When it gets really warm in the dunes (and it was hotter than the Devil’s bilstons in there today), even sun-worshippers like Sand Lizards need to take a break from the rays and find a bit of shade.
Every now and again one will venture into our office at Ainsdale looking for a spot to cool down for awhile – which is just what this stonking brightly coloured male did today.
Once it had chilled out in a nice shady storage box for an hour or so, we let it go into the marram, a superb beast.
The population of the distinctively coloured tribe that haunts this coastline is estimated at no more than 200 individuals, so it’s always a privilege to have an encounter with one of Sefton’s coolest residents.
Burton Wetlands – 25/06/16
1 x Glossy Ibis
3 x Spoonbill
1 x Great White Egret
14 x Little Egret
1 x Cuckoo
2 x Green Woodpecker
2 x Spotted Redshank
40+ x Avocet
160+ Black Tailed Godwit
1 x Common Sandpiper
1 x Common Tern
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Summer is well underway at RSPB Leighton Moss with the emergence of some very special residents – the first young marsh harriers of the season have taken to the skies and visitors are invited to watch them in action.
As the largest reedbed in North West England, the Silverdale reserve is an ideal home for these iconic birds of prey. In early spring, they migrate from wintering grounds in Africa to the UK and Europe in order to pair up and breed.
Visitors can look for these rare birds at Leighton Moss any day. Live footage from one of the nests is showing in the visitor centre cafe and on the website. For more information on the marsh harriers, other wildlife and events at Leighton Moss, visit http://www.rspb.org.uk/leightonmoss.
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