Stone Curlew, Little Woolden Moss

A Stone Curlew on Little Woolden Moss, just 8 miles from home, was an unexepected bonus today. I'd had a tough but enjoyable day setting up bat detectors in the Pennines when news broke and since it was on my way home it was no problem to call in on my way back.

In many respects the reserve is like a miniture Hatfield Moss (South Yorkshire), a long slog to get to the viewing point and lots of bare peat and pools. It was a nice sunny day but the wind was strong and the bird was quite distant, making viewing very difficult and typical of the species it spent most of its time standing or sitting motionless. In fact actually, the view wasn't any worse than many I've had at Weeting Heath in Norfolk. It did once have a short walk around at which time it showed quite well, but it was generally just a blob in amongst a clump of grass.

This was my second Stone Curlew in the North West following one at Leasowe on 30/04/2009.

Year: 213 (Stone Curlew)

Little Woolden Moss. The stone curlew is in this photo (honest!), in amongst the grass, a fraction left of centre.