It's been another few days of contrast here in the Morecambe Bay region with the predicted scorching sunshine in the early part of the week followed by bouts of overcast weather and occasional spells of drizzle. One minute we were in shorts, the next a waterproof jacket!
With a generally prolonged dry spell and successive low tides, the water levels at the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools have been seriously diminished, leaving the area pretty birdless. The black-headed gull nesting season is over for another year and without any pools the avocets have also moved on, scuppering any chances of successful late broods. A high tide last weekend put a little water into the Allen Pool, attracting a few waders. This time of year sees the return of many shorebirds as they head south from their Arctic breeding grounds and in recent days we've seen yet more greenshank (up to seven on the Causeway island), spotted redshank, common redshank, black-tailed godwits and snipe all making appearances around the reserve.
The meres on the main reserve are still holding quite a bit of water - this is being managed deliberately to enhance water quality, fish populations and the health of the reedbed. As a consequence we're also seeing the expected build-up of wildfowl. In the coming weeks more and more ducks will arrive, with some staying to complete their post-breeding moult while others simply pass through. It's actually a really good time to come along and get to grips with the subtle identification features of ducks in eclipse plumage (if that floats your boat!).
The marsh harriers, having had an exceptionally good breeding season (ten chicks fledged from four nests) are now starting to drift off, as is expected in mid-summer. Once the adults and young have dispersed, we usually have a period of around five or six weeks before we see marsh harriers back on site (though occasional migrants may pass through) after which the numbers will build again and our over-wintering birds will become settled on the reserve.
Bitterns too, having been fantastically present in recent months have become typically elusive again. With young birds now fledged and independent, the adults are no longer making as many flights and sightings are becoming fewer - though one or two are still being seen daily across the site.
Hobbies are always a favourite with visitors and Lower Hide has been the best place to get great views of these superb falcons just lately. Warmer days with lots of dragonfly activity provide the best opportunities for catching up with these locally scarce raptors, as the birds hunt their favourite insect prey over the pools.
Ospreys can be a bit hit and miss at this time of year, but one or two pay visits every now and then. Once birds start to leave their Scottish and Cumbrian nest sites we can expect to see more passing through as they head back to West Africa for the winter. One osprey dropped by earlier this week and decided to check out the nest platform (pictured here), evicting the sitting great black-backed gull in the process! You can see footage of this wonderful interaction here.
In other news, the hot weather brought out plenty of dragonflies, butterflies and even a handsome common lizard, which spent time seeking some much-needed shade at the back of the visitor centre on Tuesday! Although they can be found throughout the AONB we rarely see these delightful reptiles on the main reserve so this was a real treat for those lucky enough to see it. Photo by Beki Williams
The unseasonal Sabine's gull seems to have departed - or perhaps it's just relocated to another nearby area and has yet to be re-found! Mid-summer can be a time for all manner of rare birds to drop in, so we will be hoping that some unusual wader, heron, tern or just about anything may pay us a visit in the coming weeks to add a little spice to the season. Don't forget to let us know if you do see something out of the ordinary, and do try to get a video or photo (even a bad one) to help document any uncommon sightings!
If you're planning to bring younger family members to Leighton Moss over the school holidays, don't forget that you can hire a pond dipping kit as well as pick up a Big Wild Summer activity pack to add extra fun to your day out - ask at the welcome desk for details! For details of guided walks and other activities, please see our events page.