after 2 days looking for lapland bunting i give up and went for a trip to the seaside with my grandson arrived at morecombe prom to be greeted by hundreds of dunlin being herded by the riseing tide also large numbers of black tailed godwit a few shellduck moving along towards hess bank we saw 20 golden eye a large float of eider duck and 3 scaup 1 male 2 female nice find on to the sports club loads of oycs and redshank and a few curlew arrived at leighton moss about 11.00 just in time to see the waxwings got to see bittern and water rail missed out on marsh tit and bearded tit but did see gold crest and nut hatch on the feeders at the front of the vistors centre round to warton crag to see 2 peregrines finaly called in at preston for iceland gull but no signs and it was going dark no time to sart looking but had a good day 43 birds in all
been to leighton moss today,first time in 20 years and we pick the day the wardens decide to strim the front of the allen pools/eric morcambe hide area,not a bird on at all,so went round the reserve deadly apart from a large flock of redshank with some greenshank at the public hide-then went back to allen pools and was rewarded with merlin 2 peregrine and a hobby which was nearly caught by the peregrine,shame the warden said they had scared 4 full summer plumage curlew sand and 3 spotted redshanks off before we arrived-such is life-nice day out though:)
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Monday 6th of September 2010 07:10:00 PM
day trip to the seaside today morecombe bay by the sports club 11am-1pm loads of oyks, red shanks, curlew, blacktailed godwit, dunlin, sanderling,knot round to eric morecombe hide if it wasn,t for 30 little egret the ponds would have been empty.i was talking to 1 of the volenteers who said all the ponds are full of fresh water not sea water so no food in them. Went round to the public hide at leighton moss 10 greenshank loads of redshank no rapters then on to warton crags nothing but rooks sorry rocks not a bird in sight but a nice day out graeme
Went up this afternoon to have a look at the Spoonbills but they moved on last night From the Grizdale hide Marsh harriers were passing food to each other and hunting while being mobbed by Lapwings, BH gulls and even a pair of Canada geese.Also 3 Little Egrets 5 Reed warblers 2 Tree creepers and best of all a pair of Bearded tits flew just in front of me as I approached the Public hide Plenty of Godwits, Redshanks and a couple of Avocets in front of Erics hide. A beautiful day
Never been much of a fan of LM but pleasantly surprised - Osprey on dead tree on Island Mere down a dip past the Causeway when driving away from the visitor centre (been there all week apparently) and 3 Marsh Harrier. At the Eric Morecombe hide - 3 Spoonbill, male Garganey and a long staying Med Gull with the brightest red bill.