is dover basin on the right of the tow path when walking down from the dover lock pub towards pennington?
Rob Thorpe said
Mon Oct 19 2:32 PM, 2009
Monday 19 October 2009
2 Whooper Swan still on Dover Basin this morning. Also 4 Wigeon and a Kingfisher. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Oct 18 10:47 AM, 2009
18/10/09 dawn Dover Basin the 2 whooper swans are still here and seem quite settled.
cheers geoff
Ian Woosey said
Sat Oct 17 1:22 PM, 2009
17/10/09 Early morning
Dover Basin:
2 Whooper Swan still present. Two more flew over @ 09:50 from the Wigan Flashes (Rob`s birds). 400 Pink-footed Geese over in 4 skiens (details on Pink-feet thread) 5 Wigeon 3 Snipe 36 Gadwall 58 Teal 2 Yellowhammer 1 Willow Tit 1 Grey Wagtail 4 Cormorant over 2 Water Rail heard.
Masses of Fieldfare & Redwing moving about but were too numerous and too frequent to log numbers and directions
Rob Thorpe said
Thu Oct 15 10:12 AM, 2009
Thursday 15 October 2009
100+ Pink-footed Geese over @ 09:30, heading NW. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
Judith Smith said
Wed Oct 14 5:13 PM, 2009
At 1600 hrs the 2 Whoopers still there at Dover Basin. No Wigeon on the water ( possibly it was this group that arrived at Scotman's Flash around 1230). Just as I was leaving, 8 Wigeon flew in from the NW (ie down the Hey Brook corridor) circled the basin, but were spooked by men mending fencing in the fields nearby.
Perhaps as well, as I noticed that the exposed shoreline of the tiny part of the basin not now in Lancs WT ownership has been well provisioned with corn to attract wildfowl for shooting. Years ago, the police, BW's foreman and I caught the shooters red-handed shooting on the rest of the basin which then belonged to BW. It didn't do any good. It is I think armed trespass to shoot over land that is not yours. I've told Lancs WT and given them all the details of the shoot manager (who may well be unaware that the land ownership has changed)- we'll see what LWT do to address this. Watch this space...
Rob Thorpe said
Wed Oct 14 10:33 AM, 2009
Wednesday 14 October 2009
2 Whooper Swan and 5 Wigeon on Dover Basin @ 10:00. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
Rob Thorpe said
Tue Oct 13 9:43 AM, 2009
Tuesday 13 October 2009
2 Whooper Swan on Dover Basin @ 09:30, Also 200+ Redwing moving SW. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 13th of October 2009 09:56:07 AM
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Oct 11 1:14 PM, 2009
This morning on Dover Basin
6 whooper swans 9.00 till 9.15
cheers geoff
Ian Woosey said
Sat Sep 26 11:00 AM, 2009
26/9/09 Early morning
Dover Basin:
4 Snipe over 52 Teal 7 Gadwall over 7 Shoveler 2 Tufted Duck 2 Kestrel 17 Pied Wagtail >SW 1 Cormorant over 2 Willow Tit
1 Kingfisher, c30 House Martins, and 1 Grey Wagtail in Glovers Pool area.
Tom Morton said
Mon Sep 21 4:55 PM, 2009
10 Buzzards including 8 in the air together; Sparrowhawk chasing Swallows !; 2 Water Rails Coffin Lane Flash; 13 Snipe; 63 Teal; 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 16 Stock Doves; Willow Tit; Kingfisher; 1 singing Chiffchaff
Judith Smith said
Thu Sep 17 8:23 PM, 2009
2 Green Sandpipers, 6 Snipe and 41 teal Dover Basin; 6+ Teal Lightshaw Hall Flash
Mike Chorley said
Sun Sep 13 3:08 PM, 2009
Ian Woosey wrote:
13/9/09 Morning (through the mist....)
(the TV has mysteriously re-appeared )
Must be a winter visitor, or maybe it's a post-breeding gathering site.
Ian Woosey said
Sun Sep 13 10:51 AM, 2009
13/9/09 Morning (through the mist....)
Dover Basin:
1 Green Sandpiper 2 Snipe 1 Buzzard 1 Kingfisher 35 Teal 7 Shoveler 1 Grey Wagtail 14 Pheasant 2 Cormorant over (the TV has mysteriously re-appeared ).
Lightshaw Hall Flash:
1 Wigeon 6 Snipe
Rob Thorpe said
Wed Sep 9 10:07 AM, 2009
Wednesday 09 September 2009
Hobby, over Coffin Brook Flash area, flew towards Platt Bridge at about 10am. Also a Garden Warbler along path up to Viridor Wood. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Sep 6 5:03 PM, 2009
A bit slow this afternoon,the swallows will probably fledge during the week,water rail heard in the marshes 2 buzzard hunting over a corn field picking off prey just behind the combine,I got some cracking views of one perched up eating, and some bad picturesbut still a pleasant bit of birding
cheers geoff
Geoff Hargreaves said
Mon Aug 31 9:47 PM, 2009
Quick mooch around(and in) the pub after brunch,not much around
apart from 4 just fledged swallows on the roof being fed by numerous others,supposed parents and older siblings,4 other youngsters still in one nest.The house martins have decamped,20+ around viridor maybe the same colony.
cheers geoff
Rob Thorpe said
Sun Aug 30 9:32 PM, 2009
Late news from yesterday, 29 August 2009:
a Grasshopper Warbler was at the Boardwalk between Dover Lock and Coffin Brook Flash. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
Rob Thorpe said
Thu Aug 27 8:08 PM, 2009
Thursday 27 August 2009
a quick walk along the "wrong side" (abram side) of the canal at the Platt Bridge end this afternoon. More evidence of my Chiffchaff "influx" (mentioned earlier in my Wigan Flashes post) with at least 12 in with a large tit flock. Also 6 Grey Partridge on other side (viridor wood side) of canal, and a Buzzard over heading south.
Ian Woosey said
Mon Aug 24 9:52 AM, 2009
24/8/09 Early morning
Quieter than Ricky Pontings` dinner table last night......................
Dover Basin :
1 Green Sandpiper 8 Snipe 2 Kingfisher 20 Teal
Rob Thorpe said
Sat Aug 22 9:19 PM, 2009
Saturday 22 August 2009
a female or juvenile Pintail on Coffin Brook Flash this morning, also a Barn Owl in the area. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
Ian Woosey said
Mon Aug 17 10:29 AM, 2009
17/8/09 Early morning :
Green Sandpiper still present on Dover Basin. Other than that, pretty quiet..........
16 Mistle Thrushes & a single Yellowhammer near Dover Lock Inn.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Aug 9 3:49 PM, 2009
Dover Lock Pub 09/08/09,met the new landlord today and I think he,s 'bird friendly' thier not going to be disturbed, although the swallows gave him a start missing him by inches as he emptied the bins.
Evening mooch,lots of house martins and swallows around the pub goldfinch and greenfinch,met up with the county recorder and enjoyed a pleasant walk to lightshaw ,highlights sparrowhawk,and a new brood of tufted,i,ll leave the detail,s to Judith
cheers geoff
Gary Gorner said
Sat Jul 18 6:27 PM, 2009
sat 18.07.09 Barn Owl and buzzard hunnting just off aye bridge road left hand side of road when travelling by car going from dover towards golborne.
Judith Smith said
Wed Jul 15 10:47 PM, 2009
A Tawny Owl at Aye Bridge Farm on the lane tonight.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Wed Jul 15 10:44 PM, 2009
Jirmmy,we must have passed like nips in the sh*te
canal,cow fields,and viewed from the pub 'hirundine viewpoint' house martins and swallows a plenty,kestrel,common tern,cormorant,mistle thrush,a few goldfincha cast of hundreds,not counting the knats
and it,s a lesser spotted decoy duck if you don,t mind
as you say jimmy nice evening
cheers geoff
Jimmy Meadows said
Wed Jul 15 9:55 PM, 2009
Tonights Mooch Redshank Calling Yellowhammer Whitethroat 2 Great Sp Woodpeckers on the scaffold on the distant Farm 1 Decoy Duck a few Sand Martins over 2 Fishing Common terns pr Mute Swans with 7 Cygnets on the canal Thousands of Midges
Hey but who cares on such a lovely night
Cheers Jimmy
Geoff Hargreaves said
Tue Jul 14 10:36 PM, 2009
Cow fields and pub area till dusk,very moody with light showers and a nippy wind
of note1 kestrel,a cast of hundred,s mostly house martins and swallows,pigeons ,herons,mistle thrush party,a pleasant evening and not so many insects
cheers geoff
Rob Thorpe said
Sat Jul 11 12:31 PM, 2009
Saturday 11 July 2009 noon Dover Basin
1 Redshank (juv) 7 Lapwing 1 Snipe 1 Kingfisher 2 Common Tern (one sat on mud) 6 Black-headed Gull 1 Teal (drake) 1 Sparrowhawk Buzzard (heard only)
Lightshaw,8 mallard(struglling now)10 wood pigeons,swift,swallow,house martin plus others as usual.The water level has risen as expected and put an end to the 'wader fest' for the time being.
Also the strange sight of a kestrel walking across a corrougated barn roof, making heavy weather of it.
cheers a very wet but happy geoff
Judith Smith said
Mon Jul 6 10:19 PM, 2009
A second brood of Shoveler today with 10 young. The 3 Blackwits were still at Dover Basin with 4 juvenile, fledged Redshank. No Greenshank, presume this is the 2nd bird at Horrocks Flash.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Jul 5 10:12 PM, 2009
Dover basin ,3 blacktailed godwits,redshank,1 snipe,1 teal,2 heron, loads of others and i,ll just sneak in 2 weasels,bit of a lifer for abram
cheers geoff
Judith Smith said
Sat Jul 4 11:44 AM, 2009
Dover Basin - Today (Sat) - Greenshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwits in breeding plumage, a family of 5 Redshank (2 ad and 3 fledged juvs), f Shoveler and 1 young, 6 Teal, etc. Dover Marsh - Grasshopper Warbler and across the brook Buzzard on a post. Last night at 2200hrs - Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Wed Jul 1 10:42 PM, 2009
Evening visit to cow fields and marsh area,loads of stuff and a few midges,bit of a raptor fest with 3 kestrel seeing off a buzzard,won,t bore you,with them all but skylark singing,reed bunting showing very close,6 mistle thrushes around the pub,a very nice couple of hours and not a dog walker to be seen,but you have to put up with the cows getting up close and nosey.
cheers geoff
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Jun 21 4:50 PM, 2009
Sunday am,after a few poor showings recently(mayhem disaster) faith in the area has been restored,dover pub to lightshaw and back again.
2 redshank 6 grey heron (4 juv) 2 tufted some mallard 54 lapwing 2 mute swanshonest missing in may 1 kingfisher 2 gadwall 1 kestrel 1 buzzard 2 blackcap coot,moorhen,warblers,goldfinch,hirundines all over,and ''some'' gulls around
cheers geoffand i,ll just throw this one in strange sounding lbj ,like a mistle thrush sound but softer in the cow field
Judith Smith said
Thu Jun 11 10:39 PM, 2009
Cows - yes Geoff. For some reason the farmer hasn't used the field for a year or so, but they will keep the ground open thus preventing succession occurring.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Thu Jun 11 9:50 PM, 2009
Dover pub and close by in lovley sunshine,for an hour after work,
At least two family parties of swallows feeding near the lock,20 house martins,loads of stuff singing deep joy.I was a bit concerned to see 8 calves in the triangular field canal/road/brook is this normal?
cheers geoff
Judith Smith said
Thu Jun 11 6:13 PM, 2009
3 Black-tailed Godwits and the Barn Owl hunting over the marsh at 1010hrs this morning. I've now found out which part of the Abram Flashes the LWT have bought. It's Dover Basin (formerly owned by British Waterways), so at last something can be done (hopefully) about the shooting there (it's illegal to shoot over land you don't own, without permission) and maybe the flash flooding can also be addressed.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Jun 7 4:46 PM, 2009
Quick check 12.00 while 14.00 herons,gulls,terns,redshank,shoveler,shelduck and supporting cast ,sadly no osprey or godwits but 30 odd house martins feeding at abram hall will have to be checked out
cheers geoff
Adrian Dancy said
Fri Jun 5 11:31 PM, 2009
Superb news judith! Can someone send it over my way way please.
Judith Smith said
Fri Jun 5 11:04 PM, 2009
Thanks Geoff. At a nearby private site, 2 broods of Gadwall today.
Geoff Hargreaves said
Fri Jun 5 9:35 PM, 2009
Judith,congrats on cracking the osprey,a very nice county tick and on your own 'patch' to boot
cheers geoff
Judith Smith said
Fri Jun 5 4:58 PM, 2009
It then drifted towards Pennington Flash, where Barrie Hulme saw a probable about 0630hrs. I've waited 28 years to see an Osprey in GM so it made my day!
Rob Thorpe said
Fri Jun 5 11:40 AM, 2009
Friday 05 June 2009
Judith Smith had an Osprey circling low over Dover Basin at 11:15. It drifted off in the direction of the Wigan Flashes, but then returned to Dover Basin at 11:30 and caught a fish!
Judith Smith said
Thu Jun 4 11:15 PM, 2009
27 Black-tailed Godwits at Dover Basin this afternoon, when flushed by a Buzzard and went off to Lightshaw Hall Flash (where difficult to see from the canal).
Judith Smith said
Mon Jun 1 9:33 PM, 2009
They flew into the centre of Horrocks Flash this evening (Geoff Hargreaves). Not that they'd get much peace and quiet there - I gather it was mayhem with boats and swimmers in the nesting areas. The police were called and cleared one lot off, and Geoff got rid of the others (well done Geoff)
2 Whooper Swan still on Dover Basin this morning.
Also 4 Wigeon and a Kingfisher. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
the 2 whooper swans are still here and seem quite settled.
cheers geoff
Dover Basin:
2 Whooper Swan still present. Two more flew over @ 09:50 from the Wigan Flashes (Rob`s birds).
400 Pink-footed Geese over in 4 skiens (details on Pink-feet thread)
5 Wigeon
3 Snipe
36 Gadwall
58 Teal
2 Yellowhammer
1 Willow Tit
1 Grey Wagtail
4 Cormorant over
2 Water Rail heard.
Masses of Fieldfare & Redwing moving about but were too numerous and too frequent to log numbers and directions
100+ Pink-footed Geese over @ 09:30, heading NW. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
Perhaps as well, as I noticed that the exposed shoreline of the tiny part of the basin not now in Lancs WT ownership has been well provisioned with corn to attract wildfowl for shooting. Years ago, the police, BW's foreman and I caught the shooters red-handed shooting on the rest of the basin which then belonged to BW. It didn't do any good. It is I think armed trespass to shoot over land that is not yours. I've told Lancs WT and given them all the details of the shoot manager (who may well be unaware that the land ownership has changed)- we'll see what LWT do to address this. Watch this space...
2 Whooper Swan and 5 Wigeon on Dover Basin @ 10:00. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
2 Whooper Swan on Dover Basin @ 09:30, Also 200+ Redwing moving SW. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 13th of October 2009 09:56:07 AM
6 whooper swans 9.00 till 9.15
cheers geoff
Dover Basin:
4 Snipe over
52 Teal
7 Gadwall over
7 Shoveler
2 Tufted Duck
2 Kestrel
17 Pied Wagtail >SW
1 Cormorant over
2 Willow Tit
1 Kingfisher, c30 House Martins, and 1 Grey Wagtail in Glovers Pool area.
Must be a winter visitor, or maybe it's a post-breeding gathering site.
Dover Basin:
1 Green Sandpiper
2 Snipe
1 Buzzard
1 Kingfisher
35 Teal
7 Shoveler
1 Grey Wagtail
14 Pheasant
2 Cormorant over
(the TV has mysteriously re-appeared ).
Lightshaw Hall Flash:
1 Wigeon
6 Snipe
Hobby, over Coffin Brook Flash area, flew towards Platt Bridge at about 10am. Also a Garden Warbler along path up to Viridor Wood. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
cheers geoff
apart from 4 just fledged swallows on the roof being fed by numerous others,supposed
parents and older siblings,4 other youngsters still in one nest.The house martins have decamped,20+ around viridor maybe the same colony.
cheers geoff
a Grasshopper Warbler was at the Boardwalk between Dover Lock and Coffin Brook Flash. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
a quick walk along the "wrong side" (abram side) of the canal at the Platt Bridge end this afternoon. More evidence of my Chiffchaff "influx" (mentioned earlier in my Wigan Flashes post) with at least 12 in with a large tit flock. Also 6 Grey Partridge on other side (viridor wood side) of canal, and a Buzzard over heading south.
Quieter than Ricky Pontings` dinner table last night......................
Dover Basin :
1 Green Sandpiper
8 Snipe
2 Kingfisher
20 Teal
a female or juvenile Pintail on Coffin Brook Flash this morning, also a Barn Owl in the area. Info thanks to Terry Thorpe.
Green Sandpiper still present on Dover Basin. Other than that, pretty quiet..........
3 Snipe
1 Kingfisher
13 Teal
1 Willow Tit
1 Kestrel
12 House Martins
2 Garden Warblers along the canal towpath near Coffin Brook Flash this afternoon.
Dover Basin SSSI :
1 Green Sandpiper
3 Snipe
1 Kingfisher
6 Teal
1 Willow Tit
1 Sparrowhawk
Lightshaw Hall Flash :
4 Snipe
1 Buzzard
1 Stock Dove
16 Mistle Thrushes & a single Yellowhammer near Dover Lock Inn.
cheers geoffcan I claim expenses
Lightshaw Hall Flash:
1 Greenshank.
3 Snipe.
33 Lapwing.
19 Goldfinch.
Dover Basin:
4 Snipe.
2 Kingfisher.
16 Teal.
3 Common Tern.
1 Kestrel.
2 Cormorant.
cheers geoff
Barn Owl and buzzard hunnting just off aye bridge road left hand side of road when travelling by car going from dover towards golborne.
canal,cow fields,and viewed from the pub 'hirundine viewpoint' house martins and swallows a plenty,kestrel,common tern,cormorant,mistle thrush,a few goldfincha cast of hundreds,not counting the knats
and it,s a lesser spotted decoy duck if you don,t mind
as you say jimmy nice evening
cheers geoff
Redshank Calling
Yellowhammer
Whitethroat
2 Great Sp Woodpeckers on the scaffold on the distant Farm
1 Decoy Duck
a few Sand Martins over
2 Fishing Common terns
pr Mute Swans with 7 Cygnets on the canal
Thousands of Midges
Hey but who cares on such a lovely night
Cheers Jimmy
of note1 kestrel,a cast of hundred,s mostly house martins and swallows,pigeons ,herons,mistle thrush party,a pleasant evening and not so many insects
cheers geoff
noon
Dover Basin
1 Redshank (juv)
7 Lapwing
1 Snipe
1 Kingfisher
2 Common Tern (one sat on mud)
6 Black-headed Gull
1 Teal (drake)
1 Sparrowhawk
Buzzard (heard only)
Dover basin 5 grey heron,mallard ect,1 oystercatcher over,and 2 farmyard ducks,
Lightshaw,8 mallard(struglling now)10 wood pigeons,swift,swallow,house martin plus others as usual.The water level has risen as expected and put an end to the 'wader fest' for the time being.
Also the strange sight of a kestrel walking across a corrougated barn roof, making heavy weather of it.
cheers a very wet but happy geoff
cheers geoff
Last night at 2200hrs - Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers.
cheers geoff
2 redshank
6 grey heron (4 juv)
2 tufted
some mallard
54 lapwing
2 mute swanshonest missing in may
1 kingfisher
2 gadwall
1 kestrel
1 buzzard
2 blackcap
coot,moorhen,warblers,goldfinch,hirundines all over,and ''some'' gulls around
cheers geoffand i,ll just throw this one in strange sounding lbj ,like a mistle thrush sound but softer in the cow field
At least two family parties of swallows feeding near the lock,20 house martins,loads of stuff singing deep joy.I was a bit concerned to see 8 calves in the triangular field
canal/road/brook is this normal?
cheers geoff
I've now found out which part of the Abram Flashes the LWT have bought. It's Dover Basin (formerly owned by British Waterways), so at last something can be done (hopefully) about the shooting there (it's illegal to shoot over land you don't own, without permission) and maybe the flash flooding can also be addressed.
herons,gulls,terns,redshank,shoveler,shelduck and supporting cast ,sadly no osprey or godwits but 30 odd house martins feeding at abram hall will have to be checked out
cheers geoff
cheers geoff
I've waited 28 years to see an Osprey in GM so it made my day!
Judith Smith had an Osprey circling low over Dover Basin at 11:15. It drifted off in the direction of the Wigan Flashes, but then returned to Dover Basin at 11:30 and caught a fish!