Number 200 plus one...

It was so hot last week, that sitting in a car with the aircon on was a pleasant prospect. 

Once again, we have been keeping a list of the birds species we have seen, in an attempt to see 200 within the year. For quite a while now we have been on 199 and while knowing  that we could easily see the 200th later in the year - maybe the Bearded Reedlings feeding on grit trays in the autumn or happening to stumble on a Redstart on one of our local walks, we decided to go down to Leighton Moss as there was a Lesser Yellow-legs that had been seen regularly over the last few days. 

So aircon on ..and down to Lancashire. We had good views of the Lesser Yellow-legs and also a single Bearded Reedling flying across the reed tops as well as a flying bittern. Job done!

Lesser Yellow-legs.

..and sat down (bottom right)...

..and stood up! (helpful for ID).

Avocets - always stunning.

Black-tailed Godwits - lovely and brown.

Booming Bitterns

A trip out to hear the bitterns at Leighton Moss; they obliged. Also good views of a pair of Garganey, a rare dabbling duck with only an estiamted 105 pairs coming, from Africa, to the UK for the summer.

Some spectacular Scarlet Elf Cup fungus.

Sleeping Garganey on the bank at the coastal Allen hide.

Nice to see the Avocets back. 

..and on to the main reserve....

Shoveller.

Pochard.

Marsh Harrier...and below.

Golden-eye.

Gadwall - look at the feather patterns! 

...and more views of Garganey -  the RSPB staff were trying to establish whether this is the same one as we saw at the Allen hide...and below.

Leighton Moss

A trip down to Leighton Moss on a gloriously sunny day, which was welcome after the stormy weather of the last few days. We did stay for the murmuration, but it was very quick, small and not visible from the Sky Tower where we were. Nice to watch late afternoon turn into evening though ...

Red deer grazing in the sun.

Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Siskin, Robin and Grey Squirrel.

Not an easy light for photgraphy as it was so bright - Snipe with Teal.

Snipe and below...

Great White Egret.

Plenty of Coot.

Pied Wagtail on the ice.

Teal.

...and then lots of long-distance shots of Marsh Harriers...

Frosty....

Siskin feeding way up in the Alders.

Evening light.

Bearded Reedlings

 Just a few more pictures of Bearded Reedlings at Leighton Moss...

One of my favourites ...'You can't see me!'

And look at those legs! 

Leighton Moss in the sun

A glorious day, with a better forecast for South than North Cumbria, so down to Leighton Moss. Lots of ducks - especially Pintail and good views of the Bearded Tits (or Bearded Reedlings as they are now called).  We even had a Water Rail cross infront of us. Marsh Harriers and a Great White Egret obliged and together with a good variety of smaller species on the bird feeders - a grand day out! 

We didn't arrive particularly early, so a first stop at the grit trays ...yeh! 

We did get other views throughout the morning...see the next blog! 

For once the main aggregation of ducks was infront of Lillian's hide ...

...including lots of Pintail.

Shoveler, Teal and Snipe.

Shoveler and Pintail. 

More Pintail and Teal.

Great White Egret.

..and of course the reeds...

Nuthatch, Marsh Tit and Grey Squirrel at the birdfeeders.