Leighton Moss and Photography

[MarkEvan]

I don`t know if this is the right place for this but it seemed best. I might be looking at getting to Leighton moss this weekend and was wondering what its like for photography? Some reserves are better than others photographically is Leighton one of these (in other words how close do the species usually come? Are the hides glass or do they have windows you can open?....etc).
I`ll be using a 50D with 500f4 and 1.4 tc if needed.

[Keith Dickinson]

Hi Mark
Leighton isn't that bad for the cameraman, all the hides have opening windows. However not all the hides are in a good position from the sunlight point of view, you can get problems with the light being at the wrong angle according to which hide you are in, and the time of day.

Public hide, on the causeway can get birds coming very close, good for duck, swan and coots
Lilian hide, closest to the visitor centre is a large hide with a central large picture window and normal slots either side. Looks over a large body of water so again good for duck.
Feeding Station, behind the visitor centre gets a good number of birds, including marsh tit, nuthatch and other tits. You are probably not more than 20 feet from the feeder at this point. Numbers are much better in winter though.
Allen and Eric Morecambe hides, overlook a couple of pools and distantly Morecambe Bay. Good for waders on the high tide, regrettably the birds will be distant but you may be lucky.
Lower hide, is the one where the bulk of the otter photos are taken, not that I am saying you will see one there, but the local photographers put in an awful lot of time in the hide and of course score by doing this.
The other hides (2 of them) are pretty hit and miss with the birds that are present, and probably won't offer anything that isn't present at one of the other hides.
Warton Crag, not too far from Leighton Moss, has peregrine and also raven, again not guaranteed to get photo opportunities but you could get lucky.

[MarkEvan]

Thanks Keith thats plenty of info to be looking at, when you say 'not to far' for Warton Crag just how far are we talking?

[Marmot]

Just a few miles away

http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/countryside/sites/warton.asp

[Keith Dickinson]

Here (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=107421215783712345405.00046d12ad0bffd5486c8&t=h&z=14)'s another link Mark, I've marked the car park for Warton as well as that for the Allen and Eric Morecambe pool hides

Also a link here (http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Leighton_Moss) to the Opus article on Leighton Moss

[Chris Galvin]

In my view the hides at Leighton Moss are crap for photography. If is is sunny then forget all hides except the Lower Hide as all the rest face into the sun, this is a common fault with most RSPB reserves. Why oh why do most of the hides face into the sun? If you are up very early and the sun is up then the Allen & Morcombe hides are the best assuming the waders are close

[Mono]

I think it is a bit much to say they all face into the sun! It depends on the time of day. The Lower for example is side lit in the late evening. The hides face in the directions below, although of course you can swing your view about 60degress either side of these, and some hides have little windows on the short side.

Lower NW
Public NE
Lillians ESE
Tim Jackson SSE
Grisedale ESE
Allan Hide SW
Eric Morecambe NW & NE

[MarkEvan]

Thanks all for the replys and the links, I think i`ll concentrate on the Eric Morcambe hide first and then move on to the lower hide later in the day.......i`ll check the othets too cause you never know what you will get but concentrate on those two.

Again thanks very much for the help.

[christineredgate]

So many shots can be taken away from the hides.Lots of woods around in the area,also the feeding stations.

[Jaff]

All taken this year at Leighton Moss
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/258315/ppuser/42340
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/240990/ppuser/42340
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/253437/ppuser/42340
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/254270/ppuser/42340

And that's just a few from me. Put Leighton Moss in the gallery search engine and you'll turn up loads more.

[MarkEvan]

Thanks Christine yeah I know about the woods that you walk through I have happy memories of seeing treecreepers and nuthatch in them :-O.

Those are lovely images Jaff especially the Marsh Tit....will search for some more images.