Longton Brickcroft Nature Reserve, 20th June 2010

We took the 10.10 train to Ormskirk, then the 2B bus from Ormskirk bus station at 11.15, arriving outside Longton Brickcroft at noon. It was a warm and sunny day. We shared our lunches with a Blackbird, a Robin and a Song Thrush at the picnic tables just inside the reserve. Mainly Coots on the lakes, although we saw a Mute Swan family with six cygnets, a Great Crested Grebe family with three young ones and a Mallard with nine tiny ducklings. There was a Song Thrush whacking a snail against the hard path. When we gently tried to get past, the Thrush retreated to the undergrowth but came back to its work after we had gone by.  We made a long detour up to a hay meadow, hoping for butterflies but there were only a few Speckled Woods. Perhaps it wasn’t quite warm enough. Then through the Recreation Ground and some houses and we were at the top end of the second lake to complete the circular walk. We got the 2B bus at 2.35 back to Ormskirk and just caught the 3.20 train, due at Liverpool Central at 10 to 4.