A stroll round Leighton Moss today in blazing sunshine.
A couple of years ago a few nesting rafts were put on the pool by Lilian's Hide, with the hope that they might attract terns (they even have some tern decoys to tempt them in). Typically, they've been taken over by black-headed gulls. It's interesting to watch the interplay between nesting pairs: lots of noise and display aggression but no actual fighting.
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| Black headed gulls, Leighton Moss |
The marsh harriers were showing well, with one of the males coming very close to the Griesdale Hide at one point.
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| Male hen harrier, Leighton Moss |
A bittern was the highlight at the Causeway Hide. Their camouflage doesn't always work this time of year: side-on a bittern presents quite a lot of straw yellow against a background of green reeds. It's a different matter when it turns round, the combination of lateral compression and the strong streaking on the neck completely disrupt its shape and it looks anything but birdlike.
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| Bittern, Leighton Moss |
Also good to see a family of pochards on this pool today.
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| Pochards, Leighton Moss |
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