I'm surprised at the number of cormorants. Have they restocked the reservoir with fish or are the birds just roosting?

8am - 10.30am (Snowing)

17 Cormorant
1 pair Goldeneye
15 Wigeon
27 Lapwing
120+ BH Gull
1 GBB Gull
3 LBB Gull
2 Meadow Pipit
1 GS Woodpecker

8am - 10.30am

1 GC Grebe
12 Goosander
1 Barnacle Goose
13 Cormorant
1 Snipe
c20 Lapwing
1 Kingfisher
1 Peregrine
1 Sparrowhawk
300+ BH Gull
4 Common Gull
2 LBB Gull
1 Herring Gull
2 Meadow Pipit
9 Pied Wagtail
1 Rook (near Daisyfield)

-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Sunday 14th of February 2010 10:46:52 AM

8am - 10am

2 Whooper Swans (over boathouse at 9.45) - pic of one sent to Ian M
1 Water Rail (seen by Ian Campbell at Bennies)
2 Goldeneye (females)
1 GC Grebe (first of the year)
3 Goosander
1 Barnacle Goose
c25 Cormorant
c50 Fieldfare
1 Little Owl
2-3 GS Woodpeckers

AM very l;ittle on res area
large flock of Fieldfare west of Crow tree farm some fly over cormerant.
In desperation walked down below warth fold along Bealeys goit over Bury Rd to the Res and discovered 6 goosander 2 heron 2 mute swan 1 goldeneye canda geese mallard BHG.

Early a.m. with Paul W
Only birds of note were 2 Pochard on the res. and 2 Water Rail near Bennies.
Cheers Ian

Similar to paul but did not see Green sand piper.
two teal top of withins res
In addition GS woodpecker dip and dipper below withins

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Sunday 7th of February 2010 08:01:18 AM

8.30-10.00 with Ian C and Sue F

100+ Fieldfare (with c100 Starling)
2 Water Rail (1 near Old Swan nest and 1 near canal overflow near Bennies)
1 Kingfisher near canal
1 Green Sandpiper (wader point)
30 Goosander (on res - after Ian left)
1 Tufted Duck
1 pair Goldeneye (Withins)

Plenty of finches and tits starting to sing. Mistle and Song Thrush also seen.

Lots of BH Gulls and Canada Geese on the res which is filling up nicely.

-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Saturday 6th of February 2010 09:26:41 PM

7.50 - 9.10

Not much about

2 male tufted duck on res and female Goldeneye Withins

Single Mipit flew over as did 7 Cormorant and a Male Peregrine.

Along the canal from Bennies a Kinfisher was fishing catching several small fish.

40 Goldfinch, 23 Greenfinch, 5 Reed Bunting and 2 Little Owls in the hedges near Crow Tree Farm and 77 Fieldfare were in the fields.

A few Dunnock and Blackbirds about and lots of birds singing away.

2 Raven flew over Coney Green

There 9-1
Took the rail track down to the river
Heron, 2 Teal, BH Gulls on Daisy field Res
Flocks of Green Gold and 6 Bullfinch on track
River Hinds Weir Dipper and flock of LT Tits
6 Cormorant on pylon
Dip Heron with Magpie picking its beak and the heron just stood there letting it
Snipe 25 wood pigeon
Canal Bennies Redwing
Peregrine flew into warth fold mill and sent 50 pigeon up into the sky
Raven
Withins 2 x Female goosander
Res Noon
6 Widgeon 30 Goosander (20m 10f) 2 Tufted 3 Mpipit 3 Pied Wag 1 Ringed Plover 12 Cormorant flew over 3 settled on Res 2 coots LBB Gull Mute Swan 10 lapwing

Early a.m. with Paul and Sue
On the res 6 Wigeon were a nice surprise also 1 Goosander, with 2 more on Withins.
Cheers Ian

There most of the morning
For a change took the old rail track past daiseyfield res still frozen
Large flocs of Gold Finch Greenfinch on track. On the from viaduct over the river 6 Heron 2 goosander M&F, Peregrine feeding for at least an hour on top of chimney,
Crossed river and followed river down to weir
Dipper and King fisher
Worked back along canal into dip snipe GS Wood pecker fly by cormerant heron
On Reservoir pair tufted and on later walk by 8 Goosander 6m 2f , Tufted again and male goldeneye. Jay. 2 Flock LT tits. and a retured coot 3 lapwing 3 pied wagtails.
Canal was a bit sparse other than Kestral, heron, male pheasant, flock of house sparrows

Early a.m. with Paul and Sue. On the res. 2 Tufted Duck(1st this year), male Goldeneye and Mallard. At Withins a male Goosander. At side of canal a male Teal. No Water Rail at Bennies, although the feeding station now also has a fat ball feeder, we'd love to know who is responsible but well done that man(or woman).
Cheers Ian

Ian Boote wrote:

---

It could have been a Goose and a deer seen on the river or a spelling mistake

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Monday 18th of January 2010 04:49:58 PM

---

Only you know the answer, but I'm guessing it's the latter...

It could have been a Goose and a deer seen on the river or a spelling mistake

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Monday 18th of January 2010 04:49:58 PM

Noon very damp and murkey
Reed Bunting in Dip
Female gooseandeer mute swans River
Kingfisher Heron overflow canal
6 lapwing male gooseander res
Heard ringed plover calling on Res but could not make it out
Pied Wagtail
LBB Gull
Plenty of Gold and Green fuinches on canal
Fieldfare west of crow tree
Mistle thrushes east of old hall
dead fox below field betwen railway and canal

Also 30+ Fieldfare flying around and c40 Redwing between hospital and Daisyfield.

Two new dead foxes in usual "dumping place".

8.15 a.m. Flyover Woodcock, a British tick for me. Near Bennies 3 Water Rail(we saw the third just after we left you Paul) and fantastic close views of a Kingfisher. On the res 7 Goldeneye. My brother also is 95% certain he saw a brief view of a Merlin flying low near the Corran Stud.
Cheers Ian

10.30 a.m. Female Goldeneye still present and it was also great to see 2 KIngfishers at Bennies have survived the freeze.
Cheers Ian

Early walk round in the rain with Sue and very icy. Starting to melt on the res.
16 Goosander
1 Goldeneye (f)
200+ Canada Geese
c100 BH Gull
4 Redwing (in field behind boathouse)
2 Fieldfare
1 Water Rail (Bennies)

Good to see the snow going rapidly and birds feeding again.

Noon
Male Teal on path from Doffer fold to Lower Spenmoor in ditch.
Male Pheasant other side of lower Spenmoor in brook on way to res
Three Snipe in Dip
Two Male Bullfinches 5 LT Tits below Woos Nab end of canal
Two Water Rail Heron Overflow
Chaffinches Great Tit etc and Several Goldfinches Female linnet and Kesteral on Canal below Crow Tree
Hedge Sparrow on Manure mound Doffer fold
Plenty of Canada Geese feeding on grass afte slight thaw

Thanks guys, I'm just a cr+p birder who needs help from his friends to see anything
Cheers Ian

Coal Tit site first? Are you having a laugh what have you been doing for the last 12 months? Best tarts tick ever! Unless im mistaken the bird I walked upto on the Res yesterday was a headless Canada Goose?

Early am with Paul Wilson, at Bennies the usual Water Rail being kept company by 10 Moorhen, Grey Heron and Mute Swan, further Water Rail along the stream. I think the dead Canada reorted on the res yesterday is in fact a Mute Swan.
Over Withins was a nice flyby Peregrine.
Best for me was the Coal Tit found by Paul, incredibly a site 1st for me
If anything the Irwell is even more frozen than yesterday
Cheers Ian

It was unreal seeing the river Irwell frozen solid!
Best I could manage was a Dipper below Withins, 2 Sparrowhawk(1 with a kill), 2 Teal and also saw 3 crows on dead Canada goose. Never seen the place so frozen.Grim.

Not much of note
Walked down to warth fold
Weir freezing up-Canada Geese eating dead grass off wall near weir
Heron looking cold
Camera Club near bennies Water Rail showng near bridge
One Male gooseander fly over
Four Carion Crows feeding on dead goose n res
Flock of goldfinchs on canal
Nothing in Dip other than Moorhen on frozen stream

Amazing sight this a.m. of the Irwell frozen over apart from small area below metro line bridge on which were 100+ Canada, 2 Mute Swan and 1 Grey Heron. Open water at canal overflow with 2 Mute Swan, 7 Moorhen, 1 Grey Heron and the Water Rail. On the frozen res 37 miserable looking Canadas. Getting fed up of this weather now.
Cheers Ian

A walk all around today from 10 till around 2, Snipe flying over, around a hundred canada geese near boat house, long tailed in woods on walk down to bennies, also chaffinch, goldfinch, gooseander flying over,not much on frozen lake,
canal bridge near bennies, kingfisher flying around, water rail still there but hiding now in different spot, he is now very hard to see but still visisble, walk down underneath the bridge, to the left of the bridge and there is a tree right next to the bridge, look through all these brambles around half way up near a large rock and he is in there hiding, the tree is actually right on and touching the bridge on the side nearest the res but you can see him from the opposite side on canal looking across and he is quite happy letting you have a good look, just sitting there and not bothered at all being on the opposite side,

He was there around tenish and still there at two when i was leaving

9.00 till 10.00 all very nice with the snow etc but it must be really tough for the birds, well done to the person who put the peanut feeder in a bush near Water Rail spot at Bennies(the canal overflow), Blue Tit making good use. No Rail however and only birding highlite was the Snipe that landed on the frozen canal 20 ft away giving wonderful views of its plumage against the snow.
Cheers Ian

PM Very deep snow
Bennies Canal overflow
Kingfisher
Dip Just passable
Peregrine flying over Heron 2 Snipe
Withins
Kingfisher and lone lapwing
Res
300 cold Canada Geese

Old hall farm - Thrush eating crab!!

Regards

Mike

Morning early PM
Dip 5 Snipe first visit 1 snipe kestral second visit
Bennies 1st visit two pleasent chaps with two 4x4 & large lenses all at the over flow reported mink eating fish
Res Meadow Pipit Very cold Lapwigs x 3, Kestral (Pos Same one as later)
Bennies Second Vist
Chaps decamped to the marsh in front of old hall
Water Rail King fisher Heron Grey Wagtail
Canal
LT Tit flock of seven Fieldfare and lots of pss water rail tracks heading up totracks bennies very few around old swan nest

After our trip out of the county for Snow Geese and Ring-necked Duck yesterday, my first trip of the new year round my local patch 9am - 11.30am.

c100 Canada Geese (on main res)
c 50 BH Gulls
1 Herring Gull
1 Jack Snipe (where it was before - in ditch in field near bennies)
1 Common Snipe (in ditch below the res where overflow runs out)
2 Water Rail (1 in usual place near bennies, 1 in ditch near Jack Snipe)
1 Kingfisher (on river)
1 Fieldfare
3 Jays (in the dip)
3 Bullfinch (all males)

32 species in total - not great but not bad considering the heavy snow.

Early a.m. with Peter J
The res is beginning to fill although it was frozen today. On the river a Goosander, at bennies a Water Rail, 2 Little Owl in hedgerow and small number of Redwing and Fieldfare near Withins. Also a 1st sign of Spring?, Mistle Thrush singing away at Crow Trees.
Cheers Ian

According to BW inthe Bury Times today the sailing club will be able to recommence sailing in January, weather permitting. The fish are about to be put back in.

am shufty
Hovering male kestrel woos nab
2 flushed snipe in dip
Kingfisher water rail heron canal bennies
Gold green and chaffinch canal
Mistle thrush large flock of starlings crow tree farm
Very little on res
Male goosander river
looks like the sailing club have been reinforcing the frontage so i assume the res will be filled to the top.

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Thursday 31st of December 2009 01:23:28 PM

9am - 11am

A quick walk all the way round the res this morning. Nothing much of note.

c250 Canada Geese (on the bit of the res that isn't frozen)
c100 BH Gulls (plus a handful of large gulls)

On old railway track bed:
7 Bullfinch (3m 4f) - largest flock I have ever seen at Elton)
Numerous tits (lt, blue, great, plus 2 Coal Tits), Chaffinch, Song Thrush etc.

Note for Ian Campbell - Coal Tits were using the feeders in the back garden - viewed from lamp post 13 near horse paddock.

A good mornings walk with good veiws of water rail, kingfisher near bennies and a few gooseanders flying over, a few bulfinches in the bushes and a cormorant flying over, nothin much else of note, around 12ish as i was leaving around fifty canada geese had just turned up,

Nice to meet Simon and john today, best wishes

27/12 - Only a brief visit this morning.

No sign of any Jack Snipe in the ditch near Bennies but the whole area has thawed somewhat.

4 Water Rail in the vicinity of Bennies, plus Kingfisher.
7 Goosander on the adjacent river.

l've never seen a Jack Snipe (L) before and l was amazed by this incredibly dinky little creature sat motionless and allowed us to 'ooh and ahh' over it for so long.
We were so close but he just stayed there and ignored us. Our view was fantastic as the foliage was all cleared away from one side allowing us to appreciate his size and plumage (as you can see from the piccies).

Warfy's Wonderful Winterland Walkabout was defintely worth braving the snow and ice for.
Great views of the Water Rails too.

-- Edited by Melanie Beckford on Sunday 27th of December 2009 01:18:38 PM

26/12 8.30-10.30am
Full turn out of regulars and guest appearances from Paul Cliff, Melanie & Phil Jennison later joined by Steven Astley, a proper manky crowd.

Jack Snipe - 2, still showing very well in ditch near bennies, look out for some of the best photos you are ever likely to see of this species from Paul and Phil.

Water Rail - 4 this morning but at least 6 present. (1+ Bennies, 2 in outflow channel from Res, 1 in ditch near bennies with Jack Snipes, 1 in marsh under large willow tree, 1 withins in outflow stream).

Also a few Snipe, 4 Goosander on the river and Kingfisher showing well by Bennies.

9-11.30am - some of the best winter birding I have had at Elton, well until the freezing fog put an end to it.

Jack Snipe - 2 feeding out in the open near bennies, showing to 15 feet, if anyone wants to see them me and Paul will be at bennies around 9am in the morning.

Water Rail - at least 3 (1+ Bennies, 1 Canal & 1 showing ridiculously well in a small stream in the marsh). Must be at least 5 in the area as Ians at Withins will be a different one.

Woodcock - almost stood on it near Old Hall Farm then it flew into a fence and fell on the ground before flying off.

Teal - 12
Snipe - 5
Little Owl -1
Fieldfare -10
Dipper - 1


-- Edited by Simon Warford on Friday 25th of December 2009 04:34:11 PM

8.30-10.00 a.m. with Peter Johnson
2 Water Rails, 1 at Bennies and 1 below Withins overflow where we also had a Dipper. 250+ Canada Geese in field near Crow Trees, also here 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Redwing. Little Owl in bush near Canal with Sparrowhawk over.
Festive Cheers Ian

Merry Christmas to you too and thanks for all the reports. I look every time something is posted as it makes me keep up with the local patch whilst I'm away. Keep up the good work.

this a.m. with Paul and his much better half
3 Water Rails seen; Judith, Paul can sort the mince out as I'm not going tomorrow.
Also Kingfisher, Snipe, 17 Redwing and 1 Fieldfare.
Most worrying was the Mink that ran across the frozen canal near Bennies.
A Merry Christmas to all out there, Cheers Ian

What about providing a bit of of raw mince for the Water Rails' Christmas dinner?

Early a.m.
Goosander, 2 Cormorant and a Kingfisher on the river. Water Rail showing near Bennies and a Jack Snipe was flushed by Paul Wilson. Snipe flew from reeds at side of canal. 14 flyby Fieldfare.
Cheers Ian

Quick mooch very little

-- Edited by Ian Boote on Tuesday 22nd of December 2009 09:24:47 PM