10 Common Sandpipers this morning - the low water levels seem to be attractive to them. Lets hope Wood Sand or a Stint next!
2 Black-necked Grebes also
Mike Baron said
Tue Apr 20 11:57 PM, 2010
This evening:
4 Common Sandpipers 1 Wheatear 4 Black-necked Grebes 80+ Swallows 400+ Sand Martins 1 House Martin
Yesterday evening 3 Little Ringed Plovers present
Mike Baron said
Mon Apr 19 9:28 AM, 2010
This morning in the drizzle:
5 Common Sandpipers 1 Little Ringed Plover 2 Wheatears (Greenland males) 1 Black-necked Grebe (has been 5 last few days) 85+ Sand Martins 35+ Swallows
All the Wigeon have now left
Geoff Walton said
Fri Apr 16 10:43 PM, 2010
We called on the way back from Penny, and saw at least 4 BNG. A first for one of us.
Mike Baron said
Fri Apr 16 10:08 AM, 2010
4 BNG's this morning - 2 pairs. By my reckoning this makes at least 11 birds through this Spring. Also Yellow Wagtail. Wheatear yesterday
Tony Coatsworth said
Tue Apr 13 11:42 AM, 2010
2 BNG this morning
Mike Baron said
Fri Apr 9 8:58 AM, 2010
1 BNG this morning plus Common Sandpiper
Mike Baron said
Thu Apr 8 9:59 PM, 2010
1 BNG present on Tuesday - this bird seen only on this day (distinguishing markings).
Four BNG's present last two days.
Pumping station is private property.
JOHN TYMON said
Thu Apr 8 4:26 PM, 2010
Al Foy wrote:
If you drive past the flash, there is on the left, set back from the road, a kennels and a pumping station.
I am not too sure if I am trespassing but I have driven round the pumping station and parked in the front of same.
as my post below-you have to park 300 meters further south than the kennels anywere else isn't right.
Al Foy said
Thu Apr 8 3:10 PM, 2010
If you drive past the flash, there is on the left, set back from the road, a kennels and a pumping station.
I am not too sure if I am trespassing but I have driven round the pumping station and parked in the front of same.
Mike Baron said
Mon Apr 5 5:26 PM, 2010
JOHN TYMON wrote:
went past houghton green pool this morning and unfortunately,its not a supprise birders get bad names at times.There were 4 cars parked across the owner of the pools main entrance to his house,and a group of birders with scopes were on top of the hill looking on the pool,even though the owner doasn't mind people walking around the pool there is no public right on that side of the pool either.So Please anyone visiting houghton green ,be very carefull parking on the corner where the sharp bend is,there is only one parking space there and any more is blocking the gate that leads to the owners house-thats unless we want access all together stopping to the pool,as it is a privately owned site,with a short public footpath on the east side of the pool. The only official parking area,is 300 meters further south,either down the lane by minhops farm,or on the off parking area by the footpath entrance gate.This gate also is the official public footpath that leads you to the entrance to the pool on the south bank.i was too embarrased to stop at my local patch today,as i didn't want the owner to think i was involved in the careless parking that was blocking his drive
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 4th of April 2010 03:30:18 PM
A good point well made John - totally agree.
In any case no BNG's present today - lots of hirundines though.
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Apr 4 2:38 PM, 2010
went past houghton green pool this morning and unfortunately,its not a supprise birders get bad names at times.There were 4 cars parked across the owner of the pools main entrance to his house,and a group of birders with scopes were on top of the hill looking on the pool,even though the owner doasn't mind people walking around the pool there is no public right on that side of the pool either.So Please anyone visiting houghton green ,be very carefull parking on the corner where the sharp bend is,there is only one parking space there and any more is blocking the gate that leads to the owners house-thats unless we want access all together stopping to the pool,as it is a privately owned site,with a short public footpath on the east side of the pool. The only official parking area,is 300 meters further south,either down the lane by minhops farm,or on the off parking area by the footpath entrance gate.This gate also is the official public footpath that leads you to the entrance to the pool on the south bank.i was too embarrased to stop at my local patch today,as i didn't want the owner to think i was involved in the careless parking that was blocking his drive
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 4th of April 2010 03:30:18 PM
Karen Foulkes said
Sun Apr 4 11:56 AM, 2010
Am 3 Black Necked Grebe 4+ GC Grebe Tufties (didn't count) Wigeon (didn't count) Cormorant House Martin 2+ Sand Martin 30+ Swallow 8+ Chiffchaff
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 4th of April 2010 11:58:03 AM
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Mar 27 8:19 PM, 2010
Mike Baron wrote:
JOHN TYMON wrote:
pm wigeon-67Y great crested grebe-5 tufted-15 cormorant-1 oystercatcher-2 linnet-20 no sign of bng
The BNG was present this morning John but surprisingly elusive. White Wagtail also there.
yep supprising how they can hide on that small water
Mike Baron said
Sat Mar 27 7:43 PM, 2010
JOHN TYMON wrote:
pm wigeon-67Y great crested grebe-5 tufted-15 cormorant-1 oystercatcher-2 linnet-20 no sign of bng
The BNG was present this morning John but surprisingly elusive. White Wagtail also there.
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Mar 27 4:48 PM, 2010
pm wigeon-67 great crested grebe-5 tufted-15 cormorant-1 oystercatcher-2 linnet-20 no sign of bng
Mike Baron said
Fri Mar 26 11:09 AM, 2010
2 Wheatears in field by Midhops farm this morning (male and female)
3 Sand Martins dropped in briefly then went off high (they have been present last few days)
Black-necked Grebe still present
No dodgy characters today!
JOHN TYMON said
Tue Mar 23 4:53 PM, 2010
Pete Astles wrote:
Did not realise round other side of lake is a public footpath leading over M6 to croft making this a good starting point to cover that area as well.
As with anywere just be wary when going through the underpass,which leads to the m6 bridge as through vast experience of the area,it occasionally is a drinking area for youths at night and weekends.
Thanks John - yes thinking about it I have on occassion seen some unsavoury characters around here. The underpass might not be the place to be on your own.
no probs,ive had a few close calls on houghton green with idiots in the past,but its no different than anywere else,as long as your carefull its a beltin patch
Pete Astles said
Tue Mar 23 3:47 PM, 2010
Did not realise round other side of lake is a public footpath leading over M6 to croft making this a good starting point to cover that area as well.
As with anywere just be wary when going through the underpass,which leads to the m6 bridge as through vast experience of the area,it occasionally is a drinking area for youths at night and weekends.
Thanks John - yes thinking about it I have on occassion seen some unsavoury characters around here. The underpass might not be the place to be on your own.
Matt Potter said
Tue Mar 23 1:31 PM, 2010
A quick stop today. I didnt see the Black Necked Grebe, but there were quite a few dog walkers and walkers around the Flash, so it could have been diving a lot.
Plenty of Wigeon, Mallards and Tufted Ducks, along with Coot, Great crested Grebe, Cormorant, Ostercatcher, Ringed Plover and a Lapwing.
JOHN TYMON said
Tue Mar 23 1:02 PM, 2010
Pete Astles wrote:
Afternoon walk
3 Great Crested Grebes 2 Oystercatchers 1 Black Necked Grebe in centre of lake Plenty Wigeon still about
Did not realise round other side of lake is a public footpath leading over M6 to croft making this a good starting point to cover that area as well.
As with anywere just be wary when going through the underpass,which leads to the m6 bridge as through vast experience of the area,it occasionally is a drinking area for youths at night and weekends.
Pete Astles said
Mon Mar 22 7:04 PM, 2010
Afternoon walk
3 Great Crested Grebes 2 Oystercatchers 1 Black Necked Grebe in centre of lake Plenty Wigeon still about
Did not realise round other side of lake is a public footpath leading over M6 to croft making this a good starting point to cover that area as well.
sid ashton said
Sun Mar 21 6:24 PM, 2010
Black-necked Grebe still there amongst the Wigeon at 15.00.
Anne Wilkinson said
Sun Mar 21 4:18 PM, 2010
10am. BN Grebe showing well.
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Mar 20 2:38 PM, 2010
1.45-2.15 Black necked grebe-1 summer plumage redshank-2 oystercatcher-2 great crested grebe-5 wigeon-65 water level as low as ive seen it,seems like too much water is being extracted nowthe growing reedbed is now 10 feet above dry land,so hopes for the great crested nesting have gone for now,unless we have a lot of rain.
Mike Baron said
Sat Mar 20 8:55 AM, 2010
Bng still present this morning
Mike Baron said
Thu Mar 18 7:40 AM, 2010
Black-necked Grebe present this morning
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Feb 27 3:04 PM, 2010
quick call in on the way back from penny wigeon-78 cormorant-2 pochard-4 tufted mallard redshank-1 kestrel-1
For the first time since I have been watching this place, not a single bird seen today!
Nothing. Nada. Nichts. Rien.....
The pool is totally frozen and completely covered in snow.
Amazing really when you consider how many birds were on there a week ago,never known it without coots!be interesting to see if it ever recovers this winter,as a lot of the coots etc are almost resident,and this is normallthe time the wigeon flock builds up,if they have gone to Martin Mere,will they ever come back this winter.si thi downt lane
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 6th of January 2010 05:22:20 PM
Mike Baron said
Wed Jan 6 4:21 PM, 2010
For the first time since I have been watching this place, not a single bird seen today!
Nothing. Nada. Nichts. Rien.....
The pool is totally frozen and completely covered in snow.
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Jan 3 4:04 PM, 2010
late pm 50m stretch open ,rest frozen still had wigeon-76 coot-56 mallard-27 redshank-1 40 mixed gulls in the centre.
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Jan 1 7:48 PM, 2010
Mike Baron wrote:
2 Golden Plover in field south of pool this morning
Pool largely frozen - 72 Wigeon, 5 Tufties and 11 Pochard present plus Buzzard and 43 Lapwings
Happy New Year everyone!
Mike
Them wigeon seem to be commuting again mike ,late pm seem to have the highest counts,the other day there were 85 on my way to penny late am and well over 100 at 3.30pm on my way back happy new year to you mike
Mike Baron said
Fri Jan 1 8:49 AM, 2010
2 Golden Plover in field south of pool this morning
Pool largely frozen - 72 Wigeon, 5 Tufties and 11 Pochard present plus Buzzard and 43 Lapwings
2 Redwings and 2 Fieldfares feeding with Song Thrush and Blackbirds on the "lawn"
Very quiet on the water
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Oct 18 3:49 PM, 2009
QUICK NIP TO MY OLD PATCH PRODUCED-3.15-3.30 WIGEON-7 GOLDEN EYE-2 ADULT MALES AND 1 IMM MALE(STRANGE BUT THE POOL ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE A MALE BIAS WITH GOLDEN EYE ,WHICH IS OPPOSITE TO ANYWERE ELSE I KNOW) LITTLE GREBE-7 GREAT CRESTED GREBE-5 MUTE SWAN-2 COMMON BUZZARD-1 HERRING GULL 9 LBB GULL-5 MALLARD -30
Mike Baron said
Wed Oct 7 11:53 AM, 2009
Green Sandpiper this morning - also present yesterday and two last Friday
2 Black-necked Grebes also
4 Common Sandpipers
1 Wheatear
4 Black-necked Grebes
80+ Swallows
400+ Sand Martins
1 House Martin
Yesterday evening 3 Little Ringed Plovers present
5 Common Sandpipers
1 Little Ringed Plover
2 Wheatears (Greenland males)
1 Black-necked Grebe (has been 5 last few days)
85+ Sand Martins
35+ Swallows
All the Wigeon have now left
Also Yellow Wagtail.
Wheatear yesterday
Four BNG's present last two days.
Pumping station is private property.
as my post below-you have to park 300 meters further south than the kennels anywere else isn't right.
I am not too sure if I am trespassing but I have driven round the pumping station and parked in the front of same.
A good point well made John - totally agree.
In any case no BNG's present today - lots of hirundines though.
The only official parking area,is 300 meters further south,either down the lane by minhops farm,or on the off parking area by the footpath entrance gate.This gate also is the official public footpath that leads you to the entrance to the pool on the south bank.i was too embarrased to stop at my local patch today,as i didn't want the owner to think i was involved in the careless parking that was blocking his drive
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 4th of April 2010 03:30:18 PM
3 Black Necked Grebe
4+ GC Grebe
Tufties (didn't count)
Wigeon (didn't count)
Cormorant
House Martin 2+
Sand Martin 30+
Swallow 8+
Chiffchaff
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 4th of April 2010 11:58:03 AM
yep supprising how they can hide on that small water
The BNG was present this morning John but surprisingly elusive. White Wagtail also there.
wigeon-67
great crested grebe-5
tufted-15
cormorant-1
oystercatcher-2
linnet-20
no sign of bng
3 Sand Martins dropped in briefly then went off high (they have been present last few days)
Black-necked Grebe still present
No dodgy characters today!
no probs,ive had a few close calls on houghton green with idiots in the past,but its no different than anywere else,as long as your carefull its a beltin patch
As with anywere just be wary when going through the underpass,which leads to the m6 bridge as through vast experience of the area,it occasionally is a drinking area for youths at night and weekends.
Thanks John - yes thinking about it I have on occassion seen some unsavoury characters around here. The underpass might not be the place to be on your own.
Plenty of Wigeon, Mallards and Tufted Ducks, along with Coot, Great crested Grebe, Cormorant, Ostercatcher, Ringed Plover and a Lapwing.
As with anywere just be wary when going through the underpass,which leads to the m6 bridge as through vast experience of the area,it occasionally is a drinking area for youths at night and weekends.
3 Great Crested Grebes
2 Oystercatchers
1 Black Necked Grebe in centre of lake
Plenty Wigeon still about
Did not realise round other side of lake is a public footpath leading over M6 to croft making this a good starting point to cover that area as well.
Black necked grebe-1 summer plumage
redshank-2
oystercatcher-2
great crested grebe-5
wigeon-65
water level as low as ive seen it,seems like too much water is being extracted nowthe growing reedbed is now 10 feet above dry land,so hopes for the great crested nesting have gone for now,unless we have a lot of rain.
wigeon-78
cormorant-2
pochard-4
tufted
mallard
redshank-1
kestrel-1
1 Pink-footed Goose (grazing with the Mallards)
4 Shoveler
16 Mallard
9 Coot
1 Pochard
11 Tufted Duck
65 Wigeon
1 Redshank
2 Oystercatchers
73 Wigeon
7 Tufted Duck
2 Pochard
12 Coot
145 Black-headed Gulls
15 Common Gulls
3 Lesser Black-backs
2 Herring Gulls
85 Lapwings
2 Stock Doves
50 or so Wigeon
20 Tufted
6 Teal
1 Cormorant
1 Redshank
1 Kestrel
Good low views of Buzzard by Dogs Home
6 Goldfinch by motorway
1 Wren
2 Long Tailed
Stop off at waterworks lane
Numerous flocks of tree sparrows in hedges
6 Yellow Hammers
1 Grey Partridge
-- Edited by Pete Astles on Sunday 31st of January 2010 02:30:54 PM
Peregrine present this afternoon plus usual suspects
66 Wigeon
8 Mallard
1 Tufted Duck
2 Coots
60 Lapwings
This morning it is ice free - 13 Wigeon, 11 Mallard, 2 Coot and 2 Tufted Duck plus couple of Buzzards and a Heron all welcome!
A pair of Mallard have been roosting on the ice this week - this morning 11 were asleep on the ice plus:
90+ BHG's
2 Common Gulls
1 Grey Heron
7 Fieldfares
10 Lapwings
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Skylark
Amazing really when you consider how many birds were on there a week ago,never known it without coots!be interesting to see if it ever recovers this winter,as a lot of the coots etc are almost resident,and this is normallthe time the wigeon flock builds up,if they have gone to Martin Mere,will they ever come back this winter.si thi downt lane
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 6th of January 2010 05:22:20 PM
Nothing.
Nada.
Nichts.
Rien.....
The pool is totally frozen and completely covered in snow.
50m stretch open ,rest frozen
still had
wigeon-76
coot-56
mallard-27
redshank-1
40 mixed gulls in the centre.
Them wigeon seem to be commuting again mike ,late pm seem to have the highest counts,the other day there were 85 on my way to penny late am and well over 100 at 3.30pm on my way back
happy new year to you mike
Pool largely frozen - 72 Wigeon, 5 Tufties and 11 Pochard present plus Buzzard and 43 Lapwings
Happy New Year everyone!
Mike
tufted-61
pochard-20
woodcock-1>s
mute swan-1
redshank-1
tufted
pochard
mallard
buzzard
68 Wigeon
56 Coot
60+ Mallard
3 Mute Swan
21 Tufted Duck
6 Pochard
1 Little Grebe
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
21 Lapwings
3 Fieldfares
350+ Woodies
35+ Linnets
55 Wigeon
62 Coot
12 Tufted Duck
2 Goldeneye (duck and drake)
2 Little Grebe
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Fieldfare
2 Buzzard
40 Lapwing
34 Wigeon
1 Pochard
18 Tufted Duck
54 Coot
2 Little Grebe
1 Great Crested Grebe
3 Mute Swan
59 Fieldfare
40+ Mallard
2 Redwings and 2 Fieldfares feeding with Song Thrush and Blackbirds on the "lawn"
Very quiet on the water
WIGEON-7
GOLDEN EYE-2 ADULT MALES AND 1 IMM MALE(STRANGE BUT THE POOL ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE A MALE BIAS WITH GOLDEN EYE ,WHICH IS OPPOSITE TO ANYWERE ELSE I KNOW)
LITTLE GREBE-7
GREAT CRESTED GREBE-5
MUTE SWAN-2
COMMON BUZZARD-1
HERRING GULL 9
LBB GULL-5
MALLARD -30
Plus:
1 Wigeon
1 Buzzard
68 Coot
2 Mute Swans
7 Little Grebes
3 Great Crested Grebes
4 Tufted Ducks
1 Reed Bunting
1 Mipit
94 Black-headed Gulls
very quiet
Also observed earlier feeding with mixed gull flock in field off Arbury Lane in Winwick and also field at junction of Highfield and Myddleton Lanes
Buzzard
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Yellow Wagtail
Common Sandpiper
2 Black-necked Grebes
90 Lapwings
470+ BHG's
12 Common Gulls
9 LBBG's