Leighton Moss & Warton Cragg - 30th May 2009

We were within half a mile of the visitors centre when we spotted the first of the 5 Marsh Harrier of the day. We pulled over into a lay-by and watched it glide effortlessly over the mere and trees. Searching the area brought sight of a further 2 Marsh Harrier and at least 4 Buzzard.
Didn’t see much from the feeders on our first visit but on our way out we watched Nuthatch, Greenfinch, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Great Tit and Mallard. Around the hides we didn’t see anything out of the ordinary with 50+ Black Headed Gulls some on their nests with chicks, a young drake Shoveler, Gadwall which we seem to be seeing all over at the moment, Tufted Duck, a pair of displaying Mute Swan and 70+ Black Tailed Godwit.
On the way out we saw a family of Nuthatch and Long Tailed Tit as well as a Pied Flycatcher. We bumped into the warden soon after and he said it was probably the first to be seen on the reserve.
On to Warton Cragg to watch the Peregrine. We found the nest with the female covering the chicks, there are 2 but we only saw one on our visit. The Male was sat on the ‘Bell Rock’ and it took one of the guys who guard the area against chick theft to point it out through his scope. The male took flight whilst we were there and we spotted him soaring in search of prey but brought nothing back before we left. Along with the Peregrine were 50+ Jackdaw and we heard a Ciffchaff calling from the trees.