Spend a few days in the coastal county of Lancashire to experience the wonder of the autumn migration and the exceptional birdwatching it brings.
The autumn bird spectacle in Lancashire regularly features thousands of pink-footed geese, whooper swans and waders such as curlew, redshank, dunlin and knot. Numbers of these birds can be astonishing, particularly at two of Europe’s most important intertidal wetlands: the Ribble Estuary and Morecambe Bay. There’s also a chance of bittern or bearded tit, or hunting raptors. and other key sites here include WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre and Marshside RSPB Nature Reserve.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Arrive at hotel in Lancaster; rest of the day at leisure
Make your own way to our accommodation, The Mill at Conder Green, just south of Lancaster (clients arriving by train can be met at Lancaster station between 4pm and 5pm).
Days2-3: Birdwatching excursions around Lancashire
We spend the next two full days in Lancashire visiting a variety of nature reserves to view the autumn migration.
These include a visit to Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve, previously used as the base for BBC’s Autumnwatch series, to view a variety of wildfowl and waders, and the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust’s Martin Mere Reserve which attracts large numbers of whooper swans and pink-footed geese. We aim to visit Marshside RSPB where we should get close views of a good variety of waders and wildfowl. There’s also a good chance of raptors that could include merlin, peregrine and hen harrier. We also plan to spend some time in areas around Morecambe Bay and the Ribble Estuary, internationally important areas for migrating and over-wintering birds.
Day4: Morning birding excursion; depart for home
On our final morning we can further explore the estuaries around Morecombe Bay before finishing off the tour with a group lunch.
For travellers departing from Lancaster railway station, a drop off at the station will be made at 2.30pm.
Please note: Whilst we will endeavour to visit all the reserves mentioned, the itinerary may be altered by the tour leader according to local conditions.
Key info
Duration and price excluding international flights: 4 daysfrom £1,150 pp
Barry has a degree in ecology and a lifelong interest in nature which led to a career in nature conservation and habitat restoration working for the RSPB and the Woodland Trust.
A keen general naturalist and dendrologist, Barry has lived in Australia before returning to the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, working as a forest ranger and also sharing his passion for nature as a local guide. His travels have taken him worldwide, with a particular fondness for Europe and the Arctic.
Bordered in the east by the Pennines, Lancashire’s main rivers drain west into the Irish Sea. Areas of national and international significance, for their birdlife include the Ribble Estuary, Morecambe Bay, while the limestone pavements at Leighton Moss are home to a rich endemic flora.
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All rooms at The Mill have en suite facilities, and are equipped with TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee-making facilities, and have lovely views of the Lancashire countryside, surrounded by wildlife. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar serving traditional Lancashire fare.
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