2/9/10 upto 8.15am

5 Spotted Flycatchers (2 north of Creek in Hawthorns, 2 at narrow end of Withins in hedge & 1 in apple tree behind sailing club also getting on sailing club roof).

Redstart - male at very top of "Redstart" hedge.

Shelduck - 1
Wigeon - 4
Teal - 4
Little Grebe - 2

just a quick look over the main lake tonight and other than the usual canada geese, great crested grebes tonight were, 1 common gull, 7 snipe, 5 linnets, 1 willow warbler, 2 heron, and 3 reed buntings

Stephen, yes it is me in the blue MPV.

2 Spotted flycatchers.
2 Sedge Warblers.

Loads of dog walkers, and a barbecue in progress by the waters edge.

Keep Birding

Today at Elton:

Juvenile Tree Sparrow along the canal
6 Little Owl
2 Sedge Warbler
Several Whitethroat
Female Sparrowhawk
2 Wheater below pumphouse
4 Snipe
2 juvenile Little Grebe
7 Teal
2 Wigeon

0800 till 1300
best morning for a while
4 spotted flycatchers, 2 in hedge to right of creek, 1 in the creek, 1 between creek and capsticks
4 wheatear, 3 nr creek, 1 pumphouse
1 buzzard over creek, my first here for a long time
2 wigeon, boathouse
7 teal
3 snipe
6 linnets

This morning:

Spotted Flycatcher below wall
2 Wheatear below pump house
2 Little Owl
Juvenile Sparrowhawk
post breeding flock of 23 Mistle Thrush
Raven sat on fence post near Crow Trees farm
on res
Juvenile Shelduck
2 juvenile Little Grebe
Goosander

3 Spotted Flycatchers this morning (1 Capsticks & 2 flycatching from the wall 50 feet from the pumphouse, only the second time I can remember seeing them on the wall).

Single juv Wheatear also on the wall.
Garden Warbler Capsticks
8 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warblers and several Chiffchaffs.
3 Teal
Quite a few Meadow Pipits moving overhead.

Juvenile Arctic Tern & 2 female Goosander early evening.

Single Arctic Tern on res. at 17:30.

7-11 am with Simon's Johnson and Warford

On res - nothing unusual
2 Snipe

Capsticks:
1 Lesser Whitehroat (Simon Johnson)
1 Yellow Wagtail over (Simon Johnson)

Crow Tree Farm
Large finch flock
2 Lesser Whitethroat

The Dip:
2 Blackcap
1 Garden Warbler

Still many Willow Warbler and Whitethroats around.

7-10am with Sue Fargher.

Good selection of warblers near the creek including 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, and several Willow Warblers and Whitethroats. Not much else around apart from the usual stuff. Did have 2 Little Owls near Crow Tree farm (1 adult and 1 juv).

Looking back from the canal, over the hedgerow towards the main res we had 2 Sparrowhawk flying close to each other plus 1 Spotted Flycatcher showing well, but a bit distant.

0715 till 0930
not much about in heavy rain
4 snipe
1 kingfisher
a few linnets
1 little grebe

Late evening soaking - also got stranded at Radcliffe as the trams were suspended due to a falling tree! Love the British summer I do.

On res
Tufted Duck
Shoveler
Mallard 154
GCG 3
Little grebe
Snipe 4 - Wader point

Crow Tree Farm
Swallow 70
Sand Martin 20
House Martin 10
Greenfinch 30
House Sparrow 25

Coney Green
Lapwing 50
Sand Martin 40 to roost with 60 Swallow

0745 till 1145
1 common tern
1 little grebe
2 greylags
missed spot fly in the dip
10 linnets in the creek
1 little owl
2 bullfinch
singing willow warbler and chiffchaff

19/8/10 - fairly quiet

Single Shoveler, pair of Gadwall, several Teal and Snipe on the Resr.
Lesser Whitethroat Capsticks
Spotted Flycatcher in the Dip.
Bumped into Brian Fogg who had Whinchat & 2 Common Scoter middle of last week.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Thursday 19th of August 2010 09:16:54 AM

7.15-10.00 with P Johnson. 3 Spotted Flycatcher in hedgerow above dip, 2 then flew off South very high. Above res. at 7.15 100+ Sand Martin and 20 Swift these also quickly moved on. 5 Linnet on wires near Bennies. Juv Little Grebe on res with 1 Snipe over. 1 Teal in Capsticks. Adult and juv Little Owl near Crow Trees. 20+ flock of Mistle Thrush in fields of Corran Stud. Kestrel and Sparrowhawk seen. In the dip area large numbers of Goldfinch a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Whitethroat, 2 Little Grebe and the Spotted Flycatcher still there at 10.00 a.m.
Last visit for 2 weeks as I'm off to Lesvos tommorrow

Quick look this a.m. in the drizzle, 4 Common Tern over res and nice flock of at least 34 Linnetaround the pump house.
Cheers Ian

Ian Campbell wrote:

---

large number of Willow Warbler( almost one in every tree!),

---

Ian, can you imagine how many Warblers you would get if you ventured on to the field/north side of the Res which holds by far the majority of the habitat

7-8.45a.m. 2 Raven on pylon, 1 Common Tern over res, 1 Spotted Flycatchet at top of dip, large number of Willow Warbler( almost one in every tree!), 1 Lesser Whitethroat feeding on Blackberries by side of canal near Corran Stud and large number of Swallows passing over.
Cheers Ian

07.15 'til 10.00 with Warfy Jnr

3 Teal (Res & Capsticks)
4 Snipe (Capticks)
2 Lesser Whitethroat (1 below pumphouse, 1 canal near Bennies)
1 Garden Warbler (below pumphouse)
9 Linnets (below pumphouse)
2 Spotted Flycatchers (in field between car park & dip)

Also several Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and usual stuff. A slow start but birds starting to show well in the sun. An enjoyable walk round.

07.15 'til 10.00 with Sue F

On main res:
2 small waders (poss little / ringed plover) in front of boathouse
1 kestrel with 3 crows (not sure which was chasing which!)
4 common tern

crow tree farm:
1 lesser whitethroat
1 willow warbler
3 linnet
70+ goldfinch
2 mistle thrush

Canal / bennies
3 whitetroat
1 snipe
2 linnet (1 juv)

7.30-9.00 a.m. Just missed the Whimbrel but did see; juv Stonechat(at Capsticks end of res), 54 Swift(appeared from nowhere 8.00am), 200+ Sand Martin, 5 Common Tern(3 stayed 5 mins, 2 still there when I left) and nice flock of 16 Linnet moving around the pumphouse area.
Cheers Ian

Whimbrel over north west calling at 7.30am this morning.
Lesser Whitethroat yesterday evening in the Dip+5 Little Grebe.
90+ Lapwing below Pumphouse.

0800 till 1145
3 juv little ringed plover boathouse
1 grasshopper warbler singing below withins
3 common tern
4 snipe
1 kingfisher
1 little owl



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 12th of August 2010 12:54:15 PM

6am-8am

Willow Tit - in small tit flock below Withins
Whitethroat 11 dotted about (3 below Withins and 3 Dip highest groups)
Gropper - Juv - below withins
Sedge Warbler 2 - wader point
Chiffchaff 8
Willow Warbler 10
Blackcap - dip
Reed Warbler 2 - Coney Green

Res
Common Tern
Teal - capsticks
Sand Martin 80 - gathering on wires - also a flock of 100+ Moved south
Swift 10
Spahawk
Lapwing 35 plus 78 at coney green
Little Grebe juv
Linnet 39
Grey Wag 4

0800 till 1145
still very quiet
1 common tern, res
4 snipe, wader piont
12 linnets, pumphouse
1 sparrowhawk
1 kestrel
1 little owl
5 little grebe including 3 young

0800 till 1100
not much
2 common tern, res
1 kingfisher, canal nr bennys
1 grey wagtail, withins outflow
1 female blackcap, capsticks
2 little grebe, dip

Early a.m. no sign of the 2 Green Sandpipers reported yesterday, approx 80 Swift over the res. for 10 mins then they moved on and thats about it.
Cheers Ian

0800 till 1200
2 green sandpipers, boathouse
1 lesser whitethroat, below withins
1 common tern, res
1 kingfisher, capsticks
20 linnets, bennys

Early a.m. On the res 2 juv. Great Crested Grebe(no sign of adults) and 8 Lapwing. Over the res. 50+ Swift, 100+ Sand Martin, lots of Swallows and small number of House Martin. On Withins 1 adult and 2 juv. Great Crested Grebe, in field at side 1 Skylark with food. Below Withins most of the Warblers have gone, spent 30 mins at Redstart hedge but no Redstarts!. In field to right of new bridge, on usual woodpile 2 Little Owl. Near canal, after Crow Trees, flock of at least 60 Goldfinch.
Cheers Ian

Evening

6 Snipe wader point
Lapwings
Willow warbler hedge capsticks
Greywags
Heron spen moor ponds

Chaps, just a thought but it might be useful if you could post specific locations on for Spot Flys & the scarcer warblers so we can try and work out if future sightings are new birds &/or how many are going through, especially as we reach peak time for passerines through Elton

0800 till 1200
2 lesser whitethroat
5 snipe
2 little grebe

Early a.m. in the drizzle, 2 Common Tern, 1 Dunlin and 48 Lapwing at the res.
Cheers Ian

Typical - missed the Little Egrets cos I got up late! 9am - 12 Noon mooch around thought got me loads of birds:

1 Shelduck
3 Lesser Whitethroat (family group)
15+ Whitethroat
1 Spotted Flycatcher
1 Garden Warbler
4 Willow Warbler
3 Kestrel
2 Little Owl (at Crow Trees - at least 1 of which was a juv)
1 Skylark (juv sat on fence post)
3 Little Grebe (2 juv)
8 GC Grebe (family of 5 on Withins plus 3 on main res)

7.50 a.m. 4 Little Egrets circled the res before flying off West( GM first for me), also present 3 Dunlin and 1 Shelduck.
Cheers Ian

Early a.m. couldn't find Simon's Dunlin from yesterday but a Peregrine flew in at 7.15 and spent 30 mins perched on top of a pylon, also on res 2 Great Crested Grebe with 2 well grown young(wonder where they came from). Withins still has it's 2 adults with 3 young. Over res lots of Swift, Sand Martin and Swallow and a passage of 80+ House Martin. Still lots of Warblers below Withins and as I was leaving a Lesser Whitethroat in trees near pump house.
Cheers Ian

Also this morning,
Still fairly quiet birdwise.

Single Dunlin on Res.
Male GS Woodpecker in dead tree in the creek, also at least 10 Whitethroat in the Creek and 3 Blackcap & plenty of Willow Warblers in the hedges.

Kingfisher in the Dip on pool also 2 juvenile Little Grebe.
Also in Dip 4+ Chiffchaff and 2 pairs of Blackcap.

Still 3 GC Grebe young on Withins.

Early a.m. nothing on the res. 40+ House Martin over with fewer Swift.
In stream area below Withins double figures of Willow Warbler and Whitethroat with fewer Chiff Chaff and a Kestrel.
Cheers Ian

Early a.m. lots of Swift, Swallow and Sand Martin over the res. but nothing else. 1 Kestrel over Capsticks. 2 juv. Great Spotted Woodpecker near Crow Tree and another Kestrel at Corran Stud. 5 Linnet around Bennies again.
Cheers Ian

Early a.m. 45 Swift at 7.05, all gone 5 mins later, 1 Common Tern over res. and 11 Linnet near Bennies.
Cheers ian

Early a.m. 3 Common Tern, 1 Common Sandpiper, 30 Swift, 100+ Sand Martin and 4 House Martin at the res. In the dip 1 Little Grebe with a juvenile. Near Withins Skylark carrying food.
Cheers Ian

Quick visit a dinner time today, pretty much the same, all quiet for the time, till the migration rush

Keep Birding.

-- Edited by Paul Heaton on Monday 26th of July 2010 05:22:46 PM

Quick look this a.m. in the drizzle, little to report except approx 50 Swift over the res.
Cheers Ian

a.m. with Peter Johnson, 2 Common Tern, 2 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Cormorant on the res. Lots of Whitethroat, Willow Warbler below Withins, 1 Little Owl at Old Hall Farm and a Kestrel at the Corran Stud.
Cheers Ian

walk around hinds, canal, reservoir

Common tern 1
Dipper on river 1
Chiff Chaff 1
White throat 1
Family of Grey Wags
few Lapwings
swifts swallows sand martins
little grebe
heron
flock of house sparrows
Mid air collision within a flock of wood pidgeons by two birds. They went with a thud and one fell to earth. Do not think any one was shooting them.

cheers

ian

Early a.m. dodging the rain, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern and 2 Oystercatcher, 100+ Sand Martin and 1 House Martin on the res. On Withins 3 well grown Great Crested Grebe juv. On the canal 2 pairs Swan still with 3 and 7 young. Lots of Reed Bunting, Whitethroat about and 2 singing Skylark.
Cheers Ian

just checked out the main lake for an hour around eightish today, around a dozen canada geese, cormorant and kestrel flew over, loads of swifts feeding, a few swallow and sand martins too, 3 common terns, ringed plovers bobing about,

nice to meet Ian and Paul today

A perfect guided tour this morning with Warfy wildlife tours, Curlew, Little Grebe feeding young, Great spotted woodpecker, Sedge warbler, Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs, a myriad of Sand Martins Swifts and Swallows.

The Elton Photographer Mr Wilson was out checking the Habitat for Autumns big wader strike, in all an excellent walk round one of Manchester's hotspots.


Thanks for your company gentlemen.


Keep Birding.