Also today 12 pochard and the mandarin still on Plank lane marina. Photo is of the 2nd winter Caspian gull in the roost this evening.

The second winter Caspian Gull was in the roost again tonight, along with an (the?) adult Yellow-legged Gull and the usual adult Mediterranean Gull.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Highlights of late afternoon today up to dusk (darkness!):

Second winter Caspian Gull, looked very much like the bird from December 2022 and early 2023 again

126 Great Black-backed Gulls

1 Little Egret

54 Goldeneye in a single flock at the western end at dusk

12 Pochard off the car park

Adult Mediterranean gull in a decent sized roost this evening, also 15 pochard inc. 12 drakes.

Adult kittiwake in Ramsdales this morning at 11:00am, viewed from Green Lane. Almost immediately I saw it, the bird flew towards Horrocks, then turned back west before flying high over the ruck north west. Also today still 11 pochard and at least 30 goldeneye.

A quiet morning with just 13 pochard to report. 

This evening I have received information from Poland regarding the black-headed gull with the yellow ring T0P7 which I saw at the flash on Saturday. It was ringed as an adult at a breeding colony at WEJDYKI, WARMISKO-MAZURSKIE, POLAND on 22/05/2015, so it's at least 10 years old. Since it's been ringed it's been seen elsewhere in Poland during the summer, and last winter was reported from Atherton. So it appears to winter in Greater Manchester and return to Poland to breed. 

This morning, 8:30 - 11:00

Redwing 120 in horse paddocks at Mossley Hall Farm

Pochard 14 off the car park

Mandarin 1 drake in Ramsdales

Lapwing 80 flying around the flash

Pink-footed geese 8 flew east

Also in the roost this evening, adult Mediterranean gull.

This morning I counted 60 goldeneye in three groups, 26 in East Bay, 18 Ramsdales and 16 at the western end. The drake mandarin was again at Plank Lane marina and a black-headed gull with a yellow ring was on the car park, apparently ringed in Poland though I am still awaiting full details. 

In other news, two Muscovy ducks have appeared on the car park, a new species at the flash for me

 Photos are of the 3W Caspian gull in the roost this evening, plus black-headed gull and Muscovy ducks.

Late evening up to dusk again this evening, a small (possibly due to the sailing boats being out) but productive roost nevertheless:

3W Caspian Gull found by Colin Davies, the same bird which has been at Redgate, Gorton previously.

630 Herring Gulls

64 Great Black-backed Gulls

46 Goldeneye

15 Pochard off the car park

Willow Tit by Sorrowcow Farm again

Late afternoon today up to dusk:

81 Great Black-backed Gulls in the roost

148 Tufted Duck

15 Pochard

43 Goldeneye

Solitary Willow Tit moving east along the bushes surrounding Sorrowcow Pond and Farm

2 Bullfinch by Sorrowcow Pond

Adult yellow-legged gull in the roost this evening. 

Late afternoon up to dusk today:

1940 Herring Gulls in the roost, many coming in very late indeed from the tips to the north and c1-200 birds departing SW towards the Mersey earlier on too

51 Goldeneye at dusk

Early morning today and what a morning it was, the most productive part viewed from Ramsdales Ruck.

At least 117 Brent Geese (not assigned to race) flew west across the county just to the south of the flash this morning with the first of c25 (fairly accurate count) picked up well before they got near and at around 09:45 they were just south of the flash, veering strongly to the north just as they reached to the west of the flash. They were quickly followed by another much larger flock of c80+ birds (low accuracy county and possibly significantly higher due to picking them up late and getting some texts out!) initially on the same westerly flight path to the south of the flash but they quickly veered off strongly SW and were lost to view behind tree cover. Almost immediately a further flock of 12 birds (accurate count!) followed exactly the same flight path as the first flock though this flock were quite high whereas the first two flocks were fairly low in height.

1 Peregrine

2 Kingfisher

Female blue nasal saddled Tufted Duck 'CH1' was in Ramsdales and has been present on the flash for many years now after initially being ringed in France.

This afternoon, 13:00 - 16:30

Caspian gull 1 2nd winter in the roost

Goldeneye 55+ 

Pochard 12

Willow tit 3

Two visits today, this morning 9:00-11:00 and this afternoon 14:00-16:00

Mediterranean gull 1 adult in the roost

Great black-backed gull 150 in the roost

Goldeneye 50+

Goosander 31 inc. 21 from Teal hide

Redwing 40 Mosssley Hall farm

Lapwing 150

Willow tit 1

Black-headed gull, the usual Dutch ringed adult 3738977 (photo), also an adult with a blue plastic ring 2T62 (photo). This bird was ringed at the flash on 16/10/2020. There were then several further sightings at the flash until it was seen at Poznan, Wielkopolskie, Poland on 16/07/2022, a distance of approximately 811 miles (1300km) from the flash. Presumably it breeds in Poland and winters at the flash.

So that's the end of 2022. I managed to get to the flash on 164 days and saw 131 species. Not a bad return, especially considering that I only went twice before March. The highlight was obviously finding a penduline tit which was a county first, but there were plenty of other highlights such as two spoonbills and summer plumage red-necked grebe. Hopefully 2023 will be just as good.

2-30pm to 3-45pm dodging the showers

The 20 Pochard have now drifted to the east bay.

Pengy's Hide - M & F Goosander with only one adult & one juvenile Mute Swan, but then two more adults dropped in which were quickly dispatched by the resident adult who launched a very impressive territorial attack on the new arrivals.

Bird table near Bunting Hide - Nuthatch, Long-Tailed Tits, Coal Tit & 2 Willow Tits.

Teal Hide - 17 Goosander (11F & 6M)

Edmondson Hide - 5 Grey Heron in a row - they looked like statues!

Kidney Pond - M & F Goosander

Unusually the spit was empty but there was a Little Grebe diving just off it.

This morning, 8.30-10.30;

Goldeneye 47+ inc. a flock of 39 on the south side

Pochard 20 inc. 15 drakes mainly off the car park

Pink-footed goose 60 over East

Water rail 1 showing well Slag lane end

Redwing 40 inc. 30 in field off Sandy lane opposite start of Green Lane 

This late afternoon up to dusk:

1870 Herring Gulls in the roost along with 173 Great Black-backed Gulls

Adult and first winter Yellow-legged Gulls also in the roost

5 drake Pochard

57 Goldeneye at dusk, including a flock of 45 at the western end alone

160 Lapwing

This morning, 

Pochard 20 inc. 15 drakes 

Little egret 1

Pink-footed goose 80 over east

Goosander 10

Goldeneye 20+

Willow tit 4

Adult Mediterranean Gull in the roost this evening.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Groundhog day at the Flash on a grim morning, 08:45 - 11:30,

Pochard 9 inc. 5 drakes 

Water rail 1 on Penghy's 

Redwing 60 Mossley Hall farm 

Early afternoon, 

Pochard 14 including 8 males, mainly off the car park, 

Redwing 60 again in sheep fields at Mossley Hall farm,

Usual other ducks but no counts today.

Lunchtime today,

Lapwing  150

Teal 50 displaying around the spit

Goosander 30 mainly in Ramsdales 

Little egret 1 Ramsdales

This evening a cracking adult yellow-legged gull was in the roost.

Also this morning, the apparently over wintering Dutch ringed black-headed gull 3738977 first seen 08/11 was again on the car park.

This morning, 8:45-11:45,

Woodcock 1 accidently flushed from footpath on South side

Redwing 60 Mossley Hall Farm feeding in sheep field

Little egret 3, two in Ramsdales, one near Sorrowcow farm

Goosander 30 mainly in Ramsdales 

Goldeneye 20

Pochard 3 drakes

Harris hawk flew over Ramsdales reedbed 

This morning from the boat club and the south side,

Goldeneye 26

Goosander 30

Lapwing  90

Raven 1 over

This morning,

Goosander 37 mainly in Ramsdales

Little egret 1 Ramsdales

Pochard 2 Ramsdales

Also an immature Harris hawk which has been hanging around the flash for a few days.

Lunchtime today,

Bittern 1 flew into Ramsdales and landed in the reedbed.

Little egret 3 Ramsdales

Water rail 1 Slag lane end

Goosander 32

Late afternoon up to dusk today:

24 Pochard

286 Tufted Duck

17 Goldeneye

38 Goosander in Ramsdales

1 adult Whooper Swan in Ramsdales (initially picked up by Colin Davies)

A flock of 37 Goldfinch going to roost around Sorrowcow Farm

1230 Herring Gulls and 34 Great Black-backed Gulls in the roost

Resident Oystercatcher on the spit 

This morning,

Little egret 1 in Ramsdales

Goosander 22

Goldeneye 15

Another quick visit today, 12:45-14:00 from Horrocks produced;

Great black-backed gull 59 all adults

Herring gull 200 but in reality many more since birds were dropping in for a bathe and then leaving south

Teal 92 about half way down the spit on the left

Goldeneye 10+

Goosander 10+

Little egret 1 on the spit

Buzzard 1 over the spit

Just a quick visit this morning produced;

Water rail 1 in the stream that flows into Ramsdales from the main footpath just before the canal bridge

Little egret 2

Mandarin 1 drake

Goldeneye 10

95% ice cover.

A glorious morning at the flash, 8:30-11:30. 90% ice cover;

Jack snipe 1 Slag lane end

Goldeneye 46 inc. a single flock of 40 birds in a small area of open water just off the ruck (see photo). A winter high so far for me. 

Water rail 1 walking along the shore line of the car park.

Teal 50+ off the spit

Pochard 1+ off the spit

Little egret 1 on the spit

Greylag 61 Slag lane end

Wigeon 1 drake off the spit

Snipe 3

Willow tit 3+

Unfortunately I was unable to thoroughly check the ducks off the spit because just as I arrived an irresponsible dog owner allowed her dog to race right along the spit to the end flushing everything, both on land and on the water. Some of the birds returned but many others left.

Late afternoon up to nearly dusk (I had to leave a little early to get to work!):

The second winter Caspian Gull was in the roost fairly early again as was the partially hooded adult Mediterranean Gull

Still 11 Pochard off the spit

c70+ Greylag Geese at the western end, very difficult to count as they were in long grass

This morning;

Pintail 1 drake off the spit

Teal 140 off the spit

Tufted duck 350 off the spit

Pochard 11+ off the spit

Mandarin 1 drake off the spit

Little egret 1

Goosander 20+

Further to Ian's post, an adult Mediterranean gull still sporting a decent hood was just out from Horrock's hide this evening.

This late afternoon up to dusk:

Jack Snipe (and a Common Snipe) flushed inadvertently from the flash shoreline by Sorrowcow Pond. About a hour later probably the same bird flew around my head twice looking to land somewhere, once choosing around the fully frozen pond itself and later seeming to decide to head off towards the western end.

Second winter Caspian Gull was very nice in what was an unsurprisingly relatively small gull roost 

36 Goldeneye spread around the various open sections of water

104 Shoveler

286 Tufted Duck

27 Goosander

4 Pochard

The resident Oystercatcher still bossing around the spit

Drake Mandarin with its Mallard clan off Ramsdales Ruck

This morning, flash 50% iced over;

Jack snipe 1 at Slag Lane end

Pintail 2 male and female Slag Lane end

Goosander 17 inc. 15 Slag Lane end

Little egret 1 flew east over Horrock's hide

Goldeneye 30+

No pochard

This morning, 8.30-11.30

Whooper swan 3 off the spit, left at 9am

Goosander 32+ with 29 at Slag Lane end

Pochard 7 off the car park

Teal 40 swimming around displaying midway down the spit

Willow tit East Bay

Kingfisher 2

This afternoon 1pm to 3pm.

Pengy's Hide - A small break in the ice held 30 Coot, 15 Teal, 2 Shoveler & still 5 Juvenile Mute Swan but with only one adult.

Bunting Hide - Very quiet apart from a few of the regulars but also saw a Coal Tit, Nuthatch + M & F Reed Bunting.

The path which leads to the left when leaving Bunting Hide had plenty of activity on a bird table full of seed, with M & F Bullfinch, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Nuthatch plus the usual supporting cast.

Teal Hide - 1 Grey Heron with 2M + 1F Goosander on the brook near the golf course.

Edmondson Hide - 3 Grey Heron + 1 high in a tree from Ramsdale's Hide.

30 Teal on the left side of the spit with about 25 Cormorant at the end.

Also Song Thrush & an unusual sight of a Mistle Thrush feeding right on the edge of the flash.

This morning

Goosander 29 including 22 at the Slag lane end

Goldeneye 15

Pochard 1

Greylag 70

Little egret 1 in Ramsdales

This morning,  

Greylag 71

Goosander 26

Pochard 4

Goldeneye 15

Little egret 1

This morning the drake pintail was again in and around the eastern reedbed, three little egrets were at the Slag lane end, seven goosander and just four pochard.

Ring-necked parakeet in the poplars at the Slag Lane end of the flash at lunchtime, then flew towards the recycling centre. This is only my second at the flash, with my last in November 1983. I'm not sure what local populations were like back in 1983 but with large numbers now in parks in Manchester and Liverpool, this feels like a more authentic record, if that can ever be the case with this species.

Also today, little egret on the spit, 10 pochard off the car park.

This late afternoon up to dusk:

1860 Herring Gulls

1 adult Yellow-legged Gull

1 adult Mediterranean Gull

330 Lapwing up to dusk

1 Water Rail still in the small phragmites bed around the outflow by Sorrowcow Farm, (also present yesterday afternoon)

Magnificent Jackdaw roost, largest I've counted for a while

This morning, 8:30 - 11:00

Pink-footed goose 120 over south east

Little egret 1 Ramsdales

Pochard 10

Goldeneye 30+

Lapwing 110+ on the spit

This afternoon,  1pm - 4pm,

Goldeneye 35 inc. 12 drakes

Pochard 8

Little egret 3, one in front of Horrocks hide and two flew over the flash from the west at about 3.30pm. 

The Dutch ringed black-headed gull 3738977 from 08/11 was again on the car park.