My first visit to Potteric Carr and the first for the Society for a while. The May trip is generally a highlight of a given year's programme, with migration and breeding in full swing, and there was some anticipation on the coach. The key bird for most was probably Bittern, with this iconic species a major draw for the reserve. It was good then that a male (or two?) was booming for most of the day and plenty of members had views, albeit of varying nature. Some briefly saw flights, others were lucky enough to get a male bird in view on the ground at close range. However nobody reported Black-necked Grebe, which is also associated with breeding on the site, so it was unclear what might be going on there.
My personal flavour for the Bitterns was a long flight view of one bird from the Duchess Hide, which was great, a brief view of that bird up again and being mobbed by a Buzzard (who knew that ever happened?) but then best of all, from the footpath to the Piper Marsh Hide I stopped at a little viewing platform that was at roughly eye level to the reedtops, and a different bird from earlier lifted up from in front of me no more than 50m away and loafed off. Enigmatic and very special when you see one. We go to Leighton Moss every year but this was my first record of Bittern on a SBS trip.
In terms of other things, the weather was a bit dull and it rained heavily at one point, so we missed things like Hobby that we might have hoped for, but the passerines were in full voice, with plentiful Reed and Garden Warblers a standout. There was a lot more woodland on the reserve than I expected, and we saw loads of Blackcaps and one other treat was a group of Long-tailed Tits, around a dozen, with a number of them juveniles and very noisy and excitable with it. I managed 54 species for the day but that wasn't really a concerted effort when I see I overlooked Dunnock, Pied Wagtail and Jay amongst other things...sat in the hide instead staying dry and looking out over those reedbeds, very relaxing...
Others reported Lesser Whitethroat, Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Sedge Warbler and we'll have picked up most of 80 species overall I would imagine, in typically good-humoured and enjoyable style. I really liked the reserve, well worth a visit for a subtly different experience to the likes of Old Moor and Fairburn Ings. Read more about Stockport Birdwatching Society at http://stockportbirders.blogspot.com/
-- Edited by Simon Gough on Tuesday 21st of May 2019 11:23:25 PM
Returned ealy for more reptile opportunties and was well rewarded one female and two males up to you know what hanging from a branch, then on a log, and finally behind a bush in a great tangled ball of sclales resembling a gordian knot and two or three other basking males.
-- Edited by Ian Boote on Saturday 20th of April 2013 03:12:10 PM
Curious place large reserve with large lagoons woods and reedbeds right at the side of the motorway and huge shopping complex that seems to have injected some money as there is a spanky new visitor centre. Anyway sightings Poss little Egret which went down below reeds, Sedge Warbler Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Shelduck, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard, Bullfinch, Siskins, Buzzard Med Gull, Primrose, Cowslip, Ground Ivy, Lesser Celendine, Marsh Marigold Common Violet all in flower Comma, Brimstone 2 Roe Deer within 15m, and two Grass snakes the reason for the visit, one very large female too quick for a photo and then a well marked smaller basking male which did pose for a short while
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 19th of April 2013 09:09:26 PM
Great first visit to Potteric Carr with Simon,it's a lovely reserve,fab' reed beds and huge wetland area unfortunately we didn't see any Bitterns,although one did fly over the 'beds' once we'd left the hide ,did get to see a Little Egret flying over though.Amongst the wooded walk-ways all the usual little birds were very easy to see Siskin,Redpoll,Goldcrest,Tits and Treecreeper but for me a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was the highlight and a lifer,it stayed for a little while and then disappeared.Near the bridge a beautiful Kingfisher was easy to spot against the dull green nettles,just after 3pm we visited the gull roost where Simon found the Caspian Gull amongst 'zillions of other gulls'. Luvved it there and looking forward to my next visit......
,did get to see a Little Egret flying over though.Amongst the wooded walk-ways all the usual little birds were very easy to see Siskin,Redpoll,Goldcrest,Tits and Treecreeper but for me a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 
was the highlight and a lifer,it stayed for a little while and then disappeared.Near the bridge a beautiful Kingfisher was easy to spot against the dull green nettles,just after 3pm we visited the gull roost where Simon found the Caspian Gull amongst 'zillions of other gulls'.