Black Tern appeared on the same date last year.

Black Tern showing well from Horrocks until at least 9pm, plus 2 Little Gulls, approx 10 Common Terns, and loads of Swifts.
Ringed Plover, LRP, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Snipe and 2 Redshank on the spit. Also drake Wigeon and Mandarin.

Black tern and at least two Little Gulls still present 17.20

Summer plumage BLACK TERN still present 3pm on spit unfortunately i left 20 mins before the Osprey flew over, 2 Groppers singing behind Teal hide and 2 LRP's from hide. No sign LE Owl but hardly suprising now the leaves are out. It was "Mayhem" in Horrocks kids throwing binoculars everywhere!

Osprey low north over at 3:20pm-ish (per Peter Baron)

Also present, 3 Little Gulls (2 adult and a first summer), a single Arctic Tern, drake Mandarin still around the spit and a Whimbrel flew north over the western end at 12:55

Summer plumage BLACK TERN till 1240 at least.
Also at least one Little Gull still present.

Info from Simon Warford

2 little gulls at 1045 (ad+juv)

also from Horrock's

Drake Mandarin
2 oystercatcher
2 redshank
5 common tern

Gropper and sedge warbler at back of Lapwing hide and 2 LRP from Teal hide

Drake Garganey towards Slag Lane end this morning and Long-eared Owl still showing from New Hide.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Sorry I didn't stop & say hello Geoff as I was caught up in the Stockport RSPB melee

male Goldeneye asleep on the spit
male Wigeon
5 Dunlin
4 Redshank
1 Common Sand
missed the Little Gulls grrrr
few Common Terns around
Swifts, Swallows and Sand Martins very few House Martins
1 White Wagtail
LE Owl tucked under bush
Kingfisher flew past while looking for the Owl
plenty of Sedge Warblers and Gropper behind Lapwing hide

late evening till lock up at horrocks hide,not quite as well as brians list,failed to find the med gull but the adult and juv little gulls still present(had a bit of help)and a county tick.Also a blackcap showing very well near the new hide.

cheers geoff

Went on saturday the 26th April from about 10 o clock until 12-45. Lots of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs singing in trees and a fairly good view of a Grasshopper Warbler in the scrub across from Lapwing hide. Also great crested grebes, Goldeneye, pochard, Little ringed plover and also a few whitethroat. No sign of Redstart at Horrucks hide (not too dissapointed i got a good view of it last month) and couldn't see the long eared owl neither.

in addition to the med gull and long-eared owl today also 2 little gulls, 10 common terns, 5 dunlin, 2 lrps and 1 ringed, common sandpiper, 8 redpolls, 2 wigeon, lots of swifts, sedge, reed, whitethroat, pochard and 2 redshank.

Adult Mediterranean Gull present and Long-eared Owl still from New Hide 3:45pm-ish.

Info thanks to Brian Fielding.

2 Hobbies over Ransdales Ruck earlier this am.
10 Whimbrel, none of which landed but 8 flew off SE and the other 2 dissapeared in an unknown direction.

All info thanks to Barry Hulme.

Sanderling, Greenshank, 2 Dunlin, Ringed Plover, + Grasshopper Warbler near lapwing hide.

Ruff and sanderling were both present at 12.00 even managed to get photo of them both.
keep birding

Didn't find the Little Gulls but saw the Sanderlings. Several Whitethroats, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and a Blackcap. Reed Warblers on rammies. Sparrowhawk and Buzzard over.
2 Little Ringed Plover.
Loads of Swifts

-- Edited by Dean Macdonald at 22:09, 2008-04-26

26.4.08 brief visit mid pm

LITTLE GULL - 2 adults
SANDERLING - 2 on the spit
Common Tern - 9
Common Sand - 3
Garden Warbler - near Teal hide.

plus usual stuff!

The little Gull with the patchy head still there this afternoon but did'nt see the other but probably around.
Managed to see Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat today otherwise similar to yesterday with 9 Common Tern but no Dunlin.
Steve

horrocks hide 19.30 till dark

lots of gulls, crakin views of redshank ,sandpiper,wigeon all close to hide, got the common terns,but alas the artic have flown the coop and the setting sun although very nice made my first attempt at 'gulling' a washout i.ll try from the boathouse next time.and that 5.30 mallarky on a week day is just showing off.

cheers geoff

forgot cos i didn,t take notes 200+ sand martins over new hide feeding high up and 6 swallows mopping up below them.

-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves at 22:09, 2008-04-24

No sign of garganey this afternoon or arctic tern
But still a nice afternoon
2 Little Gulls still - One with very black head and pink flush on breast (looked good), the other still patchy head
3 Reed Warbler
2 Dunlin,
7 Common Tern,
2 Common Sandpiper
2 LRP
2 drake Wigeon,
3 Snipe,
5 Redshank,
2 Oystercatcher
4 Blackcap (male)
1 Wheatear

24/4/08 (05:30-09:00)

drk GARGANEY,

2 Little Gulls,

2 Dunlin,
Ringed Plover,
4 Common Tern,
Common Sand,
2 drk Wigeon,
2 Shelduck,
2 Snipe,
3 Redshank,
4 Oyc,
Whitethroat,
2 Blackcap (pr)

Aswell as seeing the Artic Terns already mentioned
1 Little Gull (courtesy some kind gent who let look through his swaro scope)
1 Reed Warbler and 1 Sedge Warbler on Ramsdale Reedbed
1 Whitethroat
Heard something what I thought sounded like a Raven but coudn't locate the culprit! Probably just a crow, maybe.

At least 30 birds still present 1400 hrs-roosting at the end of the spit in front of Horrock' Hide.

Tarts tick or what Warfy!!

(Also 3 Whimbrel reported late am and Whitethroat.)

23/4/08

41 Arctic Terns present @ 09:25

Info thanks to Barry Hulme.

22/4/08

Black-necked Grebe present on the main flash early morning.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme.

Redstart still showing on and off at 1115hrs from Horrocks and 2 redshank and LRP.

3 little gulls near sailing club

21/4/08

Yellow Wagtail,
Swift,
Whitethroat.

EDIT - Redstart still showing well beneath Horrocks Hide @ 09:15

Info thanks to Barry Hulme.

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 09:15, 2008-04-21

REDSTART WENT MISSING ABOUT 2.30-STILL MISSING 3.30 WHEN I LEFT

Now 4 Little Gulls, also Garden Warbler (around New Hide), Green Sand.

Info thanks to Mark Rigby, John Tymon and Andy Isherwood

redstart still showing well in front of horrocks hide at 1pm, also little gull, common tern, common sandpiper, redshank and reed warbler in rammys

20/4/08

male Redstart still showing well from Horrocks Hide, 10.30 at least.

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 11:11, 2008-04-20

Male Redstart showing very well on rocks in front of Horrocks Hide 2.30pm at least (present a couple of hours already).

Info from Mr Heaton & Mr Adderley.

2 little gulls present this am

Info thanks to sonia adderley

In the teeth of a howling E gale, from the sailing club side, the adult Little Gull and a Common Tern were battling with many BH Gulls and hundreds of hirundines, over the water this morning.

Thursday 17th

Reed Warbler in Ramsdales reedbed
Adult Little Gull
2 Mealy Redpolls reported in front of Horrock's hide (please note this is a 3rd hand report only)
Long-eared Owl still showing from New Hide

All info thanks to Barry Hulme

whimbrel on the spit for 15 mins late morning before flying north also 2 common sandpipers, 2 redshank, shelduck, pochard, goosander and goldeneye.

2-4pm
plank lane entrance several willow warblers,mipits and skylarks which dashed for cover when a heavy shower passed over.just timed it nicely to new hide or so i thought the hide was full of tourists everyone scanning for the long eared owl but no signs of it anywhere.
walked down to horrocks hide sunshining on the rightous and four blackaps singing in tops of trees had to stop for five minutes what a song!
quite a few chiffs giving me earache also.
horrocks hide- wind was full in my face and making any birds out tested my eyesight to the limit ,as i cried whilst watching my first common sandpiper of the year .i wonder how many of you could say you cared this much.also on the spit several cormerants,1 little ringed plover,lapwings and a few black backed gulls.
a group of 8 shovellor on the lake with sandmartins,swallows and a few house martins wizzing about,no swifts yet .
lots of the usual stuff about tits,finches,wrens need i go on .missed the common turn but i was in a bit of a rush.thats my excuse anyway

SAME AS BRIAN,PLUS MALE WHEATEAR STILL ON RAMMIES RUCK,KINGFISHER-2,COMMON TERN-1 PLUS AT LEAST 2000+ SAND MARTIN

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 20:00, 2008-04-13

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 20:01, 2008-04-13

at pennington today, brambling, goldeneye, blackcap, treecreeper, oystercatcher, house martin, willow warbler, shelduck and the long-eared owl still from new hide which i didnt see but was showing early am.

1pm-5pm-same as ian plus 7 blackcap,5 willow warbler,5 chiff chaff,house martin,swallow,loads of sand martin,possible garden warbler by teal hide.

12/4/08 Late am

male Wheatear on the ruck,
2 Common Sandpiper,
2 Little Ringed Plover,
2 male Blackcaps.

Common Sandpiper and a LRP from Horrocks at 1400hrs and Common Tern feeding over flash.

An adult Mediterranean Gull flew east from Pennington Flash yesterday (10th) at around 9:40am.

Info thanks to Peter Alker

Common Sandpiper and a LRP from Horrocks at lunchtime. also 1 or 2 House Martins and a few Swallows with the Sand Martins.

Two were indeed at Pennington today, initially reported to me by Barry Hulme very early morning in Rammies and then later on they were showing very well feeding off the main car park.

2 Black-necked Grebe today per BG's.

Had a Jack Snipe yesterday morning with 13 Common Snipe (from Horrocks Hide) - otherwise much the same

pair of goldeneye on the flash with 3 snipe from horrocks plus immature GBBG.

same as tony except brambling at the feeding station and 2 little ringed plovers and a shelduck from teal hide