Bearded Tit ( Panurus biarmicus )

After I had  visited Leighton Moss RSPB reserve and seeing the Bearded Tits we decided to go again so that Clickychick had chance to see them.  Seeing them is very time restricted as they spend most of the year deep in the reed beds.  They are visible at this time of year because of their change of diet.  In summer they eat insects that don't require grinding up in the gizzard.  In winter they feed on seeds that need grinding hence the need to visit the grit trays.  They are most active before 10:30.

So we had a, for us early start getting to the reserve just after 9:00.  we walked along to the causeway and joined a bout a dozen others.  No birds in sight.  We waited quarter of an hour or so and they began to appear.  At the height of the activity there must have been somewhere between 8 and 12 (it was difficult to track them).  With 26 pairs on the reserve this was a good proportion of the population.

The blip is a male in the classic one foot on different reeds pose.  The extras are a male on the grit tray, a female on the reeds and a group on the grit tray.  Even out of the breeding season they seem to hang around in their pairs.

After the Bearded Tits (or should I say reedlings as they correctly are) we moved on round the other hides interspersed with lunch in the cafe.  Then we set off home only to find the M^ northbound totally closed J36 to 39.  We found out later this was because of a fatal accident.  Rather  than shuffle nose to tail over Shap we nipped off through the lakes stopping for a toilet break and a drink at the Badger Bar in Rydal.

The species list for the day was :

Bearded Tit
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Whooper swan
Great Black Backed Gull
Coot
Gadwall
Moorhen
Little Egret
Great White Egret
Redshank
Greenshank
Teal
Heron
Widgeon
Mallard
Shelduck
Shoveller
Dabchick
Pintail
Snipe
Lapwing
Lesser Backed Gull
Black headed Gull
Godwit
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Nuthatch 
Marsh Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Pheasant
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Robin
Marsh harrier
Long Tailed Tit
Magpie
Curlew
Pied Wagtail
Pink footed goose

42 Species