Short-eared Owl hunting around the upper reservoir this evening..

This evening 

  Single drake Wigeon on the middle lodge. 

Earlier today 

       23 fieldfare on the ground foraging in the field next to the middle lodge. Plus large numbers of redwing in the surrounding fields feasting on Holly and Rowan berries. 

4,05pm

X2 Mediterranean Gulls showing really well in the middle lodge 

Church-Knowsley-Lodges-Bentley Hall Lane- Barrack Fold

Nuthatch x 2 Buzzard, 3 Skylark, Meadow Pipits, 20 Redwing, 2 Jay, Goosander Male, 2 Mediterranean  Gulls, Curlew, several Lapwing, House Sparrows and several Greenfinches

15 whooper swans just landed in the middle lodge.

Also 2 Mediterranean Gulls both on middle lodge, displaying and mating. 

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 24th of March 2018 10:51:36 AM

4 Mediterranean Gull this morning in the fields behind Slaidburn Drive 

2 Redshank on the Middle Reservoir this morning 

4 Mediterranean Gull this morning ..2 by the Golf Course and 2 , (including the ringed bird) by the Middle Reservoir 

I must have just missed you James!

Here are the best shots I could get of the ringed one..doesn't seem to have any writing on it.  See if anyone can source any info on it? Right leg above the knee.

4 Mediterranean Gull ( one ringed) in the usual fields around the reservoir this morning ..

1pm: 

Green Sandpiper was on the top res near to the outlet, later flew back onto the middle res. 

A very distinctive (minus a few flight feathers)  Raven was flying around the middle res being very vocal and tussling with a few black-headed gulls before flying off North. 

Green Sandpiper on the Middle Res and a single Greylag in with the Canada Geese 

Green Sandpiper back on Middle Res this morning   Was absent whilst the harsh weather prevailed but has now returned ..

With Robs post prompting me to take the dog around Lowercroft instead of Elton this afternoon...

X1 Green Sandpiper  (very well camouflaged against the waters edge, took me a while to locate it!)

X1Stock Dove 

X4 oystercatcher 

Green Sandpiper on the Middle Res this morning and 8 Skylark over north. 

Jay, 2 Widgeon, 7 Cormorant (1 with silver neck and head) 2 Goosander, Great Crested Grebe, Female Stonechat, 2 Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Bullfinch, Rook, Skylark, Nuthatch, Kestrel, Buzzard, Herring Gull Several Redwing, Long Tailed Tits and more usual's. 

Flock of 80+ fieldfare foraging on the sheep field next to the substation.

X3 mistle Thrush 

X1 oystercatcher 

X2 wigeon (M+F)

X1 lesser black- backed Gull

X1 kestrel

X1 cormorant

X8 moorhen

And larger than normal rook numbers foraging on and around the res.

Tufted duck numbers were up loads since my last visit too. 

Top lodge devoid of life appart from X2 Mute Swans.

Middle lodge: Excluding resedent  mallards , coots and tufted duck

                         ×4 Goosander 1m,3f 

                         X 1 cormorant 

                         X1 female teal 

                         X 2 herons 

                         Only one lonesome Canada goose in sight. 

Lower lodge  X2 Goosander 1m,1f 

                        X1 jay 

-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Tuesday 19th of December 2017 04:05:38 PM

2 Stonechat in the Upper Gully marsh area along with 20+ Snipe and a Jack Snipe ..

Single Pink-footed Goose in with the Canada Geese and 12 Cormorant on the Middle Res.

A Golden Plover flew over south and still 5 or 6 Meadow Pipit around the reservoirs

Loop from Walshaw including lodges this afternoon. Very quiet indeed 

Of note: X2 Jay

               X6 redwing

               X2 great spotted Woodpecker

               X1 male kestrel 

               X1 male bullfinch 

               X9 cormorant  (middle lodge)

               X1 common gull  (middle lodge)

               X1 lesser black backed gull (middle lodge)

Whinchat and 2 Stonechat in the Upper Gully and 12 Pink-footed Geese over NW  this afternoon ..

Green Sandpiper, 2 Stonechat and a Kingfisher first thing this morning 

First thing this morning ..

2 Common Tern, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 6 Stonechat, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, 4 Whitethroat, c20 Willow Warbler and 40+ Meadow Pipit.. 

Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher on the Upper Res this morning 

Green Sandpiper in the Upper Res inlet gully this morning . 

Juv Redstart this morning along the pathway from Slaidburn Drive 

2 Curlew 2 Oystercatcher, Nuthatch at rest home, Willow Warblers, Blackcap Chiffchaff, Great Crested Grebes, House Martins Singing Skylark, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Reed Bunting

Sedge Warbler towards the Golf Course this morning. 

Also 2 Whitethroat and a Common Sandpiper alongside the   Middle Res .

Black Tern still present from 9-45am feeding and showing well, resting on the red overflow tower and the "tern raft"...

At 12.25pm it gained a bit of height, flew down to the dam end and seemingly departed. Susan and myself could not re-locate the bird in the following 15 mins search of the top 2 reservoirs.

Other birds were 2 Tufted duck, 2 G C Grebe, several Linnets, 20+ B H Gulls etc and a 100+ flock of Starlings inc 3/4's being newly fledged young birds.

Black Tern still present spending most of its time resting on the Tern Raft ..

 Black Tern still on the Upper Res this morning , later joined by a Common Tern .. excellent close views of them in flight and resting on the in situ Tern Raft... Craig Bell managed some excellent photos .... 

Mediterranean Gull by Harwood Golf Course ..

Sedge Warbler and 2 Whitethroat around wall end of the Middle Res this morning 

19 Wheatear this morning along the same sunny slope as yesterday ..2 Whitethroat below Middle Res slopes 

c25 Wheatear along the sunny southern slope of Middle Res this morning 

Redshank and a Common Sandpiper this morning  ..

Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Peregrine and 2 Whitethroat this morning ..

Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and 3 Wheatear this morning ..

2 Mediterranean Gull by MeadowCroft Farm this morning 

6pm - No mediterannean gulls, or black-headed gulls either.

Male Sparrowhawk was hunting a bat at dusk over the upper reservoir

10 Adult Mediterranean Gull this morning.. Arriving from the West ( presumably Belmont) at first light ..A great sight and great birds 

Currently 9 Adult Mediterranean Gull in fields by Meadowcroft Farm.. 

4 Mediterranean Gull around the Middle Res fields again this morning

4 Mediterranean Gull this morning on the fields above Middle Res ..

Water Rail in the flooded marshland in Upper Res inlet ..

4,30 - 5,30pm 

Top lodge in front of the substation there were X4 Golden Plover, I think they were just making a pit stop as they seemed to just be resting before flying off North towards Winter Hill after about 30mins.

Also X3 Meadow pipit, 2 of them I only spotted by the alarming noise they were making as they were being pursued by a male kestrel. 

2 Mediterranean Gull still in the area .. by Harwood Golf Course this morning 

4,30 - 5,30pm 

X2 Mediterranean Gulls  (only spotted one at first foraging on Meadowcroft farm with the black headded, then the second one came in to roost on the middle res when it started raining)

X30+ fieldfare came down to the trees on the middle res briefly to shelter from the wind, then took off high in the direction of Winter hill 

X11 redwing on Bentley hall farm fields 

X1 male Kestrel 

Mediterranean Gull on Middle Res this morning ...Tawny Owl and a Grey Wagtail also around the Res ..