Tuesday 16 February 2010

At least 31 Goldeneye on Scotman's Flash at 14:00.

a good walk round today with the bolton rspb group, nice to meet Steve, Cheryl and Holly and some other people i forgot the names, sorry

Not to much of note today, single pochard, two gooseanders, pink foot in the fields mixed with greylag and canadas, lots of goldeneye, shovelar, gadwall, great spotted woodpecker on feeders, lots of lesser redpoll mixed in with goldfinches on the alders, two buzzards on the high pylons

at Westwood today, in the area between the business park and Pearson's Flash: 2 Treecreeper, female Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, 12+ Goldfinch, 10 Greefinch

Apart from the Common Redpoll mentioned above there was also:

Water Rail - 2 Pearsons
Mandarin - 1 female at the feeding station
Siskin 1
Lsr Redpoll at least 50 in a mixed flock with similar No's of Goldfinch
Bullfinch
Goldcrest
Willow Tit x3

Plus all the usual suspects

Single Common Redoll in Birches alongside Pearsons Flash at 11am

info thanks to Craig Higson

Three skeins of Pinks over between 14:50 and 15:05

Woodcock flew over path nr Hawkley Hall Reedbed

Female Mandarin plus Willow Tit at feeding station

6 Goldeneye on Pearsons, 5 on Scotsmans

-- Edited by Mike Baron on Saturday 6th of February 2010 06:07:15 PM

Horrocks flash

just the usual waterfowl no surprises

Brynn marsh still frozen only 2 mallard and lots of garden birds feeding on the fence posts

Park house farm to bamfurlong police station
200 pinkfoot over,quite low and viewable
5 grey partridge ,3 flushed 2 feeding giving good views
1 meadow pipit
12 skylark

the skylarks were very active and inbetween the noise from cars,tractors,trains and planes managed to belt out some cracking songs,I just stood for half an hour listening to them,
warms the soul.

cheers geoff

Horrocks flash 9 till 11

Rear pool frozen over just 2 coot keeping a small pool open
Rainfords ,coot,tufted,etc 1 goldeneye
Front pool 2 pair goosander,2 buzzards interacting,1 kestrel,lots of the usual,but only 7 greylag around.

cheers geoff

3/2/10 am

Scotmans, Pearsons & Westwood:

1 Water Rail
21+ Goldeneye
14 Pochard
3 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
51 Tufted Duck
39 Common Gull
5 Little Grebe
1 Great Crested Grebe
3 Teal
7 Cormorant
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Skylark (over)
2 Bullfinch

love the new avatar Rob very good lol

Tuesday 02 February 2010

Scotman's Flash at 14:00ish:
1 Bittern in flight
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Little Grebe
10+ Goldeneye
2 Herring Gull
19 Lesser Black-backed Gull
19 Common Gull

That big Heron's back, flying up and down the canal. Got quite close to it, it was sitting on the path under the railway bridge, by Horrocks flash. Pity I didn't have my camera with me.

inland sea watch postponed due to adverse weather

Horrocks flash daybreak,back to winter conditions,of note 63 mobile teal 6 shoveler 1great crested grebe, coot, moorhen etc,buzzard on the railway section.Hordes of canada geese flying in and out.

bryn marsh frozen 2 coot 1 moorhen lots of tits and blackbirds around though

cheers geoff

Horrocks flash 1.30 3.00

Quick check to see if the Whoopers where still here but I couldn,t see them.Nice to see the place back to normal all the regulars in place,the 20 greylag are still here and 50+ canada,the teal have spread out making it hard to check for the GWT.A buzzard seems to have taken up residency in the central refuge and was being mobbed by the magpies.Quite a few gulls around.

Cheers geoff
Wigganers inland seawatch tommorow

Pete Astles wrote:

---

Dr Doolittle wrote:

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I saw two youths shooting in the woods on the Farmers field side of the canal on Monday at about 2030.
They threatened to shoot me but I told them to F off and they did!
They were trying to attract the attention of Cygnet JS4 by flashing a torch at it, so I stuck around until they moved on, cos I was worried they were gonna shoot it.

-- Edited by Dr Doolittle on Thursday 28th of January 2010 12:14:52 PM

---

Well done mate you deserve a medal there. These youths were breaking the law but its not the law its enforcement thats the issue. Did you report the incident to the police and get a crime number. The police seem to act only on statistics so the more incidents reported the bigger the priority and the more likely they are to act / patrol etc.

---

Thanks for the advice, I'll do that

With regard to shooting on the other side of the canal on farmland (presumably opposite Horrocks Flash?) it is very important to report this to the police, as there have been problems there before. You can ring the Wildlife Liaison Officer PC Mark Ryding on 0161 856 7163 (Leigh station) if you prefer, or call in at Bamfurlong police station on Bryn Gates Lane, which is actually adjacent to the said fields. It is an offence to stand on land where you have permission to shoot, and fire onto land where there is no permission to shoot, eg the canal in this case. It is also an offence to discharge a firearm within 50ft of a public footpath ie the canal towpath.

-- Edited by Judith Smith on Thursday 28th of January 2010 08:47:13 PM

Gordon Cottle wrote:

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Last week a number of newspapers and the NW television news reported a womans body being discovered in a car near to Martin Mere. Should we also avoid Martin Mere ?

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Sorry Gordon, I'm not sure this has any relevance nor is helpful to this thread?

I was asked by one of the Wigan birders who brought the newspaper piece to my attention, if I thought it was worthy of putting on the forum. I said yes, please do. The piece has been brought to 'our' attention not to create panic nor to tarnish the area with a bad reputation. Sure everywhere has it's problems but they are rare at best and should not effect our enjoyment of these areas. Were the article not brought to our attention though and we should experience or witness such acts involving an air rifle, we would not be aware of the previous history and might not feel it worthy to contact the Police over it. The Police do (in my experience) take incidents of this nature very seriously indeed and I (plus also the local birders) felt it important to atleast bring this to the attention of anyone visiting. It should NOT put people of doing so, but forewarned is forearmed, as they say.

Gordon Cottle wrote:

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...Should we also avoid Martin Mere ?

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I already do, can't stand the place!

Last week a number of newspapers and the NW television news reported a womans body being discovered in a car near to Martin Mere. Should we also avoid Martin Mere ?

Dr Doolittle wrote:

---

I saw two youths shooting in the woods on the Farmers field side of the canal on Monday at about 2030.
They threatened to shoot me but I told them to F off and they did!
They were trying to attract the attention of Cygnet JS4 by flashing a torch at it, so I stuck around until they moved on, cos I was worried they were gonna shoot it.

-- Edited by Dr Doolittle on Thursday 28th of January 2010 12:14:52 PM

---

Well done mate you deserve a medal there. These youths were breaking the law but its not the law its enforcement thats the issue. Did you report the incident to the police and get a crime number. The police seem to act only on statistics so the more incidents reported the bigger the priority and the more likely they are to act / patrol etc.

I saw two youths shooting in the woods on the Farmers field side of the canal on Monday at about 2030.
They threatened to shoot me but I told them to F off and they did!
They were trying to attract the attention of Cygnet JS4 by flashing a torch at it, so I stuck around until they moved on, cos I was worried they were gonna shoot it.

-- Edited by Dr Doolittle on Thursday 28th of January 2010 12:14:52 PM

Ian Woosey wrote:

---

The question of parking is not an issue in this instance. The man was shot in the face with an air rifle (nearly losing his eye). The police say he was in his garden, but was shot from somewhere on the Flash. Some time earlier he was shot in the leg whilst walking his dog on the canal tow-path - this means that there is somebody roaming about the nature reserve with a high-powered rifle, shooting at people...It is armed trespass, among other things...........Any birders visiting the flashes should be very wary, and if they see anything suspicious they should ring the numbers quoted below.

-- Edited by Ian Woosey on Wednesday 27th of January 2010 11:02:13 PM

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it also seems a bit strange the same person being shot walking his dog,then in his gardenwas he being targeted?
wherever you go these days you need to be wary,thats why so many now only frequent reserves martin mere etc,30 years ago a 12 year old could be on the flash all day,and no one would try to take his bins etc,but now there is this thought by the yobs,that we all carry phones worth £200,bins that now cost £2000(madness)scopes and cameras,were as in the past a pair of old bins and a notebook wasn't worth a second look.
please all be carefull out there,and don't always assume yobs are male,in the sankey valley a few years ago a fisherman was attacked with baseball bats,and pushed into the canal by a large group of young females,just to take his phone

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Thursday 28th of January 2010 10:15:11 AM

If the person is prepared to to shots at people, they are probably taking shots at wildlfe too!

The question of parking is not an issue in this instance. The man was shot in the face with an air rifle (nearly losing his eye). The police say he was in his garden, but was shot from somewhere on the Flash. Some time earlier he was shot in the leg whilst walking his dog on the canal tow-path - this means that there is somebody roaming about the nature reserve with a high-powered rifle, shooting at people...It is armed trespass, among other things...........Any birders visiting the flashes should be very wary, and if they see anything suspicious they should ring the numbers quoted below.

-- Edited by Ian Woosey on Wednesday 27th of January 2010 11:02:13 PM

Personal safety is an issue for all to consider when wandering about, but the warning in where to watch birds is a little dated now and comes from a time when car radios where
nickable,shoot me down in flames if you want but five years of 'parking' anywhere on the flashes hasn,t brought me any grief.

cheers geoff

I have never seen any trouble there or felt intimdated.

But I have noted in Where to watch birds North West England on page 167 Wigan Flashes there is a warning I quote it here

" NB parking elsewhere at Wigan Flashes may not be safe particularly at weekends. Personal safety is a consideration anywhere on this complex although the paths along either side of the canal at Scotmans and Pearsons are well frequented and have an open aspect"

Headlines in the Local Paper Today
Man shot twice at Local Nature Res he lives in the houses that backs onto Scotmans and he was shot while in the garden and also was hit while walking nr Scotmans Flash

So anyone in the area please be careful

Any Info to call Wigan CID on 0161 856 5307

Or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111

Ian if you think this should be in discussions could you please swap it over

Cheers Jimmy

Wednesday 27 January 2010

2 Whooper Swan and 4 Goosander (2 pairs) still present on Horrock's Flash at 14:00.

Wigan flashes on a bitterly cold morning, of note

Pearsons 5 wigeon 2 m 3f
Scotmans couldn,t look at it the wind just made me cry
Hawkley feeding station mandarin f, willow tit
Bryn marsh 25 very mobile teal
Horrocks 20 greylag landed,2 pair goosander and the whooper swans
General 2 coal tits up close,Mr Rigby building his year list.

cheers geoff

Horrocks flash 11.40

2 whooper swans on front pool

cheers geoff

-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves on Wednesday 27th of January 2010 02:03:10 PM

Saturday 23 January 2010
08:30-11:45, foggy.
Mr Woosey and Myself:

Hawkley Feeding Station:
1 Grey Heron
1 Mandarin (female)
some Mallard
2 Water Rail showing well
and loads of Moorhen.

Pearson's Flash:
4 Wigeon
Pink-footed Geese heard
Greylag Goose heard
1 Sparrowhawk
Water Rail heard.

c200 Pinkfeet flew west over Pearsons at 1125hrs.

Tuesday 19 January 2010

Scotman's Flash at 14:00ish:
1 Great Crested Grebe still present
1 Greylag Goose with Canadas
5 Pochard
plenty Tufties and Goldeneye
amongst the gulls today were 2 Herring Gulls which had bright yellow dye under the tail. They were too far away to see any rings, so I am currently waiting for an email reply to confirm if they are part of a colour-dying project or if they just sat in some paint...

Also, on a brief visit to Pearson's Flash this morning:
1 Goosander (female)
1 Buzzard
several Water Rail

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 19th of January 2010 03:56:17 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 19th of January 2010 09:20:16 PM

Good advice John, happy for it to be left where it is, providing it is not a health hazard, then it would be over to the EHO, at the local council.

Dr Doolittle wrote:

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Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I found a Signet this morning at Ince Moss. I think he had a stomach infection because I found him walking on the canal on Friday and he was sick. Last few days hes been looking weak and lathargic. He doesn't have a tag on, and I don't know who to contact to have him removed.

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if its dead leave it where its is and nature will take its course
if its alive contact the rspca.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I found a Signet this morning at Ince Moss. I think he had a stomach infection because I found him walking on the canal on Friday and he was sick. Last few days hes been looking weak and lathargic. He doesn't have a tag on, and I don't know who to contact to have him removed.

a degree of normality resumed at Scotman's with the return of a Great Crested Grebe this a.m, also 2 Wigeon circling - still at it when I left, plus a Peregrine

-- Edited by dave broome on Monday 18th of January 2010 07:14:51 PM

Monday 18th January 2010
@ 12:40
Pearsons Flash. Bittern seen from the causeway.

-- Edited by Gordon Cottle on Monday 18th of January 2010 02:45:25 PM

Horrocks Flash,much the same as last week still mostly frozen over,of note

3 goldeneye on the front pool but flushed
1 shoveler very close to the canal banking,i,ve never seen that before
1 kestrel being chased by a crow

cheers geoff
also my big sister taking a stroll(site tick)

Yes, I did forward the email to him that I got from the Bittern supremo at the RSPB asking that this should be done - of course, he may have received it directly from Simon - and Helen assured me yesterday that it was being done.

Just for interest,There,s a report in yesterdays Wigan Reporter about the Flashes bittern (bitterns) Mr Champion has been putting sprats out for them in 'suitable' locations in line with RSPB policy.

cheers geoff

early this a.m. on Scotman's: 1 drake Gadwall, 145 Coot, 55 Common Gull, 1 Great Black-Backed Gull, 5 Goldeneye and 17 Tufted Duck

Wednesday 13 January 2010

Scotman's Flash @ 14:00 (still 90% frozen):
1 Grey Heron
3 Mute Swan
1 Teal
27 Tufted Duck
6 Goldeneye
2 Lapwing
c120 Black-headed Gull
52 Common Gull
15 Lesser Black-backed Gull
76 Herring Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gull

Monday 11 January 2009

adult Yellow-legged Gull stood on the ice on Scotman's Flash from at least 14:00 until flew south-west at 15:05.
Also present:
4 Mute Swan
1 Teal
25 Tufted Duck
1 Goldeneye
2 Great Black-backed Gull
c30 Herring Gull
fewer Lesser-black Backed Gull




-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Monday 11th of January 2010 09:32:01 PM

Bittern over Pearsons Flash reedbed, seen from the causeway. At around 12-50.

9/1/10 (Mid-morning)

A stroll round the back of Pearsons Flash revealed:

2 Water Rail
1 Buzzard being mobbed by Crows
3 Little Grebes on the ice-free brook
1 Kestrel
1 Willow Tit
several Reed Buntings
1 Fieldfare

On the small ice-free area at Rainfords, mid afternoon, there were 5 Shoveler, 7 Tufted, 4 Little Grebe, 160 Coot, 45 Mallard, 12 Mute Swans, a Cormorant, 16 Teal (no GWT), 2 Lapwing. Distributed about 10 loaves (Robins first down!)
One skier passed me - happy memories!

Horrocks flash, a.m visit to marvel at the snow coverage and to distribute a little bread around the area,only the two ice free zones on the front pool and rainfords with the normal crowd, the shoveler have moved on.

late afternoon visit, much the same but a very lucky robin ducked a sparrowhawk attack,
6 mute swans coming in a 17.00 were the last I saw,a bit surreal dark but light.

cheers geoff(the paths will be murder in the morning)

Another pleasant day on the 'flashes' I managed to cover all of them except bryn marsh
which I got within 100 yrds of only to be diverted back to pearsons to look for the
bittern which had slunk back into the reeds leaving only a very nice water rail on show,if indeed I was looking at the same spot Mr Broome saw the bittern,only highlight of the day
6 shoveler on rainfords and 2 goosander over heading east.

cheers geoff

Bittern at the east end of Pearson's today, plus Kingfisher and at least 3 Water Rails