Friday 17th 19:30pm.

Ring-necked Parakeet in gardens at Morville Drive in the SW corner of Scotsman Flash, calling so if it carries on it should be fairly 'easy' to locate if it's about.

Found by and information supplied to me by Dave Broome.

Chough - stranger things have happened, 3 were on Holcombe Moor 13.9.95! You're all too young to remember it.

I definately dont think it should be allowed!! I would never have ticked it

Very nice, thanks Simon......................didn`t see any `tame` Nightjars though - are you sure you can all tick that ??????? - I don`t think it should be allowed ! ! ! I could have brought a Chough back with me in my suitcase, released it at Burnt Edge and claimed a Manc tick ! ! ! ! ............. preposterous behaviour - shame on you all !

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 14:51, 2007-08-12

Nice holiday Ian? See much?

-- Edited by warfy at 12:45, 2007-08-12

12/8/07 early morning

Well, pitiful really..............

3 Snipe on Horrocks front pool, and a Kingfisher along the canal,
f.Teal and 3 Common Terns.
juv Sedge Warbler, Scotman`s

.............should`ve gone to Rumworth !

pearsons from from the silo hide usual waterfowl,
2 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
6 young pheasant flushed(who jumped the most me or the birds)

horrocks flash
lots of canada ,lapwing, b/h gulls,common tern, no waders.large raptor (marsh harrier??)put every bird into the air on the front pool and then did the same on the backpool and rainfords before flying off towards 3 sisters,did anyone see it.i was on the railway embankment so i.d. is dodgy

cheers geoff

28/7/07 early morning

f. Pintail on Pearsons @ 07.15
2 Ringed Plover - Horrock`s
Redshank "
7 Snipe "
3 Teal "
2 Grey Wags at Westwood Lock.

green sandpiper still present on front pool of horrocks at 21.00(patch and life tick me)

cheers geoff

Tuesday 24th July, mid-afternoon.

Horrock's Front Pool:

Green Sandpiper (a nice site tick for Mr. Woosey)
4 Ringed Plover
1 Snipe

All info thanks to Ian Woosey

14/7/07 early morning

Very quiet, with little of note ;

Gropper still reeling along canal beyond Moss Bridge.
m. Kestrel making a kill next to Pearson`s.
Sparrowhawk - Rainfords Flash.
f. Tufted Duck with a single chick on the canal by Pearson`s.
2 Cormorant over Horrocks`, couple of Lesser Redpoll calling overhead.

10/7/07 v.early morning

Grasshopper Warbler reeling near Moss Bridge (Hawkley side of canal).
Buzzard perched at the back of Bryn Marsh.
juv Reed Warbler - Scotmans.
m & f Blackcap nr. Hawkley school.
5 Pochard - Scotmans.
m Bullfinch - Ince landfill.
G.S.Woodpecker.
numerous Whitethroats, Reed Buntings, Will Warbs.
Mute Swan w/ metal British Museum ring (U8748) and darvic (FAL) - Ochre Flash.

ian jimmy and all, thanks for the text it was pleasure to see the scoters, don,t hold your breath for the photo,s i,ll have to try and salvage a shot or two,but they are rubbish and i,ll have alter them pixel by pixel wich will take a bit of time.

cheers geoff

gommon scoters flew at 10.26 took about 3 mins to gain height
then went into a formation and headed west at some considerable height
great to watch thanks for the txt ian

8/7/07 06.30 - mid morning

14 COMMON SCOTER (11 drk) - on Scotmans. (still present @ 10.00. J.Meadows)
Common Sandpiper
2 Little Grebe
numerous Common Terns fishing

4/7/07 mid-morning

Common Buzzard - pursued by Black-headed Gulls over Hawkley Hall Reedbed.
2 Common Sandpiper - on Pearsons `mini pool` by the outlet.
Little Ringed Plover - Horrocks front pool. Also c9 Common Tern chicks/juvs. Obviously all the waters have risen but surprisingly not as much as I would have expected here, with all the usual mud still exposed (which admittedly isn`t all that much really )
A couple of young Terns were being `shown the ropes` out on Scotmans, making quite a racket in the process !
Kingfisher -along the canal by Bryn Flash.
11 drake Pochard asleep on Pearsons.

24/6/07 early morning

Horrocks Front Pool ;

2 Little Ringed Plover
2 Oystercatcher
Redshank
16 + Common Tern chicks
5 Teal (4drks.)
Lesser Redpoll

Grasshopper Warbler reeling nr. Moss Bridge
Willow Tit nr. Hawkley Reedbed
23 Pochard - Pearsons
G.S.Woodpecker
numbers of Sedge, Reed Warbs, Whitethroats & Reed Buntings

Judith, the saddled Tufty was on the back pool near that `chicken wire` fence. BTW it`s a drake and it didn`t seem to be paired up.

horrocks flash,07/06/07 19.00
good job i didn,t log on before i went tonight or i would have left the chick count till fri pm.i counted 23 tern chicks 2 teal
1 little ringed plover and suprisingly 1 black tailed godwit which i observed for about 10 mins, went to set digiscope
thingy up and couldn,t find it again.

cheers geoff

Glad to see our plovers coincided today, as I was doing the plover survey! Didn't see the nasal saddle Tuftie though, sadly - which pool was it on? Had a Gadwall with 6y on the back pool. I counted 28 Common Tern nests, many with young, plus another pair building. Hope we make it to 30 - it looks like being a record year. 99 BH Gull nests including Turners, last time I counted. Also your Pochard brood in the SW corner pool - just 2 young now. Also a Redshank on the back pool.

Thanks Ian. - I`ll have to `tice it nearer wi` some bread !

Ian,

I had a blue nasal saddled Tuffy at Scotsman Flash afew years ago and received a nice history on that bird (which appeared in the county bird report for that year). Your bird may have come from the project below but you'll really need to see those letters/numbers on the saddle, so get back down there and try harder


Nose-sadles (red).

David Rodrigues, Departamento Florestal, Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra, 3040-316 Coimbra, Portugal.

tel.: +351-23.98.02.285.

fax.: +351-23.98.13.612.

e-mail: drodrigues@mail.esac.pt

note 1 : see total captures, codes, colours and photos at http://pt-ducks.naturlink.pt/

note 2 : recaptures in Belgium , resightings in the UK.

7/6/07 mid-afternoon ; Horrocks Flash

3 Little Ringed Plover - at first viewed from the `back pool` constantly flying around, but later settled on the `front pool` (canal-side)
also single Ringed Plover here
Redshank
managed to count 17 Common Tern chicks from various nests and some well developed Black-headed Gull chicks
3 drk Teal
5 Gadwall
6+ Pochard
G.S.Woodpecker
Greylag
Mute Swan - CJ56 (green darvic)
a Tufted Duck with an orange/red `bill saddle` but it was too distant / hazy to read. (if indeed that`s what it was ! Someone please tell me I haven`t dreamt this and that there is a scheme for `ringing` Tufties in this way ! )

same as geoff,s report this morning(sunday am)but can add 100 plus swift, fewer swallows and house martin over boathouse end of scotmans and 15 greylag on horrocks

cheers geoff

Horrocks Flash10-30am to 2.30pm

G.C.Grebe and young

Ringed Plover
Pochard
Lapwings
Reed Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Whitethroat on opposite bank of Canal
Turns on nests
usual other stuff

Nothing much on other Flashes, but little grebe

Geoff

-- Edited by geoff at 16:39, 2007-05-25

I trust my new Bins

Thanks Ian

Geoff, the winter months are your best bet for Bittern, and even then you have to be extremely lucky !

Does nobody see any Bittern? I am going tomorrow

24th May. early a.m.

2 Little Ringed Plover over Bryn Marsh
Ringed Plover on Horrocks. Also here 2 Redshank
Lesser Whitethroat still with us, though less vocal than of late
Willow Tit feeding young opp. Bryn Flash
Green Woodpecker over Moss Br.
Kestrel

21st May mid-afternoon Horrocks Flash

3 LRPs
2 Redshank
23+ Common Tern
2 Cormorant
m. Kestrel
10 Greylags (a couple of pairs with goslings)
f Pochard w/5 chicks
G.C.Grebe w/2 chicks
6 Greenfinch together (possible family ?)
drk Shoveler
drk Gadwall

The Shoveler and a few of the Mallards were progressing into `eclipse` plumage.

15th mid-morning til early p.m

Dunlin, 3 LRPs & single RP on Horrocks`. Also at least 23 Common Terns.
2 (together) Water Rails
2 Stock Dove
Common Sandpiper on the causeway of the yachting club, Scotmans
Kingfisher - Pearsons
Willow Tit - round Ochre Flash
5 Reed Warblers in the reeds at Moss Br.
Also my pal the Lesser Whitethroat singing his lungs out at the top of his very own Hawthorn tree. (a male Reed Bunting is keeping a beady eye on him ! ! )

chuffed,well chuffed, made up ,happy,estatic, missed the whimbrels by half an hour but it,s been quite a week of birding for me, just on the flashes i,ve added loads of lifers/county ticks, astley moss will live with me for
ever ,thanksfor the help and info from all
concerned,i,ve got a self imposed date 01/06/07 to update my county list.if anyone,s got a tame green woopecker
i am willing to travel and have g.s.o h.

cheers geoff

12/5/07 early - mid morning

Turnstone - briefly on Horrocks Flash. It looked to have settled down on a bit of mud but was moved on. Also witnessed by a chuffed Geoff Hargreaves.
Also Dunlin, LRPs & RP.

Lesser Whitethroat performing @ Moss Br.

The `Poolstock` Grey Wagtails had 2 fledged chicks.

Leucistic drk. Tufty on Scotmans

Kestrel carrying prey (small enough to be a shrew) over canal @ Bryn Fl.


-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 17:15, 2007-05-12

just back from moss bridge/horrocks ,lesser whitethroat posing as required,still need green woodpecker for list 4 dunlin on horrocks with all three plovers present and tons of bh gulls and terns, all the regulars 1 redshank

cheers geoff

6.00 this morn lesser whitethroat showing well ,cuckoo calling
from rainfords area that odd tufty on pearsons and grey wagtail
taking food in to nest site near to wigan rovers ground

Escaped work at lunch and walked from the school to Moss Bridge and back.

3 Chiffchaff
5 Willow Warbler
1 Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
8 Sedge Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat - still showing extremely well
2 Common Tern over
1 Green Woodpecker calling nearby

9/5/07 06.00 - 09.30

3 LRP & 3 RP on Horrocks. Also here ;
single Dunlin
17+ Common Tern
4 drake Pochard
along canal - Mallard with 13 ducklings ! - is this a record ?

The Lesser Whitethroat was showing extremely well on top of the Hawthorn tree at Moss Bridge steps. Further along the canal opposite Bryn Flash ditto a Garden Warbler.

2 pairs of Grey Wagtail - one `holding` Westwood Lock, the other, Poolstock Lock.

2 Shelduck and the drake Pintail on Scotmans.

5/5/07 06.00 - 09.45

Lesser Whitethroat - Moss Bridge (Turner`s side) - County Lifer (at last !)
drk Pintail - Scotmans
3 LRPs - Horrocks
2 RPs "
Snipe "
11+ Common Tern " (others moochin` everywhere)
Water Rail "
Common Sandpiper - flying along canal by Horrocks
Oystercatcher - over Bryn Flash
Coot w/3 Chicks - Bryn
2 Grey Wags - Westwood
2 Little Grebe - Scotmans
numbers of Swift, Swall, House & Sand Martins, Blackcaps, Whitethroat

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 13:03, 2007-05-05

2/5/07 06.00 - 11.00

Black Tern - flew from Scotmans @ 06.50. Presumably went to Horrocks` `cos I re-found it there @ 09.50
Cuckoo - flew over me on Moss Bridge (after calling from different areas)
2 Ringed Plovers - Horrocks`
2 LRPs - displaying/chasing over Bryn Marsh
21 + Common Terns - Horrocks`
2 Oyc
2 Grey Wags
11 Greylags
2 Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Stock Dove
numerous Blackcaps, Sedge Warblers, Willow Warbs, heard Reed Warb at Bryn Flash

24/4/07 midday

Just a quick hour at Horrocks ;

2 House Martin
3 LRP
4 Common Tern
2 Oystercatcher
Redshank
2 Pinkfeet
4 Greylags

(Swift over Dover Basin earlier on)

23/4/07 06.30 - 09.30

Grasshopper Warbler - Moss Bridge (guaranteed place !)
4 LRP - 3,Bryn / 1,Horrocks
10 Common Tern - 2,Scotmans / 4,Horrocks / 4,squabbling over Bryn Flash (probably some inter-change between flashes, i.e. there might have only been 4 or 6 altogether)
5 Snipe - Horrocks
2 Greylags with 6 goslings (aaahhh ! )
80+ Sand Martin - Scotmans
2 L.Redpoll
1 Pinkfoot - Horrocks

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 14:53, 2007-04-23

Apparently it was on Scotmans on Monday.

-- Edited by Judith Smith at 23:25, 2007-04-11

11/04/07 19.30
the whooper swan was back on horrocks front pool this evening and about 50 sandmartins over

cheers geoff

11/4/07 a.m. Horrocks` Flash ; Whooper Swan - flew off at 10.10 but re-located later on Rainfords Flash (J. Smith) redhead Smew Little Ringed Plover 2 Pinkfeet 7 Greylag 3 Snipe Bryn Flash ; 2 Oystercatcher Buzzard perched on pylon 5 Lesser Redpoll 2 Willow Tit Mallard w/ 5 chicks 2 m. Blackcap singing 2 Willow Warbler - heard only Chiffchaff - plenty singing

i had the Black-necked Grebe on tuesday, around 150 sand martins and 2 swallows.

6/4/07 06.30-10.00 Black-tailed Godwit - circled round Horrocks, landed briefly then departed Redshank 13 Snipe 2 Greylags Sparrowhawk Green Woodpecker - Moss Bridge 2 Willow Tit - canal @ Bryn Fl. 2 Grey Wagtail - Westwood lock

Reading `Birds Britannica` (Cocker & Mabey, 2005) I came across this ; `They (Cormorants) have been recorded to take 86 species of fish, from tiny fry to 2.5 - foot conger eels. An elastic throat pouch and a specially hinged beak means that, unlike Grey Herons, they can also cope with large flat fish, which look like small plates bulging in the distended gorge once the birds have finally shovelled them down. However, for sheer dietry eccentricity, little beats the record of a Cormorant eating a waste-filled plastic bag, or the individual found with an 11 inch kitten in it`s stomach ! ` Food for thought indeed ...............

The best place to park is Welham Rd at the end of Carr Lane, near the bus roundabout at Hawkley Hall School. A map of the flashes is then in front of you.

I saw a Cormorant eat an eel a few years ago, Ian - as you say, it takes quite a time to get it down.
NB on Scotman's, not on the canal - doubt there are eels in the canal.

I will do that John - it certainly opened my eyes !