Was staying at Glasson Dock south of Lancaster on Friday night, where locally on Saturday I picked up Spotted Redshank in amoungst the Redshank flocks building up prior to high tide. 5-6 Common Sandpipers on the dyke systems there too, nice to see juvenile birds as well as the adults.

Drove up to Leighton Moss, although went straight to E&M hides to see birds in for high tide. Quite a high one too at 9.5m, but this probably worked against birders, as little mud for waders. Lots of Redshank (250), Black-tailed Godwits (100), and 8 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, the usual Peregrines, Kestrels and Marsh Harriers, while a Ruddy Shelduck (female), made an appearance. Not sure of its origin, but always a nice bird to observe!! Also had a few Little Gulls flitting about over the water, nice to see adult birds coming out of summer plumage into their winter feathers, but still with a little black on their heads. 6 Little Egrets knocking about too, while both Sedge Warblers and Whitethroat were feeding biggish young in the brambles and thickets either side of the path.

Popped over to Jenny Brown's point for a stroll in the sun, rather than going to the main Leighton Moss reserve. Not much off the point, apart from a few Common Terns, but round the corner nearer the saltmarsh around the river mouth were 1000+ Oystercatcher, 300+ Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Whimbrel and 300 Redshank. The odd Marsh Harrier was also in view towards E&M hides.

Lovely Ice Cream from the camp site round the corner towards the woods too!!

Visted the reserve and surrounding area inc Jenny's point all on Sunday 19th July. From arriving at 9am approx it was all go.
A pair of Peregrines had a juv with them and was teaching it out to hunt giving excellent displays.
X2 Great Black back gull plus Juvs
X2 little gulls
X1 Knott
100+ Redshank
Greenshank (at least two)
8 Little Egret
Godwit and black tailed godwit
X1 Kingfisher
Lapwings, Oyster Catchers and Curlews a plenty.
X3 Herons
X8 Marsh Harriers (some juvs present)
Reed Warblers
Sedge Warblers
Excellent views of red deer, x1 Stag and Roe
Fallow and Muntjac
Sand and House Martins
Swifts and Swallows
buzzard
blackbird
robin
pheasant
tufted duck
gadwall
teal
G canada geese
coot
shelduck
pochard
lapwing
great tit
lt tit
blue tit
coal tit
cormorant
wood pigeon
c. dove
wren
pintail duck
wigeon
mallard
goldcrest
c crow
magpie
dunnock
green finch
shoveller
goldfinch
house sparrow
tree sparrow
starling
goldeneye
sparrowhawk
Bearded tit flying over the causeway
greylag geese and I know Janice, Jim and Doreen Nisbit and myself hit 62 species throughout the day and loved every minute of it
I am sure Jim will update the post with missed sightings

John

Visited this morning along with lots of rain.
Morcambe/Allen hides, 100+ Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 2 Great Black Backed Gull, small number of Oystercatcher and Curlew and a distant Peregrine.
Reserve, 3 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier and the Godwits seen yesterday, a bit disappointing really.
Cheers Ian

20/7/09

Carnforth Marsh/Morecambe Complex :

2 Little Gull,
2 Marsh Harrier,
3 Greenshank,
Common Sandpiper.

Reserve :

7 Marsh Harrier (at least 3 juvs.),
Bearded Tit (ad. male) over public causeway,
12 Little Egret,
10 Greenshank from Public Hide,
3 Buzzard,
50+ Black-tailed Godwit from Griesdale Hide,
10+ Redshank
2 Snipe,
2 Oystercatcher.

Paul Cliff wrote:

---

seemed quiet there today.

5 sand martins, bittern booming early doors and a ring tailed harrier hunting between eric morecambe and allen were the highlights, missed a couple of bearded tits by minutes. called in at warton crag on the way home, a couple of ravens and a peregrine showing well there.

---

364 days later, single sand martin, peregrine and raven, , m&f redbmags, 2 fingers short of two handfuls of avocet, several little egrets throughout the day.

massive and i mean massive starling flight display at dusk drew myself and philj around to the road that overlooks the public hide looking back towards the visitors centre to see 22 little egrets roosting in the trees and on the banks. not a bad day at all, so glad we didn't ruin it by seeing displaying goshawks!

-- Edited by Paul Cliff on Saturday 14th of March 2009 11:53:25 PM

Spent all Sunday 7th, at the moss. Saw Rough-Legged Buzzard mid day from lower hide, very short sighting. Took afternoon walk around the woods and then back to the hides, but no more sightings. If still sightings this week will return Saturday with big lense and camera.

Looks quite good to me for Rough-legged (although i've never caught up with one before), v.broad winged and hint of pale rump in your photo.
Thanks. Henry.

p.s. now people have to believe my probably poor prognosis. With the Wirral bird recently being hard to catch up with this looks like a much better bet.

-- Edited by Henry Cook at 22:55, 2008-12-07

Henry Cook wrote:

---

I notice there have been sporadic reports of Rough-legged Buzzard at LM recently. I presume it's not being that easy to see Phil, did anyone see whilst you were around there?
Thanks. Henry.

---

When I was at Lower Hide earlier on in the day (9.30ish) there was a buzzard on the opp end of the lake sat in a scots pine tree..it flew off in the opposite direction to myself..so couldn't get a closer look to confirm an ID. There were some guys there were nattering about it later on so one has definitely been about!


-- Edited by Phil_Oldham at 21:19, 2008-12-07

-- Edited by Phil_Oldham at 21:20, 2008-12-07

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 22:37, 2008-12-07

I notice there have been sporadic reports of Rough-legged Buzzard at LM recently. I presume it's not being that easy to see Phil, did anyone see whilst you were around there?
Thanks. Henry.

Visited for my first time yesterday, came across 2 bittern from the public hide showing very well on the ice :) Almost got an earlier train home...glad I didn't now! There were numerous water rail calling...and more robins and pheasants than you could shake a stick at! Not much else though :(

Photos from my visit...

Can be viewed here

Ian

Sounds as though you were in the right area in fact if the track you followed from Silverdale opened out on to a lane down to the Well you walked under the large Hornbeam where the Hawfinch are regularly seen - it's at the end of the track opposite the entrance to a very large house where you would have turned left down to the Well.

I generally drive down there - from LM take the Silverdale Road and turn left at the sign to Jenny Browns Point to the T junction at a small tea rooms/studio - nice bowl of soup there. Turn right here go for a couple of hundred yards and right again down to the Well. Jenny Browns point is also a good spot on the rising tide.

Hope that helps.

Sid A

Sid
We drove into Silverdale and turned left, after 1/4 mile ish parked next to a small garden centre and walked up Woodwell Lane(nice houses at start of this) to the well at the end and back again. I have been here before and seen the Hawfinch, is there a better place?, if so I'd be gratefull to know.
Cheers Ian
...................
Just noticed that this is the 14,000 post , incredible and all down to Ian Mck's hard graft. WELL DONE THAT MAN

-- Edited by Ian Campbell at 07:12, 2008-11-22

Ian

Where in Woodwell did you look for the Hawfinch? I ask because they have been fairly regularly seen in the large hornbeam as described in my Silverdale post of 23rd October.

Cheers

Sid A

-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:13, 2008-11-21

This a.m.
First went to Woodwell but no sign of Hawfinch.
Then at Leighton had excellent views of 2 male and 1 female Bearded Tits at the grit table, which is also being used by a Sparrowhawk as a plucking post, hence the remains of 2 half eaten Starlings!. This was made all the better as it was my friend from works first Bearded Tit. From Lilian's hidelots of different wildfowl, missing only Pintail and Goosander.
From Morcambe hide we also saw said Pintail and Goosander plus an excellent female Merlin and a lone juv. Whooper Swan. Also 300 Pinkfeet flying North.
Very enjoyable visit.
Cheers Ian

good to see you finally post melanie, keep posting and as an infamous manchester birder often says, keep birding!

Fab' first visit at Leighton Moss,gorgeous weather and not busy at all.
Black-headed Gulls,Avocets,G/Crested Grebes,Greylags and Coot (both with young)
Some great sightings of the male and female Marsh Harriers,also the 'boom' of the Bittern could be heard and brilliant views of a Black Tern and as l left amongst the 'usual suspects' in the car park,a Nuthatch and a Blackcap,seemed to wave me off

Me and Mrs (im not a twitcher)on a day out.
WARTON CRAG- PEREGRINE DISPLAYING WITH A KILL LOOKED LIKE A DEAD PIGEON,
RAVENS ALSO FLYING ABOUT,KESTREL,GREEN WOODPECKER.
ERIC AND ERNIE HIDES-STUNNING MED GULL,5 AVOCETS,KNOT,BLACKTAILED GODWITS,2 BAR TAILED,REDSHANKS,2 DUNLIN,1 LITTLE EGRET, USUAL DUCKS ABOUT BUT COULDNT FIND ANY WIGEON,4 PINTAIL .
LEIGHTON MOSS-4 MARSH HARRIERS,2 BUZZARD,1 GOLDCREST,LOADS OF HIRUNDINES
PS WATCH OUT FOR THE MIDGES AND I FORGOT MY CAMERA

Dropped in at Leighton on the way to the Lakes on Friday am.
Great views of 4 Marsh Harriers [2m,2f] displaying and flying with nesting material looking left from the Grizedale hide.
2 Little Egrets
2 Avocets over
5 Buzzards
1 Booming Bittern from the public hide
3 Red deer in the reeds along the causeway
2 Willow warblers
2 Chiffchaffs
2 GS Woodpeckers

Popped in to the Eric/Morcombe hides at high tide yesterday for an hour. Not much raptor action, but 16 Avocet, 200 BT Gotwits, still 50+ knot, several Golden Plover and a pair of RB Mergansers and a Stonechat. Usual supporting cast also.

A quick venture to the main reserve, but was pretty quiet bird wise, with such high winds. Ringtail Hen Harrier the best bird, also Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzard within 5 minutes of that. Nothing else worth mentioning really.

Popped over to Glasson Dock and had Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, Little Grebe, 100+ BT Godwits, some Knot, Dunlin, Curlew and a Jack Snipe around Conder Bridge area. All fairly close, worth a visit and from local reports seems to have had a few good birds over the years!?

19/03/08 sunny-no wind

stopped off at the quarry first thing male and female peregrines showing very well along with hundreds of jackdaws.

eric and ernie hides-after bravely treking through the flooded pathway was rewarded with very close views of a pair of stonechat.there was also a report of a willow warbler in this area.from the eric hide a group of black tailed godwits between 30-40 ,4 redshank,wigeon,pintail and teal still about but numbers have dropped now.3 avocets and a few curlew dotted about.a very distant hawk probably a merlin but difficult to make due to the heat haze.

public hide- pair of black backed gulls and 3 corms and 6 lapwing on the island,pair of gc grebe doing battle with a coot which wouldnt be shifted from its nest site.

pochard, goldeneye, gadwal,teal and wigeon,greylags and canadas seen from most hides.
3 snipe.
a couple of quick views of bearded tits from grisedale hide too quick to photo and sand martins at the back of the reserve.before we left managed a marsh tit by the feeding station
stopped off at the quarry on the way home and was rewarded with a chough doing its bit to excavate the quarry very nervous jackdaws, peregrines displaying and defending ,one of the peregrines had a kill which looked like a redshank.
great day and enjoyed the company of john l
forgot good day for buzzard 6 seen around the reserve

-- Edited by Gary Gorner at 10:08, 2008-03-20

seemed quiet there today.

5 sand martins, bittern booming early doors and a ring tailed harrier hunting between eric morecambe and allen were the highlights, missed a couple of bearded tits by minutes. called in at warton crag on the way home, a couple of ravens and a peregrine showing well there.

Thanks Ian, no I hadn't noticed the Audenshaw record; Manchester, can always do better
Cheers Ian

Don`t know if you noticed the post Ian, but Audenshaw had one on Sunday

Anything Lancs can do...................

Eyes peeled everyone, Sand Martins reported at Leighton today.
Cheers Ian
..................................
I posted this at 4.21, so why does the clock say 5.21 ?.

-- Edited by Ian Campbell at 17:22, 2008-03-11

Saturday 08/03
Wet and very windy.

Grizedale hide, Hen Harrier ,Little Egret and quick view of a Bittern were the highlights.

Public hide, Goldeneye ,Bullfinch and Water vole plus the usual ducks and geese.

EM hide, which was really rocking in the wind, only two Avocets and plenty of Godwits doing their best to stay out of the wind.

STOPPED OFF AT THE QUARRY AM PEREGRINE,RAVENS AND HUNDREDS OF JACKDAW ABOUT.
PUBLIC HIDE :KINGFISHER,1 FEMALE GOOSANDER,4 GOLDENEYE,TUFTED,GADWAL,POCHARD,TEAL,COOT,MOORHEN,TWO GREAT BLACK BACKED GULLS ON THE ISLAND.
GRISDALE HIDE:1 SNIPE ,40 + DUNLIN,CURLEWS,GREYLAGS,2 HERON,TEAL,SHOVELER,1 LITTLE EGRET.
ERIC AND ERNIE HIDES:ALOT OF THE WADERS WERE WELL AWAY FROM THE HIDES 100+GODWITS,CURLEWS.WIGEON,REDSHANKS CURLEWS AND OYSTERCATCHERS ON THE POOLS.
WEATHER WAS PRETTY GRIM TO SAY THE LEAST AND WIND VERY STRONG WHICH DID SEEM TO AFFECT THE BIRDS WHICH WERE HIDING BEHIND ANYTHING THEY COULD.

bittern from public hide was on display for at least 2hrs along with skating on ice stars pintail,shoveler,tufted,wigeon.
a good morning for snipe saw at least 10 around the reserve.
1 buzzard.
had a walk up warton quarry and manged 100+jackdaw,peregrine,kestrel and the little owl which i would never have found by myself, thanks to the rspb warden
also of note was the large numbers of greylags on the reserve and the lack of birds showing from the eric and ernie hides 3 redshank and a couple of shelduck and a few teal.dont think godwits and knot like ice skating

spent from 8am til 5pm there today in my new wellies!

buzzard
blackbird
robin
pheasant
tufted duck
gadwall
teal
G canada geese
coot
heron
peregrine
b h gull
shelduck
pochard
lapwing
great tit
lt tit
blue tit
coal tit
cormorant
wood pigeon
c. dove
wren
G bb gull
gsw
pintail duck
wigeon
black tail godwit
mallard
goldcrest
song thrush
mistle thrush
c crow
magpie
dunnock
green woodpecker
green finch
shoveller
goldfinch
house sparrow
tree sparrow
oystercatcher
curlew
starling
red breasted merganser
goldeneye
redshank
sparrowhawk
pink footed geese
greylag geese




-- Edited by Paul Cliff at 19:48, 2008-01-26

If anybody's planning a trip to Leighton Moss in the next few days, remember to take your wellies. Public causeway, path to Lower hide and Eric Morecambe hides well above boots level. Otters showing at Public, Lower and Grizdale for the first time in 15 years+