RT Diver still present this morning

Chiffchaff NW corner of Scotman's

The Red-Throated Diver was diving in the NW corner of Scotman's late afternoon
1 adult Great Black-Backed Gull
1 adult Scandanavian Herring Gull

There seem to be quite a few escaped Cockatiels around. There has been the odd one at the Wigan Flashes, though it's some years since I saw one there myself. Once you know their call that's generally how you locate them as they can be noisy critters. They do seem to survive for a while if the gulls don't get them and can be around a site for some months.

Thanks Dave - Cockatiel it is then unless there are any other ideas- having looked at various web sites I'm fairly sure that you are absolutly right. As I recall I have never actually seen a Cockatiel before so to see one in flight on Wigan Flashes was amazing. Has one been seen on the Flashes previously and what else do you guys have up your sleeves?

Thanks

Sid

-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:35, 2008-10-12

-- Edited by sid ashton at 21:37, 2008-10-12

sounds like a Cockatiel

Diver still present at 4pm.

Diver still there at 11:30. Female Stonechat by the bridge.

Good directions Geoff easy to find, thanks - had a really good walk around the flashes - nice place especially when the sun came out just as I was leaving at 10.00!

Found the Diver OK - nice bird, also several Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Shoveller, Ruddies etc but just before I left I was attracted to bird flying fairly low towards me from Scotmans (I was on the path between the flash & the canal) and then it flew over the canal - it was a pale grey bird, white upper wing bars, long tail (like a Cuckoo in flight) and a distinctive call/squawk ( I had never heard before). The gulls then started to mob it ( it was a little smaller than the BH Gulls), it turned back over Scotmans and I lost it - all over in about 30 seconds. I was chatting to a photographer at the time and neither of us could ID the bird - anyone got an idea - possible Grey Parrot or something special? I reckoned this would happen one dayI would find something really exotic and not know what it was!!!

Sid A

-- Edited by sid ashton at 12:18, 2008-10-12

red throated diver still on 3pm,plus dark bellied brent goose went over flying ne at 2.30pm ish.

sid,m6 jun 25 a49 for wigan,right onto poolstock lane(b5238)right on to carr lane then left and park in welman road.a to z page 82 4d.when you get there with the school on your right take the path in front of you till you get to the canal walk to your left and you,ll be in the right area,I,ve had good views of the diver from the bottom right hand
corner,scotmans is the last of the flashes so if walk south and follow any of the paths
you,ll struggle to get lost.Enjoy the flashes.

cheers geoff

OK guys I give in , I'm coming to Wigan to look for the Diver - but never having been to Scotmans before would appreciate directions from the M6 to a "safe" parking place - I get twitchy thses days simce our break-in at Burton Point. Any tips on the flashes, suggested walks etc would be welcome.

PS do I need to bring my passport - just joking!!

Sid

-- Edited by sid ashton at 16:41, 2008-10-11

7 10 shift scotmans 10/10/08 red throated diver still present showing quite well.

cheers geoff
also 15 wigeon who circled the flashes for ten minutes in the half light of dawn (trailing points behind them)then landed on pearsons just long enough for me to catch the strange wing pattern of immature male(collins page 51 centre)which had me stumped untill I saw that the same 15 had been seen over pennington,

birding in the dark, love it

-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves at 21:42, 2008-10-10

R T Diver still there this evening near to canal, Fem Sparrowhawk over turners,

Took the dogs fr a walk up to Scotsman's toady... just 'happened' to have bins with me also...

Red-throated Diver still present at 11:45 - and a Kingfisher on canal as we walked back to Poolstock - not bad for a quick 'dog walking' session I reckon.


Neil.

9/10/08

Red-throated Diver still present on Scotman`s Flash this morning.

Treecreeper in Hawkley Wood, and a Snipe over Bryn Marsh.

Red-throated Diver still present on Scotmans Flash this morning.

Info thanks to Judith Smith

Red-throated Diver still there at 18:55 - I'm glad, as I took the missus to see it - which she did! Great stuff!

No Judith. All 21 were on Scotman`s. I only casually checked Pearson`s and didn`t make counts of anything on there.

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 21:57, 2008-10-06

Ian, did you count the 4 Little Grebes on Pearson's in your total of 21?

6/10/08 a.m.

Red-throated Diver still present on Scotman`s.

Also 4 Wigeon & 21 Little Grebes. 4 House Martins and a Swallow over.
18 Snipe over Hawkley Reedbed,
Buzzard & Sparrowhawk over Ochre Flash,
4 Skylarks near Park House Farm.

c90 Pink-footed Geese over @ 10:35 heading NW.

red throated diver still there at 5-10. me and my dad went on the way home from martin mere.

16:00 - Red-throated Diver still present, and very kindly coming quite close to the canal side of the flash (after originally deciding to be over at the Yachting Club end) - much appreciated as it made it a hell of a lot easier to find with the 'scope and bins!

Can I also say a big THANK YOU to everyone here for reporting this - it's a 'lifer' for me, and also I have to say my first 'twitch' thanks to this thread!!!

Also - John Tymon - nce chatting with you.

Regards!


Neil.

good views of the diver this morning.also saw (resplendant in all black plumage) a spectacled jimmy meadows pipit mixing very sociably with a flock of birders from bury.

also 2 House martins and a few Skylarks Over
Plenty Birders turning up to see the bird

With Peter & Norma Johnson, nothing at Elton this a.m. so decided to see how the other half do birding, excellent views of the Diver until 11.15 when we had to leave for me to go to the football. A county first for me and also met some very friendly birders as well.
Cheers Ian

Scotmans Red throated diver still present 7.00 till 10.15 it doesn,t seem to fussed about the boats but it,s ranging all over the flash.

cheers geoff

Geoff Hargreaves wrote:

---

after a very long wait finally got to see the red throated diver(county life etc tick) and a brace of county photographers mr dancy and tymon the latter dragged kicking and screaming away from pennington for this cracking bird.Still present at 16.00,

cheers geoffand thanks to mr woosey for pointing out the raven

-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves at 17:10, 2008-10-04

---

thanks for a bash with the scope-realy need one of them

after a very long wait finally got to see the red throated diver(county life etc tick) and a brace of county photographers mr dancy and tymon the latter dragged kicking and screaming away from pennington for this cracking bird.Still present at 16.00,

cheers geoffand thanks to mr woosey for pointing out the raven

-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves at 17:10, 2008-10-04

diver  still middle of scotsmans-4.30pm

4/10/08

Raven SW over Scotman`s at 14:10

Diver still present 14:30

Snipe over Ince Moss, and female Sparrowhawk perched up overlooking Hawkley Reedbed - corker !

red throated diver still present at 1pm atleast

Info thanks to geoff hargreaves

red-throated diver still present on scotmans this morning

Info thanks to paul hammond

If any county photographers are intending to visit tomorrow in order to obtain some shots of this very photogenic bird (well, it was today atleast) it would be very much appreciated as we are severly lacking in high quality Red-throated Diver pics and they'd make a great acquisition for next years annual county bird report. If you would rather know if it is still present before setting off then please feel free to contact me by mobile phone first for an update

Red-throated diver still present tonight 5.45-6.00 pm at least.
It was preening very actively at first before resuming diving as I left and looked pretty healthy to me.
Pity I didn't have my camera as I went from work, because it was very close in to the path!
Steve

The Red-throated Diver is still present at 9:30am and showing well close to the bank (though it may have some form of injury which fortunately doesn't appear to be too much of a hinderance at the moment, so fingers crosed)

Info thanks to Mark Rigby, Ian Woosey, Judith Smith and Dave Broome (thanks for the updates which in turn have gone to update Birdnet information pagers as usual)

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 12:11, 2008-10-03

Red Throated Diver still present 0720 at least diving continually.

Info from Simon

Red-throated Diver still present at 6:10pm and roosting (photos to follow tomorrow on the galleries).

Info thanks tp Judith Smith

Red-throated Diver still present on Scotmans Flash at 5:30pm and showing well on and off, occasionally close in to the canal (and then disappearing only to pop up nearer the middle of the flash in one dive!).

Info thanks to Ian Woosey

Red-throated Diver on Scotmans Flash at 4pm atleast today.

Info thanks to Dave Broome

30/9/08

1st W. Mediterranean Gull present on the jetty at Scotmans Flash, 17:00

Info thanks to Dave Broome.

29/9/08

5 Snipe over Pearsons, 3 Greylags over Horrocks, and 2 Kingfishers flying along the canal was all that was on offer this morning........

rear of pearsons after brekki,12.00 14.00

2 teal 5 snipe on the scrape,obliviuos to my presence feeding away untill the combined forces of the three sisters rambling team and 6 spaniels flushed them

cheers geoff

horrocks flash after bacon & egg 27/09/08 full circuit
usual water fowl, of note

4 pochard (only 3 juv seen)
7 shoveler
1 g s woodpecker ,same as abram post but in no man,s land

the raptor watch point has now closed untill next season,all enquirys to mr woosey for bookings and availability
cheers geoff

26/9/08 a.m.

2 Wigeon on Scotmans Flash, and 2 on Pearsons Flash,
6 Snipe over Hawkley Reedbed, and 4 on Horrocks Flash,
28 Great Crested Grebes & 10 Little Grebes on Scotmans,
Chiffchaff singing in Hawkley Wood,
Mute Swan with 7 well-grown cygnets along the canal.

horrocks flash raptor watch point ,part two 21/09/08

myself and mr woosey 11.00 till 13.30

4 snipe
1 g s pecker
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk (male perched up briefly)
1 common buzzard
3 heron
1 hobby (11.45)
1 common gull
1 adult pochard with 4 juv
lots of jays over or one very busy one
no osprey or honey buzzard yet,the hobby was around but didn,t show as well as yesterday

cheers geoff

20/9/08 p.m.

Horrocks Flash Raptor View-point with Mr Hargreaves & Mr Linkman ;

Male MARSH HARRIER heading SW @12:30 at a fair height,

adult & juv Hobbies mooching about continuously,
2 Common Buzzards,
Kestrel,
Kingfisher.

20/9/08 a.m.

Juvenile Hobby over Horrocks Flash @ 09:25
Also 8 Snipe.
2 Kingfishers on canal near Moss Bridge, and 9 Little Grebes on Scotmans.

Osprey over the flashes around 5:10 this afternoon, apparently spending a bit of time hovering around Horrock's and then possibly heading off towards the Abram Flashes.

Info thanks to Dave Broome

H-Flash 11:30-12:30

Hobby catching and eating insects high over the flash
Garganey flew into the front (canal) pool at 12:00
Kestrel 4 over the flash