Slavonian Grebe still present this morning, currently near wader point at 8am.
Info thanks to Simon Johnson
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 11 8:40 PM, 2011
Important information provided by Ian Peters:
Please take a little care when crossing the public right of way that crosses the top of the marsh below Old Hall Farm. I was chased from the field by the Highland cattle this morning despite staying high on the path (not in the marsh) and I was forced to climb into the next paddock to be safe. The cattle are normally docile and tend not to approach anyone but I will check with the farmer to see if there is any reason to be concerned. It could be anything from overnight disturbance to one of the bulls being a bit charged up because some of the cows are in heat. It is possible the cattle were being curious but it is as well to be safe given the size of the animals and the presence of some boisterous fully grown calves.
Simon Warford said
Fri Nov 11 7:06 PM, 2011
An excellent find well done Brian, the first Slav Grebe at Elton since 18th December 1993, I remember it well !
Simon Johnson said
Fri Nov 11 5:05 PM, 2011
1st winter Little gull was feeding close to wader point at one stage.
Slavonian Grebe present at 1:45pm, from the creek.
Info thanks to Brian Fielding
brian fielding said
Wed Nov 9 3:58 PM, 2011
1330 till 1530 3 pochard and 4 wigeon still on withins
brian fielding said
Tue Nov 8 12:25 PM, 2011
0715 till 1145 4 wigeon,withins 3 pochard 1 goldeneye 2 snipe 1 little owl
Simon Johnson said
Mon Nov 7 4:51 PM, 2011
12-2.30
76 Tufted Duck - Elton and 48 Withins 2 Pochard - Elton - 1 Withins 4 Wigeon - Withins Barnacle Goose 248 Canada Geese 5 Snipe flew north 6 Lapwing flew north Peregrine Kestrel Sparrowhawk 3 Herring Gull - Elton 15 Moorhen - Withins, 10 Elton and 10 Canal at Crow tree Farm
Fair number of Thrushes about Blackbirds - 14 Creek, 15 Withins and 10 Coney Green, 5 Song Thrush, 88 Fieldfare and 17 Redwing 2 Bullfinch 2 Goldcrest
brian fielding said
Mon Nov 7 12:26 PM, 2011
0715 till 1200 3 pochard 10 wigeon over 10 common gull 1 goldcrest
Simon Warford said
Sun Nov 6 7:01 PM, 2011
This afternoon upto 4.30pm
2 Raven flew south 1 Woodcock 1 female Pintail on the Res. 3 Goldeneye on the Res. 2 Willow Tit near Buckingham drive. 8 Teal 98 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 5 Wigeon & 1 Goldeneye on Withins.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Sunday 6th of November 2011 09:38:02 PM
brian fielding said
Sun Nov 6 1:01 PM, 2011
0715 till 1215 with the two ians 1 green sandpiper 1 pintail 2 goldeneye 2 pochard 7 teal 50 pink-footed geese over heading east 1 oystercatcher over 4 little grebes 1 little owl
Keith Mills said
Sat Nov 5 3:30 PM, 2011
Quick visit this afternoon with John Parkinson:
Peregrine (juv) on Pylon west of the Creek 2 Cormorants and 30 Starling on Pylon East of Creek Little Grebes...3 Kestrel hunting
brian fielding said
Fri Nov 4 2:55 PM, 2011
1300 till 1430 3 wigeon and 3 pochard amongst the tufteds on withins
brian fielding said
Wed Nov 2 2:45 PM, 2011
1215 till 1415 1 pochard, res 3 wigeon and 131 tufted ducks on withins
brian fielding said
Tue Nov 1 12:08 PM, 2011
0700 till 1130
2 pochard 4 little grebes elton year list 126, latest merlin, pintail, rock pipit and jack snipe, not including yellow-legged gull.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 1st of November 2011 02:11:48 PM
Simon Warford said
Sun Oct 30 4:30 PM, 2011
This afternoon,
Single Willow Tit along disused railway cutting and 2 Goldcrest. 7 Wigeon on Withins along with 85 Tufted duck, single Little Grebe & 3 Teal. Sparrowhawk scattering 20 Redwing.
Otherwise rather dissapointing.
brian fielding said
Sun Oct 30 2:00 PM, 2011
0700 till 1315 1 gadwall, res 1 treecreeper, bridge at crow trees 20+snipe, marsh and 3 over 3 goosander over 1 kingfisher
brian fielding said
Sat Oct 29 2:11 PM, 2011
0745 till 1200 with trev and ian peters 1 treecreeper, bridge at crow trees 4 wigeon, withins 15+snipe, marsh 5 meadow pipits good movement of winter thrushes 1 peregrine over
Ian Campbell said
Fri Oct 28 11:52 AM, 2011
From 1st light, single Brambling over, identified by call, on the res. 2 Gadwall, 1 Wigeon, 3 flyover Shoveler. Also as I arrived 4 flyover Godwit species but could not identify through the mist. Cheers Ian
Ian Campbell said
Thu Oct 27 2:19 PM, 2011
From 1st light until 9.15, don't worry Brian, all you missed was a Kingfisher and a few Meadow Pipits over. Cheers Ian
brian fielding said
Tue Oct 25 10:40 AM, 2011
0745 till 1000 with ian campbell and peters 1 adult winter little gull flew through at 0910 1 juv pintail still present when we left 1 goosander over
-- Edited by brian fielding on Tuesday 25th of October 2011 10:46:26 AM
Ian Campbell said
Mon Oct 24 3:03 PM, 2011
a.m. with Brian and Ian, 2 Goldcrest amongst Tits in hedge near Crow Trees also Little Owl near here. Wigeon on Elton and Withins with Teal also here. Cheers Ian
-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Monday 24th of October 2011 03:04:14 PM
steven burke said
Sun Oct 23 7:08 PM, 2011
11-2.30pm 1 stonechat (m) in field next to canal below old hall farm. 1 little owl 1 treecreeper in the same place simon had his yesterday. 2 sparrowhawks 1 skylark 1 goosander over canal 11.10am south/east 89 tufted duck on withins,2 on res 21 great crested grebes on res,1 on withins lots off fieldfares in with the hundreds off starlings around crow trees farm. + all usual birds around
Ian Campbell said
Sun Oct 23 12:24 PM, 2011
7.30-10.15 with Brian, best for me was my first Elton Rook, Withins had 6 Teal, 5 Wigeon and 1 Shoveler. Lots of Winter Thrushes over with small number of Meadow Pipits. Cheers Ian
brian fielding said
Sun Oct 23 12:21 PM, 2011
0730 till 1200 with ian campbell 1 rook, ian only and a site tick for him on withins 1 shoveler 5 wigeon 6 teal
Simon Warford said
Sat Oct 22 5:17 PM, 2011
Missed both you and the scoter Peter.
Best I could manage was 92 Tufted Duck on Withins along with 3 Teal & 2 Wigeon.
Also 2 Treecreepers near the stream at Crow Trees and 30 Fieldfare.
Peter Johnson said
Sat Oct 22 3:50 PM, 2011
Male Common Scoter on res. at 15:00.
Also Male Stonechat along the canal opposite Corran Stud.
-- Edited by Peter Johnson on Saturday 22nd of October 2011 04:35:47 PM
2 Shoveler Goldeneye Male Stonechat below Withins 3 Snipe Circa 250 Fieldfare Single Redwing 2 Kingfisher Around 90 Jackdaw over
brian fielding said
Fri Oct 21 10:14 AM, 2011
0730 till 0930 2 whooper swans, departed east at 0800 1 rook over 1 stonechat below pumphouse
brian fielding said
Thu Oct 20 10:10 AM, 2011
0730 till 0930 1 female goldeneye 1 wigeon
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Oct 20 7:08 AM, 2011
Don't worry Simon, we believe you .
The Eagle Owl has already been reported under the 'bits and bobs thread' on this forum
Simon Adams said
Thu Oct 20 12:17 AM, 2011
This is my first post and wasn't at Elton Ras but was very close. I have registered tonight on your forum as my sighting this eveining was unbelievable. I can assure everybody that this isn't a joke post. Tonight at about 6.30pm I took a call from a friend of mine who lives in Lowercroft who told me there was an Eagle Owl sat on a Lampost on Haslam Hey Close in Lowercroft. I am very interested in nature and went straight there. Sure enough I saw the Owl with my own eyes. I have a picture on my mobile. The Owl apparently had been sat on the Lampost for most of the day.
It was massive. It flew from the post to a nearby house (roof) and its wingspan was enormous, circa 6 or 7 foot!
My friend who phoned me also took some photos with a decent camera.
This is not a wind up. I appreciate this is my first post and you guys may think i am a joker but i have taken the time to register as i thought you lot would like to know. i know of this forum because a friend of mine is regular down the Ras bird watching.
Steve Christmas said
Wed Oct 19 11:05 PM, 2011
Hi Simon, Mute swan IP4 was originally ringed as a female cygnet at Doffcocker, Bolton on 31/8/2009. Thanks for the sighting! Steve
Simon Warford said
Wed Oct 19 7:51 PM, 2011
Brian, you are indeed correct that this is the first(and second) Red Kite ever to be recorded at Elton, and long overdue really, given the now regular sightings in the county. We had a feeling something could be happening when we had 5 Buzzards and several Sparrowhawks in the air at the same time, which in itself is unusual for Elton. Nobody could have realistically twitched these birds even though they were in view for about 8 minutes. We lost them as distant dots in the scope quite high to the south over Radcliffe. I suspect these were immature birds from possibly Cumbria migrating south although we couldnt pick out any wing tags. I would think Ian Peters probably saw one of the distant Buzzards as we stayed at Crow Trees until around 3.20pm and saw another single Buzzard.
Unfortunately you will never see everything at Elton, and I speak from experience, ive missed White-winged black tern and Great white egret in the last few years. As your finding out this year you put in the hours you get rewards, we are having our usual vis mig week this week so have our eyes to the skies more than ever.
Also of interest one of the Mute swans was ringed - IP4.
Simon Johnson said
Wed Oct 19 7:19 PM, 2011
Afternoon visit with Simon Warford
Noticeable Raptor passage this afternoon the best being:
2 Red Kites picked up from the bridge by crow tree farm circling over the res at 14.25 these then drifted south and circled round above the farm before drifitng s/se and being lost to view at 14.35 5 Common Buzzard 6 Sparrowhawk 3 Kestrel
6 Swallows flew south
2 Wigeon and 2 Teal on withins 41 Tufted on elton 60 Fieldfare sw
2 Treecreeper below withins
Ian Boote said
Wed Oct 19 6:21 PM, 2011
Nowt 4pm either kite wise
Others grey and pied wagtail fly over rook kestral flock of fieldfares lots of tufties
brian fielding said
Wed Oct 19 4:24 PM, 2011
no further sign of red kites at 0245, info thanks to ian peters, i must admit to being gripped off by these having dipped a few so far in the county including the one at westhoughton on saturday, ian peters has just had a possible sighting very distant to the south west but cant be certain.first record for elton i believe so well done boys.
-- Edited by brian fielding on Wednesday 19th of October 2011 04:25:47 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Oct 19 3:43 PM, 2011
It's perhaps just as well you weren't present at the time Ian as I'm led to believe actual hugging took place
Ian Campbell said
Wed Oct 19 3:31 PM, 2011
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Two Red Kites circling over Crow Trees Farm at 2:30 today, slowly drifting south towards the Radcliffe area.
Info thanks to the Simons of Johnson and Warford
Just knew this would happen on a day I was at work, AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Excellent record. Cheers Ian
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Oct 19 2:41 PM, 2011
Two Red Kites circling over Crow Trees Farm at 2:30 today, slowly drifting south towards the Radcliffe area.
Info thanks to the Simons of Johnson and Warford
brian fielding said
Tue Oct 18 12:40 PM, 2011
0730 till 1200 quiet the past few days today 1 wheatear 1 wigeon 1 adult greater black backed gull
Ian Boote said
Sat Oct 15 2:45 PM, 2011
dip greater spotted woodpecker quite a few Jays spread about goosander river two large flocks of fieldfare over res kestral on pylon
brian fielding said
Sat Oct 15 12:20 PM, 2011
0730 till 1130 with both ians and trev 2 rock pipits, 1 briefly nr pumphouse and 1 over 1 female stonechat at the back of withins, ian campbell only 26 wigeon including one flock of 22 over 7 teal 2 pochard 1 raven 1 kingfisher 3 mipits lots of fieldfares and redwings over 1 swallow
-- Edited by brian fielding on Saturday 15th of October 2011 12:26:12 PM
brian fielding said
Fri Oct 14 10:07 AM, 2011
0730 till 0930 with trevor lane 1 rock pipit, below pumphouse at 0750 then flew down towards old hall farm, same bird or another reappeared on wall nr pumphouse at 0910 then flew off south 1 gadwall 18 wigeon with 5 teal over 2 ravens on pylon 6 redwings
Peter Johnson said
Thu Oct 13 6:08 PM, 2011
3 Swallow over at 18:00.
brian fielding said
Thu Oct 13 9:38 AM, 2011
0730 till 0915 1 juv arctic tern 2 whooper swans over heading north west 2 ravens
brian fielding said
Wed Oct 12 10:04 AM, 2011
0730 till 0945 45 redwings passing over in small groups, largest 16 1 raven 6 teal 3 goosander over 1 kingfisher
Ian Campbell said
Tue Oct 11 5:09 PM, 2011
Called in after work today as I had a "feeling" something good might turn up, so much for "feelings". In the rain, only birds slightly unusual were 2 Little Grebes in the creek. Cheers Ian
Info thanks to Simon Johnson
Please take a little care when crossing the public right of way that crosses the top of the marsh below Old Hall Farm. I was chased from the field by the Highland cattle this morning despite staying high on the path (not in the marsh) and I was forced to climb into the next paddock to be safe. The cattle are normally docile and tend not to approach anyone but I will check with the farmer to see if there is any reason to be concerned. It could be anything from overnight disturbance to one of the bulls being a bit charged up because some of the cows are in heat. It is possible the cattle were being curious but it is as well to be safe given the size of the animals and the presence of some boisterous fully grown calves.
Also on withins res good build up of ducks
141 Tufted Duck
9 Pochard
5 Wigeon
2 Shoveler
4 Gadwall
Female Goldeneye
Info thanks to Brian Fielding
3 pochard and 4 wigeon still on withins
4 wigeon,withins
3 pochard
1 goldeneye
2 snipe
1 little owl
76 Tufted Duck - Elton and 48 Withins
2 Pochard - Elton - 1 Withins
4 Wigeon - Withins
Barnacle Goose
248 Canada Geese
5 Snipe flew north
6 Lapwing flew north
Peregrine
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
3 Herring Gull - Elton
15 Moorhen - Withins, 10 Elton and 10 Canal at Crow tree Farm
Fair number of Thrushes about Blackbirds - 14 Creek, 15 Withins and 10 Coney Green, 5 Song Thrush, 88 Fieldfare and 17 Redwing
2 Bullfinch
2 Goldcrest
3 pochard
10 wigeon over
10 common gull
1 goldcrest
2 Raven flew south
1 Woodcock
1 female Pintail on the Res.
3 Goldeneye on the Res.
2 Willow Tit near Buckingham drive.
8 Teal
98 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 5 Wigeon & 1 Goldeneye on Withins.
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Sunday 6th of November 2011 09:38:02 PM
1 green sandpiper
1 pintail
2 goldeneye
2 pochard
7 teal
50 pink-footed geese over heading east
1 oystercatcher over
4 little grebes
1 little owl
Peregrine (juv) on Pylon west of the Creek
2 Cormorants and 30 Starling on Pylon East of Creek
Little Grebes...3
Kestrel hunting
3 wigeon and 3 pochard amongst the tufteds on withins
1 pochard, res
3 wigeon and 131 tufted ducks on withins
2 pochard
4 little grebes
elton year list 126, latest merlin, pintail, rock pipit and jack snipe, not including yellow-legged gull.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 1st of November 2011 02:11:48 PM
Single Willow Tit along disused railway cutting and 2 Goldcrest.
7 Wigeon on Withins along with 85 Tufted duck, single Little Grebe & 3 Teal.
Sparrowhawk scattering 20 Redwing.
Otherwise rather dissapointing.
1 gadwall, res
1 treecreeper, bridge at crow trees
20+snipe, marsh and 3 over
3 goosander over
1 kingfisher
1 treecreeper, bridge at crow trees
4 wigeon, withins
15+snipe, marsh
5 meadow pipits
good movement of winter thrushes
1 peregrine over
Cheers Ian
Cheers Ian
1 adult winter little gull flew through at 0910
1 juv pintail still present when we left
1 goosander over
-- Edited by brian fielding on Tuesday 25th of October 2011 10:46:26 AM
Cheers Ian
-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Monday 24th of October 2011 03:04:14 PM
1 stonechat (m) in field next to canal below old hall farm.
1 little owl
1 treecreeper in the same place simon had his yesterday.
2 sparrowhawks
1 skylark
1 goosander over canal 11.10am south/east
89 tufted duck on withins,2 on res
21 great crested grebes on res,1 on withins
lots off fieldfares in with the hundreds off starlings around crow trees farm.
+ all usual birds around
Cheers Ian
1 rook, ian only and a site tick for him
on withins 1 shoveler
5 wigeon
6 teal
Best I could manage was 92 Tufted Duck on Withins along with 3 Teal & 2 Wigeon.
Also 2 Treecreepers near the stream at Crow Trees and 30 Fieldfare.
Also Male Stonechat along the canal opposite Corran Stud.
-- Edited by Peter Johnson on Saturday 22nd of October 2011 04:35:47 PM
1 buzzard
1 peregrine
2 wigeon
2 gadwall
4 teal
2 Shoveler
Goldeneye
Male Stonechat below Withins
3 Snipe
Circa 250 Fieldfare
Single Redwing
2 Kingfisher
Around 90 Jackdaw over
2 whooper swans, departed east at 0800
1 rook over
1 stonechat below pumphouse
1 female goldeneye
1 wigeon
The Eagle Owl has already been reported under the 'bits and bobs thread' on this forum
Tonight at about 6.30pm I took a call from a friend of mine who lives in Lowercroft who told me there was an Eagle Owl sat on a Lampost on Haslam Hey Close in Lowercroft. I am very interested in nature and went straight there. Sure enough I saw the Owl with my own eyes. I have a picture on my mobile.
The Owl apparently had been sat on the Lampost for most of the day.
It was massive. It flew from the post to a nearby house (roof) and its wingspan was enormous, circa 6 or 7 foot!
My friend who phoned me also took some photos with a decent camera.
This is not a wind up. I appreciate this is my first post and you guys may think i am a joker but i have taken the time to register as i thought you lot would like to know. i know of this forum because a friend of mine is regular down the Ras bird watching.
Mute swan IP4 was originally ringed as a female cygnet at Doffcocker, Bolton on 31/8/2009. Thanks for the sighting!
Steve
Unfortunately you will never see everything at Elton, and I speak from experience, ive missed White-winged black tern and Great white egret in the last few years. As your finding out this year you put in the hours you get rewards, we are having our usual vis mig week this week so have our eyes to the skies more than ever.
Also of interest one of the Mute swans was ringed - IP4.
Noticeable Raptor passage this afternoon the best being:
2 Red Kites picked up from the bridge by crow tree farm circling over the res at 14.25 these then drifted south and circled round above the farm before drifitng s/se and being lost to view at 14.35
5 Common Buzzard
6 Sparrowhawk
3 Kestrel
6 Swallows flew south
2 Wigeon and 2 Teal on withins
41 Tufted on elton
60 Fieldfare sw
2 Treecreeper below withins
Others grey and pied wagtail fly over rook kestral flock of fieldfares lots of tufties
-- Edited by brian fielding on Wednesday 19th of October 2011 04:25:47 PM
Just knew this would happen on a day I was at work,
AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Excellent record.
Cheers Ian
Info thanks to the Simons of Johnson and Warford
quiet the past few days
today 1 wheatear
1 wigeon
1 adult greater black backed gull
quite a few Jays spread about
goosander river
two large flocks of fieldfare over res
kestral on pylon
2 rock pipits, 1 briefly nr pumphouse and 1 over
1 female stonechat at the back of withins, ian campbell only
26 wigeon including one flock of 22 over
7 teal
2 pochard
1 raven
1 kingfisher
3 mipits
lots of fieldfares and redwings over
1 swallow
-- Edited by brian fielding on Saturday 15th of October 2011 12:26:12 PM
1 rock pipit, below pumphouse at 0750 then flew down towards old hall farm, same bird or another reappeared on wall nr pumphouse at 0910 then flew off south
1 gadwall
18 wigeon with 5 teal over
2 ravens on pylon
6 redwings
1 juv arctic tern
2 whooper swans over heading north west
2 ravens
45 redwings passing over in small groups, largest 16
1 raven
6 teal
3 goosander over
1 kingfisher
Cheers Ian