places to bird in august

[On-Firecrest]

hi
i am holidaying with my family in cumbria this august (first week) and i am only allowed one birding trip out. So can you help me choose the best reserve in cumbria to go to. I am staying near kendal and i need birds like whinchat and wood warbler. Can i get these near haweswater
thanks in advance and l will let you know how i get on.
cheers
steve

[ColinD]

hi
i am holidaying with my family in cumbria this august (first week) and i am only allowed one birding trip out. So can you help me choose the best reserve in cumbria to go to. I am staying near kendal and i need birds like whinchat and wood warbler. Can i get these near haweswater
thanks in advance and l will let you know how i get on.
cheers
steve

To be honest, if I was staying at Kendal in August I'd probably be tempted to go to Leighton Moss for the day, which is probably only about 30 minutes drive from Kendal. You have a good chance of wader passage on the Eric Morecombe pools, plus Bittern, Bearded Tit Marsh Harrier etc. on the emain reserve.
Although Wood Warblers may still be around, I'd be surprised if you see any in August. I find that they're not very obvious after early July. I'm not sure about Whinchat. I think you could end up spending most of the day seeing very little. Leighton Moss is your best bet.

[On-Firecrest]

probably a good idea cheers for that coigach

(even better if the wtp turns up again although it is long gone...)

[Mono]

Speaking as a Kendalalien I would go to Leigthon Moss, August isn't the best time on the main reserve, lots of vegetation and eclipsed ducks but the marsh harriers should still be there and the bitterns and beardies will be more acitve. The salt marsh hides should have plenty about and with all this rain the pools won't dry out.

Take a look here for the latest sightings in the area http://lancasterbirdwatching.org.uk/forum/list.php?1

[On-Firecrest]

the website doesnt work...

[saluki]

the website doesnt work...

Your not using AOL by any chance? I can't access the site through AOL for some reason - just use Internet Explorer.

Jonathan

[On-Firecrest]

yeah im using aol...
do you still get grouse up there? i have an old book on where to go in cumbria and it says there very scarce/declining.
I would quite like to see grouse. Is seeing a raven possible anywhere?

[ColinD]

yeah im using aol...
do you still get grouse up there? i have an old book on where to go in cumbria and it says there very scarce/declining.
I would quite like to see grouse. Is seeing a raven possible anywhere?

Good chance of Raven almost anywhere if you get up into the mountains. Don't think I've ever seen Red Grouse in the Lake District, in 30 years walking up there. Locals may know of some away from the main tourist routes. If you desperately want grouse, from Kendal I think you may have more chance if you head for the Pennines to the east, but I don't know any guarenteed sites that far up.

[On-Firecrest]

My book (published in 1985?) suggests the heather moor on rough and water crags to the north of devoke water for red grouse, merlin and red breasted merg although a quick internet search shows no sign of heather or ducks? I didnt realise rbm bred up there, do they favour places like winderemere or tarns?

[Mono]

I've never seen red grouse in the Lakes, too many sheep I would guess. If you go over into Yorkshire or to the forrest of Bowland there are plenty.
I can't point you at breeding rbms but I think you might be a bit late.

Ravens are a cert if you go on the fells, I think a trip up the fells could count as a addition to your birding day and a chance to get wheatears, dippers and grey wags that you wouldn't get a Leighton Moss.


If you do go to Leighton Moss nip down to Warton Quarry to see the nesting Perigrine, you can see it from the car!

[On-Firecrest]

cheers for the reply, im on 198 birds on my life list (raven would be 199) and i am looking for a good bird to do 200 with. I will try to do leighton moss although my dads quite keen on going to walney though.
cheers

Ps im leaving this sunday

[On-Firecrest]

thanks for the help every one i went and saw the dodd wood osprey viewpoint ospreys, raven near crook and over the garden, absoloutely nothing at leighton moss, a sign at warton quarry saying the peregrines had fleged, no black guillemots near the harbour/jetty at heysham (duff gen?), a dipper near elterthwaite and a female type sawbill sp on the river.
I got grouse on the return journey through swaledale...
thanks again