Trip reports

SILVERDALE

Saturday, 21 July 2007

Marsh harriers are undoubtedly the success story of the Silverdale area for 2007. At the RSPB reserve at Leighton Moss 2 pairs have each successfully fledged respectively 3 and 4 young and a pair at Natural England's Hawes Water reserve has 3 healthy juveniles flying free. Those members of the Wigan Local Group who went on the field trip were fortunate enough to experience the flypast of the "Hawes Water Three" and to watch 2 of them in mock aerial combat, fully appreciating why all bird enthusiasts are so delighted with the breeding success. One of the birds was kind enough to alight on a dead limb where its beautiful golden head shone in the sunlight.

Although the juvenile harriers were undoubtedly the highlight of the day they were not the only "good" birds seen. Earlier the party had visited the Allen and Morecambe Hides and had excellent views of the resident spoonbills, one so close we could see the yellow/apricot wash by the side of its neck, the yellow under its bill when it yawned lazily and the yellow tip on the end of its bill. A party of over a dozen greenshanks were standing so still their reflection really did look like double their number upside down! Two kestrels entertained us by constantly dropping off a fence into the wet grass and re-alighting onto the fence again.

Over lunch in Lillian's hide one of the Leighton harriers flew low over the reeds. And later in the afternoon on a visit to Gait Barrows NNR a marsh tit was spotted feeding in a juniper. Unfortunately the wettest summer on record had reduced the butterfly population and the hoped for sightings were few and far between but the rare fragrant orchid, along the boardwalk, and dark-red helleborine were positively identified, the latter requiring a search amongst fissures in the limestone pavement.

By mid afternoon the rain, which has so much influenced everything this summer, drove the small party into the tea room at Leighton Moss where tea and naughty cakes were indulged.

The Silverdale area has so much to offer those interested in wildlife issues, whatever the season or the weather, and on this trip, it again came-up trumps. It is of course invaluable to have Jean and Allan Rimmer with their intimate knowledge of the area as "native guides" the Group is fortunate to have their services.