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Heysham Nature Reserve

Heysham Nature Reserve consists of a wide variety of habitats including open water, reedbed, marsh, Gorse and Hawthorn scrub, acid and neutral grasslands, heath and tree and shrub plantations.

The variety of habitats has produced a great variety of flowering plants: 215 species recorded including Bee Orchid and Yellow-wort. These in turn produce the number and variety of butterflies and day-flying moths which are such a feature of the reserve in summer.

Wildlife highlights: 21 species of butterflies have been recorded recently, including include some local or uncommon ones such as Small Skipper, Grayling and Small Copper. Butterfly numbers - especially Common Blue - can be spectacular. Over 200 species of moths have been recorded.

The reserve is also important for its dragonflies and damselflies: 14 species occur, including less common species such as Ruddy Darter, Emerald Damselfly and Emperor Dragonfly.

Common bird censuses are undertaken to record the breeding birds, including Moorhen, Meadow Pipit, Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Linnet, Grasshopper Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler, which reflect the range of habitats found at Heysham.  Water Rails, Snipe and Woodcock overwinter here.
Several rare species have occurred, notably Wryneck (2000), Night Heron (1990), Bee-eater (1984), Serin (1990), Woodchat Shrike (1989), and at least 10 Yellow-browed Warblers from Siberia. 

Location & Access: Location
From Heysham, follow the signs for the Port of Heysham taking the A589 for 1 mile to the traffic lights, turn left down Moneyclose Lane and the entrance is on the right after 200m. Heysham Harbour is served by the railway and bus network. There are car parking facilities on site for access to the reserve.

No permit is needed and the reserve is open during daylight hours. No access by car to the reserve outside opening hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. or 10 a.m. - dusk. There is also a seawatching hide situated along the sea wall. Access details are posted at the hut by the car park, from where a reserve guide leaflet is available. 

These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.