Sightings Saturday August 10th

A wonderful day for wildlife of all kinds in an around the Moss.

Highlights were a superb view of a Red Deer Hind and calf from Grisedale Hide, silently crossing the lagoon about 100 yards away. Minutes later, a beautiful young fox was seen snooping around the edges of the lagoon. Plenty of snipe, a hundred or so Black Tailed Godwit, and two juvenile Marsh Harriers on a small island in the distance, which then took to the air.

From Public Hide on the shingle island there were at least 3 Greenshank in among the many Godwits, and a spotted redshank still looking quite dark, roosting on one leg.

Later the 9m tide at Jenny Brown Point produced a roost of 2000 Oystercatchers, and further away, a mixture of Curlew and Whimbrel (reported by another birder with scope!)

A brief sortie up the hill track from the point, onto the limestone down produced many gatekeeper, meadow brown and large white butterflies, a beautiful Comma, a vivid Common Blue, and several speckled wood. While I was off the track, trying to photograph butterflies, I disturbed a Roe Deer doe and fawn, and minutes later was observed by a buck for almost a minute from about 50 yards.

We then had a hundred or so Redshank and no less than 19 Little Egret from Eric Morecambe hide, together with an overflying Marsh Harrier, 3 incoming Grey Heron being harried by gulls, and a single greenshank which stayed steadfastly asleep.

Quite a day!!