Lake District

I spent the first week of the school holidays in the Lake District, in a cottage near Brotherswater.

Goosander on Rydal Water.

The weather was mostly good, allowing for walks over hills and around lakes. There was also a visit to Leighton Moss on the way home.

Chaffinch at Dodd Wood.

Great Spotted Woodpecker at Haverthwaite.

I was really keen to see some of the species that breed there, that I normally see as passage migrants on the South coast.

Juvenile Robin at Brotherswater.

Siskin at Deepdale.

On the lakes I saw Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, Little Grebe and Common Sandpiper.

Tree Pipit above Low Wood.

On the streams I saw numerous Grey Wagtail and a Dipper. At Bassenthwaite Lake I saw Kingfisher and Osprey.

Song Thrush at Sykeside.

In the woods and fields around Brotherswater I saw Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Siskin, Mealy Redpoll, Nuthatch, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Pied Flycatcher, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Redstart.

Goosander on Rydal Water.

On the open hills I saw Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Whinchat and Ring Ouzel. No luck with Red Grouse.

Grey Wagtail at Grasmere.

House Martins and Swallows dominated the skies, with occasional Swifts turning up.

Sundew near Kirkstone Beck.

Coal Tit near Kirkstone Beck.

Juvenile Stonechat near Kirkstone Beck.

A Badger, out in the afternoon, near Patterdale.

Yarrellii Pied Wagtail at Buttermere.

House Sparrow at Buttermere.

Red-breasted Merganser on Buttermere.

Black-headed Gull on Windermere.

Lesser Black-backed Gull on Windermere.

Juvenile Wheatear near Mire Beck, above Glenridding.

Meadow Pipit above Glenridding.

Cotton Sedge, Birkhouse Moor.

Black-tailed Godwits at Leighton Moss.

Great Crested Grebe pair with juvenile, Leighton Moss.

Marsh Harrier, with prey, Leighton Moss.

Greenshank from the Morecambe hide Leighton Moss.

Redshank from the Morecambe hide, Leighton Moss.

Overall I saw 84 species. This is a great start to my Summer Holiday 2016 list. My previous record is 123 species from 2015.