Pickering's Pasture Local Nature Reserve
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Pickering's Pasture at Widnes is an award winning nature reserve with wildflower meadows and views across the Mersey Estuary.
A former land fill site and the first site in Halton to win the coveted Green Flag Award, the land was reclaimed in the 1980's. Many different types of animals, butterflies and birds can be seen in the meadows. The cornfield meadow, at its most colourful betwwen July and September, features a wide range of wildflowers, cornflowers, popppies, corncockle, corn marigold, scentless Mayweed and others. The field is typical of meadows found in the English countryside prior to the advent of modern farming methods, with their increased use of herbicides.
The reserve provides opportunities for bird watching the bird hide overlooks Hale Marsh where numbers of Teal feed along the streams on the marsh and flocks of waders may be seen roosting (Golden plover, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Dunlin). Flocks of up to several hundred Canada geese roost on the marsh during high tides with Black tailed Godwit an increasing sight.
Pickering's Pasture has a small visitor centre and free parking facilities.