THE third Wirral wader festival takes place next month, celebrating the fact that vast numbers of birds flock to the borough's unique coastline.

Organised by Wirral Coast Partnership it will be held from Friday to Sunday, September 8-10, featuring a busy programme of events.

Birds such as knots, dunlins, curlews and bar-tailed godwits feast on the rich mudflats of the Dee estuary and North Wirral shores and can be easily seen from places such as Hoylake promenade.

There will be high tide watches to marvel at the knot and dunlin roosts on Hoylake beach and at Cheshire Wildlife Trust's Red Rocks nature reserve.

At West Kirby there will be live footage beamed direct from Little Eye, showing off the oystercatchers and curlews up close.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust will hold guided walks around Red Rocks nature reserve and hosting the children's activities. Wirral Rangers will lead a guided walk to Hilbre Island.

The festival starts with a talk by the naturalist and environmentalist Iolo Williams, a presenter on the BBC's Springwatch and Autumnwatch, on Friday, September 8.

Karen Leeming, chair of Wirral Coast Partnership said: "Since the Wirral Wader Festival Partnership held the first UK Wader Festival in 2015, it has encouraged a number of other UK coastal areas to follow suit and we think that this is a fantastic achievement.

"The entire Wirral coastline has protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for the internationally important numbers of wading birds that live here through autumn and winter.

"As a result, it is the focus of conservation efforts from a number of environmental organisations, local authority departments and private sector organisations who all contribute to the event."

Full details are from www.facebook.com/wirralwaderfest or wirralwaderfestival.blogspot.co.uk

Most activities on Saturday and Sunday are free but some have a small charge. 

Seats for the Iolo Williams talk cost £15 and must be pre-booked at www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/whats-on