ILR Visits Leighton Moss for the first time.

You found plenty to photograph ILR .  Nice to get a first with the eider, I think I have only seen them in the winter plumage. The avocets in the rain are good. Lots of birds I haven't seen yet this year. I hopefully have some photo's of a marsh harrier from today...

Superb variety, first Hazel now you making me want to go there!! Eider, Spoonie, Avocet?? what's not to like! Looked a fab day ILR, thanks for sharing

Glad you made it to LM, it's a really lovely reserve with such varied habitat from the largest reed bed in North West to coastal salt marsh birds, woodland birds and all the pools and hides.   Looks like you had a good visit there with plenty of birds seen including the gorgeous spoonbill and elegant avocet along with Marsh Harriers.   I'm back there at the beginning of June for a whole week :)  

Congratulations on the the trip ILR and to get a newbie makes I worth the drive eh . I wish I had saw the marsh harriers when I was there ...all the more reason for me to return one day. Could be doing with seeing a spoonbill aswelll actually lol...thanks for sharing your trip and lovely photos

Many thanks Snappy I appreciate you replying to my posts and I am always pleased you like them, Thank you. The one photo I got of a Marsh Harrier was quite distant unfortunately 

Good luck from today Snappy I hope you got some good photos of a marsh harrier. 

Thank you PB It was an early start, up at 4am out for 5.15am arrived at 7.15 am but so glad I got there when I did, I almost had the reserve to myself apart from a couple who arrived at the same time. so much to see which left me wanting more of the same. I will have a bit more knowledge the next time I visit and I shall look forward to going again. It was nice to get a first with the Eider. While I was there I met some nice  people who shared the Joy of seeing wildlife. I nearly saw a Bittern ? a couple in the Hide I was in were convinced they had seen a Bittern that turned out to be a deer if you go down to the 10th photo from the top you will see a deer's head popping through the reeds. It was an easy mistake to make as we were only getting a little bit at a time as it looked through the reeds we eventually got to see the Deer's head in full. No mistake this time definetley a Deer. Glad you liked the Photos PB.

Always a Pleasure Linda, The Marsh Harriers were far away unfortunately so no closeups, but I did see two of them but would have been nice to photograph them a little closer. You could say the same with the Eider but this time was good as it was a first for me. I was very lucky with the weather it had been lovely and I had  just entered one of the Hides and the heavens opened see photos, it bounced down for a whole minute and then stopped and returned as before, How lucky was that. Have a look on page 3 Top Hill Low Its well worth a look at least 40 photos and another good day let me know what you think. 

Linda Top hill low is on page 1 now

How did you get on with the marsh harriers Snappy 

Excellent assortment ILR, certainly looks worth a visit next time I am up that way. It seems the people you met had similar identifying skills to me - mistaking a Deer for a Bittern! Glad you enjoyed your day ...