colin davies wrote:

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I agree. The Pennington Flash bird was of course the same as Lightshaw / Longton Marsh.

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 I agree also the Lowercroft bird is not the Pennington Flash bird , Which looked much smaller overall, head and Bill were definitely smaller as was the neck length, also the Pennington bird was much darker overall and the white on the face on the Pennington bird was a different shape and colour.  :)

I agree. The Pennington Flash bird was of course the same as Lightshaw / Longton Marsh.

Ive been studying people photos of the Pennington flash bird from February and this one is definitely a different bird. 

I went back with the big lens and got some more detailed shots. 

In my opinion it's not the Lightshaw / Longton bird. I've seen other photos of this bird and the white patch on the face is larger and a different shape, especially on the left hand side, the bill looks a little larger and the neck a little longer. Also the white collar is brighter on this bird. Structurally it just doesn't look the same bird to me.

11am - 12pm 

lots of swallows on the middle lodge along with small flocks of linnets feeding on the grassy banks. 

Only bird of note was this tiny Canada goose that caught my eye, possible Richardson's Cackling Goose ? or some sort of hybrid. 

Massive influx of swallows this afternoon 60+

Along with big flocks of meadow pipits passing through. 

Had a very productive local patch walk this afternoon with my first wheatear of the year. And as I was lay in the grass photographing it, I caught a glimpse out of the corner my eye of what I thought was a large gull circling the top lodge which on closer inspection was an Osprey! Managed a few record shots before it flew of high North West at 2;35pm nice first ever GM tick for me 

of note:

x1 Osprey

x1 Male Wheatear 

x1 Raven 

X2 oyster catcher 

x1 female goosander 

x5 linnet 

x2 great black backed gulls 

2;15 - 3;20 pm 

Both Mediterranean gulls present, foraging behind the cows in the field next to Meadowcroft Farm  

x4 Goosander on top lodge (1male and 3 female)

x2 Stock dove in field off Bentley Hall Rd  

Walk round Lowercroft yesterday (18th), muddy through the fields, we were rewarded with great views of the Mediterranean Gulls and had the added bonus of a single Sand Martin flying through. The first of the year for us. 

3pm:

Both Mediterranean gulls still present on the middle lodge.

Also 1 female wigeon.

On the field adjacent to the sub station, had a Leucistic starling in a flock of aprox 100. Got my heart racing until I had a closer inspection! Managed a few record shots of it until a sparrowhawk ploughed into them all and they dispersed in terror 

9,30am 

Both Mediterranean gulls showing well on the middle lodge.

Definitely the same returning pair for their 7th consecutive year. 

3,30pm : Pair of Mediterranean gulls with a flock of 47 black-headed gulls foraging in the field off Bentley Hall Rd ..I assume these are the same returning pair as one has the leg ring above the right knee.. Couldn't get close enough to get any details. Will keep trying 

Yesterday had a flock of 63 redwing in the same field too. 

Mediterranean gull still present. Only seems to have one leg and is showing distress when trying to walk. Or it could be an entanglement. It's on the private side of the middle lodge so I can't get close enough to check it properly. 

It can fly ok though and has survived a few weeks here now on its own so it must be feeding ok 

11,30am

Theres a nice winter plumage Mediterranean gull on the middle lodge, roosting in between the Canada geese and the black-headed gulls 

3-4,30pm of note: 

Upper lodge:

X 4 Mistle Thrush 

X1 Common Tern 

Middle lodge: 

X1 Common Sandpiper 

X4 Lapwing. 2 adults .2 juveniles 

8am till 10,30am

Both Mediterranean Gulls present, spending most of the time on the field behind Meadowcroft farm.

Definitely the same returning pair . 

2 Mediterranean Gull at the reservoir this morning . If it's the same returning birds ( one Belgian ringed ) that's their 6th consecutive year at the reservoir. Only arrived in last 2 days which is a few weeks later than they normally do ..

Good extensive walk round the area this morning from Walshaw. 

Of note: 

On the way I flushed a Woodcock from near Walshaw nursing home plus had 3 female bullfinch.

X1 Kestrel around the top lodge.

Middle lodge:

X9 Cormorants 

X12 Goosander (4m, 8f)

Family of 5 Jays making a hell of a racket.

And to my surprise had a female kingfisher sat sunning itself for over 25 mins..was just too far away to get a sharp photo  but it's not very often I see one on here. 

3,30pm till 5,30pm

Pair of Whitethroat (M+F) in hedge off Bentley Hall Rd

Pair of adult Wheatear (M+F) on the side of the middle lodge.

X2 Buzzards mewing about 

3- 4.30pm

Around the top lodge, of note:

X1 common tern 

X1 buzzard

X1 male sparrowhawk 

Middle lodge: 

X2 oystercatcher 

X2 lapwing 

Before I send the images to the filing back hole, just came across this reworked image of the recent SEO at Lowercroft, more on the blog...

Cheers for that Rob , 

Had a reply from the  Belgian ringing scheme  last week mentioning that .. Will just have to wait till next year ..

Cheers 

rob archer wrote:

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That's a great effort getting those photos Martin .. I've tried a few times but not managed anything like that , even with some help from Mr Warburton ..

Not 100% we've got enough numbers / letters as yet but possibly reads E97920..

I've emailed the photos to Lee Barber at BTO for his opinion ..

It will be great to know exactly where it's from as it's now in its 4th year returning ..

-- Edited by rob archer on Monday 11th of March 2019 04:33:50 PM

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We (Me Steve Higginbottom & Gary Taylor) went back this morning to try to get the missing ring digit off the Mediterranean Gull ..and failed , as Rob Archer said the grass is too long now..I got some partial images ive studied, and  recon its either a 9, 7, or a 2 which doesn't really help much . At first they were both on the middle lodge, but soon flew onto the fields behind Meadowcroft farm with all the black-headed Gulls.. but were very distant until the cows came over to us giving us some cover from the eyeline of the gulls and they eventually came with in a photographable distance. 

Re the ringed Mediterranean Gull .

I'd been in touch with Lee Barber at BTO who knew it was a Belgian bird and I submitted it to them last week.. Had a reply today from them but unfortunately they couldn't ID the bird from the details available off the photos ..

We  were only 1 digit short after Martin's great photos and I guessed it may be traceable but unfortunately wasn't..

There were 4 Mediterranean Gulls there today including the ringed one but didn't manage to get a ring photo..

Maybe next year if it returns when the grass is still short  

That's a great effort getting those photos Martin .. I've tried a few times but not managed anything like that , even with some help from Mr Warburton ..

Not 100% we've got enough numbers / letters as yet but possibly reads E97920..

I've emailed the photos to Lee Barber at BTO for his opinion ..

It will be great to know exactly where it's from as it's now in its 4th year returning ..

Had a very "challenging" yet enjoyable morning trying to locate and get within 100 meters of the Mediterranean gulls to try and read the ring number.  The flock of of Black- headed gulls that they are with are so jittery that the slightest noise or disturbance sends them up in a panic and they just fly off and land 100s of meters away from you thus undoing all the hours of field craft you have just wasted trying to sneak up on them!!  

     Anyway , they spent most of the morning foraging on the fields on the Walshaw side of Bentley all Lane, I managed to get a few legible shots of the ring number, I think it reads E920. I have added the photos below.  

2 Mediterranean Gulls on the middle reservoir today. A Curlew also dropped in and an Oystercatcher was present.

Info thanks to Brian Fogg

Been in touch with BTO re the Mediterranean Gull that's ringed at the Reservoirs... the ring is above the "knee" which is not a practice in UK for this species  apparantly so certainly from abroad .. if anyone with a good camera is about at the Res be good to try to photo the ring number, which I know won't be easy . it's normally about for another couple of weeks or so ..

11,30 - 1pm 

Of note:

A single curlew was flying around the middle lodged calling loudly before flying off south 

×2 oystercatcher on middle lodge.

Had a sparrowhawk take an unfortunate starling in front of me  just off Bentley Hall lane.

X2 Mediterranean Gulls both on the fields along Slaidburn Drive. 

Pair of Mediterranean Gull in the field below the boarded building this afternoon. Also 4 Goosander on the reservoir, 3 female and 1 male.

Pair of Mediterranean Gull by Meadow Croft Farm this morning .. one of the birds is metal ringed and are presumably the same returning birds from previous years .. 

This morning 11 - 1

1 Goosander on lower reservoir

1 Green Sandpiper on upper

1 Curlew in field on way to former isolation hospital

12.30-2pm

X1 Mediterranean gull

X5 goosander (1m 4f)

X3 buzzards displaying high up in the thermals. 

X2 oystercatcher 

I also found a deceased tawny owl in one of the fields behind the sub station. I checked it over the best I could to eliminate any fowl play, yet It was lay on its back surrounded by plucked feathers with its breast plucked out when I found it. So I recon it was either predated or was just a cusualty of the winter and then it has been scavenged. 

3 hour loop from Walshaw this am 

of Note:

x1 Buzzard

x30+ Redwing near the pump station 

x3 Goosander on top lodge 2m. 1f

x2 male Stonechat & x2 male Reed Bunting near the golf course. 

x1 female pheasant 

x3 jay 

x2 Goldcrest near the nursing home 

x8 Cormorants on the middle lodge including one juvenile 

Am visit this morning highlights up till 10:00am
1 Ring necked parakeet flew over being mobbed by 2 Carrion crows.
1 Green Sandpiper.
15 Lapwings.

Cheers Steven.

!2 Dec 18 - 3.30pm

Distant view of Short-eared Owl.

Both near marshland between Top Res and Golf club

No sign of Green Sandpiper, seen on 10 Dec 18.

-- Edited by George Warburton on Wednesday 12th of December 2018 04:21:45 PM

1,30pm - 4pm. Top lodge,  inlet gully. 

      Female sparrowhawk, male and female Stonechat, X2 kestrels, buzzard, heron and a green sandpiper. 

Short eard owl came out at aprox 3pm, giving excellent views until dark. Being very mobile. Watched it catch at least 2 rodents. 

Short Eared Owl over near the golf course first light, also Green Sandpiper on res Heron, Kestrel, 3 Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, Female Goldeneye front of Barrack Fold, and Nuthatch.

Short-eared Owl still here , out and about in the light rain  which was a surprise. 

Green Sandpiper in the upper inlet gully.. Assuming it's the same bird, this is it's 5th consecutive winter on the same bit of mud .

Rob Granby ( a friends son ) clocked it last night walking his dog .. think he is a budding birder now after seeing the Owl .. 

Excellent spot by Rob!  

 Me and Steve Higginbottom spent the last hour of darkness watching the Short-eared owl this afternoon. It was mainly quartering around the marsh next to the golf course yet sometimes coming very close. would have loved for some better light as it was still misty, yet it was still an excellent GM tick for us both.  

also of note: Green Sandpiper on top res and a semi leucistic crow.

Short-eared Owl still present this am... fleeting view through the mist being harassed by a Black-headed Gull