Boardwalk by Steven Williams
Water rail by Paul Williams
With parts of the country under a blanket of snow the winter temperatures have dropped to freezing and most of the pools, with the exception of the far north of the reserve, became iced over. Otters were observed treading on the ice, ducks have been gingerly sliding around and the frozen conditions have pushed out water rails in search of soft muddy spots to feed. A walk to Grisedale and Tim Jackson Hide usually rewards sightings of them walking bold as brass to the side of the paths.All of the paths are open and the water levels have now subsided. The boardwalk and Sky Tower have thawed out and are open as usual after being temporarily closed for safety reasons. Please be prepared for all conditions and wrap up warm!
Otter on ice by Mike Malpass
A handful of bittern sightings have been reported from Causeway Hide and Lower Hide; these are the best places to chance your luck. After a brief dusting of snow and some icy air temperatures, the good news is that the next few days are forecast to bring milder conditions. Hungry robins are very active and may even pop onto an open hide window, cheekily hoping for handouts.
Pond at Leighton Moss by Steven Williams
Bittern by Alan Saunders
Listen for the ‘ping-ping’ sound of bearded tits, they are being heard often from the boardwalk and causeway. Look out for reed buntings and woodland birds such as marsh tits, treecreepers and nuthatches on your next visit. With the winter conditions moving most of the wildfowl to the north of the reserve, ducks are best observed from Lower Hide where shoveler, gadwall, wigeon and teal are the most numerous. Keep an eye out for goldeneye, pintail and tufted duck amongst them. Pintail in particular are great to see. These very elegant ducks are only here for the winter.
Pintail by Ben Hall
You may have a chance encounter with a peregrine falcon or sparrowhawk anywhere on the reserve. Several reports of peregrines and the occasional merlin are noted in our sightings book. These falcons typically roam widely at this time of year in search of food. Marsh harrier sightings continue to be made around the reserve with at least two birds present. Their habit of cruising over a winter reedbed and spooking the ducks is certainly a fabulous seasonal highlight.
A visit to Grisedale Hide can be good for snipe where the occasional great egret may also be encountered. See if you can spot the pair of stonechats that have taken up temporary residence here too! All three of our increasingly regular egret species are still here including ongoing reports of cattle egret. Starling numbers have increased to around 30,000 although they have chosen to roost away from the reserve for the past few nights. For the latest please refer to Twitter or call the visitor center. With starling activity changing by the day we will bring you the latest news over the coming weeks.
School visit by Lucy Hunt
Before the freeze, we had lots of water on the reserve but that didn't deter the children from one local school from taking a paddle on the wild side!
Twenty splash-suited and Welly-booted children from the Lancaster Steiner School and Storth Primary School ventured out on the flooded paths of Leighton Moss this week exploring the watery world and seeing wildlife up close. The sun shone on the ice-topped pools and frosty leaves and the children really got to experience nature at this special time of year. Great fun, fresh air and a few soggy socks.
Class teacher, Angela Welbourne, said ‘It couldn’t have been better. We loved it!’
If you and your class would like to visit Leighton Moss at any time of year, please contact Carol Bamber, Learning Officer for a memorable out-of-classroom experience - carol.bamber@rspb.org.uk or 01254 703015