An early pre sunrise start found me sat in the Eric Morecambe hide at the Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. I had a few target species for the day mainly Green Shank and possibly the Great White Egret.
However its a long time since I have visited the reserve at weekend, I normally make my visits midweek and aim to be long gone before the reserve opens. Now I know why.... by 7.70am the hide was full of the loudest birders I have come a cross in a good few years.
The constant shouting across the hide about the ID of Shoveler, which in fact were Mallard made any real photography impossible.
But all was not lost, the sight of a stunning Kingfisher on a frosty perch can make any trip worth the effort. I was drawn by the amazing contrast of the bird against the cold, blue and frosty background. Not my best photograph ever but a superb memory.
Later in the day I decided to take a look at the Bearded Tits on the main causeway. They were there but again a lot of birders were on the path and the birds seemed to be keeping a low profile.
In the end I resorted to walking the reserve with just my binoculars and doing some good old fashioned birding... and as ever Leighton Moss delivered the birds. I saw a Cettis Warbler on the main causeway along with a great view of a Bittern from the lower hide. All in all a goods days birding. Hope to make a return visit later this week but possibly will wait until after the schools go back next week.
On the drive home the pager alerted me to reports of a Waxwing in Wray. So a quick drive to the location did in fact produce not one but three Waxwings. By the time I arrived it was just going dark so again no photography possible, but a great bird to see regardless.
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