{"id":5558,"date":"2019-01-04T18:39:43","date_gmt":"2019-01-04T18:39:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/?p=5558"},"modified":"2019-01-04T18:39:43","modified_gmt":"2019-01-04T18:39:43","slug":"leighton-moss-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/?p=5558","title":{"rendered":"Leighton Moss"},"content":{"rendered":"<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5567 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6655.jpg\" alt=\"Marsh Tit on a moss covered branch at the RSPB Leighton Moss reserve.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6655.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6655-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6655-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6655-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6655-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6655-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>A later than usual start to the day but there&#8217;s few better ways of starting the new year than a visit to Leighton Moss.<\/p>\n<p>Great to see plenty of Marsh Tits around the fringes of the moss. Sadly across the rest of the country they&#8217;re becoming increasingly uncommon. Apparently improved management of the Red Deer population is allowing the shrub layer to recover with Marsh Tits being one of the birds to really benefit.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5565 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6658.jpg\" alt=\"Marsh Tit at Leighton Moss\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6658.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6658-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6658-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6658-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6658-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6658-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5566 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6652.jpg\" alt=\"Blue Tit foraging amongst the Ivy\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6652.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6652-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6652-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6652-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6652-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6652-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>With the Big Garden Birdwatch due to begin in late January I thought I&#8217;d better get into the spirit of things so at number 3 on the list of most recorded visitor to the nation&#8217;s garden is the Blue Tit. Despite being taken for granted the warmth of the mid afternoon sunshine really does help to illustrate what an attractive bird it is.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5571 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6551.jpg\" alt=\"A Christmas cracker or perhaps next year's Christmas card\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6551.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6551-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6551-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6551-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6551-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6551-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>And at No 8 on last year&#8217;s list is the Robin. Strange how individual birds will follow visitors in the hope of a tasty morsel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5569 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6467.jpg\" alt=\"Nuthatch \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6467.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6467-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6467-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6467-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6467-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6467-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hmm&#8230;&#8230;.. not too sure where the Nuthatch ended up in the 2018 results however they&#8217;re definitely continuing to spread north. Although normally shy the ones at Leighton Moss are quite approachable and tolerant of visitors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5561 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6727.jpg\" alt=\"Owl carving in a dead tree stump at Leighton Moss\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6727.jpg 533w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6727-100x150.jpg 100w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6727-267x400.jpg 267w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6727-400x600.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\">Great to see the remains of a recently felled tree being put to good use.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5568 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6625.jpg\" alt=\"Common Snipe at the edge of the reedbeds\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6625.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6625-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6625-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6625-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6625-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6625-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Plenty of Snipe around the Moss and in particular the edges of the reedbeds.<\/p>\n<p>Seems almost beyond belief that they&#8217;re considered to be fair game. How people can take pleasure in hunting birds is beyond me. Fortunately Snipe are renowned for their erratic flight pattern and combined with their camouflage at Leighton Moss they remain fairly common. Sadly as a species they are on a steady and long-term decline with the likeliest of causes being the drainage of wet meadows and habitat destruction.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5559 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/P1040770.jpg\" alt=\"Scarlet Elfcup emerging from the woodland floor\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/P1040770.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/P1040770-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/P1040770-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/P1040770-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/P1040770-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/P1040770-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Even though it&#8217;s been relatively mild still surprising to see the Scarlet Elfcups beginning to emerge.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5563 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6698.jpg\" alt=\"Common Snipe close to the Lower Hide\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6698.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6698-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6698-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6698-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6698-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6698-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Yet more Snipe close to the Lower Hide<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5562 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6716.jpg\" alt=\"A pair of Snipe\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6716.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6716-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6716-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6716-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6716-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6716-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5560 size-full\" style=\"font-size: 15px;\" src=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6728.jpg\" alt=\"The beginnings of a murmuration \" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6728.jpg 800w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6728-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6728-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6728-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6728-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/DSC_6728-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The beginnings of a murmuration gathering over the causeway before heading over to roost close to the salt marsh.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A later than usual start to the day but there&#8217;s few better ways of starting the new year than a visit to Leighton Moss. Great to see plenty of Marsh Tits around the fringes of the moss. Sadly across the rest of the country they&#8217;re <span class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"more-link btn btn-transparent\" href=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/?p=5558\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[108,59],"tags":[471,272,281,383,122,694,274,855],"class_list":["post-5558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-birds","category-fungi","tag-blue-tit","tag-marsh-tit","tag-nuthatch","tag-robin","tag-scarlet-elf-cup","tag-scarlet-elfcup","tag-snipe","tag-starlings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5558"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5558\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5576,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5558\/revisions\/5576"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}