Stalking Auntumwatch at Leighton Moss, but not really. Mainly the usual haunts and a bearded tit

The title says it all really. Decided that since Autumnwatch happened to be in our usual patch and we had knackered the spaniel out with highland gallops over hill and dale and even more over Sand and Bay, we'd leave her for a few guilt free hours and return to Leighton Moss. Actually found it surprisingly quiet, given its half term and Autumn watch had been camped out there. It was also unfortunately quiet on wildlife front too. At least during our speedy trip. We spotted marsh harrier, a few shovellers, coots, mallards, teal, widgeon and noted a lot of migrant passerines flocking in but there was no murmuration to behold and no sight of the otters. Did see the lovely (or in welsh: lov errrr ly) Mr Iolo Williams and also Richard Taylor Jones of the soft voice and relaxing stress reducing wildlife films (who'd been unable to answer my question about how waders know where to land in water shallow enough for their particular wading legs? Anyone know? We wonder if they have built-in tide tables? Or maybe they select a scout whose job it is to find the right level and then the others arrive!!) Anyway for pics- a bearded tit. IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO WADER QUESTION.... do let me know. I've grown up on Dee Estuary and known waders all my days and so somehow never took much notice of them but watching RTJ's live film n Autumnwatch live breakfast it suddenly occurred to me how the redshanks was wading thigh deep and then the oystercatchers came and landed at the right level Anyway here's the bearded tit.

A marsh harrier swoops at Leighton Moss

Bad Ducks at Leighton Moss

We arrived at Leighton Moss to find a drama unfolding in the car park. A female duck was being targeted by a number of drakes that had failed to find a mating partner. Most mallards will mate for life, but this is what can happen to the ones that are left out.

As you can see, it was a pretty ugly scene, and just goes to show that the mating season isn't just about colourful displays and elaborate courting rituals.

Marsh Harriers and loved up geese

Mild and sunny(ish) yesterday so headed to Leighton Moss where the spring air seems to be getting wildfowl in the mood for love - though they like it rough and ready out there it must be said. Picture attached of one female (at least one hopes its female) who looks well and truly goosed!! The greylags amused by doing frequent victory roles after coupling- literally onto backs with legs waving in the air.
Great excitement when Pants noticed a marsh harrier hunting over the far reed beds. Bigger than the Hen Harrier and with noticeably extended talons making for some dramatic shapes above the reeds. We took some snaps but the hazy woodland back drop and the distance from the bird makes them fairly blurred. We wandered over to Lower Hide next and it was packed. Half term attempts to enthuse the next generation- very noble and it needs to happen but soooo frustrating when we spotted the Marsh Harrier again and couldn't get the close to shots becaus little jimmy and little johnny are sitting in prime place burbling away and playing some game on their mobile phones. They are lucky it wasn't an oter I was trying to photograph or there would have been blood (seemingly I have officially become a cantankerous barren 40 odd year old hag!!)
Ayway despite these frustrations we got a few pictures which at least demonstrate the shape and colour and size of the bird (if not the features) Stunning beastie and we're thrilled to know that chances are on that she will stay at Leighton for summer now.

Pick o' the Pants #2

The humble, mouse-like Treecreeper. Photographed at Leighton Moss.
As with all the photos, double-click on the photo itself to see a bigger version.

They're following us....

Firstly thanks for your Pick O' Pants!! The Magpie is a much underated corvid. Fact O' the Fatty... did you know that the Latin name for Magpie is Pica Pica? So Pants' last post title could have added a little geeky birdy wit had he called it Pica the Pants!!
Sorry for that - not well just at the moment - the mind is bruised.
On that note went to the bosom of the family for some R&R down in Wirral and would you believe it saw a female Hen Harrier out at Burton Marshes. (They're following us around now!!)
Some pictures attached to prove to the sceptics that it was a Hen not a Marsh. On way home we went via Leighton Moss and read that the otter had been seen a couple of times. Waited excitedly to no avail but got a long distance glimpse of a red deer hind in the tall grass right across the lake.
Adding too, a picture of a coot who looks like he's auditioning for the Natalie Portman role in Black Swan. There's a female golden eye and a goldfinch too just for the hell of it.

Pick o' the Pants #1

A magpie! Nothing out of the ordinary, but because we often don't look twice at the more common birds, we forget how stunning they actually are. If there were just 10 breeding pairs of magpies in the UK, everyone would be foaming about the bright blue flash. Because there are many thousands of them, we hardly notice it.

Hare today...

Up early and it was a stunning day o we thought we'd head over to Leighton Moss via the moors. We had a cracking opp to catch two hares running along the road. Unfortunately our car windows are bust and Pants valiantly attempted to shot them (with a lens you understand) through the windscreen but the results were disappointing. We leapt out living doors open etc... (starsky and hutch style wildlife watching) managed a couple of shots though the hares were hiding in the grass (they are so well camoflaged in there)

Got to Leighton Moss and it was almost warm in the sun, no wind and fab lighting. Sadly nothing much was happening though we had some great opportunities to photograph a rather grumpy heron. Really good day out though.

Hope you enjoy these pictures... sure Pants will post some of his best too soon.