A breezy walk down the canal to Lightshaw produced 12 Redshanks and the Blackwit and a couple of Shelduck at Lightshaw Hall Flash; nothing of particular note on Dover Basin today

sunday am 09/03/08

dover basin 1 redshank 2 pair pintail
2 moorhens 6 coot
1 shelduck 4 mallard
6 tufted 12 teal
1 black t godwit 1 shoveler
2 gadwall 1 heron
2 mute swan 3 goosander
3 pochard 1 cracking good day on a water that can be moody to say the least


lightshaw 7 lapwings 2 shelduck
2 redshank 2 oystercatchers

1 raven(distant) 1 male pintail (over)could have been one of the dover basin bunch but after walked back to dover expecting to count five could only find the four,so no points for me then.

cheers geoff

Friday 7th March

4 Pintail (2 pair) and Blackwit still at Dover Basin today.

Info thanks to Rob Thorpe and Dave Broome

3/3/08 (08.30-11.30)

Finally managed to set off and walk upright after two aborted attempts over the weekend, due to these damned infernal gales !

Lightshaw Flash ;

3 Buzzards.
5 Redshank.
2 Oystercatcher.
4 Snipe.
47+ Teal.
11 Gadwall.
Red-legged Partridge on the roof of Lightshaw barn !?
2 Grey Partridge.
Sparrowhawk.
3 Kestrels, one running after something on the grass near Dover pub.
Shelduck on Dover Basin.
female Stonechat in hedges behind the Basin.

dover basin early doors 01/03/08

2 snipe
1 kestrel
2 mute swans
1 pied wagtail
2 teal
6 mallard 4 coot 6 tufted
4 gadwall
2 goosander

and quite windy as well

cheers geoff, also found dead mystrey bird, wings,tail and most of torso but struggled to id the headless corpse i,ve asked for help and rob thorpe has idenified it,woodpigeon,

-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves at 14:52, 2008-03-01

As well as the BlackTailed Godwit

2 Goosander
17 Teal
Snipe
8 Mallard
2 Tufted Duck
2 Cormorants
7 Gadwall
11 Shoveler
Sparrowhawk

Black Tailed Godwit on Dover Basin 1.30pm at least - info from Riggers.

-- Edited by Simon Warford at 13:43, 2008-02-23

23/2/08 (07.20-09.30)

Lightshaw Flash ;

3 Pintail (2f).
2 Shelduck (and 1 on Dover Basin).
4 f Goosanders.

Buzzard.
singing Yellowhammer.
4 Bullfinch.
2 Kestrels.
Sparrowhawk.
Skylark.

TTV and WeBS counts today at the Abram Flashes (Lightshaw, Dover, Coffin Brook Flash and Glover's Pool (that's the new lake the FC dug for us, level with the aqueduct, after Tim Melling from the RSPB and Martyn Walker from LWT said it wasn't a feasibility) - named after Andy Glover who proved them wrong. Pretty standard for the time of year with about 15 Shoveler a highlight, but best of all was a huge Noctule bat, flycatching on the marshes behind the Dover Pub, at 1230pm in the sunshine. Noctules are regular along this valley, but this was the first time I'd had such great views in daylight.

Wednesday 06 Feb 08

10:30

Coffin Brook Flash:
2 Goosander (pair)
3 Tufted Duck (2m 1f)
4+ Teal
Grey Heron
Cormorant

Dover Lock:
2(m) Goosander over south
4 Mistle Thrush
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel

Dover Basin:
2 Gadwall and a Coot!

12:00ish

Red Lion Marsh:
i could only find one Snipe, but one of my welleys was leaking so i didnt stay in the marsh for long.
Kingfisher in the rushes by the boardwalk
2 Mistle Thrush with a Starling

Dover Basin:
5 Tufted Duck
6 Mallard
2 Mute Swan
a few Coot
3 Meadow Pipit over

Coffin Brook Flash:
4 Tufted Duck
8+ Teal hiding along the edges
some Mallard
Cormorant over



It'll soon be spring...

Sunday 27 Jan 2008

16:00ish

5 Snipe in Red Lion Marsh
1 G S Woodpecker
1 Kestrel
3 Tufted Duck and 8+ Teal on Coffin Brook Flash
30+ Fieldfare going in to roost near the Boardwalk.

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 22:34, 2008-01-28

Yesterday (25th) evening...

Dover Lock Marsh/Swamp:

2 Snipe
1 Water Rail

Dover Basin:

2 Gadwall (pair)
1 R**** Duck
1 Shelduck
1 Cormorant
2 LBB Gulls
2 Teal (pair)
plenty Coots and Mallards

over 100 Jackdaws heading south in 3 flocks.
hundreds of Black-headed Gulls heading south in groups of 30s & 40s

Jack Snipe @ Coffin Brook Flashes 15:00
also 8 Stock Dove, Water Rails calling, 3 Tufted Duck.
Hundreds of Black-headed Gulls heading for Pennington Flash.

19/01/08 11.45-12.30

Myself & Warfy had a quick look at lunch. Water levels still high.
Lots of Duck on Lightshaw:-
4 Wigeon, 20+ Shoveler, 30+ Gadwall, 6 Tufted Duck, 100 Teal, 100+ Mallard, Pinkfoot and 4+ Plastic decoys!

Flock of 15 Reed Bunt & 4 Yellohammer near the farm buildings

DOVER water level up nearly 6 foot. Pair Pochard and male Goosander

WeBS count today - the water level was up 6ft so that nearly the whole valley was flooded - impossible to see where the Hey Brook ended and the various flashes began. Quite a sight.
At Lightshaw, 4 Wigeon and a Shelduck, about 25 Teal visible for a change.

5/1/08 (08.00 - 10.15)

Barn Owl (the first bird I saw on getting out of the car...............nice )
Buzzard perched up behind Dover Basin.
Pink-footed Goose with Canada`s on Dover.
Shelduck flying W over.
4 Goosanders (3 drk) flying W along the canal.
3 Snipe on Dover Lock marsh.
Teal - 13 on Dover & 27 on Lightshaw.
2 Gadwall.
Kestrel & Sparrowhawk.
a steady stream of Jackdaws over, coming from Crankwood area.

Jack Snipe behind Dover Lock Pub this morning

24/12/07 (08.15 - 10.00)

5 Snipe & 53 Teal on Lightshaw Flash.
2 drk Goosanders & 9 Cormorant flying E along the canal.
2 Gadwall on Dover Basin.
Kestrel.

5/12/07 a.m.

2 Buzzards - one perched @ Lightshaw, one @ Viridor Wood.
3 Goosander - pair on canal @ Dover pub, redhead @ Lightshaw.
12 Snipe over Dover Lock marsh.
Willow Tit, Goldcrest, Grey Wag & 2 Pied along canal.
4 Cormorant NW over Dover.
Kestrel & G.S.Woodpecker - Viridor Wood.

01/11/07 am, all the usual tits,lots of redwing and fieldfare ,walked upto lightshaw and finally added the little owl to me list(lifer, county, site, and probably the lightshaw list when it emerges)no whinchat today cos i had me camera
with me,strolled back through crankwood (banjo in the background)no surprises but a very nice pheasant and moorhens feeding amongst the cows also.lapwing ,crows,jay,kestrel,gulls over,34 speies noted and enjoyed

cheers geoff

1/10/07 early morning

Dover Basin ;

2 Wigeon.
Buzzard over.
2 Snipe.
2 Little Grebes.
2 Willow Tits.
singing Chiffchaff.
Cormorant heading N.W.

Kestrel carrying prey, Sparrowhawk, and G.S.Woodpecker near Glover`s Pool.

12/9/07 early morning

Dover Basin ;

10 Wigeon (a further 2 on Lightshaw)
53 Gadwall
18 Shoveler
15 Teal
3 Snipe
2 Little Grebes

Buzzard perched up, being hammered by screeching Magpies, Crows and Jays.
Willow Tit nr. Dover pub
Mute Swan `LND` with mate & 5 well grown cygnets along canal.

15/8/07 mid morning

2 of the Little Owls showing on Lightshaw barn.
Buzzard having a mid-air tussle with a Heron (or I should say the Heron wanted it out of the area ; the Buzzard wasn`t that interested really).
Kingfisher along the canal.
3 Little Grebes - 1 on Lightshaw, 2 on Dover
3 Kestrels,
Muscovy Duck at Smith`s Bridge.

The Buzzard was still on the fence posts at 2145hrs!

30/7/07 early morning

Lightshaw ;
2 Black-tailed Godwit.
Buzzard perched on the fence directly behind the flash.
5 Snipe.
only 3 of the Little Owls showing, one of them a juv.
2 Stock Doves also on the roof.
4 Grey Partridge (2 juvs) in the adjacent field.

Kingfisher skirted round Dover Basin.
the Shoveler brood here, keeping to the reed-line.
several Common Terns up and down the canal.
2 Cormorant over NW.
Willow Tits calling.

Atleast it's easing my decision as to who to stick with at Spurn, not Woosey, not Warfy and not Astley, not if you fancy seeing anything anyway

Thats the spirit Ian just make sure you find something good and preferably something in the county that Ian M has that i need!

Im ok for a pager ta ive stolen my dads!

Not suprised folks dipped the Lesserlegs it sounds as mobile as that swift i dipped.

There`ll not be a next time...........`cos I`m never leaving the county again. Anyone want a pager ?

Yeah, I thought I saw you Steven, but you`d gone before I got chance to say Owdo.

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 22:24, 2007-07-26

Yeah, but you didn't dip on the Lesserlegs at Leighton Moss today as well now did you Simon! Aw...sorry Ian, that was just between you and me wasn't it

Sorry about the name change pal, all done in the best possible taste back to normal now though...unitl next time

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 22:18, 2007-07-26

Another member of the dipper club missed yellowlegs by mins in two places today. Infact thought I saw you Ian at the EM pools?

Dipper Astley

For a minute then i thought your name said Dipper Woosey lol, must get my eyes tested

This is dipping I was in York waiting for the Chimney swift when i nipped to the chippy and the thing flew over the car park

Dipper Warfy

26/7/07 mid-morning

6 Little Owls (4 young) perched (and hopping about ) on the roof of Lightshaw Hall Barn.

16/7/07 early morning

2 Oystercatcher over Dover Basin heading for Lightshaw.
juv Reed Warbler & adults - Dover reedbed.
2 Common Tern along the canal.
3 Willow Tit & Lesser Redpoll near Glovers Pool.
Kestrel hunting over Viridor Wood.
Sparrowhawk.
Yellowhammer near Dover pub

12/4/07 06.30 - 09.30 Lightshaw ; 3 Black-tailed Godwit 4 Redshank Oystercatcher Dover ; Black-tailed Godwit 2 Redshank Shelduck 4 Snipe Willow Warbler G.S.Woodpecker

Mon 2nd Apr Lightshaw ; 2 Black-tailed Godwit 6 Redshank 2 Shelduck 5+ Snipe Ring-necked Parakeet - over (presumed escapee, never seen one in the Wigan area before) Dover Basin ; 3 Goosander (1 drk.) 2 Redshank single Sand Martin through Sparrowhawk

Mon 26 Mar. a.m. 4 Black-tailed Godwit - 2 on Lightshaw, 2 flying between Dover and latter 2 Pintail (pr.) - Lightshaw 4 Shelduck - over 6+ Redshank 5+ Snipe - couple `singing / creaking` (first time ever I`ve seen this !) 4 Goosander - flying along canal 2 Buzzard - nr. Dover Basin Water Rail " Green Woodpecker - nr. Coffin Brook Flash Sparrowhawk

Mon  12th Mar.

Lightshaw Hall Flash ;

2 Pintail (pr.)
7 Wigeon
4 Shelduck
5 Redshank
2 Oystercatcher
5 Gadwall
2 Snipe - Dover Basin
m. Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
28 Linnet & 11 Fieldfare - Viridor Wood
2 Grey Wagtail & Mute Swan (7DED) - L&L Canal

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 14:45, 2007-07-17

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 1st of May 2011 09:32:58 AM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 3rd of May 2011 06:51:11 PM