After 7 or 8 attempts I finally managed to see the Dipper this morning. Happily feeding away under Atherleigh Way bridge. A great little bird to see and I cracking tick for Penny.

Also caught up with the Curlew Sandpiper (another new Penny tick)on the Teal scrape along with a whopping 8 Green Sandpiper.

Also nice to meet fellow manc birder Tim Wilcox.



-- Edited by Nick Isherwood on Tuesday 30th of August 2011 10:56:46 AM

Curlew Sandpiper still present frm Teal Hide at 11:10, along with 8 Green Sandpipers and Kingfisher.

Info thanks to Tim Wilcox

Juvenile Dipper still present underneath the by-pass bride along the entrance road.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison

Curlew Sandpiper (adult) present from Teal Hide this morning.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison

Hi Sean another option is get the train from oxford road or victoria to newton le willows walk out the station to the bus station 200 yards or so then get leigh bus which stops outide penny. Penny is about 5 miles down road from NLW.

Karen Foulkes wrote:

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steven burke wrote:

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Sean Molloy wrote:

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Hi all, sorry that this isn't bird sightings but it's a query about pennington flash. I haven't been birding in a fair few months and was hoping to start going again soon. I was just wondering if any of you know how to get to pennington via public transport from manchester.

Cheers, Sean.

---

hi sean, i actually traveled here today on the no 26 bus from shudehill it takes around 55 mins though. there is actually a bus x34 which is a little quicker,not sure if that goes from shudehill or piccadilly though maybe somebody else will know. the bus stops at leigh bus station so its either walk,which takes around 15-20 mins or jump on the 600 or 601 and get off just past fire station near main entrance.

cheers, steve.

---

The x34 goes from Piccadilly and is 12 minutes past the hour. The 600 goes from Leigh to Wigan, so train to Wigan could be an alternative, although experience tells that sometimes the train to Wigan takes as long as the x34 to Leigh depending on which service you get!

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Cheers guys, I'll definitely be going down this week!

Sean

steven burke wrote:

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Sean Molloy wrote:

---

Hi all, sorry that this isn't bird sightings but it's a query about pennington flash. I haven't been birding in a fair few months and was hoping to start going again soon. I was just wondering if any of you know how to get to pennington via public transport from manchester.

Cheers, Sean.

---

hi sean, i actually traveled here today on the no 26 bus from shudehill it takes around 55 mins though. there is actually a bus x34 which is a little quicker,not sure if that goes from shudehill or piccadilly though maybe somebody else will know. the bus stops at leigh bus station so its either walk,which takes around 15-20 mins or jump on the 600 or 601 and get off just past fire station near main entrance.

cheers, steve.

---

The x34 goes from Piccadilly and is 12 minutes past the hour. The 600 goes from Leigh to Wigan, so train to Wigan could be an alternative, although experience tells that sometimes the train to Wigan takes as long as the x34 to Leigh depending on which service you get!

Sean Molloy wrote:

---

Hi all, sorry that this isn't bird sightings but it's a query about pennington flash. I haven't been birding in a fair few months and was hoping to start going again soon. I was just wondering if any of you know how to get to pennington via public transport from manchester.

Cheers, Sean.

---

hi sean, i actually traveled here today on the no 26 bus from shudehill it takes around 55 mins though. there is actually a bus x34 which is a little quicker,not sure if that goes from shudehill or piccadilly though maybe somebody else will know. the bus stops at leigh bus station so its either walk,which takes around 15-20 mins or jump on the 600 or 601 and get off just past fire station near main entrance.

cheers, steve.

10.30-4.30pm 51 species seen
good views off dipper at bridge ian mentions,watched for 50 mins. also managed to catch up with it again at 4.15pm at the next bridge along the footpath going towards pennington. only watched it 15 mins this time,had to catch my bus home.
other birds...
1 pintail (tom edmondson hide)
1 kingfisher (over flash)
1 goldeneye (f)
1 little grebe
9 pochard
lots off tufted ducks/coots & great crested grebes
1 buzzard
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
2 reed warbler (teal hide)
4 siskin (over whilst watching dipper am)
plenty off activity in bunting hide from usual finches/tits/robins/magpies only the 1 stock dove and 1 pheasant.
plenty off swallows & house martins all over.

Hi all, sorry that this isn't bird sightings but it's a query about pennington flash. I haven't been birding in a fair few months and was hoping to start going again soon. I was just wondering if any of you know how to get to pennington via public transport from manchester.

Cheers, Sean.

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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Dipper still present this morning, on the brook along the approach road, underneath the Atherleigh bypass bridge.

Info thanks to Steven Burke and later also Barry Hulme

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 29th of August 2011 12:15:04 PM

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dipper still present early afternoon.

Dipper still present this morning, on the brook along the approach road, underneath the Atherleigh bypass bridge.

Info thanks to Steven Burke and later also Barry Hulme

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 29th of August 2011 12:15:04 PM

Early morning session this morning. Only birds of note were 2 Kingfisher - one on the spit and the other down the brook by the golf course. Also 1 Dunlin and the female Pintail at Tom Edmonson hide. Had a look for the Dipper too but no joy.

Nick Isherwood wrote:

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Ian Aspinall wrote:

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It was lacking in birders this am to. Wheres everybody gone.

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They're all up Horwich Moors by the looks of it!!

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and penny was bustin wi birdssee my list below

Ian Aspinall wrote:

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It was lacking in birders this am to. Wheres everybody gone.

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They're all up Horwich Moors by the looks of it!!

It was lacking in birders this am to. Wheres everybody gone.

Sightings from early this morning:

4 Green Sandpiper
2 Goldeneye
2 Kingfisher

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

AM/PM SUN 28TH
HOBBY-1 ADULT -HUNTING AROUND THE TREES BEHIND THE WENDY HOUSE HIDE AND ALONG THE SOUTH BANK FOR AN HOUR AT DINNER TIME.
PEREGRINE-1 HIGH OVER RAMMIES RUCK 2PM
GREEN SANDPIPER-3(1 AD+2 JUV)
KESTREL-2
COMMON BUZZARD-1
KINFISHER-2 (1 ON RAMMIES+1 TEAL HIDE)
WHEATEAR-1 ON RAMMIES RUCK
TREE PIPIT -1 FLYING SE OVER RAMMIES RUCK
TEAL-C50
PINTAIL-1F
GADWALL-55
TUFTED DUCK-330+
GREAT CRESTED GREBE -55
GOLDENEYE-2F
CORMORANT-12
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL-100+ THROUGH DURING THE DAY-62 BY THE POINT
HERRING GULL- A FEW FLYING THROUGH
CHIFF CHAFF-1
MEADOW PIPIT-5
SKYLARK-3
POCHARD-10
LITTLE GREBE-4
SAND MARTIN
HOUSE MARTIN
AND STRANGELY NO BIRDERS APART FROM ME AS FAR AS I COULD SEE THIS AFT-EMPTY HIDES.





>

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 28th of August 2011 03:53:45 PM

am/pm
MERLIN-1F S ACROSS FLASH AFTER STORM
WIGEON-2 ECLIPSE MALES
GOOSANDER-1 F (FIRST OF AUTUMN)
PINTAIL-1 F
LAPWING-300+
LITTLE GREBE-4
GADWALL-55
TEAL-40+
BLACKCAP-8
CHIFF CHAFF-1
WHITETHROAT-1
SAND MARTIN-100+
HOUSE MARTIN -500+
SWALLOW-200+
ALL HURRUNDINES DURING HEAVY STORM GOING SOUTH
GREY HERON-8
TUFTED DUCK-300+
COOT-500+
POCHARD-15
CORMORANT-8
POSSIBLE OSPREY -GOING SOUTH OVER YAUGHT CLUBS BEING CHASED BY CROWS AT 12.30(ANYONE ELSE SEE IT?)
LONG TAILED TIT-25+
PLUS THE USUALS

Pennington - !4.00 to 16.00

Edmondson Hide:

There was management work in progress in front of the hide when I arrived at 14.10, but I was able to see the Pintail through the open gateway. (The management team were removing a willow from where it was blocking the view from the hide and kindly offered to open up the hide, though it wasn't necessary). When I passed by again at around 15.00, a Kingfisher was also perched up on a post in the left section of the pool.

Teal hide:

At 15.30 when I looked in, two Green Sandpipers were still present, and what appeared to be the same Kingfisher put on a show for about 10 minutes diving repeatedly from a leaning post for what appeared to be insects(?) on the water surface. Ducks present : Shoveller (pair), Gadwall, Teal, Mallard.

Horrocks Hide ; Just the usual, despite a thorough check through.

Female Pintail again today at 14.10 although repair work is taking place at Tom Edmonson Hide.

(Info from Mike Passant)

Cheers, John

Finally caught up with the Dipper today (you didn't think I'd forgotten about that did you) after several attempts and fuelled by information received that it had been seen near Kirkham Road/Taylors Hole last Sunday by a Pennington volunteer (info thanks to Peter Alker).

Today it was (all too briefly) on the brook by the bridge along the old railway line heading towards St.Helens Road (alongside the Sports Village). It flew off downstream but couldn't be relocated as couldn't any likely spots for it either (including from the Kirkham Road area)! I've no idea where it's going but it is not possible to follow the course of the brook and much is therefore hidden from view.

Obviously it's hanging around but likely spots seem currently only by the Atherleigh Way roadbridge or the bridge over the brook as seen today, and both are pretty heavily disturbed so it's got to be going somewhere else!

This mornings sightings so far:

Female Pintail still present
4 Green Sandpipers
Peregrine flew east over the rucks 09:25
21 Swift

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

5 Green Sandpipers present this morning and 5 Pochard too.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Pintail again today from Tom Edmonson Hide
2 fem Goldeneye

Usual fare on the flash this morning. Teal numbers building up on teal scrape now with c30 birds. Also 1 Green Sandpiper and a kingfisher from here.

AM/PM
pintail-1 fem still on the island front of edmonson hide
goldeneye-2
common tern-6
tufted duck-300+
coot-500+
shoveler-20+
gadwall-25+
great crested grebe-40+
plus the usuals

The two female Goldeneyes were still present this morning along with 2 Green Sandpiper and a single Redshank.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Pintail swam right of the island, just after noon, disappearing out of sight.

Also 3 Green Sandpipers on Teal scrape.

A Female Pintail from Tom Edmonson hide this morning at 10am. Currently sleeping on the island amongst Shovelers and Mallards.

Tree Pipit over the picnic field at 12:10 today.

Info thanks to Peter Alker

3 Green Sandpipers present in Teal scrape this morning.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Only three Green Sandpipers present on Teal scrape this morning.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Seven Black-tailed Godwits flew west at 7am this morning.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

This morning's sightings:

3 Buzzard over Slag Lane
Hobby over Slag Lane, then flew SW at 9:30am
7 Green Sandpiper on Teal scrape

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

AM/PM
GREAT CRESTED GREBE-52+
TUFTED DUCK-C300
GOLDENEYE-2F
SPARROWHAWK-4 UP AT ONCE ABOVE THE SOUTH BANK OF THE FLASH
BUZZARD-1
COMMON TERN-10
GREEN SANDPIPER-1
REED WARBLER-2
A FEW CHIFF CHAFF/WILLOW WARBLER
POCHARD/SHOVELER/TEAL AS YESTERDAY
SWALLOW/SWIFT/HOUSE MARTIN/SAND MARTIN -ALL PRESENT IN VARYING NUMBERS THROUGH THE DAY
LAPWING 300+
PLUS THE USUALS

10am-5pm
2 green sandpipers ( teal hide)
1 common sandpiper (4.45pm at horrocks briefly then flew across lake towards east bay hide)
6 common tern (inc juveniles)
3 buzzard
1 sparrowhawk
2 kestrel (1adult+1juvenile at teal hide)
1 pochard
1 oystercatcher
2 goldeneye (female)
3 meadow pipits
2 skylarks
50+ mute swans
100s of coots/lapwings/tufted ducks
all usual tits & finches at bunting hide
swifts/swallows/sand martins & house martins (around only in small numbers)

13th August 6.00-10.30am

4 Common Tern
5 Green Sandpipers (between Horrocks and the Teal Hide) 1 adult 4 juv
1 Common Sandpiper (early outside Horrocks on the signpost)
1 Oystercatcher
1 Kestrel
3 Willow Tits, and large parties of Blue and Long Tailed Tits
Plus all the usuals

am/pm
water levels very high
common tern-8
goldeneye-2f
kestrel-3
sparrowhawk-1f
shoveler-8
teal-20
green sandpiper-3
oystercatcher-2
tufted duck -250+
reed warbler-2 still singing in rammies reedbed
water rail-1 calling in rammies reedbed
lapwing-300+
plus the usuals

After receiving a message from Pete Kinsella late this afternoon, that a juvenile Scaup had turned up at Seaforth today, he wondered if it could have been the same bird as the Pennington Flash individual yesterday. I replied that it would be remarkable if so but on persusing his images of the bird on his blog (www.anotherplacebirding.blogspot.com) I have no doubt whatsoever the two birds are indeed the same! The facial pattern (the pale 'crescent' on the rear ear coverts and the rather indistinct pale blaze over the bill) is an identical match, the pale fringes to the scapulars spot on in every respect as is it's overall colouration (typical bright juvenile to be fair).

Many thanks to Pete for bringing the Seaforth bird to my attention.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 12th of August 2011 05:38:47 PM

Early afternoon today:

Single juvenile Arctic Tern
258 Tufted Duck (no sign of the Scaup)
460 Lapwing
847 Coot

Very early afternoon today:

Very nice juvenile Greater Scaup in Rammies along with 118 Tufted Duck.
5 Green Sandpipers Teal Scrape (4 juveniles, 1 adult)
2 Reed Warbler in Rammies reedbed
14 Chiffchaff and 4 Blackcap around the nature reserve area
80 Swift flew through west at 2pm during a spate of drizzle

Not much of note around the flash this morning. Best i could manage was 2 Common Sandpiper on the spit and 3 Green Sandpiper on the teal scrape. Nice to bump into Karen Foulkes though who was having an away day from Audenshaw resevoir.

4 Green Sandpiper in front of Teal Hide c 2pm

Cheers Nick, much appreciated too mate.

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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Uncharacteristic markings Nick? Mallard regularly display such facial markings but certainly shouldn't show a genuine bluish forewing, if this is the 'wing panel' you refer to? I'm assuming you didn't have any size comparisson? I could do with some confirmation to ensure we're not missing something here

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 10th of August 2011 11:45:26 AM

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Sent you PM Ian.

Uncharacteristic markings Nick? Mallard regularly display such facial markings but certainly shouldn't show a genuine bluish forewing, if this is the 'wing panel' you refer to? I'm assuming you didn't have any size comparisson? I could do with some confirmation to ensure we're not missing something here

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 10th of August 2011 11:45:26 AM

Another look in on the spit on my way back to the car produced what really looked like a female Garganey at the end of the spit. All the head markings where present together with the pale spot at the base of the bill and the pale throat but the bill colour was wrong and it also appeared to show a blueish wing panel. Views weren't great as it was resting in the vegetation but after much debate with the other birders present i think the general consensus of opinion was that it was a female Mallard that was showing uncharacteristic markings.

2 Green Sandpiper on teal scrape plus 3 juvenile Sparrowhawk over.

3 drake Common Scoter on the flash this morning at 9.15.

Up to 10:30 this morning:

Peregrine chasing Lapwings around Horrock's Scrape and the Spit.
3 Green Sandpiper on Teal Scrape
2 female Goldeneye still present.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Only 2 Green Sandpiper on teal scrape this morning plus a kingfisher perched up on the spit. Also a Common Tern here feeding a juvenile right in front of the hide. Managed to get some good food pass shots which i'll upload later. The only other bird of note was a passing Buzzard.