Less than an hour’s drive south to Silverdale, on Morecambe Bay is one of the RSPB’s best reserves which boasts a rich diversity of wildlife and has the largest reed bed in north-west England. Home to otters, bearded tits, marsh harriers, egrets and red deer.

There are many hides in the reed beds and you will cover a couple of miles walking around these to spy a wide range of ducks and maybe even the illusive bittern. It is common to see the marsh harriers and in the summer months the opreys from Foulshaw Moss can sometimes be seen fishing in the inland pools. Our favourites are the bearded tits, often seen on the public path in the mornings where they pick up grit to help digest their fibrous diet, they are just beautiful – like tiny japanese emperors with their long moustache-like facial markings.

The after tea and cake in the cafe, it is worth a drive to the coastal pools where avocets, redshanks and a cacophany of black headed gulls can be seen. We have watched a kingfisher here too – which was a real treat.

No binoculars? No worries. You can hire them from the RSPB.

For more information and a list of recent sitings visit RSPB’s website for Leighton Moss