Fri 17/3 18:30-20:00 lovely spring evening sunny and clear but a biting NE breeze

Mistle thrush pair in valley to west singing

Redshank on waters edge flew off from west end high of to North then returne to East side

G c grebe 1 struggling to swallow 2-3 oz perch later seen relaxing with bulging throat and occaisionally shake of head 'did I really eat that'

Hirundine flock feeding over res and South embankment contained at least 20 swallows, 16 sand martins and 2 house martins

Wheatear 1 m first for me this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pied wagtail at least 20 with 1 female seen

Goldfinch 1

Goosander 4 m 2imm M and 7 f

Mallard mf

Nice to meet Steve brown and another gentleman starting birding but into photography

Meadow pipits and skylarks

c 20 Wheatear amongst the rock piles along the North shore
Common Sandpiper
2 Linnet
A few Swallows and a single Sand Martin

2 Pied Wagtails

Just across the road was a Stonechat hopping on and off the wall.
3 Meadow Pipits
1 Curlew

Ashworth Road
1Bullfinch
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker

-- Edited by Adam Jones on Saturday 11th of April 2015 06:37:37 PM

Well Rob,we were talking about breeding birds not passage migrants.

"Met the DAves hill and Ousey and reminisced about the loss of quality birds in the last decades due to ..........? "

I guess it's how far you go classing your bird's as quality Mike ??
I reckon Ashworth Moor Reservoir does pretty well for a relatively high Pennine Moorland Reservoir..
Scaup, Red Kite, Cuckoo, Ring Ouzel, Little Gull, Arctic tern, Grey Phalarope, Black Redstart, Common Scotor, Short-eared Owl, Whimbrel, Iceland Gull..with 5 different Lapland Buntings and flocks of up to 22 Snow Buntings not too far away on the Moors..
I think they are quality birds myself...
Rob

Common Scoter still there at 7pm on a flat calm resevoir

1m, 1f Wheatear too

Common Scotor on the Reservoir first thing.. Still there 0845..
Ringed Plover flew over West but didn't land..
Several Redpoll again over high North..

2 Redpoll high over the Reservoir flying north first thing this morning..
Rob

This evening, 18.00 to 19.30.
Nice to meet Harry Kelly, a fellow birder.

Wheatear 2m, 2f.
Kestrel 2m, 1f.
Curlew x 4.
Canada Goose x 39.
Goosander 2m, 6f.
Tufted Duck 3m, 2f.
Mallard 1m.
LBB Gull x 34.
BH Gull x 16.
Common Gull x 1.
Pheasant 1m, 2f.
Pied Wagtail,
Skylark
Meadow Pipit.

This evening 18.00 to 19.00.

Canada Geese x 23.
LBB Gull x 23.
BH Gull x 1.
Mallard x 1m.
Goosander 2m, 2f.
Curlew x 2.
Kestrel 1m, 1f.
Meadow Pipit,
Skylark.
Pied Wagtail.

4/4 evening walk in cold wnw breeze

Met the DAves hill and Ousey and reminisced about the loss of quality birds in the last decades due to ..........?

LBb Gull 20 in and out
H Gull 2 second and third year birds on and thro

Goosander 4 m 10 f

C. 5 curlews bubbling
Lapwing 2

Skylarks pairs and several singing
Meadow pipits several song flight displaying
Pied wagtail several males

-- Edited by Mike c cooper on Sunday 5th of April 2015 12:35:18 PM

Afternoon walk 28/3

V. little gull activity Couple of lesser black backs

2 goosander m+f
2 curlew
8+ Canada Geese in fields below the dam
Heard Skylarks which didn't seem to want to venture out in the blustery conditions
3+ meadow pipits who managed a display flight or two
3 Pied Wagtails
2 Kestrels m+f hunting

27/3 lunchtime 12:45-13:15

Cormorant 1
LBb gull c 30
B hd full 6

Curlew 2

Canada goose 4

Kestrel m hunting

Buzzed circling in valley

Pied wagtail 2 m

This morning,
Redshank,
2 Grey Partridge,
Great Crested Grebe
2 Kestrel
Little Owl
Grey Wagtail
2 Oystercatcher
6 Curlew
3 Skylark
Few returning Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting..

Sun 15/2 14:45-16:45 clear sunny misty later still then cold e breeze towards dusk

Canada goose 81
Lapwing 95

Goosander 25 (8m)

Herring gull c 40 mostly ad
L Bb gull c 10
C gull c 20
B hd gulls c 300
G Bb gull 2ad +1 imm

Goldfinch 5 west end

Cheesden brook
Fieldfare 25 plus 10 starlings
Dipper flying upstream

Afternoon visit turned up

Pied Wagtail and more unusually for the site a Grey Wagtail
Two Skylarks (first of the year)
Goosander x 2 (red heads)

plus

Herring Gull
Black Headed Gull
Canada Geese
Lapwing

Rob Creek wrote:

---

rob archer wrote:

---

1st winter Iceland Gull briefly on the Res this morning.. Flew off East at 0905

---

...are you thinking it could possibly be the same bird as the one seen at Elton Res within the hour Rob???

---

The Iceland Gull seen at Elton this morning was an Adult bird not a First Winter so not the same Bird.
Seems there has been some movement of Iceland Gulls going off other sightings also being reported in GM.
Cheers Steven

rob archer wrote:

---

1st winter Iceland Gull briefly on the Res this morning.. Flew off East at 0905

---

...are you thinking it could possibly be the same bird as the one seen at Elton Res within the hour Rob???

1st winter Iceland Gull briefly on the Res this morning.. Flew off East at 0905

0750 to 1000hrs..
Single Pink-footed Goose in with Canada Geese
Buzzard
Pair of Stonechat
c150 Lapwing

4 Whooper Swan flew onto the Res at 10.45 from the East..
Still there at 11.15.
Rob

Strange one this morning... A Great Tit flew out of the overflow channel..?
Rob..

Late one from Sunday afternoon c.14:30

Almost a full house of gulls...

Great black backed x 4
Lesser black backed x 3
Black headed x loads
Herring x 12 (a number of juv

Goosander x 3 (2m, 1f)
Canada Goose x 2
Mallard x 3 (2m, 1f)
Lapwing x 15

Quick visit at lunchtime today 13:15-13:45 before cold drove me into my car

Strong www cold wind res full

11 Canada geese
22 b hd gulls - hundreds in valley flying up cheesden brook

kestrel fem hunting

Sat 17/1 11:30-12:15 cold sunny spells snow showers sledging with grand daughter

Bhd gull 4
C gull 6
Kestrel f hunting
Raven with carrion

Sun 11/1 15:00 strong SW wind very cold dull
Goosander mmmmfff

G Bb gull 7 ad
B hd gull c 30

P wagtail 1

Mon 5/1 14:15-14:45 cold dull damp still

Goosander mmfffff
Canada goose 20+

G Bb gull 2ad a 3y and a 1y
H gull 2ad 2y and three 1ys
Common gull c. 20
B hd gull c 60

Male Merlin tonight flew fast and low South across the Reservoir at last light tonight...putting up a Meadow Pipit which it chased high into the sky against a fantastic sunset but lost sight of it when dropping low again..
Not seen a Merlin here in December before.. Also,
54 Goosander
c600 mixed flock Common/Black-headed Gull
Kestrel
c50 Fieldfare..
Rob

Mon 1/12 14:15-15:00

Goosander m
Tufted m

GBb gull 1 ad
H gull 12
L Bb gull c 20
C gull 29
B hd gull c 40

P wagtail 1

Mon 24/11 12:45-13:15 bright still cold

Mallard MMF
Goldeneye 1F
Tufted Duck M

Lapwing 14 very active and lots of bobbing bowing - display???

B hd gull c 80
L Bb Gil 4
C gull 10

P wagtail 3
Linnet 1
Meadow pipit 5

-- Edited by Mike c cooper on Monday 24th of November 2014 04:03:44 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 24th of November 2014 05:22:48 PM

Woodcock flying low along the Reservoir banking last light tonight was a new one for me up here.. Rob

Mid Morning
Calm and quiet.
Goldeneye brownheads x 2
Canada Geese x 73 flew in.
GBB Gull x 1
Lapwing x 4

Long walk today high on the Moors and Edges above and around the Reservoir ( Mostly in Lancs) trying to track down Craig's possible sighting from yesterday.. Nothing found by me unfortunately but 2 Twite flew off the Moors over Ramsbottom towards Holcombe at around 1130..
Rob

Drake Scaup still present at least until 1pm today with 3 Tufted Duck.
Also poss/prob R L Buzzard flew NW on moorland edge , mobbed by corvids, but was lost to view after trying to get ahead of it in the car.. Could be still in the Chhesden area.
Craig.

Drake Scaup still present at 1630... Nice find Mike.. Was about to drive over to check the Res but on checking the forum saw your post so tabbed over instead.. A new bird on foot for me.. Cheers.. Rob..

Mon 3/11 13:00-14:00 lovely sunny day with bitter SE breeze

Scaup m 1st winter/eclipse

Tufted 5 m

Mallard Mmff

Goldeneye f

Goosander mffff

G c grebe 2 wp

Lapwing 19

GBb gull 1 3y
H gull 2imm
LBb gull c. 40
B hd gull 20

Pied wagtail 1imm

-- Edited by Mike c cooper on Monday 3rd of November 2014 02:56:38 PM

Female Pintail on the res first thing this morning.. Flew off South towards Elton at 0800. Rob

Late Afternoon
Great Crested Grebe x 2
Tufted Duck x 1
Lapwing c 30
Goosander x 3
Canada Geese x 41

Kingfisher by the overflow this morning... An unusual bird up here. 3 Wheatear Dunlin Common Sandpiper..

Afternoon.
6 Tufted Duck
2 Wheatear on fence posts at overflow

Mid-day
Tufted Duck x 6
Canada Geese x 61
Lapwing x 17
Meadow Pipit c 10 - but many more in surrounding fields.
Pied Wagtail x 2
Wheatear x 1

Sun 14/9 18:15-19:45 clear sunny cold ne breeze

G c grebe 2
Goosander 30 f

C goose 2
Lapwing 73

B hd gull 12
L Bb gull 40+

Meadow pipit at least 40 over
P wagtail 5
G wagtail 1

M thrush 7

Sun 24/8 16:15-17:10 bright sunny w breeze

G c grebe 2 ad
Goosander 4 f
C goose 5
Lbbgull c. 60
C gull 1ad
B hd gull 3
H gull 2 ad

WHeatear 6 imms
Meadow pipit 5
P wagtail 4

Mon 13:45-14:20 sunny spells & rain shower

2possibly 3 g c grebes

5 goosanders f

C. 150 LBb Gull

Sand martin 1

Swallow 4

Late lunch round the res 3 while 4. Highlights, little owl & golden plover

Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling yesterday 25th July at 9.30am. I could hear it from the car park but it was faint and I was not able to locate it.

11th June
Wheatear - Well grown juveniles x 3 on the wall. Male closeby.
Sand Martin x 1 over (presumably from Fletcher Bank Quarry)
Lapwings c30
Canada Geese c50 plus a pair with four young.

Early evening

Wheatear x 2 (2m)
Pied Wagtail x 4 (3m, 1f)
Meadow Pipit x 2
Mix of Great Black Backed Gull and Lesser Black Backed Gull totalling c. 20 birds
Lapwing
Kestrel x 1 (1m) hunting below the dam
Swallows c. 15
Mallard x 1 (1m)

Also heard a Cuckoo below the Dam but failed to locate!!!

A single Arctic tern around 2pm but only for about 5 minutes

Also 22 Lesser black-backed Gulls
Lots of hirundines - approx 60+ Sand martins and 100+ Swallows
1 male Wheatear

Mon 13:30-14:00 sunny clear still

LBb gull at least 70 with 40-50 on water and birds coming and going
H gull 4 2/3yrs

Lapwing 8
Curlew at least. 3

P wagtail 3m 1f

White wagtail 1m

Sand martin 15 in 3parties
Swallow 2

Wheatear MF