Wood Sandpiper currently viewable from Horrock's Hide (7pm).
Info thanks to Craig Higson
Craig Higson said
Sat May 8 6:49 PM, 2010
Drake Garganey still on mini spit at 18.45
JOHN TYMON said
Sat May 8 6:22 PM, 2010
garganey still present at 12.30,but had moved to the mini spit near rammies.i missed shots at front of horrocks hide by mins
Neil McCall said
Sat May 8 3:36 PM, 2010
Hobby spotted on south side around 1100 by my wife and family (I was in Bury market at the time!).
Jon Taverner said
Sat May 8 9:34 AM, 2010
Male Garganey still present in front of Horrocks at 9.35am
Ian McKerchar said
Sat May 8 6:38 AM, 2010
Drake Garganey showing superbly from infront of and to the side of Horrocks Hide this morning.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 8th of May 2010 07:33:07 AM
JOHN TYMON said
Fri May 7 5:45 PM, 2010
pm dire for the time of year 1 dunlin 5 common tern redshank oystercatcher
Ian McKerchar said
Thu May 6 7:57 PM, 2010
Just after midday today:
Single Wheatear on Ramsdale's Ruck Single Arctic Tern staying faithful to the middle of the flash.
Anthony Dixon said
Thu May 6 5:05 PM, 2010
11.30-1.30 today
2 Oystercatcher 2 Gadwall 1 Shelduck 6 Common Tern 2 Redshank Countless Swift, Swallow, Sand & House Martin
Anthony
Ian Woosey said
Thu May 6 2:17 PM, 2010
6/5/10 (am)
Quiet this morning:
1 Dunlin 3 Redshank 2 Oystercatcher 10 Common Tern 1 Stock Dove 1 Grasshopper Warbler 10 Great Crested Grebe
Jon Taverner said
Tue May 4 5:43 PM, 2010
Grasshopper Warbler this morning near steps at the canal end. Also Sedge Warber and Whitethroat singing just before the Canal Bridge.
Craig Higson said
Mon May 3 10:31 PM, 2010
2 stock doves on the scrape in front of Horrocks tonight. Several thousand 'hirundines' and Swifts but despite my best efforts no Alpine was forthcoming.
Everything else as per earlier posts.
Adam Jones said
Mon May 3 8:04 PM, 2010
Willow Warblers, Black Caps, Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats all in full song this morning, although the Lesser Whithroat was not showing. Redshank, Comorant, Common Tern, Shellduck, Ringed Plover, Great Crested Grebe and hundreds of swifts on the Flash. A Reed Warbler was seen at the back of one of the hides with a Kestrel watching in the trees overhead. A Buzzard circled briefly at around 8 am.
A nice morning overall on my first visit to the Flash. I shall be returning.
Raymond Ashcroft said
Mon May 3 12:26 PM, 2010
Mon 3rd May 8.00am to 11.30am
Spit very quiet this morning so decided to do the full lap Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats showing very well on west side - close to Hey Brook. Lesser Whitethroat singing in same area but not showing Reed Warblers on Ramsdale Flash Plenty of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers
Nice to meet Vernon.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon May 3 8:40 AM, 2010
As with a conversation I had with Peter Alker the other day, the spit area has never looked this good at this time of year for a long, long time and should really pull something in. But if the birds aren't about Clearly, county Avocets have a fondness for cold concrete and dog attacks
JOHN TYMON said
Mon May 3 8:31 AM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
JOHN TYMON wrote:
swift c5000+(more chance of a pallid)
Still miniscule, just a miniscule amount less than the incredibly miniscule amount before...
you could have at least found me a crippler to photograph when tha was ont flash this morning,seems ideal water levels for summat
Ian McKerchar said
Mon May 3 8:27 AM, 2010
JOHN TYMON wrote:
swift c5000+(more chance of a pallid)
Still miniscule, just a miniscule amount less than the incredibly miniscule amount before...
JOHN TYMON said
Mon May 3 8:27 AM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Lesser Whitethroat still rattling away from the area around the Kidney Pond (highly audible from Horrock's Hide) and a single adult Great Black-backed Gull was also present early this morning.
A deer which ran straight in front of my car across St.Helens Road towards the flash at 7pm was easily big enough to have written it off! Remarkably it had appeared from a nearby council estate (flushed by a milk float no less) which is only 400 yards from the centre of Leigh.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 3rd of May 2010 08:24:56 AM
no waders?passage seems to have dropped right off at the mo at the flash
Ian McKerchar said
Mon May 3 8:24 AM, 2010
Lesser Whitethroat still rattling away from the area around the Kidney Pond (highly audible from Horrock's Hide) and a single adult Great Black-backed Gull was also present early this morning.
A deer which ran straight in front of my car across St.Helens Road towards the flash at 7pm was easily big enough to have written it off! Remarkably it had appeared from a nearby council estate (flushed by a milk float no less) which is only 400 yards from the centre of Leigh.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 3rd of May 2010 08:24:56 AM
JOHN TYMON said
Mon May 3 8:23 AM, 2010
sun 2nd 11-3 swift c5000+(more chance of a pallid)11.45-12.00 during a shower-then much lower numbers later. swallow -200+(11.45 during a shower) sand martin-1000+(11.45 during a shower) house martin-500+(11.45 during a shower) common tern-10 arctic tern -at least-2 plenty warblers very cold with mi shorts on very few waders apart from the residents.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun May 2 10:56 PM, 2010
Still miniscule
sid ashton said
Sun May 2 10:53 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Mid afternoon (ish) today:
900 Swift
What are the chances of a Pallid amongst that lot?
Ian McKerchar said
Sun May 2 10:50 PM, 2010
Mid afternoon (ish) today:
900 Swift 12 Common Tern
Dennis atherton said
Sat May 1 7:53 PM, 2010
early morning mooch with Holly and chris, highlights were, loads of common tern this morning 10 but could not see any arctics
from horrocks hide, single dunlin, oystercatcher, common sandpiper,
sedge warbler singing near ramsdales, blackcaps, willow warbler and chiffchaff about,
pretty quiet today
Mark Rigby said
Fri Apr 30 9:00 PM, 2010
At least 2 Arctic Terns still present at 8pm
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Apr 30 5:22 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Midday today:
Single Arctic Tern Yellow Wagtail flew over Ramsdale's Ruck Rather unusually a Reed Warbler was singing from a single isolated tiny bramble clump by the point, a long way from any reeds
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 30th of April 2010 03:18:44 PM
plus a wheatear-its behind youi was walking up to you ian and you went the other wayi was going to tell you a nice weatear was behind you,but you probably saw it late morning -early pm weatear-1 arctic tern-2 common tern-12 at one point buzzard-2 over west end sparrowhawk-1 garden warbler lesser whitethroat at least-10 reed warbler sedge warbler-2 whitethroat-5 dunlin-1 common sand-4 oystercatchers loads of blackcap/willow warblers chiff chaff ringed plover
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 30th of April 2010 07:53:33 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Apr 30 3:09 PM, 2010
Midday today:
Single Arctic Tern Yellow Wagtail flew over Ramsdale's Ruck Rather unusually a Reed Warbler was singing from a single isolated tiny bramble clump by the point, a long way from any reeds
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 30th of April 2010 03:18:44 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Apr 30 7:46 AM, 2010
All quiet on the western front this morning. Lesser Whitethroat still singing loudly from around the kidney pond.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Apr 29 9:53 PM, 2010
So unkind junior and after me being so chuffed for you with those two cracking Grey Plovers (which wouldn't have even been a site tick for me ). Can't believe I didn't call them at the time though as I knew well what they were but for what could have been a record county flock I needed a bit more
Now where's those plasters for that bleeding heart...
Rob Thorpe said
Thu Apr 29 9:06 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Sanderling- 2 with 3 Dunlin alighted briefly on the spit at 17:15 before heading off west. Then 8 flew close through west at 18:34!
...then I arrived at 18:40 A flock of 12 Dun Lin flying west not long after Ian left was all I got...
Simon Warford said
Thu Apr 29 8:49 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Worst of all though was a flock of around 15 or so small waders (seemingly all with white bellies, pretty grey and white looking, white wingbars...) which sped across the flash twisting and turning low over the water heading west at 18:30. I only got onto them very late as I was searching through the hirundines and swifts that were feeding over the waters surface and it was all to brief as they were already half was across the flash and gone in seconds. Oh the agony...
My heart bleeds pal!!
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Apr 29 7:54 PM, 2010
Two visits this afternoon/evening:
2 Garden Warbler, one on the south side and one by Mossley Hall Farm (not a usual location for them the latter one). That means there are now 4 in total around the flash at the moment.
Sanderling- 2 with 3 Dunlin alighted briefly on the spit at 17:15 before heading off west. Then 8 flew close through west at 18:34!
Dunlin- 3 with the two Sanderling at 17:15. 6 flew onto the spit at 17:37 then flew off west at 17:50. A single in at 18:00 spent 10 minutes or so mooching about then dissapeared to be followed by another single in at 18:55 which whizzed around the spit for a while then flew off north!
Arctic Tern- atleast 1
Common Tern- 10, including one with a predominately all dark bill.
White Wagtail- 3 appeared to drop in
Swift- a decent estimate of 600
House Martin- 120
Sand Martin- c1000
Worst of all though was a flock of around 15 or so small waders (seemingly all with white bellies, pretty grey and white looking, white wingbars...) which sped across the flash twisting and turning low over the water heading west at 18:30. I only got onto them very late as I was searching through the hirundines and swifts that were feeding over the waters surface and it was all to brief as they were already half was across the flash and gone in seconds. Oh the agony...
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Apr 28 8:01 AM, 2010
4 Whimbrel dropped onto the spit briefly at 06:40 this morning before heading off NWish. Pennington's best passage of this species for some time (especially considering Charlie Owen reports around 12 birds in one flock last week some time) undoubtably assisted by the cleared and treated spit which now looks excellent.
Also present were around 90 Swift, 3 Common Tern and the Lesser Whitethroat still blatantly rattling away along the main causeway, clearly audible ftom Horrocks Hide!
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Apr 26 6:41 PM, 2010
Female Redstart this early evening in the area around the new sports village on the otherside of the Atherleigh Way. Then moved further down the old railway line (towards St.Helens Road) but still on the east of the by-pass.
Info thanks to Peter Alker (sighting by Charlie Owen)
Judith Smith said
Mon Apr 26 2:19 PM, 2010
4 Arctic Terns and a Lesser Whitethroat near Horrocks Hide late morning.
Ian Woosey said
Mon Apr 26 1:35 PM, 2010
26/4/10 (am)
Of note:
2 Whimbrel 3 Black-tailed Godwit 4 Dunlin 2 Common Sandpiper 2 Redshank 1 Ringed Plover 2 Little Ringed Plover 4 Shelduck (two asleep in the paddock-field off Slag Lane) 1 Grey Wagtail 2 Oystercatcher 1 Snipe 1 Sparrowhawk 1 Kestrel 12 Common Tern 60+ Swift 100+Sand Martin Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Reed Warblers et al....
Just out-of-area : 1 Raven, appeared to be over Lowton
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Apr 25 9:35 PM, 2010
dave broome wrote:
drake Wigeon this evening
and its paired up with a gadwall for the 4th year runningits not left the flash for about 4-5 years that one and thinks its a male gadwall.
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 25th of April 2010 09:36:51 PM
dave broome said
Sun Apr 25 9:24 PM, 2010
drake Wigeon this evening
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Apr 25 9:21 PM, 2010
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Garden Warbler singing and showing well from opposite the Tom Edmondson Hide this morning.
Info thanks to Chris Derbyshire (via Dave Wilson)
its been to the right of the edmonson hide since friday forgot to post it
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Apr 25 9:08 PM, 2010
Garden Warbler singing and showing well from opposite the Tom Edmondson Hide this morning.
Info thanks to Chris Derbyshire (via Dave Wilson)
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Apr 25 9:04 PM, 2010
The three Little Terns were still presetn late pm though very elusive and there are now 3 Lesser Whitethroats around the flash.
Info thanks to Dave Wilson
Rob Thorpe said
Sun Apr 25 8:44 PM, 2010
Sunday 25 April 2010
And 4 Whimbrel over, heading W and calling, at 20:10.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Apr 25 7:21 PM, 2010
Atleast 3 Arctic Terns on at 6pm this evening, also 4 Goosander (1 drake).
Geoff Hargreaves said
Sun Apr 25 4:54 PM, 2010
Blatant county/borough twitch
3 little tern still present on the spit at 15.30,suspect garden warbler around horrocks hide but not seen
1 mr wilcox nice to meet you
cheers geoff
-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves on Sunday 25th of April 2010 04:57:33 PM
JOHN TYMON said
Sun Apr 25 2:35 PM, 2010
little tern -still on point at 2pm dunlin-4 bt godwit-2 common tern-11 swift lrplover ringed plover-2
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Apr 25 12:05 PM, 2010
3 Little Terns on early afternoon today.
Info thanks to Jon Taverner
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 25th of April 2010 03:52:30 PM
Dennis atherton said
Sat Apr 24 9:17 PM, 2010
Not too much to add to john Ts sightings, early morning mooch with Holly, early on loads of swifts high in the sky from horrocks 50+ a few snipe from the teal hide but no green sandpipers today, great views of blackcaps and whitethroat, also heard about sandwich tern but nothing concrete from anyone i know, nice to meet Ray today
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Apr 24 4:09 PM, 2010
am/pm wheatear-2 whitethroat-2 reed warbler-4 garden warbler-1 common ern-6 arctic tern-1 common sandpper-8 ringed plover-2 l r plover-6 kestrel sparrowhawk blackcap/willow warbler/chiffchaff oystercatcher-4 black taled godwit-2 sandwich tern -reported ,but i couldnt find it
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Apr 23 7:12 PM, 2010
late pm wheatear-4 on rucks common tern-4 black tailed godwit-4 common sand-5 oystercatcher-4 masses of sand martin 100+ house martin-all going through about 4pm swifts-10+ swallows lots sparrowhawk-1 redshank-8 ringrd plover-2 Little ringed plovers yellow wag seen a few mins before i arrived,and again later on the golf course-j taverner. lots of chiff chaff/willow warbler/backcap meadow pipit-6
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Apr 23 12:01 PM, 2010
By 10ish this morning Swifts has increased well into three figures with perhaps as many as 200, mainly over the western end.
Info thanks to Craig Higson
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 8th of May 2010 07:33:07 AM
dire for the time of year
1 dunlin
5 common tern
redshank
oystercatcher
Single Wheatear on Ramsdale's Ruck
Single Arctic Tern staying faithful to the middle of the flash.
2 Oystercatcher
2 Gadwall
1 Shelduck
6 Common Tern
2 Redshank
Countless Swift, Swallow, Sand & House Martin
Anthony
Quiet this morning:
1 Dunlin
3 Redshank
2 Oystercatcher
10 Common Tern
1 Stock Dove
1 Grasshopper Warbler
10 Great Crested Grebe
Several thousand 'hirundines' and Swifts but despite my best efforts no Alpine was forthcoming.
Everything else as per earlier posts.
Redshank, Comorant, Common Tern, Shellduck, Ringed Plover, Great Crested Grebe and hundreds of swifts on the Flash.
A Reed Warbler was seen at the back of one of the hides with a Kestrel watching in the trees overhead. A Buzzard circled briefly at around 8 am.
A nice morning overall on my first visit to the Flash. I shall be returning.
Spit very quiet this morning so decided to do the full lap
Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats showing very well on west side - close to Hey Brook.
Lesser Whitethroat singing in same area but not showing
Reed Warblers on Ramsdale Flash
Plenty of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers
Nice to meet Vernon.
you could have at least found me a crippler to photograph when tha was ont flash this morning,seems ideal water levels for summat
Still miniscule, just a miniscule amount less than the incredibly miniscule amount before...
no waders?passage seems to have dropped right off at the mo at the flash
A deer which ran straight in front of my car across St.Helens Road towards the flash at 7pm was easily big enough to have written it off! Remarkably it had appeared from a nearby council estate (flushed by a milk float no less) which is only 400 yards from the centre of Leigh.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 3rd of May 2010 08:24:56 AM
11-3
swift c5000+(more chance of a pallid)
swallow -200+(11.45 during a shower)
sand martin-1000+(11.45 during a shower)
house martin-500+(11.45 during a shower)
common tern-10
arctic tern -at least-2
plenty warblers
very cold with mi shorts on
very few waders apart from the residents.
900 Swift
12 Common Tern
from horrocks hide, single dunlin, oystercatcher, common sandpiper,
sedge warbler singing near ramsdales, blackcaps, willow warbler and chiffchaff about,
pretty quiet today
plus a wheatear-its behind you
late morning -early pm
weatear-1
arctic tern-2
common tern-12 at one point
buzzard-2 over west end
sparrowhawk-1
garden warbler
lesser whitethroat
at least-10 reed warbler
sedge warbler-2
whitethroat-5
dunlin-1
common sand-4
oystercatchers
loads of blackcap/willow warblers chiff chaff
ringed plover
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 30th of April 2010 07:53:33 PM
Single Arctic Tern
Yellow Wagtail flew over Ramsdale's Ruck
Rather unusually a Reed Warbler was singing from a single isolated tiny bramble clump by the point, a long way from any reeds
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 30th of April 2010 03:18:44 PM
Now where's those plasters for that bleeding heart...
My heart bleeds pal!!
2 Garden Warbler, one on the south side and one by Mossley Hall Farm (not a usual location for them the latter one). That means there are now 4 in total around the flash at the moment.
Sanderling- 2 with 3 Dunlin alighted briefly on the spit at 17:15 before heading off west. Then 8 flew close through west at 18:34!
Dunlin- 3 with the two Sanderling at 17:15. 6 flew onto the spit at 17:37 then flew off west at 17:50. A single in at 18:00 spent 10 minutes or so mooching about then dissapeared to be followed by another single in at 18:55 which whizzed around the spit for a while then flew off north!
Arctic Tern- atleast 1
Common Tern- 10, including one with a predominately all dark bill.
White Wagtail- 3 appeared to drop in
Swift- a decent estimate of 600
House Martin- 120
Sand Martin- c1000
Worst of all though was a flock of around 15 or so small waders (seemingly all with white bellies, pretty grey and white looking, white wingbars...) which sped across the flash twisting and turning low over the water heading west at 18:30. I only got onto them very late as I was searching through the hirundines and swifts that were feeding over the waters surface and it was all to brief as they were already half was across the flash and gone in seconds. Oh the agony...
Also present were around 90 Swift, 3 Common Tern and the Lesser Whitethroat still blatantly rattling away along the main causeway, clearly audible ftom Horrocks Hide!
Info thanks to Peter Alker (sighting by Charlie Owen)
Of note:
2 Whimbrel
3 Black-tailed Godwit
4 Dunlin
2 Common Sandpiper
2 Redshank
1 Ringed Plover
2 Little Ringed Plover
4 Shelduck (two asleep in the paddock-field off Slag Lane)
1 Grey Wagtail
2 Oystercatcher
1 Snipe
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
12 Common Tern
60+ Swift
100+Sand Martin
Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Reed Warblers et al....
Just out-of-area
and its paired up with a gadwall for the 4th year running
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 25th of April 2010 09:36:51 PM
drake Wigeon this evening
its been to the right of the edmonson hide since friday forgot to post it
Info thanks to Chris Derbyshire (via Dave Wilson)
Info thanks to Dave Wilson
And 4 Whimbrel over, heading W and calling, at 20:10.
3 little tern still present on the spit at 15.30,suspect garden warbler around horrocks hide but not seen
1 mr wilcox nice to meet you
cheers geoff
-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves on Sunday 25th of April 2010 04:57:33 PM
dunlin-4
bt godwit-2
common tern-11
swift
lrplover
ringed plover-2
Info thanks to Jon Taverner
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 25th of April 2010 03:52:30 PM
wheatear-2
whitethroat-2
reed warbler-4
garden warbler-1
common ern-6
arctic tern-1
common sandpper-8
ringed plover-2
l r plover-6
kestrel
sparrowhawk
blackcap/willow warbler/chiffchaff
oystercatcher-4
black taled godwit-2
sandwich tern -reported ,but i couldnt find it
wheatear-4 on rucks
common tern-4
black tailed godwit-4
common sand-5
oystercatcher-4
masses of sand martin
100+ house martin-all going through about 4pm
swifts-10+
swallows lots
sparrowhawk-1
redshank-8
ringrd plover-2
Little ringed plovers
yellow wag seen a few mins before i arrived,and again later on the golf course-j taverner.
lots of chiff chaff/willow warbler/backcap
meadow pipit-6
Info thanks to Peter Alker