In April we returned to the RSPB’s wetland nature reserve at Leighton Moss in Silverdale on a sunny and dry April morning. After checking in we went straight into the nearest hide where the Black-headed Gull breeding colony was as raucous as ever; we were delighted to watch a Shoveler leading her ducklings around. From the Skytower we had a good view over the extensive reedbeds and saw our first Marsh Harriers quartering the marshes and several Buzzards high on a thermal. We then walked to the very furthest hide. En route we heard Chiffchaffs and the lookalike Willow Warblers; the latter had only just arrived from their African wintering grounds, and we enjoyed their cascading song. We had already heard Blackcaps and the explosive songs of the resident Cetti’s Warblers, and the booming calls of the local Bitterns (easier to hear than see). The expected Reed Warblers were few and far between, but we did see a Reed Bunting.
At the causeway hide we watched Great Crested Grebe courtship, each gathering waterweeds to build their floating nest. More common birds were seen and heard enroute, and we eventually gathered at the new hide to see the bird of the day - an Otter actively fishing in the middle of the lake. Jennie first alerted us and we watched it for several minutes; well worth the walk to this hide. We drifted back to the VC and enroute some but not all of us saw the visiting Osprey as it checked out the lakes, which by now had lots of Sand Martins and a few Barn Swallows hawking for insects low over the water. 45 bird species were encountered and identified in total during our visit. We also saw Red Deer and Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone and Speckled Wood butterflies on the wing.
Dawn Chorus meeting, May 2nd.
By request I organised a Dawn Chorus meeting on the weekend of International Dawn Chorus Day. Ten very early (intrepid?) risers with head-torches, camping seats and flasks met in the dark at Deepdale NR in Barnard Castle at 04:30 (yes!) to listen to the very first birds begin to sing in the dark. We selected a spot in the reserve away from the noise of the beck and sat around. This was a meeting to enjoy the experience of being out in a wood in the dark, with others, to hear the birdsong build and build. Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Robins began singing before it was light and as the sun rose the chorus built to a climax; when all the birds were singing and for 10-15 minutes or so it was difficult to tell them apart. The Blackcaps were especially prominent, and it needed our Merlin app to pick-up a Garden Warbler singing in front of us too. This meeting was not about listing birds but simply enjoying the dawn chorus in all its glory! We all agreed it was worth making the effort.
Andrew Lapworth