Seeing roe deer is always a magical experience. Their camouflage makes them especially hard to spot, and they usually spot you first! Capturing them on camera is tricky to time before they gracefully prance away, but Kevin Hall managed to get some great photos of two roe deer on our Lunt Meadows reserve.
Two roe deer at Lunt Meadows by Kevin Hall
Roe Deer at Lunt Meadows. Image by Kevin Hall
Two roe deer at Lunt Meadows by Kevin Hall
Prancing roe captured by Kevin Hall
This particular barn owl loves Lunt Meadows! He can often be seen hunting or coasting like a ghost over the reserve. Kevin Hall is a frequent admirer and kindly shares his sightings of this beautiful bird with us. Barn owls don't 'hoot', they screech and often hunt in the daytime unlike other species of owl. Just look at that bright blue sky!
A barn owl against a blue sky at Lunt Meadows. Image by Kevin Hall
It is a treat to see grey herons in flight. They fly slowly, with their long legs stretch out and slender neck pulled in. They usually stand for hours, statue still, waiting to snatch fish from the water. Did you know that herons nest in colonies called 'Heronries', often in the top of trees?
Grey Heron at Lunt Meadows. By Kevin Hall
Grey Heron at Lunt Meadows. By Kevin Hall
Grey Heron at Lunt Meadows. By Kevin Hall
Kestrels are a familiar sight, thankfully. They have the ability to hover whilst keeping their head steady against strong winds to spy and hunt for prey. An old country name for kestrels is the 'windhover'. This male kestrel was photographed on Lunt Meadows by one of our reserve regulars, Kevin Hall.
Kestrel at Lunt Meadows by Kevin Hall
The nuthatch is gorgeous bird, with grey above, a long, black eyestripe, white cheeks and throat, and a rust-coloured belly. Liam Green shared this striking photo of one at Mere Sands Wood with us
Nuthatch at Mere Sands Wood. Image by Liam Green
The black-tailed godwit is a rare breeding bird of wet grasslands in only a few places in the UK, including the North West. They are sociable, preferring to feed in large flocks on estuaries around the coast, and also remain faithful to their breeding partner for years. Unfortunately, the conservation status of black-tailed godwits is listed as 'red'. Gavin Thomas photographed this ringed bird probing for prey at our Seaforth reserve. It was possibly ringed in Cork Harbour.
Black-tailed godwit at Seaforth. Photo by Gavin Thomas
Knots are a stocky little sandpiper which flock to our estuaries for the winter between August and May. They gather in a huge numbers on muddy estuaries, and are an impressive sight when seen wading and feeding all together. A long-distance migrant, the knot can travel up to 15,000 km (approx. 94 miles), stopping along the way at least once to feed. Janet Packham took this photo at Heysham nature reserve.
Lots of knots at Heysham. Photo by Janet Packham
A huge thank you to those who share their experiences of wildlife on our reserves with us. We love seeing your photos and sharing your sightings.
What will you spot at our reserves?
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