Marshside Nature Reserve

Located on the Ribble Estuary, Marshside is one of the RSPB's newest nature reserves. It was leased from Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council in 1994.

Grazing the Marshes
The cows that graze the marshes in summer create conditions that are attractive to birds all the year round. Lapwings, golden plovers and the rarer blacktailed godwits and ruffs find their food more easily on the close-cropped turf.

In winter, thousands of wildfowl arrive to graze the short marsh grasses. The Ribble Estuary is the most important site in Britain for the wigeon, a winter visitor that nests in Russia and Scandinavia. Over 100,000 may be present on the estuary, with up to 10,000 of these at Marshside. Wigeon are the only ducks to feed almost entirely on grass during the winter months, selecting the shorter, finer grasses. The grassland becomes wet and usually floods in winter. The shallow floods attract a great variety of waterfowl, including teal and shoveler.

The pink-footed geese, which nest in Iceland, prefer to graze the drier grassland and also visit the mosses inland. South-west Lancashire may hold a fifth of the world population during the winter.

Swamp and saltmarsh
The areas of the nature reserve that are too wet for cattle to graze have developed into either freshwater swamp with reedbeds, or small areas of saltmarsh. In summer the reedbeds have reed buntings and reed warblers, and marsh orchids grow around the edges.

Estuary Birds
The whole of the estuary - including Marshside - is protected under European law as a Special ProtectionArea (SPA) and internationally recognised as an important site for wintering wildfowl, ducks and waders under the Ramsar Convention. Much of the estuary is also protected within the Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve which is managed by English Nature.

Huge flocks of wading birds visit the mudflats on migration or spend the winter there. Some of these birds visit the reserve to roost when particularly high tides cover their feeding areas. Wading birds such as oystercatcher, dunlin, sanderling, knot, grey plover and bar-tailed godwit make spectacular synchronised flights as the tide comes in. Birds of prey, including hen harrier, merlin, peregrine, sparrowhawk, kestrel and short-eared owl, hunt the small birds and animals that live in this intertidal zone.

Early Days
Marshside is in its infancy as a nature reserve and our plans for its future are still developing as we learn more about the area. Priority will be given to getting the cattle grazing just right for the birds and improving the distribution of the water. We plan to build hides accessible to wheelchairs and to further improve the footpaths and parking facilities so that more people can enjoy the reserve.

The warden is always pleased to hear from anyone who would like to help in any way with the work of the RSPB.

Marshside - 2 miles/3 km north of Southport town centre on the coastal road (Marine Drive).
Tel: 01704 233003 (9 am to 5 pm).

VISITING

By train - to Southport from Liverpool and Manchester

By bus - local buses 4, 4A and 104 (from Lord Street) stop at the Elswick Road/ Marshside Road junction 100 yards from the reserve.

By car - parking is off Marine Drive opposite the junction with Marshside Road.

Toilets - nearest are next to Churchtown Medical Centre, at 'The Plough' roundabout or at the Pier (the latter also has facilities for disabled users).

Opening times:
The reserve can be viewed from the roads alongside the reserve. Hide open daily 8.30 am to 5 pm when staffing allows; groups wishing to use the hide should book in advance.

Birdwatch hides:
One, which is wheelchair accessible.

WHEN ON THE RESERVE LOOK AND LISTEN FOR ...

In the spring (March to May)