I paid a visit to Mere Sands Wood today, my first to this delightful Wildlife Trust reserve since July last year.

The weather was on my side - clear blue skies, a gentle breeze and warm, golden sunshine.

The wood was alive with bird life. I could hear many, many Great and Blue Tits, Robins and Blackbirds. The drumming of Woodpecker was everywhere and a single Chiffchaff was somewhere overhead.

I had 3 birds on my wish list for this trip - Little Grebe, Kingfisher...

I've been itching to get out and about for ages - it's 6 weeks since I last went birding due to a mixture of work, more work and other commitments.

Finally the day has arrived when I have some time to myself and the weather is actually fine, so I decided to visit my local park and see what was around.

The park is greening up nicely and the heronry is packed to the last twig.

Babies and toddlers were either being pushed in the latest 4 x 4 buggy, or pulled...

There have been reports on the internet recently of a female/juvenile Smew, and 3 very obliging Water Rail at Aldcliffe, just outside Lancaster, so I set off this morning at 7am on a quest to see them for myself.

I arrived at 8.30am. It was a cold and overcast morning with a chilly breeze, but by 11am the sun was shinning through and it turned into a glorious, warm day.

Walking through Freemans Woods there were many Great tits, Blue tits, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens and...

I spent a freezing cold 3hrs at Marton Mere this morning after I'd fininshed work. It was very quiet, I didn't see any other birders and only a couple of walkers.

The sun was shining and it was glorious morning - but no good for birding! By the time I'd walked the length of the mere to the east, my eyes were streaming and I had sun blindness - no point searching the tree tops here.

On the way back it was much better, with the sun behind me, it was actually quite warming...

I decided on the spur of the moment to pay a visit to Leighton Moss this morning and so got the 6.30 train from Blackpool to Silverdale, arriving just before 8am.

It was incredibly cold and there was a white frost everywhere which lasted well into the day. That aside, it was a beautifuly sunny, crisp and clear day, but best of all - hardly any wind!

I began my visit at the Allen and Eric Morcambe hides and on the walk down saw many Chaffinches, a Goldfinch, several Long-tailed...