I know it's not a dead cert but might try for the Garganey this morning. Shaw Moss...? Not picking it up on any of the maps, I take it this is the area between Wildhouse Lane / Shaw Lane ... and the Lake itself? Thankyou for any info
Karen Foulkes said
Fri Mar 28 10:46 AM, 2014
Both Garganey still present this morning.
After a brief fly around both birds actually left the site at 11, flying NNW, but without actually gaining any altitude.
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Friday 28th of March 2014 12:40:49 PM
Alan Nuttall said
Fri Mar 28 8:28 AM, 2014
2 Kittiwake,4 Goldeneye, 0630 hrs n the lake this morning. Cheers alan
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Mar 27 9:55 PM, 2014
4 Great-crested grebe 3 Cormorant pair GARGANEY still on Shaw Moss this afternoon pair Gadwall - nature reserve pair Tufted Duck 4 Goldeneye 3 Goosander 4 Coot 4 Oystercatcher 1 Redshank-Akzo Pond 31 Herring Gulls - appeared as one flock late morning then disappeared 8 Common Gulls 2 Grey Wagtails - Longden End pair WHEATEAR - Longden End 1 Chiffchaff singing at nature reserve 1 Nuthatch singing at Rakewood 2 Linnets -Longden End 2 Bullfinch
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Mar 27 9:35 AM, 2014
Both Garganey still present at 09:20am.
Info thanks to Alan Nuttall
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Mar 27 8:04 AM, 2014
The pair of Garganey are still present in Shaw Moss at 8am this morning.
Info thanks to Rob Adderely
C Brown said
Wed Mar 26 4:34 PM, 2014
The garganey were showing well at circa 15:15 this aft'. The female was hidden for a bit, but appeared eventually. Nice to bump in to Alan Nuttall, Pete Sutton and a lady whose name I didn't catch. Earlier, a chiffchaff was singing in the nature reserve at the Lake.
Regards, Chris Jepson-Brown
-- Edited by C Brown on Wednesday 26th of March 2014 04:35:34 PM
Karen Foulkes said
Wed Mar 26 12:53 PM, 2014
The pair of Garganey still present on Shaw Moss today.
Info thanks to Phil Kelly
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Mar 24 10:55 PM, 2014
The Garganey were giving stonking views this afternoon - well done Alan for finding them - the first in the Lake area since 1999, although there was a juvenile at nearby Clegg Hall Pools in 2012.
Also today at Shaw Moss were 1 Little Grebe, c20 Teal, 2 Redshank, 2 Oystercatchers and an early White Wagtail.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Mar 24 1:02 PM, 2014
A pair of Garganey currently on Shaw Moss, south of Hollingworth Lake; viewed via the track running east from Wildhouse Lane.
Info thanks to Alan Nuttall
Steve Atkins said
Sun Mar 9 9:54 PM, 2014
Six Curlew flew over Rakewood Road next to the lake at 14:45 hrs. They called and flew South West.
Davidcaron62 said
Sun Mar 9 2:15 PM, 2014
9th March 2014
10am
A decent morning visit
Blackbird Black-headed Gull Blue Tit Canada Goose Carrion Crow (Tearing the branches out of bushes for their nests ) Coal Tit Cormorant Goosander Great-crested Grebe Great Tit Mallard Magpie Mute Swan Oystercatcher Woodpigeon
Regards
Dave
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Mar 3 10:57 PM, 2014
Ha Ha! Thanks for that Mark - I'm very careful not to 'string' Little Grebes anymore!
This morning there were 9 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall on the lake
In a field between Whittaker Golf course and Lydgate c200 Fieldfare and c100 Starlings, 1 female Kestrel. South of Whittaker golf course 2 Little Owls
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Feb 13 11:38 PM, 2014
2 Great-crested Grebes 18 Cormorant 6 Goosander 2 Grey Partridge - Ealees Valley 4 Herring Gull 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Nuthatch near the visitor centre 3 Jay 2 Bullfinches 20+ Chaffinches
Karen Clewer said
Mon Feb 10 2:53 PM, 2014
Tuesday 4th Feb On the lake 8 goosander (4 female 4 male) 2 Great Crested Grebes displaying 2 cormorant
3 teal on the pond
Around feeders- great tit, blue tit, coal tit, long-tailed tit, goldfinch, bullfinch, robin, wren, mistle thrush, blackbirds
Whittaker wood- Greater Spotted Woodpecker, nuthatch, green woodpecker heard
Andrew Huyton said
Tue Jan 21 1:11 PM, 2014
Hi Simon, thanks for the site info, Treecreeper I saw in Clegg wood and also down Ealees. You don't happen to know who owns the wood on the left hand side as you walk up to the visitor centre along Ealees, the one with all the private and security signs in it?
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Jan 20 11:02 PM, 2014
Some good sightings there Andrew - where did you see the Treecreepers? - they are sometimes seen around the visitor centre and Whittaker Wood, but,like Nuthatch, they are still pretty scarce being a fairly recent colonist to the east side of Rochdale. Other potential habitat for Little Egrets round here would include Shaw Moss (which is on the other side of the Lake past Bib Knowl) and Clegg Hall Pools but I have checked them both a couple of times without success.
Cheers, Simon
Andrew Huyton said
Mon Jan 20 2:40 PM, 2014
Weekends worth of sightings covering Ealees, Whittaker Golf course boundary, the Visitor centre and lake round to Rochdale canal near the station.
Great spotted woodpecker - drumming along Ealees, male on feeder at Whittaker Green Woodpecker - calling along Ealees Nuthatch - along Ealees Treecreeper - 2 Mallard - max count 31 on Ealees pond Chaffinch - max count feeding flock 20 Cleggswood Bullfinch - max 5 females 3 males Goldfinch - flock c25 south of Whittaker lane Goldcrest - 1 Cleggswood Long tailed tit - flock 7 around car park Robin - 9 Blackbird - big increase in numbers today with 14 around the car park Song Thrush - 1 singing in car park Mistle Thrush - 2 in fields below Whittaker Redwing - flocks of 10 (Sat) below Whittaker, 11 (Sun) South of Whittaker lane Fieldfare - flocks of c100 (Sat) below Whittaker, 16 (Sun) South of Whittaker lane Jay - max 4 Little Owl - 2 South of Whittaker lane Great crested grebe - 3 lake incl 1 adult Goosander - pair on lake Mute Swan - 6 Cormorant - 4 Teal - 16 Akto pool Moorhen - 1 Akto pool Mandarin Duck - 1 male on canal Pied Wagtail - 2 by Station car park Collared Dove - 1 Ealees Grey Heron - 2 Pheasant - 3
Also numerous
Great tit, Blue tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Common Gull, Black headed gull, Herring Gull, Starling, Jackdaw, Canada Goose.
Small numbers of
Coal tit, Wren, Dunnock, House sparrow
-- Edited by Andrew Huyton on Monday 20th of January 2014 02:41:27 PM
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Jan 12 10:20 PM, 2014
Have heard some disturbing news that Rochdale council is due to have a planning meeting to approve a potential development of 27 new homes on greenbelt at the back of the Lake which would have a considerable detrimental effect on wildlife at this site which is one of the few green spaces left in Rochdale. Please help oppose this by signing the following petition, preferably by Monday 13th January when the planning meeting is scheduled (sorry about the short notice).
The building of these homes would also add an extra 360 car journeys per day on to the public footpath round the lake.
It's important. Please will you sign it too? Here's the link:
On the lake, around midday; 7 Goosander (5 male) 3 Mute Swan Black-headed Gulls 2 Cormorant. On the pontoon by the sailing club; 6 Lapwing. Plus 2 Grey Heron flying over.
Andrew Huyton said
Tue Jan 7 12:14 PM, 2014
Hi Karen, Yes I'd seen that post but despite a search the next day found nothing following my sighting still getting to know the area is there anywhere else that one my hang around? Cheers Andrew
Davidcaron62 said
Mon Jan 6 6:58 PM, 2014
Cheers Steve
Its always interesting to find out a little about them .
Regards
Dave
Karen Clewer said
Mon Jan 6 1:20 PM, 2014
Andrew, see post of Dec 6th re possible sighting of Little Egret at Ealees Valley. Thanks Karen
-- Edited by Karen Clewer on Monday 6th of January 2014 01:33:02 PM
Andrew Huyton said
Mon Jan 6 7:30 AM, 2014
From Halifax Rd via Lydgate, Whittaker, Visitor Centre and Ealees 11am - 13:30.
1 adult Lesser Black Backed Gull (area we call Little Valley - footpath leading to Lydgate from Halifax Rd below Moorcock Pub)
2 Grey Partridge in fields just east of Whittaker Golf club
c70 Pink footed Geese over Whittaker Wood >W
2+ Long tailed tits below Whittaker Hill
2 Great Crested Grebes on the lake 6 Cormorants also on the lake
1 Grey Heron >E over Whittaker towards Little Valley
1 Nuthatch Ealees also 1 Collard Dove
several
Great tits Blue tits
-- Edited by Andrew Huyton on Monday 6th of January 2014 07:31:02 AM
Steve Christmas said
Sun Jan 5 10:13 PM, 2014
Hi Dave,
Many thanks for the sightings.
AA6 ringed as a male cygnet 23/9/11 at Spike Island, Widnes. Also sighted 7/10/12 at Rixton Brick Pits and 22/10/13 at Clegg Hall Pools, Rochdale.
VB6 ringed as a cygnet 7/9/12 at Buckley, Rochdale. Also sighted 9/1/13 at Queens Park, Heywood.
Steve Christmas,
NW Swan Study Group
Davidcaron62 said
Sun Jan 5 12:35 PM, 2014
5th of January 2014
Cold
10am
Black-headed Gull c50 Blackbird 2
Blue Tit 3 Canada Goose c25 Carrion Crow 4 Cormorant 6 Great Tit 2 Grey Heron 1 House Sparrow 7 Lapwing 4 Magpie 4 Mallard c50
Mute Swan 5 (Managed to take the details from two leg rings AA6 and VB6. Anyone any ideas where they are from?) Robin 5 Teal c20 Woodpigeon 7
Dave
Andrew Huyton said
Wed Jan 1 12:45 AM, 2014
Probable Little Egret over halifax rd flew due south viewed from garden just after midnight whilst watching fireworks. Can only assume it had been disturbed from its roost by the fireworks. I assure you this is no hoax nor the result of too much celebrating. I'll be searching for it in the morning.
Davidcaron62 said
Sun Dec 22 1:25 PM, 2013
22nd December 2013
A brisk walk around the lake this cold morning. Not many people about.
No, Ealees is the valley that runs roughly from the visitor centre to Littleborough. You've headed up towards Rakewood instead Dave.
Chris
-- Edited by C Brown on Friday 6th of December 2013 05:51:06 PM
Dave Colton said
Fri Dec 6 2:55 PM, 2013
Just drove right down the side of the lake to down past the campsite, is that the right area?
No signs of anything answering that description there.
Karen Clewer said
Fri Dec 6 1:40 PM, 2013
A visitor has just reported seeing an "all white heron type bird" by the stream at Ealees. Not able to verify that it is a Littlre Egret at this stage. Anyone in the area? Thank you. Karen
Late news for yesterday (12/11) when I flushed a Woodcock from the willow patch at the back of the nature reserve. Otherwise very quiet - 1 Great-crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Goldcrests.
At least 1 Brambling (probably more) with Chaffinches in Pavilion Wood
Andy Bissitt said
Fri Oct 25 5:05 AM, 2013
Ian McKerchar wrote:
2 Shags present at 11:15 this morning have just been flushed by a yacht and have flown off north west.
Info thanks to Simon Hitchen
Oh to have been there in a submarine!! Torpedoes away chaps!! Whoever these people with too much time on their hands were, they've just ruined my day off tomorrow (and no, they are not allowed to have holidays too).
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Oct 24 11:14 PM, 2013
A good day at the Lake - it was a misty morning to start with and initially there didn't appear to be too much doing, but as I walked up to the cafe I heard a Crossbill calling from the pine trees here. The bird flew up and did several circuits of the area, calling all the time, looking as if it was going to come back down, before finally disappearing ( a lake lifer for me). I had scanned the Lake when I first arrived at 0930 and there had been nothing of interest, but as I was about to leave I checked out 2 birds that had appeared on the water, and was amazed to see the two first-winter Shags. I am sure they weren't on the lake when I first arrived - just shows what might turn up at this site if it was more widely watched or less disturbed ( or both). I'm afraid the yacht appeared almost as soon as I had found the birds and inevitably spooked them. Boating disturbance is a major source of frustration here.
Also today 1 Great-crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 80+ Fieldfares, 20+ Redwings, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Lesser Redpolls, and a flock of Pink feet were heard going over at 0945 but were invisible in the misty conditions at that time.
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Friday 25th of October 2013 07:50:38 AM
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Oct 24 6:27 PM, 2013
2 Shags present at 11:15 this morning have just been flushed by a yacht and have flown off north west.
Info thanks to Simon Hitchen
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Oct 14 5:35 AM, 2013
Hi Karen,
There were indeed 9 Whooper Swans on Friday but they headed off south late in the morning and today's birds were actually a new group - there were 13 Whooper Swans this morning - all adults and it was very evocative hearing their bugling conversation echoing round the Lake before they all headed off SE over Blackstone Edge at approx 10 am.
Not a lot else this morning although there was a steady movement of Redwing - approx 60+ in an hour this morning - strangely all going NE.
Also this week a Common Sandpiper on Tuesday was the latest I've ever recorded here - I checked it carefully but couldn't turn it into a Spotted.
Cheers, Simon
Karen Clewer said
Sun Oct 13 6:23 PM, 2013
First spotted Friday 1th October 3 Mute Swan and 9 Whooper Swan. Still on the lake this morning. Karen
Alan Nuttall said
Thu Oct 3 3:06 AM, 2013
A quick look at Hollingworth produced 2 Little Grebe 2 Tufted 23 Teal
Also met the guy who saw the 3 Avocets earlier this month - he gave a convincing description but unfortunately declined to submit a rarity description.
Simon Hitchen said
Wed Sep 25 6:14 AM, 2013
10 Mute swan pair Gadwall 1 Kingfisher heard 1 Grey Wagtail over 3 Chiffchaff 2 Lesser Redpoll over 1 Siskin south
Simon Hitchen said
Wed Sep 11 6:52 AM, 2013
3 Spotted Flycatchers today in the Big Hedge area. Also female Sparrowhawk, 15 Teal, 12 Lapwing, 2 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff and a steady movement of hirundines south (c 200 Swallows, 40+ House Martins)
Karen Clewer said
Mon Sep 9 3:58 PM, 2013
Yes, I was slightly sceptical re this sighting. The visitor is a local who was surprised to see these here as well. He pointed them out to a bird watcher who had a camera. Was hoping the post may identify this person who took the photos. Black/ white wading, upturned bills.
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Sep 9 6:10 AM, 2013
Karen Clewer wrote:
A visitor reported 3 avocet at Hollingworth Lake on Thursday morning 5th September 2013.
Hi Karen,
Wow - that would be a first for the site. I would usually have been there on Thursday morning but decided to go to Pennington Flash instead to see the Lesser Scaup...doh!
No Avocets there today needless to say but a pair of Grey Partridges with 3 large youngsters in tow was a heartening sight. Also today a male Sparrowhawk, 2 Cormorants, 26 Teal, 1 Grey Wagtail over, Kingfisher heard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Redpoll and 3 juvenile Bullfinches.
Karen Clewer said
Sun Sep 8 6:32 PM, 2013
A visitor reported 3 avocet at Hollingworth Lake on Thursday morning 5th September 2013.
Shaw Moss...? Not picking it up on any of the maps, I take it this is the area between Wildhouse Lane / Shaw Lane ... and the Lake itself?
Thankyou for any info
After a brief fly around both birds actually left the site at 11, flying NNW, but without actually gaining any altitude.
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Friday 28th of March 2014 12:40:49 PM
3 Cormorant
pair GARGANEY still on Shaw Moss this afternoon
pair Gadwall - nature reserve
pair Tufted Duck
4 Goldeneye
3 Goosander
4 Coot
4 Oystercatcher
1 Redshank-Akzo Pond
31 Herring Gulls - appeared as one flock late morning then disappeared
8 Common Gulls
2 Grey Wagtails - Longden End
pair WHEATEAR - Longden End
1 Chiffchaff singing at nature reserve
1 Nuthatch singing at Rakewood
2 Linnets -Longden End
2 Bullfinch
Info thanks to Alan Nuttall
Info thanks to Rob Adderely
Regards, Chris Jepson-Brown
-- Edited by C Brown on Wednesday 26th of March 2014 04:35:34 PM
Info thanks to Phil Kelly
Also today at Shaw Moss were 1 Little Grebe, c20 Teal, 2 Redshank, 2 Oystercatchers and an early White Wagtail.
Info thanks to Alan Nuttall
10am
A decent morning visit
Blackbird
Black-headed Gull
Blue Tit
Canada Goose
Carrion Crow (Tearing the branches out of bushes for their nests )
Coal Tit
Cormorant
Goosander
Great-crested Grebe
Great Tit
Mallard
Magpie
Mute Swan
Oystercatcher
Woodpigeon
Regards
Dave
This morning there were 9 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall on the lake
1 Little Grebe - Shaw Moss
2 Great-crested Grebe
5 Cormorant
10 Goosander
4 Coot
22 Teal (2 lake, 9 Akzo, 11 Shaw Moss)
3 Oystercatchers -Akzo Pond
2 Curlew -Akzo Pond
1 Green Woodpecker -Whittaker
1 Great-spotted Woodpecker
1 Reed Bunting
South of Whittaker golf course 2 Little Owls
18 Cormorant
6 Goosander
2 Grey Partridge - Ealees Valley
4 Herring Gull
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Nuthatch near the visitor centre
3 Jay
2 Bullfinches
20+ Chaffinches
On the lake
8 goosander (4 female 4 male)
2 Great Crested Grebes displaying
2 cormorant
3 teal on the pond
Around feeders- great tit, blue tit, coal tit, long-tailed tit, goldfinch, bullfinch, robin, wren, mistle thrush, blackbirds
Whittaker wood- Greater Spotted Woodpecker, nuthatch, green woodpecker heard
Cheers, Simon
Great spotted woodpecker - drumming along Ealees, male on feeder at Whittaker
Green Woodpecker - calling along Ealees
Nuthatch - along Ealees
Treecreeper - 2
Mallard - max count 31 on Ealees pond
Chaffinch - max count feeding flock 20 Cleggswood
Bullfinch - max 5 females 3 males
Goldfinch - flock c25 south of Whittaker lane
Goldcrest - 1 Cleggswood
Long tailed tit - flock 7 around car park
Robin - 9
Blackbird - big increase in numbers today with 14 around the car park
Song Thrush - 1 singing in car park
Mistle Thrush - 2 in fields below Whittaker
Redwing - flocks of 10 (Sat) below Whittaker, 11 (Sun) South of Whittaker lane
Fieldfare - flocks of c100 (Sat) below Whittaker, 16 (Sun) South of Whittaker lane
Jay - max 4
Little Owl - 2 South of Whittaker lane
Great crested grebe - 3 lake incl 1 adult
Goosander - pair on lake
Mute Swan - 6
Cormorant - 4
Teal - 16 Akto pool
Moorhen - 1 Akto pool
Mandarin Duck - 1 male on canal
Pied Wagtail - 2 by Station car park
Collared Dove - 1 Ealees
Grey Heron - 2
Pheasant - 3
Also numerous
Great tit, Blue tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Common Gull, Black headed gull, Herring Gull, Starling, Jackdaw, Canada Goose.
Small numbers of
Coal tit, Wren, Dunnock, House sparrow
-- Edited by Andrew Huyton on Monday 20th of January 2014 02:41:27 PM
The building of these homes would also add an extra 360 car journeys per day on to the public footpath round the lake.
It's important. Please will you sign it too? Here's the link:
https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/rochdale-council-planning-service-please-don-t-approve-the-building-of-27-four-bedroom-plus-homes-on-greenbelt-land-at-the-back-of-hollingworth-lake-adding-an-extra-360-car-journeys-per-day-on-to-the-public-footpath-round-the-lake?share_id=KdyqfnVsAf
Thanks!
Simon
7 Goosander (5 male)
3 Mute Swan
Black-headed Gulls
2 Cormorant.
On the pontoon by the sailing club;
6 Lapwing.
Plus 2 Grey Heron flying over.
Cheers Steve
Its always interesting to find out a little about them .
Regards
Dave
Thanks
Karen
-- Edited by Karen Clewer on Monday 6th of January 2014 01:33:02 PM
1 adult Lesser Black Backed Gull (area we call Little Valley - footpath leading to Lydgate from Halifax Rd below Moorcock Pub)
2 Grey Partridge in fields just east of Whittaker Golf club
c70 Pink footed Geese over Whittaker Wood >W
2+ Long tailed tits below Whittaker Hill
2 Great Crested Grebes on the lake
6 Cormorants also on the lake
1 Grey Heron >E over Whittaker towards Little Valley
1 Nuthatch Ealees also
1 Collard Dove
several
Great tits
Blue tits
-- Edited by Andrew Huyton on Monday 6th of January 2014 07:31:02 AM
Hi Dave,
Many thanks for the sightings.
AA6 ringed as a male cygnet 23/9/11 at Spike Island, Widnes. Also sighted 7/10/12 at Rixton Brick Pits and 22/10/13 at Clegg Hall Pools, Rochdale.
VB6 ringed as a cygnet 7/9/12 at Buckley, Rochdale. Also sighted 9/1/13 at Queens Park, Heywood.
Steve Christmas,
NW Swan Study Group
5th of January 2014
Cold
10am
Black-headed Gull c50
Blackbird 2
Blue Tit 3
Canada Goose c25
Carrion Crow 4
Cormorant 6
Great Tit 2
Grey Heron 1
House Sparrow 7
Lapwing 4
Magpie 4
Mallard c50
Mute Swan 5 (Managed to take the details from two leg rings AA6 and VB6. Anyone any ideas where they are from?)
Robin 5
Teal c20
Woodpigeon 7
Dave
A brisk walk around the lake this cold morning. Not many people about.
Black-headed Gull 50
Blackbird 4
Canada Goose 50
Carrion Crow 5
Commoin Gull 1
Cormorant 5
Goosander 5
Great Crested Grebe 6
Greylag Goose 1
Jackdaw 7
Lapwing 6
Magpie 4
Mallard 40
Robin 1
Teal 2
Dave
Chris
-- Edited by C Brown on Friday 6th of December 2013 05:51:06 PM
No signs of anything answering that description there.
Thank you.
Karen
8 Teal
2 drake Goldeneye
4 Goosander
M swan 9 ads by boat club car park beach
Cormorant 2on raft by sailing club
Siskin at least 2heard going over
At least 1 Brambling (probably more) with Chaffinches in Pavilion Wood
Oh to have been there in a submarine!! Torpedoes away chaps!! Whoever these people with too much time on their hands were, they've just ruined my day off tomorrow (and no, they are not allowed to have holidays too).
Also today 1 Great-crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 80+ Fieldfares, 20+ Redwings, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Lesser Redpolls, and a flock of Pink feet were heard going over at 0945 but were invisible in the misty conditions at that time.
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Friday 25th of October 2013 07:50:38 AM
Info thanks to Simon Hitchen
Hi Karen,
There were indeed 9 Whooper Swans on Friday but they headed off south late in the morning and today's birds were actually a new group - there were 13 Whooper Swans this morning - all adults and it was very evocative hearing their bugling conversation echoing round the Lake before they all headed off SE over Blackstone Edge at approx 10 am.
Not a lot else this morning although there was a steady movement of Redwing - approx 60+ in an hour this morning - strangely all going NE.
Also this week a Common Sandpiper on Tuesday was the latest I've ever recorded here - I checked it carefully but couldn't turn it into a Spotted.
Cheers, Simon
Karen
2 Little Grebe
2 Tufted
23 Teal
1 Pintail eclipse drake
1 Wigeon
86 Teal (40 Nature Reserve lagoon, 46 Shaw Moss)
83 Mallard
2 Tufted Ducks
1 Snipe
1 Grey wagtail over
2 Chiffchaff
Also met the guy who saw the 3 Avocets earlier this month - he gave a convincing description but unfortunately declined to submit a rarity description.
pair Gadwall
1 Kingfisher heard
1 Grey Wagtail over
3 Chiffchaff
2 Lesser Redpoll over
1 Siskin south
Also female Sparrowhawk, 15 Teal, 12 Lapwing, 2 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff and a steady movement of hirundines south (c 200 Swallows, 40+ House Martins)
Hi Karen,
Wow - that would be a first for the site. I would usually have been there on Thursday morning but decided to go to Pennington Flash instead to see the Lesser Scaup...doh!
No Avocets there today needless to say but a pair of Grey Partridges with 3 large youngsters in tow was a heartening sight. Also today a male Sparrowhawk, 2 Cormorants, 26 Teal,
1 Grey Wagtail over, Kingfisher heard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Lesser Redpoll and 3 juvenile Bullfinches.