Adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted again last night, also three adult Mediterranean Gulls.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Feb 27 8:21 PM, 2022
This morning's highlights included 2 Raven, a Little Egret, 4 Snipe and 12 Goldeneye.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Feb 26 12:26 AM, 2022
Adult Kittiwake present late afternoon until dusk in the SE bay yesterday (25th) also 20 Oystercatcher present.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Lez Fairclough said
Fri Feb 25 8:54 PM, 2022
2pm to 3-45 pm round a few of the hides :-
Pengy's Hide - In the first 10 minutes I was there I recorded 23 species - Stock Dove; Woodpigeon; Blackbird; Magpie; Dunnock; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Willow Tit; Long-Tailed Tit; Robin; Reed Bunting; Cormorant; Song Thrush; Great Crested Grebe; Moorhen; Coot; Mallard; Tufted Duck; Shoveler; Gadwall; Black Headed Gull; Carrion Crow & Mute Swan.
Bunting Hide - Full of birders & no noisy kids - what a delight! with most of the above seen plus Chaffinch & Bullfinch but missed the Water Rail which briefly ran through 10 minutes later.
Teal Hide - Little Egret beside 2M & 2F Goosander on the little island in the middle of the scrape.
A very amusing moment was when I noticed a female Goosander prostrate face down in the water motionless for over 2 minutes being circled by a male Goosander & I obviously feared the worse - suddenly the male grabbed the female by the scruff of its neck & proceeded to copulate for all of 5 seconds whereby the female just swam off. Is playing dead normal courtship behaviour ?
Elsewhere singles of Jay & Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen in the woods at the end of the main path after Edmonson Hide & 5 Oyster Catchers were on the end of the spit from Horrocks Hide.
Male Chaffinch with a bad case of Trichomonosis at the feeders today - it could barely fly
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Feb 24 9:55 PM, 2022
17 Oystercatcher on the spit eventually this late afternoon.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Gordon Newman said
Thu Feb 24 6:44 PM, 2022
mid p.m of note: 1 Adult Yellow-legged Gull on the end of the spit 14 Oystercatcher on spit 1 Little Egret in front of Tom Edmondson Hide
Michael Hood said
Mon Feb 21 10:33 PM, 2022
Sunday PM, blowing lots and then with rain
Goldeneyes on the Flash basically wondering what all the fuss was about
Oystercatchers, Lapwings and Cormorants on the spit
Great Crested Grebes on the Flash
Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck & Goosander in several places
Bullfinch (M&F) and Nuthatch showing well at Pengy's (?) Hide - the one with the feeders - as well as the more usual species
Kingfisher along the "brook" by the path on the far side of Teal Hide
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Feb 21 9:52 PM, 2022
A Curlew flew in at 5:40pm this evening and 18 Oystercatcher were present.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian Howarth said
Sat Feb 19 4:36 PM, 2022
Little Egret flew over. 14 Great Crested Grebe together seen from Ramsdale Hide, and a Cetti's Warbler playing Hide and singing. Lots of Goldeneye at various hides. At least 12 Oystercatchers on the Spit.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 19th of February 2022 06:39:57 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Feb 16 7:57 PM, 2022
Yesterday late afternoon 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls and 15 Oystercatchers present.
This late afternoon, a Little Egret flew north over Plank Lane and an adult Yellow-legged Gull and 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls were present.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Feb 8 9:26 PM, 2022
This late afternoon:
Adult Yellow-legged Gull again
2 adult Mediterranean Gulls
7 Oystercatchers
35 Goldeneyes
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Lez Fairclough said
Mon Feb 7 10:36 PM, 2022
Quick hour late afternoon at the western bay & part of Ramsdale's Ruck.
Thank god for the many singing Robins & Song Thrushes trying to cheer up a dull afternoon.
Very little of note apart from a single male Goldeneye & a dozen or so Great Crested Grebes displaying & good numbers of Gulls arriving for the roost.
A Kestrel on Ramsdales was the only raptor seen.
A small flock of 20 Goldfinch & the usual army of Long-Tailed Tits were mobile around the trees.
Also a male Goosander bombed along the small brook feeding back into the flash.
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 7th of February 2022 10:37:45 PM
Single adult Yellow-legged and Mediterranean Gulls present in the roost tonight.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Isabel Hay said
Thu Feb 3 7:55 PM, 2022
Today, around lunchtime: several Goldeneye, including a pair displaying and mating (he looked well chuffed swimming off posing afterwards), great crested grebes displaying, lots of lapwings looking lovely in the low sun on the point, someone had a fleeting glimpse of a kingfisher earlier, cettis warbler singing briefly, crows (teasting a squirrel), wood pigeons, stock doves , black headed gulls and a few others (sorry, gulls aren't my thing), cormorants, canada geese, mallards, tufted ducks, teal, shoveler, gadwall, mute swans, tufted ducks, coots, moorhens, oystercatchers, herons, sparrowhawk, buzzard, robin, wren, dunnock, blackbird, blue/great/coal/long tailed/willow tits, goldfinch, bullfinch, Chaffinch, Reed buntings, nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 4th of February 2022 10:28:20 PM
Gordon Newman said
Thu Feb 3 6:08 PM, 2022
Leucistic Black-headed Gull was only thing I managed to pick out in tonight's roost
2 adult Mediterranean gulls 1 leucistic Black Headed Gull(looks like one that's been there previous winters) A very poor large gull roost with only 387 large gulls in the roost Several thousand small (mainly Black Headed) gulls. And a Kingfisher flew past.
Natalie Clarke said
Tue Feb 1 3:55 PM, 2022
Very windy conditions but some good sightings...
2 kingfisher
2 goldeneye
1 male and 1 female bullfinch
2 little egret
2 oystercatcher
Plenty of grey heron, teal and shoveller
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Feb 1 1:22 PM, 2022
Some recent news:
Friday 28th:
2 Oystercatcher
8 Goosander
2 Wigeon
Sunday 30th:
2 Shelduck
1 Little Egret
Monday 31st:
2 Pintail (a pair) flew west
2 Oystercatcher
8 Goosander
1 Little Egret
1 Wigeon
Today 1st:
1 2CY Peregrine
1 Little Egret
2 adult Mediterranean Gulls roosted
Information thanks to Barry Hulme, Bill Harrison and Phil Rhodes
Andy Isherwood said
Sun Jan 30 1:32 PM, 2022
Birds present this am included:
Little egret at Western end and then later between Horrocks and Ramsdales.
2 Oystercatcher on the main Spit
Meadow Pipit and 4+ Skylark on the rucks and Linnet heard over.
At least 11 Singing Song Thrush around the site and flock of c. 70 Redwing in horse fields at West end.
-- Edited by Andy Isherwood on Sunday 30th of January 2022 01:33:39 PM
Pete Hines said
Sat Jan 29 7:47 PM, 2022
Goosander 31 from Teal Hide Oystercatcher 1 Mediterranean Gull adult with silver ring on left leg off the Rucks Little Egret 1 Ramsdales Kingfisher 1 female Skylark 1 Rucks Meadow Pipit 1 Rucks Reed Bunting 9
1W Caspian Gull hanging around the spit at 3:45 to 4:05 this afternoon, then flew west and was not seen to roost.
Also 2 Little Egret again.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jan 23 8:25 PM, 2022
Two Little Egrets roosted this late afternoon.
Gordon Newman said
Thu Jan 20 5:45 PM, 2022
Adult Mediterranean Gull present in roost from 16.23 close in to Ramsdales Ruck being shifted around by a lone yacht before eventually drifting towards the point and then to the centre of the flash by 17.00
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Jan 19 9:35 PM, 2022
A female Pintail flew west this morning and 2 Little Egret were feeding between Ramsdales and the Kidney Pond.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Jan 18 1:29 PM, 2022
Adult Mediterranean Gull present this morning.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
Pete Hines said
Mon Jan 17 9:35 PM, 2022
Shelduck 1 Goosander 8 Oystercatcher 1 Little Egret 1 Willow Tit one by Ramsdales Hide 53.490836, -2.542889
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jan 17 8:20 PM, 2022
This late afternoon:
1540 Herring Gull
12 Great Black-backed Gull
36 Goldeneye
2 Kingfisher
Tawny Owl flew across St. Helens Road into the flash recording area by the traffic lights just past the fire station just after 5pm
Lez Fairclough said
Sun Jan 16 10:16 PM, 2022
Late post for Saturday 15th January mid afternoon.
Hour & half spent mostly in Pengy's Hide & Bunting Hide with a quick visit to Teal Hide.
Pengy's Hide - Wren, M & F Reed Buntings, Willow Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Moorhen, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock.
Bunting Hide - All of the above plus Stock Dove & couple of stunningly coloured Bullfinch & Chaffinch.
Teal Hide - 9 mixed Goosander & a few Teal and Shoveler with several mobile Redwing in the nearby trees
Mid P. M till dusk, only visited Tom Edmondson and Ramsdale Hide and walked to the point for the Gull roost of which I didn't pick out anything of note, then back to the canal bridge. Single Little Egret from Tom Edmondson Hide 25+ Goldeneye in Ramsdales Bay (didn't count the ones on main flash) A dozen Goosander in various areas. Siskin, Lesser Redpoll flying over Willow Tit by Ramsdales Hide.
Andy Isherwood said
Sun Jan 16 2:34 PM, 2022
Birds present this morning included:
Mixed flock of c. 70 Finches in trees between Tom Edmondson hide and Canal were mainly Goldfinch but included at least 4 Lesser Redpoll and 15 Siskin.
1 Pink footed goose flew South East at c. 8.40 followed a few minutes later by 9 more.
Single Greylag goose on spit
At least 3 Singing Cettis Warbler and a non singing bird showing well on the canal bank at the east end of the rucks whilst the usual male sang in ramsdales reedbed.
C.150 Redwing in numerous flocks all round the site. The largest number in field's at the west end.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Jan 11 5:19 PM, 2022
Yesterday's first winter Caspian Gull was back in the roost this late afternoon, also 2160 Herring Gulls but a noticeable drop in Great Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls.
130 Pink-footed Geese west at 3:30pm
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jan 10 8:15 PM, 2022
First winter Caspian Gull present in the roost this late afternoon.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Steven Heywood said
Sun Jan 9 9:45 PM, 2022
Late afternoon, a Mediterranean gull overhead with a bunch of black-headed gulls flying over towards the golf course. (If it hadn't called I would have missed it in the crowd.)
A couple of the common gulls in the bight by Ramsdales had almost complete hoods.
Ian Howarth said
Sun Jan 9 6:05 PM, 2022
35 species this a.m, including 2 Kingfishers together. Fed the Oystercatcher by the car park and yet again it came within 1.5m. But the highlight for me was watching several Goldeneye, (in a group of 15) from Ramsdale Hide, arching their heads right back on to their back, Displaying.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jan 9 5:30 PM, 2022
This late afternoon with Pete Berry:
145 Tufted Duck
1 Shelduck
1 Oystercatcher
1 Water Rail calling constantly from Sorrowcow Pond
203 Great Black-backed Gull
8400 Black-headed Gull
580 Herring Gull
Usual adult Mediterranean Gull
c160 Pink-footed Geese over west at 4:30 and another c60 low and very vocal SE (possibly towards the mosses?)
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jan 8 10:33 PM, 2022
Little Egret roosted tonight.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Craig Higson said
Wed Jan 5 5:51 PM, 2022
Gull roost this evening. One of the biggest roosts I've seen in recent years. Birds started opposite Horrock's Hide and spread all the way to the far western end, with birds covering most of the water in large rafts. The birds were very 'mobile' often taking flight and settling again at a different spot. Birds were still arriving as I left too. As a result it wasn't that easy to count or pick out anything unusual and I ended up just enjoying the sights and sounds instead.
Black-headed Gull a conservative 10,000 estimate
Great Black - backed Gull 100+
Herring Gull 600+ - they were moving around a lot so this figure was probably nearer the 1000 mark
Lesser Black-Backed Gull 90+
Lapwing - two very mobile flocks totalling approx 350
Jackdaw 1500+
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Wednesday 5th of January 2022 05:51:58 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jan 3 6:30 PM, 2022
Late afternoon today:
133 Common Gull
126 Lesser Black-backed Gull
940 Herring Gull
137 Great Black-backed Gull
1 adult Mediterranean Gull
25 Goldeneye
A very conservative 2800 Jackdaw in their roost
Kevin Cook said
Sun Jan 2 3:10 PM, 2022
10.30 to 11.30 .Swift circuit of the hides with the Mrs who doesn't like stopping for long!
Of note:-
Goldeneye near car park & Ramsdales
Lapwing. 50+ on spit
Kingfisher - Ramsdales
Goosander, 1m 2f Teal Hide
Shoveler Teal Hide
Water Rail seen Pengys hide
Lez Fairclough said
Sun Jan 2 12:39 AM, 2022
A quick 45 minutes New Year's resolution exercise walk round here (with the hides closed) late afternoon had about 20 Great Black Backed Gulls at the very end of what's left of the flooded spit, 4 little Grebe, 2 male Teal & a Grey Heron from Ramsdale's & another Grey Heron & a few Shoveler on Teal scrape.
Happy New Year & safe good birding for 2022.
Lez
dave broome said
Fri Dec 31 5:29 PM, 2021
1 adult Mediterranean Gull roosted this evening, plus at least 124 Great Black-Backed Gull c1200 Jackdaw roosting on the south side of the Flash
All the best for 2022 to everyone!
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Dec 28 11:08 PM, 2021
Sightings from this late afternoon along with Pete Berry and Phil Rhodes:
1 Little Egret
2 Oystercatcher
8 Shelduck flew in at 4:20pm
9 Wigeon, including 7 which flew straight over west
10 Goosander
1 Chiffchaff briefly by Sorrowcow Pond
Gull roost much reduced from the previous count but c148 Great Black-backed Gulls
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Dec 26 9:48 PM, 2021
Late afternoon today:
1 Little Egret (in Rammies)
53 Great Crested Grebe
31 Goldeneye
c600 Lapwing
212 Great Black-backed Gull
3200 Herring Gull
1 adult Mediterranean Gull
3100 Jackdaw
Usual Oystercatcher bullying anything with legs on the spit
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Dec 23 8:05 PM, 2021
Late afternoon today, presumably the usual annually returning adult Iceland Gull roosted.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
pete berry said
Wed Dec 22 8:21 PM, 2021
The roost seems to have built up a bit from last weekend when lan and I last did it with probably just short of 1000 big gulls and approx 4000 or 5000 Black Headed Gulls. A possible adult Yellow Legged Gull was in the roost,but the light was to poor to see all the id features.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Dec 18 10:53 PM, 2021
Late news for yesterday late afternoon:
21 Goldeneye
10 Wigeon
6 Pochard
Really poor gull roost with probably only c600 Black-headed Gulls and 4-500 Herring Gulls, most of which moved off SW at dusk!
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Dec 16 10:49 AM, 2021
No further sign of the Great Skua since c09:50 but the bird is still being looked for and could potentially have dropped onto fields at the western end early during the morning so could still be present.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Dec 16 9:38 AM, 2021
Great Skua present but mobile around the length of the flash, often quite high over the water.
Adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted again last night, also three adult Mediterranean Gulls.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
This morning's highlights included 2 Raven, a Little Egret, 4 Snipe and 12 Goldeneye.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Adult Kittiwake present late afternoon until dusk in the SE bay yesterday (25th) also 20 Oystercatcher present.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
2pm to 3-45 pm round a few of the hides :-
Pengy's Hide - In the first 10 minutes I was there I recorded 23 species - Stock Dove; Woodpigeon; Blackbird; Magpie; Dunnock; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Willow Tit; Long-Tailed Tit; Robin; Reed Bunting; Cormorant; Song Thrush; Great Crested Grebe; Moorhen; Coot; Mallard; Tufted Duck; Shoveler; Gadwall; Black Headed Gull; Carrion Crow & Mute Swan.
Bunting Hide - Full of birders & no noisy kids - what a delight! with most of the above seen plus Chaffinch & Bullfinch but missed the Water Rail which briefly ran through 10 minutes later.
Teal Hide - Little Egret beside 2M & 2F Goosander on the little island in the middle of the scrape.
A very amusing moment was when I noticed a female Goosander prostrate face down in the water motionless for over 2 minutes being circled by a male Goosander & I obviously feared the worse - suddenly the male grabbed the female by the scruff of its neck & proceeded to copulate for all of 5 seconds whereby the female just swam off. Is playing dead normal courtship behaviour ?
Elsewhere singles of Jay & Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen in the woods at the end of the main path after Edmonson Hide & 5 Oyster Catchers were on the end of the spit from Horrocks Hide.
Male Chaffinch with a bad case of Trichomonosis at the feeders today - it could barely fly
17 Oystercatcher on the spit eventually this late afternoon.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
of note:
1 Adult Yellow-legged Gull on the end of the spit
14 Oystercatcher on spit
1 Little Egret in front of Tom Edmondson Hide
Sunday PM, blowing lots and then with rain
Goldeneyes on the Flash basically wondering what all the fuss was about
Oystercatchers, Lapwings and Cormorants on the spit
Great Crested Grebes on the Flash
Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal, Tufted Duck & Goosander in several places
Bullfinch (M&F) and Nuthatch showing well at Pengy's (?) Hide - the one with the feeders - as well as the more usual species
Kingfisher along the "brook" by the path on the far side of Teal Hide
A Curlew flew in at 5:40pm this evening and 18 Oystercatcher were present.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Little Egret flew over. 14 Great Crested Grebe together seen from Ramsdale Hide, and a Cetti's Warbler playing Hide and singing. Lots of Goldeneye at various hides. At least 12 Oystercatchers on the Spit.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 19th of February 2022 06:39:57 PM
Yesterday late afternoon 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls and 15 Oystercatchers present.
This late afternoon, a Little Egret flew north over Plank Lane and an adult Yellow-legged Gull and 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls were present.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
This late afternoon:
Adult Yellow-legged Gull again
2 adult Mediterranean Gulls
7 Oystercatchers
35 Goldeneyes
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Quick hour late afternoon at the western bay & part of Ramsdale's Ruck.
Thank god for the many singing Robins & Song Thrushes trying to cheer up a dull afternoon.
Very little of note apart from a single male Goldeneye & a dozen or so Great Crested Grebes displaying & good numbers of Gulls arriving for the roost.
A Kestrel on Ramsdales was the only raptor seen.
A small flock of 20 Goldfinch & the usual army of Long-Tailed Tits were mobile around the trees.
Also a male Goosander bombed along the small brook feeding back into the flash.
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 7th of February 2022 10:37:45 PM
Single adult Yellow-legged and Mediterranean Gulls present in the roost tonight.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Today, around lunchtime: several Goldeneye, including a pair displaying and mating (he looked well chuffed swimming off posing afterwards), great crested grebes displaying, lots of lapwings looking lovely in the low sun on the point, someone had a fleeting glimpse of a kingfisher earlier, cettis warbler singing briefly, crows (teasting a squirrel), wood pigeons, stock doves , black headed gulls and a few others (sorry, gulls aren't my thing), cormorants, canada geese, mallards, tufted ducks, teal, shoveler, gadwall, mute swans, tufted ducks, coots, moorhens, oystercatchers, herons, sparrowhawk, buzzard, robin, wren, dunnock, blackbird, blue/great/coal/long tailed/willow tits, goldfinch, bullfinch, Chaffinch, Reed buntings, nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 4th of February 2022 10:28:20 PM
2 adult Mediterranean gulls
1 leucistic Black Headed Gull(looks like one that's been there previous winters)
A very poor large gull roost with only 387 large gulls in the roost
Several thousand small (mainly Black Headed) gulls.
And a Kingfisher flew past.
Some recent news:
Friday 28th:
2 Oystercatcher
8 Goosander
2 Wigeon
Sunday 30th:
2 Shelduck
1 Little Egret
Monday 31st:
2 Pintail (a pair) flew west
2 Oystercatcher
8 Goosander
1 Little Egret
1 Wigeon
Today 1st:
1 2CY Peregrine
1 Little Egret
2 adult Mediterranean Gulls roosted
Information thanks to Barry Hulme, Bill Harrison and Phil Rhodes
Birds present this am included:
Little egret at Western end and then later between Horrocks and Ramsdales.
2 Oystercatcher on the main Spit
Meadow Pipit and 4+ Skylark on the rucks and Linnet heard over.
At least 11 Singing Song Thrush around the site and flock of c. 70 Redwing in horse fields at West end.
-- Edited by Andy Isherwood on Sunday 30th of January 2022 01:33:39 PM
Oystercatcher 1
Mediterranean Gull adult with silver ring on left leg off the Rucks
Little Egret 1 Ramsdales
Kingfisher 1 female
Skylark 1 Rucks
Meadow Pipit 1 Rucks
Reed Bunting 9
1W Caspian Gull hanging around the spit at 3:45 to 4:05 this afternoon, then flew west and was not seen to roost.
Also 2 Little Egret again.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Two Little Egrets roosted this late afternoon.
A female Pintail flew west this morning and 2 Little Egret were feeding between Ramsdales and the Kidney Pond.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Adult Mediterranean Gull present this morning.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
Goosander 8
Oystercatcher 1
Little Egret 1
Willow Tit one by Ramsdales Hide 53.490836, -2.542889
This late afternoon:
1540 Herring Gull
12 Great Black-backed Gull
36 Goldeneye
2 Kingfisher
Tawny Owl flew across St. Helens Road into the flash recording area by the traffic lights just past the fire station just after 5pm
Late post for Saturday 15th January mid afternoon.
Hour & half spent mostly in Pengy's Hide & Bunting Hide with a quick visit to Teal Hide.
Pengy's Hide - Wren, M & F Reed Buntings, Willow Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Moorhen, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock.
Bunting Hide - All of the above plus Stock Dove & couple of stunningly coloured Bullfinch & Chaffinch.
Teal Hide - 9 mixed Goosander & a few Teal and Shoveler with several mobile Redwing in the nearby trees
Single Little Egret from Tom Edmondson Hide
25+ Goldeneye in Ramsdales Bay (didn't count the ones on main flash)
A dozen Goosander in various areas.
Siskin, Lesser Redpoll flying over Willow Tit by Ramsdales Hide.
Birds present this morning included:
Mixed flock of c. 70 Finches in trees between Tom Edmondson hide and Canal were mainly Goldfinch but included at least 4 Lesser Redpoll and 15 Siskin.
1 Pink footed goose flew South East at c. 8.40 followed a few minutes later by 9 more.
Single Greylag goose on spit
At least 3 Singing Cettis Warbler and a non singing bird showing well on the canal bank at the east end of the rucks whilst the usual male sang in ramsdales reedbed.
C.150 Redwing in numerous flocks all round the site. The largest number in field's at the west end.
Yesterday's first winter Caspian Gull was back in the roost this late afternoon, also 2160 Herring Gulls but a noticeable drop in Great Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls.
130 Pink-footed Geese west at 3:30pm
First winter Caspian Gull present in the roost this late afternoon.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
This late afternoon with Pete Berry:
145 Tufted Duck
1 Shelduck
1 Oystercatcher
1 Water Rail calling constantly from Sorrowcow Pond
203 Great Black-backed Gull
8400 Black-headed Gull
580 Herring Gull
Usual adult Mediterranean Gull
c160 Pink-footed Geese over west at 4:30 and another c60 low and very vocal SE (possibly towards the mosses?)
Little Egret roosted tonight.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Black-headed Gull a conservative 10,000 estimate
Great Black - backed Gull 100+
Herring Gull 600+ - they were moving around a lot so this figure was probably nearer the 1000 mark
Lesser Black-Backed Gull 90+
Lapwing - two very mobile flocks totalling approx 350
Jackdaw 1500+
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Wednesday 5th of January 2022 05:51:58 PM
Late afternoon today:
133 Common Gull
126 Lesser Black-backed Gull
940 Herring Gull
137 Great Black-backed Gull
1 adult Mediterranean Gull
25 Goldeneye
A very conservative 2800 Jackdaw in their roost
10.30 to 11.30 .Swift circuit of the hides with the Mrs who doesn't like stopping for long!
Of note:-
Goldeneye near car park & Ramsdales
Lapwing. 50+ on spit
Kingfisher - Ramsdales
Goosander, 1m 2f Teal Hide
Shoveler Teal Hide
Water Rail seen Pengys hide
A quick 45 minutes New Year's resolution exercise walk round here (with the hides closed) late afternoon had about 20 Great Black Backed Gulls at the very end of what's left of the flooded spit, 4 little Grebe, 2 male Teal & a Grey Heron from Ramsdale's & another Grey Heron & a few Shoveler on Teal scrape.
Happy New Year & safe good birding for 2022.
Lez
c1200 Jackdaw roosting on the south side of the Flash
All the best for 2022 to everyone!
Sightings from this late afternoon along with Pete Berry and Phil Rhodes:
1 Little Egret
2 Oystercatcher
8 Shelduck flew in at 4:20pm
9 Wigeon, including 7 which flew straight over west
10 Goosander
1 Chiffchaff briefly by Sorrowcow Pond
Gull roost much reduced from the previous count but c148 Great Black-backed Gulls
Late afternoon today:
1 Little Egret (in Rammies)
53 Great Crested Grebe
31 Goldeneye
c600 Lapwing
212 Great Black-backed Gull
3200 Herring Gull
1 adult Mediterranean Gull
3100 Jackdaw
Usual Oystercatcher bullying anything with legs on the spit
Late afternoon today, presumably the usual annually returning adult Iceland Gull roosted.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Late news for yesterday late afternoon:
21 Goldeneye
10 Wigeon
6 Pochard
Really poor gull roost with probably only c600 Black-headed Gulls and 4-500 Herring Gulls, most of which moved off SW at dusk!
No further sign of the Great Skua since c09:50 but the bird is still being looked for and could potentially have dropped onto fields at the western end early during the morning so could still be present.
Great Skua present but mobile around the length of the flash, often quite high over the water.
Adult Mediterranean Gull roosted this afternoon.
Info thanks to phil Rhodes