Old Moor RSPB

A cold and cloudy day at Old Moor, but the soup was good and we met some friendly folk. Highlight green sandpipers.

Long tailed tits
Greater spotted woodpecker
Reed bunting m&f
Gadwall
Coot
Moorhen
Tufty duck
Cormorants
Kestrel
Mallard
Grey heron
Teal
Snipe
Little egret
Green sandpiper
Goldeneye
Shoveler
Wigeon
Lapwing
Bunny
Pheasant
Wood pigeon
Magpie
Robin
Blackbird
Redshank
Mute Swan
Goosander
Shelduck
Pied wagtail
Bullfinch

Martin Mere

Cold but sunny day at Martin Mere.

Whooper Swan
Greylag
Cormorant
Pintail
Pochard
Wigeon
Coot
Shelduck
Ruff
Snipe
Mallard
Tufty ducks
Lapwing
Pigeon
Buzzard
Kestrel
Marsh harrier
Grey heron
Teal
Long tailed tit
Gert big rats
Moorhen
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Robin
Magpie
Canada geese
Starlings
Blue tits
Coal tit
Great tit
Little egret
Sparrowhawk
Barn owl

Waterfalls around Ambleside

Distance: 6 miles
Ascent: 350m
Weather: cloudy and rain
Grey herons: 3
Buzzards accompanied by crows, dunnock, dipper

A rainy morning eased off so we headed out to look at some water. We walked up Stockghyll Falls, then around the lanes (where it started raining again) via barky dog farm (where I had a kitty meet and greet) and up the path to High Sweden Bridge.  It drizzled most of rest of the way and was dark, the spaceport clearly visible down in the valley 

Loughrigg Fell

Distance: 8 miles
Ascent: 450m
Weather: rainy
Kestrels: 2
Buzzard,  blackbird, wet people
People with terrible hangovers: 1 thankfully not one of us
People totally unprepared for the weather:   2 not us either, although there was some dampness.

The rain started as we left the park, and it was pretty much constantly wet all day. This did mean that there weren't quite the crowds that one might expect on Loughrigg Fell on New Year's Day, but we did meet a few people in various states of  enjoyment. We made it over the fell and returned back along the high path via the caves.