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
_________________________________________________________________________
Regards, Hazel
Lot to learn
Kind regards, Ann
Hope you are having a good break, you certainly are having a good birding time! Lovely snaps, look forward to the next set.
Edit: Many happy returns, 63 years young!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Jim
My Pictures
My Fbook Group
See my Flickr photos here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/115745582@N04/
__________
Nige Flickr
@ Nigel, I think you are right about the weather and the murmuration as numbers have dropped down and we saw three groups over Scout Barrow two nights ago which had about 30 max in one group - we were underwhelmed to say the least but a mini murmuration of 6 Pipistrelle bats made up for it lol We also saw our first toad patrol where each night volunteers are stationed along a long stretch of country road helping the amphibians safely to the other side each night they venture across to the wetland area. We keep hoping to hear some more gull calling and that most of the Bitterns stayed; there was hopeful news yesterday with sighting recently of a pair of bittern chasing one another so maybe a "boom" in baby Bitterns soon lol
Ok, more pics in no particular order..... starting with a male Chaffinch in song .............
Coot
Goose Air - greylag style
Snipe was keen to show you its beautiful plumage and amber coloured tail bar
The Tuftie gang ...............
Little Egret heading out .............
Squadron Grey goose air .............
Little Egret showing its wonderful breeding plumage ...........
Mr & Mrs Teal
Woodland birds to come at some stage; got to have my coffee and toast now and get out on the reserve !!! catch ya later folks.
My bird photos HERE