Horrocks Flash 11 till 13.00(and a very long way from bryn marsh)

front pool,usual plus 1 kingfisher

rear pool nothing unusual apart from the very low water lever which is exposing lots of mud(might be good for waders) but I hope it,s not permanent

cheers geoff

Saturday 10 October 2009
11:00-16:00 (after the fog)

WeBS day today. Pearson's, Westwood, Turner's and Horrock's Flashes (plus a quick stop at Bryn Marsh for a year-tick ). Highlights included:
1 Marsh Harrier (female) at Bryn Marsh, great views of it with a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk in close attendance.
1 Pintail on Horrock's Flash
a few parties of Redwing over
2 Siskin
4 Lesser Redpoll
5+ Kingfisher
4 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Grey Wagtail

Marsh Harrier present today up to atleast 1pm. Best seen from the back pool at Bryn Marsh.

Info thanks to Judith Smith

8/10/09 Morning

Scotmans Flash:

1 Raven >NE
8 Wigeon
18 Greylag Geese >N
1 Mandarin
2 Swallow
1 Kingfisher
1 Grey Wagtail
351 Coot
28 Mute Swan

Horrocks Flash:

1 Buzzard
8 Snipe
1 Sparrowhawk
5 Pochard

Wednesday 07 October 2009
evening
Horrock's Flash:

1 Pintail flew N with c60 Shoveler
1 (or possibly 2) Green Sandpiper
2 Kingfisher
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Grey Wagtail over
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
Swallow heard
Water Rail heard

Monday 05 October 2009
evening

1 (very pale) Buzzard south over Moss Bridge, mobbed by 2 Carrion Crow.
1 Snipe over
2 Mistle Thrush over
1 Kingfisher @ Pearson's Flash
3 Water Rail @ Pearson's and 1 @ Scotman's Flash
1 Willow Tit in the reedbed at back of Pearson's
lots of Black-headed Gull heading for the Pennington Flash roost after sunset
and a group of youths taking turns to kick the information board at Moss Bridge.


-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 6th of October 2009 12:12:17 AM

37 Snipe flushed by something off Horrocks Flash just after I had counted 29 - they wern't there later when I passed on the way back. Guess they dropped in last night as conditions were so brilliant with the clear sky and full moon.

Early Morning Scotmans
1 Wigeon
35 LBB Gulls
20 Mute Swans including Family off Pearsons
2 Willow Tits Moss Bridge
4 Pochard
Plus the usual

Cheers Jimmy

A brief visit to the NW corner of Scotman's mid-afternoon produced 22 Herring Gull and 28 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, Goldcrest and a singing Chiffchaff

Saturday 03 October 2009
07:30-12:00

With all the talk of gale-force winds and Leach's Petrels this weekend, four intrepid birders headed for the windswept coast of Scotman's Flash. Mr Broome, Mr Meadows (Mahatma Gandhi), Mr Woosey and I struggled to stay on our feet in the howling westerly while dodging the dog turds and a bloke off his face at 10:30 drinking a can of Kestrel Super. The results of our not-quite-sea watch were:
1 Mediterranean Gull (1cy)
1 Common Gull
1 Mandarin
1 Kingfisher
1 Swallow N
1 Meadow Pipit S
3 Pied Wagtail S, and 1 N
1 Bengal Tiger E
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Snipe
165+ Tufted Duck
lots of Shoveler and Coot
2 Sparrowhawk
Pie-time was declared at 12:00, who knows what we missed after we left...

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Saturday 3rd of October 2009 08:40:07 PM

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Saturday 3rd of October 2009 08:51:09 PM

Thursday 01 October 2009
07:45-08:45
Hawkley to Park House Farm:

7+ Skylark
several Mipit
3 Pied Wagtail
1 Siskin over W
4 Grey Partridge
3 Pheasant
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
lots of Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow
all above at PHF
3 Coal Tit and the first Goldcrest I've seen for months were between Ochre Flash and Bryn Marsh
and I heard some Pinkfeet, but it didn't sound like many.
Just one dogwalker seen today

the perfect solution to this is buy yourself a dog.ive got two and no one gives me a second glance.also always take the doggydoes home.the habit of decorating trees with poop bags is abhorrent and gives responsible owners a bad name. but i totally agree because when ive not got them i get funny looks.

Ian Woosey wrote:

---

Rob Thorpe wrote:

---

and several dog walkers giving me funny looks... This is becoming a regular thing here. I wouldn't mind but I'm only carrying a pair of binoculars, they're carrying bags of dog sh*te!!!

---

Rob, this is one of the reasons I`ve forsaken the Flashes for quieter climes...........I don`t necessarily see much, but at least I`m not plagued by Sh*te wielding dog-walkers, motoX bikes, cyclists, air-gun toting Rambo`s, micro-lites, and general scrotery !

---

at least they are carrying the dog sh~te ,at penny they collect it then lob it bag and all into the nearest bush when no ones looking,some trees at penny look like xmas trees all year round,with bags of crap hanging all over em-like ian ,think it will get to the point where birders will only go out in quiet areas,it seems to be going backwards about 40 years.I know at marshside ,walk along the coast road and count how many times,someone either beeps his horn and gives you some hand sign,or worse opens the window and shout peedo/pervert/t~~ser or some other expletive,its a sad world at tmes

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Wednesday 30th of September 2009 05:20:28 PM

Rob Thorpe wrote:

---

and several dog walkers giving me funny looks... This is becoming a regular thing here. I wouldn't mind but I'm only carrying a pair of binoculars, they're carrying bags of dog sh*te!!!

---

Rob, this is one of the reasons I`ve forsaken the Flashes for quieter climes...........I don`t necessarily see much, but at least I`m not plagued by Sh*te wielding dog-walkers, motoX bikes, cyclists, air-gun toting Rambo`s, micro-lites, and general scrotery !

Wednesday 30 September 2009
07:30-09:30
Scotman's Flash:

a decent morning at the watchpoint, with some good flashes birds
1 Arctic Tern flew straight through heading NW with 2 Black-headed Gulls
1 Peregrine flew W low over Pearson's Flash, then followed the canal S
1 Green Woodpecker calling from the Hawkley Reedbed area
14 Meadow Pipit S/SW
16 Skylark NW in one flock, and 7 N in a second flock
5 Swallow S and 6 hanging around Pearson's
7 House Martin hanging around Scotman's
3 Pied Wagtail S
2 Goldfinch S
1 Linnet S
7 Redpoll N
1 Grey Wagtail on canal towpath
3 Jay and 2 Jackdaw over
3 Water Rail heard (2 Pearson's & 1 Scotman's)
1 Kingfisher heard
and several dog walkers giving me funny looks... This is becoming a regular thing here. I wouldn't mind but I'm only carrying a pair of binoculars, they're carrying bags of dog sh*te!!!

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Wednesday 30th of September 2009 03:18:19 AM

Things at Pearson's very similar to the weekend ie 60 Shoveler, 177 Tufties - and the red-ringed Sheffield swan (which was put onto Pennington Flash by the RSPCA last week from a garden near the Wigan Flashes having spent a month on the Wigan canal flight), with a mate. Soon chased off by the residents!

Monday 28 September 2009
evening
Horrock's Flash:

waste of time!
1 (or maybe 2) Kingfisher
3 Mipit over
just 11 Snipe
and only c40 Lapwing

Rob Thorpe wrote:

---

also an Avro Vulcan flew north, fairly low over Scotman's Flash.

---

It flew directly over my house heading west at very low altitiude, whilst watching one on the Thunderball Bond movie. Coincidence or what? 'Course I should have been out birding I know...

Sunday 27 September 2009
16:30-18:00ish

Park House Farm:
1 Wheatear
60+ Mistle Thrush
c15 Pied Wagtail
a few Linnet and Mipits
1 Starling
1 Chaffinch
3 Sparrowhawk (looked like 1ad and 2juv)
2 Pheasant
(all the above where in one ploughed field)

also an Avro Vulcan flew north, fairly low over Scotman's Flash.

I was at Pearson's at 0930 - 70 Shoveler came off in total, Dave, but a few wheeled back to Pearson's. Also there: c180 Tufted; Ken (Linkman) had the Bittern fly into the reedbed just below the screen but we couldn't re-find it; 10 Skylarks over, also 2 Buzzards and a Kestrel.

This morning, while others have deserted GM for Orkney, Spurn, etc somebody had to check on proceedings at the Flashes......

38 Meadow Pipits were logged flying SW in just over 2 hours, plus 3 Chaffinch
2 House Martin
single Reed Warblers at Scotman's Flash and Ochre Flash
3 Chiffchaff
at least 5 Willow Tits between Scotman's/Ochre Flash
Kingfisher on Scotman's by Moss Bridge - a dog walker reported seeing one on the pool where the brook comes under the canal where there's a shoal of Perch and Bream
Great Spotted Woodpecker
single Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel
9 Common Gulls Scotman's
approx 355 Black-Headed Gulls attracted down to a field being ploughed between Bryn Marsh and Park House Farm, where there were also 22 Skylarks, 31 Mistle Thrush and 30 Carrion Crows, plus a few Lapwing and Jackdaws
a flock of about 50 Shoveler came off Pearson's and flew towards Horrocks at about 0930
a lone, vocal Rook drifted east

Pearsons Flash
25/09/2009 @ around 16:15

A bittern flew across the flash from the Westwood side, pursued by gulls. It landed in the reedbeds towards the back of the flash on the Turners side.

Bittern at Pearson's Flash today (info from Jake Moot). Water Rails out in the open at Horrocks Flash where the water levels are very low.

Wednesday 23 September 2009 continued...
evening
Horrock's Flash:

Eerily quiet tonight with the Lapwing only in double figures, just 8 Snipe and very few gulls apart from a steady stream of Black-headed Gulls heading straight over towards Pennington Flash. One Kingfisher, one House Martin and a Kestrel were the only things nearly worth mentioning.

Wednesday 23 September 2009
07:30-09:30
Scotman's Flash:

a few bits on the move this morning, including:
18 Meadow Pipit (17 south, 1 west)
6 Pied Wagtail (4 south with mipits, 2 mooching about)
3 Skylark west
6 Swallow south
4 Goosander SE (my first of the autumn)
11 Cormorant SW in one flock (seemed too high to be local birds)
6 Jay flew south fairly high together (probably just on an acorn hunt)
1 Lapwing south
3 Jackdaw south
other things of interest:
1 Mandarin still on canal
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Grey Wagtail
1 Reed Warbler
3 Blackcap
6 Chiffchaff
3 Willow Tit
and 102 Shoveler were flushed from Pearson's Flash by a bulldozer.

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Wednesday 23rd of September 2009 12:06:03 PM

Tuesday 22 September 2009 continued...
evening
Horrock's Flash:

1 Green Sandpiper
2 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
1 Kingfisher
8+ House Martin
7 Meadow Pipit flew north
1 Chiffchaff with a tit flock
and at least 4 Jackdaws with the crow roost.

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 22nd of September 2009 11:04:13 PM

Tuesday 22 September 2009
07:50-08:50
Scotman's Flash:

Not much happening this morning, the only things of any interest were:
5 House Martin
4 Chiffchaff (3 singing)
2 Grey Wagtail
2 Meadow Pipit (heard only)
1 Kingfisher
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker

Monday 21 September 2009
evening
Horrock's Flash:

very quiet tonight (apart from a farmer using a tractor mounted hedge trimmer along the edge of a wood). The only things of any note were:
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
2 Swallow
1 Kestrel
and a Sparrowhawk harassing the Starling roost.

Horrocks front pool 12 while 3ish

bit of a change for me, just sit and watch what happens the lapwings put up a great show when 'put up' grey herons and cormorant were the big boys of the day,jackdaw,crow and jay all popping in ,pied wagtail and starlings to add interest and best of all at least 20 snipe on show,a confiding duck who shall remain unnamed and a group(almost a flock)of 9 common buzzard soaring in the sunshine headed for viridor wood.

cheers geoff

Sunday 20 September 2009
09:00-11:30
A walk around Scotman's, Pearson's and Ince Moss Landfill:

a few Meadow Pipits flying over
9 Skylark flew west
2 Rook flew north
5 Jay over
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kingfisher
2 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
4 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
11 Chiffchaff
And Robins everywhere!

Horrocks Flash,just after passing rob and dad, raptor watch part two,1 buzzard 1 kestrel, and deep joy a juv peregrine perched on a pylon ,then flew off towards ashton,

front pool from the bench,more lapwings than you can shake a stick at ,numerous black headed gulls,then see rob,s list for lbj,s,3 hours still no osprey.It,s not an obsession but many years ago I did remark to my missus that 'there,s an eagle flown over the house'but that was pre listing day,s so it can,t count

cheers geoff

Saturday 19 September 2009
08:00-12:30
Horrock's and Turner's Flashes:

WeBS day today with the old man. Highlights were a Bittern being chased by Black-headed Gulls over Turner's Flash before dropping in to the reeds. A Peregrine flew over Horrock's Flash, "putting up" over 600 Lapwing! Also at Horrock's Flash a Water Rail was walking along the edge of the reeds on the back pool.
8 Wigeon flew into Horrock's Flash, then took off again heading west. A further 3 Wigeon, which had earlier been on Scotman's flash, flew to Horrock's. Green Sandpiper and Kingfisher were heard at Horrock's and a Buzzard flew over.
31 Meadow Pipits flew over heading south and a flock of c40 Skylark was flying around. Other bits & bobs included 3 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Siskin, 2 Mistle Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, several Chiffchaff and a Blackcap, Grey and Pied Wagtail, a few Coal Tits and lots of Robins.

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Saturday 19th of September 2009 01:37:26 PM

a juvenile Reed Warbler showing well in the awillow at the left-hand end of the viewing screen by Hawkley Hall school Friday evening, Willow Tit at the feeding station

Friday 18 September 2009
07:40-08:40
Scotman's Flash:

32 Meadow Pipit south (including one flock of 19)
8 Swallow NE
1 Pied Wagtail south
2 Kingfisher
2 Sparrowhawk
1 Snipe
1 Lapwing
several Chiffchaff

Thursday 17 September 2009
evening
Horrock's Flash:

3 Wigeon
lots of Teal
1 Swallow
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Kingfisher
and a nice swirling Starling roost, being harassed by a Sparrowhawk over Bryn Marsh.

I understood it relates to an additional planning permission to higher the "Bittern Bund" built a few years ago...

Gordon re: your query I am not 100 per cent sure, but I think it is related to securing the Westwood Business Park from off-road vehicles, etc, which have discovered the through route to the Flashes, etc

-- Edited by dave broome on Wednesday 16th of September 2009 07:50:03 PM

Wednesday 16 September 2009 continued...
Evening
Horrock's Flash:

the only things of note tonight were
2 Dunlin
1 Kingfisher
1 Buzzard
3 Pied Wagtail
and the usual gangs of Lapwing and Snipe

Wednesday 16th September 2009
PM @ Pearson Flash

At the end of the embankment between Westwood Flash and Pearsons Flash there were large earth moving machines working. Is this the start of work on the "relief road" ?

Gordon

Wednesday 16 September 2009
07:40-09:30
Scotman's Flash:

7 Meadow Pipit (6 south, 1 east)
5 Swallow south
17 House Martin
1 Chiffchaff singing
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Kingfisher
2 Snipe
1 Jay flying back and forth
2 Sparrowhawk
1 Mandarin still on canal
24 Mute Swan (plus 2ad & 4juv on Pearson's)
unusual sighting of the day: a Grey Heron being mobbed by Black-headed Gulls landed on the water on Pearson's Flash and swam around for a while before taking off again.


-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Wednesday 16th of September 2009 01:16:45 PM

Tuesday 15 September 2009
07:30-08:30
Scotman's Flash:

3 Meadow Pipit (1S, 1W, 1heard)
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Kingfisher (heard)
3 Chiffchaff (2 singing)
1 Blackcap
2 Jackdaw
2 Jay
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
4 Lesser Black-backed Gull (2ad, 2juv)

Monday 14 September 2009
evening
Horrock's Flash:

not much of note tonight,
3 Wigeon
30+ Carrion Crow
c15 Magpie
loads of Snipe
loads and loads of Lapwing
no hirundines
a Fox
it was dark on my way back to the car this evening, a sign that after-work birding will soon be over

also tonight 3 Linnet were in the Bamfurlong Triangle.

Horrocks flash front pool,10am till 12

I was trying to concentrate on 'raptor watch' total 2 distant buzzard and 1 kestrel
but more interesting a sudden influx of snipe amongst the hundreds of lapwing and other regulars,I saw two large flocks of snipe flying around, one settled on the islands in plain view at least 100 the other larger flock flew into the middle bits so 250 is my best bet.

cheers geoff

Sunday 13 September 2009

a mid-morning walk from Hawkley to Park House farm.
1 Whitethroat and 2 Blackcap along the track at the side of Hawkly Hall School.
at Park House farm:
1 Whitethroat
1 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaff (both singing)
1 Grey Wagtail
4 Linnet
6 Greenfinch
a few Chaffinch
1 Yellowhammer
a couple of Reed Buntings
quite a few Swallows and House Martins
1 Buzzard
2 Grey Squirrels, including one that walked right up to me
and the award for unusual sight of the day goes to a flock of c20 Snipe zooming around low over the fields. I've never seen Snipe fly like this before, in a really tight flock (like Knot or something (if only!)) and you could hear the rush of air from their wings as they changed direction.

j meadows wrote:

---

dave broome wrote:

---

Unfortunately not much on the move over the Flashes this morning, but a very pleasant morning anyhow. Up to 6 Buzzards in the air together and probably 10 seen in total, also 3 Kestrel and 1 Sparrowhawk. No Hobbies, Ospreys or Harriers on the move unfortunately. Kingfisher on Horrocks, a couple of Willow Warblers and small groups of Meadow Pipits off the fields over the canal were among other bits, plus the usual Snipe and Lapwings. Other than that we managed to cover most of the current burning issues in Wigan Borough, make plans to add to Rob's Flashes year-list and attempt to see the owner of the web-site through the mist on Winter Hill....

---

We had also 2 juv Bullfinch on the other side of the canal just before you got there Dave

Cheers Jimmy

---

how could you both forget the 11 Jackdaw?! Also a flock of 11 Skylark flew over from the fields over the canal. A Grey Wagtail was also seen.

dave broome wrote:

---

Unfortunately not much on the move over the Flashes this morning, but a very pleasant morning anyhow. Up to 6 Buzzards in the air together and probably 10 seen in total, also 3 Kestrel and 1 Sparrowhawk. No Hobbies, Ospreys or Harriers on the move unfortunately. Kingfisher on Horrocks, a couple of Willow Warblers and small groups of Meadow Pipits off the fields over the canal were among other bits, plus the usual Snipe and Lapwings. Other than that we managed to cover most of the current burning issues in Wigan Borough, make plans to add to Rob's Flashes year-list and attempt to see the owner of the web-site through the mist on Winter Hill....

---

We had also 2 juv Bullfinch on the other side of the canal just before you got there Dave

Cheers Jimmy

Unfortunately not much on the move over the Flashes this morning, but a very pleasant morning anyhow. Up to 6 Buzzards in the air together and probably 10 seen in total, also 3 Kestrel and 1 Sparrowhawk. No Hobbies, Ospreys or Harriers on the move unfortunately. Kingfisher on Horrocks, a couple of Willow Warblers and small groups of Meadow Pipits off the fields over the canal were among other bits, plus the usual Snipe and Lapwings. Other than that we managed to cover most of the current burning issues in Wigan Borough, make plans to add to Rob's Flashes year-list and attempt to see the owner of the web-site through the mist on Winter Hill....

Rob,an nice invite to what could be yet another cracking raptor watch I,ll only get down after 11 ish (just after prime osprey time so don,t tell me) see you ont banking

cheers geoff

In case anyone is thinking of joining me for the "raptor watch" tomorrow, I'll be on the towpath at Horrock's Flash, near the NO SHOOTING sign, from 09:00. See you all there

4 Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk soaring over Horrocks Flash at midday, + a Wigeon and 73 Shoveler.