Leighton moss was less crowded due to the rainy weather! Unfortunately the wind and rain kept most of my target species out of site too.
Scored a Marsh tit for my years list almost immediately, at the feeding station with many other species including some nice bullfinches.

















Heading down to Lillians hide, I heard chiffchaff and willow warbler singing but neither was sighted. Nothing new at Lillians, I'd hoped that marsh harrier or water rail would have been my 100th species this year. Or at least little grebe or red breasted merganser, two species that have evaded all year! No luck here, only a single swallow of note (struggling against the rain and wind).

On to the public hide, in hope of cettis warbler or bearded tit.......
Nothing really :( A pair of Gbb gulls look like they've nested on the island, a few pochard and 20+ swallows on this pond. The rain got heavier, so decided against the lower hide on this visit.

The Tim Jackson hide produced a red deer (as usual) and a few little egrets. I was still looking for the 100th species on my 2010 list, and the grisedale hide delivered! As soon as the rain let-up a cracking male marsh harrier flew past, showing for 10 mins or so.

On the walk back to the car park, I heard another chiffchaff call, and managed to get this one in the bins. Species 101.

Soup and sarnies in the car. We noticed a female chaffinch nest building right in front of us. A tiny well camoflaged nest in a rowan fork.

The Allen hide had a gale force wind blowing straight in the window slits. The avocets (8) didnt seem as bothered as the redshanks (millions) though.



























A closer inspection of the huddled redshanks, produced a spotted redshank, alone at the back of the flock.















A pair of gadwall hung around near the shelducks here too.
















The black tailed godwits where probably sheltering a greenshank, but I could find any today.














Then, at last, I found one of this years bogey birds, a red-breasted merganser drake hauled-out on an island. Species no. 104 this year.... I still havent seen little grebe this year!

First bumble bee and ladybird seen today.

March 28th - April 2nd
Pendle hill, Stocks res & Dunsop bridge.

Green sandpiper still on River Calder at Altham

Well, thats the six nations rugby over for another year. I was feeling quite fragile this morning after consuming enough beer to get me through all 3 games yesterday, but I was still keen to get out for a walk to shake off the hangover. Altham was the closest reported bird of interest, the green sandpiper that I still hadnt caught up with.
I parked at Altham bridge and followed the river down as far as the old barn.

Unfortunately, no sand martin seen on the river today.
Min 6 goosander.
Skylark in full song, first one sighted this year.
Many pied and grey wagtails plotting out territories and nest sites
20+ oystercatcher














10+ redshank















Circa 60 curlew seen in one flock. Flocks would break up and reform, but 60 was the max number seen simultaneously.
A single stock dove at the old barn.
And of course, the reason for todays walk, the Green sandpiper

Great grey shrike still on Waddington fell

Edinburgh, Scotland for the Calcutta cup

I've been up to Edinburgh this weekend, to attend the Calcutta cup match at Murrayfield.





















Jill isnt to fond of camping in March, so we visited our usual campsite, Mortonhall, but stayed in their wigwams!














Excellent comfort but still all the fun of camping.
The campsite was near deserted in comparison to its capacity during the Edinburgh festival, when we camp in the tent.

Being an early riser, I get out and about for a bit of birding before Jill gets up. The usual birds were around, buzzards, a good population of bullfinches, a couple of late(ish) redwings, and these jackdaws (who have already started nesting).





























I should have visited Vane Farm or a few other good site I know in the vicinity but a weekend of food, drink, comedy clubs and rugby had us exhausted.

Hesketh out marsh
As usual, this was not a dedicated birding trip, just a rest stop whilst I was delivering in the area. Its the first chance I've had to have a look here. Looks like theres a lot of scope (pardon the pun), but I arrived at low tide, and thus didnt see much.
A couple of distant merlin, many shelduck, lapwing, golden plover and my first little egret(1) and stock dove(4) of 2010.
I'll def return here soon, for a full days birding.