Quick walk after hope Carr and Pennington produced:

2 redshank, 1 oystercatcher, 4 shelduck, 1 buzzard, 1 yellowhammer, 4 willow warbler, 7 chiffchaff,
1 male blackcap, 1 Cetti's warbler, 5 lapwing, 3 goldfinch and a great crested grebe on Dover basin

30+ sand Martin
2 house Martin
And 7 swallow over

Good Few hours mooching this morning,

3 Black Tailed Godwit
5 Oystercatcher
3 Snipe
7 Golden Plover
2 Redshank
25+ Lapwing
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Cetti's Warbler
8 Skylark
5 Linnet
2 Yellowhammer, More heard singing.
3 Reed Bunting
7 Chiffchaff
3 Willow Warbler
1 Blackcap
Gadwall,Teal,Tufted Duck,Shoveler and Great Crested Grebe all seen
2 Swallow

-- Edited by Scott robinson on Sunday 10th of April 2016 01:46:13 PM

16.00 - 17.00
Dover Lock
1 Goosander, 4 Pochard, 2 Shelduck, 2 Teal, 30 Tufted Duck, 2 Great crested Grebe

Lightshaw
1 Black- tailed Godwit, 3 Redshank, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Shelduck, 2 Greylag Geese, Gadwall, Teal, Tufted Duck

along path from canal to road
1 Yellowhammer, 1 Willow Tit

A couple of hours today, parked at Dover Lock Inn. My first proper visit to the site:

Dover Flash:
1 Shelduck
1 Teal (F)
6 Coot
28 Tufted Duck
10+ Pochard
18 Mallard
2 Mute Swan
2 Canada Geese
1 Kingfisher flew across giving good views

Lightshaw Flash (from viewing screen)
2 Shelduck
18 Teal
6 Mallard
1 Grey Heron
5 Shoveler (3M/2F)
1 Kingfisher over the water briefly, seemingly from fields to the right
2 Coot

Plus:
Song Thrush (1)
Long-Tailed Tit (1)
Lesser Black-Backed Gulls (5+ over)
Woodpigeon (20+ next to Lightshaw Flash)
Mute Swan (4 - in field next to Dover Lock Inn)
Cormorant (7 - over from direction of penny)
Plus usual Robin, Wren, Blackbird & tits.

Rook next to Sandy Lane on way home.

Not a bad place at all, I'll be back!

Adult Little Egret present again this morning but flew off west at 09:35

Info thanks to Judith Smith

Marsh Harrier at Lightshaw Hall Flash at 10:20 this morning.

Info thanks to Judith Smith

Lightshaw flash this evening, about 50 lapwings, 2 shelduck and a buzzard over. Lots of exposed mud at the moment, chances of a few more waders soon hopefully.

Cetti's Warbler still singing away at Dover Basin this morning,

Two redshank on Lightshaw Hall Flash, also two Oystercatchers, drake shoveler, pair of shelduck still with two chicks and a single cormorant. Common tern over Dover Lock.

-- Edited by colin davies on Wednesday 10th of June 2015 08:06:30 PM

More exposed mud today on Lightshaw Hall Flash, but no waders other than 10 lapwing and a flyover oystercatcher. A pair of shoveler and 10 gadwall, also the shelduck pair still have 2 chicks.

Very flooded today, no exposed mud at all. I guess any waders breeding on the mud have been flooded out The shelduck family now appears to be down to 2 chicks. Still a few swifts and a buzzard but not much else.

Generally pretty quiet, but the pair of shelduck still with the three chicks - delightful little characters - 1 redshank, 4 lapwings, reed buntings and plenty of swifts.

No sign of garganey on Lightshaw Hall Flash at 18:30 so probably moved to Pennington, though it could easily be tucked away out of view here. Pair of shelduck with 3 chicks, oystercatcher & a cormorant plus the usuals.

Drake garganey still present on Lightshaw Hall Flash late afternoon.

Garganey still present at 3.20pm. - But hard to see (from the hide accessed from leeds /liverpool canal ) due to its proximity near to the bank infront of hide .

Drake garganey still on Lightshaw Hall Flash at 13:45. Only really viewable from screen off lightshaw lane (with a telescope!). Spending a lot of time in reeds in front of the other screen but out of view from there most of the time due to height of vegetation.

Garganey still present at 20.25. Also Cuckoo calling.

Drake Garganey present this morning on Lightshaw Hall Flash.

Info thanks to Paul Brown

Afternoon visit,

1 Ringed Plover
3 Oystercatcher
2 Black-Tailed Godwit
20+ Lapwing
8 Linnet
5 Yellowhammer
4 Reed Bunting
Sedge and Reed Warbler heard
2 Grey Heron
4 Shelduck
Several Skylark singing

Canal and towpath- 1 mute swan,4 mallard,2 Canada geese with 1 gosling, jay,chaffinch,willow warbler,chiffchaff, great tit,blue tit,reed bunting,
Dover flash- 2 mute swan,4 coot,1 great crested grebe,1 shelduck, swift and swallow over water,
Lightshaw flash- 2 oystercatcher,8 grey lag geese,4 Canada geese, 1 kingfisher,1 cormorant,2 grey heron, c20 lapwing, 6 coot,several mallard, 4 skylark singing, buzzard over, cuckoo heard from direction of farm and then later from near canal possibly different birds.

Hi Simon I'll send a PM.

-- Edited by Mark Burgess on Saturday 2nd of May 2015 11:33:41 PM

Arrived here around 1030, might have been Mark Burgess I met, if so hello mate, that was me!

No Wood Sandpiper I could find, just Redshanks for me. Annoying but it's my fault, I was too lazy to head up here last weekend...

Interesting site, reminded me of Lunt Meadows in some ways. With the birds at that distance I would say well done indeed to the finder of the Wood Sandpiper, Rob. A great bit of work

I found the Cuckoo! In trees between the canal and the viewing screen. Seen in branches singing, then it dropped down into the scrub, but perched up on a branch for a minute or two, long enough for me to see that pose they have with the wings held down below the line of their body. Quite a dark bird, gun metal, darker than males I've seen before.

Also a Willow Tit that flew onto a reed head by the little stream alongside the path and I heard a Green Woodpecker from the Lightshaw Hall side

Good mooch about both sides opf the canal
Wood Sandpiper, Dunlin, Shoveler Redshank Teal Gadwalll Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Blacktailed Godwit, Oystercatcher Cuckoo heard Abram flash area, Reed Warbler Sedge Warbler Cetti Warbler reeds before path to viewing redoubt, Willow Warbler Reed Bunting, Grey wagtail, Yellowhammer back of pub, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat.


-- Edited by Ian Boote on Thursday 30th of April 2015 02:51:55 PM

Closer view of the wood sandpiper (I00% certain ). Ps. Cuckoo heard towards canal from the hide.

Wood sandpiper still present (distant , no zoom but 95% certain). Also- .
Dunlin x 8 . Redshank x 2 .
Little ringed plover x 2 .
Lapwing x 2 .
Common sandpiper x 1 . Black- tailed godwit x 2 .
Shelduck x 2 . Oystercatcherx1.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 29th of April 2015 04:06:21 PM

Wood Sandpiper still present on Lightshaw Hall Flash yesterday.

Info thanks to John Doherty

A couple of hours from 5pm - lovely sunny weather.

Thanks to the two birders already there who got me onto the Wood Sandpiper, which almost immediately flew out of sight! Fortunately, it came back a short while later and gave great views on the right hand bank and around the three tufts of grass on the first scrape in front of the screen. A GM tick for me.

In addition to Tim's sightings I can add a few more Black-tailed Godwits - my count was 5 - and a single Oystercatcher to the collection of waders. No Common Sandpiper for me though.

Others - Mallard, Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler and plenty of Swallows. A Cuckoo was calling repeatedly from the direction of the canal whilst I was at the flash also, but too distantly for a sighting.

On the walks down/back from Dover Lock to the flash there was warbler song everywhere with Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Cetti's Warbler heard (the last three around Dover Flash). Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler and Common Whitethroat seen as well.

Excellent collection of waders this afternoon 1.20pm on in chilly but beautiful conditions:

Wood Sandpiper 1
Common Sandpiper 1
Redshank 2
Dunlin 2
Black-tailed Godwit 2
Little Ringed Plover 2
Snipe 2
Lapwing 20+

also Linnets 2
Sand Martin 50+
Skylarks singing
Buzzard
Shelduck 2

Dave (nice to meet you) saw a Cuckoo briefly but it was not relocated

Lightshaw this morning,

Wood Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Cetti's Warbler
Little Egret


All birds present up to 07:15am

Wood sandpiper still present this eveing.

Wood Sandpiper still present in Lightshaw Hall Flash this afternoon.

Info thanks to John Doherty

Brilliant, thanks Bernard

Hi Simon
There are a couple of viewing screens although you are quite a distance away, i always take my scope, i generally park at the dover lock inn and walk down from there, just past dover flash ( or just before if coming from penny flash)there is a railing and path that leads off the canal towpath just through the gate the screen is visible, walk down this path until you reach a smaller path leading down to the screen, it can be a bit of a trek but i generally find it worth the effort,
good luck
Bernard

I was thinking of heading over here in the morning. I have never been over that way before so a few tips from some good folk of Wigan or Leigh would be much appreciated. If I have identified the right bit of water, is it between the canal and Lightshaw Lane? And so where do people normally have a look from, presuming the land is not accessible? It looks like it's only a bit further down the canal from Pennington Flash so I would most likely approach from that direction.

Thanks in advance

Wood sandpiper still showing when I left @2-30 although it was quite elusive for much of the time I was there, 2 black tailed godwit,5 redshank,2 oystercatcher,2 common snipe,3 shelduck, 4 grey lag geese 2 on water 2 in field,c20 teal, 2 grey heron, 4 shoveler, 2 sand martin and 7 swallow, 2 pied wagtail, 5 pheasant in surrounding fields, 30+ lapwing,cuckoo calling frequently from direction of crankwood, kestrel,willow warbler,chiffchaff,blackcap plus usual great tit etc,
Dover flash - 3 mute swan,2 grey heron,2 mallard,1 great crested grebe,1 shelduck,2 swallow over,

Wood Sandpiper currently on Lightshaw Hall Flash.

Info thanks to Rob Thorpe

On Saturday afternoon with Steve Atkins: Little egret 2 Redshank on Dover basin 4 Swallows Black-tailed Godwit Shelduck on Lightshaw Hall Flash

09.30 - 12.00 Cettis Warbler seen and heard Dover Flash, also 9 Tufted Duck; pair Gadwall; 7 Mute Swans; pair Shelduck; pair Teal (others heard); Great Crested Grebe; 5 singing Willow Warblers and 1 Blackcap.
Lightshaw Meadows :- 1 Little Ringed Plover; 1 Black tailed Godwit; 5 Redshank; 2 Grey Heron; pair Shelduck (came off Dover); pair Oystercatchers; 15-20 Teal; 3 Greylags; c.20 Lapwings; 2 Kestrels; 1 Buzzard; 1 Cormorant. Perhaps upto 15 singing Chiffchaffs in the whole area. Also Skylark and Stock Dove active

Out running this morning down the canal produced my first swallows of the year over Lightshaw meadows.
20+ Lapwing, Lightshaw Meadows
Plenty Chiffchaff heard

Little Egret on Lightshaw Flash this morning.

Info thanks to Judith Smith

missed from earlier post pair of buzzard seen mating, a guy walking down the canal told me heard a cettis warbler singing from above lightshaw,

Early pm visit
Dover flash- 5 mute swan,1 pochard,4 teal,7 tufted duck,mallard, coot,1 Canada goose,
Lightshaw flash- 1 black tailed godwit,1 little egret,4 oystercatcher,1 common snipe,2 shelduck,2 grey lag geese,2 gadwall,2 grey heron, several teal, mallard,lapwing,
2 golden plover over, 2 red legged partridge and 4 pheasant in surrounding fields, a few skylark singing, several reed bunting, .

pm visit
Canal + tow path
4 canada geese, 3 mallard, 1 pristine greenfinch, chiffchaff heard only, blue tit, great tit, robin, magpie,blackbird,
Dover flash
7 mute swan, 2 great crested grebe, 8 coot,2 teal, mallard, moorhen,
Lightshaw Flash + surrounds
1 black tailed godwit, 3 redshank, 4 shelduck, 2 oystercatcher, 13 common snipe, 2 grey lag geese, 20+ each of gadwall and teal, 25+ lapwing, mallard,2 grey heron, 2 pheasant with a moorhen in field, 50+ wood pigeon, carrion crow, kestrel, 2 willow tit,

P.M
2 Chiffchaff
1 Black - tailed Godwit
1 Redshank
2 Oystercatcher

Little Egret now on Dover Basin this morning and Cetti's Warbler present.

Info thanks to Judith Smith