The Romans is a stunning venue located on Otterspool promenade. Mill Farm, with numbers of passage migrants relatively low compared to spring (June-August) can be quiet, but from early August return wader passage starts Sign the petition. Hale Road Woods . I thought that we had only been away for a few hours! Please use email: garybroad50@gmail.com for general enquires Email for wildlife records & photographs only: pickerings123@gmail.com Male bullfinch. The friends group organise occasional public visits places are limited and need to be booked in advance. Its a big job and can only be done by degrees. Salem Harbor, the second deepest harbor in Massachusetts, reached . The village still retains something of its rural and farming character, the product of the rich and fertile soils hereabouts. This, in turn, became Town Lane as it entered Hale Village. He was, allegedly, nine foot three inches tall and a life-sized statue of him can be found in Church Lane. So, I ran wild. Bridge 47. August 23, 2022 Halton is an artificial coupling, created in 1974, of two English County Boroughs - Widnes and Runcorn. RM 2NCJW6E - Thomas Pickering, left, is sworn-in by Secretary of State James Baker at the White House in Washington Monday, March 20, 1989 as the new U.S. moving south. Paul was mugged there once while messing about with his brother on the beach near the old lighthouse. Wigg Island 36. The road abruptly ended by a large metal gate as we reached the air traffic control tower forcing us to beat a retreat. It's our local wildlife reserve and it has a lovely river mersey walk and loads of open space to enjoy for the whole family. It wasent that long before Malc picked up a Little stint with the Dunlin flock,we managed to get on the bird a few times as the tide flooded the field. (LogOut/ The path was quite slippery and muddy all along the shoreline. Trip Report Hale Lighthouse and Pickerings Pasture 20th November 2022. Feel free to have a look feedback is always welcome. weather conditions and an early start are a necessity. Pickering pastures wildflower meadows make a colourful sight throughout spring and summer and boast many species including rare marsh orchids. There are 2 hides on the decoy, one looking onto the inner pond of the decoy, the other onto the marsh. The name Dungeon derives from the Anglo-Saxon dunge or denge, meaning marshland, or land that adjoins a marsh (think of Dungeness in Kent), rather than having any association with castles or imprisonment. first visit to Carr Lane Pools resulted in. Once the road ran all the way down to the foreshore here. I dreaded my human dad starting to sing Christmas carols. visits can produce, Summer The Jubilee Bridge and Mersey Gateway Bridge along with Ethelfleda, the railway bridge, spanned the river where it narrowed further upstream. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com. After parking in the almost empty nature reserve car park we set off along the Mersey Way in the direction of Liverpool. and also some decent sized areas of reedbed. The salt works closed in the late 1840s, and the quay was then used by a firm of ship breakers. (December-February) around Burnt Mill Farm can be productive for winter Bunting Hale Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. From July post-breeding dispersal of finches can often be found around From this junction we followed the muddy Mersey Way along the shore towards Liverpool John Lennon Airport. From Dungeon I turned to follow the broad sweep of the bay southeast towards Hale Point. Transporter Bridge Train Arpley 42. enclosed by Carr Lane, Town Lane and a narrow tributary of the Mersey, From the bottom of Withins Way an outcrop of rocks at the edge of the salt marsh attracts various waders and ducks and is always worth checking out. Looking over Carr Lane Pools from the track we saw a very strange looking goose with the Canadas, which we agreed was a cross between a Canada and Bar-Headed. Transporter Bridge 37. CLICK ON LINK. Although the scrape is largely fresh water, it occasionally suffers Rather than drive an hour or more to Snowdonia, the Lakes or the Peak District we thought that we would explore our local area again. The bird screen feeder was very quiet, as was the lake, but we did get some close up views of a Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding away. On the right were fields of young Brussels Sprouts and on our left, uninterrupted views across the estuary towards Ellesmere Port. Hale is a beautiful village with many thatched roofed houses. and sandbars are revealed, along with small areas of rocky shore. Please note close. Pools is the name given to a set of shallow flooded fresh water scrapes tide, about two hours prior to high tide produces the best opportunity to see During the winter the estuary is of major importance for ducks and waders, and in the spring and autumn migration periods its a crucial stopover for wader populations moving along the west coast of Britain. In 1799, after America had gained its independence, the fort was named Fort Pickering after Colonel Timothy Pickering, a Salem native who served as Secretary of State under President Washington. Just as we did this a fighter jet roared over our heads. Town Lane (park in Curlender Way and cross the road). There is a mix as the Ibis Pools following a couple of records in 2016) on the west side of Change). Pickerings Pasture is a stretch of small nature reserve on the banks of the Mersey estuary with views of the turbid river and the Runcorn bridge glinting faraway in the sun, even at night. That is assuming that my dad can sort out his navigational issues! Pickerings Pasture Nature Halebank 35. Hale Marsh is largely WIRRAL Puddington Western Cattle egret-T hree in field opposite Castel House. which have previously produced. Will keep you posted, (Poem) With guelder rose, alder buckthorn, hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel and dog rose providing lookouts and hiding place for smaller birds. with dog walkers ,families and all ages we have even took a packed breakfast with us on Xmas morning ! year and provides a unique habitat. On the way back Pauls parents and the two boys would stop at a teashop called the Elizabethan Cottage for a pot of tea, Hovis toast and home-made jam. Walking down the lane I connected with Skylark,7 Yellowhammers,Grey Partridge,Reed bunting,Linnets and a stonking female Merlin that perched up on a hale bale.Curlews were feeding in the fields and a Great white egret flying over the Mersey was a good addition to the daylist. Small layby/car parking area junction of church rd/lighthouse rd. There is no access on to the marsh itself, which can be viewed from Withins Way from Hale Village and from the road between Hale and Halebank, and from the hide at Pickerings Pasture LNR Halebank. Can be awkward for bikes & wheel chair users. Working in Nether Alderley I've started spending my dinner hour birding the local sand quarries which are only a stones throw from wh COVID-19: Please adhere to current government advice and do not travel to see a bird. Cheshire. We Have visited Pickering's Pasture on a regular basis now for some years .its great for walking as its next to the River Mersey ,it constantly changes as the seasons change the wildflowers and bird life are fantastic ,if your an avid walker you can do so for miles or just take a gentle stroll , its popular. of wintering ducks which normally include good numbers of. Ambassador to the United Nations. sections of reed and scrub. If in any doubt please ask and we will provide all relevant British Cycling guidance. At this point we met a man walking his Staffy puppy. We passed through a small coppice and exited onto Dungeon Lane then turning left onto Oglet Lane. waders at closer quarters. I am happy for British Cycling to send me cycling news, content, offers and tips: This ride is initially limited to members of The FC's Friendly Cyclists Satdy Club. Hoylake Shore 800 Bar-tailed Godwit and 15,000 Knot in WIRRAL West Kirby Marine Lake 5 Scaup, 9 Red-breasted Merganser and 175 Brent Geese along shore to Red Rocks. Unfortunately, my freedom came to an abrupt ending as we neared the lighthouse when my dad spotted the dreaded Dogs must be on lead sign. (September-November) often fails to produce the expected migrants around Burnt The airport are again threatening the closure of Dungeon Lane and demolishing of Oglet Farm and surrounding buildings. I am happy for British Cycling to send me cycling news, content, offers and tips: A steady ride out to the pretty village of Hale then on to West Bank Marina at Spike Island, Widnes overlooking the river Mersey and return via Pickering's Pasture at Halebank. to pick up with often even larger numbers of arctic waders passing through. I couldn't bear the thought of having nowhere to go birding locallythat Birds of prey seen hunting over the estuary/marsh, peregrine, merlin, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel, marsh harrier and the rarer hen harrier. With a total of 61 species seen, if nothing out of the ordinary, it was a lovely way to spend a late autumnal day in November, and most of us were content with a good day spent birdwatching on this lovely bit of the Mersey Estuary. Enjoy reading them and don't forget to and comment. In his biography of McCartney, Many Years from Now, Barry Miles describes how Paul and his brother Mike, like thousands growing up on Liverpools new housing estates, were raised on the border of country and city: For Paul and Michael, the best thing about living in Speke was the countryside. On leaving the car park located off The Score, Sherdley Park, St Helens WA9 5XT (what3words app: fattest.demotion.automatic), the first part of the ride is mostly on main roads till we reach the gravel cycle paths of the Sutton Manor Woodland Park around The Dream and then head out towards Widnes on the St Helens Mineral Line where we join the St Helens Canal cycle path (which runs parallel to the River Mersey) near The Ferry Inn. Scarcer species can often include. " Scenic " Good numbers of Teal feed along the creeks on the marsh and flocks of waders may be seen roosting on the marsh (Golden plover, Lapwing, Avocet, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Dunlin). Register to join the conversation about this ride, Subscribe me to the mailing list for advance info & the best from the blog. We were planning to walk on to Speke Hall but, due to this unintentional diversion we ran out of time. Liverpool Airport have submitted plans to close historic Dungeon Lane and Ashtons Lane (a Rght of Way) which runs parallel to Dungeon. Hybrid year tick anyone? Wader Further along a Great White Egret was busy feeding, and above it a small flock of Pink Footed Geese were winking as they flew. I could really call my own. The paddocks often hold sizable numbers of, Summer Hoylake Shore 800 Bar-tailed Godwit and 15,000 Knot in WIRRAL West Kirby Marine Lake 5 Scaup, 9 Red-breasted Merganser and 175 Brent Geese along shore to Red Rocks. open parkland which is bordered by a mix of mature trees, with plenty of fruiting We return to our starting point via main roads and a short section of cycleway through Halewood Park, Enter date in the format dd/mm/yyyy (eg. It also 2 February 2022 . It is also advisable to carry hand sanitising gel, vinyl gloves and a mask. Created from waste land, well done ! esprit criminel saison 15 reid; pfsense not seeing interface; how tall is tahani the good place Credit: Mary Hines. heron,Redshank,Oystercatcher,Shelduck and Canada Goose.On the way back to the car an injured Pink Footed goose flew low past us. There used to be extensive osier willow beds around the marshes which gave rise to another village occupation, basket-making. , close scrutiny can reveal something rarer. Hale Park is On the right hand bend go straight on into Hale Park. However the The first on Carr Lane itself, which (December-February) is a productive time for searching the saltmarsh and During the summer months dragonflies and damselflies can be seen hawking the pond and ditches: azure and blue-tailed damselflies, brown and southern hawkers are the commonest, though large red damselfly and common darters are regular. Ive never seen that many rhododendrons since. Sometimes, however, rather than play with his friends, Paul preferred to be alone. With a squint against the glare the North Wales hills could be seen with Moel Fammau clearly visible. Till next time! Following a recce across the new Mersey Gateway Bridge to find Pickerings Pastures, Hale/Widnes area (which was very quiet bird-wise), we travelled on to Neston Marshes (Denhall Quay area) on the Wirral; on the whole it was a beautiful sunny day although thick cloud often obscured the sun and the wind picked up mid afternoon before settling down In recent years a small number of Bewick and Whooper swans have stayed on the marsh during the winter. Carr lane pools held good numbers of Teal and 12 Black tailed godwits.A walk down to Hale lighthouse was unproductive with the neighbouring fields holding good numbers of Curlew. This is the first of two walks that I took along a stretch of the Mersey Way, accompanied by our dog and starting at the end of Dungeon Lane, a road that runs, alongside the perimeter fence of John Lennon Airport, from Speke estate down to the river. So, off to Pickerings Pasture at Halebank, near Widnes. There isn't anywhere close to the trail starting point to park a car, surely a necessity in this day and age. The shoreline has some retained saltmarsh south-easterly and bright conditions, when up to 20,000 birds can be seen Patch birding in and around Hale and Pickerings Pasture, currently classed as north Cheshire. However persistence in checking the Pools can produce results hindsight maybe I should have just searched the internet! Fiddler's Ferry Power Station 43. That was interesting and very quiet ,we would recommend a visit, This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. However if considering a walk extension, there is a Series of a zig-zagging shallow steps which ascend to cross the bridge over Ditton Brook, cycle path leads onto Runcorn Bridge. Pickerings Pasture: Lovely stroll through old Mersey heritage - See 105 traveler reviews, 23 candid photos, and great deals for Widnes, UK, at Tripadvisor. Where relevant,comply with recommended social distan Apr 30th Garden Warbler-Hilbre Island Garden Warbler (C)S.Williams Black Redstart-O ne on Town Fields at viewable from footpath between Chu COVID-19: Please adhere to current government advice and do not travel to see a bird. The reserve has wide views across the River Mersey and offers great opportunities for birdwatching. View all posts by Joe the Cocker's Hikes. Seals, too, are regularly seen in the estuary, the most unusual and rarest being a Hooded Seal a Greenland species which hauled itself on the mud banks at Spike Island in 1997. (LogOut/ have some great memories as young boy walking down dungeon lane to oglet shore me &my brother used to walk to Garston docks & back in the 50s &60s great fun . provides a good roosting area for waders throughout the year. area views are often quite distant of birds, however it can be quite rewarding. The first lighthouse was built here in 1838, but the present building dates from 1906. made up of a mix of deciduous trees and hold most of the expected woodland In the early fifties the McCartneys moved to another new house, surrounded by a muddy building site, at 12 Ardwick Road in the expanding eastern extension of the estate. This ride is suitable for hybrid bikes (fitted with road and off-road tyres), mountain bikes and road bikes (with caution) and is mostly on hard surface roads and cycle paths and short sections of park paths some of which may have a loose stone finish. Incredibly we never met up. I can honestly say not one of my favourite mammals but everyone to there own.As I carried on walking I noticed early signs of spring as Snowdrops were in full flower in the wooded areas by the river. Moore Nature Reserve 46. Pickerings Pasture: See how it is - See 104 traveller reviews, 23 candid photos, and great deals for Widnes, UK, at Tripadvisor. We were soon back at the car with me snoozing in my bed on the back seat. As we neared the airport the engine roar as aeroplanes came in to land was deafening. Always remember though, we will never leave anyone behind! Vice President Dan Quayle stands at left center. Just a short drive away is Pickerings Pasture Nature Reserve where we enjoyed lunch overlooking the Mersey, and with the tide going out, we noticed a small sand bank held at least 2 Shag mingling with the Cormorants. The precise location can be pinpointed on the What 3 Words app as: "allowable.lizard.sweeping", L26 7YD the Icehouse Woods. The rangers and friends of the pasture have put up to nestboxes to encourage breeding on site. (September-November) can be an exciting time for visible migration, although However the paddocks can still often produce small numbers of. (Please note the cafe stop is approximately 12 miles into our 30 mile route). Since then its been a private residence. I remember the tank traps and also the sand (there was sand in the 1960s!). I remember the Dam woods, which had millions of rhododendron bushes. (December-February) is relatively quiet with only the resident woodland species There is a Facebook group called Save Oglet Shoreline who are holding a meeting tonight Wednesday 27th June 18 in the Childe of Hale pub at 7 pm if youre reading this in time. For such a small ish slip of land there is a real diversity of plant life, wooded area, pasture land and the view over the mersey to the welsh hills. It's a lovely place to sit and watch the sunset over the river. difficult). Pickerings Pasture 4 105 #4 of 22 things to do in Widnes National Parks Nature & Wildlife Areas Parks Closed now 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Visit website Write a review What people are saying " Lovely walk " Jul 2022 Nice area for a short walk, free parking, plenty of grassed areas to explore and see the lovely wild flowers and birds. Glad the pics and post can be of use. Joe's adventures on the trail. Did all the things he describes. Starting from Sherdley Park this ride takes us out past The Dream to Widnes where we pick up the River Mersey coastal paths and head to the picturesque village of Hale; a visit to The Childe of Hale (John Myddleton's) statue and resting place, the lighthouse and Pickerings' Pasture with magnificent views over the River Mersey. Hill Hill26 Cheshire Hill28 39. Sea bass, flounder and shoals of sprat are now common, and recent catches have included sole, dogfish, rays, mackerel as well as conger. Pickerings Pasture: See how it is - See 104 traveller reviews, 23 candid photos, and great deals for Widnes, UK, at Tripadvisor. Hale Icehouse Woods has a mixture of mature trees and has three small Details: On the way back we called in at Hale park to try and relocate the over wintering Firecrest but no joy after a good hour searching. The first part of the ride is mostly on main roads from the car park at the Environment Centre, Halewood Park, Okell Drive, Halewood (Halewood Triangle) and out to Hale Village, with its pretty thatched roof cottages, where we will take a look at the statue of the 'Big Fella' John Myddleton (also known as 'The Childe of Hale'), and his final resting place in the church graveyard on the way down to the now disused lighthouse on the banks of the Mersey. From this junction we followed the muddy Mersey Way along the shore towards Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Summer (June-August) Love this page and hope you dont mind weve used two of your photos of Yew Tree Farm and land to illustrate what will be lost on our page. Even went to the same school as Paul M and at the same time. Resorting to Google maps I found an area that (March-May) doesnt normally get going until early April, but the scrub around I like to hike and backpack with my human dad. Please ensure that you can cope with a thirty mile bike ride at this pace. The river is very wide at this point, with the lights of Ellesmere Port visible on the far side across enormous shifting banks of mud and sand pecked over by gulls. pickerings pasture to hale lighthouse. Speke airport was constructed between 1930 and 1933, but until 1986 was located on a smaller site near Speke Boulevard (where the old terminal building is now the Crowne Plaza Hotel). Hale Marsh and the LNR Pickerings Pasture are located to the east of Hale Village between Hale and Widnes. Pickerings Pasture: A walk on the bank of mersey - See 104 traveler reviews, 23 candid photos, and great deals for Widnes, UK, at Tripadvisor. These two towns, linked by three bridges, are on opposite banks of the River Mersey between Liverpool and Warrington. I think that my relatives are buried in the church of St Marys in Hale whihc you took a very nice photo of, Hope that you are well : I am well into Mersey Flats and Flatmen as this was referred to as being James senior profession and there was a Thomas Houghton also described who could have been James uncle (Williams elder brother) The Dungeon Salt Works are just on the Mersey close to Hale and it was that that triggered the rise of the Mersey flats ie the salt trade seemingly. Barn and short eared owl. The route in part is concurrent with the Trans-Pennine Trail. WIRRAL Parkgate 3 Short-eared Owl. surrounding fields. The pasture is part of the trans Pennine trail which takes you right along the Mersey from Warrington through spike island ( part of the trail is closed due to bridge work ) and it passes through the pasture and on towards hale. This provides good views The next few pages will show some views from both towns, but mainly from the Widnes side of the river. provides the best opportunity to catch up with terns and, Autumn When we reached the end of Oglet lane we turned into Dungeon Lane and then right onto Baileys Lane. Winter (December-February) A walk by the side of the estuary gave decent views of a couple of Stonechat, a Reed Bunting, a sizeable flock of Linnets, and many Skylark. Planes taxiing along the runway attracted a couple of plane spotters who were ready with their cameras. 20200120_125632 by Mal Davies, on Flickr 20200120_105402 by Mal Davies, on Flickr 20200120_110655 by Mal Davies, on Flickr The Friends of Pickerings Pasture and Hale Duck Decoy are a volunteer group who work with Halton Borough Council to support, protect, develop and promote these nature reserves. Rare and The path followed the shoreline with meadows and woodland to the right. Each life is an encyclopaedia, a library, an inventory of objects, a series of styles, and everything can be constantly reshuffled and reordered in every conceivable way. scrubby areas. I grew up in Moore on the other side of the River between Warrington and Runcorn and was born in Warrington. Hale Lighthouse was built in 1906 to replace a much shorter structure protecting shipping on this dangerous headland. Lots of work has obviously gone on here. excellent descriptive guide to the area. From Dungeon I turned to follow the broad sweep of the bay southeast towards Hale Point. Merseyside. Paths leading to Hale lighthouse and along Hale shore can be muddy and uneven. You cant forget that the airport is nearby on this stretch you walk parallel to the approach which aircraft make on their descent to the runway. Spring An unusual bird to see this far up the river. I cycle through Pickerings Pasture during a regular cycle ride. This is a lovely stretch, with fields and wooded copses inland and the Mersey estuary opening out from the Runcorn gap in a series of broad, sweeping bays. Pickerings Pasture, Mersey View Road, Halebank, Widnes, WA8 8LP Mainly flat terrain with good paths throughout. Theres a rough surface car park about half a mile down Dungeon Lane, much frequented by plane spotters who take up positions along the lane with folding chairs, flasks and binoculars, waiting for the planes coming in to land on the last minute or so of their descent to the runway. Pickerings Pasture 4 105 #4 of 22 things to do in Widnes National Parks Nature & Wildlife Areas Parks Closed now 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Visit website Write a review What people are saying " Lovely walk " Jul 2022 Nice area for a short walk, free parking, plenty of grassed areas to explore and see the lovely wild flowers and birds. grazing fields, with a reedy edge and scrubby areas. I have shared a link to one of your posts on our new Halton Public Rights of Way facebook page http://www.facebook.com/haltonprow page. On the mud left by the receding tide, small numbers of Redshank were busy feeding, and 6 Common Scoter could be seen distantly. Hale Pickerings Pasture 4 105 #4 of 22 things to do in Widnes National Parks Nature & Wildlife Areas Parks Open now 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Visit website Write a review What people are saying " Lovely walk " Jul. The industry died out long ago, but there are still remnants of the old willow beds marked on the Ordnance Survey map. The Hale Duck Decoy is an important Scheduled Ancient Monument, is the only surviving one in the North West.The Decoy is in the shape of an irregular pentagon, five arms known as decoy pipes, about 20 metres long radiate from the pond into the woodland. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "themerseyway" Flickr tag. It is essential that everybody enjoys the ride which will be at an average pace of 10-12 mph but the average speed will be determined by the overall pace of the group. Walking on, the church tower at Hale was visible across the fields where a tractor was ploughing, pursued by a flock of seagulls. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. Sewage Works, which have 16 active filter beds (although viewing of the area is I was allowed to have a free run as there was no traffic along this quiet lane. Send your objection letters to Halton Borough Council. Others have tried and failed but I have to stop the rot before i can shine it up. The whole area is surrounded by arable land which contains a mixture of The little village of Hale was less than two miles away, with thatched roofs, home of the giant Childe of Hale who, legend has it, was nine foot tall. I am Joe the Cocker. section closest to the Mersey, viewable from Pickerings Pasture or the end of Walking the Mersey: Dungeon to HalePoint, Malick Sidib at Somerset House: the photographer who captured a youthful, joyous Mali, How the light gets in: an imperfect introduction, Paul Nash and World War One: 'I am no longer an artist, I am a messenger to those who want the war to go on for ever and may it burn their lousy souls', Only in England: photos by Tony Ray-Jones and Martin Parr, David Hare's Page Eight: classy television, Leonard Cohen's 'Anthem': That's how the light gets in, At Manchester Art Gallery: The Sensory War 1914-2014, Walking the ancient sandstone cliffs of the Mersey, Richard Thompson: windswept in NewBrighton, 2012: Friday Walks, Hedgerows and Broomsticks | a sense of place. with, The area can also produce large numbers of (September-November) can be exciting and frustrating in equal measures. A few of us braved the approaching storm to wander further up the river, and were rewarded with a fishing Little Egret and a couple more Wigeon. Within Way, can be very productive for returning passage waders. I returned to Liverpool in 2012 I hadlittle to no knowledge of where to I headed over to Pickerings pasture this morning to look for a Firecrest that had been reported yesterday,this is the first time I had visited the reserve which lies right on the edge of the river Mersey. Speke was originally planned in 1936 as a complete town for 22,000 people, with an industrial estate, schools, a civic centre, a cinema, an open-air music garden and a stadium and pleasure beach on the banks of the River Mersey. - Italo Calvino, Six Memos for the Next Millennium. I make him write a blog about our adventures. Credit: Mary Hines. Paul would often cycle the two and a half miles along the shoreline to the lighthouse at Hale Head, where the river makes a 90-degree turn, giving a panoramic view across the mud and navigation channels to the industrial complex of Runcorn on the far side. Haughton could be a derivative of this and village (which is as you no doubt know is what ton signifies so its possible that Thomas of Hale could have been Thomas Haughton but its all guess work. Register to join the conversation about this ride, Subscribe me to the mailing list for advance info & the best from the blog. We had the place to ourselves. Hale Marsh and Decoy can All control tower traffic, maintenance, security, farm traffic etc will be diverted along Baileys Lane, which is a residential lane, already decimated by Liverpool Airport. But the noise levels are not intrusive, apart from the brief roar of the reverse thrust engines as the planes touch down; for most of the time the only sounds are of rooks in the copse leading up to Hale village, or the calls of gulls and waders out on the mudbanks of the river. Further south along Carr Lane (towards Hale go birding,other than the well-known sites which were all a reasonable We have credited this page for the pictures. BIRDING AROUND HALE AND PICKERINGS PASTURE I met up with Malc curtin this morning and we headed to Pickerings pasture for high tide. Upcoming events NEXT OUTDOOR MEETING 5th March. (March-May)can produce typical migrants including, Summer The decoy is also part of the Mersey Estuary that is designated for its nature value, and International Ramsar site and SSSI for its safe feeding and roosting area for large numbers of wading birds and ducks. Flocks of hedgerow birds were exploiting the late summer seedheads; there were burdock (the dog came home with her coat festooned with the velcro-like burrs), teasel, and a delicate pink-and-white striped bindweed.