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Leighton Moss |
Recent sightingsSaturday, 30 January 201030 Jan: A bittern has been showing well at Lilian's hide along with the 4 snow geese earlier on in the day. A treecreeper was seen in the wood on the way to Lower hide. 5 snipe were seen at Tim Jackson hide. We did our own 'Big Garden Birdwatch' at the woodland feeding station-there were lots of birds! The highlights (amongst numerous finches and tits) were 2 lovely bullfinches, 2 marsh tits, a nuthatch and 15 mallards! Hope you'll manage to take part in your garden this weekend-it's great fun and provided important information about how our garden birds are doing. See http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/ to find out more and input your results online. 29 Jan: A female merlin was at the Eric Morecambe hide as well as 2 female goosanders and a female goldeneye. 4 snow geese and 1 barnacle goose were seen by the level crossing. 28 Jan:A pintail duck was at public hide and 4 snow geese were around. A cettis warbler was on the causeway. 2 male blackcaps were seen at the coastal pools car park. 2 treecreepers and a goldcrest were seen on the way to lower hide. A male and female goldeneye were seen from Lilian's hide. A snipe was at Griesdale hide. 26 Jan: 4 snow geese were near the level crossing 25 Jan: A peregrine was seen near Lower hide. A little egret was see. A male goldeneye was at lower hide. A bittern was at Lilian's hide. 24 Jan: 4 snow geese were at the saltmarsh as well as 1 barnacle goose, a spotted redshank, a peregrine and a merlin. By the level crossing there were also 180 greylag geese and 48 pinkfooted geese, a canada goose and a little egret. A bittern was seen from Lilian's hide on a couple of occassions. A bearded tit was seen at lower hide. Goldeneye ducks were displaying - throwing their heads back (2 males and 2 females).
Saturday, 23 January 2010Here's a link to some video footage of a bittern and a water rail seen at Leighton Moss during the freezing weather. Amazing to get such good views of normally elusive birds! Bittern: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV-TsshXSkA Water rail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjWPO18uSaQ You might be interested in hearing about how we helped the bitterns during these freezing conditions: http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-238701
Saturday, 23 January 201023 Jan: 3 snow geese have been seen at the Allen hide and 2 little egrets and a barnacle goose were reported there too. 22 Jan: A bittern was seen in front of Lilian's hide and also one at Lower hide and flying in front of public hide. Redpolls and siskins were seen from the path to lower hide. Snow geese were reported at the Eric Morecambe hide. Huge flock of starlings (reported to be around 100,000) were seen coming in to the reedbed near Lilian's hide at dusk. 20 Jan: A bittern was very close to public hide. 4 goosanders and a peregrine were seen from the Eric Morecambe hide. 19 Jan: 4 snow geese were seen at Lilian's hide. A cettis warbler was heard. A green woodpecker and 2 buzzards were seen. Near lower hide there were at least 10 redpolls and 20 siskins. 18 Jan: A water rail was seen eating fish near Lilian's hide. A long tailed tit was seen at the causeway. 17 Jan: a shrew was seen at the Eric Morecambe hide as well as a spotted redshank, redshanks, a male goosander, gadwall, wigeons, teal and a little egret. 6 bearded tits were near Lilian's hide. Path from lower hide there was a goldcrest spotted. 3 buzzards were seen and a sparrowhawk too.
Saturday, 16 January 201016 Jan:A bittern at public hide flew from left to right into reeds and picked up a starling sized bird before disapearing into reeds again at 2 pm. A bittern was seen at Lilian's hide today as well. 42 moorhens were seen by the stream at the golf course. A cettis warbler was at the Causeway and 2 redpolls were seen. 15 Jan: A raven was seen flying over the golf course with a golf ball in it's beak twice! 14 Jan: 2 male pintail ducks were seen from the Causeway. 2 bearded tits were seen on the grit trays. 10 red deer were at Tim Jackson hide in the afternoon. 2 cettis warblers were reported from the Causeway. A bittern was seen near lower hide and at Lilian's hide.
Wednesday, 13 January 201013 Jan: Bitterns have been seen well today...one was at Lilian's hide and one at Public hide (both unringed birds). There was one seen near the path to lower hide which had a metal ring as well. 10 Jan: A bittern was seen again well feeding along ditches on the reserve. 9 Jan: Bullfinches have been heard and seen well. Water rails have been out in the open a lot-desparately looking for food in these frozen conditions. Several were at the ponddipping area running out from under the platforms and back in again. A bittern was fishing along the ditches for long periods today.
Friday, 8 January 2010The BBC want to put together a 'Snowwatch' special very quickly (this Wednesday I think) with reports from around the country about the weird and wonderful wildlife sights people have been seeing in the bad weather. If you have any reports, images, videos, unusual behaviour, anecdotes etc about this (and in particular of wildlife seen at RSPB Leighton Moss nature reserve) can you send them directly to roger.webb@bbc.co.uk and nick.smith-baker@bbc.co.uk as soon as you can. Please make it clear who you are, and which reserve your reports are from so they can credit properly. Kate Humble said not to worry if vids and pics aren't of the highest quality - home videos and pics are what they love on Springwatch and Autumnwatch and this will be much the same. If you can also copy them to me at jen.walker@rspb.org.uk, gemma.rogers@rspb.org.uk and caroline.offord@rspb.org.uk that would be helpful too. Monday, 4 January 20104 Jan: 5 water rails on the pathways today. 5 siskins near Lilian's hide. 2 treecreepers. 2 lesser redpolls seen on the path to lower hide. A bittern was seen from the path to Griesdale hide. 12+ fieldfares were seen. 3 Jan: A water rail was seen at Lilian's hide as well as . A nuthatch and 2 marsh tits have been seen. 5 red deer were at Greisdale hide too.
Saturday, 2 January 2010A bittern was seen flying at public hide in the morning and one was also seen at Lilian's hide in the afternoon. 4 deer were at Griesdale hide (2 stags and 2 hinds). 2 water rails were seen at public hide and 1 at Lilian's hide. About 10 bearded tits were on the grit trays at 11.20 am. A flock of siskin were near the path to lower hide. A bullfinch was heard calling from the back car park.
Wednesday, 30 December 2009HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! 1 Jan: An adult whooper swan was with the mute swans seen from public hide. 3 water rails were seen at Lilian's hide. A reed bunting was seen at the Tim Jackson hide. A flock of siskin were seen at lower hide. Just after writing the above...I was hurried down to Lilian's hide to see the huge number of starlings coming in to roost right next to the hide- to the left. What a noise too!! Great start to the New Year!! 31 Dec: A bittern was seen at public hide at 11.30 am. A bearded tit was seen on the grit tray at 11.10 am. 25+ lapwings, a curlew and lots of starlings were seen near the Allen hide. 30 Dec: A water rail was seen near Lilian's hide and on the path to Griesdale hide.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009A bittern was seen at public hide and one at lower hide. A barn owl was seen at public and lower hides as well. A peregrine and 2 buzzards were seen overhead. 20 siskins were counted in the trees leading to lower hide as well as 4 male bullfinches. 2 bearded tits were seen. 2 water rails were at Tim Jackson hide. A goldcrest was seen on the path to Tim Jackson hide-they much be very cold in this weather with being so tiny!!
Monday, 28 December 200928 Dec 2009: A bittern was seen by several people at the public hide today. 5 bearded tits were seen. A water rail was at lower hide. Goldcrests were seen by the path to lower hide. An otter was reported in the stream by the ponddipping area. 8 bullfinches (3 female) were near lower hide. A sparrowhawk was around too.
Sunday, 27 December 200919 Dec: A peregrine and 2 snipe were at the coastal pools. 2 bitterns were seen at Lilian's hide today as well as 4 snipe a water rail and a little grebe. A bearded tit was out at the grit tray. 21 Dec:A mistle thrush, a water rail and a cettis warbler were around. A bittern was seen at midday at public hide. 23 Dec: 2 bitterns were at public hide. A water rail, a snipe, a redwing and a sparrowhawk were seen around. 24 Dec: A bittern was seen. 4 bearded tits were seen at lower hide (and some were seen at the grit trays too). 2 buzzards and 2 snipe were at public hide. 1 water rail, 20+ siskins, 1 redpoll and 5 long tailed tits were seen from the Causeway. At lilian's hide there was a goldeneye and 2 grey herons seen. 26 Dec: 1 bittern, a kestrel and a flock of dunlin were seen. 20-30 siskins were seen on the way to lower hide. Also tree creepers, long-tailed tits and goldfinches. 27 Dec: A little egret was at Greisdale hide. A bittern was at Lower hide. A juvenille common toad was slowly walking across the icy path near the causeway. A barn owl was seen to the left of Lilian's hide at 3.45pm
Friday, 18 December 200918 Dec 2 bitterns were seen from public hide and 1 bittern was seen at lower hide (definitely 3). The 2 at public hide were seen for over an hour there! An otter was seen at public hide. Bearded tits were on the grit trays. 52 little egrets were in the roost. 20 siskins were seen.
Friday, 18 December 200916 Dec: 10 bearded tits were seen around the grit trays. An otter was seen at lower hide in the morning. 40 siskins were by the alders near lower hide. 17 Dec: At the coastal pools there was a greenshank and a spotted redshank. 2 male bearded tits were seen to the left of Lilian's hide. A little grebe was at Lilian's hide.
Tuesday, 15 December 200913th - 15th Dec 2009 13 December: An otter was seen at lower hide on the ice (moving gingerly!). A peregrine was seen from public hide. 4 little egrets and 3 greenshanks were seen at the coastal pools. 2 bearded tits were at the grit trays. A bittern was seen at public hide as well as at Lilian's hide. A cettis warbler and a water rail were at lower hide. 14 December: 1 spotted redshank and 3 greenshanks were seen at the coastal pools.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009If you wish to visit and see lots of other wonderful winter wildlife and do some Christmas shopping, Leighton Moss is open throughout the festive period (except Christmas Day). The visitor centre (including the shop and café) is open 9.30 am – 4.30 pm (Christmas Eve 9.30 am to 3.00 pm, Boxing Day 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, New Year’s Eve 9.30 am to 3.00 pm and New Year’s Day 10.00 am to 5.00 pm). The reserve itself continues to be open from 9 am to dusk. Saturday, 12 December 20094 snipe at Griesdale hide. About 20 bearded tits by the causeway at 11 am. A cettis warbler near public hide. A bittern at public hide. A peregrine was at Griesdale hide. At the coastal pools: 2 greenshanks, 1 spotted redshank, 1 great white egret, 2 snipe and a kingfisher.
Friday, 11 December 2009A bittern was seen at public hide today. An otter was seen at Lilian's hide at 12.10. A cettis warbler was heard at the Causeway. A siskin and a redpoll was seen on the path to the lower hide. A peregrine falcon was seen at Griesdale and Tim Jackson hide. A snipe was at the path to Lower hide. 2 ravens at the path to Lower hide.
Friday, 11 December 20099 and 10 Dec 9 December: A cettis warbler was heard from the Causeway. An otter was at Lilian's hide again at 2.30 pm. 10 December: 2 cettis warblers on the Causeway. Party of 8 bullfinches at the top of the path to public hide. 7 bearded tits on the tree by the grit trays. 1 bittern at lower hide and an otter. 3 pintails at public hide. 30+ bearded tits reported on the grit trays and on the path.
Tuesday, 8 December 20095th - 8th Dec 2009 5th Dec - 2 bitterns and 3 bearded tits at public hide. A peregrine was perched on the top of a tree and seen from Griesdale hide. 3 great white egrets were seen at the saltmarsh pools. A cettis warbler was on the Causeway. 4 whooper swans flew over the marshes. 1 golden plover and a kingfisher was seen from Eric Morecambe hide. 6th Dec - 2 red deer were seen from public hide. Great views of an otter were seen from Lilian's hide late morning. 2 bearded tits on the grit trays at 9 am. 1 male bullfinch. 7 snipe were seen at Griesdale hide. A goldcrest and a kingfisher were seen on the way to lower hide. Long-tailed tits, a siskin and a redpoll were seen. 7th Dec - A little egret was seen in front of the Allen hide (there are lots more about the reserve too). 8th Dec - 6 bearded tits were seen on the grit trays at 7 am. A bittern was seen flying in front of Lilian's hide and an otter was also seen at 09.50 am.
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People looking out of Lillian's hide, Leighton Moss - RSPB Images - Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)
Looking out towards salt marsh and Morecombe Bay with black-headed gull, RSPB Leighton Moss reserve - RSPB Images - Ben Hall (rspb-images.com, Ref: D_2006_20811_0031 )
Bird illustrations by Mike Langman (RSPB)