We love it here already and have been numerous times. Yes they do still have work underway in some areas but mostly everything is looking really good. There is plenty to keep you going all day.
The sand martins have taken well to the wall and have been using it fully. Lots of birds in the reeds (the white throat loves making me crazy trying to get a picture of it)
The hides are good - though they have suffered some vandalism recently. The woodland walk path is good as are around the pools. Even got a picture of some fish in one of them and tadpoles.
Kestrels and Lapwings and Ringed Plovers, the latter one I still have to get a good picture of, as with being in any hide that is a bit of a distance away you need a longer lens than what we have right now.
Through every path of the reserve you see and hear lots of birds.
We walk right the way around then onto the river Ribble way and right up there, last time there saw a Great Crested Grebe and lots of babies.
We are into taking bug/spider/damsel/dragonfly pictures and there are so many of all these everywhere. Though we always get odd looks, and people coming over to us "Oooo what have you found" with a really excited look on their face, then you say "a beetle" or whatever it is and they look at you like your crazy. All nature is good nature not only birds, so if you see us sticking out of a bush no we're not
The visitors center is ok, could do with a bigger shop - might get that over time. They have some nice foods that you can buy in the shop next to the gift shop. The cafe area itself is big enough and there are nice seats outside for a sunny day right next to the water. My partner loved the cakes but the coffee isn't the best. They had a range of sandwiches and hot foods.
As for the car park, yes we do think it's a little expensive, as we sometimes go on a Saturday and Sunday for over 5 hours so we get the £10 charge.
They have brought out I believe six-month passes for the car park. You have to fill out an application form and I suppose if you go enough it could be worth it.
Recent sightings have included:
Wigeon - Dunlin - Gadwall - Little Grebe - Grasshopper Warbler - Elephant Hawk Moth (want to get a picture of and see) Cuckoo - Redshank - Osprey - Hobbys - Oystercatchers - Reed Warbler - Sedge Warbler - Blackcap - Whitethroat - Coots - Snipe - Red Kite - Swans - Cormorants - Buzzard and lots more. Not including all the butterflies, moths, bugs and such like.
This facebook group is a good one for all recordings of sightings at Brockholes:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brockholes-Nature-Reserve-Lancs-Bird-Wildlife-News/179765618733795