Marshside

We are working hard to make our nature reserves safe and ready for our staff, visitors and wildlife. Although most of our sites with visitor facilities are currently closed, we have started opening those where is it safe and practical to do so. Please see our COVID-19 updates page for the latest information (link below).

Address: RSPB Marshside, Marine Dr, Southport PR9 9PJ

Grid ref: SD353205

See our updates page for the latest coronavirus information.

This fantastic wetland site is located north of Southport town centre and has some of the best wildlife in the region, with amazing year round viewing opportunities. In the summer, you'll spot nesting birds like avocets and lapwings, while the skies fill with pink-footed geese and wigeons in the winter.

Plan your visit

The visitor centre is open from 8.30am-4pm (1 November-1 March) and 8.30am-5pm (2 March-31 October).

This car park is locked at closing time.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free

Children: Free

Car park cost

Parking is free for RSPB members and blue badge holders

There is a charge per car for non-members:

£1.50 for up to two hours
£3 for over two hours

Facilities

Visitor centre
Car park
Toilets
Accessible toilets
Pushchair friendly
No Refreshments
Guided walks
Viewing point
Nature trails
Shop off-site

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

Southport (Chapel Street Station) - follow London Street till it joins Lord Street and then go straight across Lord Street and on down Nevill Street to the Promenade; turn right to follow Marine Lake to its northern end; turn left onto Fairway and then right on to Marine Drive. Reserve begins at Hesketh Road after 0.6 miles.

By bus

Southport (War Memorial, Lord Street) to Crossens via Marshside Road. No.44 every 15 minutes. Get off at Elswick Road junction. Walk north 200 m along Marshside Road to reserve.

By bike

National Cycle Network traffic-free route (Liverpool to Southport) utilises wide pavement adjacent to Marine Drive through reserve.

By road

From Southport, follow coast road north (1.5 miles or 2.5 km from Southport Pier) to small car park by sand works.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Other ways to get there

Liverpool for ferries - 1 hour away by car.

Get directions from Google Maps

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

You are welcome to walk your dog along the sea-wall on the south side of the marshes. You may also use the permissive footpaths from the car park towards Crossens and on Redshank Road which leads out onto the saltmarsh, but please keep your dog on a lead to avoid disturbing birds.

We like to keep one path dog-free, so please do not use the path to Nel's Hide or take your dog into either of the hides.

Group bookings are accepted. Guided walks are also available.

Please note the car park is not suitable for coaches or buses. Please call 01704 211690 for coach/bus parking information.

14 degrees, Sunny day

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 183Kb

Marshside trail map

Contact Marshside

RSPB Marshside, Marine Dr, Southport PR9 9PJ
Ribble.reserves@rspb.org.uk
01704 211690
https://twitter.com/RSPB_Ribble
Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

Avocet

They nest in mini colonies on the islands.

Black-tailed godwit

Flocks of black-tailed godwits can be seen here in spring before they migrate and on their return in autumn.

Lapwing

Watch the nesting lapwings here chase predators that may come too close.

Pink-footed goose

Many pink-footed geese assemble here from late September through to March.

Wigeon

Wintering birds arrive from early September and numbers build up to a peak, usually in January.

Lapwings tumble in excitable displays over the nesting areas. Early morning is the best time to see the hares 'boxing'. Watch out for the first wheatears and swallows to arrive from Africa.

Redshanks and avocets scold you from a distance as they watch over their chicks. The grass is peppered with the colours of wildflowers. Wall brown and common blue butterflies are found along the paths on warm, sunny days.

A dashing falcon at this time of year could be a merlin just in from Iceland. Look for skeins of pink-footed geese flying to and from their roost out on the mudflats at dusk and dawn. Migrant hawker dragonflies patrol the ditches on sunny days.

You will be sure to see huge flocks of wigeons, teals, lapwings and golden plovers wheeling and turning over the marshes. Look out for the bird of prey that has caused the panic. It could be a kestrel, merlin, peregrine or sparrowhawk.

About Marshside

Habitat

RSPB Marshside protects 155ha of coastal grassland and pools, and 230ha of saltmarsh on the shores of the Ribble estuary.

Conservation

The RSPB is managing the reserve to protect important populations of breeding waders and wintering wildfowl, plus other wildlife such as brown hares and wintering birds of prey. We are also developing the reserve as a popular visitor attraction.

Top targets: We are working towards five-year mean targets for key breeding birds. These include 70 pairs of lapwings, 25 pairs of avocets and 40 pairs of redshanks. We aim to ensure that black-tailed godwits and ruffs remain present through the breeding season and that breeding wildfowl numbers are stable. Meanwhile, our October-March targets for non-breeding birds include 1,650 black-tailed godwits, 700 pink-footed geese, 6,000 wigeons, 1,800 teals, 140 shovelers, 500 golden plovers, 700 oystercatchers, 1,500 knots, 1,500 dunlins and 300 curlews.

Grassland gains: We are improving our grassland for breeding waders, using summer grazing with cattle and topping, where necessary, to create suitable sward heights. We will retain a tussocky structure, and will ensure that up to 33ha of grassland holds permanent surface water in winter. We will also increase our small area of ungrazed grassland and preserve the extent of our 'dune-slack' grassland, which is rich in wild flowers.

Water and swamp: We will ensure that all permanent water bodies are at least 10cm deep at the start of June. We will also increase the extent of open water in pools and ditches, by rotationally cleaning and re-profiling ditches. We will dig new ditches and create small pools to break up waterless 'plain' areas, and will excavate to create 1ha of open water, and an additional 1ha of swamp.

Keeping tabs: Constant monitoring helps us to manage the site and contributes to research projects elsewhere. We focus on breeding waders, lapwing nest productivity and wintering wildfowl, as well as water voles, natterjack toads and butterflies. We also monitor sward height, cattle numbers, the levels and quality of water, and the extent and quality of grassland.

Partners

Marshside is part of the Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve and the Sefton Coast Partnership.

Site information

There's something for everyone all year round at this delightful coastal reserve. There are two hides, a viewing platform and three viewing screens. If you're new to birdwatching, why not come on one of our special event days?

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