Trip reports

Trip to Leighton Moss

Sunday, 22 March 2009

On a cloudy morning, after the recent spring like conditions, the party set off for Lancashire and RSPB Leighton Moss with some trepidation about what to expect from the day's weather.

Arriving at the reserve in bright but cloudy conditions, we received a warm welcome from the staff and set off on a quest to find the Bitterns and Bearded Tits that the beautiful reserve is famous for; with the news that the Marsh Harriers and Sand martins were back.

The Sand Martins were difficult to find initially, but as the weather brightened more and more was seen. The first Marsh Harrier lazily glided over the hugh reed beds, hanging in the stiff wind.

Down at the coastal hides approximately 600 Bar-tail Godwits nervously watch a hugh female Peregrine sitting on a fence post casually looking back at them!

Good numbers of Avocets and a pair of Red-Breasted Mergansers were on show, but the highlight was a group of three waders that proved to be a Redshank, a Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank all feeding together!

On returning from the Eric Morecambe hide back to the main reserve a number of the group became very jealous of those that had remained, as good views and photographs had been obtained of a Bittern in the open, walking from one reed bed to the other!!

The day ended in bright sunshine with 60 species being seen by most of the group, but no Bearded Tits had made themselves available!

Here's to the next time at this magnificent reserve.

RO