A Grand Day Out at Leighton Moss

Its 7.30 am and the rain is hammering it down outside, I’d planned to visit RSPB Leighton Moss Reserver today but the weather indicators don't look good, a quick check of the forecast and it looks like its going to be a grand day !

Leighton Moss Reserve being relatively close to home is one of my favourite birding locations, with a mixture of large expanses of water and reed beds, woodland and an outer salt mash attracting a wide variety of birdlife and also its fair share of rarities. Currently a juvenile Purple Heron had turned on Friday and was attracting twitchers and photo togs looking to get a view or that mega shot !

Arriving at the reception centre its already quite busy, I make my way down to the Grisedale Hide and its full, birders with cameras all focused on the Heron which is sat directly in front of the hide, bit of an anticlimax really as I usually like to put in some effort to get the shot! The Heron sits motionless, then walks to the far end of the reed bed and disappears….I thought thats it...but no, after about twenty minuets the Heron reappear and slowly walks back to its original location. camera shutters click, and I guess about six photo togs get some great shots, then for no reason that I can see, the PH fly’s to the far side of the reserve, and that was it, all over. Apparently the PH didn't return for the remainder of the afternoon. 

Happy I’d got some good shots I pack up to explore some of the other hides on the reserve.

Birds of note include…Peregrine, Marsh Harried ( f ), Osprey, Kestrel, Buzzard, Little Egret, Black Tailed Godwit, Green Shank, Snipe, Purple Heron ( j ) Bittern

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Five Star Accommodation at Vistabella

Its a return to Vistabella Road hides today but this time I'm heading the the second hide which is further down the channel track that boarders the southern lagoon. As you arrive and head through the reeds to the hide you have to walk on a raised wooden walkway which is three planks wide, a bit scary if you are carrying very expensive camera gear, it get worse, as you approach the hide it veers up about one metre above the water. Once inside its evident this hide is a far better being both closer and lower to the water offerring extensive views either side and to the front.

I count about thirty or so Black Necked Grebe's all resplendent in their summer plumage, incessantly calling... "pu-ii", unusual if you've not head it before. Greater Flamingo, Glossy Ibis are abundant, Little Bitterns are flying bullet like to and fro to a reed island in front of the hide, presumably feeding young. Male White Headed Ducks are jostling each other with this years young around the reed fringes and Purple Herons glide over the water like Vulcan Bombers

Its now around 11.0 am and the sun is making light conditions a little harsh casting unwanted shadows on the subjects, for this reason if photography is what your here for an early visit is recommended, and I would defiantly recommend the second hide.

Returning to the car I pass quite close to the first hide so I have a quick look, much the same as pervious visit so time to move on to my next location, the Old Monastery on the Elche Road.

As I arrive I note a resident Kestrel hunting, they always look a lot paler than the UK variant. I park up behind the building where I had previously seen a Roller, but no luck today and continue down the gravel tracks recommended by a resident birder. The only birds of note are, a Bee-Eater, Lesser Grey Shrike and Woodchat Shrike.

Its now mid afternoon and call it a day and head back to the accommodation

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Image of the normally secretive Purple Swamphen swimming in open water, the bird had decided to swim from the mainland to a reed island across approximatly three hundred meters of water.

Last Day at Lagunas de lo Monte

Well its the last day of my current trip so its a morning at lo Monte then off to the airport for my afternoon flight back to the uk. Early start and I'm on site for just after 8.30 am, quick scan of all the hides just to get an overview of whats about then I settle down and wait !

I'm at the number one hide on the bottom and largest lake and I see a Squacco Heron flying towards me, it drops down on the other side of the reeds near number two hide so I make my way round, theres a brit already in the hide, he's also from Campoverdi and a northerner, we chat about birding in general, Spain, retirement, we'er missing loads of stuff taking ! Birds of note....Marsh Harrier, Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, White Headed Duck, Iberian Green Frog

I finish off on the top lake, theres some differing water colour, some dark green, and some flat calm blues, both situations gives good photo ops of Pochard and Gadwall. All to soon its time to leave for home back to Compoverdi, but I'll be back soon !

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