Met up with Mike "the cockney" Brown yesterday and took a trip up to Marton Mere, Blackpool to catch up with the male Ring Necked Duck, didn't have much trouble with that as there was only one area of the mere unfrozen, and what luck directly opposite the hide adjacent to the camp site. The only trouble was that it hardly ever woke up, as the photo shows! Still a really nice bird and it was good to catch up with one as I haven't seen one for a few years now.
Whilst watching the Ring Necked Duck we where lucky enough to have a Bittern fly past the hide and out of sight in the reeds to the right, what was even more bizarre is that Mike actually spotted it along with a possible Cettis Warbler!
With or without the Ring Necked Duck and Bittern, Marton Mere deserves to be visited for its roosting Long-Eared Owls, we took a walk around to the Northern end of the reserve to find 6 birds roosting no more than 30 feet away! It was a real privilege to get so close to these birds as they have become much rarer over recent years, with regular roosts in North Liverpool and Pennington Flash becoming very unreliable. Check out the pictures to understand the post title!
After leaving Marton Mere we headed up to Leighton Moss and we where delighted to find 2 separate flocks of Waxwings (yes Waxwings again) with at least 30 birds involved, unfortunately the weather had taken a turn for the worst and had become the most murky afternoon imaginable, not very good for Waxwing photography! Bullfinches, Marsh Tits and Nuthatches around the feeding station. We headed up to the Lower Hide (a regular pilgrimage for Otter watching), unfortunately the gloom was against us and no Otters appeared, however Water Rails and Bearded Tits showed and Roe Deer could be heard barking away, a great end to a great day.
After leaving Marton Mere we headed up to Leighton Moss and we where delighted to find 2 separate flocks of Waxwings (yes Waxwings again) with at least 30 birds involved, unfortunately the weather had taken a turn for the worst and had become the most murky afternoon imaginable, not very good for Waxwing photography! Bullfinches, Marsh Tits and Nuthatches around the feeding station. We headed up to the Lower Hide (a regular pilgrimage for Otter watching), unfortunately the gloom was against us and no Otters appeared, however Water Rails and Bearded Tits showed and Roe Deer could be heard barking away, a great end to a great day.