also 2 grey wagtails and 2 willow tits every thing else was keeping its head down
while i was trying to stop my head from being blown off birders :we must be mental

21/3/08 am

Went seawatching this morn on Scotman`s

Only thing of note was my first Chiffchaff of the year, busily feeding, oblivious to me only feet away, round the back of Scotman`s.

8 Sand Martins around Horrock's and 6 around Pearson's/Scotmans this afternoon.

18/3/08 am visit
scotsmans
12 goldeneye
10 l b b gulls
10 common gulls
8 g c grebe
on walk up to horrocks
7 bullfinch
2 grey wagtails
3 gold crest singing
3 song thrush singing
1 chiffchaff
horrocks
5 oystercatchers
21 mute swans mix of adults+juv
13 cormorants
10 teal
20+ shoveler
1 barnacle
1 p f goose
pearsons
12 goldeneye
cettis still singing but not showing
l t tit nest building
i forgot 3 sand martins on scotsman


-- Edited by j meadows at 16:38, 2008-03-18

rob,the bikes great for getting round the flashes,but i promise it,ll never see a mountain or an avocet at this rate.

cheers geoff

17/03/08 1.00-2.00pm sunny intrvals no wind
cettis showed twice in the corner oposite sewer perched up and belted out its song it seems to like the sun.it perched on the fairly large shrub.heard it call at least 4 times in the hour i stayed.also a few wrens ,reedbuntings and long tailed tits in the reeds.

Paul Heaton wrote:

---

Rob Thorpe went off the tracks onto a solo search never saw him again hope he is alright, geoff hargreaves shot off home got his bike out at circled the flashes like a vulture,

---

I went off to check Tuner's Flash, but no luck... All i found was a Cockateil (possibly a wild one blown over from Oz in them gales last week? ) and a mountain-bike, which looked like it had been dumped until i noticed Geoff lurking in the undergrowth scanning Horrock's Flash.

17/3/08 (08.15-12.30)

3 Sand Martins and a lone Shelduck on Scotman`s,
single Oystercatcher commuting between Horrock`s Flash and the fields opposite.
5 Goosander (2m)
11+ Greylags, the Barnacle and the Pink-foot still present,
Kingfisher perched on the canal bank opp. Bryn Flash

Paul Heaton wrote:

---

Very wild looking Barnacle goose still on horrocks this afternoon, cannot see problem with this species certainly more wild than the egyptian goose at etherow,
but hom hum such is life
I wonder if the ones seen on 12 october 1980 at Pennington were any different

---

It seems that sometimes you can't do right for doing wrong Not so long ago Barnacles shouldn't be on the list and now they should because one 'looks wild'? If it's so wild, what's it doing still at Horrock's Flash

Barnacles are not on the website lists (note that doesn't mean they shouldn't be on your own list if you so desire, it's only a website ) as BOU list them as acceptable under catagories A and C2, where A is apparently wild (dubious at best for our birds unless anyone can actually prove otherwise, I believe there was one at Hollingworth/Akzo once that was ringed and proved to be from a wild population) and C2 is Naturalized established species - species with established populations resulting from introduction by Man, but which also occur in an apparently natural state, e.g. Greylag Goose Anser anser (are we sure any of our birds really come into that catagory?). As for Egyptian Goose, they are acceptable under the BOU catagory C1, Naturalized introduced species species that have occurred only as a result of introduction, e.g. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus (which fits our birds).

I'm certainly not saying that Barnacles can't occur here in a wild state (because that's been proven to be wrong) but how do we differentiate between the vast majority of those that are escapes and those very rare wild birds? It's chosen location, time of year, apparent waryness or accompanying species doesn't prove too much, last year's Pennington Ruddy Shelduck caused outcry when I dared doubt it's origins, right time of year, looked wary, kept to itself, then decided to go and hover around the burger van for scraps Most, if not all of the Barnacles at Marshide and Martin Mere are considered to be escapes (there used to be a small breeding population which was not self sustaining in the end but produced the roving flock that tours the north-west occasionally (with the escapee Red-breasted Goose in tow a while ago, including at Pennington Flash!). I'm more than happy to receive advise and opinion on this apparently contentious issue, so I'd ask anyone to please contact me off topic with it ta.

cettis still present this morning, very vocal and staying in one area nr the main path in the corner nr the sewage works, didnt show but hopefully should get easier soon.

Very wild looking Barnacle goose still on horrocks this afternoon, cannot see problem with this species certainly more wild than the egyptian goose at etherow,
but hom hum such is life
I wonder if the ones seen on 12 october 1980 at Pennington were any different

I note that in 1983 a Pennington Avocet seen on the 26th April was seen later at Lightshaw, I know after I saw them today Judith staked Lightshaw while Mr Woosey stayed at Scotsmans the Warfords attacked from Pearsons, Rob Thorpe went off the tracks onto a solo search never saw him again hope he is alright, geoff hargreaves shot off home got his bike out at circled the flashes like a vulture, hammy and me tried our best, proud to be a part of the GM BIRDERS today lads and lassies( judith)
It was a shame they did not show better and Judiths Photo is one to be proud of, added to her green winged teal photo she may get a prize for rarity photographer of the year.
as always
KEEP BIRDING

Paul Heaton went to Ochre Flash after they flew off from Scotman's Flash, and was just in time to see them fly off from there!
Pennington Flash, the Abram Flashes (pair of Pintail on Dover and the usual Blackwit) and Hope Carr were also checked but they weren't seen again. I did get some photos though, in the murk, which Ian will no doubt post if he hasn't done already.

horrocks flash rear pool,12ish 15/03/08

all the usuals + 2m 4 f goosander no avocets found,but rob turned up a cockateil(spell check)

cheers geoff

These are the first record of Avocet at the Wigan Flashes. I doff my cap to you Mr Woosey

15/3/08

At 08.15 I found 3 Avocets at the back of the front pool (canal-side) on Horrocks Flash, mingled with Black-headed Gulls. At 08.25 everything got spooked and flew up, the Avocets circled the flash with everything else but flew off low Westwards. Judith then arrived and we checked the back of Bryn Marsh without any luck. A bit later Dave re-found them in the middle of Scotman`s, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The `Manky "B" Team` are currently still searching for them, so more news to follow.

After being found on Horrocks' Flash, they flew off, possibly after a fox put everything up. They were relocated on Scotman's, where they were swimming among Black-Headed Gulls, feeding on emerging midges - lots about this morning. Boats came on to the Flash and the Avocets flew high SW shortly after 10:30. Ian Woosey's still on site. Also 2 Sand Martins and could hear Meadow Pipits flying over in the murk.

There's an Avocet on Birdguides for Wigan Flashes @ 8:40am

The Cetti's was singing well this morning in the NE corner of the reedbed (where the path descends into the reedbed from the lane at the back of the cemetery, alongside the stream)

horrocks flash 09/03/08 rear pool 12ish

2 great crested 20+ coot
20 tufted 4 gadwall
1 pochard 2 mute
1 greylag 4 canada
3 herons 2 moorhen
150+ bh gull 2 herring gull
2 lesser bb gull plus usual garden birds on route
3 manchester birders(p.heaton & the warfords)nice to see chaps ,hope you paid to park there

cheers geoff

Only 1 and half hour Brian are we slacking on this bird,
couple of water rail seen but no sign of any bittern
horrocks flash had very spring like activity and a very wild looking barnacle goose, plus pink foot good numbers of cormorants and our own county recorder on her bike busy counting everything

-- Edited by Paul Heaton at 14:06, 2008-03-09

no sight or sound of cettis this morning between 8 and 930 in very spring like conditions, maybe its gone.

7/3/08 (07.45-12.00)

6 Curlews moving North - four over Scotman`s at 08.05, a single over Horrock`s at 09.55, and another single followed at 10.05.
Also on Horrock`s :-
3 Wigeon.
Shelduck over.
pair of Goosander.
24 Greylags.
Pink-footed Goose, closely shadowed by the Barnacle Goose.
Kingfisher. (with a further 2 on Scotman`s)
42 Goldeneye on Pearson`s.
3 Grey Wags at Poolstock lock.
Skylarks singing near Park House Fm.

Cettis showed 3 times about 0900 this morning. It is favouring the North East corner near the sewage works and was seen in the vicinity of the alder. It was calling and singing every 2-3 minutes

Cetti's singing and seen very briefly @ about 12:00.

also, as i was walking along the small embankment that leads from the reedbed to the shore of Pearson's flash, a Bittern jumped up no more than a metre from my feet, grunted at me and tried to fly off into the wind. Amazing views as it hung in the air before letting the wind carry it over into the Cetti's reedbed. A long-awaited GM tick for me!

Not strictly in the Wigan Flashes, but close by, there was a single Golden Plover with 27 Lapwings in one of the fields near Park House Farm this morning.

Also, this evening at Horrock's Flash 2 Curlews flew south, then turned over the end of the flash and headed back north.

64 goldeneye roosted on scotman's on saturday evening (1st Mar)

Horrocks Flash rear pools blowin a gale but no teal found,all the usual suspects+6 herons roosting ,7 goldeneye found 2 displaying,great crested coming in to plumage,wandered on ,a pair of goosanders on the canal,teal calling from bryn marsh ,met up with woosey at the feeding station willow tit and sparrowhawk(nearly missed )on to pearsons not a ruddy to be had but 2 goldeneye, 1 pochard, 20+tufted 30 bh gulls ,little grebe and gsp drumming,spent a hour with brian trying to see the cetti,s no luck

beltin morning geoff

cettis still today but not showing

9.00 01/03/08

cetti,s warbler still in reed bed(heard only)

cheers geoff

No sign of the green-winged teal 9.30-11.00 today. Still a little ice on the fringes but mostly thawed and only about a dozen teal on the edges. The usual supporting cast so still a pleasant trip before work despite missing it again!
Steve

Bittern booming - can also be reported to me, as I have received an email from Simon Wootton which he has sent to all county recorders.

Could I ask all local birders to report any bittern activity in the next few weeks - especially booming - to Mark Champion, who will forward it to the RSPB. Thanks

good to hear the Cetti's is still there Dave.

GREEN WINGED TEAL still present this am on ice at Horrock's (Info from Paul Heaton).

The Cetti's Warbler was calling at Pearson's yesterday lunchtime (Tuesday 19th), in the margins of the reedbed opposite the cemetery chapel, also Treecreeper calling in the vicinity

As well as the Green-winged Teal, there were 68 Teal, 6 Wigeon, the Barnacle Goose, the Pink-footed Goose (appear to be a pair!) 25 Greylags (arrived to breed). Mostly standing on the ice around the pool alongside the canal. Tomorrow will be your last chance to see the Teals out on the ice as it's going to thaw tomorrow night. The GWT and other Teals were alongside the reedbed at the eastern end .

19/2/08

Just posting the news - more details to follow I would imagine ;

drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL present on Horrocks Flash, front pool (canal-side) @ 15.00

horrocks flash this am,with the grandkids only bins used and very brief at that,
rear pools
2 little grebe 6 teal
coot moorhen
1 heron 1 gs woodpecker
2 reed bunting 10 b h gull
lots of canada,15+greylag 1 odd looking goose 1 barnacle(ex pennington i think)
all the tits ect

cheers geoff

A good trip out today with Manchester RSPB members group.

41 species in total - including 3m 1f Goosander, 3 Kingfisher and the highlight at the end when a Sparrowhawk scattered the Goldfinches from the feeders behind the school.

Thanks to Judith who was coincidently doing the WeBS counts today - she'll have all the exact numbers !

cettis?? had a good listen this am 7.15 till 7.45 from the mound and didn,t hear the cettis
maybe it,s flown the coop.

geoff

Wednesday 06 Feb 08

Horrock's Flash - 13:00ish:
a Barnacle Goose and a Pink-footed Goose with 11 Greylags and loads of Canada Geese.

No sign of the Cetti's at Pearsons.



-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 20:00, 2008-02-06

I'm supposed to be leading a trip of Manchester RSPB Members Group around on Sunday morning but no-one has contacted me yet !

Anyone planning to be around on Sunday please PM me and we can exchange mobile numbers

No sign of the Cetti's yesterday. Has anyone seen/heard it since Monday 28th January?

I didn't have the Cetti's either this morning when I did the TTV, either. I had to break off for 20 minutes to extinguish a campfire that some idiot had lit in the woodland adjoining the reedbed where the Cetti's usually is. They'd actually built it against a living tree, and it was well stoked up. Luckily I had a pop bottle with me, so was able to get water from those ruts in the track, to extinguish it.

horrocks flash am in the same snow and hail as you jimmy

30 coot ,20 mallard,tufted,2 shoveler,15 mute swan 1 f.goldeneye 40 black h gull 4 teal on front pool 12 moorhens grazing in field opposite,railway pool 20 coot 10 tufted 2 gt crested grebe 6 canada 10 b h gulls, rear pool ,vision restricted by conditions 5 coot 2 little grebe. 2 g s woodpecker on railway and all the usual garden birds on the way back.

the rear screen area is currently out of bounds due to heavy diggers in there,but it looks like the
'monument' and the other large concrete block have been removed and a road has been cut into the flash on the right of the screen, hopefully to give decent views over the area.

cheers geoff

this morn during snow and hail showers
scotsmans
18 goldeneye lots of them displaying which is great to watch god know how they dont break there necks
2 little grebe
1 g b b gull plus the usual wildfowl
lots of gulls early morn but by the time the light was good enough they had gone n/e
pearsons
18 pochard
12 goldeneye
1 g c grebe
feeding station
2 water rails [cracking views]
10 reed buntings
1 willow tit
no sign of cettis but couldnt blame it not singing in them conditions

Nothing else of note except for the snipe that gave me a minor cardiac arrest when it flew from between my legs.

---

At the risk of lowering the tone, are you sure it wasn't a woodcock

No they are not - there were temp. lights at the new housing estate roundabout this morning!

However, the Cetti's was singing really well and also calling this morning, from the woodland path then round onto the lane at the back of the cemetery. It also showed well when it jumped into the lower branches of a willow bush where 2 male Bullfinches and a Reed Bunting were curious about this strange song!

Hi Geoff

The road works at Spring View seem to be finished

I put a Woodcock up on the waste-ground, where the motorbikers usually are, between Horrock's Flash and the Landfill site this morning.
A pair of Goosander on Ochre Flash, but not much else about.

Cettis singing again today, but not where I've heard it before. It appeared to be hanging around the copse that extends into the reedbed off the access track at the back of the cemetery. First time I heard it it was on the eastern side of this copse, which, from whats been said on here, is a way off its normal area. If you are walking up the track, there are a couple of informal paths leading into this area between telegraph post 5 and 7. Never heard it from any other area and my guess was this must have been the most sheltered area of the reedbed. Alas though I've still not seen it.

Nothing else of note except for the snipe that gave me a minor cardiac arrest when it flew from between my legs.

brian a fine effort,i,ll keep you updated on the cetties progress up the rushes as spring arrives,the road works on warrington rd are due to finish mid feb so untill then the delays at peak times are very bad.

cheers geoff