The Moors......

Red Deer Hinds,Crowle.

With the prospect of a free day today,i decided to head for one of my favourite areas,the superb NNR which encompasses both Crowle and Thorne Moors.On arrival at the nice new car park,3 Roe Deer were seen on the adjacent fields and i gathered my gear together and made my way onto the NNR.Very little was seen on the first area of the reserve until i reached Will Pitts wood.The highlight here,were a very nice surprise in the form of a calling male Lesser-spotted Woodpecker.It was watched at the top of a Silver Birch,giving its high pitched 'Phew phew phew' call,a little cracker.On the adjacent lake,3 Goosander(2m and 1f) cruised about and a single Common Buzzard passed overhead.While walking along one of the many reed edged dykes,i heard what i thought was a Bearded Tit calling,but i thought no,i must have been hearing things,but sure enough after a bit of pishing,a male Bearded Tit appeared and gave some great views,but it was just too quick to get a photo of.This has to be a rare bird here and was a bigger surprise than the Pecker.I then scanned over the main gull breeding pools were other highlights included a pair of Stonechat sallying for insects and 2 Marsh Harrier(juv type and 2nd calendar year male) hunted overhead.A sudden trumpeting sound,saw the welcome sight of 18 Whooper Swan flying over to the north,simply superb and as i have commented before,one of my fave birds,no doubt making their journey back to Iceland.The only other highlight birdwise was a singing male Willow Tit.Mammal highlight for the day went to 2 Hind Red Deer near to the Crowle reserve entrance,nice to see.A cracking day out at this cracking area.