Over 500 barrels of crude oil leaked from a cracked pipeline on Tuesday afternoon. The pipeline which connects 2 oil installations in the Irish Sea, had a failure about 20 miles from the north coast of England.

The spill seems to be moving towards the English coast. It is predicted to reach the shoreline at Formby, and then between Lytham St Annes and south of Fleetwood later this week.

The Ribble Estuary National Nature Reserve is one of the most important sites in the UK for water birds. More than a quarter of a million migrating wading birds and wildfowl visit the coast and its wetlands in winter. While the impact of Monday’s pipeline leak is still unclear, an oil spill of any size poses a risk to seabirds and other marine wildlife.

Joan Edwards, Director of Marine Conservation, The Wildlife Trusts said: 

“Currently, our greatest concern is for the welfare of offshore populations of common scoter, red-throated diver and great crested grebe in Liverpool Bay Special Protection Area. If oil reaches the coastline, then wading birds including knot, dunlin, godwit and oystercatcher that feed and roost across the Ribble and Alt Estuaries are also likely to be affected.”

News of the spill came on the 26th anniversary of what has been called Wales’ worst ecological disaster, when 72,000 tonnes of crude spilled from the Sea Empress oil tanker off the Pembrokeshire coast. Large numbers of seaweeds and invertebrates were killed on the beaches where it drifted ashore, and it took over a year to clean the slick.

With the winds shifting over the next couple of days there could be a chance of oil washing towards the Isle of Man. Please keep your eyes out for any oiled birds on beaches. Contact DEFA if you find a dead oiled bird or Manx Wild Bird Aid or the ManxSPCA if you find a bird in need.