Preston area (1 Viewer)

Jaff said:

Common Crane at Martin Mere yday though. :eat:

Martin Mere is mostly about spectacle. Especially at feeding time or when a Peregrine is putting everything up.

For Bearded Tits you'd best stake out the Grit Trays at LM through the morning (located by reeds in a clearing on the right as you walk down to Public Hide).

If you'd like any company for Martin Mere just drop me a PM.

Click to expand...

XsCode said:

Don't forget Mere Sands at Rufford, they had 3 Bitterns last winter 2 of which where clearly visible from the hides.

Click to expand...

squidge said:

Had a wonderful two days birding over the weekend. I went to Leighton moss on the Friday and Martin mere on the Sunday. I had planned on going to brockholes on the Saturday but my wife's uncle got me a ticket to go and see Preston north end play bournmouth afc which Preston won 2-0 which I'm told Preston winning doesn't happen very often.:-O

On Friday the weather was very springlike with lovely sunshine. I was in the reserve 5 minutes and there was a female marsh harrier hunting over the reedbeds. Another 5 minutes later and I had a lifer in a willow tit. The feeding station was bringing in great,blue,long tailed,coal and willow tits plus chaffinches, bullfinches,robins and nuthatches. There was a pair of great spotted woodpeckers mating in the line of trees to the right of the feeding station. Out on the pond there was mallard,teal,wigeon,gadwall,pintail and tufties. There were now two female marsh harriers over the reedbed plus a buzzard flying high. It was also nice to see the red deer on the reserve. Sadly there was no show for the bittern or beardies but I did hear a few pings. As dusk fell there was a male marsh harrier hunting plus a barn owl hunting in the distance.

Sunday was another excellent day weather wise for martin mere and I was greeted by a small family of tree sparrows. From the hides there were numerous duck and geese of the usual suspects. I counted 6 buzzards in total and most of the wildfowl lifted into the air when a peregrine came in close. There was a stoat making its way along the bank of a stream. I had another lifer in the avocets that where on the mere. There were over a dozen ruff plus a black tailed godwit. It was great to get close to these birds from the hides as usually I only see them from a couple of hundred metres away. The whooper swans were all displaying and making a racket which was great to see. Sadly as dusk started to fall it was time to leave as the car park closed at six. Still I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I preferred Leighton moss to Martin mere but both are excellent reserves with great facilities. Both birders and staff at both reserves were very friendly and helpful. I will definitely be returning although without the tripod at Martin mere as a hide clamp would have been more useful there.

Regards Gerard.:t:

Click to expand...

squidge said:

Had a wonderful two days birding over the weekend. I went to Leighton moss on the Friday and Martin mere on the Sunday. I had planned on going to brockholes on the Saturday but my wife's uncle got me a ticket to go and see Preston north end play bournmouth afc which Preston won 2-0 which I'm told Preston winning doesn't happen very often.:-O

On Friday the weather was very springlike with lovely sunshine. I was in the reserve 5 minutes and there was a female marsh harrier hunting over the reedbeds. Another 5 minutes later and I had a lifer in a willow tit. The feeding station was bringing in great,blue,long tailed,coal and willow tits plus chaffinches, bullfinches,robins and nuthatches. There was a pair of great spotted woodpeckers mating in the line of trees to the right of the feeding station. Out on the pond there was mallard,teal,wigeon,gadwall,pintail and tufties. There were now two female marsh harriers over the reedbed plus a buzzard flying high. It was also nice to see the red deer on the reserve. Sadly there was no show for the bittern or beardies but I did hear a few pings. As dusk fell there was a male marsh harrier hunting plus a barn owl hunting in the distance.

Sunday was another excellent day weather wise for martin mere and I was greeted by a small family of tree sparrows. From the hides there were numerous duck and geese of the usual suspects. I counted 6 buzzards in total and most of the wildfowl lifted into the air when a peregrine came in close. There was a stoat making its way along the bank of a stream. I had another lifer in the avocets that where on the mere. There were over a dozen ruff plus a black tailed godwit. It was great to get close to these birds from the hides as usually I only see them from a couple of hundred metres away. The whooper swans were all displaying and making a racket which was great to see. Sadly as dusk started to fall it was time to leave as the car park closed at six. Still I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I preferred Leighton moss to Martin mere but both are excellent reserves with great facilities. Both birders and staff at both reserves were very friendly and helpful. I will definitely be returning although without the tripod at Martin mere as a hide clamp would have been more useful there.

Regards Gerard.:t:

Click to expand...

Jaff said:

Oh and I thought they have both Tits quite frequently at Leighton Moss now. Been a while since I was last up there.
QUOTE]

The nearest definite Willow Tit sites are probably on the outskirts of Preston, and I don't think there have been any in the Silverdale area for many years.

Click to expand...