Water Rail

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 I haven't seen water rail by the house but they are pretty common in Cumbria so I thought them worth a mention. I often hear them if I visit the Leighton Moss reserve in North Lancashire. It is fair to say that these birds are more often heard than seen. The very distinctive call ( like a piglet being murdered I always think) usually emanates from thick reeds whilst the birds stay hidden. These birds are smaller relatives of the moorhen.



The birds have excellent camouflage and they usually patrol the very edge of a reed bed so that they can run back into shelter at a moments notice.

                                                                                       Diary
We have had overnight frosts this week. Today has been clear and sunny but there are forecasts for snow within the next 5 days. Overnight cameras revealed some wood mice with the usual rabbits. Large flocks of fieldfare are making short work of the hawthorne berries in the land above the house. I glimpsed the tiny gold crest in the bushes today but have some good photos of the twigs it was hiding behind but no good ones of the actual bird. The tawny owls are noisy as night falls.


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