Mike's Natural Musings: Lake District, May. Day 5

Sunday, 23 May 2021

Lake District, May. Day 5

We woke up to more rain today and had another lazy morning in the van arching up with some jobs. Late morning, however, we a pickup and headed off to Arnside to eat our sandwiches on the sea front and to explore the village. From here we drove over to Leighton Moss, pleased to find the car park for the Allen Pools hides open. There had obviously been problems during lockdown as there were large signs forbidding parking on the narrow track down to the car park. Who could contemplate parking along there heaven only knows. We visited the Eric Morecambe hide first and then moved back to the Allen hide. The over-riding impression was one of the cacophony from the raucous screams of nesting blacke-headed gulls many with chicks resembling balls of mottled brown fluff. Amongst them were a distant pair of Mediterranean gulls nesting on the far island. There were also herring and greater black backed gulls. Little egrets stalked the margins jerkily plunging their heads in as they hunted small fish and other prey. Avocet were plentiful and some were even nesting amongst the blak-headed gulls. I was able to photograph one pair as they changed over brooding responsibilities. Under the sitting bird I could briefly see a chick and an egg. Sadly the large numbers of gulls were wreaking havoc with them as they predated chicks and eggs. Apparently there was a spoonbill about but unfortunately we didn't manage to see it. It would have been nice to explore the rest of the reserve but the rain began to come down heavily again so we made our way back to the van. It was good to visit again, albeit briefly.

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