Unlike Ian I did see Bearded Tit plus 2 Marsh Harriers, Great White Egret, Little Egret. Didn't get the Otter though

News through on the BBC website about the official opening of the new Eric Morecambe Hide. Something one of the helpful visitor centre staff told me about on my last visit:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-20122547

40 species seen or heard, 12 - 4:45pm

Causeway

Cetti's Warbler (heard only, while waiting without luck at the grit trays for Bearded Tits)

Public Hide

2 Marsh Harrier, inc 1 splendid male
2 Buzzard
2 male Goosander

Lillian's Hide

Pintail
Marsh Harrier

Tim Jackson's

Great White Egret. Seen stalking around, then in flight after being disturbed by Marsh Harrier and then once settled again, seen in same scope view as a Grey Heron, then separately a Little Egret
3 Snipe
Wigeon

Back to Lillian's as the light faded

c50 Little Egrets at roost
20+ Cormorant at roost
3 Goldeneye (f)
Marsh Harrier
10,000 Starlings at best guesstimate - a vast flock at any event, which grew and grew, creating stunning patterns until finally settling down at about 4:45pm. Included at least one very pale individual (leucistic?) The flock drew the hungry attention of one Sparrowhawk, while two intrepid Goosander flew straight through it.


-- Edited by Ollie Wright on Tuesday 30th of October 2012 10:03:34 PM

Thursday 9.15 - 5.00pm
Rain showers quickly clearing to bright autumn skies

Rediscovered the magic of this place:

Bearded Tits 4 - 3 female and one splendid male on the grit trays
Bittern flew over the causeway within minutes of my arrival
Snipe 91 flying low overhead from Lilian's side in small parties
Hen Harrier female from Tim Jackson hide with 2 Red Deer in the trees
Marsh Tit 2 coming to seed which a couple of birders put down on a tree on the path to Greisdale Hide
Goosander from Public Hide (Scaup reported but not picked out by me Also an Otter was performing here too am but not seen by me as I went off to move my car)

Jenny Brown's Point and new Allen and Eric Morecombe hides:
Tide was so high there was little in the way of waders
Redshank 50+ in flooded fields off causeway to the point
Oystercatcher 1000s distant on the bar above the rising tide
Red-breasted Merganser in flight

No prams in the hides!

Had an extended morning visit to Leighton Moss with Mr Barber today. The highlights were:-

Arriving just after 08.45 we quickly got onto 12 - 13 Bearded Tits on the grit trays. This year there is also a tray of seeds which was attracting other species including a cheeky Wren and a foraging Water Rail. Next stop the Public hide where we had reasonable views of one of the Otters, a first for both of us. Next came a Kingfisher, we saw another later from the Tim Jackson hide. From the Causeway, a distant bellowing Red Deer stag was heard and on the path to the Lower hide several Lesser Redpoll were feeding on the Alders. The two Marsh Harriers (1 fem, 1 juv) were up for a while and finally from Lillians hide a Stonechat flycatching from a post and 6 Common Snipe immediately in front of the hide.

Paths still very muddy - causeway about 10cm deep in water for most of the way :)

There at dawn for a few hours - highlights:

Otter hunting in front of public hide down to about 4m away.
Cetti's Warbler along the causeway
Bearded Tits on the grit tray once the sun had dried the reed heads off
Chiffchaff from the causeway [though they'd all gone by now]
A flock of 28 snipe over
Whooper Swans over [8]
Lots of Water Rails heard
Feeding flock of 2 Spotted Redshank and 5 Greenshank from Eric Morecambe hide
Green Sandpiper
Marsh Harrier
Red Breasted Merganser [3]

and well worth the wait and thanks to the regular who spotted it coming in - Kingfisher to 5m away on a post from Eric Morecambe

Most paths flooded up to three inches but all Hides still open
On main causeway past public Hide Shoals of Sticklebacks, Waterboatmen, and Water Crickets swimming in front of you.

and Siskins, Jays, Female Bearded Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaffs. From Lower Hide Marsh Harrier Snipe Redshank
Usual Water Fowl Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck Wigeon Gadwall Pochard etc
On causeway to Grisedale Hide Treecreeper, Coal and Marsh tits Cettis Warbler and Goldcrest
Eric Morcambe Hide and Allen Hide finished
Around Curlew, Little Egret, Greenshank, Redshank Little Egret Black-Tailed Godwit Lapwing kingfisher reports of Little Stint spotted redshank

Two Otters from Lower Hide for twenty minutes
Large Stag Red Deer from Grisedale and others calling
Rabbit and Brown Rat



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 29th of September 2012 11:17:59 PM

visit today

from Griesdale hide Otter reported 15 metres of Griesdale Hide 20 minutes before I arrived and main reason for early visit.
Large flocks of Siskins, Bearded Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest Chiffchaffs. Red Deer
On the Water at these and other hides main site Hides around visitor centre Teal, Shoveler, Pochard Little Egret.
Spanking New Eric Morcombe Hide and Allen Hide still being finished Curlew, Little Egret, Greenshank, Redshank Little Egret and two kingfisher other flocks of waders with sun behind them. Quite busy

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 22nd of September 2012 06:55:43 PM

Hello everyone, just an update on the Morecambe and Allen hides, the Eric Morecambe hide is looking good and nearly finished, only the steps and ramp are needed for completion. The Allen hide will remain open although bits are slowly being removed from it. There will be an overlap where both hides will be out of action for three days while the finishing touches are done. All being well the first week of September is looking good! Perfect timing in my eyes, it had to be in this window to allow the record number of breeding avocets to move off, and then obviously to be in place for the peak autumn migration.
Thanks for your patience. Kev

kevin kelly wrote:

---

Hi John, yes they were falling apart really and the window catches are far to annoying.
Well Tim Jackson hide took six weeks that was pretty slow going. They are conscious of the wader passage so I'm sure they will quicken the pace with these two. Griesdale is getting done end of summer too. They might actually be doing one at a time to still allow viewing and minimise disruption on the salt marsh.
I'll check tomorrow John on the time scale to give you a better idea and I'll post on here. Cheers
Kev

---

Thanks Kev

kevin kelly wrote:

---

Hello just a quick heads up for everyone. On the 9th August work starts on the Morecambe and Allen hides, there will obviously be disruption while the new hides are biult. Their completion will coincide with wader passage getting into full swing. I for one can't wait for the new hides to be up and hopefully some good waders will arrive on cue too.
At the weekend: 2 spotted redshank, 2 green sandpiper, 1 common sandpiper, spoonbill, 8 greenshank, big numbers of redshank and black tailed godwits. A kingfisher in front of the hide too was nice to see.
Kev

---

Thats good news,I think they were just about on thier last legs those hideslook forward to the new ones-how long will they take to put up-Have you a timescale as im off work for a few days early sept,and would most likely get up there at some point .
cheers John

This a.m. 8.00-12.00
Morecambe hides saw Little Egret, Avocet, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Great Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing amongst others.
At Leighton also 2 juvenile Marsh Harrier, Marsh Tit, Bearded Tit and heard Cetti's Warbler.
Cheers Ian

Took the train to Silverdale on Monday afternoon, was on the reserve 2 - 6pm.

Arguably the highlight came on the footpath down to Lillian's Hide, where I found a young birder with his scope trained on what turned out to be a Green Woodpecker (my first ever one). I then walked into Lillian's to be confronted with a quartering Marsh Harrier. Doesn't get much better.

After that, interesting sightings were more sporadic, as were heavy showers for an hour or so. Was trapped at Public Hide by the rain for a while, watching a brute of a Great Black-backed Gull get soaked - nothing much was around at Tim Jackson or Griesdale Hide.

On the feeders were a female Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch and Marsh Tit (nice to hear the explosive 'pitch-oo' call very clearly)

Eric Morecambe Hide (stayed here the longest)

Shelduck, with young
At least four Avocet
Two Dunlin
Greenshank
Loads of Redshank and Black-Tailed Godwits
At least half-a-dozen Little Egret

A friendly birder was about to help me pick out two Spotted Redshank, when unfortunately, a Sparrowhawk flushed everything up off the water.

41 species definitely seen, all in all.

Four falcon species from Eric Morcambe hide today - Kestrel, Peregrine, Hobby and my first Merlin of the autumn, plus a juvenile Marsh Harrier.

The esturine part of the reserve looks excellent for waders at the moment. Present today were two Spotted Redshank, 10+ Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Snipe, etc.

You must just get bad luck John on the main reserve. It's very much a case of right place at the right time!
Yesterday on the main reserve:
6 marsh harriers including 3 juv
5 bearded tits to the right of public hide
Osprey high over Lillian's
Water rail crossing the causeway
2 cettis warblers along the causeway
A hobby to the left of public hide
Spoonbill flying from the salt marsh to lower hide seen later in the day from public hide.
Lots of reed and sedge warblers too.
Other people also had otter and kingfisher and of course plenty of red deer around four calves and same number of stags and numerous hinds
Kev

Last trip of my week off in the rain mainly
The pools by the marsh were best with
Greenshank-7
redshank-c100
Avocet-c20 including at least 4 young
Marsh harrier-2 hunting the marshes
Little egret - quite a few
Shellduck -some with young ducklings

The Car park
Marsh tit-1

The main reserve-Is it only me,but i never see owt really on the main reserve
apart from of note
2 Marsh Harrier (1 was a crackin adult Male)

Then to finish off -The chippy at Arnside-best there is

A dry, sunny and entertaining day at Leighton Moss today produced 3 firsts for me (reflecting my lack of experience really!)

Several excellent views of male and female Marsh Harriers - first time I've had a decent view of this bird. (mainly from Lilian's and Public hides)

4 Greenshank on the salt marsh. Great view.

1 Spoonbill from Griesdale. Was asleep most fo the time but occasionally lifted its head for a preen and showed us it wasn't a Little Egret!

Other than the firsts, it was fairly quiet, though there were a few Sedge Warbler still singing, and there are still some Avocets with young at various stages of maturity out on the salt marsh.

Thanks to the RSPB volunteers for the guided Marsh Harrier walk!

Paul

-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Wednesday 11th of July 2012 06:14:44 PM

Ian Campbell wrote:

---

........... and one Jim Nesbit of this parish selling R.S.B.P.optical equipment at reception

---

The acting work has taken a dip then

Great day at Leighton Moss yesterday...54 species seen with 2 lifers & many notable exceptions such as green & goldfinch. Surprisingly no marsh tit and even more surprisingly only 1 warbler species seen: heard all the common ones..chiffchaff, blackcap & willow, sedge & reed warblers but none seen. All usual waterfowl seen plus huge numbers of greylags.

Highlights

Loads of marsh harrier sightings (male & fem) from most hides and paths.

Unexpectedly one fem Great Spotted Woodpecker on feeders.

Little Gull (2 different individuals from Public & Lower hides - lifer) Both were immature but one had much more black on its head than the other...came right up to the hide too.

A lovely but brief sighting of a bittern...flew right past lower hide.

Best of all...heard an explosive song from Griesdale path & got good but very brief views of CETTI'S WARBLER (lifer). Only warbler seen on this trip (who'd 'ave 'thunk' it)

Salt Marsh: Loads of avocets with at least a total of 8-10 chicks. Trying to do the 'sweep head through water thing' and conspicuously failing

All usuals: oystercatcher, lapwing, redshank, little egret, red-breasted merganser etc.

And a distant white bird with its head tucked under its wing which I thought, given overall impression, was a spoonbill. Call it intuition, call it experience (probably call it luck!) but it was then bothered by a Black-headed gull and woke up, showing us its long spatular bill.

Lots of insects about e.g. broad bodied and four-spotted chaser

Surprising no of mammals: red deer, grey squirrel, rabbit, OTTER (lower hide), vole species ran across a path and another small mammal ran right in front of me (guessing bankvole)..another step and i would have trodden on it-phew! That's a possible 6 species...at least 5.
No beardies, garganey or osprey (though one was seen before I got there) but you can't have everything
sorry for the lengthy post but a great day and had to describe it in detail.

Couple of hours as dawn broke over the reserve : Male Marsh Harrier perched in dead tree preening from Lower hide. Female Marsh Harrier briefly hunting from Tim Jackson hide. Water rail heard in same area. Sedge warbler, Reed warbler, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap aplenty. Also Bullfinch, Marsh tit, Coal tit, Nuthatch and Great spotted woodpecker at feeding station.

Good weekend so far osprey sat pm excellent views and again this morning

Thanks Kevin, just received them

Regards

Pete

Hello Kevin
If you photographed the ringed bird, please could you send a copy to PMrsh123@aol.com. We think we have all the details to trace the origin, but the pic would back this up. I'll post the details when we receive them.

NNEW today - presumed gone?

Thanks

Regards

Pete Marsh (ringing report editor for Lancs bird report)

Yes, probably the case, Steve. 'Sliding Doors' moments and all that.