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Wigg Island - Runcorn

Cheshire  >  United Kingdom

Wigg Island Community Park is situated on the south banks of the River Mersey sandwiched between Runcorn Silver Jubilee and the (new) Mersey Gateway bridges.

Geplaatst* door Bill Morton
Meest recente update 1 februari 2021
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Beschrijving

The park is a series of managed grassland with copses of trees and thickets. It borders the south banks of the River Mersey situated a mile east of Runcorn old town. At the east end of the park is a shallow reedy margined water, known as the 'lost lagoon' which is ideal for diving ducks, Dodaars and very occasionally rare birds. The woodlands attract commoner bird species with Matkop once a regular visitor. The river attacts shorebirds and Kleine Burgemeester in late winter with Visdief and sea birds during storm conditions. Also check the salt marshes for possible Velduil and always check the Grote Canadese Gans for an oddity amounst them.

The site boasts an enviable list of scarce and rare birds: Whooper & Bewick's Swan, dark & pale-bellied Brent, Barnacle, Pink-footed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Garganey, Greater Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Common Scoter, Great Northern Diver, Black-necked and Slavonian Grebe, Gannet, Fulmar, Leach's Petrel, Franklin's Gull, Mediterreanean Gull, Kittiwake, Little Gull, Yellow-legged, Caspian, Glaucous, Iceland Gull, Black, Common, Arctic and Sandwich Tern, Pomarine and Great Skua, Guillemot, Turnstone, Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Red Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Wood and Green Sandpiper, Bar & Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Pectoral Sandpiper, Bittern, Great and Little Egret, Quail, Long and Short-eared Owl, Turtle Dove, Marsh and Hen Harrier, Osprey, Merlin, Hobby, Green Woodpecker, Blue-headed Wagtail, Tree, Water and Rock Pipit, Waxwing, Spotted Flycatcher, Marsh Warbler, Firecrest, Willow and Marsh Tit and Twite. There's plenty of room to add to the list on a birding place which is much under watched and deserves regualr attention.

Details

Toegang

Situated a mile east of Runcorn old town and can be reached by car easily from A558 following brown tourist sign for Wigg Island Community Park (off Astmoor Road/Mason Street). Access from the M62 at junction 7 and follow signs for Runcorn, or M56 at junction 12 follow signs for Runcorn.

There is ample parking on site and is suitable for wheel chair users with broad tarmac paths on relativley level paths. There are steep paths at the east end of the park close to the Old Quay Canal spur/Lost Lagoon. Unfortunately there are no toilet or cafe facilities on site. Ideal for walking with a 2 mile circular walk and suitable for cycling with a possible extension along the Manchester Ship Canal to join the Trans Pennine Trail.

A small nature trail 'Troll trail' with wooden carvings on the trail. There are three observation screens alongside the path with views across the river to Spike Island, West Bank, Widnes, Widnes Warth Marsh and Fiddlers Ferry power station. The mudflats at low water are always worth a look as of winter 2020/21 a Ruddy Shelduck was hanging out with its commoner cousins. A series of shallow scrapes have been created as part of the salt marsh mitigation with the Gateway Group and it is hoped these will attract birds on the rising or ebbing tide.

Terrein en leefgebied

Verspreide bomen en struiken , Wetland , Grasland/weide , Rivier , Meer , Slikken , Rietvelden , Stad/dorp

Omstandigheden

Vlak , Droog , Open landschap , Hoog water mogelijk

Rondlopende wandeling mogelijk?

Ja

Telescoop meenemen?

Kan handig zijn

Wanneer hier vogels kijken?

Het hele jaar

Toptijd voor dit gebied

Winter , Zomer , Voorjaarstrek , Lente , Herfst , Najaarstrek

Route

Verharde weg , Breed pad

Zwaarte wandeling

Gemakkelijk

Toegankelijk via

Te voet , Fiets , Rolstoel

Vogelkijkhut aanwezig?

Ja

Extra info

A series of 3 observation screens situated alongside the pathways.

Links

Bekijk vogelgebieden in de buurt op Birdingplaces

Kaart

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