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Seven of us gathered at Leighton Moss on a lovely sunny day. We started off in the Lillian hide and enjoyed close up views of snipe – a couple of them seemed to swim from one patch of reeds to another – whether they were swimming or just wading in deep water is debatable. Some of us had a view of the ring-necked duck among the tufted, and also 2 female goldeneye, as well as several pochard. As we walked on to the Tim Jackson hide we had close views of a marsh tit. From the hide we enjoyed sightings of more wildfowl – pintail, teal, wigeon – as well as more snipe and a lone lapwing on a ridge in the middle of the water. We had lunch here enjoying the sunshine. After lunch we carried on to the Grizedale hide and those of us who got there first snatched a quick glimpse of a great white egret before it disappeared behind the reeds. From here we also watched marsh harriers ranging over the water. We then decided to walk back and go to the Causeway hide. We heard the boom of bitterns, but sadly no sightings. We did have cracking views of 2 goldcrest displaying very close to the path at eye level and were able to watch for a couple of minutes as they flitted about. There wasn’t much different to be seen from the hide but we enjoyed close views of cormorants hanging out their wings and a distant view of a great crested grebe. The group then split up – some ventured to the Lower hide, despite the flooded path, and others tried to drive to the Eric Morecambe hide, but the track here was also flooded. So we called it a day, though 2 of the group stayed and saw a good starling murmuration.
Species 34: Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Marsh Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Tufted Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Pochard, Goldeneye, Common Snipe, Greylag goose, Mute Swan, Black-headed Gull, Shoveler, Gadwall, Coot, Mallard, Wigeon, Pintail, Teal, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Goldcrest, Cormorant, Great Black-Back, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Starling.
Species 34: Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Marsh Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Tufted Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Pochard, Goldeneye, Common Snipe, Greylag goose, Mute Swan, Black-headed Gull, Shoveler, Gadwall, Coot, Mallard, Wigeon, Pintail, Teal, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier, Goldcrest, Cormorant, Great Black-Back, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Starling.