After last week's trip to Lytham and unsuccessful attempt to reach the Ribble Estuary, we tried getting there from the other side of the river today, from New Longton. A friend told us to head for the Flying Dolphin pub which we did - it was miles away from anywhere, down a long dirt track road and when we got there it was packed! A rally was being held so people had travelled from miles to be there and it was really quite noisy - typical.

A local resident said we could leave our car at the bottom of the lane and from there we walked across the marshes for miles and miles. It was a lovely day and the walk did us the world of good but we still could not seem to get near the river although we could see it and we could see Kirkham across the other side. Saw a pair of herons and flocks of starlings and even a few lapwings but otherwise, not much to speak of. A few inland ponds and small lakes attracted some gulls but access was a bit dodgy as the marshland was quite waterlogged at this point.

We then moved on to Marshside, a favourite RSPB site and spent the remainder of the afternoon in the hide as the wind was starting to get up. A few geese were coming in, in small flocks along with hundreds of lapwings and starlings in vast flocks, ready to roost. We finished up with a walk alongside the marsh to where the new wetlands centre is going to be created - can't get access at the moment as it is all fenced off and the gate padlocked but it looks like that will be the only way to get close to the estuary in future. The area here is ideal for a wetlands centre and I am really looking forward to being able to gain access and to at last, be able to reach the Ribble Estuary - or at least be able to see the birds which visit every year.