Montagu's Harrier at Martin Mere

I'd checked the Reservoir last night and this morning - hirundines had certainly started to put in an appearance with over 150 Sand Martins, twenty or so Swallows and a couple of House Martins. A Common Sandpiper was the only wader on the edge of the water now that the levels are just a foot away from their highest whilst the Coots and Grebes are sitting tight on their nests.

A recently fledged flock of Long-tailed Tits was being fed by their parents next to the promenade and the good weather forecast for the coming week mighy well come at exactly the right time.

Then I got a message about a Montagu's Harrier at Martin Mere but didn't think any more of it until John called me to say that it was still there.
Nothing for it but a mad dash to see what would be a Lancashire lifer for me. I arrived to the news that it had flown off quite high to the east but undeterred I hung around the in-focus shop with Tony when the bird dropped by again.

It was rather distant but even in the dullness of the late morning it was evidently an adult male. It quatered the fields near the railway line for quite a while being mobbed by Lapwing very regularly and I managed to get some shots but as you can see, it was distant and the heat haze was poor.

Back in the garden, Lesser Redpolls are feeding on dandelion seeds in the lawn - a good excuse not to cut it? The nest box on the side of the house has Blue Tits sitting whilst Dunnocks and Blackbirds are busily taking food to their offspring.

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