Leighton Moss, Silverdale, Lancashire 9

Despite the pouring rain, I made a spur-of-the-moment trip to Leighton Moss this morning and arrived a little after 8am to find the reserve shrouded in fog too.

I headed along the causeway to the public hide to begin with and here saw many, many Swifts and Swallows criss-crossing and skimming the water. There was a couple of adult Great Black-backed gulls sitting on the near island and three juveniles sitting on the water. It goes without saying that there were numerous Coots and Mallards. Off to the left, on their usual dead tree perches, were three Marsh Harriers - a male and two juveniles.

Over the lake I saw a distant bird hovering over the water and idly identified it as a Kestrel. As I was shifting position to get it sighted in my scope, some other people properly identified it as an Osprey! My stomach knotted and I hurriedly lifted my bins and soon found it - what a beauty.

It stuck around for over half an hour, circling the lake, hovering and searching for fish and then diving into the water to get it's prey - only it didn't! All the time I was watching it, it never once caught a fish!!

Around the main reserve were the usual tits and thrushes, but it has to be said, it was relatively quiet. I didn't hang around in the rain, trying to see what else was about, running for cover to the next hide instead (more of a hobble and an amble really!!)

Coming out of Lillians hide I was entertained by the beautiful song of a Wren, that was sat on the handrail of the footpath. I was leaning on the opposite handrail, so you get an idea of how close I was to it. It didn't seem bothered that I was there at all and carried on singing it's heart out. After a few minutes, it was joined by it's mate who flew in from the roof of the hide, and then they skitted off into the trees.

I saw two more Marsh Harriers around the reserve, one from Tim Jackson Hide and a stonking female from the Grisedale hide. It was here that I watched a Great Black-backed gull predate a Coot chick and fly off with it over the water. The stonking female Harrier was soon off her perch and mobbed the gull, which promptly dropped the chick into the water. The Harrier glided over and circled the area a few times, but didn't get the Coot chick, instead she returned to her perch and looked resplendent.

It was now time to make my way to the two coastal hides and as I was walking along the path from the Tim Jackson hide, I was mobbed by two Black-headed gulls.

It was a little scary and intimidating to be honest, but at the same time exhilarating and exiting. I've never been personally mobbed before and I was rather pleased - it felt a bit like an initiation, I shall go home and sew a badge on my sleeve.

Seriously though, they got very close and the whoosh of their wings next to my ear was quite audible. Once I'd calmed down I was sorry I had disturbed and stressed them - clearly had some young near by which was later confirmed by a member of staff I was chatting to.

At the coastal hides I was anticipating a hoarde of waders - not to be today, I'm afraid. Two Oystercatchers was about the limit!! There was, however, a small hoarde of Lapwing, three Pied Wagtails (an adult and two juveniles) a Kestrel and one distant Little Egret.

My tally for the day was:

Robin
Blackbird
Blue tit
Great tit
Long-tailed tit
Wren
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Willow Warbler
Great Black-backed gull
Black-headed gull
Mallard
Tufted duck
Coot
Moorhen
Pheasant
Swift
Swallows
Mute Swan
Grey Heron
Canada geese
Greylag geese
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Little Egret
Pied Wagtail
Crows
Kestrel
Marsh harrier
Osprey - Lifer

Rabbit (3)
Grey Squirrel (1)
Froglets+++++

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