Spending a week up in N.Lancashire and visiting Leighton Moss each day; couldn't have timed our break better with such lovely sunshine and above average temeratures which thankfully most of the country seem to be getting so hope you are all enjoying venturing out and about in your free time for a bit of birding and wildlife spotting.
Here's a selection of photos so far; thankfully Jim arrived with his battery charger so I was able to top up the battery power again ! L.Moss is such a wonderful reserve as some of you already know, it's like a home from home with the most brilliant rspb staff and the resident birds/wildlife. Last night we joined one of the managers at Barrow Scout, just up the road from LM, in the hope of seeing a large starling murmuration but the birds decided to go to roost behind us, the other side of the reserve and out of sight lol ..............however, we were treated to seeing Bitterns in the darkening sky as they did "gull-calling" but we hope they didn't decide to head off to Scandanavia. There was no sign first thing in the morning of any Bittern movement at Barrow Scout and Mike and I did an hour's monitoring tonight and sadly no Gull-calling or sight of a Bittern although we live in hope that most Bitterns stayed on.
Birds seem geared up now for breeding and the food treasts and mealworms are not high priority for them at the moment as they think about attracting mates and building nests.
In no particular order ........ there were no excuses for bad light this time except in the darker woodland areas !
a group of Pintail drakes
don't ask me what's going on with the two bill to bill lol
Mr and Mrs Pintail .............
Gadwall
Great Egret
and we were told that this Little Egret is in full breeding plumage - all those beautiful "royal ascot" fancy feathers
Teal drake taking a sip of water
Mute Swan
Three buzzards were in the sky, here's one of them
There are 6 Marsh Harriers including 2 males, this is one of them ...............
Great black-backed Gull
don't think I'd be arguing with these birds !
boys will be boys !!
I will add more tomorrow, thanks for viewing these
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Regards, Hazel
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
Thanks Judi, it would be lovely to meet up again at LM sometime; we often get good deals staying at Pine Lake, Burton M6 North or if we are feeling ultra extravagant for special occasion we rent a cottage just around the corner from LM but you have to pick and choose dates to get best rate and avoid expensive school holidays ! There's a forumates meet up third week in June if you get chance to join us :) Post edit: I have 10% extra off code I can PM you if you ever stay at Pine Lake
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Thank you Wendy, we always have a good time and I even had a Birthday cake off Hazel :) and I have just got another place to stay, and its booked for our Forumates Leighton Moss Visit 2019 I booked it :)
POST EDIT
And I have booked it for tomorrow for two nights :)
Jim
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JudiM said:Cant make the June date as we will be in Scotland
Sorry you can't make it this time Judi but hope to catch up another time; maybe when the Beardies are showing well next autumn/winter ! Hope you have a good trip to Scotland when the time comes.