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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AlanR" data-source="post: 1513121" data-attributes="member: 49974">This will be about a week in Scotland but I'm not a great driver so I took things slowly. After a lunch stop at Martin Mere, I stopped overnight at Walney Island on the way. Coming back, I took a diversion cross-country to Bridlington for a visit to Bempton.This first entry just covers Martin Mere on the first day of the Journey. I am a great WWT fan and I always look forward to Martin Mere, in particular for the Tree Sparrows (which were there in plenty).It's not the best time of year for waterfowl and waders but I spotted a fair number of species to get my holiday list off the ground. There were breeding Shelduck and Avocet. (Avocet are very rare in my Gloucestershire locality.) I was hoping for Little (Ringed) Plover, a species I have so far missed this year and I was lucky enough to be shown a nesting pair not too far from the hide.But the high point for me (perhaps the best spot of the holiday) was a Tawny Owl, a lifetime first for me. A large red-brown shape disappeared as I came to some trees - but a few yards later there it was looking down at me. I had just a few seconds for one photo, nearly in focus, before it flew off. I was so excited I reported it as a sighting to the staff there. [Of course, they knew all about it. A pair are nesting there and three young ones are often seen!] Not many pictures I'm afraid - a young Moorhen, a Pheasant, one of the more colourful Pigeons and the Tawny Owl. Alan(More reports will come as I sort through th erest of 500 photographs taken.)</blockquote>

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