This was my first visit to Moore Nature Reserve. I met a regular visitor and thoroughly nice bloke at Marbury and he gave me the low-down on this place. We had both failed to find Marburys Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers that day and he said there was a reasonable chance of finding one at Moore.
I love the first day at a new place and the anticipation of what may be waiting around the next bend. It re-kindles that boyhood excitement, only it's better now, as everything is when you have learnt what to do with it!
A circuit of Lapwing Lake via Lapwing Lane, was somewhat lacking in Lapwing! I did see lots of Tufted Duck, Mallard, a few Cormorant and a Grey Heron. The walk was good, with a great view over the lake from some high ground that also included a raptor viewing area, above which a couple of Common Buzzards obligingly soared.
I was accompanied for some time by a wee Wren, singing its merry full-throated song and happily leaving the undergrowth to perch in the open, no doubt calling for a mate. I love Wrens but for some reason I don't see that many of them, so close encounters of this kind are magical for me. But the day would get better...
During a short stop for coffee, a fellow birder put me onto a spot where he had seen a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker within the last hour. Off I tracked and reached the spot at the same time as two more birders who appeared to know the location quite well. We chatted a while and heard the bird calling a number of times but it was over two hours before it made a brief appearance deep in the wood. The two guys left but I decided to wait a while. Within minutes there it was in front of me, low on a trunk about 15 meters away. It remained there in good view for about ten minutes, searching the trunk for insects. I could not believe my luck and I'm sure I pinched myself at one point!
Moore is just 30 minutes from home and I can't explain why it took so long to appear on my radar! I have a feeling though that we will see a lot of each other from now on.
Wren at Moore - it entertained me for some time.
This Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was well worth the 2 hour wait.
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