LM with KT!

That's actually about five hours at Leighton Moss with KT, but first....

Cuckoo. David Cookson.

OK so this photograph was posted on Birds2blog on 12 August 'The Cuckoo Season' and here it is again but this time with congratulations to David Cookson who was awarded POTW by the Birdguides team and rightly so as it represents a truly brilliant image by David of this very obliging bird which stayed around for several days at Cockers Dyke and obliged every visitor showing its skill at taking caterpillars at a 100% success rate.

Grey Heron. Pete Woodruff.

Well I don't claim to make any attempt at competing with the likes of David Cookson and many other excellent photographers I know, but this Grey Heron obliged this afternoon from the Grisedale Hide at Leighton Moss where KT and I decided to have a wander round on a pleasant day

On the circuit from the path to the Lower Hide - void of any counting - I noted, Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff  heard, Long-tailed Tits, a brief Great-spotted Woodpecker, a good number of Swallows with House Martin and Sand Martin noted, and best bird for me from the path was the Marsh Tit. At the hide 2 Little Egret, and a male Marsh Harrier which apparently is regarded as a visitor as no males have been seen here since the summer residents departed, a 'few' Gadwall were noted, also at least one Brown Hawker seen. About 4 Speckled Wood were the only butterflies seen all afternoon.

From the Public Hide where the waders were mainly on the backside of the island and difficult to assess, c.10 Greenshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, and 40 Redshank noted. From the Lillian Hide, 2 Marsh Harrier juveniles, and with the 'large' numbers of Mallard and Coot, single figures of Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Shoveler, Pintail and Pochard, and a Buzzard over the woods.

From the Grisedale Hide, 10 Greenshank came in from a NW direction - the Public Hide birds? - also 14 Black-tailed Godwit came from the same direction followed by a female Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard and a Peregrine Falcon were soaring high, and 3 Wigeon were of note.

A record 80 Little Egrets to roost at Leighton Moss this evening per LDBWS website. 

And a good time was had by all!