This evening Littleton rd to Kersal dale:

4 Common sandpipers - highest count from here
6 Goosander
1 Kingfisher
10 Tufted ducks around the crescent - unusual to see so many late in April. Perhaps cold weather made them think it's winter

Late post from yesterday morning at The Castle irwell wetland:

Little egret - site first
2 Gadwall - site first
2 Teal
4 Grey herons
2 Oystercatchers
2 Swallows
3 House Martins

Highlights from this morning from crescent to Kersal dale:

Willow warbler singing along Frederick road - my earliest ever
Blackcap singing
13 Redwings along Frederick road
C. 20 Sand Martins
2 Linnets flying over (one singing) /> 1 Greylag Goose - kersal dale
Mute swans displaying - Castle irwell (viewed from bridge)



-- Edited by Zoe Barrett on Saturday 1st of April 2017 11:57:03 AM

-- Edited by Zoe Barrett on Saturday 1st of April 2017 11:59:16 AM

-- Edited by Zoe Barrett on Saturday 1st of April 2017 12:04:08 PM

This evening at agecroft bridge:

2 Dippers
1 Kingfisher
2 Goosander
50 Jackdaws

Late post from Sunday:

4 Chiffchaffs singing (2 kersal dale and 2 university area)
9 Goldeneye - kersal dale
1 Great Crested grebe -upstream from Littleton road
1 Kingfisher - downstream from Agecroft bridge

Plus usuals

Thanks I've let them know.

Salford friendly anglers have that stretch. They have a web site you can contact them on.

John Sleaford wrote:

---

Just seen a Mink on the Irwell on the stretch up stream from Forest Bank bridge. Do you notify anyone about them?

---

If a fishing club has the fishing rights then let them know,they will more than likely try and trap them,they got rid of two on the canal near me when I reported them to their secretary.

Just seen a Mink on the Irwell on the stretch up stream from Forest Bank bridge. Do you notify anyone about them?

Winter Wetland Bird Survey M60 to Ringley Road Bridge 8.15 - 10:45am

The spell of cold and dry weather has made conditions ideal for ducks to feed on the river.

5 Canada Geese
39 Teal (the largest flock of 23 was feeding just downstream from the Ringley ETW outflow
69 Mallard
8 Goosander
1 Cormorant
14 Moorhen
4 Dipper including two having a territorial stand off on the shoreline (singing and posturing until one chased the other into the river)
34 Black-headed Gull
3 Grey Wagtail

Thanks to everyone who took part in the survey and to Mike Beard for doing a great job of organising it. Virtually the whole of the River Irwell (and the Croal up to Rock Hall) has been counted this morning over the same 2-2.5 hour period from Salford Quays all the way upstream to Springside Farm north of Burrs Country Park. A very impressive effort by everyone involved

Once we have done all the number crunching it will be interesting to see how the results compare with the original surveys carried out over the winter of 1998-99. A Raven was calling from the top of an electricity pylon above the Kearsley Rd, to the east of Prestolee and took flight south across the river.

-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Saturday 21st of January 2017 07:53:13 PM

Winter wetland bird survey from Cromwell Rd to Littleton Rd (8-10am):

1 Woodcock
1 Cormorant
1 Grey heron
5 Goosander
6 Teal
6 Tufted ducks
7 Little grebes
14 Canada geese
19 Goldeneye
22 Mallard

Also of note around River included:

Great spotted Woodpecker
5 Goldcrests
4 Song thrushes (singing)
12 Lapwings over

3 Teal near Kersal dale
1 Kestrel on the Meadows
9 Fieldfare at the cliff playing fields

Water level high so fewer ducks on river than expected for time of year

2 Waxwings on Belfort drive next to best one shop in Ordsall feeding on crab apple tree

2 Dippers - next to Agecroft bridge
1 Teal (m) - Agecroft bridge
5 Redwings - Littleton road
12 Goldeneye (11f 1m) - kersal dale
1 Wigeon (F) - castle irwell wetland
2 Linnets - castle irwell

Belated post from last week:

Woodcock flushed from trees in between River and plating fields just past Peel park. Unusual location!!

Today during cold and frosty conditions From agecroft to crescent road:

Dipper - first ever seen along this stretch
Kingfisher
Wigeon (female) also first seen on river
16 Goldeneye
17 Tufted duck
12 Little grebes
13 Lapwing on Littleton playing fields
2 Reed buntings seen in Kersal dale
Kestrel
Plus usuals

-- Edited by Zoe Barrett on Saturday 26th of November 2016 05:11:20 PM

-- Edited by Zoe Barrett on Saturday 26th of November 2016 05:12:51 PM

At Salford university late afternoon :

6 Grey herons
26 Cormorants
2 Tufted ducks
30 Goldfinches at Peel Park

River Irwell at Kersal dale & Castle irwell:

Kingfisher
Buzzard
3 Lapwing
3 Chiffchaffs
12 Skylarks over
Plenty of goldcrests

This afternoon Irwell at Salford uni:

3 Tufted duck (1m 2F)
35 Cormorants - site record for this species
Sparrowhawk

Castle irwell\kersal dale:

3 Mute Swan
4 Goosander
1 Tufted duck
Kingfisher
Lesser redpoll
4 Meadow pipits

Saturday late post at Hough lane bridge (in between Peel park and Frederick road):

5 Swallow over
Bullfinch
Goldcrest

Castle irwell\Kersal dale:

Lesser redpoll over
3 Siskin
12 Linnets
20 Meadow pipits on site many more heard or seen over southbound
2 Cormorants
Goosander

Sightings from this afternoon at River Irwell at Kersal dale:

Peregrine flew low over kersal dale
Common sandpiper
Kingfisher
Kestrel male
Bullfinch
Goldcrest
Chiffchaff
Grey wagtail
2 Jays
2 Little grebes including a juvenile
5 Goosander by Littleton bridge

Castle irwell wetland:

Wheatear female
Common gull amongst lessers and black-heads
Sparrowhawk juvenile
Meadow pipit
10 Mistle thrush
150 Jackdaw
60 Carrion Crows


-- Edited by Zoe Barrett on Sunday 25th of September 2016 08:32:27 PM

a stroll along the river from trinity way bridge to Adelphi bridge & back this afternoon.

7 goosanders
67 Canada geese
3 grey wagtails
2 grey herons
1 mute swan
12+ long tailed tit
3 chiffchaff
11 mistle thrush
6 house martins
1 sparrowhawk

Post from around Kersal dale/Castle irwell yesterday:

Great spotted Woodpecker
Kingfisher
Nuthatch
2 Goosander
4 Linnets
15 Sand Martins
5 Chiffchaffs
Also surprised to see Roe deer on the River bank

Irwell near crescent Meadows this afternoon:

2 Sparrowhawks
3 Mute swans
8 Little grebes
3 Chiffchaff
7 Long-tailed tits
Kingfisher showing really well

20 Goosander near Adelphi bridge today

Last night at Littleton road: 20+ Sand Martins 2 Mute Swan 2 Great Crested grebe 2 Little grebe 12 Canads geese with grown goslings 11 Mallards including small ducklings Blackcap, Song thrush, Willow warbler, Whitethroat, Blackbird all singing 12 House Martins by Castle Irwell university buildings

Common Sandpiper this morning at 9:30 flying downstream from Regent Road bridge

This evening:


20 Sand martins
2 Goosanders
2 Mute swans
2 Little Grebes
2 Swallows
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Whitethroat
1 Blackcap

Late post from yesterday around crescent meadows area:

2 Willow Warblers
1 Chiffchaff
20 Sand martins at Adelphi bridge - possibly new colony! Shame it is being developed.

This evening from Littleton road to Kersal dale:

2 Common Sandpipers
2 Goosanders
2 Mute swans
2 Lapwing (Castle Irwell)
40 Sand martins

This evening in strong cold gusts:

2 Little ringed plover
12 Teal
106 Lesser black-backed gulls - a site record for me :)

Short visit this morning from Littleton road to kersal dale:

1 Willow warbler
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
30 Sand martins

5 Shoveler at Castle Irwell

walk this evening along the stretch between Kersal dale and Littleton road, a perfectly nice evening spoilt by kids on off-road motorbikes.

Highlights:

male Wheatear showing well before motorbike screamed past me
2 Blackcaps singing in trees near allotments, the first of the year

Evening visit with Simon Warford.

Castle Irwell:

3 Oystercatchers
10 Herring Gulls
15 Teal
20 Sand Martins
92 Lesser black-backed Gulls

River Irwell between Kersal dale and Littleton:

4 Wheatears (3 male 1 female)

River @ Salford uni:

23 Cormorants (flying to roost)

River Irwell stretch from Littleton road to Agecroft bridge:

3 Linnets
4 Chiffchaffs
16 Sand martins

Castle Irwell Wetland 18.00 - 20.00

1 Redshank
2 Lapwing
c.300 Jackdaws

Yesterdays sightings:

2 Sparrowhawks (magnificent displaying over Kersal dale swooping down over trees)
2 Kingfishers (boniface bridge)
2 Sand martins ( Littleton bridge) first back here

Castle Irwell:

19 Teal
1 Buzzard
1 Curlew heard flying over

River Irwell from University to Cromwell Rd:

2 Kingfishers flying past Cromwell bridge
2 Tufted ducks
2 Goosander
1 Kestrel chased by crows
8 Siskins feeding on the ground
No Goldeneye seen on this occasion perhaps gone back to Scandinavia?

Kersal Dale:

12 Lesser redpolls
2 Buzzards

Yesterday during WeBS Count: with Steve Atkins and Tim Cosford:

Littleton to Agecroft:

2+ Skylarks over
1+ Meadow pipit over
1 Linnet in subsong
10 Fieldfares
4 Mistle Thrush and one singing
1 Nuthatch
1 Collared dove
2 Long-tailed tits nest building plus more seen
singing birds including Goldcrest, Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Robins, Chaffinchs
2 Bullfinch
Goldeneyes displaying

Kersal Dale:

4 Goosander (2 male 2 females)
2 Great spotted woodpeckers drumming
5 Goldeneyes displaying
1 Lapwing
2 Grey herons
2 Grey wagtails
1 Siskin

3 Woodcock flushed along the riverside at Kersal Dale this morning during a clean up of all the litter following the floods, with Melanie B and Zoe B.

Yesterdays WeBS count the Weir at crescent road to Agecroft bridge:

2 Goosander
3 Goldeneye
3 Grey Wagtails
3 Pied wagtails
2 Cormorants
3 Grey herons
79 Mallard
57 Canada Geese
7 Moorhen
5 Little grebes
6 Tufted ducks

Salford Sports village playing fields:

108 Starlings
26 Mistle Thrushes
1 Kestrel
200+ Black-headed Gulls

Castle Irwell Wetland:

11 Herring Gulls
2 Lapwing
18 Lesser-black backed gulls
200 Jackdaws

Also singing Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Song and Mistle Thrushes

Littleton Road Playing fields (Salford sports village)

300 Black-headed Gulls
40 Starlings
15 Mistle Thrushes
23 Magpies
1 Kestrel
5 Siskins

Salford uni:
2 Treecreepers
2 Jays

David Lewis Playing fields

43 Woodpigeons

Rather late post from sunday morning in nice weather:

1 Kingfisher near Kersal Dale
3 Goosander
28 Cormorants at dusk
37 Lapwings over Castle Irwell flood basin
16 Goldeneyes
1 Goldcrest singing near Kersal Dale

Summary of sunday's WeBS count from the Weir (salford uni) to Agecroft bridge:

204 Black-headed Gulls
124 Canada Geese
11 Common Gulls
1 Cormorant
5 Goosanders
28 Goldeneye
1 Greylag Goose
3 Grey Wagtails
1 Kingfisher
1 Lapwing
4 Lesser black-backed Gulls
9 Little Grebes
103 Mallard
9 Moorhen
2 Pied Wagtails
87 Tufted Ducks

other highlights include:

140 Pink-footed geese flying west
c. 40 Siskin
90 Fieldfare

Very little on river today. Highlights were -

60+ Redwing in Peel Park in subsong
36 Siskins feeding on alder by Cromwell Road
1 Greylag Goose amongst Canada Geese between Littleton and Jubilee bridge
26 Cormorants at roost:

Happy new year everyone!

18 Tufted Ducks near university
2 Little Grebes near university
11 Goldeneye near Frederick road
20+ Redwing in Peel Park
108 Black-headed Gulls in flooded section of Peel Park. The park was completely submerged only 4 days ago

Late morning near Salford University:

Great views of a male kestrel
10 Grey herons in trees roosting. Seems strange seeing so many roosting so early in the day, some flew in while i stood there
6 Tufted Ducks
17 Canada Geese
3 Little Grebes
1 Grey Wagtail

Late post from Yesterdays WeBS Survey (Crescent to Agecroft bridge):

1 Common Gull, Mew Gull
1 Goosander
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher
3 Cormorant, Great Cormorant
4 Grey Heron, Heron
4 Tufted Duck
5 Teal, Common Teal, Eurasian Teal
10 Moorhen, Common Moorhen
16 Dabchick, Little Grebe
26 Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye
58 Canada Goose, Greater Canada Goose
61 Black-Headed Gull
111 Mallard

3 Goldeneyes by Frederick bridge

Littleton to Agecroft:

23 Lapwings flying over Charlestown
6 Goldeneye
4 Siskin
2 Meadow Pipits flying over salford sports village
1 Jay
1 Goosander drake
1 Bullfinch male
1 Nuthatch
plus lots of the usuals (goldfinch, blackbirds, tits etc.)