Ribble and Alt Estuaries
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox SSSI
|image= 04 Ribble estuary, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, UK.jpg
|caption= Aerial view of the Ribble Estuary
|name=Ribble Estuary
|aos=Merseyside and Lancashire
|displaymap=Lancashire#Merseyside
|map_caption=Location in Lancashire##Location in Merseyside
|interest=Biological
|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|SD375240}}
|coordinates = {{coord|53.71|-2.97|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
|area=9226.3 hectares, {{convert|22798.2|acre|m2}}
|notifydate=1966 (Southport Sanctuary)
1976 (Ribble Estuary)
1984
{{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_date = 28 November 1985
| designation1_number = 325{{Cite web|title=Ribble & Alt Estuaries|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/325|accessdate=25 April 2018}}}}
|enref=1004299
}}
The estuaries of the River Ribble and River Alt lie on the Irish Sea coasts of Lancashire and Merseyside in North West England. Together they, and the area of salt marsh, mudflats, and sand dunes between them, form a Special Protection Area and Ramsar site which covers the coastline between Crosby and Lytham St Annes. These protected areas overlap with two sites of special scientific interest, Ribble Estuary and Sefton Coast.
Protected area
A large number of different species of waders and wildfowl, listed below, use the estuaries as feeding and over-wintering areas. This wide variety of bird species has led to the estuaries being officially designated as a Special Protection Area and as a Ramsar site. The Ribble Estuary has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1966 and is now covered by Natural England's Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve.{{cite web|url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1004299.pdf |title=Ribble Estuary citation |series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest |publisher=Natural England |accessdate=29 March 2020}}
The site
The Ribble Marshes National Nature Reserve is {{convert|2302|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}} in extent and it is located in the middle of the SSSI which extends to {{convert|9226|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}}. There are extensive areas of intertidal sand and silt flats, and expanses of saltmarsh. The mudflats have a large invertebrate fauna on which the waders and waterbirds feed. The saltmarshes are dominated by saltmarsh grass and red fescue with cord-grass on the seaward edge. The Ramsar wetlands extend to {{convert|13464|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}} and include an area of sand dunes which has interesting vegetation and provides habitat for important populations of amphibians. The whole site is of great importance to internationally important numbers of wintering waterbirds.
Species
Birds that breed at the site include common tern (Sterna hirundo), lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) and ruff (Philomachus pugnax).{{Cite web|title=Ribble & Alt Estuaries|work=Ramsar Information Sheet|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/RISapp/files/RISrep/GB325RIS.pdf |accessdate=29 March 2020}} Migratory species that visit in spring and autumn include ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) and sanderling (Calidris alba).
Birds that over-winter here include bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa islandica), Bewick's swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii), dunlin (Calidris alpina alpina), golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), knot (Calidris canutus), oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus), pintail (Anas acuta), redshank (Tringa totanus), sanderling (Calidris alba), shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), teal (Anas crecca), whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) and Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope).
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{cite web | title=Classification as a Special Protection Area | url=http://www.jncc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=1984 | work= Joint Nature Conservation Committee}}
External links
- [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lancashires-national-nature-reserves/lancashires-national-nature-reserves#ribble-estuary Natural England: Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve]
{{SSSIs Merseyside}}
Category:Ramsar sites in England
Category:Special Protection Areas in England
Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Lancashire