Ticking off Osprey at Fowlshaw Moss.

 Another mega hot day!After meeting friends for lunch at the splendid Strickland Arms, we went to Halecat Nursery which was excellent as usual. Next we drove back to Fowlshaw Moss mainly to get an annual tick for Osprey which nest here. The views, however, are very distant, so just a tick collecting exercise. Until we met two birders who told us of a second pair also nesting, one of the birds being an offspring of the original pair. So we went back to the platform from which they could be seen and there they were, just about in photography distance. Heather was watching through the scope and exclaimed that another bird had just flown in. Magic. Presumably the male returning with food as it soon flew of again passing right over head. Fabulous.

The Moss is also good for dragonflies, especially black darters and white faced darter. No white-faced to be seen but I did get shots of black darter.

An excellent day again.

Osprey at the nest.

Osprey at the nest.

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Green-veined white

Black darter

Black darter

Black darter

Black darter

Common Lizard

Brittle Gill.

An Excellent Final Day.

 After an excellent but exercise heavy couple of days, we decided to relax on our final day and enjoy the lovely weather. We had a lazy breakfast and then I pottered about photographing the ferns on the site whose leaves were just beginning to unfurl. After a light lunch we pottered along to one of our favourite local spots: Arniside. Here, we enjoyed wandering round some favourite spots and the beach before enjoying a drink sitting in the sun outside the excellent Albion pub with spectacular views along the estuary towards Grange-over-sands and Morecambe Bay. We concluded our holiday with a meal in The Whistling Pig on the site. The pizza was excellent.

The Lake District Day 3

We woke this morning to another day of sun and we were to enjoy beautiful weather all day.  We had arranged to meet our friends from Blackpool, Linda and Steve so we breakfasted early and were soon driving alongside the beautiful estuary of the River Kent.  We were just parking up on the prom at Arnside when Linda and Steve arrived and the decision was quickly made to head for a local cafe and coffee and crepes.  I was fascinated by the number of local trains crossing back and forth over the railway viaduct so set out to photograph it while the ladies 'did' the shop.  We bought pasties for lunch from the tempting local bakery, stashed them in our rucksacks and struck off along the estuary shore to walk round to Silverdale.  I was intrigued to discover that it is from here that the foot crossings are made across Morecambe Bay.  In fact we sat and enjoyed our pasties at the point where the guide picks up the parties right on the point.  There were views here across to Lancaster, Blackpool and, looming on the horizon Heysham nuclear power station.

It wasn't long before we left the beach at Silverdale and climbed up through attractive woodland to the summit of Arnside Knott.  From here there were expansive views over the estuary of the Kent and Grange-Over-Sands to the Lakeland Fells.  We descended steeply back to the village when it was declared beer o'clock, actually shandy o'clock, and then we discovered the excellent Arnside Fish and Chip Shop for tea.  Wonderful.

On the way home we had a slight diversion to check out Leighton Moss RSPB reserve for another visit and called in for a drink at The Strickland Arms to book a table for Friday for a meal with Thomas.

Once again the day finished with a walk across the fields to 'that tree' for the sunset.  Memo to oneself: make sure that the camera battery is charged!!

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