Saturday 6th April 1 Swallow, 2 House Martins and at least 6 Sand Martins were my first hirundines locally this year Also 2 Willow Warbler singing and a female Stonechat

2nd January 2022

c35 Pink-footed Geese in field near Clegg Hall

1 Little Grebe, 11 Wigeon, 5 Gadwall on the pools

Information thanks to Simon Hitchen

Wednesday 24th November 2021

10 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
2 Little Grebe
1 Tawny Owl

Information thanks to Tucker Dore

Birds here today included 7 Wigeon, 1 Little Grebe and 1 Kingfisher

Thursday 15th April 2021

c20 Swallows
1 Sand Martin
1 Mute Swan

Tuesday 9th March 2021

Green Sandpiper present for 2nd day

Information thanks to Simon Hitchen and Alan Nuttall

Drake Pochard
8 Tufted Ducks (6 drakes)
2 Little Grebe
2 Mute Swans

Some more information about the International Swan Survey on 11th / 12th January 2020

https://monitoring.wwt.org.uk/get-involved/isc-2020/

https://monitoring.wwt.org.uk/our-work/goose-swan-monitoring-programme/abundance/isc/

James Walsh wrote:

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1 Whooper Swan still present today info thanks to Alan Nuttall

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Keep an eye out on this site in January as that month there is an international swan census of Whooper and Bewick's Swans which will run over Jan 2020 and in the UK be concentrated over the weekend of 11-12 Jan which coincides with that month's WeBS count. The WWT are working with the BTO on the UK counts and are encouraging birders to look out for swans on agricultural areas away from watched water bodies. I'll be getting more info from Kane Brides who is leading on it out of WWT HQ at Slimbridge.

1 Whooper Swan still present today info thanks to Alan Nuttall

Sightings of Whooper Swans at this site, 2 on various days from 10th-19th October, with 1 reported to be still present on Monday 21st October

Info via Andrew Huyton, Alan Nuttall, Simon Hitchen and also the Rochdale Field Naturalists Facebook group

3 Pink-footed Geese in the fields on west side of Clegg Hall Rd (by the pools) at 10:30am, feeding with 18 Canada Geese. Just 30m away from the road, they did not seem too concerned by my presence, just looking up occasionally.

Presumably different birds to the three seen at Elton Resr this morning? Although depending on the time seen they could have flown over to Rochdale. Very misty conditions over the hills this morning.

Pair of Gadwall on the pools but not much else.

1 male Shoveler
Pair Wigeon
5 Gawall
27 Tufted duck
7 Goosander
14 Coot
2 Mute Swan
27 Teal
77 lapwing
7 Cormorant
137 species for Rochdale 2014
Cheers Alan

6 Goosander
3 Wigeon
7 Gadwall
27 Tufted duck
25 Coot
3 Teal
5 Cormorant
1 Snipe
9 Lapwin

Cheers Alan


-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 6th of December 2014 03:43:22 PM

1 Oystercatcher possibly my first Rochdale Decenber record
3 Wigeon
7 Gadwall
7 Teal
4 Goosanders
17 Tufted
20 Coot
4 Cormorant
10 Lapwing
1 Grey Heron
33 Canada Goose
100+FieLdfare Redwing
Cheers Alan

Could any visitors to this site, or indeed any others in the Rochdale area, please be aware and extra vigilant for evidence of birds being targeted by high powered crossbows or similar. Any injured birds should be reported to both the Police (making sure to inform them of the likely weapons used in any such attacks) and to the RSPCA.

2 Goldeneye
2 Wigeon
7 Gadwall
29 Tufted
3 Cormorant
70 Canada and one Pink footed goose
Cheers Alan

Thurs 23rd Oct. 15.00 - 16.00 hrs.

14 Gadwall.
4 Mallard.
7 Tufted Duck.
8 Coot.
4 Moorhen.
2 Mute Swan.
Cormorant juvenile.

As I was leaving 15 Canada Geese flew in accompanied by 1 Greylag .... it separated from the group on landing and disappeared on the far pool.

Also 1 Kingfisher on the canal.

Roger.

14 Gadwall
3 Shoveler
6 Wigeon
19 Tufted
14 Coot
4 Teal
12 moorhen
3 cormorant
2 Mute Swan
Cheers Alan

Site record today with 14 Gadwall present.Not sure what the attraction is to Gadwall but they really seem to like it on the pools.
7 Wigeon
7 Tufted Duck
12 Coot
9 Moorhen
4 Teal
2Comorant
Cheers Alan

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 8th of October 2014 11:37:58 PM

7 wigeon,5 Gadwall,13 Coot,5 tufted duck,2 Teal,pair. Mute swans,singing Chiffchaff
Cheers Alan

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 30th of September 2014 11:47:41 PM

Late post from yesterday a male Pochard present only my second record for Cleggs the last being 10th March2007...sad is it not!
6 Wigeon,3 Gadwall,7 Tufted,6 Teal,13 Coot,pair Mute Swan,
Again a cock Ringnecked Parakeet feeding on Hawthorn Dyehouse lane,Blackcap,2 Goldcrest,2 Chiffchaff,Willow warbler
Cheers Alan

5 Gadwall,7 Tufted,2 Teal, 12 Coot,Pair Mute Swans,60 Lapwing,22 Blackbird feeding on Hawthorn trees.
2 Ring necked Parakeets in the Smallbridge area for the third day.
Cheers Alan

2 little Grebe on gate pool showing very well a scarce bird in Rochdale
1 Teal,4 Tufted,15 Teal,270 Lapwing,Cheers Alan

Male Whinchat at Clegg Hall Marsh this evening

Also Grasshopper and Sedge Warblers singing

Female Pintail sat on spit this morning.
Pair Gadwall
5 Tufted
Pair Oystercatchers
Singing Willow warbler,ChiffChaff
2 Skylark singing
Cheers Alan

Pair Gadwall
7 Tufted Duck
3 Cormorant
5. Coot
3 Oystercatchers
Quiet..Cheers Alan

I feel it's a bit like visiting Marin Mere..the birds seem to be so stable sometimes I think they should be in pens!
9 Gadwall
6 Wigeon
14 Tufted
19 Teal
33 Coot
4 Moorhen
4Cormorant
18 Mute Swans
Cheers Alaan

21 Mute Swan only one young bird
7 Gadwall
11 Wigeon
3 Tufted
3 Teal
28 Coot
4 Cormorant
33 Canada
Rochdale 131 species
Cheers Alan

8 Wigeon 8 Gadwall, 2 Teal 6 Mute Swans, 2 Cormorant and a Bullfinch

2 PinkFooted Goose with 170 Canada
1 Pintail
6 Gadwall
8 Wigeon
3 Tufted
30+ Coot
5 Cormorant
2 Grey Heron
15 Mute Swan
cheers Alan

7 Gadwall
2 Pintail
11 Wigeon
5 Tufted
3 Teai
15 Mute Swan
33 Coot
8 Moorhen
3 Cormorant
20 Mallard
20 Black Headed Gull
2 Grey Heron
Cheers Alan

5 Gadwall
2 Pintail
3 Wigeon
9 Teal
2. Tufted duck
10 Mute Swan
32 Coot
10 Moorhen
2 Chiffchaff
Cheers Alan



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 27th of September 2013 05:23:07 PM

It was not possible to visit my patch on moors above Rochdale this morning it was too foggy,so I took a look at Clegg Pools.
It really is strange that these small pools attract so many birds.
2 Pintail
3 Gadwall
3 Wigeon
1 Little Grebe
2 Tufted
12 Teal
25 Mallard
35 Coot
1Cormorant
11 Mute Swan
2 Grey Heron
4 Snipe
Cheers Alan

2 Oystercatchers
60 Canada Goose
1. Pink footed Sgoose
9. Tufted Duck
1. Wigeon
7. Coot
2. Moorhen
7. Mallard
Cheers Alan

1 Oystercatcher - spring is on its way.

Also 4 Goosander, 12 Tufted Ducks, 185 Canadas

Drake Gadwall showing well here this afternoon (a Rochdale scarcity)

Also 10 Tufted Ducks, 28 Coot, 6 Mute Swans, 4 Cormorant, 6 Goosander

2 Goosander,8 Wigeon,12 Tufted,42 Coot,12 Moorhen,7 Teal,4 Cormorants,6 Bullfinch,2 jay,1 goldcrest,
Cheers Alan

0815hrs,1Shelduck,8 Wigeon,9 Tufted,3 Teal,40 Coot,2 Cormorant,10+Moorhen,5 Mute Swan,
11Lapwing,30 Blackheaded Gull,Grey Heron,Jay.
Cheers Alan

For the first time I recorded Goldeneye on the pools today.
2 stonking male Goldeneye,8 Wigeon,9 Tufted,42 Coot,8+ Moorhen.
The mute Swans young can now fly,only 3 present today I picked it
up on Hollingworth looking a little lost.62 Canada,2 Cormorant.
Littleborough station canal, still 2 male Mandarin.
Shaw Moss, 24 Teal,2 Jay,
Kingsway,60+ Snipe.
Cheers Alan

Hi Alan,

Got your pm thanks for that. Will try and visit the pools in the next few days.

Cheers Dave Phillips.

2 Wigeon,1 Gadwall,3 Teal,34 Coot,14 Moorhen,5 Tufted,nice to see 4 Grey Partridge on Clegg marsh.Cheers Alan

4 Wigeon,1Gadwall,3Teal,5 Tufted,34 Coot,5 Cormorant,21Mallard,14 Moorhen.
cheers Alan

Originally posted by Alan Nuttall today:

The North East wind over night produced a number of new birds on the pools today.
Pair Shoveler,1 female Gadwall,6 Tufted,23 Mallard,35 Coot,12 Moorhen,and was pleased to see a maiden flight of one of Mute swans. 70 FieLdfare feeding on Clegg marsh was my first record for the Autumn.
For a few days now I have been putting corn down with the hope of perhaps a Brambling.A Redwing was checking out thr area this morning.Cheers Alan

Garganey here again today,5 Gadwall,3 wigeon,8 tufted,3 Teal,25 Coot,12 Moorhen,3 Cormorant,6 Mute Swan.
Cheers Alan

Hi Alan,
Thats an impressive list for Clegg Pools. I live in Shaw and I dont think i've ever visited the Pools. Is it possible to give me some directions to the site.

Cheers Dave Phillips.



-- Edited by Dave Phillips on Friday 12th of October 2012 05:05:03 PM

5 Gadwall 2 males,1 Wigeon, 5 Tufted,22 Coot,119 Canada,1 Greylag,4 Cormorant,
Cheers Alan