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150:. The reserve is the home of the Walney Bird Observatory which collates bird records from across the island. Around 300 species of bird have been recorded on Walney Island since the foundation of the bird observatory in 1964.
124:. Numbers have declined considerably since the 1970s. Among the reasons for the decline has been predation. In 2021 Cumbria Wildlife Trust reported that a predator-proof fence had protected chicks at the reserve.
231:, there were consultations on a successful proposal that Morecambe Bay and Duddon Estuary be combined in a new SPA. The combined SPA includes a marine extension west of Walney Island to protect foraging areas of
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site rather than a breeding colony, but two pups were born in 2015, and 46 pups have been born since, with nine pups born in 2023
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South Walney Nature
Reserve is open daily 10am to 5pm (4pm in winter). The road to the reserve can be affected by
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colony in
Cumbria. Numbers have increased since the 1970s. Until recently South Walney was classed as a
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for biological and geological interest. The SSSI includes the South Walney part of the Walney Island
576:"Proposals for a Special Protection Area on Morecambe Bay and the Duddon Estuary and adjacent coast"
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243:(designated in January 2016), which is some kilometres from the coast.
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462:"Grey seal and shark populations on Cumbria coast increase in 2023"
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278:"All at sea - unexpected changes at South Walney Nature Reserve"
488:"Cumbria seabirds' breeding success after tough few seasons"
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since 1963. The reserve is notable for being a colony for
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Both the Duddon
Estuary and Morecambe Bay were designated
412:"South Walney Nature Reserve's first ever seal pup born"
235:. This marine extension is not to be confused with the "
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leased from Holker estates. It has been managed by the
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on the seaward side of the reserve photographed in 2009
434:"Second seal pup born at South Walney Nature Reserve"
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South Walney and Piel
Channel Flats are designated a
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United
Kingdom European Union membership referendum
373:"Massive seal study will test the old grey matter"
97:, England. The nature reserve has an area of 130
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702:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cumbria
383:. Johnston Publishing Ltd. 2007. Archived from
322:"The coast where they want their seagulls back"
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187:. The SSSI is contiguous with two other SSSIs:
682:Nature reserves of the Cumbria Wildlife Trust
223:(a protected area under the European Union
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601:"West of Walney Marine Conservation Zone"
199:, which separates Walney Island from the
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552:"South Walney & Piel Channel Flats"
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538:"Seal cam goes live". September 2016.
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175:Sites of Special Scientific Interest
138:Other breeding bird species include
41:IV (habitat/species management area)
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185:Geological Conservation Review Site
181:Site of Special Scientific Interest
166:. A seal webcam went live in 2016.
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299:"Lesser black backed gull"
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320:Copping, Jasper (2013).
241:Marine Conservation Zone
221:Special Protection Areas
127:The reserve is the only
518:Walney Bird Observatory
439:North-West Evening Mail
414:. BBC. 18 November 2015
227:). In 2016, before the
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351:Cumbria Wildlife Trust
144:Eurasian oystercatcher
103:Cumbria Wildlife Trust
301:. The Wildlife Trusts
148:common ringed plover
16:For the district of
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193:Duddon Estuary SSSI
697:Geology of Cumbria
653:54.0486°N 3.1995°W
468:. 29 December 2023
442:. 29 November 2015
379:Morecambe, England
208:Morecambe Bay SSSI
494:. 21 October 2023
399:HighBeam Research
258:Walney Lighthouse
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195:(within the
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162:. There are
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140:common eider
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87:South Walney
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32:South Walney
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22:Walney South
656: /
606:3 September
357:14 November
671:Categories
641:54°02′55″N
264:References
170:Protection
164:bird hides
160:high tides
154:Facilities
111:grey seals
644:3°11′58″W
585:31 August
418:26 August
331:27 August
129:grey seal
630:Seal cam
560:15 April
492:BBC News
466:BBC News
446:16 April
283:15 April
247:See also
201:mainland
133:haul-out
63:Location
625:Website
523:8 March
498:8 March
472:8 March
391:30 July
305:30 July
67:Cumbria
353:. 2021
80:130 ha
20:, see
555:(PDF)
233:terns
107:gulls
608:2016
587:2016
562:2017
525:2024
500:2024
474:2024
448:2017
420:2016
393:2014
359:2022
333:2016
307:2014
285:2017
206:the
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