A blog and photo journal about the natural history of north-west England and beyond
The Ribble Estuary NNR just under 10 miles south of Blackpool Tower and home to over quarter of a million waders and wildfowl during the winter. On Saturday 21st Feb the highest tide of the year came rolling in. Typical, you really couldn’t make it Read More …
Pintail negotiating the ice at Martin Mere. Another day in February’s tour of the frozen meres of Lancashire and Cheshire. I was hoping that being relatively close to the coast Martin Mere would be relatively ice free. Unusually the highlight was the walk through the Read More …
A reedbed in the north west corner of a frozen Budworth Mere. Nothing to see here……move on. A closer look reveals just to the right of the shrubby willow a Bittern. A slightly better view from October 2009 at Leighton Moss. For once it was Read More …
A few highlights from earlier on this month with another chilly day at Leighton Moss. In fact it was so ridiculously cold that I almost had the place to myself. Snipe huddled around together at the edge of the reedbeds. Humans in short supply Out on Read More …
Marsh Tit close to the lower hide at Leighton Moss. Amazing to see how successful the Marsh Tits continue to be around the Silverdale and Arnside area. Probably helps that they have a non-stop supply of bird seed left behind by visitors. Leaving the seed Read More …
A welcome visitor to the back garden. When a small and underweight Hoglet turned up in the back garden towards the end of November his chances of surviving the winter hibernation appeared bleak. Despite snuffling amongst the leaf litter looking for a tasty morsel the Read More …
Great Grey Shrike also known as The Butcher Bird an uncommon winter visitor especially to a small field just to the east of Blackpool airport. Roe Deer on Lytham Moss Shore Lark at Rossall Point, Fleetwood. Unfortunately although not a particular wary bird the sheer Read More …
Where else but the Eric Morecambe hide close to the RSPB’s Leighton Moss Reserve. Probably the most appropriate of all the tributes to the comic genius. Male Bearded Tit further over on the main RSPB reserve Female Bearded Tit, again just off the causeway across Read More …
A trip down to Dunham Massey earlier in the Autumn to see the Fallow Deer Rut. A break in the dawn mist revealed a small group of deer under the boughs of an ancient Oak. Who’s the Daddy? Dominating the main rutting area it Read More …
