Spring can mean new beginnings and is often signified by the arrival of blossoming trees and frolicking lambs, but it is the Equinox that indicates the official end of winter. 

At Lunt Meadows, the Spring Equinox would have been a crucial event for the Mesolithic community that lived here over 9000 years ago, signalling a new season of growth and abundance. After the long winter months, this would have provided a reason for communities to come together and celebrate. 

Moving forward to modern day, as frosty days and dark nights become a distance memory, new life on the reserve begins to emerge and old wildlife favourites return from their winter migrations. This spring, take a visit to Lunt to see our archaeological site, reflect upon our stone age predecessors, and meet our new arrivals. 

Avocets are resident in the UK all year but make their appearance at Lunt during spring. Spring marks the start of the breeding season and as such sees these magnificent birds move from their wintering sites on the coast to other, more dispersed breeding grounds. You can often see these birds on the western side of the site, wading and feeding in the pools surrounding Avocet Island. Their Latin name (Recurvirostra avosetta), literally meaning ‘upturned bill,’ are further distinguished by their striking pied plumage and long legs. They often return each year to a successful breeding site and can be seen starting to arrive at Lunt from late March, with numbers growing as spring progresses.

Bitterns are easier to spot in the winter, however, as this bird is well camouflaged to its reedbed home it is much more commonly heard than seen. From the archaeological dig site on the eastern side of the reserve you may hear the distinctive ‘boom’ of a male in search of a female. They can be heard from as early as January and can carry on booming throughout spring! The boom of a bittern is a spectacle of nature and, once heard, never forgotten. 

Sadly, this sound was very nearly lost from our countryside after excessive hunting and wetland drainage caused populations to crash to just 11 booming bitterns in 1997. Fortunately, wetland creation and restoration projects have helped see populations bounce back. Here at Lunt Meadows, habitat improvements works and reedbed creation - has helped see the return of the booming bittern to Sefton. 

Spring is a special time on the reserve - much like it was for our stone age ancestors. So, take a visit to Lunt to soak up the sights and sounds of the season and celebrate all things new.  

We are running events throughout spring for visitors, so keep an eye on our website and Facebook page when considering a visit. 

Our work at Lunt Meadows is part of the Mesolithic and Modern Life Project, a partnership project between the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Crosby Soroptimist International, the Museum of Liverpool and University of Chester, Department of History and Archaeology. Only possible thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project aims to enhance the visitor experience of the site while continuing to improve the habitats for wildlife.