Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve (NNR) includes extensive areas of mud and sand flats and is one of the largest saltmarsh habitats in England. For this recording day we visited the saltmarsh area near the village of Banks on the southern side of the estuary. We also surveyed a grazed wildflower meadow opposite.

Recorders: Phil Brighton, Jim Cresswell, Leanna Dixon, Elina Doss, Keith Fowler, Gary Hedges, Tony Hunter, Steve Cross, Barry Smith, Clive Washington, Chris Workman

Notable Records:

Ontholestes murinus (Staphylinidae), C. Washington.

• No iRecord / NBN Atlas records for VC59 or the region but there are a couple of older VC59 records according to Don Stenhouse.
• A distinctive rove beetle that feeds on carrion and larvae in dung.

Brundinia marina (Staphylinidae), C. Washington.

• Recorded by Don Stenhouse at Southport in 2020, and previously recorded on the Ribble Estuary in 2011, and also the Sefton Coast in 1989 according to NBN Atlas.
• Local nationally and associated with coastal saltmarsh.

Anoscopus limicola (Cicadellidae), K. Fowler

• First VC59 record this century.
• Associated with Saltmarshes but may be only a variant of A. albifrons.

Macrosteles horvathi (Cicadellidae), K. Fowler

• First VC59 record this century. Historically recorded from the Sefton Coast.
• Locally common in marshy areas and wet grasslands.

Sarcophaga sinuata, (Sarcophagidae), P. Brighton 

• Nationally scarce, associated with coastal wetlands

Provisional Species List: