen most years. Rarities
include Red Kite, Black Kite, Honey Buzzard and Red-footed
Falcon.
Further
information: Wader roosts form 2-3 hours before
high tide. Gull numbers are less affected by tides,
with late morning and the afternoon generally best.
Three hides are located by the freshwater lagoon.
There are no seawatching facilities. Toilet facilities
are located in the visitor centre.
|
