This morning, 4  Teal, 2 Gadwall,  5 Shoveler, 13 Goosander, 2 Oystercatchers,  17 Lapwings,  1 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Redshank,  5 Common Sandpipers, 2 Dunlin,  1 Ring-necked Parakeet and 1 Yellow Wagtail. 

Cattle Egret present on no. 1 at 6:55 this morning flew north east at 07:10 after being mobbed by gulls.

This morning:

20 Little Egrets on no 1 departed west at 6.50am

10 Common Sandpipers

5 Teal

3 Shovelers

2 Oystercatchers

19 Lapwings

4 Little Ringed Plovers

c100 Swifts

1 Ring-necked Parakeet

2 Wood Sandpipers still on no 1 resr this morning along with 3 Teal, 3 Shoveler,  19 Lapwings, 10 Common Sandpipers,  9 Redshank, 1 Dunlin,  several Little Ringed Plovers,  c150  Sand Martins and c40 Swifts. 

This afternoon a Wood Sandpiper was on no 1 resr and showing quite well favouring the 2 small islands adjacent to the big island in the NW corner. Also 1 Shoveler,  2 Wigeon,  1 Redshank,  3 Common Sandpipers.

Late news for yesterday morning:

3 Black-tailed Godwits, an adult Mediterranean Gull,  4 Shoveler,  2 Oystercatchers,  10 Lapwings,  16 Little Ringed Plovers,  5 Common Sandpipers,  1 Little Grebe.

3 drake Common Scoters on no 2 this morning.

Also 7 Teal,  2 Gadwall,  2 Shoveler,  2 Little Grebes,  2 Oystercatchers,  7 Lapwings,  1 Whimbrel through South,  1 Curlew,  1 Dunlin,  2 Ring-necked Parakeets, c50 Swifts,  c120 Sand Martins and a Willow Warbler. 

This morning, 2  Gadwall, 5 Shoveler,  2 Oystercatchers,  7 Lapwings and 2 Little Grebes, 3 Swifts. 5 Sand Martins and 1 Swallow. 

This morning- 3 Shoveler,  2 Gadwall,  3 Pochard,  1 Little Grebe, 1 Ringed Plover (Tundra race bird), c200+ Swifts,  c20 Sand Martins but only singles of Swallow and House Martin. 

Black Tern over no 1 reservoirj

Sanderling still on No. 3 this afternoon, also 5 Redshank on no. 1.

This morning- 2 short staying Dunlin, 1 Skylark,  1 Willow Warbler and usuals. 

This morning,  4 Shelduck,  1 Whimbrel still on the bank of no 3,  3 Oystercatchers,  c50 Swifts and 4 Yellow Wagtails. 

This morning 3 Whimbrel were commuting between the banks of no 2 and no 3 (for their second day),  2 Common Sandpipers,  Oystercatcher,  2 Yellow Wagtails,  3 Wheatears,  a singing Lesser Whitethroat on the railway side adjacent to no 2  and a Whitethroat by the covered reservoir.

The summer plumage Slavonian Grebe was still on No.2 reservoir this evening. It was associating with a pair of Great Crested Grebes for most of the time which occasionally tried to chase off, with all three taking flight low over the water a couple of times with the Great Crested Grebes in hot pursuit. The Slavonian even appeared to do a bit of displaying towards one of the Great Cresteds . A GM first for me and a plumage first.

Also:
4 Goosander - 3m, 1f . Also some displaying by the males.
20+ Swift
Hundreds of Sand Martins

Breeding plumaged Slavonian Grebe currently on no.2.

This morning, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 7 Common Sandpipers,  7 Dunlin, c10 + Swifts,  2 Yellow Wagtails, and 2 Wheatears. Also a new singing Sedge Warbler. 

Highlights this morning were a female type Black Redstart in the SE corner of no 1,  before moving along the E wall of no 2. Other birds included 14 Teal,  a drake Common Scoter, 1 Oystercatcher,  4 Common Sandpipers. 4 Dunlin. 3 Swifts,  2 Yellow Wagtails,  a singing Sedge Warbler and 3 Wheatears. 

This morning the drake Lesser Scaup remains on no 1. Other birds included a Little Tern, 1 Arctic Tern, and 2 Common Terns. Ten species of wader this morning with Lapwing,  1 Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plovers,  1 Dunlin, 1 Snipe,  2 Whimbrel,  2 Common Sandpipers,  2 Green Sandpipers,  and a Greenshank. 2 Shoveler,  4 Ring-necked Parakeets,  1 Swift,  c30 House Martins,  5 Yellow Wagtails,  1 White Wagtail, and 7 Wheatears. 

Drake Lesser Scaup still on no 1 reservoir this afternoon. Fluctuating numbers of Little Gulls on no 2 as the rain bands came through, peak count of 27 (24 adults) and at least 19 still present when I left 16.40, also 100+ Sand Martin. 

18 Little Gulls on no 2 this afternoon and the drake Lesser Scaup still present on no 1.

This morning the drake Lesser Scaup remains on no 1, otherwise fairly quiet with the Rock Pipit still on the causeway,  3 Oystercatchers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper.

Other birds this morning included a Common Sandpiper,  c150+ Sand Martins,  c10 Swallows,  1 House Martin and 4 Wheatears. 

Drake Lesser Scaup currently on no.1 reservoir.

Site access is by permit only.

This morning’s hightings included 4 Greylag Geese,  8 Teal, 2 male Common Scoters, 4 Little Ringed Plovers,  4 White Wagtails and now 2 Rock Pipits (the smart breeding plumaged littoralis bird for it's 3rd day and a duller individual).

Sightings from this morning included 9 Teal,  5 Wigeon, 5 Pochard,  Water Rail,  1 Little Grebe, 1 Curlew. 1 Little Ringed Plover,  c80 Sand Martins,  a couple of Swallows,  1 littoralis type Rock Pipit,  and 6 White Wagtails. Also a marked passage of Common Gulls with c300+ through.

Friday afternoon 3-5pm - of note...

• red-head Smew - came and landed obligingly near the female Goosander for a few minutes enabling a size comparison
• Goosander - 1M 1F but not near each other (argument?)
• Oystercatcher - 2
• Goldeneye - between 5 & 10, more F than M
• Sand Martins - 100's, not surprising with the amount of flies around which were a bit of a pain
• White Wagtails - at least 4, but with a load of Pied Wagtails (and a couple of Grey) always moving around so difficult to be sure whether there were more (at least the White's were clearly different, grey backs, very neatly demarcated black bib). At one point several Pieds mobbed a crow, the Whites did not join in.

And the bonus whilst walking along Audenshaw Road back to the car, a female Sparrowhawk just sitting on the reservoir wall looking down at the road

Early morning up to 9am today, 23 Teal, 27 Wigeon,  8 Shoveler,  3 Pochard,  1 redhead Smew,  1 Water Rail,  2 Oystercatchers,  1  Swallow,  just 4 Sand Martins and 7 White Wagtails. 

This afternoon, drake Garganey on no 1,  4 Shoveler, redhead Smew, 1 Water Rail in NE corner of no 1, 2 Oystercatchers,  35 Sand Martins,  2 White Wagtails,  1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Rock Pipit,  and 1 Wheatear.

2 Avocets present this morning though very mobile due to very high water levels currently.

Also a drake Garganey present too.

This morning, Smew still, male Common Scoter,  34 Teal, 3 Shoveler,  1 Pochard,  38 Goldeneye, 2 Oystercatchers. 1 Curlew and 21 Sand Martins.

09:30-10:40

Redhead Smew still on number 1. 3 drake Common Scoter on number 2. 10 Sand Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 10 Reed Bunting, 7 Meadow Pipit, many Goldeneye,Teal and Great Crested Grebe, 2 Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, 3 Grey Wagtail.

This morning- 18 Teal,  23 Wigeon,  19 Pochard, 1 male Common Scoter, redhead Smew,  1 Little Grebe,  2 Oystercatchers,  6 Lapwings,  1 Curlew,  5 Sand Martins,  c15 each of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits and 4 Reed Buntings.

This evening:

adult Kittiwake

first winter Caspian Gull

redhead Smew still in no. 1

Audi early sightings today including 1 Shelduck, 7 Pochard, the redhead Smew still on no 1, 2 Oystercatchers and the 1st winter Caspian Gull on no 3. 

Mid-morning to mid-afternoon today saw 36 Teal,  1 drake Pintail,  2 Gadwall,  6 Pochard,  c30 Goldeneye, and 2 Goosander. A 1st winter Caspian Gull lingering on no 3,  still present early afternoon initially feeding on a dead fish, also occasionally getting on the grass banking on no 3 adjacent to the motorway. The redhead Smew was still present on no 1.

Redhead Smew still on no 3 reservoir this morning and drake Pintail still on no 1 reservoir. Other birds included 21 Teal,  11 Pochard,  c20+ Goldeneye,  1 Goosander and 9 Lapwings

Late news for yesterday early afternoon:

c25 Teal

1 drake Pintail

1 Wigeon

10 Pochard

c20 Goldeneye

redhead Smew

7 Goosander

3 Lapwings