Lee Harrison's Nature Photography.

Local Area..

I have a trip round the local turfs today with my Dad, I havn't bin out for a week so I was up for a good day, first we started off at Marshside, all the usuals knocking around, Reed and Sedge Warblers singing in the reeds, plenty of wheatears around the sand plant and reports of a Green Sandpipers and whitethroats sings near Crossens.

Unfortunatly we didn't manage to catch up with the whitethroat or the green sandpiper but plenty of othes knocking around including 3 Little Ring Plover, and Ruff feeding infront of Nell's hide:-

Wheatear

Greenfinch

Kestrel

After we had finished at Marshside, we decided to head over Mere Sands Wood, nothing unusual around, chiffchaffs singing in the tops of trees, no sign of the Crossbills today and no Redpolls either, but we got some nice views of the Nuthatch, and buzzard as we walked around:-

Nuthatch

Bullfinch

Buzzard

After Mere Sands, we decided that we'd go home and et some tea but as soon as we'd finished, we were back out to White Coppice trying to add more to our daily tally, and we managed to add a few more, including:-

Willow Warbler

Greater Spotted Woodpecker

Raven (a very nice surprise)

And last but deffinatly not least this bird?????? we thought definatly a Falcon of sum sort, we, though it was a merlin at first because of the size of it, it was tiny but when I think back to the sights we've had of the Merlin at Marshside, it seemed smaller than that. After looking at the pics and trying to find what it was, we really have no idea, it has a brown back and wing, an unmarked buff breast, not many head marks apart from a very distinct eye strip, witch if you look closley, you can see.

Sorry about the distant pics, but if anyone can tell me what this bird is please help....

Thanks always Lee Harrison

Easter Monday Magic, It Truly Was Eggselent...

Right, that's enough of double entendre, down to the serious stuff, I headed up to Leighton moss on Monday, hoping to have a bit of luck and we did, as we approached a fabulous female Marsh Harrier rose up along side of our car giving great views, we pulled up and had dinner, no more than two minuets had pass when a Peregrine came soring across closely followed by a buzzard and then a marsh tit appeared singing in a near by tree... An amazing start, putting us in a good mood for the rest of the day, as we checked the sighting book we heard news that a Gargany was showing well at Grizdale hide, so in hope of a new tick we headed down, 1 hour past but nothing, it felt like we were the only ones not to see it but as we left the hide, we were treated to some beautiful views of both male and female Marsh Harrier cruising over the read beds, the first of many.

Marsh Harrier

We decided to have a stroll down to Public hide but nothing really showing except both Marsh Harriers again and a gorgeous Willow Warbler singing high in a tree top...

Willow Warbler

As we headed back, we heard new that a Spoonbill had dropped in at the back of the moss, so we went on mission to find it, which turned out to be the easiest mission of the day, we walked the public footpath across the back of the moss and the first field we came to, there it was showing beautifully at the back of the reeds, to far to get any good pics but here's a record pic. just for the sake of it:-

Trust me it's a Spoonbill

After this beautiful and unexpected surprise we decided to see if we can finish off the day off with some views of the Peregrines at Warton Crag and we weren't disapointed, one sat on the nest and one sat there eating what we think was a Pigeon and Ravens feeding chicks on the nest, in the second and third pics you can see the chicks heads popping over the edge and then the Male Peregrine deciding to to take flight and going for a cruise... Here are a few pics that made me happy so I hope that you like them as well:-

Raven

Peregrine Falcon

Anyway thankyou for visiting my blog, I hope that you like what you see and that you will visit again.

Thanks always Lee Harrison.

Not Quite The Easter Bunny...

I headed to Mere Sands Wood last night, trying to catch the last few hours of light in such a beautiful place, it was truly peaceful, I got there for about 6 o'clock and was the only one there, just how I like it, as I walk through the reserve it was like heaven, the sun was shining through the trees, the birds were singing, I could have been anywhere in the world,

As I came to the fields at the end of the wood, I found 3 Brown Hare chasing each other round and round but I managed to get a few decent pics as they stops for a breather:-

Brown Hare

I also caught up with this beautiful pair of Goosander a bit further on but unfortunately the light had decided to leave us for the night:-

Goosander

Anyway Easter Sunday and I decided to have a walk down Marine Drive with the family, it was a gorgeous night with evening sun and birds galore, nothing unusual around, we were treated to a beautiful sight as a Barn owl cruised up out of the grass, along side of us and across the road, I didn't managed to get any pics, as i was mesmerised by such an amazing and gracious bird, but I managed to get a few nice of the Blackwits and Avocets getting a bit "jiggy"

Black Tailed Godwit

As I was scanning through the Avocets, I spotted this one below that was sporting a gold and red ring on the left leg and a orange and red ring on the right leg, I know the shots ain't the best but I would like to know if anyone has any information on this bird please let my know either over comment or at leeharrison2@msn.com , I know that the pics ain't that good but you can defiantly make out the rings on the legs of the right hand bird as we look at it :-

Avocet

Anyway thankyou for visiting my blog and I hope that you will vistit again,

Thank always Lee Harrison

Happy Easter Everyone...

Easter bank holiday and the motorways were at a stand still, so we ditched our plans to go to Leighton Moss and headed down to the local turf instead so we spent a day down at Marshside and Mere Sands Wood. It was a fantastic day in between all the rain showers, all the usual birds knocking around and a few new ones, Willow Warblers singing all the way down Marine Drive, Blackcaps singing at Mere Sands and Redpoll flitting around, 5 House Martin over Nell's hide and numerous Swallows, no sign of the little stint but a single 2nd winter Med. Gull made up for the loss and a number of Ruff feeding close to the road.

Thanks to George Griffith AKA Grandad for this beautiful picture shown above, such a fantastic shot.

Here are a few pictures that I managed to get on my way around: -

Marshside