Grey Heron

Up to Leighton Moss in Silverdale today. A great place - wonderful views of a bittern fishing at the edge of one of the reedbeds (all looking very fresh and verdant), marsh harriers spooking the gulls, avocets feeding,  and sand martins and swifts skimming the pools for insects. And a curlew sandpiper in summer plumage, first time I've seen one in years - on it's return journey from the Artic, some of the waders are beginning their return journey from their breeding grounds.

Oh, and this heron, looking for it's next meal.

So a good day, but quite shocking on the way up and on the return journey. From the M6 Winter Hill is smoking like a volcano, and a huge smoke cloud spills westwards towards the coast over the land (extra). Southport cannot have been a pleasant place today. Miles to the north, from Leighton Moss and looking across over Morecambe, a big lateral white cloud hugged the land from it's source on the Hill out to the Irish Sea. Weirdly the cloud moves sideways, not up. It's really shocking. And more distantly, the smoke cloud above Saddleworth Moor is clearly visible. Greater Manchester is being surrounded by a ring of fire.