PENNINGTON FLASH
This site guide is taken from the previous county birding
website and was written by Judith Smith, a new, updated guide is currently
in preparation.
The Pennington Flash all time species list can be found
here and the Pennington
Flash birders site lists can be found
here.
A large subsidence flash a mile long, just outside Leigh, intensively
watched as there is a good network of comfortable hides around the nature
reserve area. Plenty of parking (80p) nearby, and ideal for disabled
persons, as all hides have ramps. Toilets and mobile café, but (amazingly
for such a well-patronised site) no visitor centre open to the public. It's
worth knocking on the unmarked door of the former visitor centre, adjacent
to the Gents' toilet, to contact ranger service if not out on site, as daily
records are kept here, and on a board in the toilet foyer. By December 1984
206 species had been recorded, and the site is now famous for the discovery
of the first Black-faced Bunting in Britain in 1994, which obligingly stayed
for 7 weeks. A feeding station in Bunting Hide provides excellent views of
Willow Tit, Bullfinch and Water Rail, and there is usually a Long-eared Owl
roost in winter. Breeding species include Common Tern, Oystercatcher, Ringed
and Little Ringed Plover. Recent rarities include Whiskered Tern, Great
Northern Diver, Spotted Crake, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup.
Main lake,
Pennington Flash
View from
Horrocks' Hide
View from Teal
Hide
View from New
Hide, Pennington Flash
New scrapes
at Ramsdale' s inlet, Pennington Flash
- Access is from St.
Helens Rd, Leigh, and the site is well signposted from the A580
