ColinD
Well-known member
I had a walk along Formby beach in Merseyside last night, a really exhilarating experience. The tide was out and the beach was probably half a mile wide, in places more like a mile. Three times Grand National winner Red Rum sometimes trained on this beach if the stories are true.
Looking south, the beach stretches for perhaps four or five miles, beyond the river Alt, before bending away to the east when it reaches the mouth of the River Mersey. Beyond the river, the coast of the Wirral, and further still, the mountains of North Wales stretch away to the west, until they are lost to sight.
Looking north, the beach is at first somewhat narrower, but eventually widens to around two miles wide at Southport, which is at least eight miles to the north of Formby. On the other side of the Ribble, I could clearly see Blackpool tower and "The Big One", a good 20 miles or so from where I stood.
Inland are the sand dunes of Freshfield, Birkdale, Formby and Ainsdale, one of the most important sand dune systems in the whole of Britain, with Natterjack Toads, Sand Lizards, Red Squirells and Dune Helleborine.
Most of the avian interest is on the beach. I once stood on this beach at the end of August, with winds that hit you like an express train off the sea, and watched as a Leaches Petrel brushed my leg with it's wing as it "flew" past.
However even on a beautiful sunny afternoon in August, thousands of waders and gulls can be seen. August is a good month to visit, with large numbers of many species. Sanderling are here in Internationally important numbers. To be considered as a site of international importance for Sanderling, you need to have 1200 birds. In August 2003, the beach from Southport to the Mersey held over 6,800 Sanderling, nearly six times the requirement.
I love Sanderling. Like clockwork toys, they scurry along the beach, usually close to the sea, and are on the whole oblivious to close approach. Last night I counted over 300, but really there must have been many more. They are never in large groups, usually just 5 or 6 every four or five metres but they could be seen on the tideline for as far as the eye could see.
Also here are Bar-tailed Godwits, with 6,400 counted on the beach at the Alt estuary in August 2003. The great thing about seeing them in August, is that many are still in their red summer plumage.
Other counts from this beach in August are 1300 Grey Plover, 15000 Knot, 13000 Dunlin and 1200 Curlew. Add onto that, the fact that you can also see skuas, shearwaters, occasional petrels, a variety of terns, gannets and scoter out at sea in August and Formby beach is tremendously exciting place to be at this time of year.
Not bad for Merseyside, and the suberbs of Liverpool, and possibly one of the main reasons why, despite all it's failings, Liverpool is a much nicer city than most of its land locked cousins.
Colin
PS I should have mentioned, all counts are from Lancashire Bird Report 2003
Looking south, the beach stretches for perhaps four or five miles, beyond the river Alt, before bending away to the east when it reaches the mouth of the River Mersey. Beyond the river, the coast of the Wirral, and further still, the mountains of North Wales stretch away to the west, until they are lost to sight.
Looking north, the beach is at first somewhat narrower, but eventually widens to around two miles wide at Southport, which is at least eight miles to the north of Formby. On the other side of the Ribble, I could clearly see Blackpool tower and "The Big One", a good 20 miles or so from where I stood.
Inland are the sand dunes of Freshfield, Birkdale, Formby and Ainsdale, one of the most important sand dune systems in the whole of Britain, with Natterjack Toads, Sand Lizards, Red Squirells and Dune Helleborine.
Most of the avian interest is on the beach. I once stood on this beach at the end of August, with winds that hit you like an express train off the sea, and watched as a Leaches Petrel brushed my leg with it's wing as it "flew" past.
However even on a beautiful sunny afternoon in August, thousands of waders and gulls can be seen. August is a good month to visit, with large numbers of many species. Sanderling are here in Internationally important numbers. To be considered as a site of international importance for Sanderling, you need to have 1200 birds. In August 2003, the beach from Southport to the Mersey held over 6,800 Sanderling, nearly six times the requirement.
I love Sanderling. Like clockwork toys, they scurry along the beach, usually close to the sea, and are on the whole oblivious to close approach. Last night I counted over 300, but really there must have been many more. They are never in large groups, usually just 5 or 6 every four or five metres but they could be seen on the tideline for as far as the eye could see.
Also here are Bar-tailed Godwits, with 6,400 counted on the beach at the Alt estuary in August 2003. The great thing about seeing them in August, is that many are still in their red summer plumage.
Other counts from this beach in August are 1300 Grey Plover, 15000 Knot, 13000 Dunlin and 1200 Curlew. Add onto that, the fact that you can also see skuas, shearwaters, occasional petrels, a variety of terns, gannets and scoter out at sea in August and Formby beach is tremendously exciting place to be at this time of year.
Not bad for Merseyside, and the suberbs of Liverpool, and possibly one of the main reasons why, despite all it's failings, Liverpool is a much nicer city than most of its land locked cousins.
Colin
PS I should have mentioned, all counts are from Lancashire Bird Report 2003
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