South Walney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids South Walney
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
The shingle beach on the seaward side of the reserve photographed in 2009
Location	Cumbria, United Kingdom
Area	130 ha

South Walney is a special place for nature on Walney Island in England. It's one of two nature reserves found there. This reserve covers a large area, about 130 hectares. That's like 320 football fields! The Cumbria Wildlife Trust has been taking care of this amazing place since 1963.

South Walney is famous for its wildlife. You can see many different kinds of Gulls here. These include lesser black-backed gulls and herring gulls. However, their numbers have gone down since the 1970s.

It's also a very important home for seals. It's the only place in Cumbria where grey seals have their babies. The number of seals has actually grown since the 1970s. For a long time, South Walney was just a place where seals rested on the land. But now, it's a breeding colony! Two seal pups were born here in 2015, and five more in 2016.

The reserve is also home to the Walney Bird Observatory. This group collects information about all the birds seen on Walney Island. Since the observatory started in 1964, around 300 different kinds of birds have been recorded here.

Visiting South Walney Nature Reserve

South Walney Nature Reserve is open every day. You can visit from 10 AM to 5 PM. In winter, it closes a bit earlier, at 4 PM. Sometimes, the road to the reserve can be covered by water during high tides. So, it's a good idea to check the tide times before you go!

What You Can See and Do

There are special bird hides at the reserve. These are small buildings where you can watch birds without disturbing them. In 2016, a webcam was set up to watch the seals. This means people can see the seals online from anywhere!

Protecting South Walney's Nature

South Walney is a very important area for nature. It's part of something called a Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI. This means it's protected because of its special plants, animals, and rocks. The SSSI here is connected to two other important SSSIs nearby.

Connected Protected Areas

The South Walney SSSI is next to the Duddon Estuary SSSI. This estuary is where the Walney Channel separates Walney Island from the mainland. It's also next to the Morecambe Bay SSSI.

Both the Duddon Estuary and Morecambe Bay are also protected as Special Protection Areas. These are places that are important for birds, especially for their breeding and feeding. There were talks in 2016 about joining Morecambe Bay and Duddon Estuary into one big protected area. This new area would also include parts of the sea west of Walney Island. This would help protect areas where birds like terns find their food.