RSPB Leighton Moss, Silverdale, Lancashire 8 & a bit of Morcambe Bay 2

I met up with Bassist in Preston for an early morning trek around Leighton Moss this morning. We arrived at about 8am and set off to the public hide to begin with.

We hung around by the grit trays for a while, but no sign of the Bearded tits. Plenty of Sedge Warblers though and loads of Swift and Swallows. Bassist spotted a male and female Bullfinch in the lower branches of a tree.

The public hide had all the usual suspects; Coots & Tufties etc. I was eager to see Marsh Harriers perched on the dead trees over the lake to the left of the hide. It wasn't long before I announced a raptor and then zoomed my scope in on a Woodpigeon Well it was still very early in the morning!!

A short while later bassist spotted a Buzzard which we watched circling and gliding for a few minutes.

It wasn't too long after that, that a male Marsh Harrier appeared and we spent a while watching it. Then suddenly another 2 showed up - a large female and another male. We had some great views and I really enjoyed watching them.

On the walk back to the main reserve there were Long tailed tits, Bassist claimed a Willow Warbler! and there were Chaffinch, Blackbirds and Blue tits too.

We had a quick tour of the hides on the main reserve - Black headed gulls were in abundance still, nesting on all of the lakes in large numbers. There was a pair of distant Great Crested Grebe, one had a single chick on its back and from the Griesdale hide we saw a pair of Red Deer hinds sitting in the grass.

By 10am we were heading off on the 30 minute walk to the Allen and Eric Morcambe hides where we had great views of a large flock of Black tailed Godwits, a couple of distant Little Egret, 2 Avocets and a handful of Redshank.

Around 11.30 we made the return journey to Silverdale station where we got our train to Lancaster, changing here for Bare Lane in Morecambe. A 10 minute walk later and we were watching Eider ducks swimming in small groups in the bay. A group of 2 males and 3 females were sheparding about 7 ducklings and watched over them as they foraged for food in the mud.

All along the shore there were many Little Plovers and Dunlin - amazingly well camouflaged amongst the rocks and seaweed. Several Curlew made an appearance, as did Pied Wagtails and a couple of Great Crested Grebe.

We were feeling very weary as we made our way back to the station at around 2pm

Our sightings for the trip were:

Leighton Moss:

Swift
Swallow
Pochard
Coot
Greylag Geese
Tufted duck
Canada Geese
Bullfinch
Black headed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Buzzard
Marsh Harrier
Mute Swan
Crow
Sedge Warbler
Long tailed tit
Wren
Great Crested Grebe
Shelduck
Gadwall
Grey Heron
Lapwing
Moorhen
Shoveler
Red deer
Redshank
Avocet
Black tailed Godwit
Oystercatcher
Pheasant
Jackdaw
Pied Wagtail
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Little Egret
Blue tit
Great tit
Robin
Blackbird
Willow Warbler
Greenfinch
Curlew
House Sparrow
Woodpigeon
Magpie

Morecambe Bay:

Starling
Pied Wagtail
Dunlin
Little Plover
Eider ducks
Curlew
Oystercatcher
Great Crested Grebe
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Woodpigeon

There are some images in my Leighton Moss 2 album....http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/memb...on-moss-2.html