Plus a mallard-shaped hybrid I think, with brown head and breast, grey back and black rear end?
dave broome said
Sat Apr 8 9:11 AM, 2023
The drake Common Scoter was still present on the north side of Irlam Locks yesterday just after 7:30pm, visible from Irlam Road, Urmston. 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Swallow and 18 Sand Martin also present
Martin Whittam said
Fri Apr 7 3:59 PM, 2023
Common Scoter above the locks at 3:45 also some unpleasant characters throwing rocks at the swans - they stopped when I appeared
Pete Hines said
Mon Apr 3 7:13 PM, 2023
Wellacre CP
Cetti's Warbler 1 singing from the lagoon heard from Green Hill Blackcap 1 Jack Lane Chiffchaff 15 Willow Tit 4, 1 Green Hill at 53.441361, -2.393151 and 3 together along the railway beyond Jack Lane NR at 53.440453, -2.405093 Sand Martin 56 Raven 2
-- Edited by Pete Hines on Monday 3rd of April 2023 07:14:19 PM
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sun Apr 2 4:19 PM, 2023
Wellacre Country Park.
Cetti's Warbler 1 heard from Green Hill overlooking lagoon.
Willow Tit 1 singing. Heard from track beside railway, due south of farm.
Chiffchaff 19 singing.
Sand Martin 20+ over ETW.
Kestrel Pair flying together over Green Hill lagoon.
Song Thrush 6 singing.
Treecreeper 1 just a little further west from the Willow Tit.
Nuthatch 2 in garden.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 in garden and 1 down the track near the Ship Canal.
Rook Approx. 20 nests in the Irlam Road area, in 3 trees. Last years tree abandoned. etc.etc.etc.
Chiffchaff 14 Sand Martin 4 Water Rail heard from the lagoons
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sun Mar 19 5:27 PM, 2023
Wellacre Country Park, North side only.
Chiffchaff 7 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Water Rail 2 calling Jack Lane. Goldcrest 4 Mistle Thrush 2 Song Thrush 2 singing. Buzzard 1 Rook 20+...beginning to nest on Irlam Road. Jackdaw 3 Coal Tit 1
Total of 39 species for the above and ETW/Ship Canal.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sun Mar 19 5:22 PM, 2023
Highlights from my morning visit to the ETW/Irlam Locks and Ship Canal.
Common Scoter 1 male...had to repeat it as it's a first-time sighting for me on the Canal. Great Crested Grebe 2 Mute Swan 2 adult, 1 immature. Cormorant 6 Oystercatcher 2 Black-headed Gull 160+ Herring Gull 4 Chiffchaff 1 Stock Dove 1
Steven Nelson said
Sun Mar 19 5:12 PM, 2023
Male Common Scoter still present on Ship Canal at 4.30pm just upstream from Irlam Locks. Poor phone photo attached. Also 2 Oystercatcher.
Stott Drive to Green Hill and return via Jack Lane. Highlights from morning walk.
Pink footed Geese 150+ heading west. Goldcrest 2...Dutton's Pond area. Goosander 2 male, 2 female...River Mersey near Mile Road. Chaffinch 6 Coal Tit 2 Willow Tit 1...good views, south border of Jack Lane NR, along the track. Raven 1...on high pylon south of ETW. Jay 3 RN Parakeet 2...wood, south edge of Wellacre College. Mistle Thrush 2 Nuthatch 1...in garden. Better be there next weekend.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 22nd of January 2023 04:43:35 PM
Martin Whittam said
Wed Jan 4 1:10 PM, 2023
Chiffchaff and Redpoll down by the locks 11:30 today
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Mon Jan 2 5:18 PM, 2023
Flixton ETW and Ship Canal.
Little Egret 1 over, heading South. Sparrowhawk 1 female over Irlam side. Little Grebe 3 Mute Swan 1 adult. Mallard 11 Gadwall 1 pair. Moorhen 4 Great Crested Grebe 1 Grey Heron 2 Cormorant 12 Grey Wagtail 1 LBB Gull 2 BH Gull 100+ etc. 30 species in total.
Martin Whittam said
Mon Jan 2 9:54 AM, 2023
A walk round the patch thismorning
Black-headed Gull Blackbird Blue Tit Bullfinch Carrion Crow Chaffinch Collared Dove Coot Cormorant Dunnock Feral Pigeon Gadwall Goldfinch Goosander Great Black-backed Gull Great Crested Grebe Great Tit Herring Gull House Sparrow Little Grebe Long-tailed Tit Magpie Mallard Moorhen Pied/White Wagtail Pink-footed Goose Redwing Ring-necked Parakeet Robin Song Thrush Starling Woodpigeon Wren
Pete Hines said
Thu Dec 29 2:04 PM, 2022
Goosander pair on Duttons Pond Meadow Pipit 10 Pied Wagtail 49+ Jack Lane / ETW Redwing 76 school field
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Thu Dec 15 1:29 PM, 2022
Belated report of FlixtonETW/Ship Canal from yesterday, Wednesday, December 14th. Obviously some cold weather movements with:
Today at Woodsend Shops, 1 Low flying Snipe heading towards the Ship Canal and perhaps somewhere watery to put down.
Steven Heywood said
Sun Dec 11 9:43 PM, 2022
Mixed tit flock in Wellacre Wood included two goldcrests, a nuthatch and a great spotted woodpecker with a large family of long-tailed tits and a few blue tits and great tits. The mixed tit flock at Jack Lane was goldcrests, blue tits and great tits. A heron was hunting in the reedbeds at Jack Lane and a flock of four fieldfares passed low overhead.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Dec 9 8:16 PM, 2022
Wellacre Country Park.
Grey Heron 1 Moorhen 8 Treecreeper 1 Goldcrest 1 Lapwing 50+...south of Green Hill. Teal 2 males on River Mersey. Redwing 2 Goldfinch 30+ Song Thrush 2 Grey Wagtail 1 Collared Dove 6 Buzzard 1 Sparrowhawk 1 female. Rook 12+ Herring Gull 3 Common Gull 2 BH Gull 200+...ETW. RN Parakeet 2 etc.etc.etc.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sun Nov 13 8:05 PM, 2022
3 Kingfishers seen from Irlam Locks.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Nov 11 5:10 PM, 2022
Wellacre Country Park and Flixton ETW/Ship Canal.
Green Hill:
Goldcrest 3 Sparrowhawk 1 female. Water Rail 1 heard.
Jack Lane NR:
Goldcrest 1 Willow Tit 1 Song Thrush 1
General Sightings:
Goldcrest 2 Grey Wagtail 2 Pied Wagtail 30+...field east of ETW. Common Gull 1 over.
Red Kite. Calling from a tree in Willow farm at the end of Southgate off Church Road Flixton. Cross the metal bridge over old Eae brook and it was in the field on the left. Been in the vicinity for at least a week. Very vocal.
Steven Heywood said
Mon Nov 7 3:59 PM, 2022
Female peregrine over Jack Lane and Irlam Locks, circled back over the lagoons then drifted over into Irlam.
Kingfisher 1 Great Crested Grebe 1 Sparrowhawk 1 Grey Wagtail 4 Pied Wagtail 10+ Moorhen 4 Coot 1 Pinkfooted Geese 40+ heading NE. Herring Gull 1 adult. Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 adult. Mallard 40+ Cormorant 10+ Grey Heron 3 Black-headed Gull 200+ Mute Swan 1 adult, 5 juveniles. Chiffchaff 1 singing plus 1. House Sparrow 100+...a bit of a guess but probably well over 100. etc.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Sun Sep 25 4:56 PM, 2022
Wellacre Country Park.
RN Parakeet 20+ towards Wellacre Wood. Pink-footed Geese 60+ over heading east at 1000. Willow Tit 2 Goldcrest 5 Skylark 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 male. Water Rail 1 calling Jack Lane NR. Treecreeper 1 south-east entrance to Green Hill. Jay 3 Grey Wagtail 2 (1 Dutton's Pond, 1 near River Mersey). Chiffchaff 1 singing Green Hill plus 2 elsewhere.
36 species total.
Pete Hines said
Sun Sep 18 10:43 AM, 2022
Wellacre Country Park
Spotted Flycatcher 1 along the main path between Ambleside Road and Vale Avenue east of Dutton's Pond at 53.443629, -2.392035 Pink-footed Goose 24 east at 09.11
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Sep 9 7:09 PM, 2022
Sorry, forgot to mention a Chiffchaff.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Sep 9 7:06 PM, 2022
Flixton ETW and Ship Canal.
Sparrowhawk- 1 Kingfisher- 2 Swallow- 20+ Pied Wagtail- 15+ Cormorant- 8 BH Gull- 80+ GBB Gull- 2 adults. Mute Swan- 2 adults plus 5 juveniles, plus 1 adult. Mallard- 30+ Grey Wagtail- 1 Grey Heron- 1 Goldfinch- 20+ House Sparrow- 50+ etc. Plus an all white Zebra Finch.
Martin Whittam said
Wed Jul 6 11:39 AM, 2022
Hobby at the ETW again this morning
Martin Whittam said
Fri Jul 1 2:25 PM, 2022
A Hobby this morning close to the ETW
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Wed Jun 29 7:09 PM, 2022
Just realised, I missed the Common Tern by 24 hours. Oh well, the Hobby and Kingfishers made up for it.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Wed Jun 29 7:08 PM, 2022
Must have just missed the Tern this morning but saw 6 juvenile Moorhens and 2 adults.
At Jack Lane were 5 singing Reed Warblers, short songs only of course and 2 singing Reed Buntings. Also 1 Water Rail heard, 6 Swallows, 2 Swifts and a fleeting Kingfisher.
Highlight at the ETW and Canal was a Hobby, interested in the 20+ Sand Martins and 4 Swallows. Also 30+ BH Gulls, 1 Oystercatcher, 5 Cormorants, a Great Crested Grebe and 2 Grey Herons. Other highlights were 2 Kingfishers and a sizeable count of House Sparrows of 60+. Difficult to count though, as they fly in and out of the bushes.
Martin Whittam said
Tue Jun 28 11:57 AM, 2022
Common Tern at Duttons Pond at 11am this morning
Steven Nelson said
Sun Jun 19 6:43 PM, 2022
This afternoon
2 Common Tern - 1 flying around upstream of the locks and the other mostly just perched on the end of one of the brick structures 1 Sparrowhawk in hunting mode causing mayhem amongst the Swallows and Sand Martins
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Jun 17 6:42 PM, 2022
Report from Thursday, June 16th, at Woodsend.
House Martin 4...looks like 2 nests under the eaves of shops on the north side of the circle. LBB Gull 4 adults on Woodsend Park. BH Gull 30+...as above. Rook 20+...as above. Herring Gull 2
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Thu Jun 9 7:01 PM, 2022
Highlights of Wellacre Country Park:
Blackcap 8 singing. Chiffchaff 9 singing. Willow Warbler 2 singing. Whitethroat 2 singing. Reed Warbler 3 singing. Reed Bunting 2 singing. Song Thrush 12 singing...really good number! Goldcrest 3 singing. Chaffinch 1 singing. Buzzard 1 Swift 4 Sand Martin 10+ Swallow 5 House Martin 2 Tufted Duck 2 males from Green Hill.
ETW/Canal:
Common Tern 1 feeding downstream of locks, then flew upstream. Oystercatcher 2 Grey Heron 1 Moorhen 2 Mallard 10+ Pied Wagtail 1 Herring Gull 2 LBB Gull 1 BH Gulls, Magpies and Starlings, as usual.
Sand Martin- 40+
House Martin- 1
Swallow- 1
Grey Wagtail- 1
Pied Wagtail- 5+
Cormorant- 12+
Oystercatcher- 2
Mallard- 15+ males.
Gadwall- 1 male, 1 female.
Great Crested Grebe- 2
Mute Swan- 2 adults, 1 immature.
Coot- 2
LBB Gull- 2 adults.
Herring Gull- 1 adult.
BH Gull- 25+
Plus a mallard-shaped hybrid I think, with brown head and breast, grey back and black rear end?
Blackcap 1 Jack Lane
Chiffchaff 15
Willow Tit 4, 1 Green Hill at 53.441361, -2.393151 and 3 together along the railway beyond Jack Lane NR at 53.440453, -2.405093
Sand Martin 56
Raven 2
-- Edited by Pete Hines on Monday 3rd of April 2023 07:14:19 PM
Cetti's Warbler 1 heard from Green Hill overlooking lagoon.
Willow Tit 1 singing. Heard from track beside railway, due south of farm.
Chiffchaff 19 singing.
Sand Martin 20+ over ETW.
Kestrel Pair flying together over Green Hill lagoon.
Song Thrush 6 singing.
Treecreeper 1 just a little further west from the Willow Tit.
Nuthatch 2 in garden.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 in garden and 1 down the track near the Ship Canal.
Rook Approx. 20 nests in the Irlam Road area, in 3 trees. Last years tree abandoned.
etc.etc.etc.
Sand Martin 12+
Chiffchaff 1
Grey Wagtail 4
Pied Wagtail 2
Oystercatcher 2
Cormorant 12+
Mallard 12+
Mute Swan 3 adults, 1 immature.
Coot 2
BH Gull 200+
Herring Gull 3
LBB Gull 5
etc.
Chiffchaff 14
Sand Martin 4
Water Rail heard from the lagoons
Chiffchaff 7
Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
Water Rail 2 calling Jack Lane.
Goldcrest 4
Mistle Thrush 2
Song Thrush 2 singing.
Buzzard 1
Rook 20+...beginning to nest on Irlam Road.
Jackdaw 3
Coal Tit 1
Total of 39 species for the above and ETW/Ship Canal.
Common Scoter 1 male...had to repeat it as it's a first-time sighting for me on the Canal.
Great Crested Grebe 2
Mute Swan 2 adult, 1 immature.
Cormorant 6
Oystercatcher 2
Black-headed Gull 160+
Herring Gull 4
Chiffchaff 1
Stock Dove 1
Also 2 Oystercatcher.
120323...Irlam to Boysnope Wharf
25 House Sparrow
10 Mallard
7 Gadwall
1 Great Crested Grebe
10 Cormorant
2 Goldeneye.
Early afternoon.
Black-headed Gull 500+...my highest count I think.
Lesser Black-backed Gull 5 adults.
Herring Gull 1 adult.
Pinkfooted Goose 1 strangely flying fairly low, east, over ETW.
Gadwall 10
Mallard 25+
Coot 2
Tufted Duck 1 male.
Mute Swan 2 adults.
Cormorant 8
Oystercatcher 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Pied Wagtail 60+ plus another 10+ on field behind Arundel Avenue.
Mistle Thrush 2
Sparrowhawk 1
Fieldfare 4
Redwing 30+
Mistle Thrush 4 plus another singing.
Goldcrest 5
Buzzard 2
Meadow Pipit 4
Grey Heron 1
Pied Wagtail 100+( ETW and adjacent field).
Magpie 60+
Starling 50+
Herring Gull 2
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Black-headed Gull 100+
RN Parakeet 2
Raven 2
Jay 2
Bullfinch 4
Barton Locks area including Salteye Brook am
33 Gadwall
80 Teal
2 Oystercatcher
2 Willow Tit...one in song
140 Black-Headed Gull
3 Great Crested Grebe
2 Common Gull
1 Buzzard
1 Lapwing
50 Linnet
1 Grey Wagtail
3 Song Thrush in song
2 Fieldfare
13 Cormorant.
Jack Lane:
Teal 2
Wellacre Wood:
Nuthatch 1
Ring necked Parakeet 2
Dutton's Pond:
Moorhen 8
General Sightings:
Fieldfare 5
Mistle Thrush 6
Meadow Pipit 2
Song Thrush 4
Goldcrest 3
Coal Tit 2
Bullfinch 1
BH Gull 300+
GBB Gull 1
Herring Gull 6
LBB Gull 3
Cormorant 10
Grey Heron 2
Gadwall 6
Mallard 16
Pied Wagtail 50+
Then on to Wellacre CP.
190123
East of Irlam Locks to Barton Locks
9 Goldeneye (6 Female + 3 Male
54 Gadwall
22 Cormorant
2 Raven
1 Grey Wagtail
3 Little Grebe
25 Redwing
1 Willow Tit
34 Tufted Duck
15 House Sparrow
75 Teal
Stott Drive to Green Hill and return via Jack Lane. Highlights from morning walk.
Pink footed Geese 150+ heading west.
Goldcrest 2...Dutton's Pond area.
Goosander 2 male, 2 female...River Mersey near Mile Road.
Chaffinch 6
Coal Tit 2
Willow Tit 1...good views, south border of Jack Lane NR, along the track.
Raven 1...on high pylon south of ETW.
Jay 3
RN Parakeet 2...wood, south edge of Wellacre College.
Mistle Thrush 2
Nuthatch 1...in garden. Better be there next weekend.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 22nd of January 2023 04:43:35 PM
Little Egret 1 over, heading South.
Sparrowhawk 1 female over Irlam side.
Little Grebe 3
Mute Swan 1 adult.
Mallard 11
Gadwall 1 pair.
Moorhen 4
Great Crested Grebe 1
Grey Heron 2
Cormorant 12
Grey Wagtail 1
LBB Gull 2
BH Gull 100+
etc.
30 species in total.
Black-headed Gull
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Bullfinch
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Collared Dove
Coot
Cormorant
Dunnock
Feral Pigeon
Gadwall
Goldfinch
Goosander
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Crested Grebe
Great Tit
Herring Gull
House Sparrow
Little Grebe
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie
Mallard
Moorhen
Pied/White Wagtail
Pink-footed Goose
Redwing
Ring-necked Parakeet
Robin
Song Thrush
Starling
Woodpigeon
Wren
Meadow Pipit 10
Pied Wagtail 49+ Jack Lane / ETW
Redwing 76 school field
Mallard 50+
Tufted Duck 20+
Gadwall 8
Little Grebe 1
Mute Swan 5
Cormorant 10+
Coot 1
Moorhen 2
Grey Heron 1
BH Gull 200+
Herring Gull 1
LBB Gull 3
Grey Wagtail 1 plus usual Pied Wagtails.
etc.
Today at Woodsend Shops, 1 Low flying Snipe heading towards the Ship Canal and perhaps somewhere watery to put down.
Grey Heron 1
Moorhen 8
Treecreeper 1
Goldcrest 1
Lapwing 50+...south of Green Hill.
Teal 2 males on River Mersey.
Redwing 2
Goldfinch 30+
Song Thrush 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Collared Dove 6
Buzzard 1
Sparrowhawk 1 female.
Rook 12+
Herring Gull 3
Common Gull 2
BH Gull 200+...ETW.
RN Parakeet 2
etc.etc.etc.
Green Hill:
Goldcrest 3
Sparrowhawk 1 female.
Water Rail 1 heard.
Jack Lane NR:
Goldcrest 1
Willow Tit 1
Song Thrush 1
General Sightings:
Goldcrest 2
Grey Wagtail 2
Pied Wagtail 30+...field east of ETW.
Common Gull 1 over.
ETW/Canal:
Black-headed Gull 200+
Herring Gull 3 adults.
Gadwall 6 male, 4 female.
Mallard 25+
Mute Swan 2 adults, 2 juveniles.
Cormorant 4
Grey Heron 2
Sparrowhawk 1 male.
Kestrel 1 female.
Grey Wagtail 1
Red Kite. Calling from a tree in Willow farm at the end of Southgate off Church Road Flixton. Cross the metal bridge over old Eae brook and it was in the field on the left. Been in the vicinity for at least a week. Very vocal.
Kingfisher 3
Grey Wagtail 1
Great Crested Grebe 2
Grey Heron 4
Mute Swan 1 adult.
Mallard 40+
Gadwall 2
Moorhen 3
Kestrel 1
Cormorant 8
Pied Wagtails
BH Gull 100+
LBB Gull 4
Herring Gull 1 adult.
GBB Gull 1 immature.
etc.
Willow Tit 2
Goldcrest 2
Mistle Thrush 2
Song Thrush 4
Chiffchaff 2
Meadow Pipit 5
Skylark 1
Chaffinch 4
Jay 1
RN Parakeet 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Greenfinch 1
etc.etc.etc.
Morning stroll down to ETW and Ship Canal.
Kingfisher 1
Great Crested Grebe 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Grey Wagtail 4
Pied Wagtail 10+
Moorhen 4
Coot 1
Pinkfooted Geese 40+ heading NE.
Herring Gull 1 adult.
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 adult.
Mallard 40+
Cormorant 10+
Grey Heron 3
Black-headed Gull 200+
Mute Swan 1 adult, 5 juveniles.
Chiffchaff 1 singing plus 1.
House Sparrow 100+...a bit of a guess but probably well over 100.
etc.
Wellacre Country Park.
RN Parakeet 20+ towards Wellacre Wood.
Pink-footed Geese 60+ over heading east at 1000.
Willow Tit 2
Goldcrest 5
Skylark 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 male.
Water Rail 1 calling Jack Lane NR.
Treecreeper 1 south-east entrance to Green Hill.
Jay 3
Grey Wagtail 2 (1 Dutton's Pond, 1 near River Mersey).
Chiffchaff 1 singing Green Hill plus 2 elsewhere.
36 species total.
Spotted Flycatcher 1 along the main path between Ambleside Road and Vale Avenue east of Dutton's Pond at 53.443629, -2.392035
Pink-footed Goose 24 east at 09.11
Sparrowhawk- 1
Kingfisher- 2
Swallow- 20+
Pied Wagtail- 15+
Cormorant- 8
BH Gull- 80+
GBB Gull- 2 adults.
Mute Swan- 2 adults plus 5 juveniles, plus 1 adult.
Mallard- 30+
Grey Wagtail- 1
Grey Heron- 1
Goldfinch- 20+
House Sparrow- 50+
etc.
Plus an all white Zebra Finch.
At Jack Lane were 5 singing Reed Warblers, short songs only of course and 2 singing Reed Buntings. Also 1 Water Rail heard, 6 Swallows, 2 Swifts and a fleeting Kingfisher.
Highlight at the ETW and Canal was a Hobby, interested in the 20+ Sand Martins and 4 Swallows. Also 30+ BH Gulls, 1 Oystercatcher, 5 Cormorants, a Great Crested Grebe and 2 Grey Herons. Other highlights were 2 Kingfishers and a sizeable count of House Sparrows of 60+. Difficult to count though, as they fly in and out of the bushes.
2 Common Tern - 1 flying around upstream of the locks and the other mostly just perched on the end of one of the brick structures
1 Sparrowhawk in hunting mode causing mayhem amongst the Swallows and Sand Martins
House Martin 4...looks like 2 nests under the eaves of shops on the north side of the circle.
LBB Gull 4 adults on Woodsend Park.
BH Gull 30+...as above.
Rook 20+...as above.
Herring Gull 2
Blackcap 8 singing.
Chiffchaff 9 singing.
Willow Warbler 2 singing.
Whitethroat 2 singing.
Reed Warbler 3 singing.
Reed Bunting 2 singing.
Song Thrush 12 singing...really good number!
Goldcrest 3 singing.
Chaffinch 1 singing.
Buzzard 1
Swift 4
Sand Martin 10+
Swallow 5
House Martin 2
Tufted Duck 2 males from Green Hill.
ETW/Canal:
Common Tern 1 feeding downstream of locks, then flew upstream.
Oystercatcher 2
Grey Heron 1
Moorhen 2
Mallard 10+
Pied Wagtail 1
Herring Gull 2
LBB Gull 1
BH Gulls, Magpies and Starlings, as usual.