Fancy A Day Out At Leighton Moss ?

RSPB Leighton Moss - 16.3.20

Do you fancy a day at Leighton Moss my wife asked ? well yes...and it didn't take long to load the car up and we're off up the M6 Motorway to North Lancashire. Leighton Moss is one of my favourite locations, but like all birding locations they have their optimum times to visit, thats not to say you won't see some interesting birds at any time of year, but maybe today to see any returning summer migrants.

Marsh Harrier - male

After paying our dues in the visitors center it's a quick check of the "what's about" board showing the main action appears to be down at the Grisdale Hide so thats where we head. A scan out over the reed bed I pick up not one but five Marsh Harries but as per the norm when you want an image they stay way off in the distances. Now having recently returned from a trip to Spain recently in the company of someone using a Sony A92 + 200-600mm zoo I was so impressed by the speed and lightness of that combination compared to my great big 500mm f4 I'm using, well a chap sat next to me had that exact same Sony setup, not only that, he also had A7R + 100-400mm as a backup...yikes...get over it !

Over the next couple of hours having the hide mainly to ourselves with both the male and the female Marsh Harrier make reasonably close passes, the female landing several times in the same location a little way off in front of the hide suggesting a possible breeding site.

Marsh Harrier - female

Greylag Goose

Quite a few greylag still remain on the reserve and also on the fields leading down to the Eric Morecambe Hide which at the time was completely flooded

Teal

Next we head down to the Causeway Hide and like the Eric Morecambe Hide was completely flooded the water levels so high that most of the wildfowl way off in the distance on the great expanse of water, I did manage some images of the Teal starting off it's new year.

What I did see of note was my first sighting of the returning summer migrants, a group of about twenty Sand Martins "hawking" over the water towards the lower hide area, no pics I'm afraid as it was too distant.

Another Short Drive

Lo Romero  Reserve - 4.3.20

It's another short drive to Lo Romero Reserve around six mile from the sea comprising two small reed fringed lakes in agricultural land that were formally part of a current working water works, can for me be a bit hit and miss for me but I guess the more time you put the better dividends it pays. Whats evident when I arrived was there are masses of Chiffchaff, resident in winter but the numbers seem greater than usual some even belting it out in full song.

Making my way to the second hide which has been the most productive in my past visits, several passerines are drinking from one of the only shallow pool amongst the tall reeds, Serin, Goldfinch and a few Chiffchaff take the opportunity to have a wash and brush up but its not really a clear shot, nevertheless I get some images of a "chiffy" perched on some reeds.

Chiffchaff

Serin

Several Serins take the opportunity to drink from a shallow pool but they are a bit wary as they can see me in the hide, Spanish reserve hides don't have rears wall so the birds can see your silhouette...pointless really.

Stonechat - female

This Stonechat is probably moving through the area, not your typical bird you find amongst the lake reeds.

Goldfinch

Another drinking from the shallow pool

Bluethroat

Out the corner of my eye a bird dives for cover, at this time of year it can only be one bird....a Bluethroat, now I would dearly like to get another shot of these usually skulking birds, anyway it wasn't for coming out but I did mange this record image.

I'm Trying The Salinas

Salinas de San Pedro - 3.3.20

I've mentioned previously that the salinas at San Pedro is only a short drive for me hence a location I would be call a regular patch when out in Murcia, unfortunately several of my last visits have been pretty disappointing, perhaps it's down to the time of year or maybe even luck.

The best time to visit the salinas I find is always mornings due to the sun angle for the location I use and there's the added benefit less people looking over your shoulder wondering what the heck your doing. I have a couple of favoured locations and I'm at probably my number one, scanning the small sandy bay where Kentish Plover regularly breed...nothing, for some that would be it moving on, but not me I'm setting up in my usual spot and doing a spot of waiting, and waiting a little more. In the distance I can seen numbers of Black tailed Godwit, Redshank, Avocet and Black winged Stilt and noisy Shelduck pairing up for the season ahead but they're not for coming near.

Common Sandpiper

I'm always confident that patience pays off, hopefully something new but usually the regulars, and not to let me down a Common Sandpiper drops in back right in front of me but just a little too far away so I wait to see if it comes a little closer. I'm in the portable hide the waders approaches to within six meters feeding along the muddy waters edge but the best shots are when its in the water. Over the next ten minuets or so I get the shots I'm after....there you go...patience !

Shelduck

Shelduck are resident on the salinas but can be a bit skittish and getting near if seen ain't going to happen, but I'm inside the hide unseen and two Shelduck drop in the male preoccupied chasing the female around, it comes close in some nice light and take some images before moving off.

Airport Time

Clot de Galvany, Alicante - 2.3.20

Clot de Galvany is a small reserve comprising one large and two smaller reed fringed lakes quite close to Alicante Airport but not particularly close to my base in Murcia so visiting is generally only when I using the airport assuming the flight times work out.

Today I'm collecting my wife at the airport who's flying out to Spain early evening giving me the opportunity of a full day at the reserve, one target I'm hoping to see is a Ferruginous Duck that's been present for a couple of weeks so fingers crossed for a connection. It's a sunny day but blowing a whooly but at least I have the benefit of permanent hides on the three lakes.

Arriving at the first small lake I'm surprised to find it's been completely drained to allow re-profiling works of the various islands, with just a couple of White Wagtails present I press on the main small lake at the Clot. The wind is so strong most of the wildfowl are on the far side sheltering behind a couple of islands, I count 32 Red-crested Pochard, a couple of White-headed Ducks, some Cattle Egrets Spanish specialties but they aran't coming anywhere near, the rest very much what you would you would find back in the UK.

Cattle Egret

Pandemonium erupts as a female Marsh Harrier makes a low swoops at some unsuspecting duck but also scattering the Cattle Egrets very obligingly landing right on some dead trees right in from of the hide, the light is a little harsh but this is the closest I've been to these somewhat wary egrets in a long time, it's fill your boots time !

Coot

After all the excitement of the harrier spooking the wildfowl things settle down a little and I turn my attention to the ever squabbling Coots trying for "walking on water" images, it's a bit like when I was photographing White Wagtails earlier in February shooting hundred of shots for a couple of successes.

Red Crested Pochard

Occasionally a pair of Red-crested Pochard venture to my side for a very short period giving some sort of shot, with the strong wind and the sun angle now wrong I do my best, there's always another day.

The weathers deteriorated with even stronger winds, dark clouds appear and the heaven open up just making it back to the car before I get a soaking...few ! it not all sun in Spain. Time to call it a day and head off to the airport to collect my wife.

Foot note: At the airport I didn't realise that there was an international U23 football tournament being held at the Pinatar Arena at Pilar de la Horadada, several teams coming through included Scotland, Netherlands and Russia...well I never !

Respite From The Rain

Laguns de Lo Monte

With all the grey and rain in the UK I've decided to head back out to Murcia for some milder weather and more importantly some sun. When in Murcia my first location to visit is usually the salinas down at San Pedro so yesterday as the norm I headed off down to do a rece minus the camera. It looks pretty quiet probably about three weeks early before the spring migration is visible, picking out the usual resident Black Tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Black Winged Stilt, Avocet amongst others on the main pans, along the channel a Kingfisher is doing what it dose diving from a palm tree its not the wader action I was hoping for so with no obvious photo opportunities I'm glad I hadn't made the early morning effort with all the gear and head back.

This morning I'm giving the salinas a miss and heading to the nearby Lagunas Lo Monte a small reserve with three large reed fringed lakes my only concern is it's weekend so reserve might be busy with local visitors. Usually I opted to use the crop sensor camera with the 500m and a 1.4 extender for long range targets but today I'm going to try using the full frame 5D4 with the 500mm and a 2.0 extender giving about the same magnification, on previous occasions using the 2.0 I have been a little disappointed but with good light this morning I hoping for better results.

Lo Monte for me can be a hit or miss but I guess you have the take it in the round and one of the main reasons is the reserve hides which the Spanish don't seem to have quite got it right, three sides and the back remaining open, any bird can easily seeing your silhouette quickly do a U turn and their off.

I've decided to remain in the second hide and see what turns up managing some shots of the few passerines coming down to drink, I must be honest I'm a little disappointed using the 2x extender as I was expecting better results using the 5D4 but you live and lean. Chiffchaff are everywhere some in full song, over the pools a large group of Swallows and Sand Martins are feeding after the long journey north, spring time in Murcia has arrived.

Goldfinch

Image was taken with Canon 5D4 with a Canon 500mm mkII and 2x mkIII extender, the image is soft and lack detail and is a real disappointment

Serin

Slightly better results with the same setup, perhaps more care focusing is required

Purple Gallinule

At the top hide there's a right old din going on as a Gallinule clambers up some reeds only the long toes preventing this chicken size bird plunging into the water...comical to say the least

Chiffchaff

Few more images with the 500 + 2x, again the images look a little soft, I thought I'd post the images for reference

Stonechat