late pm

2 Common Terns
2 Common Sands
Little Owl showing well
Sedge Wblr
4 Tufted Duck
Whitethroats

Additional to Simon's
3 Singing Sedge Warbler along canal below the res(not here yesterday).
Cheers Ian

27/4/2008 early am - big arrival of warblers overnight

Dunlin 2 6.50am only
Common Sand 3
Oystercatcher 3
Lesser Whitethroat 1 Creek (found by Simon Johnson)
Grasshopper Warbler 2 (1 below withins still and 1 below Old Hall Fm in marsh)
Reed Warbler 1
Sedge Warbler 6
Whitethroat 7
Blackcap 12+
Chiffchaff 7
Willow Warbler 15
Swift 3

Two rather damp Simon's!

-- Edited by Simon Warford at 10:32, 2008-04-27

Early a.m.
6 Common Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Goosander many Swallows and Sand Martin.
2 Swift over Withins and 1 Grasshopper Warbler heard then seen reeling in rough grass around stream below Redstart hedge. Also 6 singing Willow Warbler and 2 Whitethroat.
Cheers Ian

25/4/2008 early am - been abit woeful this week until today-

Greenshank 2 present but mobile till 7.20am only when spooked by magpies & flew north
Dunlin 1
Little Ringed Plover 2 (been on all week)
Oystercatcher 3
Sedge Warbler 1
Whitethroat 1

4.15 p.m
Male Redstart still present, in similar position to that described by Simon in previous post(cheers for the info). About half way along hedgerow from path to yellow blocks in field.
Also Little Ringed Plover on res.
Cheers Ian

Splendid Male Redstart still present 5.45pm to 6,45pm at least showing well feeding on ground next to the two yellow blocks, its in the field next to the gate thats bent viewed from bridge over stream just north of crow tree farm, its not in "redstart hedge"

Ruddy duck still on and 3 Little Ringed Plover.

4.30p.m popped down after work but could not find the Redstart, your right Simon, the res was deserted, just a small number of GCGrebes, not even any hirundines in what(by recent standards)was lovely Spring weather.
Cheers Ian

21/4/08 13.30-15.00

A quick look this afternoon wasnt the best idea seen as im full of cold and on antibiotics the quest for more points being the driving force but i really should have stayed in!

Male Redstart still present at redstart hedge -crow tree farm
Female Ruddy Duck on res
Chiffchaff 2
Willow Warbler 8
Blackcap - singing from dip
oh and a dead canda goose..... sums it up really!

On a more exotic note had a Cockatiel fly over the flat this morning....wonder if that had been blown in with the
strong easterly winds


-- Edited by Simon Johnson at 16:17, 2008-04-21

20/4/08 17-19.00hrs

Redstart - cracking male at crow tree farm near manure dump, feeding and flicking about field and fence posts confirming Warfy's brief view of what he thought was one this morning.

On the res
Dunlin 3 summer plumage birds
LRP 3
Common Sand 1
GCG 11 + 2 Withins
Tufted Duck 10 coney green flashes + 2 Withins
Swallow 15 Withins + 10 Coney Green
Willow Warbler 6
Chiffchaff 2
Kestrel male
LBBG 65 North/north west
Grey Wag

this am i saw what i thought was a the tail of a Redstart below Withins near the usual redstart hedge, but the view was so brief i couldnt confirm the sighting and couldnt relocate the bird, when i spoke to Simon Johnson and mentioned to him about it he has been down and found it this afternoon in the same spot i thought i saw it. Of course the bird is now showing on fence posts.

20/4/2008 early am

LRP 2
Ringed Plover 1
Common Sand 1
Jack Snipe 1
Whitethroat 1
Blackcap 1
Fieldfare 60
Linnet 2

Early a.m.
1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Owl, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Linnet,1 Kestrel, 1 Housemartin, 3 Sand and many Swallow. Heard Fieldfare and Snipe.
Cheers Ian
.......................
Forgot to mention 2 teal

-- Edited by Ian Campbell at 12:17, 2008-04-20

19/4/08 very early am
Fieldfare 62
Redwing 1
Willow Warbler 6
Chiffchaff 2
Shoveler 2
Goosander male
Swallow 6
Common Sand 3

Early a.m.
2 Ringed Plover, 7 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin, 3 singing Skylark, approx 45 Fieldfare near Crow Trees Farm and Little Owl nearby.
Cheers Ian
isn't it a bit late for Fieldfare?

18/4/2008 early am - freezing miserable and pants as its been all week.

Little Ringed Plover 2
Oystercatcher 2
Blackcap (my first of the year)
No hirrundines!

Also to add this morning - Willow Warblers (one seen and another singing).

If anyone is interested, here's a link to my Elton birds web page, where I have added three more pics:

House Sparrow, Willow Warbler and Common Scoter.

My Elton Res page

Also early a.m.
Saw almost identical birds and numbers as previous post, although had to return to see the Scoter( thanks Paul for the 'phone call) and only managed 5 Wheatear. Add Snipe seen and heard calling in the marsh and 2 newly hatched broods of coot on the canal (but not revealing exactly where) last bit just for Warfy
Cheers Ian

Early am 0800

Common Scoter female
6 Wheatears (4f 2m)
Ringed Plover 1
Common Sand 1
Redshank 1
Fieldfare 50+
Swallow 27
House Martin 2

Info from Simon W.

-- Edited by Alan Warford at 10:24, 2008-04-13

Somebody tried stealing my wheels at Elton. Also one occasion thought I had turned up in war zone with guns going off.
Do go there but not often.
Strictly for the lunatic fringe I think

yeah twigged it and edited

Simon Warford wrote:

---

fowl language

---

Quack quack , sorry couldn't resist, twigged it yet Warfy?

12/4/2008 late pm

2 hour search no sign of possible water pipit, accidently flushed the Jack Snipe whilst checking the marsh for the pipit.Also tonight-

Little Ringed Plover 1
Ringed Plover 1
Redshank 1
Oystercatcher 2
Teal 5 on res not a common site these days

Wheatear - 4 (decent number for Elton, 2 females near canal and 2 males in cattlefield next to Old Hall Fm).

Then as i was leaving got a load of abuse and foul language of 2 guys in a block paving van just for walking past with me scope, whats goin on.

-- Edited by Simon Warford at 19:23, 2008-04-12

There are some unsavoury characters around Elton at times. The three blokes I photographed with the dogs and what seemed to be a high powered air rifle didn't look too 'friendly' - they moved on pretty quickly when the saw me.

Managed to see the little ringed plover yesterday before work - and got a pic (on my elton web page).

Ian Campbell wrote:

---

Early a.m.
Same as Simon reported, however after myself and Peter Johnson had left Simon( searching for his Pipet ) we found a third wheatear. Also the swan nest near Bennies which had at least 5 eggs last weekend is now empty, there was no sign of broken eggshells and it looks like they may have possibly been taken by an egg collecter.:
Cheers Ian

---

Ian, this is one of the reasons we shouldnt be mentioning the whereabouts of birds on eggs regardless of how common the bird is.

In this week's Bury Times, the headline is about Benny's (which is boarded up) being bombarded by bullets from a AK47 !!!! Hope they didn't kill the swans as well. Time for them to re-lay though, as not far into incubation.

Early a.m.
Same as Simon reported, however after myself and Peter Johnson had left Simon( searching for his Pipet ) we found a third wheatear. Also the swan nest near Bennies which had at least 5 eggs last weekend is now empty, there was no sign of broken eggshells and it looks like they may have possibly been taken by an egg collecter.:
Cheers Ian

Sat 12/4/08 early am

Wheatear 2 female
Common Sand
Oyc 2
Swallow 4
Sand martin 15
Teal 3
Tufted Duck 8 with a further 2 on canal

plus an un-id'd pipit in creek which flew up into a bush sung to its self and then flew up
high over res

Trespassing at Elton without Warfy's permission

1 Common Sand and LRP. Plenty of hirundines (inc 6 House Martins)

4-30 to 5-30 pm

2 LR Plover
3 Common Sandpiper
1 Redshank
2 Oystercatcher
Single Male Goldeneye.

Very muddy in Creek area

10/4/2008 early am

Common Sand 3
Dunlin 1
Ringed Plover 1
Redshank 1
Oystercatcher 1
Tufted 8

9/4/2008 pm, despite the rather annoying disturbance-

Common Sandpiper 3
Little Ringed Plover 4
Ringed Plover 1
Redshank 1
Oystercatcher 3
several chiffchaffs and lots of sand martin
male Goldeneye still on

Couldn't locate the Little Ringed Plovers yesterday.

I had a wander down the dip and didn't see much down there except for 3 blokes with 2 dogs and an air rifle. One of the dogs was carrying what looked like a pheasant or something. They soon went away when they saw me. We seem to be getting quite a number of people walking around with air rifles - quite worrying.

Added some pics to Elton web photos (inc ringed plover)

-- Edited by Paul Wilson at 17:59, 2008-04-07

during the late afternoon blizzard, yes i was out in it

Little Ringed Plover 4
Ringed Plover 3
Redshank 1
Swallow 5

This a.m.
2 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 flocks of Fieldfare( 30 and 12 birds ), small number of Sand Martins, 1 Swallow, 1 Little Owl, 2 Teal(at the side of the canal) 6 Meadow Pipets.
Anything to add Warfy? I saw you on the opposite side of the Res.
Forgot 1 singing Willow Warbler.
Cheers Ian

-- Edited by Ian Campbell at 13:27, 2008-04-06

I'll probably have a look tomorrow morning, as long as it isn't chucking it down.

I have added a page of photos taken at Elton Res this year (not many at the moment). Anyway, they can be found here:
Elton Res 2008 photos

-- Edited by Paul Wilson at 22:59, 2008-04-05

5/4/2008 late pm migrants arriving all the time in these showers!!

Little Ringed Plovers - now 6 birds including a very confiding pair in the creek, paul get down with that big lense.

Ringed Plover - 2 still on at 6pm
White Wagtail - 1 (wasnt on this morning)
Swallow - 11+ now
House Martin 1

Loving these water levels, there is that much mud now even the motorbike going up and down the waters edge didnt matter, love it.

5/4/2008 very early am

Little Ringed Plover 2 (about bloody time)
Ringed Plover 2
Redshank 1
Oystercatcher 3
Jack Snipe 1 still present
Snipe 30+
Goldeneye 1 male
Tufted 4
Willow Warbler 3 (1st of the year)
Swallow 1
Sand Martin 50+
Chiffchaff 4+
Fieldfare 30+ still around in fields
G S Woodpecker 1
Pheasant 4 (good number for Elton)

Myself and Simon Johnson

Paul Cliff wrote:

---

sat for half an hour in my 'colin chapman hide' outside diasyfields looking for f.........s, non seen, but some spectacular house sparrow chases. :D

---

I haven't seen any firecrests since 2nd March. I think we can assume they decided that there were far too many people pointing scopes, bins and cameras at them, or their liking and have moved on!

I did take a wander round Burrs to try out my new camera yesterday early evening - nothing of note there. Stopped off the watch the resident Dipper on the way back to my flat. I'm going to start spending a bit more time trying to get a decent photo of it.

took warfies advice and did an early morning, no sign of the wheatear, but 2 swallows over the creek at 7.45 ish.

sat for half an hour in my 'colin chapman hide' outside diasyfields looking for f.........s, non seen, but some spectacular house sparrow chases. :D

I think the county can do without yet another permit only site too

Let me get this correct, do the rest of us occassional visiters to the mighty Elton have to get permission from a junior Warfy to visit his patch in the future?
Seriously though the people who let their dogs loose on the bank are a real pain in the a*** and as Simon says it is definately better early a.m.
Cheers Ian
Only joking Mr Warfy

Another tresspasser on my patch! Paul if you look at the "Elton site guide" on the website, early morning is by far the best time to visit in the hope of waders. I get down for 7am most mornings and theres usually at least 1 dog walker already there by then, what you saw is unfortunately an all to familiar sight at Elton, part of the problem of having a path all the way round the res.hence alot records from Elton involve fly-overs. Shame we cant get a big fence round and have it permit only.

Paul, there was at least 2 Chiffchaffs in on Sunday am (30th) around car park and 3 Swallows yesterday. Forgot to post it. Email me your Godwit photo please

had a wander round myself this afternoon, but it was spoiled by irresponsible dog walkers, what is it about people who cannot control their animals that makes them think it's ok for them to be off the leash?

two girls this afternoon started their walk by letting all three of their dogs chase all the ducks and geese at the sailing club - i tried to put some distance between myself and them but they caught up to me at the creek - no wheatear, but the dogs chased off the redshank.

i decided to stay put for 15 minutes to let them get ahead so i could enjoy the peace without hearing them screaming at each other and the three dogs, whilst they moved on disturbing everything at the water's edge.

5 pied wagtails, 2 greys and a female reed bunting, 4 shoveller (chased by the dogs) and a male goldeneye far side. 2 sand martin.

2 grey wagtails on the overflow of little res. 1 skylark

as i came back onto the big res i witnessed all three of the dogs belonging to the two girls attack a man walking on res - the girls stood and watched on a did next to nothing whilst this poor fellah tried to fend off the dogs. unbelievable.



-- Edited by Paul Cliff at 17:27, 2008-04-01

Godwit was in the area where the ducks get fed by dogwalkers. In fact, it was such a person who caused it to fly off - and I was unable to locate it again.

I am adding a 2008 Elton page to my web site - will have a crap photo of the Godwit and a half-decent Wheatear - when I've uplaoded it all. Will post here with link when done.

where was the Godwit paul?

One Oystercatcher, one Redshank, One Black-tailed Godwit and a great male Wheatear (on the short grass just past the creek).

Also four shoveler and loads of Sand Martins and at least four Chiffchaff.

Male Wheatear around 6.00p.m. yesterday, info from Peter Johnson.
Cheers Ian

Early a.m. weather better than yesterday.
6 Meadow Pipet feeding on bank with 6 Pied Wag on insects when 25/30 Sand Martins arrived to join in the feast. 10 mins earlier (before I arrived) Peter Johnson had a Swallow fly past. Also 1 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher in same place as yesterday, the've been around here for about a month now, maybe they have set up territory. Swans nest nearest Bennies has at least 2 eggs. Also heard Curlew and saw GSWoodpecker.
Cheers Ian

Early a.m.
Horrible weather, cold and damp, 2 Sand Martins, 2 Goosander, 16 GCGrebe and that was it. On canal between Crow Trees Farm and Elton, 2 pairs Swans with Females sat on nests, at least 4 Coot sat on complete nests, in field at side of canal 2 oystercatcher and Kestrel at usual nest site.
Cheers Ian