can only add mid morn dipper hinds weir chiffchaff alpha.

5pm till Dusk

The 4 Gadwall and 3 Greylag still present

to add to

2 Goldeneye (male and female)
4 Goosander
41 Tufted Duck
Snipe
3 Oystercatcher

870 Jackdaw over to roost in Radcliffe

7.15-8.30a.m. on the res. 4 Gadwall and 3 Greylag Geese, on pylon 20 a Peregrine. Also 3 singing Skylark.
Cheers Ian

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Sunday 18th of March 2012 02:45:05 PM

Additional to Simon's sightings, 2 Dipper on the Irwell.
Cheers Ian

6am - 8am

Few ducks on the res at dawn until a mini war zone erupted with gun shots going off from around Old Hall Farm and the marsh

14 Wigeon (ended up flying north)
3 Shelduck (ended up flying SW)
2 Gadwall
10 Teal (withins)
6 Pochard (5M1F)
32 Tufted Duck
7 Goosander

349 Jackdaw flew NW at dawn from a nearby roost.

Some light passage over head
2 Curlew north
3 Oystercatcher NW
3 Skylark NW
3+ Siskin NW
Meadow pipit north

also in area

Chiffchaff, 3 Bullfinch, 5 Redwing and Tawny Owl

Early this morning, Chiffchaff, 7 Sand Martin briefly, Little Ringed Plover, 21 Tufted Duck and 9 Goosander.

Heard Chiffchaff back of alpha and in dip assume same bird
Little Grebe Reed Bunting
Kingfisher hinds weir
Res four Gadwall two Goosander

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Friday 16th of March 2012 02:48:13 PM

On a short walk from the canal to Withins Resr today saw 2 Little Owls & a couple of Curlew over, very little else of note. Both Moorhens & Coots collecting nest material and a few Lapwings displaying. On a dull overcast day a Queen Bumblebee was a sign of Spring :)

Chiffchaff early this morning also 2 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher, 25 Tufted Duck, 3 Goosander.

7.30-9.00 quiet, 3 Goosander on res with 3 more on river, Kestrel below res and Dipper still nest building.
Cheers Ian

7.30-9.00 a.m. can only add from previous post, spent 20 mins watching a Dipper building a nest at side of river Irwell. Also disappointing to note that no Mute Swans on canal after nest building 2 weeks ago.
Cheers Ian

4 gadwall
5 Goosander res 3 Goosander River
2 Oystercatcher withins
2 Meadow Pipit
singing skylarks
lapwings
Bullfinches railway track bed
and that was it

A quick look mid morning

Shelduck - single male flew off S-SE
2 Gadwall (pair)
2 Shoveler (males)
3 Oystercatcher
11 Great crested grebe

-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Wednesday 7th of March 2012 12:49:12 PM

mediterranean gull present this afternoon with black headed gulls, info thanks to ian peters

7.00 - 9.00 with Ian Campbell

3 Oystercatcher
2 Curlew over
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Goosander on river then on res
C70 BH Gull
1 LBB Gull
1 Common Gull
1 Snipe
2 Stock Dove
1 Skylark
2 Little Grebe

Rain!

Flock of fifty Lapwings, two Oystercatchers, one snipe and singing skylark near doffer fold and a little grebe..

8 Oystercatchers on dam, Goldeneye Male, 6 Goosander and two Gadwall on res, Kestrel male Withins and a Sparrowhawk fields north of res

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 28th of February 2012 06:27:11 PM

A traumatic couple of hours with Warfy this morning!

Additional sightings to previous sightings this morning

1 Woodcock
1 Dunlin
5 Curlew over (4 and 1)
c5 Common Snipe
Water Rail (heard only)

The trauma came as we were walking around the reservoir. My welly got stuck in the mud. Instead of me being able to move my leg, my welly started to come off! I shouted to Warfy and he turned around to see me almost on my knees in the mud! The look on his face was a picture and all he was concerned about were my binoculars. I passed them to him as I attempted not to completely lose my welly and put my foot in the mud (disaster). I did manage to get my welly back on and fortunately I wasn't too muddied up.

Contrary to what another GM birder thinks I do not have an "Elton tan"!

Warfy, of course still feels guilty, but I got a seat to myself both on the tram and on the train home

Elton definitely seems to have it in for me!

2 Gadwall 2 Goosander 3 male Pochard 1 teal still there dinner
2 little grebe one attacking a mallard
several skylark below withins with jay
Lapwings crowtree
Curlew heard calling moving across marsh
Reed bunting canal
2 Goosander on river
Dipper and sininging Goldcrest Hinds Weir south side of river posed for photo and another different Dipper and another singing Goldcrest in the bomb site of Warthfold Weir

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 26th of February 2012 09:39:48 PM

Further to Ians sightings

2 Stock Dove NW over pump house (site tick)
2 Gadwall
4 Teal (2 res + 2 flashes at crow tree farm)
2 male pochard
Little Grebe
6 Skylark SW + 1 singing at withins
15 Lapwing in display near Crow tree
Little Owl near crow tree farm

Cormorant doing some type of courtship display on a bouy

Mike Passant wrote:

---

Were the two swans today extra large, Ian?

Cheers,
Mike

---

HA HA very funny Mike, just cause I can't spell.
This a.m. only 7 Goosander off at dawn, then Simon Johnson arrived and we had 2 Oystercatcher then a Curlew passed over then returned and landed for 10 mins.
Cheers Ian

Were the two swans today extra large, Ian?

Cheers,
Mike

later
Railway line Bullfinches
Res 3 Goosander 2 Widgeon 2 Teal (quickly flew off) 2 female goldeneye
Heard Oyster catchers on res, little grebe, and snipe reed bunting marsh
Little Owl on log pile and 20 Lapwing and a Kestrel Crow Tree

Early morning with Paul Wilson, 2 Whopper Swans over flying West, 17 Goosander flying off at dawn also a pair on the river, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Gadwall and 3 Little Grebes. 2 Wigeon on Withins which then flew to main res. 3 pairs of Swan on canal, one of which has begun nest buildinganother sign of Spring

2 oystercatcher, 4 goldeneye, 2 Goosander and a little grebe attacking 4 gulls

Ian Boote wrote:

---

2 oystercatcher, 4 goldeneye, 2 Goosander and a little grebe attacking 4 gulls

---

Also this a.m. 12 Goosander flew off from the res. at 1st light and a Skylark below the pumphouse. Ian Peters had 5 Skylark passing through yesterday
Cheers Ian

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Friday 24th of February 2012 01:24:33 PM

Early a.m. only birds of note were 6 Pochard.
Cheers Ian

From dawn for 30 mins, 3 Oystercatcher at creek and 2 Little Owls heard having a duet.
Cheers Ian

30+ LBB Gulls
5 Herring Gulls
20+ BH Gulls this afternoon seem to be taking a rest before heading off for Heaton Park.


2 Cormorant
12 Goosander
18 Coots
Mallards.

Blue, Great and Long-tailed tits
Bullfinch
Redwings
2 Snipe flushed from the Horse field near Buckingham drive.

keep Birding

From dawn for 30 mins, 26 Goosander, 3 Shoveler and 2 Goldeneye.
Cheers ian

couple of decent hours this morning

Merlin - powered through NE over old hall marsh lost over Pilsworth
Common Buzzard SW
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk (female)
Water Rail - old hall marsh
Dipper - flew down river
4 Skylark
Jay - withins

On res
Greylag Goose dropped in from high for a few mins
2 Wigeon did same but on to withins
2 Teal
40 Tufted Duck
9 Goosander
3 Goldeneye (1 male and 2 Female)
Shoveler (female)
Little Grebe
4 Oystercatcher
36 Lapwing

and a decent passage of woodpigeons north with 387 counted.

Much as Ian's last post plus 2 Male Goldeneye at 1st light with a Peregrine on the pylon.
Cheers Ian

On Res 2 Oystercatcher 2 Goosander 2 Little Grebe few Pochard Great Crested Grebes displaying, 50 Lapwaing west of Crow Tree Farm, 4 Goosander on Daisey Field Lodge, Reed Buntings in dip.

dave broome wrote:

---

Ian Boote wrote:

---

Dinner
Lot quieter three wigeon

---

I usually just manage a sandwich

---

Ooooh no, i like Sandwich terns,

Ian Boote wrote:

---

Dinner
Lot quieter three wigeon

---

I usually just manage a sandwich

0800 till 0930 with paul wilson
1 oystercatcher
6 goldeneye including 3 drakes
2 gadwall
3 pochard
2 wigeon
2 goosander
2 little grebe

Dinner
Lot quieter three wigeon heard a curlew and a few goosanders.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 14th of February 2012 04:45:14 PM

At times on Saturday the bird was stood all puffed up eyes closed wing drooping like one of the poor sights you see in pets shops that usually indicates a sickly bird. . At other times though it was feeding and flying well. Which was the reason for the visit AM to see if it was OK, so sad.

I have to say it does not surprise me that the bird died. The bird walked with dropped wings most of the time and it had a gash below the eye. Yesterday, since I was not able to locate the bird ,I checked the grasses and around the trees and bushes (its favoured location) to see if it had succumbed. Very sad indeed.

Very sad news.

2.30p.m.

Dead Grey Plover found near waters edge of wader point,
body intact, few loose feathers nearby.

from 7.30
12 Teal
6 Pochard
2 Goldeneye
6 Wigeon
Barnacle Goose
pink footed Goose
2 Lapwing
5 Goosander
Little Grebe
Male Kestrel
2 Bullfinch
2 Heron
2 Dunlin
No Grey Plover on north shore carpark to wader point

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 13th of February 2012 09:45:19 AM

on the res around 12.30-2.30pm

almost the same as ian & simons.

2 dunlins,very obliging i must say
no signs off grey plover
3 shelducks
2 goosanders
10 wigeon
20 tufted ducks
8 pochards
5 teals
3 little grebes
1 grey heron
good numbers off gulls
1 barnacle with canadas,but could not find the pink footed goose
2 cormorants on pylon
raven over but could not see due to fog.

along canal...
water rails (heard only)
1 little owl
1 pintail male over (twice) unless there was 2
2 goldcrests
3 reed buntings
2 lapwings
1 kestrel
1 song thrush
few redwings & fieldfares over
plus all usual birds around

and one wet adrian dancy, must not be good for his arthritic knees

7.30-10.15 a.m. Couldn't see the Grey Plover although the light was poor, on the res. 3 Shellduck, 11 Wigeon, 4 Goosander, 4 Little Grebe, 5 Pochard, 1 Pink Foot amongst 100's of Canadas, 2 Dunlin. Unusual numbers of Gulls with 80+ Lesser black Backed similar of Herring and at least 5 Great black Backed. Peregine on one pylon and Raven on another. Also 11 Pink feet looked like they were coming in to land but then flew off.
Cheers Ian

Lunch time - pretty much the same as Ian C's Sightings

2 Dunlin still by creek - no sign of Grey Plover
Snipe
Barnacle Goose in with Canada's
3 Shelduck sat on ice
10 Wigeon
9 Pochard
5 Teal
Raven over cronking
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
8 Moorhen at bennys

Also 16 Mute Swans 3 with rings FV6, YV4 and ZL4. One also has a lucky escape flying over as nearly hit telegraph wires it managed to gain height in time and hit its foot on them.


-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Sunday 12th of February 2012 06:27:58 PM

Saturday 11th February 8.30-10.30am.

Some very good close views of the Grey Plover (a life first for me ) and 2 Dunlin. The Grey Plover didn't look to be in any distress to me and flew very well when disturbed by dog walkers. That is not to say that it has damaged itself though.
Other sightings much as previously posted today. A great mornings birding.

2.10 Grey Plover and 2 Dunlin still present between creek and wader point. Nice to meet Ian Boote here too. Dunlin walked up to within 6 feet of us - fantastic

A quick couple of hours this morning

Grey Plover - showing very well near creek

10 Wigeon
8 Pochard
20 Tufted duck
22 Goosander
4 Goldeneye - flew off at dawn
16 Mute Swan
4 Little Grebe

a big count of 730 Canada Geese with single Pink-footed and Barnacle Goose in with them.

A Male bullfinch at the creek

on the river
6 Goosander
2 Tufted Duck
female sparrowhawk flew over

Grey Plover still present at 08:15 this morning.

Info thanks to Simon Johnson

Grey Plover still present 2.45 feeding and flying when spooked by a dog.
Concerned as last post that bird had drooped wing and was looking rather sad
2 dipper displaying/fighting below viaduct in and on river
2 goosander on river with 2 tufted ducks
4 bullfinches on old rail track/alpha
no water rail around bennies despite long wait
grey wagtail dam overflow
others on res
2 dunlin
10 widgeon
6 teal
1 goosander
barnacle goose
2 little grebe
6 pochard
And nice to meet Tim Wilcox to but looks nowt like his avatar

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Saturday 11th of February 2012 03:09:08 PM