'Wild Autumn' started today on Lancaster and Morecambe's Diversity FM radio station (there were unexpected delays due to work on the studios).
You should be able to listen again to it tonight when it's repeated between 8 and 9 pm on 103.5 FM or by listening online (if you aren't in the area) at:
http://www.diversityfm.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=30
Jane and Mike Malpass take us through the changing days of Autumn with news, views and interviews with local wildlife experts and reports-a fascinating insight into the natural world on our doorstep.
It will be broadcast every Tuesday at 11 am to 12 midday. Next week includes an interview with Gail Armstrong about bats.....
The good weather brought in the crowds this weekend and both Saturday and Sunday were busy.
It was a good weekend for beared tits with good views on the grit trays along the causeway. The peak time appears to be between 9 am and 10 am but there have also been good sightings before and after that. I watched two pairs of birds on the grit tray at about 11.30 am. The male bearded tits can be quite aggressive and there was a lot of squabbling at the trays. When a number of birds come to the trays at once you can get good views of them waiting in the reeds which offers a good photo opportunity.
The red deer rut is just beginning and the stags can be hearded roaring in the reeds in the evenings. Two stags were seen from the Griesdale hide sparring but more serious battle will be taking place in the next few weeks when they have groups of hinds to defend.
There was a report of a bittern near the Tim Jackson hide and a marsh harrier from Public hide on sunday. Otters were seen from the lower hide on both Saturday and Sunday. The great white egret was at the saltmarsh pools on Saturday morning.
Due to our electricity supply being off on Friday 1st October the shop will be closed until approximately 3 pm.
We will be conducting our stock take during this period.
The Cafe will be open, offering a limited service during this period.
The reserve and hides will be open as normal so please come along and enjoy the wildlife.
We are sorry for any inconvenience.
25.09.10 The great white egret was seen at the saltmarsh pools most of the morning.
24.09.10 The 'whats that wader?' event at the salt marsh pools was a great success on Friday morning. The waders of note were 6 curlew sandpipers, 2 spotted redshank's, 2 greenshank's, 350 redshank's, 400 Lapwing's, and several curlew. Other birds seen were 20 little egret's, 100 wigeon, 60 teal, 200 greylags, 2 pintail ducks, 1 sparrowhawk and a kingfisher. The star of the show was the great white egret which flew in and landed behind the bank dividing the Eric Morecambe and Allen pools.
Have you ever considered joining the RSPB or fancy finding out more? Then our Membership Taster event this Sunday might be of interest to you. It's a free event where you can find out more about the work of the RSPB and how your support would help us make a difference to wildlife. Annabel, our membership development officer will tell you more with a short slide show and then there's a chance to go out and see Leighton Moss and it's wildlife on a guided walk afterwards. We'd love to see you! Just turn up at 10 am (and our walk will finish at about midday).
Below is an example of the vital conservation work that the RSPB is involved in. These giant stamps are two in a set that celebrates the conservation success stories of some of our British birds that were on the verge of extinction and have made an amazing recovery with targetted conservation work.