Pickerings Scrape

A small brackish pond within Pickerings Pasture Local Nature Reserve. Small numbers of waders and wildfowl use the pond as a roosting area at high tide.

Location
The reserve is on the north bank of the River Mersey, about 1.5 miles (2.5km) west of the Runcorn to Widnes bridge and about 1 mile (1.6km) east of Hale. It is on Hale Marsh at the south end of Pickerings Pasture County Park and about 0.5 mile (0.8km) east of the Hale Duck Decoy(O.S. Grid Ref.: SJ486829).

Access
From the Runcorn to Widnes bridge follow the unclassified road past Ditton station towards Hale. In Hale Bank turn left down Mersey View Road to Pickerings Pasture where there is a car park. Alternatively Pickerings Pasture can be reached by the footpath (signposted) from Hale Gate Road at the side of the privat road to the sewage works. Hale Marsh is private land with no public access but the Scrape can be viewed from the bird hide in Pickerings Pasture.

Status
Pickerings Pasture is owned by Halton Borough Council and managed by the Mersey Valley Ranger Service. There is an information hut near the car park. The scrape has been managed by Cheshire Wildlife Trust under a licence from the Council since 1987. It's area is 0.2 acres (0.1ha) and it is part of the Mersey Estuary SSSI.

Topography
The reserve is on the salt marsh and bank of the Mersey. There is a small brackish pond and small areas covered with pebbles and shells.

Flora
Sea aster and scurvy-grass grow on the scrape.

Fauna
Small numbers of waders and wildfowl use the reserve as a feeding area. In winter, teal, shelduck, redshank, heron and occasionally kingfisher and brambling use the reserve. In spring/autumn greenshank, snipe, green and common sandpiper and little ringed plover frequent the area. In summer you can see shelduck, heron and yellow wagtail.