Having done very little with the camera over the last few months I had a day to myself yesterday, and despite the initial gloomy skies decided to pay a visit to Leighton Moss. Although cloudy to start with it never really felt like rain, and brightened up considerably as the day went on - possibly too much so as it became a little contrasty later on. There's just no pleasing some people.
I had a vague idea I'd like to get some photographs of Reed and Sedge Warblers. I've been before with this idea and not seen either, and so it proved yesterday, but adaptability is I'm told the key to survival, so I took what was there and enjoyed a very nice day.
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First up, on the footpath towards the central causeway, overlooking the reserve, were a family of Greylag Goose and a couple of Magpies in a grassy area. To be honest the Magpie got the better of me slightly and I will admit the photo is a little shaky round the edges, but I'm going to include it because I like the pose and I think Magpies are actually rather attractive and not at all deserving of there much maligned reputation.
As I made my way down the causeway, pausing to listen to and look for the elusive warblers that I never really caught up with, I had a couple of flyovers from a male Marsh Harrier. In the second flyover you can see the Harrier is carrying a food item, presumably back to the nest. Magic stuff.
After working the causeway for some time I moved round towards Lower Hide, and found some of the wet woodland edges to be quite productive with Treecreeper, Blackcap, Wren, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit and Bullfinch, some of which were more co-operative than others.
On the way back there was a nice Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly, along with the seemingly omnipresent (Common?) Blue Damselfly.
