Garganey (female type) in the north side of the spit yesterday evening,
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
colin davies said
Sun Jul 5 9:40 AM, 2020
7:00 - 8:00 this morning from the yacht club:
2 drake scaup still at the western end
1 Egyptian goose off the main car park.
5 common terns including a 2nd summer bird
I didn't see the 1st / 2nd summer arctic tern but there were terns flying around the car park area and terns sitting on the spit, both of which are a bit distant from the yacht club in the blustery, showery conditions today.
Steven Heywood said
Sat Jul 4 6:49 PM, 2020
Arctic tern halfway out from the sailing club at 5:10pm (I'd given up on it and was having one of those last casts round before heading for the bus when it started circling a yacht).
Common sandpiper at Ramsdales.
Two Cetti's, one at Ramsdales and one over near the East Bay Hide.
Nuthatch in the car park.
-- Edited by Steven Heywood on Saturday 4th of July 2020 09:27:32 PM
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jul 4 9:49 AM, 2020
Other highlights this morning included:
Adult Yellow-legged Gull on the spit for a short while
The second summer Arctic Tern
Nuthatch at the very western end
2 Black-tailed Godwits
Single Redshank and Common Sandpiper
3 Egyptian Geese
420 Swift feeding (fairly high) but a clear westerly movement slowly through
colin davies said
Sat Jul 4 8:57 AM, 2020
Just a quick look from the yacht club first thing, revealed:
Arctic tern 1st summer still
Scaup 2 drakes still, Plank lane end
colin davies said
Fri Jul 3 4:02 PM, 2020
First summer arctic tern again mid afternoon, presumably the same bird as yesterday, it certainly looks the same. Scoter still in the middle, scaup at the west end.
Regarding the Egyptian geese, I was talking to another regular this morning and he said that just last week he predicted Egyptian goose this week. Apparently last years birds arrived at more or less the same time. Interesting that they have a juvenile with them, I wonder where they are from. I once saw an Egyptian goose with 2000 pink-footed geese on the mosslands near St Helens. Since pink-footed geese commute between Lancashire and Norfolk where Egyptian goose is a feral breeder, I did wonder whether that bird had got caught up with a flock of wild geese and been carried over. Not so sure about the Pennington birds though, I've no idea where the nearest known breeding site is for the species, probably the pond near Bents garden centre!
Rob Thorpe said
Fri Jul 3 1:23 PM, 2020
The Egyptian Geese turning up here on this date is interesting. My only GM Egyptian Goose was a bird flying over Lightshaw, towards Pennington Flash, on 01 July 2012.
colin davies said
Fri Jul 3 12:45 PM, 2020
A lone curlew flew south over the yacht club at about 10.30, by which time the scaup had moved into the western bay. Hundreds of hirundines and swifts, especially obvious during the periods of heavy rain. The Egyptian geese look like a family party with two adults and a juvenile.
First summer Arctic Tern this morning, also 300 Sand Martin and 200 Swift.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
colin davies said
Thu Jul 2 9:00 AM, 2020
Drake common scoter this morning, also 3 common sandpipers.
colin davies said
Wed Jul 1 9:19 PM, 2020
This evening at the yacht club, a single curlew flew over heading south and two common sandpipers on the shoreline.
colin davies said
Wed Jul 1 1:07 PM, 2020
Common sandpiper at the yacht club this morning and still hundreds of sand martins.
Also 7 common terns.
-- Edited by colin davies on Wednesday 1st of July 2020 01:07:56 PM
colin davies said
Tue Jun 30 4:55 PM, 2020
Drake pochard at the yacht club this morning and 7 common terns over the water. Hundreds of sand martins at 6.30am but far less at 11am.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Jun 30 2:06 PM, 2020
Single Common Sandpiper present this morning and a Raven over.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jun 29 11:35 PM, 2020
A Hobby was chasing hirundines again at 8:50pm this evening.
Also, still 800 Swift feeding and 900 Starling roosted.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jun 29 3:20 PM, 2020
Impressive numbers of hirundines over the water this late morning/early afternoon, which took a couple of hours just to get a decently accurate estimate of (they remain definitely on the conservative side of what was probably out there though), plus taking time to look through them for anything out of the ordinary (fat chance!):
1190 Sand Martin
680 House Martin
1040 Swift
Swallows in much smaller number but not counted
8 Common Tern
5 Greylag Geese
Good to see a few more broods of Gadwall especially but also of Mallard and Great Crested Grebes having another go too.
colin davies said
Sun Jun 28 8:44 AM, 2020
Hundreds of hirundines over the flash this morning, mainly sand martins, also plenty of swifts. A hobby shot past me at close range at the yacht club and chased and caught a sand martin, probably no more than 10m from me. Breathtaking. Common sandpiper also at the yacht club.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jun 27 6:59 PM, 2020
7 Black-tailed Godwits arrived on the spit at 6:15pm.
Info thank to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jun 22 10:15 PM, 2020
4 Common Sandpiper present this evening.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jun 22 8:00 AM, 2020
Yesterday evening, a pair of Mediterranean Gulls were on the spit before heading off north. Also, 400 Swift and 260 Sand Martin.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jun 20 5:08 PM, 2020
Late news for yesterday evening, when a drake Garganey just beginning to moult into eclipse plumage, was just off the spit at 8:30pm. Also 1500 Starlings in the roost.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Jun 18 1:32 PM, 2020
Good numbers of hirundines, especially Sand and House Martin, feeding over the flash during very heavy rain this early afternoon. Other than that, nothing really of particular note.
colin davies said
Wed Jun 17 1:11 PM, 2020
Common sandpiper this morning at the yacht club, my first at the flash for about 5 weeks.
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Jun 17 9:36 AM, 2020
Green Sandpiper still present this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Jun 16 8:17 PM, 2020
Hobby over Ramsdales Ruck early this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jun 15 9:50 AM, 2020
Green Sandpiper and Curlew this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jun 13 9:02 AM, 2020
The pair of Garganey were again on Horrocks Scrape late yesterday evening.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Jun 10 10:27 PM, 2020
Pair of Garganey on the mini spit again at 8:30pm tonight, also the Starling roost numbered around 1200.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
colin davies said
Tue Jun 9 11:16 PM, 2020
Avocet flew calling over Green Lane at 8am. May have come from the spit.
colin davies said
Sun Jun 7 7:46 AM, 2020
Female Pochard at the yacht club this morning and a single common tern.
colin davies said
Sat Jun 6 3:39 PM, 2020
At least one arctic tern present at 14:30.
colin davies said
Sat Jun 6 11:51 AM, 2020
A very bright ringed plover possibly of the tundra race was at the yacht club mid morning and a hobby shot through chasing the swifts then flew west.
-- Edited by colin davies on Saturday 6th of June 2020 03:38:06 PM
2 Arctic Tern and a single Common Tern early this morning, occasionally alighting on the spit. Also an adult Great Black-backed Gull patrolling the western end and good numbers of hirundines feeding in the persistent rain.
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Jun 5 9:13 PM, 2020
A pair of Garganey were on the mini spit this evening up to 8pm.
The three Common Scoter flew off west at 10:10.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Three drake Common Scoter present this morning.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
This morning:
Wigeon at the western end
6 Common Tern (including one juvenile)
3 Egyptian Geese still
200 Swift
Info thanks to Pete Berry
This morning:
A Hobby flew west at 06:20
5 Common Tern
3 Egyptian Geese
3 Grey Wagtail
1 Redshank
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Juvenile common tern on the Flash this afternoon, briefly before flying west with adult. The first juvenile I've seen anywhere this year
Sightings from today courtesy of Phil Rhodes and myself:
Single drake Scaup still at the western end
Juvenile Mediterranean Gull briefly on the spit mid-morning only
Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull present mid-afternoon (first of the year)
5 adult Common Tern
3 Oystercatcher
3 Egyptian Geese still
2 Kingfisher
A few sightings from this morning between Barry Hulme and myself:
4 Common Tern
3 Common Sandpiper
1 Redshank
330 Swift
460 Sand Martin
Yacht club 7.30am - 9.30am:
Arctic tern 1 2nd sum
Scaup 2 drakes
Redshank 2
Egyptian geese 3
Common tern 10
Common sandpiper 1
Also this afternoon 2.30 - 3.30
Many hundreds of swifts and hirundines, mainly sand martins but an influx of house martins since this morning.
Further sightings from this morning:
6 Black-tailed Godwit flew west at 08:50 and 12 flew east around 09:30 and a single at 07:10
3 Egyptian Geese
2 drake Scaup still present
1 Grasshopper Warbler
Second summer Arctic Tern still on too
Info thanks to Bill Harrison and Phil Rhodes
So far this morning:
5 Common Sandpiper
12 Common Tern
3 Oystercatcher
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Additional sightings this evening:
15 Redshank on the spit
12 Common Tern
2 Common Sandpiper
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Egyptian Geese at main car park.
Garganey (female type) in the north side of the spit yesterday evening,
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
7:00 - 8:00 this morning from the yacht club:
2 drake scaup still at the western end
1 Egyptian goose off the main car park.
5 common terns including a 2nd summer bird
I didn't see the 1st / 2nd summer arctic tern but there were terns flying around the car park area and terns sitting on the spit, both of which are a bit distant from the yacht club in the blustery, showery conditions today.
Arctic tern halfway out from the sailing club at 5:10pm (I'd given up on it and was having one of those last casts round before heading for the bus when it started circling a yacht).
Common sandpiper at Ramsdales.
Two Cetti's, one at Ramsdales and one over near the East Bay Hide.
Nuthatch in the car park.
-- Edited by Steven Heywood on Saturday 4th of July 2020 09:27:32 PM
Other highlights this morning included:
Adult Yellow-legged Gull on the spit for a short while
The second summer Arctic Tern
Nuthatch at the very western end
2 Black-tailed Godwits
Single Redshank and Common Sandpiper
3 Egyptian Geese
420 Swift feeding (fairly high) but a clear westerly movement slowly through
Just a quick look from the yacht club first thing, revealed:
Arctic tern 1st summer still
Scaup 2 drakes still, Plank lane end
First summer arctic tern again mid afternoon, presumably the same bird as yesterday, it certainly looks the same. Scoter still in the middle, scaup at the west end.
Regarding the Egyptian geese, I was talking to another regular this morning and he said that just last week he predicted Egyptian goose this week. Apparently last years birds arrived at more or less the same time. Interesting that they have a juvenile with them, I wonder where they are from. I once saw an Egyptian goose with 2000 pink-footed geese on the mosslands near St Helens. Since pink-footed geese commute between Lancashire and Norfolk where Egyptian goose is a feral breeder, I did wonder whether that bird had got caught up with a flock of wild geese and been carried over. Not so sure about the Pennington birds though, I've no idea where the nearest known breeding site is for the species, probably the pond near Bents garden centre!
A lone curlew flew south over the yacht club at about 10.30, by which time the scaup had moved into the western bay. Hundreds of hirundines and swifts, especially obvious during the periods of heavy rain. The Egyptian geese look like a family party with two adults and a juvenile.
Photos: scaup and Egyptian geese.
This morning’s highlights:
2 drake Scaup
2 drake Common Scoter
3 Egyptian Goose
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Redshank
Info thanks to Bill Harrison and Phil Rhodes
A few photos from this morning, 1st summer arctic tern, 1st summer drake common scoter and common sandpiper.
Juvenile Cuckoo on the south side mid-morning.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
First summer Arctic Tern this morning, also 300 Sand Martin and 200 Swift.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Drake common scoter this morning, also 3 common sandpipers.
This evening at the yacht club, a single curlew flew over heading south and two common sandpipers on the shoreline.
Common sandpiper at the yacht club this morning and still hundreds of sand martins.
Also 7 common terns.
-- Edited by colin davies on Wednesday 1st of July 2020 01:07:56 PM
Drake pochard at the yacht club this morning and 7 common terns over the water. Hundreds of sand martins at 6.30am but far less at 11am.
Single Common Sandpiper present this morning and a Raven over.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
A Hobby was chasing hirundines again at 8:50pm this evening.
Also, still 800 Swift feeding and 900 Starling roosted.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Impressive numbers of hirundines over the water this late morning/early afternoon, which took a couple of hours just to get a decently accurate estimate of (they remain definitely on the conservative side of what was probably out there though), plus taking time to look through them for anything out of the ordinary (fat chance!):
1190 Sand Martin
680 House Martin
1040 Swift
Swallows in much smaller number but not counted
8 Common Tern
5 Greylag Geese
Good to see a few more broods of Gadwall especially but also of Mallard and Great Crested Grebes having another go too.
Hundreds of hirundines over the flash this morning, mainly sand martins, also plenty of swifts. A hobby shot past me at close range at the yacht club and chased and caught a sand martin, probably no more than 10m from me. Breathtaking. Common sandpiper also at the yacht club.
7 Black-tailed Godwits arrived on the spit at 6:15pm.
Info thank to Phil Rhodes
4 Common Sandpiper present this evening.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Yesterday evening, a pair of Mediterranean Gulls were on the spit before heading off north. Also, 400 Swift and 260 Sand Martin.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Late news for yesterday evening, when a drake Garganey just beginning to moult into eclipse plumage, was just off the spit at 8:30pm. Also 1500 Starlings in the roost.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Good numbers of hirundines, especially Sand and House Martin, feeding over the flash during very heavy rain this early afternoon. Other than that, nothing really of particular note.
Common sandpiper this morning at the yacht club, my first at the flash for about 5 weeks.
Green Sandpiper still present this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Hobby over Ramsdales Ruck early this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Green Sandpiper and Curlew this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
The pair of Garganey were again on Horrocks Scrape late yesterday evening.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Pair of Garganey on the mini spit again at 8:30pm tonight, also the Starling roost numbered around 1200.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Avocet flew calling over Green Lane at 8am. May have come from the spit.
Female Pochard at the yacht club this morning and a single common tern.
At least one arctic tern present at 14:30.
A very bright ringed plover possibly of the tundra race was at the yacht club mid morning and a hobby shot through chasing the swifts then flew west.
-- Edited by colin davies on Saturday 6th of June 2020 03:38:06 PM
2 Arctic Tern and a single Common Tern early this morning, occasionally alighting on the spit. Also an adult Great Black-backed Gull patrolling the western end and good numbers of hirundines feeding in the persistent rain.
A pair of Garganey were on the mini spit this evening up to 8pm.
Also up to 600 Swift present.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes