4 Black-necked Grebes on Scotmans Flash this morning and a Willow Warbler singing behind the fishing club at the back of Horrocks Flash

All info thanks to Rob Thorpe

Fortunately the badly broken leg turned out to be a 6 inch long pale yellowy-pink rubber fish attached to a triple pike hook, through the bird's foot. I can understand why the lady thought it was an exposed bone. Now removed and the bird is now recuperating in my garden, awaiting an antibiotic injection!

At least 8 Oystercatchers and singing Chiffchaff at Horrocks this am. Flock of c10 Redpolls (presumably all lessers) on the opposite side of the canal.

Also a lady reported one of the Cygnets on the flash with a badly broken leg. I had a look but couldnt see anything. Might be one to look aout for.

12 Chiffchaffs seen/heard around the flashes on Thursday (19th) morning; 14 great crested grebes on Scotsman's.
Cheers,
Ken

17:45-19:00

Rainford's Tip:
1 Common Snipe flushed
2 Sand Martin over

Horrock's Flash:
1 Shelduck over W
7 Oystercatcher on the islands

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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I think it was ringed Monday just gone

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Don't want to stir up a hornets nest,but should anyone be putting nets up where a possible new rare breeding species is trying to set up terratory,lets hope its not the last we see of it.maybe its not rare enough with around 1000+ singing males now in the uk,but very rare locally

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Thursday 19th of March 2009 10:08:45 AM

I think it was ringed Monday just gone

fred fouracre wrote:

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was reliably informed by the ringer himself that whilst ringing snipe at scotsmans the cettis flew into the net.so if seen again he should be ringed.

---

Fred, was this recently? The Cetti's was still at Pearson's on 7th March, and i didn't notice any ring on it...

at least 20 Sand Martin around Scotman's Flash this evening. Also 2 Chiffchaff singing.

Chiffchaff singing at the south end of Scotman's this morning

was reliably informed by the ringer himself that whilst ringing snipe at scotsmans the cettis flew into the net.so if seen again he should be ringed.

a Chiffchaff feeding silently with a pair of Long-tailed Tits, in the trees along the stream from Hawkley Reedbed to Scotman's Flash yesterday evening (16 March).

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 17th of March 2009 10:59:24 AM

Horrocks flash rear pool am,lovely walk this morning on a nice spring day,

3 pochard
1 female goosander
7 shoveler
6 gadwall
4 greylag
15 canadas
2 little grebe
some herons
2 raven over,
mallard,coot,moorhen ect in abundance

cheers geoff

37 Goldeneye on Scotman's this evening

A pair of Oystercatcher on Horrock's flash this evening

A flock of 31 Lesser Redpolls on the towpath opposite Westwood Flash this morning flew off towards Ince Moss Landfill.

There was a pair of Grey Partridge and 12 Lapwing at Park House Farm yesterday (Sunday 08 March 2009)

Horrocks Flash pm quick circuit in somewhat blustery conditions,

21 greylag,loads of canada,coot,mallard,bh gull etc,2 great crested,2 little grebe,4 shoveler,10 teal,3 pochard,5 cormorant( 3 in breeding plumage ).Retired early to work on my garden list.

cheers geoff

Saturday 02 March 2009

08:00-12:00

Pearson's Flash
Cetti's Warbler singing, and more importantly showing (and quite well too!) in the reeds that extend along the shore of Pearson's Flash on the landfill side. Maybe the start of it's spring "migration" to Hawkley Reedbed?
2 Water Rails chasing each other through the reeds
1 Raven over heading N.

Ince Moss Landfill
5+ Skylark
c40 Redwing
1 Kestrel

Rainford's Tip
1 Jack Snipe
2 Skylark
3 Lapwing over

Horrock's Flash
2 Woodcock
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Goosander (f)

Missed Iceland Gull for the second time in as many weeks this afternoon , guess where i'll be spending tomorrow afternoon!

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 18:27, 2009-03-07

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 18:33, 2009-03-07

A second-winter Iceland Gull was on Scotman's Flash at 1612hrs, but flew north after a couple of minutes bathing. It didn't join the group of large gulls in the middle of the flash (176 Herring Gulls, 1 Great Black-Backed and a small number of Lessers) but bathed among Black-Headed Gulls before flying off alone

Horrocks flash,am

all as normal apart from 3 goosander (2f 1m) a nice record,11 gadwall who seem to have decamped from the rear pool to the front pool,1 shoveler,9 greylag,the greylag and cross couple where spooked off the railway pool,on the rear pool 5 goldeneye displaying , 4 pochard ,I could hear teal,little grebe,water rail but didn,t see them.

cheers geoff (my emotions thingy isn't working)

Sunday 29 February 2009

12:30-17:00

Scotman's Flash:
(No Iceland Gull )
1 Buzzard over west
1 noisy Oystercatcher flying around
8 Lapwing over (5 north, 3 west)
1 Curlew just before 17:00 flying SE then u-turned and headed back N.

Pearson's Flash:
Cetti's singing
10+ Teal

Turner's Flash:
29 Cormorant on the islands
Peregrine hanging in the wind high over the flash
also a Woodcock flushed nearby

Nothing of note at Horrock's or Bryn Marsh

Hawkley Reedbed
15+ Teal
1 Kingfisher

Also, i've noticed a lot of Goldcrests around over the last couple of days...


-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 20:35, 2009-03-01

dave broome wrote:

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unfortunately before Wigan Flashes year-lister Mr Thorpe could get there

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to say im gutted would be an understatement! I missed it by about 3mins! Anyway stuff i didnt miss:

28 February 2009
07:40-14:20
3 Shelduck on scotmans.
Kingfisher @ pearsons and one at bryn marsh.
2 Sparrowhawk displaying @ pearsons and Cetti's singing.
Oystercatcher heard @ horrocks.
4 Pintail SSE over hawkley reedbed.
1 Curlew over SE.

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 10:50, 2009-03-01

first-winter Iceland Gull on Scotman's this afternoon at 14:55 until it flew SW just under 20 minutes later, unfortunately before Wigan Flashes year-lister Mr Thorpe could get there

this evening at Scotman's: Oystercatcher on the jetty, 44 Goldeneye displaying magnificently

Tuesday 24 February 2009
Dusk @ Horrock's Flash

I could hear a Pink-footed Goose in the dark amongst the hundreds of Canada Geese and dozens of Greylags coming in to roost on the flash last night. Also, i'm fairly certain I saw two small geese fly over the canal from the fields on to the flash with the other geese... Maybe last years Barnacle and Pink-foot couple have returned?

not what I was trying to do so just ignore this post

cheers geoff

-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves at 22:01, 2009-02-23

With regard to any illegal off-road vehicle activity, report them to Greater Manchester Police tel:0161 872 5050, with as much of a description as possible, inc registration if there is one. All reports should be logged by GMP and time/resources allocated accordingly (as it is a huge problem across GM). Be prepared to report the location in relation to a road name.


On a lighter note - Cetti's Warbler singing at Pearson's today

-- Edited by dave broome at 19:18, 2009-02-23

Judith Smith wrote:

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Phone the wardens on 01942 233976 if you see anyone boating on any of the flashes other than Scotman's, Geoff. Also take any car reg numbers.

---

Does the same apply to the Motorcross bike, the Quad bike and the 2 Mitsubishi 4x4s that were rampaging around the paths at Pearson's Flash yesterday? and the 6 Motorcross bikes racing down the footpath between Isherwood's and Puddle Bridge?
I think a few of us should go out with cameras next Sunday and try to put a stop to this...

Phone the wardens on 01942 233976 if you see anyone boating on any of the flashes other than Scotman's, Geoff. Also take any car reg numbers.

sunday
horrocks flash-am

12 heron stood in field opposite flash and mixed flock of canadas and greylags approx 30.
on the flash several tufted , shoveller and teal. 12 cormerants,1 lesser black backed gull and 2 juvs and approx 200 black headed gulls patiently waiting for the water level to drop.
not many smaller stuff about just the odd blue and great tits ,2 snipe heard but not seen.weather was pretty miserable but brightened up later nearly forgot a distant buzzard back of flash.

rear of horrocks 8.00 11.00,

busy morning on the rear pool two anglers in a rowing boat upset the apple cart,they roamed all over the place disturbing the birds as they went ,so I hung around to see what they might flush, the only surprising thing was a group of 10 goldeneye flying around,I,ve only seen 1s & 2s before.The heronry was quite busy the best count was 15 but there must be more as there,s lots of coming and going.All the usual stuff on the way in/out best one has to be the g s pecker drumming on the railway stantions.

cheers geoff

Sunday 22 February 2009

09:30-12:30

1 Jack Snipe on Rainford's Tip
1 Buzzard over Tuner's Flash
1 Woodcock near the new road at Westwood

in woodland between Ochre Flash and Bryn Marsh today: Woodcock, 45 Redwing, Treecreeper, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Bullfinch

Saturday 21 February 2009

3 Curlew West over Horrock's Flash at 08:40, very low, possibly came off the middle of Horrock's where the JCBs have been. Also 13+ Lapwing and 2 Grey Wagtail.

Yesterday (20th) a Bittern flew over Scotman's Flash reedbed (near the Brick Island) heading towards Hawkley reedbed just before 6pm.

Tuesday 17 February 2009
17:30-19:15
Horrocks Flash/Rainfords Tip

1 Jack Snipe
1 Snipe
3 Woodcock
c40 Carrion Crow on and around a pylon
At least 2 Tawny Owls calling in woods across canal from Horrocks
heard a Shelduck flying over going SE.

I think this was the first gloveless visit of 2009, a scorching 10'C this evening!

...forgot to mention. There was a pair of Ravens in the Horrock's Flash area around lunchtime on Saturday (14 Feb).

Not much to add to Ian's post, other than a Grey Partridge near Park House Farm, 28 Lapwing at Horrock's Flash. And yesterday I had 2 Jack Snipe and 1 Snipe on Rainford's Tip.

15/2/09 Early am (With Rob "Wigan Moocher" Thorpe)

Cetti`s Warbler singing at the rear of Pearsons Flash.

Bittern flew over Pearsons reedbed at 09:30 ~ Also a Peregrine on the pylon.

single Jack Snipe on Rainfords Tip.

Skylark in display flight over Ince Moss.

Horrocks flash am

Nice wander around this morning all the normal water fowl,lots of disturbment by the J C B,s in the middle of the flash no doubt all part of the 'grand design'.Best bits,4 golden eye 6 gadwall on the back pool ,1 continental cormorant on the front pool and 11 grey heron in 1 tree.2 skeins of pink feet over

cheers geoff

Geoff, no pics of the Bittern I'm afraid, it was only on the edge of the reeds for a few seconds before sneaking back into cover. Saw a few pie -eaters whilst walking past Wigan Pier first thing in the morning

Originally posted by Gordon Cottle at 6:04pm today.

Bittern over Bryn Marsh
Thursday 12th @ around 2pm

Cetti's Warbler singing at east end of Pearson's Flash this morning close to edge of reeds near to the cemetery

Sabena,welcome to the forum ,hope you enjoyed the flashes and congratulations on your sightings,the 'wigan bitterns' are very elusive as a few forum members will testify,did anyone get any pictures??frustratingly I,d guessed it was probably a bittern sighting ,but although as the crow flies bryn marsh is only 500yrds away a visit entails a long walk to moss bridge (and back)so i opted to stay at horrocks.Let us know if you visit us again and i,ll put some pie,s int oven and a pan of scouse on the stove

cheers geoff

Come on Cetti, get yourself a mate and one of my predictions is a WINNER, come on down
Cheers Ian
Also still need to see a breeding pair for my GM list

Cetti's Warbler singing at Pearson's today

Sat 07 2009
Merseyside Naturalists Association walk around the flashes produced

Bittern 1 on Bryn's Flash that might explain the rumours of a twitch

Goosander pair on Scotsmans
Goldeneye 5m, 8f on Scotsmans
Pintail 2f flying over Scotsmans
Pochard 25 on Scotsmans
Siskin 5 in alders when walking between Ochre and Bryn
Water Rail heard
Gadwall 17 on Westwood

Sunday 08 Feb 2009

12:00-17:30

1 Raven south over Hawkley reedbed, then went back north circling over Scotmans.
c300 PFGs over west.
1 Kingfisher along stream at back of Pearsons.
c50 Redpoll @ Ince Moss landfill.
1 Lapwing on Turners.
At least 150 Teal around Horrocks, also a dead common gull on the ice there.
c200 Canada Geese and 25 Greylags in field opposite Horrocks.
62+ Meadow Pipit going to roost nr Park House farm.
Lots of motorbike activity.

Horrocks flash,same as yesterday but add 2 little grebe

cheers geoff

Horrocks front pool 12 while 2.30 when the wind finally got through the layers.

Bit of treat today ,the ice has forced all the birds into the top right hand corner and makes quite a spectacle,100+teal,grey lag,shoveler,gadwall(yes gadwall on the front pool) 2 wigeon 1 pochard fast asleep,mallard coot moorhen bh gull swans in abundance,wigans answer to the serengeti

cheers geoff

oh and a very dodgy barnacle/pick your own, goose in the mix as well,plus rumors of a twitch at bryn marsh