Leighton Moss RSPB (1 Viewer)

[Mono]

It is an extra 100m to walk from the old enlarged car park instead of the "wasn't really supposed to be a car park" bit of land behind the centre.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I never thought to have looked Monday gone but I would say the main car park will now hold the same amount as both would have done, the next fine day I will be going up again just the see the Whitethroat again and hope to see the Kingfisher this time.

Jim

 

[Jim Bennett]

Whitethroat

My first sighting of a Whitethroat at Leighton Moss RSPB and even got a picture.



Jim

 

[owl flight]

My first sighting of a Whitethroat at Leighton Moss RSPB and even got a picture. Jim

nice photo :t:

 

[Himalaya]

Nice...I love Whitethroat....my favourite British Warbler possibly even European and maybe even global. Have you ever heard them sing? Go to Formby there are plenty of Whitethroats. They always remind me of the seaside as they love coastal scrub

My first sighting of a Whitethroat at Leighton Moss RSPB and even got a picture.



Jim

 

[Jim Bennett]

Thanks, owl flight, Himalaya, I’m calling in again tomorrow and hope they are still there, going earlier and spending a little more time down at the salt marsh.

Jim

 

[Mono]

The scrubby trees on the walk to the salt marsh hides especially the bit just before Eric Morecambe are great for Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and warblers in general.

 

[Jim Bennett]

Thanks, Mone, I could hear them in that area but finding them and getting a picture was a no go for me but I did get a picture from the path and one from Griesdale hide.

Oh, and by the way I counted the car spaces in the main park and there are 91.

Jim

 

[Mono]

I was there myself today and saw Common Whitethroat feeding young by the Allen Hide entrance.

 

[Jim Bennett]

I saw a male chaffinch feeding its young next to Allen hide got one picture of one of the young but nothing special.

Jim

 

[Himalaya]

I think in that tract they have:-

Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
Cetti's Warbler

maybe even Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler?

Most of the regular breeding Warblers barring Wood Warbler and Dartford Warbler.

The scrubby trees on the walk to the salt marsh hides especially the bit just before Eric Morecambe are great for Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and warblers in general.

 

[Himalaya]

Did any one manage to go with the influx of Curlew Sandpipers with so many coming right up to the hides over the last few weeks? Even Spotted Redshanks, Greenshanks and Dunlin have been close to the hides.

 

[Mono]

It has been wader-tastic from Eric Morecambe this week. Ring Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Dunlin, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Little Stint, Snipe, Lapwing and Curlew all at the same time!

 

[sleipnerofasgard]

Did any one manage to go with the influx of Curlew Sandpipers with so many coming right up to the hides over the last few weeks? Even Spotted Redshanks, Greenshanks and Dunlin have been close to the hides.

Been twice in the last 3 weeks and saw the Curlew Sands at close quarters and again saturday for the Pec Sands , brilliant stuff

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sleipnerofasgard/

 

[IanF]

We've just spent a week staying near the reserve. We visit the same week each year.

We visited the reserve several times over the week. Whilst there were lots of visitors each day following the Autumn Watch crew being based there the previous week we found bird numbers were way down on what we usually see.

Public Hide was especially disappointing. The start of the week there were good numbers of birds though mostly Coot. As the week went on bird numbers fell. Otter, Kingfisher and Bittern were reported once or twice over the week but we never saw any from the hide. Marsh Harrier were regular with up to three birds in view. There were usually a few Wigeon, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Heron around. Goosander x4 put in an appearance one day but were much more regular seen from Lilian's Hide.

The grit trays on the Causeway remained very quiet as well. Most days we saw at least one on the trays but never more than three, however early in the week a flock of 30+ gave very good views for around an hour as they fed in the reeds/bushes on the edge of the path. The same day a Cetti's Warbler was calling near the Public Hide but only heard that day.

Lilian's Hide was the most productive for us with Bittern, Long-tailed Duck and Goldeneye seen throughout the week. Marsh Harriers were around each day and on one occasion a ring-tailed Hen Harrier flew through. It was also very good for Snipe with large flocks of up to 50 flying around though more often 15-20.

The Starling murmuration was a little disappointing as well with far fewer birds seen this year and not displaying anything like a much as previous years even on sunny evenings. They basically arrived and more or less went straight into the reeds.

Tim Jackson and Grisedale Hides held lots of Teal, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Shoveler and the odd Black-tailed Godwit.

Raven, Buzzard and Peregrine were seen regularly over the reserve and at a nearby location.

One sunny morning we visited Sizergh Castle and managed to see a Hawfinch in the car park trees.

 

[IanF]

A couple more photos from last week.

Video clips -

Bearded Tits - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWNyJIYG3MQ

Hawfinch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zku3Hge29ho

Marsh Harrier male - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8mEE9zHP20

Marsh Harrier female - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DvBgkOtqoI

 

[Jim Bennett]

Sounds like you had a nice time, Ian, and very nice pictures too.

Jim

 

[Bananafishbones]

Firecrest

Blimey my feet hurt!

Did some looking for the Firecrest today and didn't connect. A couple bumped into it at 13.55hrs yet I (and a few others) searched in vein..... funny game this birding :smoke:

Still managed to see some nice species - Long Tailed Duck, Resident Marsh Harriers, Marsh Tits, Bearded Tits, Water Rail and 2 Otter.

Nearly 50 species without taking in the Coastal hides.
*** Not sure if any Glossy Ibis have been seen up that way, but as I came off the motorway and headed towards Yealand Conyers? what looked like an Ibis species took off from the fields and flew alongside the road for a few meters, unfortunately I had traffic behind me so couldn't strain my neck backwards for too long to guarantee the ID***

 

[Mono]

There have been a few Glossy Ibis about but none has favoured Leighton Moss this time. They have been mobile and changing sites so it may have been what you saw.