Monday 31 May 2010

Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve

Grasshopper Warbler, Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve
Marsh Orchid, Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve
Blue-Tailed Damselfly, Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve
Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve (north-end looking towards Garston Docks)

Peregrine, Speke/Garston Coastal Reserve
If anyone hasn't heard of this reserve before it is well worth a visit; sandwiched between Garston docks and Speke airport it contains a variety of habitats, including: extensive saltmarsh, tidal mudflats, open grassland, coastal cliffs, dune-like habitat complete with slacks, reedbeds, farmland, and wildflower meadows. If that's not enough it has access to Speke Hall estate (National Trust land) which contains farmland, meadows, gardens, lakes, and some very good mature woodland!
I visited the Coastal Reserve this morning from 9 until 1 and I found many species including:-
Spotted Flycatcher
5 Grasshopper Warblers
Peregrine
Lesser Whitethroat
4 Reed Warblers
40+ Sedge Warblers
3 Tree Pipits
30+ Skylarks
3 Buzzards (one came over from the Wirral side of the Mersey and was joined by a local pair)
100+ Shelducks
40+ Reed Buntings
6 Chiff-Chaffs
4 Blackcaps
2 Pheasants

Broad-Bodied Chaser
Blue-Tailed Damselfly
Large-Red Damselfly
Common Darter
Green-Veined White
Large White
Peacock
300+ Common Blues
Stoat
Marsh Orchids
Common Frogs

5 comments:

Jim Irvine said...

Hi Danny, the coastal reserve sounds very good. I live in Bootle so tend to go north and east to watch birds. How do you get into the reserve?

Nice sight and some cracking pics!

Danny Foy said...

Hi Jim, there are many ways to enter into the reserve. If you check google maps (just type in Garston, Liverpool) there is a new car park near the round-about on Blackburne Street, although it is not shown on any maps yet there is a new road Dakota Drive that runs off this round-about, this road runs through the newly created business park and has a few parking areas and conecting gates and footpaths into the reserve. This road leads into Estuary Banks business park (some good ponds here) opposite the large Speke Shopping complex on SPEKE ROAD dual carriageway(next, marks & spencer e.t.c) you can even park in here and walk through Estuary Banks to the reserve. Finaly if visiting during the day you can park in Speke Hall (for a small charge) and use the footpath link to the reserve.

Good birding

COLIN GOULD said...

Hi Danny , this sounds a fairly long walk . Which stretch would you say is best for bird activity ?

Danny Foy said...

Hi Colin

It can be covered relatively easily really; from the car park off Blackburne Street walk along the footpath above the cliff towards the new sailing club (the big futuristic looking building), continue past this to the area near the airport perrimetre fence (breeding Grasshopper Warbler, Northern Marsh Orchid), then walk back towards the car park but use the inland side of the reserve. Alternatively park in Speke Hall and follow the short footpath on to the reserve (comes out opposite the sailing club), this can be combined with a walk through Stocktons Wood in the Speke Hall estate too. These are the easiest ways to cover the area but if you wanted to extend it follow the shore past the airport (reedbeds, saltmarsh, and then open farmland) or cover the Speke Hall estate (Speke Damms, the moat walk, open grasslands etc).

Good birding

greg said...

Hi Danny,
Just wondering if you still visit the Speke Garston reserve. I've only recently discovered i
t, and would be grateful for any advice on birds to look out for. As far as I can see the reed warblers and the skylarks are still there in numbers,
Best wishes,
Greg.