Birds and autumn landscapes at Leighton Moss nature reserve, Lancashire - 4th November 2025

My first visit to RSPB Leighton Moss was on Tuesday, 4th November in drizzle

View from the top of the Skytower

There were lots of Coots in the lagoon

A Robin posed for me at the edge of the path to the Causeway hide

Cormorants on posts in front of the Causeway hide

Lovely view of reedbed and trees from the Causeway hide when the rain stopped

Four female Pheasants in a field near the Causeway hide

Path with puddles from the Causeway hide

Goldfinch enjoying a bath in one of the larger puddles on the pathway near Lilian's hide

Female Pheasant in the Woodland bird feeder area

Male Chaffinch on a leaf-covered path

Lovely autumn colouring viewed from the Grisedale hide

The light was beginning to fade on one side of the hide

Grit trays for Bearded Reedlings in front of the reeds near the Grisedale hide

- but, sadly, no Bearded Reedlings!

Landscape full of trees

Another view from the top of the Skytower

Eurasian Teal in the lagoon below the Skytower

and yet another lovely autumnal landscape

 

Birdie visit to Rainham Marshes nature reserve - mid-March 2025

Singing Robin near the Visitor Centre when I first arrived at RSPB Rainham Marshes

also a singing Dunnock

The old numbered rifle range amongst the reeds

Pair of Great Crested Grebes in front of the Shooting Butts hide

plus a Little Grebe

and lots of electricity pylons

and a pair of Shovelers

Male Teal in front of the Ken Barratt hide

and a male Gadwall near a female Teal

Lapwing posing in front of the Purfleet hide

Pair of Wigeon

Pied Wagtail

I think that this is a Marsh Harrier

Two Redshanks by a little island in the middle of the lagoon

Redshank and Mute Swan

Swan in flight in front of a fast train

Visitor Centre viewed from the path

 

First birding walk of the New Year - St. James's Park - 3rd January 2025

My walk began at the shrubbery near the entrance to the park where I saw a normal-coloured Great Tit

...and the dark melanistic version

I wouldn't want to cycle in the lake anyway!  Idiot vandals!!!!

Bright yellow eye on this Tufted drake

Millennium wheel viewed from the bridge across the lake

...also the buildings behind Horseguards Parade

Black Swan with her Mute Swan companion, plus a Greylag goose, on a sunny day

Black Swan near her companion's juvenile cygnet as he sails off to confront another swan

White Ross's goose approaching the railings

Grey Squirrel with a snack

Grey Heron enjoying the sunshine

All six Great White Pelicans standing (and shivering) at the edge of the lake

The Pelicans then moved over towards the bridge at Duck Island where two men were throwing fish to them

Red-headed Pochard at the other side of the lake - a member of the waterfowl collection

...also a Eurasian Teal

...and a Hooded Merganser

...and a Shelduck

...and two Barnacle geese

...and a Hawaiin goose

Green Rose-ringed Parakeet on a twiggy branch in front of a tree trunk

Pair of Egyptian geese near the exit to the park - the female is very light-coloured

Blue Tit perching on the edge of a coconut shell