Thanks Dave, that's a good record. We do tend to get odd annual autumn sightings, usually from around the area you heard the bird. Sometimes they wander into the middle of No.3 bed where a handful has been ringed. They used to breed over the canal in the grouds of Chaiguley School but I haven't checked for years to see if they still do - though I tend to assume that our birds come from there. When I lived in Lymm I had a few sightings, including a couple from my garden and for a few years a pair bred at Statham Pools but again don't know if they still do.

Cheers David

Dave

Glad to see the Jack Snipe has reappeared, there were only 5 Common Snipe this morning. Today and yesterday I heard what I am pretty certain was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Yesterday it came from the copse between the car park and the gate to no.2 bed. Today it was south of the copse the other side of the MSC. Worth looking/listening out for.

Cheers

David

Spent the afternoon on No.3 bed and from the Morgan Hide watched a Jack Snipe feeding and preening for a couple of hours. Six Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Green Sandpiper, 17 Snipe, 2 Water Rails , 1 Kingfisher and 116 Teal were other decent sightings.

Cheers David

A really pleasant morning covering the whole Reserve, with good species variety and a strong passage of Meadow Pipits. Some of the more interesting totals included: 1 Redstart, 2 Green Sandpipers (per K.Foster), 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 10 Snipe, 6 Water Rails (3 seen and 3 heard), 2 Kingfishers, 10 Swallows, 1 Siskin, 11 Blackcaps, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail, 145 Teal, 8 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels, 9 Buzzards, 160 Lapwings, plus 235 Meadow Pipits passing south during a one and a half hour count. Less enticing was the mass arrival of 490 Canada Geese!!

Cheers David (with Les Jones, Paul Hazlehurst and Ste Dodd)

A late morning visit produced; 1 Ruff, 9 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Snipe, 3 Siskins (on the Morgan Hide feeders), 91 Lapwings and 125 Teal.

Cheers David

The Ruff was still present this morning from the Tower Hide at 08:30 but no sign at 10:00. Otherwise fairly quiet with 9 Black-tailed Godwits and 12 Snipe. 1 Redpoll flew over.

Ruff at 12 pm. Also 5 snipe, siskin, black tailed godwit, sparrowhawk and little grebe

A warm, sunny morning starting on No.3 bed, then covering No.4 bed and finishing by chilling out on No.1 bed. A Little Egret seen flying south-east over No.3 bed by Kieran Foster and Mike Baron, plus 2 Green Sandpipers, 4 Black-tailed Godwits and 17 Snipe were the highlights from this bed. Warblers were also present in good numbers, with a few Reed Warblers and Blackcaps among the commoner Chiffchaffs. The Loop of No.4 bed also held small numbers of Snipe among the Lapwings, a single Willow Tit was calling, while 6 Siskins flew south. A single Green Woodpecker was a good record from No.1 bed. Butterflies and dragonflies became more evident as the morning wore on, with totals of: Small Copper 1, Small White 18, Peacock 2, Red Admiral 8, Speckled Wood 4, Small Tortoiseshell 11, Comma 11, Southern Hawker 5 and, Common Darter 16.

Cheers David (with Les Jones, Al Warford, Paul Hazlehurst, Brian Baird, Alan Rustell and Ste Dodd)

Have a good day Dave - hope you find something good. Was on No.3 bed at lunchtime, after a good meeting with Peel Holdings about work on No.1 bed. Still 10 Black-tailed Godwits and 30 ish Snipe plus a few Swallows. Doing the BTO Thrush Survey on Nos.3 and 4 beds tomorrow.

Cheers David

Dave

No sign of the Jack Snipe this morning but there were 10 Black-tailed Godwits, c 30 Common Snipe and 1 Wigeon. The sunshine brought out several Common Darters as well as one female Southern Hawker. I am taking Matthew to Hull Uni tomorrow so wont be able to get down to the reserve, although on the way home a detour via Spurn seems likely!

Good luck tomorrow.

David

11.15-13.15

24 Snipe, 76 Lapwing, 6 Black Tailed Godwits,4 Buzzards (riding the thermals together), and just 2 Jays (Normally at this time of year they seem to be everywhere, carrying acorns,

are numbers down this autumn?.)

2 Cormorants flying over.

Lots of butterflies and dragonflies around in the sunshine, with 1 Red Admiral and 3 Commas amongst them.

-- Edited by John Williams on Friday 27th of September 2013 10:34:28 PM

Nice, Dave - hope it sticks around till Saturday

1 Jack Snipe this morning viewable from the Tower Hide and the John Morgan hide behind the Lapwing roost. 116 Lapwing, c20 Common Snipe and 9 Black-tailed Godwits

An enjoyable, autumnal wander from No.3 bed as far as Bollin Point at the eastern end of the Reserve. Totals included: Hobby 2, Peregrine 2, Water Rail 3, Black-tailed Godwit 4, Little Ringed Plover 1, Snipe 22, Chiffchaff 11, Redpoll 1, Little Grebe 4, Jay 27, Grey Wagtail 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Sparrowhawk 1 and Buzzard 7. Southward passage was also evident as the morning wore on, with 168 Meadow Pipits, 217 Swallows and 65 House Martins streaming over. Song Thrushes were notable by their absence, as we usually have a sizeable mid-September influx, ahead of the arrival of Redwings but we didn't see or hear a single one. Butterflies and dragonflies were present in small numbers, with: 2 Southern Hawkers, 2 Common Darters, 10 Speckled Woods, 4 Small Whites and 1 Small Tortoiseshell.

Cheers David (with Dave Spencer, Al Warford and Paul Hazlehurst)

10.00-12.00

No 3 Bed

10 Snipe, 2 Little Grebes, 3 Cormorants (Flying over), 1 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Wigeon.

As David records in his report for this morning, there were good numbers of Teal and Shoveler around, Gadwall too, but oddly no Mallard, except for a few on the old river.

No Lapwings either. At least one drake Teal was back in full winter/breeding plumage and out of eclipse.

One of the Little Grebes was trying to feed, and attempting to dive in water shallow enough for Teal to stand in, it looked comical and quite sad, the grebe eventually gave up

and disappeared into the reeds. The other grebe was in the North West corner of the bed, where I usually find them, and seemed to be diving and feeding as normal.

The only butterfly braving the strong wind was a single Small Tortoiseshell.

The Weir Pool

30 Tufted Ducks, 1 Mute Swan and a single Great Crested Grebe.

Spent an early couple of hours on No.3 bed, seeing if the westerly squalls had brought in anything unusual. Nothing out-of-the ordinary turned up but some solid birding, with 44 species present including: Hobby 1, Black-tailed Godwit 8, Common Snipe 33, Kingfisher 1, Water Rail 1, Wigeon 2, Teal 50, Shoveler 18, Swallow 17 (flying hastily south in small groups ahead of the weather), Buzzard 1 and Sparrowhawk 2.

Cheers David (with Al Warford)

-- Edited by DavidBowman on Monday 16th of September 2013 11:03:29 AM

Covered the full length of the Reserve today, highlights being 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Water Rail, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 6 Blackcaps, 43 Chiffchaffs, 8 Meadow Pipits, 6 Sparrowhawks, 3 Kestrels, 10 Common Buzzards and 513 Swallows. The latter were particularly interesting as hirundines were scarce all morning, until we reached Bollin Point at 11.45. Swallows then started to pour through with over 500 heading determinedly south in just over an hour.

Cheers David (with Dave Steel, Dave Spencer, Brian Ankers, Al Warford, Brian Baird, Paul Hazlehurst, Ste Dodd and Jane Cullen)

After the alarums of Wednesday, back to basics today, with a meeting with the contractor who will start developing the wader scrape in front of the Morgan Hide and de-scrubbing the Loop of No.4 bed in October. Some good birds in passing, with 2 Woodcocks on No.4 bed and 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 38 Snipe and 2 Sparrowhawks on No.3 bed.

Cheers David

Pete, it's a Mrs Ruff.

Roger.

What's a reeve?

Is that another name for a ruff ?

Hi John, no problem. It's far better to let people know if you've got something you're not sure about and let everyone have a chance of seeing a potentially good bird, than to just keep quiet . Imagine the reaction if your photos had shown a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and the bird had gone without anyone seeing it

Cheers David

Oh well, never mind. I thought it would turn out to be something familiar but I don't think any of us who actually saw it thought it was a Ruff ( just on size alone ) It just goes to show !

Hi John, after much debate the concensus was a small Reeve

Thanks for alerting us so, quickly, though, as you never know!

Cheers
David

Unidentified wader on no.3 bed at 2pm this afternoon. Not sure what it is. Some distant photos taken by other birders present - hoping to get the results later. The bird it most looked like in Collins is a Sharp-Tailed Sandpiper ( but it probably isn't ! ) probably something much more straightforward. If anyone can get down there for a quick look, that might be helpful.

2 Greenshanks, 1 Redshank and 2 Common Sandpipers among the scores of Common Snipe on No.3 bed today.

Cheers David (with Kenny McNiffe)

Our first Visible Migration Watch of the autumn this morning, from Butchersfield Tip at the east end of the Reserve, with blue skies, a warm southerly wind and no rain! Highlights included: 9 Golden Plovers, 1 Raven, 1 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 16 Common Buzzards, 7 Sparrowhawks, 5 Kestrels, 223 House Martins, 207 Swallows, 2 Sand Martins, 20 Meadow Pipits, 1 Redpoll, 26 Stock Doves, 34 Mistle Thrushes and 1 Grey Wagtail. Then a lunch-time hour on No.3 bed produced: 1 female Marsh Harrier, 2 Greenshanks, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpipers, c.75 Common Snipe, 2 Wigeon and 155 Lapwings. The Ringing Team on No.3 bed also had an excellent morning, ringing a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, a Garden Warbler, a few late Willow Warblers and 60 Blackcaps, among the total of 160 birds newly ringed.

Cheers David (with Dave Steel and Dave Spencer)

A very nice morning on No.3 bed started with a Tree Pipit dropping onto the North Meadow. With so much muddy edge, waders were good, too, with 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 74 Snipe and 156 Lapwings. A hunting female Marsh Harrier kept flushing the Snipe, enabling me to get a reasonably accurate count. Two Kingfishers, 1 juvenile Black-necked Grebe, 2 Wigeon, 36 Shoveler and 42 Teal were other good water birds. Around the bed, 3 Willow Tits, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Reed Warblers, c.30 Chiffchaffs, c.20 Blackcaps and 6 Reed Buntings were counted among the masses of tits, finches and other resident species. Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Kestrel were also present. Butterflies included: 1 Comma, 6 Small Tortoiseshells, 5 Speckled Woods, 10 Large Whites, 2 Gatekeepers and 1 Red Admiral. 5 Brown Hawkers and 6 Common Darters were the only dragonflies noted. In comparison, No.1 bed was heaving with dragonflies, with c.40 Common Darters, 9 Ruddy Darters, 4 Black Darters, 3 Black-tailed Skimmers, 6 Brown Hawkers, 2 Emperors and 1 Migrant Hawker. Although butterflies were also plentiful, I only noted 2 Common Blues.

Cheers David

17.30-19.15

No 3 Bed

30+ Snipe, 56 Lapwing, 1 Redshank, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel and 1 juv Black Necked Grebe.

2 Garden Warblers feasting on Elder berries on the South bank, 1 of them looked really stuffed and about to "pop".

5+ Chiffchaffs were fly catching in the nearby Sycamores.

A few Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies were on the Buddelias, with plenty of Speckled Woods in the shadier areas.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes with a half grown youngster on the weir pool, with 7 Pochard and the usual Tufted Duck.

Two Yellow Wagtails from the Tower Hide this morning. Also c40 Snipe, c50 Lapwing, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Juv Black-necked Grebe

This morning from the John Morgan hide birds included 1 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper and 77 Snipe. There was also 1 juv Black- necked Grebe, the first I have seen since the 19th. c.40 House Martins attracted an adult Hobby very briefly but fortunately picked up by another birder. One Wigeon also remains

Ringing on No1 bed this morning, it was pretty quiet but Garden Warbler and Sedge Warbler ringed amongst others, sighting included adult Little Grebe feeding half grown young and juvenile Peregrine.

Finally caught up with the Liitle Egret at Woolston. One flew low west in front of the John Morgan hide this morning. It tried to land but was harassed by the Lapwings. Also today 1 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Gull, 3 Wigeon and c70 Snipe

-- Edited by David Spencer on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 12:00:18 PM

An autumnal morning started on No.3 bed, with a Green Sandpiper flying and 30 Snipe feeding alongside c.220 Lapwings. All the usual wildfowl were present, including 33 Teal and 7 Little Grebes. The morning's raptor tally started well, when a female Marsh Harrier appeared, showing twice before heading towards the southern end of the bed. Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kingfisher and 3 Swifts were sightings of interest before we headed off to No.4 bed, where 11 Grey Herons were alongside c.50 Lapwings, a few Black-headed Gulls and various wildfowl, with 2 Sparrowhawks overhead. Then onto No.1 bed where a single Wheatear, 3 Peregrines (2 adults and 1 juvenile), 7 Buzzards and 1 Sparrowhawk were noted. Dragonflies were present in small numbers, with c.20 Common Darters, a few Blue-tailed damselflies and a single Ruddy Darter. Butterflies were beginning to fly, as well, with 1 Painted Lady, 20 Meadow Browns, 1 Gatekeeper, 1 Common Blue and 1 Speckled Wood.

Cheers David (with Les Jones, Dave Spencer, Brian Baird, Jane Cullen, Paul Hazlehurst and Ste Dodd)

-- Edited by DavidBowman on Saturday 24th of August 2013 02:28:38 PM

Covered all four beds this morning, with the main sightings being: 1 Greenshank, 1 Hobby, 3 young Black-necked Grebes, 2 Kingfishers, c.650 Swifts, 3 Peregrines, 4 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels, 188 Lapwings, 15 Snipe, 1 Goldcrest, 12 Grey Herons, 3 Buzzards, 1 Willow Tit, 1 Pied Wagtail and 30 Shoveler.

Cheers David (with Dave Steel, Brian Baird and Dave Spencer)

Went onto No.3 bed after the rain stopped this afternoon. No sign of Sunday's Marsh Harrier but 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 juvenile Black-necked Grebes, 7 Little Grebes, 1 Water Rail, 3 Common Snipe, 16 Teal, 2 Willow Tits, 86 Lapwings, 7 Bullfinches, 60 Swifts and a handful each of all three hirundines were among the other more common birds. Dragonflies included 5 Southern Hawkers and 10 Common Darters.

Cheers David

Raven over No1 bed Saturday evening, also a roost of approx. 600 Swallows.

Dave

A really enjoyable morning started with a juvenile Cuckoo, flushed from near the Morgan Hide on No.3 bed. Going into the hide, a Hobby immediately flushed the flock of 90 Lapwings roosting to the right of the hide. Presumably the same Wood Sandpiper, which has been around for a while, then flew onto the scrape in front of the hide. Further scoping, produced a Little Ringed Plover and a fly-past by a Green Sandpiper. A single young Black-necked Grebe, half-a-dozen Little Grebes, c.80 Swifts plus a smattering of all three hirundines, 2 Sparrowhawks and a Buzzard were other sightings. We then moved on to No.4 bed where 3 Black-tailed Godwits (2 still in summer plumage) and 6 Grey Herons were feeding among the Black-headed Gulls, Lapwings and Gadwall. Finally, we ended up on No.1 bed, where two juvenile Peregrines chased out after a flock of Feral Pigeons, nailing one after a high speed chase. Dragonflies were out in good numbers on this bed with: 2 Black Darters (very scarce at Woolston), 1 Migrant Hawker, 1 Southern Hawker, c.100 Common Darters, 2 Black-tailed Skimmers, 1 Brown Hawker, plus hundreds of damselflies, including Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Emerald.

Cheers David (with Al Warford, Sue Haddock, Dave Spencer, Brian Baird and Ste Dodd)

A mid-day visit to No.3 bed produced 3 Greenshank in front of the Morgan Hide, along with 129 Lapwings, 1 Kingfisher and 6 Snipe. When I was leaving the bed a Hobby was hawking over the footbridge, presumably taking some of the many dragonflies which were about. The day's best sighting came earlier, when Kieran Foster watched a juvenile Cuckoo fly past the Lindley Hide. It was an excellent day for butterflies and dragonflies, too, with: 1 Brimstone, 1 Painted Lady, 2 Red Admirals, 4 Commas, c.220 Peacocks, 31 Small Tortoiseshells, 19 Gatekeepers, 5 Speckled Woods, 44 Small Whites, 13 Large Whites, 2 Green-veined Whites, 8 Brown Hawkers, 11 Common Hawkers, and 1 Black-tailed Skimmer.

Cheers David

1 Dunlin from the screen on no. 3 bed this morning. Yesterday evening c100 Starling coming to roost and c50 Swallows with 1 Hobby in attendance. A Tawny Owl flew across the old river onto no. 2 bed.

Went onto No.3 bed after the rain stopped this afternoon. A Kingfisher was perched by the bund on the south bank of the bed. A spectacular flock of Swifts of maybe 2,000 birds, was spread across Nos.2, 3 and 4 beds, with a Hobby and 2 juvenile Peregrines scything through them over No.3 bed. The Wood Sandpiper showed sporadically from the Morgan Hide, though the other waders seem to have moved on.

Cheers David

This morning 2 Little Egrets were on the Loop of No.4 bed along with c.100 Lapwings, while No.3 bed still held a Wood Sandpiper plus 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Greenshank, 6 Snipe, 140 Lapwings, 6 Black-necked Grebes (all juveniles), 85 Swifts and 7 Little Grebes. Another nice sighting was of 3 Peregrines (presumably the young from the local nest-site), hunting together, stooping unsuccessfully at Lapwings and Feral Pigeons. In addition, Kieran Foster had a Hobby over the bed and reported small roosts of Hirundines and Starlings.

Cheers David (along with Dave Steel, Al Warford and Sue Haddock)

5 Black-tailed Godwits this morning, 1 Wood Sandpiper (seen briefly) and 1 Common Sandpiper

The low water levels on No.3 bed continue to attract waders. This morning's Wood Sandpiper was still present at 4.00 pm, along with 4 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Redshanks, 6 Common Snipe and 88 Lapwings. Additionally, 600 Swifts flew west during heavy rain.

Cheers David

1 Wood Sandpiper this morning also Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, 3 Snipe and 3 Little Ringed Plover. Yesterday 1 Black-tailed Godwit

This morning on No.3 bed produced; 1 Greenshank, 5 Black-necked Grebes, 5 Common Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 105 Lapwings, 45 Swifts and a few each of all three hirundines. Butterflies included: 1 Painted Lady, 5 Red Admirals and 3 Commas. Also, nice to have the identification of Saturday's White-letter Hairstreak confirmed by the photograph (see Woolston web-site) - a first for the Reserve and good to see alongside c.30 Purple Hairstreaks in the Oaks along the south bank of the bed.

Cheers David

Highlight of the morning was a possible White-letter Hairstreak, seen briefly feeding on Thistles in front of the Morgan Hide. Andy Weir managed to get a photo, which will hopefully confirm the ID. Otherwise waders were again good, with: 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks, 1 Curlew, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Common Snipe and 72 Lapwings. One adult and 3 juvenile Black-necked Grebes were still present, along with 1 Kingfisher, 41 Teal, 18 Shoveler, 6 Little Grebes, 90 Gadwall, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Willow Tits, 5 Bullfinches, singles of Treecreeper and Stock Dove (ringed by K. Foster et al). Butterflies, apart from the Hairstreak, included 3 Commas and 4 Red Admirals.

Other sightings from the past couple of days included: 1 Hobby and 1 Marsh Harrier.

Cheers David

At last, the reduced water levels in No.3 bed are starting to pay off, with (by Woolston standards) a nice passage of waders. This morning viewing from the Morgan Hide produced: 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks, 2 Dunlins (in summer plumage), 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 5 Common Snipe and 24 Lapwings . In addition, one Common Tern, 2 Water Rails and plenty of Black-necked Grebes were noted.

Cheers David

-- Edited by DavidBowman on Thursday 25th of July 2013 01:17:40 PM

Another beautiful morning, starting on No.3 bed with 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Tern, 2 Snipe, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Hobby and 1 Coal Tit (seen by Kieran Foster), plenty of Black-necked Grebes still, 30 Swifts, 5 Sand Martins, 6 House Martins, 1 Sparrowhawk which tried to catch a Lapwing, 5 Little Grebes and 90 Gadwall. Butterflies and dragonflies included: 5 Gatekeepers, 3 Speckled Woods, 4 Meadow Browns, 12 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Brown Hawkers and 4 Red-eyed Damselflies (under the footbridge on the No.3 bed side).

On No.1 bed an adult Peregrine flew over while we were counting the butterflies and dragonflies around the Viaduct Pools and new West Pool. These included: 1 Red Admiral, 34 Gatekeepers, 16 Meadow Browns, 2 Small Skippers, 1 Large Skipper, 5 Small Tortoiseshells, 8 Green-veined Whites, 4 Emperor Dragonflies, 10 Black-tailed Skimmers, 3 Common Darters, 4 Common Hawkers, 1 Four-spotted Chaser, 3 Blue-tailed Damselflies and scores of Common Blue Damselflies.

Cheers David (with Dave Steel and Les Jones)

Greenshank from the Tower Hide this morning. Also one Common Tern on the rafts being harassed by the Black-headed Gulls. Nuthatch on the south bank east of the Sibyl Hogg hide. Goldcrest singing at the bottom of Weir Lane.

Early morning visit (5.00am!) to No.3 bed produced 4 Little Ringed Plovers (2 adults and 2 juveniles), 2 Snipe and a Redshank, all on the Morgan Hide scrape. Additionally, 1,200 Starlings left the roost as I was arriving. A Little Egret was also reported yesterday.

Cheers David