Addition to Simons list ( I waved at you!) this a.m.
6 Common Tern, 2 juv. Little Ringed Plover and growing flock of Lapwing in amongst the Highland Cattle, at least 280 this morning.
Cheers Ian

21/7/08 early am

Ringed Plover 1
Common Sand 1
Common Tern 5 (2 Juvs)
Cormorant 5
Little Grebe 2 (1 Juv on Res and 1 ad Dip)
Grey Wags 3 Juvs
Kingfisher 1
G S Woodpecker 1
Jay 2
Blackcap 2 juvs plus adults in the Dip

-- Edited by Simon Warford at 18:23, 2008-07-21

20/7/08 Evening

Ringed Plover 4 (1 Juv)
Little Ringed Plover 2

a.m. with P Johnson
3 Oystercatcher, 3 juv. Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4/5 Common Tern, 1 Little Owl, 50ish Swft, large flock Lapwing, 5 Grey Heron, 30ish Sand Martin, 2 pairs of Great Crested Grebe(one on Elton, one on Withins).
Cheers Ian

Early a.m. dodging the rain!
6 Common Tern, 2 Ringed Plover, 300 Sand Martin(approx), 180 then I lost count Lapwing.
Cheers Ian

17/7/08 Early Evening

Redshank 1
LRP 1
Oystercatcher 3
Common Tern 1
G S Woodpeckers 2 still hanging around
Little Grebe 1

and wellies almost essential

7.15-7.45 Didn't see you Simon, but did have 2 Common Sandpiper near the pump house.
Cheers Ian

16/7/08 6.45-8am bit quiet again of late..

Grasshopper Warbler still singing
5 Common Terns
2 LRP
2 G S woodpeckers
Little Grebe

Early a.m.
Very quiet this morning, small number of Swift and Sand Martin, 2 Common Tern. Best were 2 Kingfisher, one perched in bush at end of res, the other hovering then diving for fish on Withins.
Cheers Ian

Just missed the Hobby by 2 mins
To add to Simons impressive list of sightings ;
2 Little Ringed Plover
4 Common Tern
Cheers Ian

Very ealy am 5.50 - 8.45am

Decent morning, Southerly passage was noted between Coney Green and Withins
all birds south -
Sand Martin 62 (two tight groups) Single Swallow and House Martin with them
Siskin 2
Redshank - heard calling
and a very high Goosander!

Withins Res
Gropper - reeling from area below res

Elton res
Hobby 1st Summer chasing spahawk over sailing club, flew round res landed in pylon at the creek then went west.
Dunlin (ad summer plumage)
Oyc 3 (2 ad & Juv)
Lapwing 110
Sand Martin 300
Swallow 30 (old Hall Farm)
House Martin 20 (feeding over sailing club)
Common tern 2
GCG 5
Whitethroat 5
Sedge Warbler 3
Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, 10 Willow warbler (all in the hedge at bennys)
2nd Gropper reeling old hall marsh

Si

This a.m. 7.30
2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Common Tern and 3 Oystercatcher( including a juvenile ), 100ish Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, 100plus Sand Martin.
Cheers Ian

Paul,

I have spotted a flaw in your cunning plan!!

The Megaphone will need a silencer so as not to scare the birds,thus rendering it useless-next!!!

Well done that Warfy stirling effort in trying to Keep the scoundrels at bay..

May I suggest to MR Warfy senior that you purchase a mega phone for your sons birthday, thus enabling him to keep the joggers and dog walkers at bay!

Excellent find and well deserved points all those hours paid for with one sighting.

keep the joggers at bay
and

KEEP BIRDING

Steve, im sorry you missed it but there was nothing i could do, i tried to stop the runner from going up the edge but i couldnt catch her up with my wellies on and scope, i could have done with the GM sprint champion Heaton there earlier he also missed it by 4 minutes. Such is life at Elton im afraid.

Well done Simon- and I was nearly there too! I was on the other side and parked at Benny's car park just before 9.00 when I heard it had flown, and I'd just spent 5 mins at the level crossing waiting for 2 trams to go past! Would have been a good view from over there (didn't have my bins with me though but might have spotted it). I'll look out of the window properly next time.
Couldn't stop as I had to get back to work! Like the tram -I'll have to wait for the next one!
Steve

A site first for me in 15+ years coverage and i think its a 5th for Elton. I was abit late arriving this morning at 8.10am so the bird may have been present since quite early. The first person around that part of the Res was a jogger at 8.50am who unfortunately flushed it and it circled the Res and then flew low south much to the anguish of me and Peter Johnson and Mr Heaton who was less than 5 minutes away! It looked quite settled as well fishing and preening up and down the shoreline, and i wasnt going to go this morning but glad i did

Also this morning 2 s/p Dunlin and 2 LRP's and 3 Common Terns.



-- Edited by Simon Warford at 13:32, 2008-07-07

Well done, Warfords - that's all 4 white herons in GMC this year! Hopefully it veered west but the weather too awful to go out at present!

Little Egret flew of south at 0850 after being flushed by female jogger !
Keep your eyes peeled at any water south of Bury !!

-- Edited by Alan Warford at 09:10, 2008-07-07

LITTLE EGRET currently between creek & wader point on reservoir edge

Info from Simon

Made 2 visits today but pretty quiet, 5 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sand and Warfy senior counted 215 sand martins tonight incl many juvs.

Between 8 and 9a.m.
1 Common Sandpiper, Common Tern and thats about it !.
Cheers Ian

Early morning visit 6am-8am

Little Rigned Plover 11 in total. 1 se over withins, 9ad + Juv on res 6 of which left NW
Ringed Plover ad
Lapwing 70
GCG 5
Cormorant 4
Common Tern 3
Grey Wag 9
Pied Wag 20
Sand Martin 200 - many Juvs gathering on gravel track
Swift 50
House Martin 20
Kestrel 2
Lesser Whitethroat in song briefly from fields behind the creek
Whitethroat 7
Sedge Warbler 4
Goldfinch 40 & Greenfinch 30 feeding in one flock in horse paddocks at withins

Coney Green
Curlew SE
Teal (drake) west over canal and landed in fields
Reed Warbler
Little Grebe (heard)

so big news at elton and quite a few 'dippers' it,s enevetiable that with modern com,s as good as they are that everyone expexts to be in on a ,twitch, but coook up,s happen and birds will be missed,it,s natural they land fill up and carry on ,best bet for me, is observe,record,and then tell all sundry what you,ve been lucky enough (or dedicated)to spot and share with other forum user,s as when you can

if it hangs about i,ll catch up with it hargreaves

Even if stuff flies off think the news should still be put out as people might be out in the field at other county sites where the whatever it is could possibly turn up! At least ya then know to keep an extra eye out or hang around a bit longer.....just in case...... thats my two pennies worth anyway! lol

Si

Ian Campbell wrote:

---

I must be Billy No Mates
Nobody told me
Who cares about a pair of Little Terns anyway?
Cheers Ian

---

Never mind Billy, I was en-route and missed them cause they flew off-there will be more!

Ian Campbell wrote:

---

I must be Billy No Mates
Nobody told me
Who cares about a pair of Little Terns anyway?
Cheers Ian

---

Ian theres a facility on the website to check when people were last online and yours read 6pm yesterday so what were you reading? general birding discussion? Ive already been told off by Mr Johnson remember the birds had been there since 12pm and no news put out anywhere so dont blame me, i rang 3 people as i was watching them and was about to ring others but the birds flew off so did my best to get news out to others.

Just to make it clear. Simon and I only found out about the Little terns at Elton at about 6-30 when read on website. we rushed evening meal and set of 6-50 not knowing if they were still on. As we arrived had message from Peter Baron that they were still there. saw them at 7-05 pm but flew off at 7-10. gave us little time to get info out that they were still around.

Sorry for those that missed them

Alan

I must be Billy No Mates
Nobody told me
Who cares about a pair of Little Terns anyway?
Cheers Ian

I suppose it was bound to happen that I was wishing it went out on the info service too but I work in Bury town centre and could have been there within 5 minutes any time today! I even checked Birdguides too! I think I'd better get down there this month and you can be sure the news will get out if I see anything !
Steve

It certainly is a shame that they didn't manage to get their deserved attention earlier but as they say '**** happens'! I would still reiterate my sticky posting at the head of the county bird sightings forum though asking for information to be dispersed via the info services, the easiest of which for many may well be through me, I can contact all regular birders of that particular site immediately (and they in turn inform their friends etc...) and also the Birdnet information service who put it straight out on their pagers which is then pinched by all the other info services, so the news gets out quick. I'm always happy to receive phone calls (any time of day, they usually come that way anyway!) and if I can't answer, my voice mail is always on.

I turned up at 7.15 (thanks for the call Warfy). Stayed until 8pm, but no sign. Two Common Terns still around - one fishing, so kept me entertained for a while.

After a Riggers style car chase down Bury Road i luckily saw the 2 LITTLE TERNS sat on mud in front of sailing club but unfortunately they then flew off high east at 7.10pm.

Apparently present on the Res since 12pm and me and Peter Baron only found out about them after 6pmwish people would ring news in to the bird info services, this is typical at Elton.

Thanks for putting the news on here Neil, appreciated.

-- Edited by Simon Warford at 19:49, 2008-07-03

Little Terns still present 7pm.

Info thanks to Simon Warford

2.00pm a pair of Little Terns on the sand spit in front of the Yacht Club. Great views for 10 - 15 mins before they flew off towards the top end of the reservoir. Also 4 common terns, common sandpiper plus the usual grebes, mallards, coots, sand martins, house martins, swifts etc.

As yesterday except the Little Grebe have at least 2 young.
Cheers Ian

This a.m.
3 Common tern, 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Cormorant, 1 adult Kestrel with 3 fledged young.
On the canal at least 1 young Little Grebe remains, 1 pair of Swans with 6 well grown young and the pair near Bennies have 1 youngster.
In the field below the res. at least 90 Lapwing
Cheers Ian

Hi

Hope you dont mind me posting here but I was thinking of trying the Elton area specifically as a friend at work wants to try and see a little owl. Do you have any suggestions on good spots and times to look out for them. I believe the Old Hall Farm area may be the best place to start.

I really enjoy the website - I travel to Manchester on the tram in the morning past the area you watch and I enjoy seeing the postings as they match what I see from the tram window.... Lots of Kestrel activity at the moment. In fact saw 2 in only a 100 yards the other morning and thanks to the postings here I know why.

Many Thanks

Kestrels have in fact fledged 6 young(info from P Johnson), this is the 3rd year running they have achieved this.
cheers Ian

Early a.m.
2 Ringed and 2 Little Ringed Plover
100+ Swift with many Martins and Swallows.
On the canal 1 adult Little Grebe still with 2 young also the Kestrels have fledged at least 3 young.
Cheers Ian

Good morning at the Res.

Had a Greenshank which was a bit distant to get decent photos (managed record shots, before it flew off). Went back later with Ian, but no further sign. Wasn't sure of ID until Ian verified it from photos I did manage. Also saw:

Little Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover (2x)
Little Owl
Kestrel
Oystercatcher (flying back and forth to the Res)
Little Grebe with two chicks
Swans (pair with 2 cygnets)
Willow Warbler (singing away for ages in tree top)
Chiffchaff (at least 3)
Reed Buntings (several)
LBB Gull (2x)
and all the usual stuff - including loads of Swallows, House Martins, Swifts, Sand Martins and 50+ Canada Geese!

Also have had male and female Bullfinches making use of my garden birdtable all week.

EDIT: Ian beat me to post details!








-- Edited by Paul Wilson at 10:35, 2008-06-15

Early a.m. with Paul Wilson
On the res.
2 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Ringed Plover in front of boathouse. Paul also photographed a probable Greenshank, ID to be confirmed?. At least 100 Swift with many Martins(both kinds) and Swallows.
Canal area
Little Grebe with 2 young, no sign of other parent who is hopefully with the other 3 young from last week. The Swan pair that lost their nest near Bennies earlier now have 2 young. Also Little Owl, Kestrels and an Oystercatcher.
Cheers Ian

14th June 08 On the canal but nearer to Radcliffe little grebe with two young. Grasshopper warbler

Early a.m.
On the res very little, 2 Common Terns.
On the canal Little Grebes still have 5 young. Also counted Oystercatcher make 3 North/ South flights over canal in a 10 minute spell, each time flying South carrying food.
Then heard and saw a Cuckoo in marsh area below res, present about 2 minutes before flying towards the res. A site first for me
Finally a Kingfisher on the Irwell.
Cheers Ian

Oystercatchers are the only waders that bring food to their chicks (sometimes washing worms first!) so your bird is probably feeding young somewhere. This is why they can breed on roofs. (Lapwings also breed on roofs but the y are dependent on finding food in puddles etc so often don't succeed)

Early a.m.
On the res 2 Ringed Plover and 2 Common tern.
On the canal below Crow Trees Farm a pair of Little Grebe with 5 tiny young, also pair of Swans with 6 well grown young.
Also 2 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Little Owl and an Oystercatcher flying South over the canal carrying what looked like a large worm, I've never seen this behaviour before.
Cheers Ian

4 Ringed Plover & 1 LRP early evening and plenty of Swifts nearly taking my head off.

-- Edited by Simon Warford at 08:43, 2008-06-04

8.30 this a.m
Could not find any Ringed Plover(neither could P Baron),nor the Bar Headed Geese and all we saw was a single LRPlover and 3 Common Tern.
A pair of Linnet near the stables are quite regular suggesting breeding.
Cheers Ian

31/5 Very Early am

Ringed Plover 11 (10 adult and 1st Summer)
Common Tern 3
Shoveler 2 (male & Female)
Little Grebe - Canal
Tufted Duck 9 in total dotted about
GCG 4
Whitethroat 10
Sedge Warbler 6
Swift 50
House Matin 10

Si

-- Edited by Simon Johnson at 08:58, 2008-05-31

13 Ringed Plover on Elton tonight also a single LRP - all of which were adult birds.

Bar-Headed geese also back

Si

-- Edited by Simon Johnson at 08:52, 2008-05-31