A Happy Christmas to you all.
Happy Christmas to you all out there. Thought we would feature a couple of images from the intensely cold winter of 2010. Great to look at but very difficult condition for the wintering birds at the time!
Plenty to see if you are visiting over the winter period. It should be possible to see 60-70 species of wild birds in a full days birding on and around the reserve.
Some excellent views of Barn Owl are to be had from the Kingfisher / Ron Barker Hides as this photograph from Charlie Lowe shows.
A Woodcock was seen in flight from the United Utilities Hide on Sunday. You can expect to see 700+ Lapwing, 60+ Ruff, 10 Black-tailed Godwit and a few Snipe. An over wintering Green Sandpiper is occasionally being seen from the Harrier Hide.
A minimum of 4 Marsh Harrier present. Locally Hen Harrier are being seen on the Ribble so birds can turn up on the reserve. Up to 3 Merlin have been hunting on the reserve. Peregrine, 4+ Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and 2 Sparrowhawk. Roosting Tawny Owl can also be seen. (Ask at the in focus shop next to the Discovery Hide for directions)
Literally 1000's of ducks present with big numbers of Teal, Wigeon, Shelduck, Pintail and Mallard, with smaller numbers of Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck and currently a single Goldeneye (female). Around 900 Whooper Swan roosting but most birds are feeding out during the day. Similarly 4000+ Pink-footed Geese have been roosting but mostly birds are coming in late.
Stock Doves can show very well in front of the Discovery Hide and around the Mere.
Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and Redwing all seen in the past few days.
Scan the fence lines out from the UU Hide to find Stonechats.
Raven can occasionally be seen.
Check the Long-tailed Tit flocks for Goldcrest. Willow Tit regularly from the Janet Kear Hide.
Cetti's Warblers calling on the Reed Bed. We have Bearded Reedling on the Reed Bed but some luck and patience maybe required to see them.
