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| Hesketh Out Marsh on the Ribble Estuary, Lancashire. |
Hesketh Out Marsh showing the RSPB reserve (RSPB images).
Hesketh Out Marsh is a relatively new RSPB reserve (officially opened autumn 2009) on the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire. The land was claimed from the estuary in the 80's and was basically crops until returned to saltmarsh as part of a coastal realignment project in 2009. Full details can be seen on the RSPB website here.
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| Map showing Hesketh Out Marsh recording areas. However the whole area provides good birding for most of the year, although the autumn and winter months are undoubtedly the best. The map above shows the HOM recording area which extends east to the confluence of the Ribble and the Douglas. |
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| Hesketh out Marsh RSPB flooded by a 9+ metre tide on the Ribble (area 6 on map). |
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| High tide birding from the seawall. |
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| Karen's Viewpoint overlooking the RSPB reserve, spring 2010. Note the dry condition before saltmarsh development. |
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| High tide September 2010 after saltmarsh development. |
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| Wet fields south of the RSPB reserve provided good wader feeding grounds in autumn 2010 when Little Stints and Curlew Sandpipers could be seen with Dunlin flocks. Generally (in my opinion at least) birding is best with the high tide, when waders and wildfowl are pushed off the estuary. In winter the flooded saltmarsh can attract several species of raptor preying on small birds and mammals fleeing the incoming tide as the marsh is covered. A tide in excess of 9 metres is best to experience this and Merlin and Hen Harrier are often seen. |
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| Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB autumn 2010. |
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| Hesketh Out Marsh during the severe weather of December 2010. |
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| Barn Owls are a regular feature of late afternoon birding in winter at HOM. |
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| Banks Marsh East (area 2 on map) flooded during 10 metre tide, March 2011 (note Short-eared Owl taking off). Lytham can be seen on the north side of the Ribble in the distance. |
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| Birding from the seawall at HOM on the rising tide. |
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| Short-eared Owl at Banks Marsh East, March 2011. |
Spring sees the arrival of many summer migrants and breeding waders frequent the saltmarsh, including Avocets. Observer coverage has been less intense in spring than in the autumn and winter so far (the reserve has dried out in recent springs) but some interesting migrants have been recorded. This male Ring Ouzel was found in April 2011 in the same area that was graced by a Common Crane the previous year.
