Little egret on Little Woolden Moss by Dave Steel
Little egret on Little Woolden Moss by Dave Steel
Black-headed gull feeding on Little Woolden Moss by Dave Steel
Lesser black-backed gull feeding on Little Woolden Moss by Dave Steel
Kestrel waiting for the rain to end by Dave Steel
A rather damp Little Woolden Moss by Dave Steel
Dave's arm is a bit wet
Carrion crow at the edge of the pool by Dave Steel
These birds were once a very rare sighting on the moss. Global warming in action? I would say, as these once strictly Continental birds are now finding that the rising temperatures have made the UK a new frontier.
The egret was striding with ease through this pool with its eyes alert to any movement, pausing from time to time to tap one of its feet as if performing a ritualistic dance. This is a way to outfox invertebrates, causing them to move and, at such times, a quick stab of the bird’s sharp bill and another morsel of food would help fill its breakfast needs.
Here too was a lesser black-backed gull and several black-headed gulls, all taking advantage of the feeding opportunity created by this temporary pool.
Carrion crow searched the edges of the water, they too recognising the feeding potential of this rain-blessed creation. With each species of bird noted, it was a positive note to this morning’s downpours.
In making these birds happy I too was more than happy to accept the rain as I wandered out onto the moss.
Then again, a little later on, the kestrel I noted perched out on a thin branch as I moved along Twelve Yards Road, seemed less impressed with today’s unrelenting rain. It seemed to ponder on how it would be able to find its prey today. The highs and lows of our increasingly rain “blessed” weather.
I could say from our point of view the moss is very good at absorbing most of these deluges, keeping our nearby homes on the whole flood-free. Perhaps they should not concrete over Barton Moss (there are plans) but rather follow the example made by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust on Little Woolden Moss, where the landscape for the most parts acts as a sponge to control water and prevent flooding.
I’m sure that the land recently acquired on the moss by Natural England will be equally well managed, quite timely I would say in our wetter winters.
As for me well Day 9 is written. Now, I had better get out of my car and stride out for my my LWT Winter Bird Count on Little Woolden Moss Nature Reserve for, in truth, the conditions are fine for me as I actually like the rain!
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