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Walk on the Wild Side: January

In the monthly instalment of nature walks in Blackpool, Stephen Dunstan takes his binoculars to the Promenade.

This three mile stroll gives the chance to enjoy colourful Canadian shorebirds and one of the most magnificent murmurations of Starlings in the whole country. For those with less mobility there is the option of retracing your steps on a bus or tram. This walk is best undertaken late afternoon on a high tide, to observe the Starling roost forming before dusk.

From North Pier head towards Bispham on either the upper or lower Promenade. If small brown birds fly up with squeaky calls these will be either Meadow or Rock Pipits. The slightly larger Rock Pipits have wintered in the area for many years, and a couple of years ago began staying to breed.

When you reach the old Maxwell’s boating pool, now the Formulakart racing track look on the high external walls, particularly those on the northern side. At high tide there is usually a mixed gathering of shorebirds affording excellent views. The larger birds are Redshanks – ‘shank’ being an old English term for legs. If they are frightened they will often be first birds to fly off shrieking as they go, this earning them the nickname of ‘the warden of the marshes’.

Among the Redshank will be dumpier but exquisitely patterned birds. These are Turnstone, so named for a habit of flicking pebbles on the shore over to feed on insects beneath. Ringing studies have shown some of these hardy birds make an annual transatlantic journey here from the eastern seaboard of Canada. Their pale underparts contrast with mottled black and chestnut winter upper parts.

The Turnstone is named for a habit of flicking pebbles on the shore over to feed on insects beneath.

Completing the trio of birds named rather literally, further back from the observer there will usually be a dozen or so Oystercatchers. These large pied waders with bright orange bills and bubblegum pink legs are a familiar site along the Blackpool coastline at low tide and some now join the roost here. If your visit isn’t at high tide the Oystercatchers and Redshank will often be found on the sandy beach feeding, whilst some of the Turnstones feed on barnacles on the base of the outside of the kart track.

Walk as far as the Genting Casino for your three mile walk before turning back on yourself and rewarding yourself with a pit stop at the Hole In The Wall Cafe on the Lower Promenade. If you have timed your walk correctly you will hopefully make it back to North Pier just as the light is beginning to go.

On weekends in particular you may see a number of other people including photographers gathered on the Promenade to the north of the pier near the sunken gardens behind the Metropole. Hundreds of Starlings will come in from all directions, soon merging into one sweeping display of movement and manoeuvrability. Although numbers are not what they once were, in line with national trends, there can still be 40,000-50,000 Starlings circling in the sunset and, whilst there may be larger assemblies in some rural locations, seaside piers are probably the best for close up sights and, importantly, sounds – both the excited chattering and the whoosh of wings. If you are lucky to top things off one of the local Peregrine Falcons or Sparrowhawks may make an opportunistic foray for a meal.

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