Leighton Moss, Lancs - 5th Sept 2007

Went back to Leighton for another Egret fest. The Great White Egret didn't show as well second time round as it spent most of its time on the EM pool. Twenty-three Little Egret were present as well as 1 juv Curlew Sandpiper, c50 Dunlin, 3 juv Ruff, 2 Spotted Redshank, c250 Black-tailed Godwit, 10+ Greenshank, Juv Merlin and Kingfisher. A juv Merlin showed well from Grisedale Hide as it fed on Dragonflies.

A distant and mostly asleep Aythya at the back of Lillians Pool was reminiscent of the Ferruginous/Pochard hybrid from winter 2006, although I didn't see this bird in the flesh at that time.

Four checks of the dead tree at Island Mere for the elusive Osprey during the day drew blanks on all four occasions, so I gave the Kent Estuary a check and was rewarded with an Osprey fishing the far side of the estuary viewed from Sandside.