Warrington's Wildlife Sites
A map which corresponds to the following wildlife sites can be viewed by clicking here 
1.Pestfurlong Hill/Gorse Covert Mounds
2.Sankey Valley Park
3.Rixton Claypits
4.Risley Moss
5.Woolston Eyes
6.Appleton Dingle
7.Fiddler's Ferries Lagoons
8.The Twiggeries
9.Houghton Green Pool
10.Moore Nature Reserve
11 - 18. Additional Wildlife Sites Open to the Public
1. Pestfurlong Hill/Gorse Covert Mounds
This site can be accessed from Gorse Covert Road, where there is a small car park. It is a particularly good site in early spring for birds, with lesser whitethroat included in the six species of warblers that nest on the site. Its grass areas hold a wide range of wild flowers including marsh orchids, and up to 15 species of butterfly can be seen in summer. It has several ponds that support a number of dragonfly and damselfly species. There is an area of largely dried out peat moss at the eastern side of the site that illustrates the plants that encroach onto this habitat. Grid Ref : SJ 665928
2. Sankey Valley Park
Both the keen naturalist and the casual visitor will find things of interest in the Sankey Valley Park. The Warrington section is 7 miles long with associated open space and follows the line of the Sankey Brook & Sankey Canal. This makes it ideal for spotting waterside wildlife such as kingfishers, water voles, dragonflies & waterfowl. Meadows, old woodlands, reed beds and ponds are linked together by formal and informal pathways to form the parkland. The design of the park incorporates the old and the new landscapes with quiet areas for wildlife and provision for recreation. There are numerous access points and car parks. Grid Ref : SJ 667919
3. Rixton Claypits
Rixton Clay Pits is one of Warrington’s most heavily designated wildlife site. It is a Local Nature Reserve (LNR), Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a European Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in recognition of its national importance for great crested newts. In addition to the newts, its ponds also support large numbers of other amphibians, particularly toads, and 18 species of damselfly and dragonfly species, including the ruddy darter and the large emperor dragonfly.
There are numerous waterside and grassland flowers, which in turn attract up to 20 species of butterfly, and its wooded areas provide nesting sites for many summer visiting birds. Until recently, it has not been an easy site to access but now there is a new car park and visitor centre. For those who have not yet discovered this site, it is a wonderful place for wildlife and well worth a visit! Grid Ref : SJ 685907
4. Risley Moss
The peat bog area at Risley Moss is one of the few remaining pieces of the extensive bogs created by the encroachment of plants into large lakes left in the Mersey valley by receding glaciers after the last Ice Age. This kind of bog supports unique plant life, including the insect-eating Sundew. The site is SSSI and a SAC, recognising the international importance of the site and the need to protect it from development. The site supports three species of reptile - the adder, the slowworm and the common lizard. Its mossland pools support over a dozen species of dragonflies and damselflies, which in turn attract hobby in summer to feed on them.
The mossland area is not open to the public, except on Ranger-led guided walks, but there is public access to woodland areas alongside the bog. One of the main woodland attractions is the bird feeding station at the woodland hide that attracts up to 25 species of birds in winter. Grid Ref : SJ 667919
5. Woolston Eyes
Woolston Eyes covers an area of 220 hectares, and is composed of four large deposit grounds, one to the east and three to the west of the Thelwall Viaduct. It has been used for many years by the Manchester Ship Canal Company for depositing dredgings from the Ship Canal, although now only one is in regular use. The site is excellent for passage migrants. marsh harrier, peregrine, merlin and hobby are recorded annually. There are large numbers of teal (up to 3000), tufted duck (up to 700) and pochard (regularly up to 750) in the winter and a black-headed gull colony with an estimated population of 4000 birds in spring. The ‘jewels in the crown’ are the black-necked grebes as the site is currently most important in the U.K. for this species, of which probably no more than 50 pairs breed in the whole of the country.
You can reach the Eyes via Thelwall Lane, Latchford or by crossing Woolston Weir. You do, however, require a permit and key to gain access to the sensitive No.3 bed. Grid Ref : SJ 649883
6. Appleton Dingle
Accessed off Dingle Lane; Appleton Dingle is one of our few remaining areas of ancient semi-natural woodland. It is a fantastic place to see bluebells, as well as other spring flowers. There are also many birds like woodpeckers, nuthatches and warblers. It contains a mix of tree and plant species dominated by English oak. Grid Ref : SJ 627847
7. Fiddler's Ferries Lagoons
This site is situated between Warrington and Widnes with the main interest centred on four large sludge lagoons built on salt marsh on the north bank of the River Mersey. Access is by permit only and is restricted to the ‘Bird Hide Trail’ which runs through the station, between the lagoons to a bird hide overlooking one of the lagoons and the nearby river (write to the station manager for application form). There is bird interest throughout the year, but is especially good in winter for wildfowl and waders as well as occasional rare gulls such as glaucous and Iceland. Grid Ref : SJ 549853
8. The Twiggeries
The Twiggeries is a small wetland situated to the south of Warrington Cemetery, which can be accessed from Farrell Street, opposite the ambulance station. It is a good site for warblers singing in spring and many other birds can be seen and heard. Adjacent to the Twiggeries and across Padgate Brook is a fine reed bed created by the Environment Agency. Six species of warblers breed there, including good populations of reed and sedge Warblers as well as the occasional pair of grasshopper warblers. Dragonflies and damselflies are frequently seen and wildflowers abound along Padgate Brook. Grid Ref : SJ 623884
9. Houghton Green Pool
This site has been created as a result of flooding of a deep depression created through the removal of soil to build up the embankments of the M62. As ground-water levels have risen generally in this area over the last 25 years, the pool has increased in size and is now a lake. It is adjacent to the M6 motorway and can be viewed from Delph Lane, south of Winwick or from a footpath from Delph Lane to Croft. It has waterfowl throughout the year but has most in winter, when several species of duck can be seen including large numbers of wigeon, teal, tufted duck and great crested grebe. In recent years, there have been sightings of black-necked grebe, which appear to be dispersing to this site from their Woolston Eyes nesting ground. Grid Ref : SJ 622927
10. Moore Nature Reserve
Moore Nature Reserve occupies over 180 acres between the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey adjacent to the Arpley Landfill site. Originally an area of farmland, scrub and woodland, five lakes have been created as well as several other smaller ponds, grasslands and reed beds.
The area has long been known for its bird-life, with a good variety of wildfowl as well as many woodland and farmland birds. The reserve has several hides overlooking most of the pools and a woodland feeding station. The nearby tip also attracts masses of gulls, many of which visit the reserve pools to bathe. Thorough examination of gull flocks may reveal rare visitors as well as the more usual species.
The site has also a varied mammal population. Foxes are seen regularly, brown hare can be seen on local farmland and several water bodies hold numbers of water vole. At least six species of bat have been recorded. Recently there has been increasing evidence of muntjak deer and possible polecat on site.
The site also supports 22 species of butterfly including brimstone and purple hairstreak and 16 species of dragonfly including emperor, migrant hawker and black-tailed skimmer. Grid Ref : SJ 570852
Additional Wildlife Sites Open to the Public
11. Appleton Reservoir SJ 602842. Large open water area in beautiful settings. Excellent for waterfowl.
12. Bewsey Meadows SJ 358389. An exceptionally large former tip site important for invertebrates and small mammals.
13. Grappenhall Heys SJ 631855. Mature woodland, ponds and parkland supporting a diverse range of plants and animals.
14. Ladies Walk Wood SJ 585900. Irregular shaped broadleaved woodland and ponds with good wildlife interest.
15. Lymm Dam SJ 680865. A large artificial lake surrounded by steep banked oak and beech woodland. Spectacular walks.
16. Paddington Meadows SJ 632885. River Mersey side meadows offering countryside walks and wildlife right in the town centre. Some of the oldest hedges in Cheshire.
17. St Helens Canal SJ 548858. A length of disused canal which has established dense reed-beds excellent for bird life. The canal towpath forms part of the Trans Pennine Trail.
18. Walton Locks SJ 607864. A disused man-made lagoon between the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey. The banks are clothed in reed and willow scrub which provides habitat for reed bunting and warblers.
