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View from Langden Head in the The Langden Valley in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, England - October 2011

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:12:19 -0700

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Bowland

The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1964, and is used for grouse shooting, walking and cycling, though it is relatively unfrequented by tourists. One of the best known features of the area is Pendle Hill, which is separated from the main part of the Forest of Bowland AONB by the Ribble Valley.
13% of the AONB is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its important areas of heather moorland and blanket bog. The area is nationally and internationally important for its upland bird populations – the hen harrier is the symbol of the AONB. There are over 500 listed buildings and 18 scheduled monuments within the AONB.
The name 'forest' is used in its traditional sense of 'a royal hunting ground', and much of the land still belongs to the British Crown as part of the Duchy of Lancaster. In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest.

Heather moorland on Clougha, in the north west of the Forest of Bowland, looking towards the Yorkshire three peaks
Bowland remains as the northwestern remainder of the ancient wilderness that once stretched over a huge part of England, encompassing the Forest of Bowland, Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire), the New Forest (Hampshire) and Savernake Forest (Wiltshire). While the Trough of Bowland (the valley and high pass connecting the Wyre (at Marshaw) and Langden Brook and dividing the upland core of Bowland into two main blocks) represents the area, to many, on account of its popularity, it is in fact only a small part of the wider Forest of Bowland area.
The hills on the western side of the Forest of Bowland attract walkers from Lancaster and the surrounding area. Overlooking Lancaster is Clougha Pike, the western-most hill. The hills form a large horseshoe shape with its open end facing west. Clockwise from Lancaster the hills are Clougha Pike (413 m), Grit Fell (468 m), Ward's Stone (561 m), Wolfhole Crag (527 m), White Hill (544 m), Whins Brow (476 m), Totridge (496 m), Parlick (432 m), Fair Snape Fell (510 m), Bleasdale Moor (429 m), and Hawthornthwaite fell (478 m).
The area is home to the geographic centre of Great Britain which is close to the Whitendale Hanging Stones, around 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Dunsop Bridge.
The Forest of Bowland is home to an annual challenge event: The Bowland Challenge where teams of walkers navigate around a series of grid references over a ten hour period. Proceeds of the event go to support Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team.

View from Langden Head in the The Langden Valley in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, England - October 2011

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:12:19 -0700

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Langden Head in the The Langden Valley in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, England - October 2011

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:12:19 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

The Langden Valley in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, England - October 2011

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 01:51:30 -0700

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Red Deer at RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:54:27 -0800

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Lancahsire's only population of wild Red Deer is found at Leighton Moss and in the Silverdale area. They are thought to have crossed over from Cumbria where they occur in forests, moors and on the mountains. At Leighton Moss they are found in reedbeds, showing their versatile nature.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Deer

The Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The Red Deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor and parts of western and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red Deer have been introduced to other areas including Australia, New Zealand and Argentina. In many parts of the world the meat (venison) from Red Deer is used as a food source.
Red Deer are ruminants, characterized by an even number of toes, and a four-chambered stomach. Recent DNA evidence indicates that the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) and the East Asian and North American Elk (Wapiti) (Cervus canadensis) represent two distinct species. They also hint at an additional primordial subgroup of Central Asian Red Deer.[2] The ancestor of all Red Deer probably originated in Central Asia and probably resembled Sika Deer.[3]
Although at one time Red Deer were rare in some areas, they were never close to extinction. Reintroduction and conservation efforts, especially in the United Kingdom, have resulted in an increase of Red Deer populations, while other areas, such as North Africa, have continued to show a population decline.

Description
The Red Deer is the fourth largest deer species behind moose, elk (wapiti) and sambar deer. It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats and cattle. European Red Deer have a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives. There are subtle differences in appearance between the various subspecies of Red Deer primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican Red Deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer[citation needed] (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea. The deer of Central and Western Europe vary greatly in size with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe.[3] West European Red Deer historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including peoples' crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in size and antlers. Large Red Deer stags, like the Caspian Red Deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains may rival the Wapiti in size. Female Red Deer are much smaller than their male counterparts.
Generally, the male (stag or hart) Red Deer is typically 175 to 230 cm (69 to 91 in) long and weighs 160 to 240 kg (350 to 530 lb); the female is 160 to 210 cm (63 to 83 in) long and weighs 120 to 170 kg (260 to 370 lb).[citation needed] The tail adds another 12 to 19 cm (4.7 to 7.5 in) and shoulder height is about 105 to 120 cm (41 to 47 in). Size varies in different subspecies with the largest, the huge but small-antlered deer of the Carpathian Mountains (C. e. elaphus), weighing up to 500 kg (1,100 lb). At the other end of the scale, the Corsican Red Deer (C. e. corsicanus) weighs about 80 to 100 kg (180 to 220 lb), although Red Deer in poor habitats can weigh as little as 53 to 112 kg (120 to 250 lb).[4] European Red Deer tend to be reddish-brown in their summer coats. The males of many subspecies also grow a short neck mane ("mane" of hair around their necks) during the autumn. The male deer of the British Isles and Norway tend to have the thickest and most noticeable neck manes. Male Caspian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus maral) and Spanish Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) do not carry neck manes. Male deer of all subspecies, however, tend to have stronger and thicker neck muscles than female deer, which may give them an appearance of having neck manes. Red Deer hinds (females) do not have neck manes. The European Red Deer is adapted to a woodland environment.[5]
Only the stags have antlers which start growing in the spring and are shed each year, usually at the end of winter. Antlers are made of bone which can grow at a rate of 2.5 cm (1.0 in) a day. A soft covering known as velvet helps to protect newly forming antlers in the spring. European red deer antlers are distinctive in being rather straight and rugose, with the fourth and fifth tines forming a "crown" or "cup" in larger males. Any tines in excess of the fourth and fifth tine will grow radially from the "cup". "Cups" are generally absent in the antlers of smaller red deer such as Corsican Red Deer. West European Red Deer antlers feature bez (second) tines that are either absent or smaller than the brow tine. However, bez tines occur frequently in Norwegian Red Deer. Antlers of Caspian Red Deer carry large bez (second) tines and form less-developed "cups" than West European red deer, their antlers are thus more like the "throw back" top tines of the wapiti (Cervus canadensis sp.)and these are known as maraloid characteristics. A stag can (exceptionally) have antlers with no tines, and is then known as a switch. Similarly, a stag that doesn't grow antlers is a hummel. The antlers are testosterone-driven and as the stag's testosterone levels drop in the autumn, the velvet is shed and the antlers stop growing.[6] Red Deer produce no testosterone in their bodies while they are growing antler.[clarification needed] With the approach of autumn, the antler begin to calcify and the stags testosterone production builds for the approaching rut (mating season).
During the autumn, all Red Deer subspecies grow a thicker coat of hair which helps to insulate them during the winter. Autumn is also when some of the stags grow their neck manes.[3] It is in the autumn/winter coat that most subspecies are most distinct. The Caspian Red Deer's winter coat is greyer and has a larger and more distinguished light rump-patch (like Elk and some Central Asian Red Deer) compared to the West European Red Deer which has more of a greyish-brown coat with a darker yellowish rump patch in the winter. By the time summer begins, the heavy winter coat has been shed; the animals are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. Red Deer have different colouration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with grey or lighter colouration prevalent in the winter and a more reddish and darker coat in the summer.[7] Most European Red Deer wear a reddish-brown summer coat, and some individuals may have a few spots on the backs of their summer coats.

Distribution
Cervus genus ancestors of Red Deer first appear in fossil records 12 million years ago during the Miocene in Eurasia.[8] An extinct genus known as the Irish Elk (Megaloceros), not related to the red deer but to the fallow deer, is the largest member of the deer family known from the fossil record.[9]
The European Red Deer is one of the largest game animals found in Southwestern Asia (Asia Minor and Caucasus regions), North Africa and Europe. The Red Deer is the largest non-domesticated mammal still existing in some European countries such as the United Kingdom and Ireland.[8] The Barbary stag (which resembles the West European Red Deer) is the only member of the deer family that is represented in Africa, with population centred in the northwestern region of the continent in the Atlas Mountains.[10] As of the mid 1990s, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria were the only African countries known to have Red Deer.[11]
In the UK there are indigenous populations in Scotland, the Lake District and the South West of England (principally on Exmoor). Not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines as some of these populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks like Warnham or Woburn Abbey in an attempt to increase antler sizes and body weights. Edinburgh University found that in Scotland there has been extensive hybridisation with the closely related Sika Deer.[12] There are several other populations that have originated either with carted deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms or deliberate releases. Carted deer were kept by stag hunts with no wild red deer in the locality and were normally recaptured after the hunt and used again; although the hunts are called "stag hunts" the Norwich Staghounds only hunted hinds (female red deer) and in 1950 at least eight hinds (some of which may have been pregnant) were known to be at large near Kimberley and West Harling[13] and formed the basis of a new population based in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. There are now further substantial red deer herds that originated from escapes or deliberate releases in the New Forest, the Peak District, Suffolk, Brecon Beacons and West Yorkshire as well as many other smaller populations scattered throughout England, and they are all generally increasing in numbers and range. A recent census of deer populations in 2007 coordinated by the British Deer Society records red deer as having expanded range their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia. ref [1]
In New Zealand, and to a lesser degree in Australia, the red deer were introduced by acclimatisation societies along with other deer and game species. The first red deer to reach New Zealand were a pair sent by Lord Petre in 1851 from his herd at Thorndon Park, Essex to the South Island but the hind was shot before they had a chance to breed. Lord Petre sent another stag and two hinds in 1861 and these were liberated near Nelson from where they quickly spread. The first deer to reach the North Island were a gift to Sir Frederick Weld from Windsor Great Park and were released near Wellington and these were followed by further releases up to 1914.[14] Between 1851 and 1926 there were 220 separate liberations of red deer involving over 800 deer.[15] In 1927 the State Forest Service introduced a bounty for red deer shot on their land and in 1931 Government control operations were commenced and between 1931 and March 1975 1,124,297 deer were killed on official operations.
In New Zealand introduced Red Deer have adapted much better and are widely hunted on both islands, many of the 220 introductions used deer originating from Scotland (Invermark) or one of the major deer parks in England, principally Warnham, Woburn Abbey or Windsor Great Park. There is some hybridisation with the closely related Wapiti or American Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) introduced in Fiordland in 1921. New Zealand red deer produce very large antlers and are regarded as amongst the best in the world by hunters. Along with the other introduced deer species they are however officially regarded as a noxious pest and are still heavily culled using professional hunters working with helicopters, or even poisoned.
The first red deer to reach Australia were probably the six that Prince Albert sent in 1860 from Windsor Great Park to Thomas Chirnside who was starting a herd at Werribee Park, south west of Melbourne in Victora. Further introductions were made in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Today the red deer range in Australia ranges from Queensland down through New South Wales into Victoria and across to South Australia, with the numbers increasing. The Queensland, Victorian and most New South Wales strains can still be traced to the early releases, but South Australia's population along with all others is now largely recent farmed escapees. This is having adverse affects on the integrity of wild herds as now more and more larger herds are being grown due to the superior genetics that have been attained by select breeding.
Red Deer populations in Africa and southern Europe are generally declining. In Argentina, where the Red Deer has had a potential adverse impact on native animal species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has labelled the animal as one of the world's 100 worst invaders.

Migration
Red Deer in Europe generally spend their winters in lower altitudes and more wooded terrain. During the summer, they migrate to higher elevations where food supplies are greater for the calving season.

Taxonomy
Until recently biologists considered that Red Deer and Wapiti (or Elk) are the same species forming, a continuous distribution throughout temperate Eurasia and North America. This belief was based largely on the fully fertile hybrids that can be produced under captive conditions.
However, recent DNA studies conducted on hundreds of samples from Red Deer and Elk subspecies concluded that there are no more than 9 distinct subspecies of Red Deer and Wapiti and that they fall into two separate species: the Red Deer from Europe, western Asia and North Africa, and the Wapiti or Elk from Northern and Eastern Asia and North America. Surprisingly, from DNA evidence the Elk appear more closely related to Sika Deer and to Thorold's deer than to Red Deer.

Subspecies
Additionally there are some central Asiatic subspecies (Tarim group, including Bactrian deer and Yarkand deer), which are geographically isolated from Wapiti and western Red Deer by the Takla Makan and the Pamir Mountains. They appear to represent a primordial subgroup, genetically more related to the Red Deer than to the Wapiti. It remains unclear which clade the Kashmir stag belongs in,[2] though it, in terms of zoogeography, is most likely to belong in the central Asian group.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources originally listed nine subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus): three as endangered, one as vulnerable, one as near threatened, and four without enough data to give a category ("Data Deficient"). The species as a whole, however, is listed as least concern.[1] However, this was based on the traditional classification of Red Deer as one species (Cervus elaphus), including the Elk.
Listed below are the subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), including the primordial subgroup from central Asia.

Subspecies
Additionally there are some central Asiatic subspecies (Tarim group, including Bactrian deer and Yarkand deer), which are geographically isolated from Wapiti and western Red Deer by the Takla Makan and the Pamir Mountains. They appear to represent a primordial subgroup, genetically more related to the Red Deer than to the Wapiti. It remains unclear which clade the Kashmir stag belongs in,[2] though it, in terms of zoogeography, is most likely to belong in the central Asian group.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources originally listed nine subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus): three as endangered, one as vulnerable, one as near threatened, and four without enough data to give a category ("Data Deficient"). The species as a whole, however, is listed as least concern.[1] However, this was based on the traditional classification of Red Deer as one species (Cervus elaphus), including the Elk.
Listed below are the subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), including the primordial subgroup from central Asia.

Breeding, gestation and lifespan
Red Deer mating patterns usually involve a dozen or more mating attempts before the first successful one. There may be several more matings before the stag will seek out another mate in his harem. Females in their second autumn can produce one and very rarely two offspring per year. The gestation period is 240 and 262 days and the offspring weigh about 15 kg (33 lb). After two weeks, fawns are able to join the herd and are fully weaned after two months.[20] Female offspring outnumber male offspring more than two to one and all Red Deer fawns are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and lose their spots by the end of summer. However, as in many species of Old World Deer, some adults do retain a few spots on the backs of their summer coats.[3] The offspring will remain with their mothers for almost one full year, leaving around the time that the next season offspring are produced.[5] The gestation period is the same for all subspecies.
Red Deer live up to over 20 years in captivity and in the wild they average 10 to 13 years,, though some subspecies with less predation pressure average 15 years.
Protection from predators
Male Red Deer retain their antlers for more than half the year and are less gregarious and less likely to group with other males when they have antlers. The antlers provide self-defence as does a strong front-leg kicking action which is performed by both sexes when attacked. Once the antlers are shed, stags tend to form bachelor groups which allow them to cooperatively work together. Herds tend to have one or more members watching for potential danger while the remaining members eat and rest.[5]
After the rut, females form large herds of up to 50 individuals. The newborn calves are kept close to the hinds by a series of vocalizations between the two, and larger nurseries have an ongoing and constant chatter during the daytime hours. When approached by predators, the largest and most robust females may make a stand, using their front legs to kick at their attackers. Guttural grunts and posturing is used with all but the most determined of predators with great effectiveness. Aside from humans and domestic dogs, the Wolf is probably the most dangerous predator that most European Red Deer encounter. Occasionally, the Brown bear will predate on European Red Deer as well.[5] Eurasian Lynx and wild boars sometimes prey on the calves. The leopard in Asia Minor (now extinct) probably preyed on East European Red Deer. Both Barbary Lion and Barbary Leopard probably once preyed on Atlas stags in the Atlas Mountains, although Barbary Lion is now extinct in the wild, and Barbary Leopard either very rare or extinct.
Red Deer in folklore
Red Deer are widely depicted in cave art and are found throughout European caves, with some of the artwork dating from as early as 40,000 years ago, during the Upper Paleolithic. Siberian cave art from the Neolithic of 7,000 years ago has abundant depictions of Red Deer, including what can be described as spiritual artwork, indicating the importance of this mammal to the peoples of that region (Note: these animals were most likely Wapiti (Cervus canadensis) in Siberia, not Red Deer).[21] Red deer are also often depicted on Pictish stones (c.550-850 AD), from the early medieval period in Scotland, usually as prey animals for human or animal predators. In Medieval hunting the red deer was the most prestigious quarry, especially the mature stag, which in England was called a 'hart'.

Red Deer products
Red Deer are held in captivity for a variety of reasons. The meat of the deer, called venison, is not generally harvested for human consumption on a large scale, though speciality restaurants seasonally offer venison which is widely considered to be both flavourful and nutritious. Venison is higher in protein and lower in fat than either beef or chicken.[22] In some countries in central Asia, elk is still hunted as a primary source of meat.
The red deer can produce 10 to 15 kg (22 to 33 lb) of antler velvet annually.[citation needed] On ranches in New Zealand, China, Siberia, and elsewhere[23] this velvet is collected and sold to markets in East Asia, where it is used for holistic medicines, with South Korea being the primary consumer. In Russia, a medication produced from antler velvet is sold under the brand name Pantokrin (Russian: Пантокри́н; Latin: Pantocrinum).[citation needed] The antlers themselves are also believed by East Asians to have medicinal purposes and are often ground up and used in small quantities.
Historically, related deer species such as Central Asian Red Deer, Wapiti, Thorold's Deer, and Sika Deer have been reared on deer farms in Central and Eastern Asia by Han Chinese, Turkic peoples, Tungusic peoples, Mongolians, and Koreans.[citation needed] In modern times, Western countries such as New Zealand and United States have taken to farming European Red Deer for similar purposes.
Deer antlers are also highly sought after worldwide for decorative purposes and have been used for artwork, furniture and other novelty items.

Red Deer at RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:54:27 -0800

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

Lancahsire's only population of wild Red Deer is found at Leighton Moss and in the Silverdale area. They are thought to have crossed over from Cumbria where they occur in forests, moors and on the mountains. At Leighton Moss they are found in reedbeds, showing their versatile nature.

The Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The Red Deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor and parts of western and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red Deer have been introduced to other areas including Australia, New Zealand and Argentina. In many parts of the world the meat (venison) from Red Deer is used as a food source.
Red Deer are ruminants, characterized by an even number of toes, and a four-chambered stomach. Recent DNA evidence indicates that the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) and the East Asian and North American Elk (Wapiti) (Cervus canadensis) represent two distinct species. They also hint at an additional primordial subgroup of Central Asian Red Deer.[2] The ancestor of all Red Deer probably originated in Central Asia and probably resembled Sika Deer.[3]
Although at one time Red Deer were rare in some areas, they were never close to extinction. Reintroduction and conservation efforts, especially in the United Kingdom, have resulted in an increase of Red Deer populations, while other areas, such as North Africa, have continued to show a population decline.
Description
The Red Deer is the fourth largest deer species behind moose, elk (wapiti) and sambar deer. It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats and cattle. European Red Deer have a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives. There are subtle differences in appearance between the various subspecies of Red Deer primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican Red Deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer[citation needed] (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea. The deer of Central and Western Europe vary greatly in size with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe.[3] West European Red Deer historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including peoples' crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in size and antlers. Large Red Deer stags, like the Caspian Red Deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains may rival the Wapiti in size. Female Red Deer are much smaller than their male counterparts.
Generally, the male (stag or hart) Red Deer is typically 175 to 230 cm (69 to 91 in) long and weighs 160 to 240 kg (350 to 530 lb); the female is 160 to 210 cm (63 to 83 in) long and weighs 120 to 170 kg (260 to 370 lb).[citation needed] The tail adds another 12 to 19 cm (4.7 to 7.5 in) and shoulder height is about 105 to 120 cm (41 to 47 in). Size varies in different subspecies with the largest, the huge but small-antlered deer of the Carpathian Mountains (C. e. elaphus), weighing up to 500 kg (1,100 lb). At the other end of the scale, the Corsican Red Deer (C. e. corsicanus) weighs about 80 to 100 kg (180 to 220 lb), although Red Deer in poor habitats can weigh as little as 53 to 112 kg (120 to 250 lb).[4] European Red Deer tend to be reddish-brown in their summer coats. The males of many subspecies also grow a short neck mane ("mane" of hair around their necks) during the autumn. The male deer of the British Isles and Norway tend to have the thickest and most noticeable neck manes. Male Caspian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus maral) and Spanish Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) do not carry neck manes. Male deer of all subspecies, however, tend to have stronger and thicker neck muscles than female deer, which may give them an appearance of having neck manes. Red Deer hinds (females) do not have neck manes. The European Red Deer is adapted to a woodland environment.[5]
Only the stags have antlers which start growing in the spring and are shed each year, usually at the end of winter. Antlers are made of bone which can grow at a rate of 2.5 cm (1.0 in) a day. A soft covering known as velvet helps to protect newly forming antlers in the spring. European red deer antlers are distinctive in being rather straight and rugose, with the fourth and fifth tines forming a "crown" or "cup" in larger males. Any tines in excess of the fourth and fifth tine will grow radially from the "cup". "Cups" are generally absent in the antlers of smaller red deer such as Corsican Red Deer. West European Red Deer antlers feature bez (second) tines that are either absent or smaller than the brow tine. However, bez tines occur frequently in Norwegian Red Deer. Antlers of Caspian Red Deer carry large bez (second) tines and form less-developed "cups" than West European red deer, their antlers are thus more like the "throw back" top tines of the wapiti (Cervus canadensis sp.)and these are known as maraloid characteristics. A stag can (exceptionally) have antlers with no tines, and is then known as a switch. Similarly, a stag that doesn't grow antlers is a hummel. The antlers are testosterone-driven and as the stag's testosterone levels drop in the autumn, the velvet is shed and the antlers stop growing.[6] Red Deer produce no testosterone in their bodies while they are growing antler.[clarification needed] With the approach of autumn, the antler begin to calcify and the stags testosterone production builds for the approaching rut (mating season).
During the autumn, all Red Deer subspecies grow a thicker coat of hair which helps to insulate them during the winter. Autumn is also when some of the stags grow their neck manes.[3] It is in the autumn/winter coat that most subspecies are most distinct. The Caspian Red Deer's winter coat is greyer and has a larger and more distinguished light rump-patch (like Elk and some Central Asian Red Deer) compared to the West European Red Deer which has more of a greyish-brown coat with a darker yellowish rump patch in the winter. By the time summer begins, the heavy winter coat has been shed; the animals are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. Red Deer have different colouration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with grey or lighter colouration prevalent in the winter and a more reddish and darker coat in the summer.[7] Most European Red Deer wear a reddish-brown summer coat, and some individuals may have a few spots on the backs of their summer coats.

Distribution
Cervus genus ancestors of Red Deer first appear in fossil records 12 million years ago during the Miocene in Eurasia.[8] An extinct genus known as the Irish Elk (Megaloceros), not related to the red deer but to the fallow deer, is the largest member of the deer family known from the fossil record.[9]
The European Red Deer is one of the largest game animals found in Southwestern Asia (Asia Minor and Caucasus regions), North Africa and Europe. The Red Deer is the largest non-domesticated mammal still existing in some European countries such as the United Kingdom and Ireland.[8] The Barbary stag (which resembles the West European Red Deer) is the only member of the deer family that is represented in Africa, with population centred in the northwestern region of the continent in the Atlas Mountains.[10] As of the mid 1990s, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria were the only African countries known to have Red Deer.[11]
In the UK there are indigenous populations in Scotland, the Lake District and the South West of England (principally on Exmoor). Not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines as some of these populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks like Warnham or Woburn Abbey in an attempt to increase antler sizes and body weights. Edinburgh University found that in Scotland there has been extensive hybridisation with the closely related Sika Deer.[12] There are several other populations that have originated either with carted deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms or deliberate releases. Carted deer were kept by stag hunts with no wild red deer in the locality and were normally recaptured after the hunt and used again; although the hunts are called "stag hunts" the Norwich Staghounds only hunted hinds (female red deer) and in 1950 at least eight hinds (some of which may have been pregnant) were known to be at large near Kimberley and West Harling[13] and formed the basis of a new population based in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. There are now further substantial red deer herds that originated from escapes or deliberate releases in the New Forest, the Peak District, Suffolk, Brecon Beacons and West Yorkshire as well as many other smaller populations scattered throughout England, and they are all generally increasing in numbers and range. A recent census of deer populations in 2007 coordinated by the British Deer Society records red deer as having expanded range their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia. ref [1]
In New Zealand, and to a lesser degree in Australia, the red deer were introduced by acclimatisation societies along with other deer and game species. The first red deer to reach New Zealand were a pair sent by Lord Petre in 1851 from his herd at Thorndon Park, Essex to the South Island but the hind was shot before they had a chance to breed. Lord Petre sent another stag and two hinds in 1861 and these were liberated near Nelson from where they quickly spread. The first deer to reach the North Island were a gift to Sir Frederick Weld from Windsor Great Park and were released near Wellington and these were followed by further releases up to 1914.[14] Between 1851 and 1926 there were 220 separate liberations of red deer involving over 800 deer.[15] In 1927 the State Forest Service introduced a bounty for red deer shot on their land and in 1931 Government control operations were commenced and between 1931 and March 1975 1,124,297 deer were killed on official operations.
In New Zealand introduced Red Deer have adapted much better and are widely hunted on both islands, many of the 220 introductions used deer originating from Scotland (Invermark) or one of the major deer parks in England, principally Warnham, Woburn Abbey or Windsor Great Park. There is some hybridisation with the closely related Wapiti or American Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) introduced in Fiordland in 1921. New Zealand red deer produce very large antlers and are regarded as amongst the best in the world by hunters. Along with the other introduced deer species they are however officially regarded as a noxious pest and are still heavily culled using professional hunters working with helicopters, or even poisoned.
The first red deer to reach Australia were probably the six that Prince Albert sent in 1860 from Windsor Great Park to Thomas Chirnside who was starting a herd at Werribee Park, south west of Melbourne in Victora. Further introductions were made in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Today the red deer range in Australia ranges from Queensland down through New South Wales into Victoria and across to South Australia, with the numbers increasing. The Queensland, Victorian and most New South Wales strains can still be traced to the early releases, but South Australia's population along with all others is now largely recent farmed escapees. This is having adverse affects on the integrity of wild herds as now more and more larger herds are being grown due to the superior genetics that have been attained by select breeding.
Red Deer populations in Africa and southern Europe are generally declining. In Argentina, where the Red Deer has had a potential adverse impact on native animal species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has labelled the animal as one of the world's 100 worst invaders.
Migration
Red Deer in Europe generally spend their winters in lower altitudes and more wooded terrain. During the summer, they migrate to higher elevations where food supplies are greater for the calving season.
Taxonomy
Until recently biologists considered that Red Deer and Wapiti (or Elk) are the same species forming, a continuous distribution throughout temperate Eurasia and North America. This belief was based largely on the fully fertile hybrids that can be produced under captive conditions.
However, recent DNA studies conducted on hundreds of samples from Red Deer and Elk subspecies concluded that there are no more than 9 distinct subspecies of Red Deer and Wapiti and that they fall into two separate species: the Red Deer from Europe, western Asia and North Africa, and the Wapiti or Elk from Northern and Eastern Asia and North America. Surprisingly, from DNA evidence the Elk appear more closely related to Sika Deer and to Thorold's deer than to Red Deer.
Subspecies
Additionally there are some central Asiatic subspecies (Tarim group, including Bactrian deer and Yarkand deer), which are geographically isolated from Wapiti and western Red Deer by the Takla Makan and the Pamir Mountains. They appear to represent a primordial subgroup, genetically more related to the Red Deer than to the Wapiti. It remains unclear which clade the Kashmir stag belongs in,[2] though it, in terms of zoogeography, is most likely to belong in the central Asian group.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources originally listed nine subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus): three as endangered, one as vulnerable, one as near threatened, and four without enough data to give a category ("Data Deficient"). The species as a whole, however, is listed as least concern.[1] However, this was based on the traditional classification of Red Deer as one species (Cervus elaphus), including the Elk.
Listed below are the subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), including the primordial subgroup from central Asia.
Subspecies
Additionally there are some central Asiatic subspecies (Tarim group, including Bactrian deer and Yarkand deer), which are geographically isolated from Wapiti and western Red Deer by the Takla Makan and the Pamir Mountains. They appear to represent a primordial subgroup, genetically more related to the Red Deer than to the Wapiti. It remains unclear which clade the Kashmir stag belongs in,[2] though it, in terms of zoogeography, is most likely to belong in the central Asian group.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources originally listed nine subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus): three as endangered, one as vulnerable, one as near threatened, and four without enough data to give a category ("Data Deficient"). The species as a whole, however, is listed as least concern.[1] However, this was based on the traditional classification of Red Deer as one species (Cervus elaphus), including the Elk.
Listed below are the subspecies of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), including the primordial subgroup from central Asia.
Breeding, gestation and lifespan
Red Deer mating patterns usually involve a dozen or more mating attempts before the first successful one. There may be several more matings before the stag will seek out another mate in his harem. Females in their second autumn can produce one and very rarely two offspring per year. The gestation period is 240 and 262 days and the offspring weigh about 15 kg (33 lb). After two weeks, fawns are able to join the herd and are fully weaned after two months.[20] Female offspring outnumber male offspring more than two to one and all Red Deer fawns are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and lose their spots by the end of summer. However, as in many species of Old World Deer, some adults do retain a few spots on the backs of their summer coats.[3] The offspring will remain with their mothers for almost one full year, leaving around the time that the next season offspring are produced.[5] The gestation period is the same for all subspecies.
Red Deer live up to over 20 years in captivity and in the wild they average 10 to 13 years,, though some subspecies with less predation pressure average 15 years.
Protection from predators
Male Red Deer retain their antlers for more than half the year and are less gregarious and less likely to group with other males when they have antlers. The antlers provide self-defence as does a strong front-leg kicking action which is performed by both sexes when attacked. Once the antlers are shed, stags tend to form bachelor groups which allow them to cooperatively work together. Herds tend to have one or more members watching for potential danger while the remaining members eat and rest.[5]
After the rut, females form large herds of up to 50 individuals. The newborn calves are kept close to the hinds by a series of vocalizations between the two, and larger nurseries have an ongoing and constant chatter during the daytime hours. When approached by predators, the largest and most robust females may make a stand, using their front legs to kick at their attackers. Guttural grunts and posturing is used with all but the most determined of predators with great effectiveness. Aside from humans and domestic dogs, the Wolf is probably the most dangerous predator that most European Red Deer encounter. Occasionally, the Brown bear will predate on European Red Deer as well.[5] Eurasian Lynx and wild boars sometimes prey on the calves. The leopard in Asia Minor (now extinct) probably preyed on East European Red Deer. Both Barbary Lion and Barbary Leopard probably once preyed on Atlas stags in the Atlas Mountains, although Barbary Lion is now extinct in the wild, and Barbary Leopard either very rare or extinct.
Red Deer in folklore
Red Deer are widely depicted in cave art and are found throughout European caves, with some of the artwork dating from as early as 40,000 years ago, during the Upper Paleolithic. Siberian cave art from the Neolithic of 7,000 years ago has abundant depictions of Red Deer, including what can be described as spiritual artwork, indicating the importance of this mammal to the peoples of that region (Note: these animals were most likely Wapiti (Cervus canadensis) in Siberia, not Red Deer).[21] Red deer are also often depicted on Pictish stones (c.550-850 AD), from the early medieval period in Scotland, usually as prey animals for human or animal predators. In Medieval hunting the red deer was the most prestigious quarry, especially the mature stag, which in England was called a 'hart'.
Red Deer products
Red Deer are held in captivity for a variety of reasons. The meat of the deer, called venison, is not generally harvested for human consumption on a large scale, though speciality restaurants seasonally offer venison which is widely considered to be both flavourful and nutritious. Venison is higher in protein and lower in fat than either beef or chicken.[22] In some countries in central Asia, elk is still hunted as a primary source of meat.
The red deer can produce 10 to 15 kg (22 to 33 lb) of antler velvet annually.[citation needed] On ranches in New Zealand, China, Siberia, and elsewhere[23] this velvet is collected and sold to markets in East Asia, where it is used for holistic medicines, with South Korea being the primary consumer. In Russia, a medication produced from antler velvet is sold under the brand name Pantokrin (Russian: Пантокри́н; Latin: Pantocrinum).[citation needed] The antlers themselves are also believed by East Asians to have medicinal purposes and are often ground up and used in small quantities.
Historically, related deer species such as Central Asian Red Deer, Wapiti, Thorold's Deer, and Sika Deer have been reared on deer farms in Central and Eastern Asia by Han Chinese, Turkic peoples, Tungusic peoples, Mongolians, and Koreans.[citation needed] In modern times, Western countries such as New Zealand and United States have taken to farming European Red Deer for similar purposes.
Deer antlers are also highly sought after worldwide for decorative purposes and have been used for artwork, furniture and other novelty items.

Grey Heron at RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 02:17:39 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/greyheron/index...

Latin name
Ardea cinerea

Family
Bitterns and herons (Ardeidae)

Overview

The largest European heron. It can stand with neck stretched out, looking for food, or hunch down with its neck bent over its chest. In flight it holds its neck retracted and has large rounded wings. It is usually solitary although several birds may feed fairly close together. It stalks its food, often standing motionless for some considerable time. It usually feeds close to the bank or shore, but may wade out into shallow water.

Where to see them

Wetland marshes, gravel pits, reservoirs, lakes and rivers and estuaries. Usually seen standing silently at the water's edge, waiting for prey. Will come to gardens with ornamental fish ponds and fish farms.

When to see them

All year round.

What they eat

Mainly fish

RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:52:57 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

Leighton Moss is simply one of the most beautiful areas in Lancashire. It is an important reserve for many bird species both in the winter and the summer. The 3 star species are Marsh Harriers, Bearded Tits and Bitterns which depend on the reedbeds for survival and are all quite rare in the UK at the moment.
Leighton Moss is set in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Silverdale. It is a mosaic of woodland, reedbeds, freshwater bodies and coastal lagoons. Trails and walks help you to explore the area and give you a great feel of the reserve, which is great for a day out.

www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/leightonmoss/index.asp

Leighton Moss is the largest reedbed in north-west England, and home to some really special birds such as breeding bitterns, bearded tits and marsh harriers. You might see deer too, not to mention butterflies aplenty!
Opening times
The reserve and visitor centre are open daily all year round (except 25 December). The reserve is open from 9 am to dusk and the visitor centre from 9.30 am-5 pm (4.30 pm November-January inclusive).
Entrance charges
Free to the visitor centre and tearoom. Admission to hides and nature trails: £4.50 adults, £3 concessions, £1 children, £9 family. Free to RSPB members and those who come by public transport or on bike.

Avocet
Avocets can be seen from the hides overlooking the Allen and Eric Morecambe Pools in spring and summer.

Bearded tit
A year-round attraction here in the extensive reedbeds. They form flocks in autumn and can often be seen picking up grit from special tables on the causeway or directly from the paths.

Bittern
Bitterns can be heard 'booming' from the causeway between march and May. Scan over the reedbeds and you may catch a glimpse of one in flight - particularly in May and June. You may also see one sitting at the edge of the pools on frosty winter days.

Marsh harrier
Spring brings displaying marsh harriers to Leighton Moss. The males and females are busy feeding their young throughout summer and can often be seen hunting over the reedbed.

Water rail
Watch from the hides for water rails emerging to feed on the edge of the channels and pool within the reedbed. They may venture out onto exposed mud when the water drops in late summer and autumn or onto ice in winter.

Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.

Spring
Booming bitterns in the reedbeds, best heard from the Causeway. Marsh harriers displaying high above the reedbeds. Butterflies along the reserve trails. The arrival of summer-visiting birds fills the reedbed with the rattling calls of sedge and reed warblers. Birdsong can be enjoyed in the woodland. Buzzards can be seen daily flying over the reserve. On the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools, large flocks of migrant black-tailed godwits stop off on their way to Iceland and the first avocets return to nest.

Summer
The special sight of marsh harriers passing food to each other in flight. Red deer grazing the Jackson and Griesdale meres in the evenings. The sight and sound of a busy black-headed gull colony. A chance to see young bitterns venturing out into the edges of the pools to feed, as well as a variety of young waterbirds. A succession of marsh flowers along the reserve tracks. Avocets and their chicks on the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools.

Autumn
Parties of bearded tits flying across the reeds and picking up grit from the paths. Huge flocks of starlings wheeling above the reedbed before pouring into the reeds to roost. Migrant wading birds, especially greenshanks, ruffs and returning black-tailed godwits on the pools viewed from the Allen and Eric Morecambe hides.

Winter
Teals, shovelers and gadwalls join the resident ducks to congregate in large numbers in the pools. Bitterns and water rails can be seen out on the ice during cold spells. Flocks of siskins feed in the alders. Flocks of wigeons and greylag geese graze the saltmarsh at the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools, and are regularly disturbed by wintering peregrines and merlins.

Viewing points
Seven hides with the nearest hide to visitor centre only 160 yards (150 m) away.

Nature trails
Three nature trails: 0.5 miles, 0.8 km to 2 miles, and 3.2 km.

Tearoom
A wide selection of hot and cold food and drinks throughout the day. Parties catered for on request.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Hot meals
•Cold meals
•Sandwiches
•Snacks

Shop
The shop stocks:
•Binoculars and telescopes
•Books
•Bird food
•Gifts

Educational facilities
Education visits to Leighton Moss offer an exciting opportunity for your pupils to explore nature through the first-hand study of birds, other animals and plants. Led by professional RSPB educators, the curriculum-linked programmes are safe, hands-on, thought-provoking and fun. Approved as a safe provider of outdoor education activities by Lancashire County Council, Leighton Moss's risk-assessed programmes help children to understand the value of wildlife and natural places through experiential learning. Leighton Moss has the largest remaining reedbed in north-west England - a magical place where you and your pupils could hear the bitterns booming in the spring, watch the marsh harriers swooping in the summer or see the meres full of over-wintering ducks and geese in the winter. With a well-equipped classroom, shop, picnic area, trails and bird hides, Leighton Moss is the ideal place to bring your class for an unforgettable experience of nature. You can visit any day of the year. Our start times are flexible to suit you. It is advisable to book well in advance for the summer term, which is our busiest time. We can cater for two classes (or approximately 60 children), which will be divided into smaller groups of approximately 15.

Access to hides and viewpoints
Bird-feeding station has a screen, with varied height viewing slots and knee hole extension, which overlooks the birdtables and feeders. Lilian's hide is accessed via 1:20 ramp; a large, glazed, picture window overlooks the lagoon and reedbeds; an induction loop is available. Jackson's hide is accessed via 1:10 ramp; there are no adapted wheelchair places.
Griesdale hide is accessed via 1:10 ramp; there are no adapted wheelchair places. Public hide is accessed via a very shallow, 1:40 ramp; specially adapted places for wheelchairs are at left end of hide. Lower hide is accessed via three steep steps.
Access to visitor centre, shop and tearoom

The front entrance is accessed through double doors, which open both ways, to reception desk on ground floor. The upper floor, with tearoom, is accessed via a stair-lift from the shop and rear entrance of the visitor centre. This lift does not accommodate wheelchairs; transfer from chair to lift via shallow ramp; staff are available to help.
Shop is on the ground floor of the visitor centre; staff are available to help. Tearoom is on the first floor of visitor centre, staff are available to help with carrying trays etc.

Path surfaces and gradients
There are 8 km of trails on the nature reserve. There is a bird-feeding station 50 m from visitor centre, down 1:15 and 1:40 gradients with an adverse camber; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone. From the feeding station to Lilian's hide is 100 m, initially down a 1:20 slope, levelling and then another 1:20 slope to the hide entrance; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone.

From Lilian's hide to Jackson's hide is 535 m. From Lilian's hide to Griesdale hide is 735 m; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone, and narrows to one metre in places. From Lilian's hide to Public hide is 1,000 m; the path is undulating, rolled stone with two non-wheelchair accessible kissing gates; it has a steep gradient of 1:10 along some of its length. There is a 100 m stretch along the public highway.

The final approach to the hide is along a public causeway of rough, rolled stone with a 1:10 slope. Visitors with limited mobility can drive to the start of the public causeway. From Public hide to Lower hide is 820 m; the path is surfaced with compacted mud and stone; it is narrow in places and accessible to semi-ambulant visitors.

Car parking
Visitors can park in front of and behind the visitor centre; the surface is rolled stone. There is an alternative car park on the opposite side of the road from the visitor centre.

Toilets
One adapted, unisex toilet accessed via shop and rear entrance to visitor centre.

Wheelchair loan
One wheelchair available for loan, contact reserve staff for availability.

RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:59:26 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:27:37 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

I have been to Leighton Moss in Spring, Summer and Winter. I had decided to an autumn trip this time althought the colours are not as autumnal as I hoped!

Leighton Moss is simply one of the most beautiful areas in Lancashire. It is an important reserve for many bird species both in the winter and the summer. The 3 star species are Marsh Harriers, Bearded Tits and Bitterns which depend on the reedbeds for survival and are all quite rare in the UK at the moment.
Leighton Moss is set in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Silverdale. It is a mosaic of woodland, reedbeds, freshwater bodies and coastal lagoons. Trails and walks help you to explore the area and give you a great feel of the reserve, which is great for a day out.

www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/leightonmoss/index.asp

Leighton Moss is the largest reedbed in north-west England, and home to some really special birds such as breeding bitterns, bearded tits and marsh harriers. You might see deer too, not to mention butterflies aplenty!
Opening times
The reserve and visitor centre are open daily all year round (except 25 December). The reserve is open from 9 am to dusk and the visitor centre from 9.30 am-5 pm (4.30 pm November-January inclusive).
Entrance charges
Free to the visitor centre and tearoom. Admission to hides and nature trails: £4.50 adults, £3 concessions, £1 children, £9 family. Free to RSPB members and those who come by public transport or on bike.

Avocet
Avocets can be seen from the hides overlooking the Allen and Eric Morecambe Pools in spring and summer.

Bearded tit
A year-round attraction here in the extensive reedbeds. They form flocks in autumn and can often be seen picking up grit from special tables on the causeway or directly from the paths.

Bittern
Bitterns can be heard 'booming' from the causeway between march and May. Scan over the reedbeds and you may catch a glimpse of one in flight - particularly in May and June. You may also see one sitting at the edge of the pools on frosty winter days.

Marsh harrier
Spring brings displaying marsh harriers to Leighton Moss. The males and females are busy feeding their young throughout summer and can often be seen hunting over the reedbed.

Water rail
Watch from the hides for water rails emerging to feed on the edge of the channels and pool within the reedbed. They may venture out onto exposed mud when the water drops in late summer and autumn or onto ice in winter.

Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.

Spring
Booming bitterns in the reedbeds, best heard from the Causeway. Marsh harriers displaying high above the reedbeds. Butterflies along the reserve trails. The arrival of summer-visiting birds fills the reedbed with the rattling calls of sedge and reed warblers. Birdsong can be enjoyed in the woodland. Buzzards can be seen daily flying over the reserve. On the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools, large flocks of migrant black-tailed godwits stop off on their way to Iceland and the first avocets return to nest.

Summer
The special sight of marsh harriers passing food to each other in flight. Red deer grazing the Jackson and Griesdale meres in the evenings. The sight and sound of a busy black-headed gull colony. A chance to see young bitterns venturing out into the edges of the pools to feed, as well as a variety of young waterbirds. A succession of marsh flowers along the reserve tracks. Avocets and their chicks on the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools.

Autumn
Parties of bearded tits flying across the reeds and picking up grit from the paths. Huge flocks of starlings wheeling above the reedbed before pouring into the reeds to roost. Migrant wading birds, especially greenshanks, ruffs and returning black-tailed godwits on the pools viewed from the Allen and Eric Morecambe hides.

Winter
Teals, shovelers and gadwalls join the resident ducks to congregate in large numbers in the pools. Bitterns and water rails can be seen out on the ice during cold spells. Flocks of siskins feed in the alders. Flocks of wigeons and greylag geese graze the saltmarsh at the Allen and Eric Morecambe pools, and are regularly disturbed by wintering peregrines and merlins.

Viewing points
Seven hides with the nearest hide to visitor centre only 160 yards (150 m) away.

Nature trails
Three nature trails: 0.5 miles, 0.8 km to 2 miles, and 3.2 km.

Tearoom
A wide selection of hot and cold food and drinks throughout the day. Parties catered for on request.
Refreshments available
•Hot drinks
•Cold drinks
•Hot meals
•Cold meals
•Sandwiches
•Snacks

Shop
The shop stocks:
•Binoculars and telescopes
•Books
•Bird food
•Gifts

Educational facilities
Education visits to Leighton Moss offer an exciting opportunity for your pupils to explore nature through the first-hand study of birds, other animals and plants. Led by professional RSPB educators, the curriculum-linked programmes are safe, hands-on, thought-provoking and fun. Approved as a safe provider of outdoor education activities by Lancashire County Council, Leighton Moss's risk-assessed programmes help children to understand the value of wildlife and natural places through experiential learning. Leighton Moss has the largest remaining reedbed in north-west England - a magical place where you and your pupils could hear the bitterns booming in the spring, watch the marsh harriers swooping in the summer or see the meres full of over-wintering ducks and geese in the winter. With a well-equipped classroom, shop, picnic area, trails and bird hides, Leighton Moss is the ideal place to bring your class for an unforgettable experience of nature. You can visit any day of the year. Our start times are flexible to suit you. It is advisable to book well in advance for the summer term, which is our busiest time. We can cater for two classes (or approximately 60 children), which will be divided into smaller groups of approximately 15.

Access to hides and viewpoints
Bird-feeding station has a screen, with varied height viewing slots and knee hole extension, which overlooks the birdtables and feeders. Lilian's hide is accessed via 1:20 ramp; a large, glazed, picture window overlooks the lagoon and reedbeds; an induction loop is available. Jackson's hide is accessed via 1:10 ramp; there are no adapted wheelchair places.
Griesdale hide is accessed via 1:10 ramp; there are no adapted wheelchair places. Public hide is accessed via a very shallow, 1:40 ramp; specially adapted places for wheelchairs are at left end of hide. Lower hide is accessed via three steep steps.
Access to visitor centre, shop and tearoom

The front entrance is accessed through double doors, which open both ways, to reception desk on ground floor. The upper floor, with tearoom, is accessed via a stair-lift from the shop and rear entrance of the visitor centre. This lift does not accommodate wheelchairs; transfer from chair to lift via shallow ramp; staff are available to help.
Shop is on the ground floor of the visitor centre; staff are available to help. Tearoom is on the first floor of visitor centre, staff are available to help with carrying trays etc.

Path surfaces and gradients
There are 8 km of trails on the nature reserve. There is a bird-feeding station 50 m from visitor centre, down 1:15 and 1:40 gradients with an adverse camber; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone. From the feeding station to Lilian's hide is 100 m, initially down a 1:20 slope, levelling and then another 1:20 slope to the hide entrance; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone.

From Lilian's hide to Jackson's hide is 535 m. From Lilian's hide to Griesdale hide is 735 m; the path is surfaced with compacted gravel/rolled stone, and narrows to one metre in places. From Lilian's hide to Public hide is 1,000 m; the path is undulating, rolled stone with two non-wheelchair accessible kissing gates; it has a steep gradient of 1:10 along some of its length. There is a 100 m stretch along the public highway.

The final approach to the hide is along a public causeway of rough, rolled stone with a 1:10 slope. Visitors with limited mobility can drive to the start of the public causeway. From Public hide to Lower hide is 820 m; the path is surfaced with compacted mud and stone; it is narrow in places and accessible to semi-ambulant visitors.

Car parking
Visitors can park in front of and behind the visitor centre; the surface is rolled stone. There is an alternative car park on the opposite side of the road from the visitor centre.

Toilets
One adapted, unisex toilet accessed via shop and rear entrance to visitor centre.

Wheelchair loan
One wheelchair available for loan, contact reserve staff for availability.

RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:27:37 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:25:11 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:46:10 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo:

RSPB Leighton Moss, Lancashire, England - October 2010

nobody@flickr.com (SaffyH - wont renew pro account now!) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:46:10 -0700

SaffyH - wont renew pro account now! posted a photo: