Waders and Goosanders!

 Waders and Goosanders!

​We arrived at 6:30am hoping for a glimpse of a European Badger or Tawny Owl. We saw neither, but we did see something moving through the glassy surface of the lake, from the Causeway Hide. A dog European Otter was hunting out on the lake. The sun hit the lake, turning it almost pink. Little Grebes, Great Crested Grebes, Common Goldeneye and much more where out already. We went to the Lower Hide. We saw huge flocks of Greylag Geese with European Rabbits and Common Pheasants mixed in. We saw two juvenile European Otters playing before they parted ways. Common Snipe, Northern Pintail and Mute Swans. We went back and headed straight towards the saltmarsh, to the Eric Morcambe and Allen Hide. We were told it was a short drive away but it took more than an hour for us to find it. It was hidden, through a boggy dirt path and into a car park. We found it on foot. While walking to the saltmarsh, we saw a flock of Fieldfares in a field. It was our first time visiting the saltmarsh. We were told a bunch of new species had been sighted, like Red-Breasted Mergansers and Spotted Redshank. We first went into the Allen Hide. A massive flock of Common Redshank were in front with Black-Tailed Godwits mixed in. There were also two Pied Avocets foraging in the distance, just to the side of the furthest and smallest island. There were massive flocks of Eurasian Wigeon and Northern Pintail as well. I spotted a male Goosander fly closer to the Allen Hide, land and then fly farther out into the fields and towards Morcambe Bay. More Pied Avocets were about, with hundreds of Black-Headed Gulls, Common Redshank and Black-Tailed Godwits. After meeting a friendly couple, we went back to the Allen Hide. We met someone else. He said he saw a Eurasia Skylark drop down. A few minutes later, there was one hovering high. It went low, skimming over the grassy fields. Suddenly, another one came, then another. There were eventually four. We also saw a Meadow Pipit to end the day. 

Directions to Saltmarsh: Turn right from car park. Then turn left onto Slackwood Ln. At the triangle, go down onto New Rd. Continue on lane, go over railway crossing and bridge. After bridge over canal, should see dirt road labeled public footpath on a sign to the left, from RSPB Leighton Moss. On Google Maps, known as Car Park RSPB Leighton Moss. Location pinned on blog.