Leighton Moss.

Noctule Bat. Dennis Atherton.

Over the years of my birding I've done many a circuit of Leighton Moss and never failed to enjoy and be rewarded on any of them, not least because you can often meet interesting people, not only with the same interest as you but if they happen to be armed with a camera and you get into conversation with them you can often end up being able to see some of their brilliant photography which is 'just up my street'.

Dennis Atherton was one such person with a camera I met on a recent visit to LM, Dennis was in the Grisedale Hide and it wasn't long before his enthusiasm and enjoyment of the wildlife here began to ooze out and I could see I needed to ask him if I could use some of his pictures for Birds2blog, the result is the starter above which is a brilliant photograph of a Noctule Bat he saw on his rounds of the reserve, not every day you get a chance like this one and Dennis used the opportunity to great effect....

 

Peregrine Falcon. Dennis Atherton.

....he also sent me another brilliant photograph, this one of the juvenile Peregrine Falcon over his head and captured on film like a true professional. Thanks for these Dennis, I'm sure they will be much appreciated by visitors to the blog and certainly are by me, thanks also for keeping in touch, and please keep on enjoying the wildlife and your photography, we can all gain from it in many different ways.

 

Red Deer. Gary Jones.

Gary Jones is no dud when it comes to a bit of photography either, Gary also got this excellent shot of the elegant stag Red Deer at LM during one of his recent visits here. The Grisedale Hide is my favourite on the reserve and I can recommend going there on any calm summer evening when - although there's never any guarantee - you stand an excellent chance of observing these creatures often at close quarters given some quiet patience. Thanks for this Gary....Gary's photography can be found HERE

And finally....

Baird's Sandpiper. Paul Baker.

A couple from over the pond, the Baird's Sandpipers from Paul Baker over there in British Columbia, Canada. Take a good close look at these two little beauties and study them, there's always a chance one may be heading your way right now....even may have arrived already quite close to where you live. 

Excellent local news is of 127 Little Egrets per LDBWS from the roost this morning at Leighton Moss, and national 'mega' news is of a Brown Flycatcher North of Bridlington at Buckton.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!