Friday 9 May 2014

Speke Garston Coastal Reserve's 10th Birthday celebrations


Anne & Ingrid muck in....way to go girls
Litter-picking on a grand scale !
Two members of the Liverpool local RSPB group and also the Ramblers Association joined teams from the city council, South Liverpool Housing and Peel Holdings on a massive beach clean-up down at Speke/Garston coastal reserve on friday 02/05/14. The event was organised as part of a celebration of 10 years of this reserve, and produced a record 5 skips of rubbish after the winter storms. The sun shone, the shore line looked infinitely more attractive once relieved of its load of old bottles and other plastic, and there were lots of opportunities to talk about the birds that use the estuary, especially in winter. All in all, everyone agreed it was an excellent way to spend a Friday morning ! -  Anne Pope

Saturday 3rd saw some of the group back for the open day - planned to include leisure and walking activities to promote the 70 acre Speke Garston Coastal reserve and encourage people to use this great natural resource. 
Sheltered in the Liverpool sailing clubs meeting room, 
Information tables laid out ready for the public
Chris positioned on the balcony with telescope.. what a tremendous view of the river, marsh and and beyond. Members of the public were able to talk to Chris and see the birds on mudflats and shrubland, whimbrel, dunlin, mallard, shelduck, oystercatchers, canadian geese, kestrels, sedge warbler, whitethroats, skylarks and wheatears to name a few.
We were joined by the Ramblers association, Bikeright, NHS Liverpool community health and the Garston Historical Society. 
Walkers on the reserve path





Buffet and a mega Birthday cake was generously supplied by the sailing club and was served to all who entered, a welcome break after one of the 'Brisk walks"! 
Landscaped Birthday cake

Local dog walkers were hailed to join us from the balcony! Although the pooches didn't get to eat the cake.



And as it was a special occasion for the community, a Garston Eagle was invited. Maria Eagle mp for Garston came in the afternoon to cut the cake and undertake the Sailing club big 'power switch on' - after securing a grant the sailing club has been able to build a new new multi million pound clubhouse, connected to electricity for the first time! 

RSPB leader Chris Tynan meets local Mp Maria Eagle
Needless to say RSPB Liverpool never miss an opportunity and we asked Maria to support the Westminister debate/referendum on the Maltese migration bird massacre.
http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/
http://www.birdlifemalta.org/view.aspx?id=444#.U2yu6fk7vTp
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stop-spring-hunting-on-malta#home

And we were pleased to see Maria tweeted her support 

Maria Eagle MP ‏@meaglemp May 7
'The slaughter of migratory birds in Malta is abhorrent and Owen Paterson should raise this issue with officials at European Union asap'



For the last 3yrs Liverpool RSPB has started their Big new year bird watches at this reserve, and hope a higher profile will improve facilities and accessibility on the reserve. (Easy walk, but Garston coastal path could be muddy, and parts of the path walk not suitable for wheelchairs)
The opening of the gate to Speke hall grounds gives you the opportunity to extend a walk/use facilities....(charge may apply).


Speke Garston Coastal Park reserve car park at the end of Blackburne Street /Garston Shore Rd. L19 8JD

Read about our field trips

http://liverpoolrspb.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/big-day-watch.html
http://liverpoolrspb.blogspot.co.uk/2012_01_01_archive.html

Laura

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