Whooper Swan still present at 1 pm in front of car park
Monday again
Jon Taverner said
Mon Nov 22 1:11 PM, 2010
Whooper Swan still present at 1 pm in front of car park
Jon Taverner said
Mon Nov 22 11:23 AM, 2010
4 Whooper Swan near Boatclub at 11 am
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Nov 21 8:59 PM, 2010
sun-pm Kingfisher-1 Siskin ,10+ by rammies hide Goldeneye-26 (best of winter including 7 fine males)all in rammies pushed in by boats. tufted-250 pochard-c30 goosander-8 shoveler-25+ teal cormorant-24 lapwing-150+ plus the usual stuff
most birds were skittish late on due to someone flying a large model plane,very fast and high from rammies rucks ,must have looked like a peregrine to the lappys has they couldn't settle,same with the ducks,not too sure on the laws for flying these things,but I am pretty sure you not supposed to fly the large fast ones over public areas.
Dave Thacker said
Sun Nov 21 8:19 PM, 2010
9.35-11am
3 very hard to see Snipe looking from Horrocks hide plus all the usual.
Kingfisher flying infront of Pengies,
Up to 5 Willow tits and 2 Siskins at the bunting hide
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Nov 21 8:34 AM, 2010
sat am/pm goosander-6m+1f siskin-c10 nuthatch-1 lapwing -150+ pochard-34 kestrel-1 overall pretty quiet after the waxwing excitement on friday plus all the normal stuff
Craig Higson said
Sat Nov 20 10:11 PM, 2010
Gull roost tonight - not a lot really. 120+ Lesser BB Gulls, 30+ Common Gulls, Only 3-4 Herrings and probably 5000 Black headeds. Viewing wasnt the easiest due to a) the lad on the motorcycle at Sorrowcow Farm blasting up and down the track scaring the gulls further out, then b) some lunatic in a paraglider spooked them so my counting was all to pot . There was a birder on the rucks so if its a regular on here perhaps they will have a more accurate count.
Anyway, what was amusing was watching the large flock of Jackdaws that must be roosting somewhere close by (300+ I'd say). They seem to take great joy in harrassing the roosting gulls, flying just above the heads of the gulls on the water. I watched one individual seemingly dangling its feet onto the heads of the gulls. Sometimes they do it in one big flock, the next minute smaller flocks. I was wondering what would happen if one of the Jackdaws got caught and ended up in the water. I found out! Not sure how but one minute it was harassing a BH gull, the next the gull reacted and the Jackdaw was in the drink. It took a bit of flapping but it got out and amazingly continued its harrassement. They really do seem to be doing it out of sheer mischief. Great fun to watch
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Saturday 20th of November 2010 10:12:40 PM
Marvin Lewis said
Sat Nov 20 12:04 AM, 2010
I visited Pennington yesterday and a Siskin made a brief visit to Bunting Hide.Nuthatch also visited regularly,plus usual.A Sparrowhawk soon cleared everything away.[Didn't see the female Brambling,though,reported earlier in week].
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Nov 19 7:51 PM, 2010
Anna rhind wrote:
It was me, glad you spotted them was a bit worried they might have flown off! Doesn't look like is a site first as listed in visitor centre as having been spotted before but perhaps a season first! Hopefully they'll be back so everyone else can get a glimpse.
Thanks Anna It was a first for me,which is very rare after birding penny since 1976-beltin
Anna rhind said
Fri Nov 19 7:09 PM, 2010
It was me, glad you spotted them was a bit worried they might have flown off! Doesn't look like is a site first as listed in visitor centre as having been spotted before but perhaps a season first! Hopefully they'll be back so everyone else can get a glimpse.
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Nov 19 6:44 PM, 2010
Anna rhind wrote:
Waxwings about 7 up by concrete bridge very rowdy and obliging!
I am assuming it was probably you who tipped me and John off about the waxwings ,thanks,there were about 10 to begin with which later were joined in small parties ,and eventually all got up and headed nw-we counted 39,but it was possible that there were 49,has 10 headed south earlier,but I decided they may have come back to join the others -a site first for me-not sure if it a site first altogether? and a few quick shots while i had the chance. Also 2 nuthatch-plenty redwings,golden eye,and a beltin sunset what more could you want after a hard week at work.
Craig Higson said
Fri Nov 19 3:12 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
39 Waxwings eventually, in trees by the canal bridge at Common Lane. All flew off north prior to 2:30pm.
Info thanks to John Tymon and Jon Taverner
Oh shhhhh.....ine on. That would have been a Pennington, Wigan and GM tick!
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 19 2:58 PM, 2010
39 Waxwings eventually, in trees by the canal bridge at Common Lane. All flew off north prior to 2:30pm.
Info thanks to John Tymon and Jon Taverner
Craig Higson said
Fri Nov 19 2:53 PM, 2010
Anna rhind wrote:
Waxwings about 7 up by concrete bridge very rowdy and obliging!
Which concrete bridge please Anna? The bypass one on the Golf Course, the footbridge on the Golf course, the one where the bypass goes over and the brook comes out of the Flash or the concrete footbridge over the canal?
Ta
Anna rhind said
Fri Nov 19 1:47 PM, 2010
Waxwings about 7 up by concrete bridge very rowdy and obliging!
Judith Smith said
Thu Nov 18 8:05 PM, 2010
It seems this happened on 2nd September but has only just made the news today (it was on Smooth Radio as well). Three men detained were released without charge, apparently.
Holly Page said
Thu Nov 18 12:50 PM, 2010
Just spotted the following article on BBC website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-11784533 - Swan and coot beheaded at Leigh nature reserve.
It appears the police are looking for a witness.
Such a horrible thing to do to a poor bird although it would take a complete fool to try and mess with a mute swan!!
Judith Smith said
Tue Nov 16 5:05 PM, 2010
I think most of those were just over the border in Cheshire. Some years over 1000 have been there but some of the fields are now being used for light aircraft now.
Nick Isherwood said
Tue Nov 16 4:57 PM, 2010
someone mentioned to me last year large flocks of pinkfeet on the fields to the west of winwick lane lowton,but they were never there at weekendsso maybe they were looking for that area
We had a few hundred there last year in the fields just to the north of Winwick Lane near to Kenyon farm. They stayed for a good few weeks.
JOHN TYMON said
Tue Nov 16 3:56 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Just after midday today:
310 Pink-footed Geese flew west just to the south of Pennington Flash at 12:50, they approached roughly over the by-pass and circled, loosing height. Remarkably they then certainly landed in one of the fields just to the west of the by-pass (north of the A580), albeit briefly before heading off low west again but clearly looking for somewhere else to ditch down!
34 Pochard
6 Lesser Redpoll in birch at the western end.
someone mentioned to me last year large flocks of pinkfeet on the fields to the west of winwick lane lowton,but they were never there at weekendsso maybe they were looking for that area
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Nov 16 2:53 PM, 2010
Just after midday today:
310 Pink-footed Geese flew west just to the south of Pennington Flash at 12:50, they approached roughly over the by-pass and circled, loosing height. Remarkably they then certainly landed in one of the fields just to the west of the by-pass (north of the A580), albeit briefly before heading off low west again but clearly looking for somewhere else to ditch down!
34 Pochard
6 Lesser Redpoll in birch at the western end.
Ray Eden said
Sun Nov 14 7:51 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Staggeringly unlikely I'm afraid. More likely to be one of any escaped (or rather illegally released) exotic wildfowl, perhaps it was the Muscovy Duck that frequents the flash?
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 14th of November 2010 07:45:02 PM
Thanks Ian, after a look on t'internet,yes it's a Muscovy Duck
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Nov 14 7:43 PM, 2010
Staggeringly unlikely I'm afraid. More likely to be one of any escaped (or rather illegally released) exotic wildfowl, perhaps it was the Muscovy Duck that frequents the flash?
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 14th of November 2010 07:45:02 PM
Ray Eden said
Sun Nov 14 7:40 PM, 2010
Saw what I thought was a male King Eider today with the Canada's that were being fed near the burger van. Haven't seen one before, can anyone verify this. Didn't have my camera with me aaargh. Oh and hello everybody, first post but been lurking for to long
-- Edited by RayE on Sunday 14th of November 2010 07:44:03 PM
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Nov 14 4:50 PM, 2010
brambling-1f nuthatch-1 goldeneye-10 goosander-15 redwing-approx-100 kestrel-1 goldcrest-1 water rail-4 pochard-15 tufted-c250 plus all the usual stuff
Jon Taverner said
Sun Nov 14 2:19 PM, 2010
Brambling at the Bunting Hide late morning
dave broome said
Sun Nov 14 1:12 PM, 2010
Brambling calling in trees at the west end of Ramsdale's Ruck yesterday morning. Also on the Ruck 5 Skylark, 7 Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting. Stock Dove on the spit A full circuit of the flash was generally very quiet. 40 Redwings, mainly at the west end, 7 Bullfinch, 5 Willow Tits
-- Edited by dave broome on Sunday 14th of November 2010 01:20:34 PM
dave broome said
Fri Nov 12 9:18 PM, 2010
A noticeably larger gull roost this evening, with c14,000 Black-Headed, also an adult Yellow-Legged Gull, 2 Great Black-Backed (1 ad, 1 first cy) and 313 Lesser Black-Backed. 100+ Common Gull (didn't get a good count because of the larger overall flock and beaten by the fading light), but 5 Goldeneye pre-roost Jackdaws harassing gulls again
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 12 4:23 PM, 2010
Todays sightings:
29 Pink-footed Geese south at 08:25 and 60 east at 08:10 (Barry Hulme and Dave Wilson respectively).
Dunlin also by the boat club (Dave Wilson)
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Nov 11 10:56 AM, 2010
2 Scaup (juv/imm) on the main flash at 10:50am.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Nov 10 10:57 AM, 2010
100 Pink-footed Geese south over at 07:25 this morning.
Yesterday, a count of 18 Goldeneye was the highest so far this side of the year.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
dave broome said
Tue Nov 9 9:47 PM, 2010
Some Lesser Black-Backed Gulls came in very late this evening, taking the total to 276, other than that gulls as per Craig 350+ Jackdaws went to roost on the south side of the Flash
Craig Higson said
Tue Nov 9 7:58 PM, 2010
Decided to have a look at the Gull roost tonight. Not the best idea I've ever had - stood on the sailing club side the force 5-6 wind was cutting straight across the flash and it was as cold as the proverbial (insert what you like). Anyway, wind direction was all wrong so the vast, vast majority of birds were all pointing their backsides at me. Net result not great roost conditions but....
2 Great Black-backed Gulls (one - an absolute monster adult - looked to be eyeing up a nearby Goldeneye!)
56 Lsr BB Gulls
18 Herring Gulls
And at the very least 7000+ Black-headeds. In fact its probably safer to say 10,000+ as they were still streaming in when I left.
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Nov 6 8:05 PM, 2010
am/pmnowt spectacular redwings-approx 50+50 over in various directions(don't know wether this is vis mig or birds just flying from field to field feeding-maybe a definition of vis mig is required) skylarks -24>w Goosander-6 sparrowhawk-3 separate birds-1m+2 imm plenty of cormorants goldeneye -12 little grabe-8 plus all the usual culprits
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 5 11:17 AM, 2010
Whoopers flew west at 10:25.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 5 9:55 AM, 2010
4 Whooper Swans on the main flash at 09:50, also a female Blackcap along the chipped path from Ramsdales Hide.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Nov 5 8:57 AM, 2010
200 Pink-footed Geese over SE at 7:30am this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Nov 4 3:18 PM, 2010
One Raven flew south over at 09:30 this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Nov 3 9:31 AM, 2010
This morning, Pink-footed Geese skiens over were as follows:
75 east at 07:50 200 south-east at 09:05
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Nov 2 8:24 PM, 2010
Ten Goldeneyes this morning with 50 Fieldfare over south-west.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Oct 31 4:41 PM, 2010
Sunday pm Goosander-12 goldeneye-up to 14 today fieldfare-100+ flying ne 2pm redwing-c200 cormorant-38 water rail-3 little grebe-6 siskin-4 goldfinch-30 plus all the usual stuff
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Oct 31 4:38 PM, 2010
brandon mulhern wrote:
no John definatley 7 scaup i have some poor light photo's but it was late 4.30 pm onward and light was poor, not my original sighting as a chap from southport i was sat next to scoped them first then we counted 6 in a tight bunch and then a single female flew in and joined the other 6, !00% scaup, i'll try to process my pics of which I have several but as you know i only have a canon.....
As a footnote when we arrived the notice board had scaup 1 f listed on the board but not which area the sighting happened.
To misidentify a goosander male or female as a scaup a Tufted possibly but not this occasion.
-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Sunday 31st of October 2010 01:48:45 PM
good record for the flash then has there's has not been a number like that for a very long time and never to my knowledge on the area at the front of the teal hide,but theres always a first time for everything-smashing record
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 31st of October 2010 04:59:57 PM
brandon mulhern said
Sun Oct 31 12:55 PM, 2010
no John definatley 7 scaup i have some poor light photo's but it was late 4.30 pm onward and light was poor, not my original sighting as a chap from southport i was sat next to scoped them first then we counted 6 in a tight bunch and then a single female flew in and joined the other 6, !00% scaup, i'll try to process my pics of which I have several but as you know i only have a canon.....
As a footnote when we arrived the notice board had scaup 1 f listed on the board but not which area the sighting happened.
To misidentify a goosander male or female as a scaup a Tufted possibly but not this occasion.
-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Sunday 31st of October 2010 01:48:45 PM
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Oct 31 11:22 AM, 2010
brandon mulhern wrote:
bit of a late posting for yesterday, pretty much same as everyone else other than -
7 scaup at teal hide
think you mean 7 goosandernever been a scaup ever on teal hide area that i can remember
brandon mulhern said
Sun Oct 31 10:25 AM, 2010
bit of a late posting for yesterday, pretty much same as everyone else other than -
7 scaup at teal hide
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Oct 31 9:43 AM, 2010
Four female/immature Common Scoter present off the yacht club at first light this morning, looking fairly 'active' and couldn't be refound later in the morning.
13 Siskin around Edmondson/Ramsdales Hides.
6 Water Rail in and around Ramsdales Reedbed.
60 or so Redwing around and about the nature reserve area with a marked increase in Blackbirds and more Goldcrests than usual.
Nuthatch around the area between the feeding station and brook.
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Oct 30 10:15 PM, 2010
most of the goldeneye were in ramsdales flash the area to the right of the shingle spit from horrocks hide,but earlier,they were in the se corner,the redwings were in the ditch near the canal bridge-more friday than today,on friday afternoon ,a few redwings were with them as well.There have been golden eye for 6 weeks now,they arrived very early this year.
Geoff Walton said
Sat Oct 30 10:09 PM, 2010
Hi John, where were the Goldeneye please, and also the Redwing.
We were there from about 2pm till Bunting locked at 4.30
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Oct 30 10:04 PM, 2010
pm Goldeneye-now up to 10 at least redwing 50+ goosander-12 common buzzard-1 kestrel-2 sparrowhawk-1 lapwing -c400 grey heron-8 cormorant-38 great crested grebe-75+ pochard-30 little grebe-8 wigeon-2 plenty teal,shoveler tufted -250+ long tailed tit-20+ water rail-2 siskin -4 golfinch-40 plus the usual stuff
more or less the same friday pm.
Geoff Walton said
Sat Oct 30 9:45 PM, 2010
Where was everyone on Friday? Was it half term? Couldn't have been us as we only decided on the day
All the Hides were empty. The water was lower than I expected as well. The wind must have kept a lot of the small stuff down I guess. All the usually water birds, but my first Goosanders for a while - still waiting for this seasons Goldeneye
Still, a nice afternoon, and the Bunting Hide always delights.We did see one nice guy(with a limp and a pair of Swaros) who told us about loads of Grasshopper Warblers nearby, some ex mine I think -anyone know where and if it is any good? If the gent posts on here, please say hello.
Monday again
Kingfisher-1
Siskin ,10+ by rammies hide
Goldeneye-26 (best of winter including 7 fine males)all in rammies pushed in by boats.
tufted-250
pochard-c30
goosander-8
shoveler-25+
teal
cormorant-24
lapwing-150+
plus the usual stuff
most birds were skittish late on due to someone flying a large model plane,very fast and high from rammies rucks ,must have looked like a peregrine to the lappys has they couldn't settle,same with the ducks,not too sure on the laws for flying these things,but I am pretty sure you not supposed to fly the large fast ones over public areas.
3 very hard to see Snipe looking from Horrocks hide plus all the usual.
Kingfisher flying infront of Pengies,
Up to 5 Willow tits and 2 Siskins at the bunting hide
goosander-6m+1f
siskin-c10
nuthatch-1
lapwing -150+
pochard-34
kestrel-1
overall pretty quiet after the waxwing excitement on friday
plus all the normal stuff
Anyway, what was amusing was watching the large flock of Jackdaws that must be roosting somewhere close by (300+ I'd say). They seem to take great joy in harrassing the roosting gulls, flying just above the heads of the gulls on the water. I watched one individual seemingly dangling its feet onto the heads of the gulls. Sometimes they do it in one big flock, the next minute smaller flocks. I was wondering what would happen if one of the Jackdaws got caught and ended up in the water. I found out! Not sure how but one minute it was harassing a BH gull, the next the gull reacted and the Jackdaw was in the drink. It took a bit of flapping but it got out and amazingly continued its harrassement. They really do seem to be doing it out of sheer mischief. Great fun to watch
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Saturday 20th of November 2010 10:12:40 PM
Thanks Anna
It was a first for me,which is very rare after birding penny since 1976-beltin
I am assuming it was probably you who tipped me and John off about the waxwings ,thanks,there were about 10 to begin with which later were joined in small parties ,and eventually all got up and headed nw-we counted 39,but it was possible that there were 49,has 10 headed south earlier,but I decided they may have come back to join the others -a site first for me-not sure if it a site first altogether? and a few quick shots while i had the chance.
Also 2 nuthatch-plenty redwings,golden eye,and a beltin sunset what more could you want after a hard week at work.
Oh shhhhh.....ine on. That would have been a Pennington, Wigan and GM tick!
Info thanks to John Tymon and Jon Taverner
Which concrete bridge please Anna? The bypass one on the Golf Course, the footbridge on the Golf course, the one where the bypass goes over and the brook comes out of the Flash or the concrete footbridge over the canal?
Ta
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-11784533 - Swan and coot beheaded at Leigh nature reserve.
It appears the police are looking for a witness.
Such a horrible thing to do to a poor bird although it would take a complete fool to try and mess with a mute swan!!
someone mentioned to me last year large flocks of pinkfeet on the fields to the west of winwick lane lowton,but they were never there at weekends
We had a few hundred there last year in the fields just to the north of Winwick Lane near to Kenyon farm. They stayed for a good few weeks.
someone mentioned to me last year large flocks of pinkfeet on the fields to the west of winwick lane lowton,but they were never there at weekends
310 Pink-footed Geese flew west just to the south of Pennington Flash at 12:50, they approached roughly over the by-pass and circled, loosing height. Remarkably they then certainly landed in one of the fields just to the west of the by-pass (north of the A580), albeit briefly before heading off low west again but clearly looking for somewhere else to ditch down!
34 Pochard
6 Lesser Redpoll in birch at the western end.
Thanks Ian, after a look on t'internet,yes it's a Muscovy Duck
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 14th of November 2010 07:45:02 PM
-- Edited by RayE on Sunday 14th of November 2010 07:44:03 PM
nuthatch-1
goldeneye-10
goosander-15
redwing-approx-100
kestrel-1
goldcrest-1
water rail-4
pochard-15
tufted-c250
plus all the usual stuff
Stock Dove on the spit
A full circuit of the flash was generally very quiet. 40 Redwings, mainly at the west end, 7 Bullfinch, 5 Willow Tits
-- Edited by dave broome on Sunday 14th of November 2010 01:20:34 PM
5 Goldeneye
pre-roost Jackdaws harassing gulls again
29 Pink-footed Geese south at 08:25 and 60 east at 08:10 (Barry Hulme and Dave Wilson respectively).
Dunlin also by the boat club (Dave Wilson)
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Yesterday, a count of 18 Goldeneye was the highest so far this side of the year.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
350+ Jackdaws went to roost on the south side of the Flash
2 Great Black-backed Gulls (one - an absolute monster adult - looked to be eyeing up a nearby Goldeneye!)
56 Lsr BB Gulls
18 Herring Gulls
And at the very least 7000+ Black-headeds. In fact its probably safer to say 10,000+ as they were still streaming in when I left.
redwings-approx 50+50 over in various directions(don't know wether this is vis mig or birds just flying from field to field feeding-maybe a definition of vis mig is required)
skylarks -24>w
Goosander-6
sparrowhawk-3 separate birds-1m+2 imm
plenty of cormorants
goldeneye -12
little grabe-8
plus all the usual culprits
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
75 east at 07:50
200 south-east at 09:05
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Goosander-12
goldeneye-up to 14 today
fieldfare-100+ flying ne 2pm
redwing-c200
cormorant-38
water rail-3
little grebe-6
siskin-4
goldfinch-30
plus all the usual stuff
good record for the flash then has there's has not been a number like that for a very long time and never to my knowledge on the area at the front of the teal hide,but theres always a first time for everything-smashing record
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 31st of October 2010 04:59:57 PM
As a footnote when we arrived the notice board had scaup 1 f listed on the board but not which area the sighting happened.
To misidentify a goosander male or female as a scaup
-- Edited by brandon mulhern on Sunday 31st of October 2010 01:48:45 PM
think you mean 7 goosander
7 scaup at teal hide
13 Siskin around Edmondson/Ramsdales Hides.
6 Water Rail in and around Ramsdales Reedbed.
60 or so Redwing around and about the nature reserve area with a marked increase in Blackbirds and more Goldcrests than usual.
Nuthatch around the area between the feeding station and brook.
We were there from about 2pm till Bunting locked at 4.30
Goldeneye-now up to 10 at least
redwing 50+
goosander-12
common buzzard-1
kestrel-2
sparrowhawk-1
lapwing -c400
grey heron-8
cormorant-38
great crested grebe-75+
pochard-30
little grebe-8
wigeon-2
plenty teal,shoveler
tufted -250+
long tailed tit-20+
water rail-2
siskin -4
golfinch-40
plus the usual stuff
more or less the same friday pm.
All the Hides were empty. The water was lower than I expected as well. The wind must have kept a lot of the small stuff down I guess. All the usually water birds, but my first Goosanders for a while - still waiting for this seasons Goldeneye
Still, a nice afternoon, and the Bunting Hide always delights.We did see one nice guy(with a limp and a pair of Swaros) who told us about loads of Grasshopper Warblers nearby, some ex mine I think -anyone know where and if it is any good? If the gent posts on here, please say hello.