L.O.S. Annual General Meeting and Osprey Presentation - Friday 7 October 2022

The Society's Annual General Meeting will be held on Friday 7 October at 7:30pm in the Derby Room at Leigh Library.  This will consist of several reports about the state of the Society as well as the election of Chairman and Committee Officers and Members.

Following the AGM our very own Peter Hodson will give a presentation about Ospreys and some of the learning about this species from Lake District Osprey Project. Peter has been actively involved in this Project for a number of years.

Her Majesty The Queen, Elizabeth II

The New Season Kicks Off - Friday 2nd September 2022

'Birding in the Isle of Avalon'

The new season of L.O.S. Friday Night Presentation Talks starts on Friday 2nd September with a talk by Mike Roberts on birding the Somerset Levels.

Forthcoming Friday Night Presentation Talks at Leigh Library

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Friday 4th February 2022 - 7:15 - 9:30pm

"My Year" - Presentation by Paul Hill

This talk is a calendar of the previous year's exploits, with highlights from each month. For 2021 and 2022, Paul concentrates on how he adapted his photography to accommodate the restrictions of Covid 19.
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Friday 4th March 2022 - 7:15 - 9:30pm

"2019 Namibia" - Presentation by Brian White (a local photographer from Bolton)

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Friday 1st April 2022 - 7:15 - 9:30pm

"An Eye For Birds" - Presentation by Bruce Kendrick

Bruce has just published a book called "An Eye For Birds" and copies will be on sale.

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Friday 6th May 2022 - 7:15 - 9:30pm

"50 Years of Birding through books" - Presentation by Paul Heaton (RSPCA Inspector)

Recommended by local bird groups, this talk is likely to be a bit different. It features books, slides and stories/anecdotes which are said to be "highly entertaining". 

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Admission is free to all these talks although donations are welcome through buying a raffle ticket.

Everyone is welcome and there is free parking outside the Library.

The First Friday Night Presentation of 2022

The Ken & Jean Gallimore Memorial Lecture

Friday 7th January 2022 - 7:30 - 9:30pm

'The Birds of Gambia Revisited' by Dennis Atherton

A return by popular request - a revised version of a presentation made some years ago.

Meet upstairs in the Derby Room at Leigh Library at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

'A Year in the Life of Bickershaw Country Park' by Dr. Paul Richardson

Leigh Ornithological Society Conservation Officer Dr. Paul Richardson takes us through the four seasons at Bickershaw Country Park in the Wigan area and illustrates its biodiversity with a wonderful range of photographs from what is a reclaimed industrial mining site. This is one of the so-called 'Brownfield Sites' and it shows how they are not 'dead' areas devoid of interest but vibrant living homes to an abundance of wildlife and plants.

This presentation was originally given in person at a Friday night L.O.S. indoor meeting in the Derby Room at Leigh Library.

L.O.S. Presentation - Friday 3rd December 2021

'Pennington Flash Memories'

David Wilson’s cine film 'Pennington Flash Memories, now on DVD, was made between 1977 and the mid-1980s and illustrates the dramatic changes in habitats and dependent bird species between those days when the flash was primarily a wetland and grassland site and the present-day character of the tree-dominated Country Park. 

The breeding species shown include now uncommon and displaced species such as Lesser Redpoll, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtail and Whinchat, and there are sequences of several unexpected rarities, among them Black-throated Diver, Red-necked Grebe, Shag, Leach’s Petrel, Bewick’s Swan and Great Grey Shrike. 

It promises to be an eye opener for some members and a trip down Memory Lane for others!

Doors open at 7:00pm for a 7:30pm start upstairs in the Derby Room at Leigh Library.

Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

L.O.S. 50th Anniversary Open Day Celebration in Pictures

L.O.S. Annual General Meeting and Bickershaw Presentation by Paul Richardson - Friday 5th November

Bickershaw Rucks, BCP or just plain Bickershaw - it's a drama unfolding on our local patch: nature taking back its own! 

Friday 5th November, 7.15pm for 7.30pm

Meet in the Derby Room at Leigh Library

Free admission and car parking - enter in Bengal St WN71Y

Everyone is welcome.

A Grand Day Out at Parkgate and Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Our second outing for the season, and oh it’s so good to be back in full flow.



With the usual meet times and arrangements, our group gathered at Parkgate, on the site of the Old Baths. For those who haven’t been, the sights and the sounds of the Dee Estuary are something to behold. On this clear, sunny and relatively wind free day, it really was a wonderful spectacle. Marsh grass scrubland as far as the eye can see, and the orchestra of thousands of birds breaking a deafening silence.



It wasn’t long before when spotted our first Marsh Harrier and we would record five for the day. If we had moved along the estuary there would probably be many more. The now commonplace Little Egret which would have been a rarity some twenty years ago, showing intermittently in good numbers plus the odd Great White Egret. Canada Geese and Greylag Geese moved along the Estuary, not forgetting the amazing numbers of Pink footed Geese with their unmistakable “wink wink “ call, looking for somewhere to settle and feed. 

Five Buzzard caught our attention over the farmland behind us. A Kestrel gave good views as it rested on a fence post, one of three seen for the day. Then a large flock of Redshank took flight maybe two or three hundred, spooked by a Peregrine Falcon which was a mere fleeting glimpse through the field glasses.



We decided to walk a few hundred meters to the other side of The Boat House public house and the pool beyond. We were hopeful to get a glimpse of the Spoonbills reported a few days before, but unfortunately no luck on that front. 

What we did get was a better view of the Redshank all now settled by the water’s edge, amongst them the odd Greenshank. A Water rail showed fleetingly and vanished again into the tall vegetation. Other birds noted, a Sparrowhawk, Shelduck , Cormorant and some of our smaller birds, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Goldfinch, Robin, Blackbird, Starling and Skylark. 

Our next stop would be Burton Mere Wetlands, grabbing a sandwich and a brew on the car park before entering the reserve.

From the main hide it looked like some clearing of vegetation had been done during lockdown, making one vast scrape, ideal for waders etc. Lapwings were thriving in good numbers also Black-tailed Godwit.



As we moved around the reserve from hide to hide, huge numbers of Shoveler most in eclipse plumage, Gadwall, Teal, Coot, Moorhen and the odd Pintail. Our aim was to get to the far side of the reserve and see the brand new Border Hide. Quite impressive it is too, over looking pools to the front and the side. Here, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwit, and Mute Swan. A Little Grebe showed well in front of the hide, but unfortunately nothing out of the ordinary. 

Making our way back round to the Bunker Hide, an array of Corvid, Rook, Jackdaw, Magpie, Carrion Crow and four Raven. Other birds to note, a small flock of Long Tailed Tit, and the unmistakable call of the Cettis Warbler.

Making our way round to the Bunker hide we sat a while by the feeders in the late afternoon sunshine, watching the large numbers of Pink-footed Geese sporadically taking flight but only moving a few hundred metres from field to field. 

A Kestrel. Greenfinch, Great Tit and Blue Tits entertained us as we sat.


As the sun slowly sank in the sky, it would be a fond farewell to Burton Mere and the Dee Estuary as we left for home.



A total of 51 species seen on the day. Thanks to all who attended. I think we all appreciated what we have missed over the last 18 months or so.

Hope to see you all at Leighton Moss RSPB next month.

Paul Pennington

Fieldtrips Officer

Photographs by Paul Pennington, Keith Williams, Mandy Robertson and Graeme Robertson