My Blog - Jeff Clarke

Otter Than July

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All images unless otherwise stated © Jeff Clarke 2011

As dawn crept slowly over the eastern horizon I was ploughing north up the M6 headed for Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve, where I would be leading my
'Birdcraft' adult education group around one of the UK's premier wetland sites. I arrived well ahead of time and intended to spend an hour or so looking for some of the special wildlife that resides there. The sun was still below the horizon as I slowly walked down the public causeway. Cetti's Warbler blasted from cover and the 'tching ping' calls of Bearded Tit's chimed in the reeds. I reached the viewing area for the gritting trays and in no time I was watching several of these delightful Parrotbills taking on board their morning grit load in preparation for grinding up a winter diet of seeds.

After a time I wondered down the causeway in pursuit of Otters, I was soon running out of time and needed to head back to meet my group as I did so my path was crossed by a party of 5 otters; a mother and her 4 cubs. The crowd of people 100 metres up the track watching the grit trays were oblivious to their presence.It was obvious where I would be bringing my group a little later that morning.

An hour later my group and I reached the Lower Hide and proceeded to have a truly magical hours wildlife watching. I've spent many a happy time at this hide observing otters, but most views are fleeting, but not today as the family party cavorted in the water, playing, tumbling and hunting eels, we had them in view for a least 30 mins. As if that wasn't enough a pair juvenile Marsh Harriers hunted the reedbed together with a 'ringtail' Hen Harrier

It was one of those rare days when it all comes together and the bonus was the beautiful weather. We finished on a real high.As dusk approached we entered the Grizedale Hide and in low sunlight we had stunning views of a juvenile and an adult female Marsh Harrier, Red Deer feeding out on the marsh and to top it all off a mesmerising Starling roost, several hundred thousand strong but on a 'sky blackening' finale to a stellar day.