RSPB Marshside

Last Friday I made the trip to RSPB Marshside near Southport, a very windy day but dry which was a blessing after all the rainy days before. I hadnt gone there with anything in mind but had hoped to see a water rail that I have seen there before, but I was very surprised with the number of birds on the reserve. As far as you could see it was full of Widgeon, lapwings and mainly Greylag and Canada geese. The rarer species took some searching out, and those I did see included Snipe and Little Egret, but no water rail. A few photos to follow but a lot was some distance from the hide, I am hoping father christmas is generous this year, and i can invest in a 500mm lens - heres hoping!!







Large flocks of Lapwing and Starling, constantly up in the air then settling down again until disturbed again.







It took a while before I saw this Snipe that was pretty much straight in front of me, but its excellent camouflage meant I didnt notice it for a while.







The majority of the geese today where Canadas and Greylags but managed to get some nice flight shots.























All around in the distance huge flocks where on the move as they where disturbed off the marsh.

Mission Accomplished - Bearded Tits

On Friday i went up to RSPB Leighton Moss with the intention of hopefully seeing the Bearded Tits, which would be a first for me, and to hopefully get some decent photos. The weather forecast gave me a possible dry morning, although the light wasn't great which didnt help, and the forecast rain arrived right on que at lunchtime. But nonetheless the bearded tits were coming down to the grit trays and I managed some half decent pics in the gloomy light.



After a 15 minute wait i could hear them calling in the reeds and hey presto a pair arrived.











I was really enjoying seeing them for a good while then they got spooked and disappeared into the reeds and the 'spooker' appeared beneath the trays, a stoat!!



As well as the Bearded Tits there was lots of bird life about but the gloomy conditions meant not many photos, but a few to follow. There were Pheasants in all the fields and were very vocal but not easy to photograph and were quickly off when they heard me.





A group of Mute Swans coming in to land



Cormorants drying their wings out



A Bullfinch caught my attention in the tree above me



As the weather closed in I dived into the Tim Jackson hide for a spot of lunch and across the lake a Stag and his hinds were feeding and resting













As I left the main reserve I called in at the Eric Morecambe hide, and there were Great White Egrets and Snow Geese well in the distance out of camera range, but a bit closer in where large flocks of Redshank.







lastly one of the local residents just chillin chewing the cud!!

Starling Roost

Whilst up at one of my local patches 'Newton Marsh', I was just getting a bit disillusioned by the lack of birds when I was thrilled to see the Starlings starting to gather before roosting and was treated to a great aerial display. They then settled on the neighbouring power lines putting more of a bow in them! A great sight and really made me realise we are truly well into Autumn, I am hoping to get up to Leighton Moss this week, to hopefully get a new tick - Bearded Tits, more to follow.....