RSPB Leighton Moss : 26th March 2015

RSPB Leighton Moss : 26th March 2015

We decided to take a trip up to Sizergh Castle for a Hawfinch spotting morning and decided to throw in a couple of visits to Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. The last time we visited here in similar circumstances we had had three fantastic “life ticks” – a “redhead” Smew, a Snow Goose and a Glossy Ibis. This time we weren’t so lucky but the Marsh Harriers at Leighton Moss are always worth a visit anyway and there is always a chance of a rarity.

We were staying overnight at the Stonecross Manor Hotel just outside Kendal which had nice enough public spaces and the breakfast was good but the rooms were, well – seedy. I don’t think we will be staying there again.

Unfortunately it was a very windy day and lots of the birds, particularly at the sea hides, were hunkered down against the foul weather. This is where we started out but the water was so high that there were few waders around. Those that were were huddles on the islands. There were particularly large numbers of Black-tailed Godwits which gave a wonderful display when disturbed by the landing of a rescue helicoper that had to land on the reserve to assist a woman who had taken a fall on one of the rocky outcrops on the far side of the reserve from the Eric Morecambe hide.

It just seemed to windy for anything to drop in to the reserve by the sea hides so we headed over for a cup of tea at the main reserve and then went down to the various hides. We stopped for a while to look at a Nuthatch excavating a bird box just by the feeder station. Sometimes it appeared to take nesting material out of the nest whilst appearing to want to make the hole larger.It kept popping in and out then flying off only to return a few seconds later.

The hides were pretty much the usual affair there with great views of Marsh Harriers and a good smattering of ducks. Anne left her notebook in one of the hides and had to go back for it. I waited for her just by a clearing on the path back from Grisedale hide where a long mossy low-hanging branch is baited by the wardens. In the fifteen minutes I stood there I saw Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Wren, Robin, Dunnock, Reed Bunting, Greenfinch and Goldfinch and heard Goldcrest – all without moving !

It was interesting to see that they are in the middle of constructing a tower at the junction where the path splits off to Lillian’s hide in one direction and Grisedale hide in the other. This is just a steel frame at the moment; they are waiting to weatherproof paint it but they need the temperature to be a bit warmer before they can do the painting. The whole thing is quite big and will afford fantastic views of the whole reserve from above. I fully expect it to be dominated by bird photographers who are rapidly becoming the bane of all these sites, always wanting to approach too closely or just plain hogging hide space all day long.

We didn’t have time to get down to the Public Hide but we figured that we could do that the next day after Sizergh Castle. In the meantime it was off to the hotel and to find somewhere to eat.

Bird Sightings : RSPB Leighton Moss : Allen Hide

Bird Sightings : RSPB Leighton Moss : Eric Morecambe Hide

Bird Sightings : RSPB Leighton Moss : Lillian’s Hide

Bird Sightings : RSPB Leighton Moss : Environs

Bird Sightings : RSPB Leighton Moss : Tim Jackson Hide

Bird Sightings : RSPB Leighton Moss : Grisedale Hide