Coastal Areas - Morecambe Bay & Lune EstuaryMorecambe & Heysham. Hest Bank/Teal Bay promenade and coastal footpath provides a suitable place for watching waders before high tide as they are pushed towards the shore by the incoming tide and fly off to roost. The Stone Jetty & promenade provide a suitable place for watching both waders & seabirds, especially on a rising tide. The north wall at Heysham can provide spectacular roosts of Knot in the right conditions, along with another vantage point for seeing seabirds. At the right time of year & in the correct weather conditions Leach's & Storm Petrels can be driven close inshore.
Middleton Marsh & Sunderland Point. Another area of mudflats that provides feeding areas for a variety of waders, along with good numbers of the common waders: Redshanks, Lapwing, Curlews etc . This area is also good for passage waders both spring & autumn. The fields surrounding the marshes hold numbers of passerines - both common & rarer species.
On the Southern side of the City there are areas smaller in size that are good for birdwatching, including the following.
Aldcliffe Marsh. An area of marshland that borders the eastern side of the River Lune. On the west side of the river is Colloway/Heaton Marsh, part of which is designated as a SSSI. Both can hold numbers of Geese & Yellow Bill Swans in winter, along with roosting waders. The old railway line that runs alongside the river to Glasson Dock gives good views of the river & its variety of birds, and has been turned into a cycle track. The fields & hedgerows in spring are full of migrants, along with the resident species.
Conder Green. An small area of saltmarsh which the River Conder flows through on its way to larger River Lune. The marsh is bisected by a tidal creek, which at low water is a good area to observe feeding waders, mainly the commoner species, but good close views are possible. Both spring & autumn can deliver rarer species, some of which stay for several days. Alongside the marsh is the newly formed Conder Pool, created from the spoils of recent sea defence work & is now beginning to fullfil it's potential
Glasson Dock is also a good local birding site. A working port on the River Lune, the new seawall gives good views of the RiverLune/RiverConder Estuary, with it's good variety of species all year round, including waders, wildfowl ( the estuary in winter can hold numbers of Goldeneye, along with good numbers of Golden Plovers & Lapwing). The Marina also holds good numbers of wildfowl.
Cockersand Abbey . A little further along the coast is the old Abbey, on a headland overlooking the Lune Estuary. Often a wild & windy birdwatching area, but one nevertheless worth visiting at all seasons (although Summer is prone to disturbance from jet skis & windsurfers) and can provide good views of waders etc., displaced from the estuary by the rising tides. Passing migrants - both waders & passerines often make an appearance in the right conditions.
Cockerham Caravan Park/Bank End.
Although this area is certainly more prone to disturbance due to the proximity of the caravan park & it's associated leisure activities . It can at the right times be very productive (only recently a Glossy Ibis turned up in the fields to the side of the caravan site - October 2006). Giving good views of the estuary where two rivers meet the Cocker & Lune, an expanse of marsh is exposed at low water which provides a good roosting area for birds displaced by the rising tide.
It must be stressed that the areas from Glasson Dock southward are all areas of saltmarsh & therefore caution must be exercised in the pursuit of your birdwatching.
North Fylde: an area of arable farmland with it's associated farmland species. The RSPB is providing funding & practical help to farmers in the area to sustain the numbers of Tree Sparrows, Corn Bunting & Yellowhammers and feeding stations are discreetly placed throughout the district. The Fylde's northern boundaries are noted for the large numbers of wintering Pinkfooted Geese & Yellow Billed Swans.
These areas are basically sites around the eastern shoreline of Morecambe Bay.
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