Little Egret flew from Lapwing hide at 07:50 and flew towards New hide- basically if you're going to have a look for this bird it could be viewable from any of the nature reserve hides

Little Egret still present at 07:25 this morning, showing very well from Lapwing Hide

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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little Egret from New Hide at 2:50pm atleast this afternoon

Info thanks to John Tymon

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still there at 4pm

plus 14 siskin bunting hide(good number for there)

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 16:49, 2009-02-21

little Egret from New Hide at 2:50pm atleast this afternoon

Info thanks to John Tymon

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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Today,

14 Shelduck
5 Oystercatcher
34 Snipe
Green Woodpecker
Usual female Brambling
2 Ringed Plover briefly before flying west

Info thanks to John Lyons

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plus 5 siskin in the feeding station

Today,

14 Shelduck
5 Oystercatcher
34 Snipe
Green Woodpecker
Usual female Brambling
2 Ringed Plover briefly before flying west

Info thanks to John Lyons

25 Wigeon present at 1:45

Info thanks to John Lyon

This am;

29 Goosander
20 Goldeneye
10 Shelduck
6 Oystercatcher
2 Dunlin
1 Redshank
26 Snipe

Info thanks to John Lyon

6 snipe showing well from new hide at around 12 o clock

5 Whooper Swans flew off north-west 7:25am
Woodcock flushed from by Teal Hide early am

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Bittern again in Ramsdales reedbed at 3:15pm also,

3000 Pink-feet over (north, no time given)
Shelduck- 8
Oystercatcher- 1
Goosander- 35
Goldeneye- 22
Brambling- 1 female in feeding station

all info thanks to John Lyon

Bittern dropped into Ramsdales reedbed just before 1pm

Info thanks to Jonn Tymon

And all entered up on the BTO Atlas website, no doubt, as well.

FRIDAY PM
CHIFF CHAFF -1 UP NEAR COMMON LANE BRIDGE
BRAMBLING -1F
POCHARD-52
PLUS ALL THE USUAL SUSPECTS

A big all site/species count today, seemingly tedious at times but ultimately very useful and rewarding.

Most interesting:

Treecreeper- 3
Shelduck- 5
Goosander- 22
Mallard- 260
Oystercatcher- 1
Woodcock- 2
Water Rail- 2
Bullfinch- 46, including 27 in the feeding station at the same time! Clearly Pennington maintains it's county, north-west England and perhaps even UK crown for the numbers and ease of views one can obtain for this species
Tufted Duck- 147
Goldeneye- 27
Pochard- 51
Pink-footed Goose- 230 flew low west at 1:43pm

Plus lots of counts of Robin, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Blackbird etc, etc...

Just for the record, the Yellow-legged Gull was on the ice beyond the far end of the spit from Horrocks Hide on Saturday morning (7th).

Any doubts I may have had have been dispelled by Ian's identification article, and Dave Winnard's and John Tymon's images!

JOHN TYMON wrote:

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Thanks Ian-it took 2 hours up to the top of my wellies,in ice to get as close as i could to get em bring on the immatures now!!by the way as it hadnt been seen for a week or so definately,and it being a 4th winter bird with still a bit of black on the bill,so can still be classified as an immature can i have my points in the comp?

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 12:38, 2009-02-09

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I'll pm you with the negative answer to that then John , has it in fact been missing at all? I doubt it (and it's only 4 days since it was last seen ), but seeing as I found it originally and have now found three immature YLGulls in the county this year, perhaps I should have entered afterall (oh the lack of pressure, wonderful...)

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 13:10, 2009-02-09

Thanks Ian-it took 2 hours up to the top of my wellies,in ice to get as close as i could to get em bring on the immatures now!!by the way as it hadnt been seen for a week or so definately,and it being a 4th winter bird with still a bit of black on the bill,and slight black in the primary coverts. so can still be classified as an immature so can i have my points in the comp?

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 12:38, 2009-02-09

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 13:08, 2009-02-09

Although I've already emailed you John, I think it's worth mentioning here that your series of images soon to be on the galleries are the best ever taken of a Yellow-legged Gull in the county and the in-flight shots in particular are truly excellent. At last one of my identification articles is put to good use

Ian McKerchar wrote:

Yesterday's Yellow-legged Gull is indeed the same individual from the 27th of January which now appears to be fairly regular and is likely perhaps to be in the roost every evening.

try what i did a 12 pack of warbys buns chucked on the ice and wait
it was front of car park pm/then in the middle of the flash at roost at 5pm

28 Goldeneye present yesterday

Info thanks to Karl Sefton

Yesterday's Yellow-legged Gull is indeed the same individual from the 27th of January which now appears to be fairly regular and is likely perhaps to be in the roost every evening.

full afternoon in the snow,with charlie owen,full circle of the flash plus ,back o billiesand sorrocow.
YELLOW LEGGED GULL-1 ADULT/4th winter(THANKS TO IANS ARTICLE)
STOCK DOVE 30
GOOSANDER 26
REDWING 25
TUFTED DUCK 100+
GOLDEN EYE-23
GBB GULL 50+LATE ON
PLUS ALL THE USUAL STUFF
AND A GOOD RECKY OF AREAS WORTH LOOKING AT IN MAY,THAT WE'VE NOT BEEN TO FOR 20 YEARS-THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD AREAS AROUND THE FLASH WORTH EXPLORING THAT IS MASSIVELY UNDERWATCHED

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 07:37, 2009-02-09

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 07:39, 2009-02-09

Morning today the 8th

50 plus Pochard
22 Goldeneye
Possible Common Scoter (seen only briefly)

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Peregrine through again at 1:10pm, circled off west over Green Lane

Female Pintail and Dunlin also present this am and Stonechat on Rammies embankment

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Yellow-legged Gull present again the spit from Horrocks hide at 8am atleast, also Peregrine

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

JOHN TYMON wrote:

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Ian McKerchar wrote:

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Adult Yellow-legged Gull present again this morning 10:40am atleast

Info thanks to John Lyon

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no signs of it pm

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OR PM SUNDAY

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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Adult Yellow-legged Gull present again this morning 10:40am atleast

Info thanks to John Lyon

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no signs of it pm

Adult Yellow-legged Gull present again this morning 10:40am atleast

Info thanks to John Lyon

i went on thursday from about 11 till 1. no sign of it

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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No word for Thursday John

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NO SIGNS THIS AFT EITHER

No word for Thursday John

ANYONE KNOW IF THE YLG WAS STILL ABOUT THURS?

cheers ian 'ill look for that if i get out of work early tomorrow,looking forward to the articlethink i need it as daves gull looks to me like the one i photographed a few weeks ago,that turned out to be a Lbb!think my eyes are going ,must be my age

I've put one of Dave's pics on the galleries John but have many others (not just from Dave) coming soon in an article dealing with the status and identification of adult Yellow-legged Gull, shouldn't be far away now

David Winnard wrote:

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I sent Ian the pics i took so no doubt they will be on here soon, take some bread on saturday and im sure you will get better pics than i did (sat in the middle of the flash - the bird, not me).

Davee

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CHEERS DAVE

I sent Ian the pics i took so no doubt they will be on here soon, take some bread on saturday and im sure you will get better pics than i did (sat in the middle of the flash - the bird, not me).

Davee

has anyone photographed it,so i know what im looking for saturday?its been a bit of a challenge to me to photograph a ylg at penny

4th winter Yellow-legged Gull (full adult plumage for all intents and purposes!) present again this morning though visibity poor due to fog

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Nice to have another 'moorland moocher' in the form of Riggers to enjoy the bird with today, decided to go and get a few more things for my january list

2 Shelduck
2-3 Willow Tit

the female brambling also showed well

Dave

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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I did try John, even phoned your mobile but got your voicemail and realised you must have been at work. I have a feeling this bird may well return though and perhaps even settle in to a routine, hope so anyway.

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Thanks Ian generally keep the mobile on at work ,but was in a meeting.get it on saturday

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 20:52, 2009-01-27

I did try John, even phoned your mobile but got your voicemail and realised you must have been at work. I have a feeling this bird may well return though and perhaps even settle in to a routine, hope so anyway.

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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Adult Yellow-legged Gull showing staggeringly well off the main car park chasing Black-headed Gulls, loafing about and sitting on bouys 10:40am

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DON'T PUNISH ME WHILE IM AT WORK

Was still present up to 12:15 cruising up and down the spit , a short stop by the car park then on to it's favourite orange bouy number 6 in the East Bay, then circled around a few times, calling (which was nice!) and could not be relocated after that

Adult Yellow-legged Gull showing staggeringly well off the main car park chasing Black-headed Gulls, loafing about and sitting on bouys 10:40am

pm-brambling f-1, treecreeper-2,shellduck-1f,plus all the usual stuff

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 19:50, 2009-01-24

Female Brambling briefly just after nine at Bunting hide

Two of us were at PF, after a visit to Risley Moss first about 1pm, but only saw Coote,Cormorant and Tuffties from a freezing Horrocks Hide. Perhaps John was the other guy in the Hide as we left?
Quite disappointed really, no Lapwing or Snipe, but decided it was too cold to hang around for long.
Saw Teal,Heron,Shelduck and Shoverlers at the other Hide, and a fair assortment at the feeder Hide including some Bulfinches.

4 Pintail present at 1:30pm, 2 males and 2 females.

Info thanks to John Lyon

JOHN TYMON wrote:

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Ian McKerchar wrote:

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The Great Northern Diver flew off west after circling the flash a few times at 8:25

Info thanks to Barry Hulme and Mike Baron

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b*****Dwork
another short stayer at penny!!seems now't decent stops behond the next day early morning these days

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Correct - and why is it I always get the news just after I've pulled up on the car park at work?

Mind you I've seen GND at the Flash so its not tooo bad, but would have been nice to see another.