No sign of Greenshank by 8pm but 11 Common Tern and 2 Little Ringed Plovers
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Steve Collins said
Sun Aug 3 7:21 PM, 2008
I was twitching too for the greenshank so well done Simon! To avoid confusion it's 180 for my county list and just out of reach for my year list Cheers Steve
Paul Heaton said
Sun Aug 3 6:53 PM, 2008
For the record I WAS twitching
And blooming lucky to do so, many thanks to Warfy for holding down this bird till I got there, suppose the extra points now take you into the hundred points bracket, so will take some catching for me to beat you
But what a bloody good bird for my year list one that I dont think will be forgotten in a long time.
nice to meet everyone, sorry did not ring you john left your number at home.
Keep birding.
Iain Johnson said
Sun Aug 3 6:48 PM, 2008
was still there about 5.30 but disappeared from view.
Dean Macdonald said
Sun Aug 3 6:36 PM, 2008
Greenshank still there at 3pm. but was flushed by a fisherman walking on the mud. Don't think it flew off but couldn't relocate it.
Dean.
John Rayner said
Sun Aug 3 4:37 PM, 2008
The Greenshank was still present at 2.30. Took some rather poor record shots which I'll send to Ian in case there's nothing better.
It fed in two distinct ways. Pick items from the mud then take them to the water to wash before eating, and a beak open, head down and rush forward through the water approach. Both were successful.
Cheers, John
David Winnard said
Sun Aug 3 2:03 PM, 2008
for the record i was not twitching , just giving steve collins a helping hand to get to 180! Well done steve with that total!
Dave
Simon Warford said
Sun Aug 3 12:31 PM, 2008
3/8/08 10-12 with Phil Rhodes and some other twitchers..
Greenshank - still present midday. LRP 2 Common Tern 8 (2 Juvs) Oystercatcher 6 Little Grebe 4 Teal 2
Hope they dont let much more water out or it could be to low..
-- Edited by Simon Warford at 13:23, 2008-08-03
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Aug 3 12:05 PM, 2008
Greenshank present thsis morning atleast.
Info thanks to Simon Warford
Dean Macdonald said
Sat Aug 2 5:25 PM, 2008
Pretty dead this afternoon. People been walking out to the islands and over the mud, which doesn't help.
Dean.
pete berry said
Sat Aug 2 11:51 AM, 2008
Imm. hobby,8 blackwits,1 lesserthroat,5 shoveler,6 common tern at 11.30am info. per Phil Rhodes
Simon Warford said
Sat Aug 2 11:26 AM, 2008
2/8/08 8am with Simon Johnson,
water level a good few foot down on yesterday but still pretty quiet!
Dunlin 2 Ringed Plover 3 (1 Juv) Oystercatcher 4 Common Tern 8 (2 Juv) Little Grebe 2 Sparrowhawk 2
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Aug 1 7:40 PM, 2008
1pm today
Juv Mediterranean Gull 6 Common Tern 2 Shoveler
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Dean Macdonald said
Fri Aug 1 6:32 PM, 2008
Godwits didn't stay. I arrived around 3.30 no sign.
Adult Hobby flew over at 5pm mobbed by terns.
1 Kingfisher 4 Shoveler 2 Little Grebe
plus usual.
Hope they take their time with this leak
Dean.
Steve Almond said
Fri Aug 1 4:43 PM, 2008
Today 14.00 to 15.30
7 Black tailed godwit flew in at 14.30 to feed on far side. 5 Oystercatcher 5 Common tern 9 Heron 2 Little grebe 1 young grey wagtail 3 fox cubs
Water level now perfect for waders. What a good leak.
Pete Lane said
Thu Jul 31 7:50 PM, 2008
Latest news is that the water level is being lowered by 2 metres and should be at this level by Sunday. This is a precaution in case there is very heavy rain which might put the dam under stress, it seems the problem has been identified and should be solved fairly quickly. Lowering the level by 2 metres will mean that all the water behind the islands (or to the left looking froom Beaumont Rd) will be gone leaving a very large area of mud.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Jul 31 5:04 PM, 2008
31st July, 1pm
Mediterranean Gull-1 1st summer bird, heavily moulting primaries Willow Warbler- 4+ big hedge (the one running alongside the footpath to the reedbed from the stile) Spotted Flycatcher- 1 big hedge Lesser Whitethroat- 1 big hedge
Spotted Fly still present at 3pm, when Phil Rhodes twitched it (he said he couldn't be bothered looking for the Lesser Whitethroat 'cos he's got them behind his house) and still present at 4pm atleast when seen by Judith Smith.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 17:08, 2008-07-31
Simon Warford said
Wed Jul 30 5:02 PM, 2008
Pete Lane wrote:
Excitement at last, but not from birds! The dam has sprung a small leak and North West Water have arrived with all guns blazing! Six large diesel pumps plus three massive submerged pumps will pump out 50,000,000 litres per day! (That's what the expert told me!!!) to reduce the water level by one metre, and if that doesn't indicate where the leak is, then another metre and so on. At least there will be plenty mud for the waders. The level is dropping quite quickl;y already.
Awesome news Pete!! Bring it on.. its gonna be a busy couple of months coming up What are the chances of Elton and Rumworth both having leaks in the walls in the same year, something suspicious going on here.
Pete Lane said
Wed Jul 30 4:22 PM, 2008
3.00-4.00pm with Phil Rhodes.
Excitement at last, but not from birds! The dam has sprung a small leak and North West Water have arrived with all guns blazing! Six large diesel pumps plus three massive submerged pumps will pump out 50,000,000 litres per day! (That's what the expert told me!!!) to reduce the water level by one metre, and if that doesn't indicate where the leak is, then another metre and so on. At least there will be plenty mud for the waders. The level is dropping quite quickl;y already.
Adult Med gull (thank's Phil) 3 common tern at least 3 oystercatchers LRP 10+ tufted (2 young) 200+ BH Gull 40+ jackdaw plus usual
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Jul 30 11:12 AM, 2008
Late news for yesterday the 29th.
2nd winter Mediterranean Gull 5 Common Tern
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Dean Macdonald said
Fri Jul 25 9:46 PM, 2008
4 adult and 2 juv Common Terns 30+ Lapwing 1 LR Plover 1 Cormorant 6 Tufted 1 Herring Gull, 2 juv 1 LBB Gull 3 Oystercatcher
Dean.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Jul 22 9:39 PM, 2008
single arctic tern present today
Info thanks to phil rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jul 14 1:48 PM, 2008
1st summer Med Gull still in horse paddocks at 1:47 today.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes.
Dean Macdonald said
Sun Jul 13 9:12 PM, 2008
2.30- 5pm
Not sure about the Med gull. Had one that had a nearly all black head saw it fly the horse field but it didn't show very well once it landed. The black on the head looked more Med than Black headed ie seemed to cover the the back of the neck but wasn't completely solid. This would be a county tick for me but i'm not convinced
4 juv Common Terns and 2 that had just fledged. Little Ringed Plover Kestrel Sparrowhawk Loads of Swallows and House Martins Reed Warbler
Dean.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jul 13 2:24 PM, 2008
Med Gull now on left island at 1:33pm.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jul 13 1:13 PM, 2008
Med Gull still present at 1:06
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jul 13 12:51 PM, 2008
1st summer Mediterranean Gull at 12:05 in horse paddocks in the south west corner by the farm
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Jul 11 9:27 PM, 2008
11th July, 1:30pm
2 Common Sandpiper Curlew 100 Lapwing
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jul 7 4:24 PM, 2008
Today, 2pm
Single female Shoveler Singles of Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers 2 Common Tern
Dean Macdonald said
Sun Jul 6 6:02 PM, 2008
Godwits and Redshank still there at 5.30
Dean.
Simon Warford said
Sun Jul 6 4:18 PM, 2008
Still present at 4pm aswell
Pete Lane said
Sun Jul 6 3:16 PM, 2008
Godwits still there at 3.00pm plus one redshank.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jul 6 1:36 PM, 2008
8 Black-tailed Godwit today at 1pm
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Jul 5 3:54 PM, 2008
Saturday 5th July, 1:30pm
153 Lapwing Common Sand 3 Little Ringed Plover 4 Common Tern Tufted Duck with a brood of 4 young
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 07:32, 2008-07-06
Dean Macdonald said
Fri Jul 4 9:14 PM, 2008
4/7/08 pm
At least 13 Oystercatchers 2 LR Plover 1 R Plover 12 Gt Crested Grebe 30+ Lapwing
Dean.
Simon Warford said
Mon Jun 30 9:32 PM, 2008
30/6/08 Evening
Common Sand 1 LRP 2 Oyks 7 Tufteds 14 G C Grebe attempting to re build its flooded out nest Common Terns have 2 chicks.
Good ridance to June.
Pete Lane said
Sat Jun 28 6:59 PM, 2008
6.00-6.45pm
They must have been hiding Simon! At least five LR Plover (possibly more) and one ringed plover together with what looked like a family group of pied wags and a lone male greenfinch all feeding tucked away in the usual corner. Also 2 common terns making a lot of noise overhead.
Earlier there were 5 oystercatchers close together with a group of BH gulls on a small spit of wet ground on the far side, plus about 20 lapwings.
It took about 12 weeks for the water level to drop to Wednesday's level and one good days rain to bring it back up again.
Simon Warford said
Sat Jun 28 12:47 PM, 2008
Disasterous water levels following the deluge on Thursday, with no exposed mud whatsoever now. Not looking good, little ringed plovers completely washed out with none present today, just 1 Common Sand
Mark Rigby said
Fri Jun 27 5:04 PM, 2008
1000-1100am
LRP Redshank 5 Oystercatcher 11 Lapwing
Yesterday's rain has washed out a Great Crested Grebe nest. Very high water levels compared to earlier in the week-not much exposed mud any more
Simon Warford said
Wed Jun 25 3:17 PM, 2008
Adult s/p MED GULL present this lunchtime till 1.45pm at least along with 7 Little Ringed Plovers.
Simon Warford said
Tue Jun 24 11:43 PM, 2008
No Dean no sign of it but we did get a jolly good soaking!
Dean Macdonald said
Tue Jun 24 9:46 PM, 2008
evening with Simon and Melanie, nice to have met you Melanie.
7 Lr Plover 1 R Plover 4 Common Terns 1 Common Sandpiper
No Green Sandpiper, did you find it Simon?
Plus usual.
Dean.
Pete Lane said
Tue Jun 24 8:39 PM, 2008
2.00-2.45
80+ canada geese plus one pair that must have evaded the egg prickers/oilers, as they have 4 young. 4 heron feasting in the shallow water 2 LR Plover 11 male and one female tufted plus usual
Simon Warford said
Mon Jun 23 9:58 PM, 2008
23/6/08 Mid Evening, lots of decent shoreline and little islands emerging now.
Green Sand - still showing well in back corner (4th day) 1 s/p Dunlin still present Ringed Plover 3 LRP 5+ all adults Oystercatcher 8+ Tufted Duck 12 males Little Grebe 1 Common Tern 3
green sandpiper oystercatcher with 2 small young also 2 well grown young from 1st brood not far away. 3 common tern lots of immature bh gulls (thank's Simon for sorting me out on them) several pied wagtail lr plover 5 heron plus usual
Dean Macdonald said
Fri Jun 13 11:03 PM, 2008
fri 13th pm
3 Common Terns being very teritorial but no sign of nesting. Oystercatchers with young and 1 still sitting. 1 Little Ringed Plover, couldn't find the other one. A pair of Kestrels hunting and being mobbed by the Terns. 20 or so Lapwings Tufted Ducks don't appear to be breeding. Loads of Swifts and House Martins. Also lots of juv Black Headed Gulls, which always throw me. I'm useless at juv Gulls!!
A very enjoyable afternoon
Dean.
Pete Lane said
Wed Jun 4 2:39 PM, 2008
1.30-2.30pm
mallard still with 7 ducklings another mallard with 1 pair of GCGrebes with 2 well grown young. (1st time I've seen them)
oystercatchers just lazing about, recently they have been backwards and forwards with food for their 2 chicks. maybe the chicks have took off as they were almost fully grown a couple of days ago. or maybe they were just asleep in the warm sunshine!!
Thank's Bill, I found it interesting, these are the sort of thing you notice when you are sitting in one spot for six hours or so fishing.
Bill Myerscough said
Tue Jun 3 9:53 PM, 2008
Pete Lane wrote:
Went fishing on Rumworth yesterday and watched a crow for a good 15 minutes as it picked up an object (I think it was a swan mussel but can't be sure) in it's claws, flew to a height of about 20 feet and dropped it. It did this at least 12 times until finally I heard a crack as the object hit a stone, (the bank is mainly dried mud with stones scattered about) this must have done the trick as it then landed, and (I assume) ate whatever it was and flew away. Is this common behaviour?
Hi Pete,
Have only just seen this post - this brought to mind one of my field observations regarding Carrion Crows at Piethorne in 2005 - "On 29th September 2 birds were observed collecting freshwater bivalve molluscs from the shoreline of Ogden Reservoir and dropping them from a height onto exposed rocks at the side of the reservoir". I would guess that this type of behaviour is probably not too common locally but also that it might tend to go unnoticed anyway - as birders generally don't spend that much time watching such an unloved species!
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
To avoid confusion it's 180 for my county list and just out of reach for my year list
Cheers
Steve
And blooming lucky to do so, many thanks to Warfy for holding down this bird till I got there, suppose the extra points now take you into the hundred points bracket, so will take some catching for me to beat you
But what a bloody good bird for my year list one that I dont think will be forgotten in a long time.
nice to meet everyone, sorry did not ring you john left your number at home.
Keep birding.
Greenshank still there at 3pm. but was flushed by a fisherman walking on the mud.
Don't think it flew off but couldn't relocate it.
Dean.
It fed in two distinct ways. Pick items from the mud then take them to the water to wash before eating, and a beak open, head down and rush forward through the water approach. Both were successful.
Cheers, John
Dave
Greenshank - still present midday.
LRP 2
Common Tern 8 (2 Juvs)
Oystercatcher 6
Little Grebe 4
Teal 2
Hope they dont let much more water out or it could be to low..
-- Edited by Simon Warford at 13:23, 2008-08-03
Info thanks to Simon Warford
Pretty dead this afternoon. People been walking out to the islands and over the mud, which doesn't help.
Dean.
water level a good few foot down on yesterday but still pretty quiet!
Dunlin 2
Ringed Plover 3 (1 Juv)
Oystercatcher 4
Common Tern 8 (2 Juv)
Little Grebe 2
Sparrowhawk 2
Juv Mediterranean Gull
6 Common Tern
2 Shoveler
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Godwits didn't stay. I arrived around 3.30 no sign.
Adult Hobby flew over at 5pm mobbed by terns.
1 Kingfisher
4 Shoveler
2 Little Grebe
plus usual.
Hope they take their time with this leak
Dean.
7 Black tailed godwit flew in at 14.30 to feed on far side.
5 Oystercatcher
5 Common tern
9 Heron
2 Little grebe
1 young grey wagtail
3 fox cubs
Water level now perfect for waders. What a good leak.
Lowering the level by 2 metres will mean that all the water behind the islands (or to the left looking froom Beaumont Rd) will be gone leaving a very large area of mud.
Mediterranean Gull-1 1st summer bird, heavily moulting primaries
Willow Warbler- 4+ big hedge (the one running alongside the footpath to the reedbed from the stile)
Spotted Flycatcher- 1 big hedge
Lesser Whitethroat- 1 big hedge
Spotted Fly still present at 3pm, when Phil Rhodes twitched it (he said he couldn't be bothered looking for the Lesser Whitethroat 'cos he's got them behind his house) and still present at 4pm atleast when seen by Judith Smith.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 17:08, 2008-07-31
Awesome news Pete!! Bring it on.. its gonna be a busy couple of months coming up What are the chances of Elton and Rumworth both having leaks in the walls in the same year, something suspicious going on here.
Excitement at last, but not from birds! The dam has sprung a small leak and North West Water have arrived with all guns blazing! Six large diesel pumps plus three massive submerged pumps will pump out 50,000,000 litres per day! (That's what the expert told me!!!) to reduce the water level by one metre, and if that doesn't indicate where the leak is, then another metre and so on. At least there will be plenty mud for the waders. The level is dropping quite quickl;y already.
Adult Med gull (thank's Phil)
3 common tern
at least 3 oystercatchers
LRP
10+ tufted (2 young)
200+ BH Gull
40+ jackdaw
plus usual
2nd winter Mediterranean Gull
5 Common Tern
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
4 adult and 2 juv Common Terns
30+ Lapwing
1 LR Plover
1 Cormorant
6 Tufted
1 Herring Gull, 2 juv
1 LBB Gull
3 Oystercatcher
Dean.
Info thanks to phil rhodes
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes.
2.30- 5pm
Not sure about the Med gull. Had one that had a nearly all black head saw it fly the horse field but it didn't show very well once it landed. The black on the head looked more Med than Black headed ie seemed to cover the the back of the neck but wasn't completely solid. This would be a county tick for me but i'm not convinced
4 juv Common Terns and 2 that had just fledged.
Little Ringed Plover
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Loads of Swallows and House Martins
Reed Warbler
Dean.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
2 Common Sandpiper
Curlew
100 Lapwing
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Single female Shoveler
Singles of Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers
2 Common Tern
Godwits and Redshank still there at 5.30
Dean.
153 Lapwing
Common Sand
3 Little Ringed Plover
4 Common Tern
Tufted Duck with a brood of 4 young
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 07:32, 2008-07-06
4/7/08 pm
At least 13 Oystercatchers
2 LR Plover
1 R Plover
12 Gt Crested Grebe
30+ Lapwing
Dean.
Common Sand 1
LRP 2
Oyks 7
Tufteds 14
G C Grebe attempting to re build its flooded out nest
Common Terns have 2 chicks.
Good ridance to June.
They must have been hiding Simon! At least five LR Plover (possibly more) and one ringed plover together with what looked like a family group of pied wags and a lone male greenfinch all feeding tucked away in the usual corner. Also 2 common terns making a lot of noise overhead.
Earlier there were 5 oystercatchers close together with a group of BH gulls on a small spit of wet ground on the far side, plus about 20 lapwings.
It took about 12 weeks for the water level to drop to Wednesday's level and one good days rain to bring it back up again.
LRP
Redshank
5 Oystercatcher
11 Lapwing
Yesterday's rain has washed out a Great Crested Grebe nest. Very high water levels compared to earlier in the week-not much exposed mud any more
evening with Simon and Melanie, nice to have met you Melanie.
7 Lr Plover
1 R Plover
4 Common Terns
1 Common Sandpiper
No Green Sandpiper, did you find it Simon?
Plus usual.
Dean.
80+ canada geese plus one pair that must have evaded the egg prickers/oilers, as they have 4 young.
4 heron feasting in the shallow water
2 LR Plover
11 male and one female tufted
plus usual
Green Sand - still showing well in back corner (4th day)
1 s/p Dunlin still present
Ringed Plover 3
LRP 5+ all adults
Oystercatcher 8+
Tufted Duck 12 males
Little Grebe 1
Common Tern 3
-- Edited by Simon Warford at 22:03, 2008-06-23
Green Sand 1
Dunlin 1
Ringed Plover 1
LRP 1
Oystercatcher 8 (4 young)
Tufted 10 males
Lapwing flock has arrived, 40+ present.
green sandpiper
oystercatcher with 2 small young also 2 well grown young from 1st brood not far away.
3 common tern
lots of immature bh gulls (thank's Simon for sorting me out on them)
several pied wagtail
lr plover
5 heron
plus usual
fri 13th pm
3 Common Terns being very teritorial but no sign of nesting.
Oystercatchers with young and 1 still sitting.
1 Little Ringed Plover, couldn't find the other one.
A pair of Kestrels hunting and being mobbed by the Terns.
20 or so Lapwings
Tufted Ducks don't appear to be breeding. Loads of Swifts and House Martins.
Also lots of juv Black Headed Gulls, which always throw me. I'm useless at juv Gulls!!
A very enjoyable afternoon
Dean.
mallard still with 7 ducklings
another mallard with 1
pair of GCGrebes with 2 well grown young. (1st time I've seen them)
oystercatchers just lazing about, recently they have been backwards and forwards with food for their 2 chicks. maybe the chicks have took off as they were almost fully grown a couple of days ago. or maybe they were just asleep in the warm sunshine!!
2 LRPlover
14 tufted (10 males)
2 pied wagtail
2 heron
plus usual
Hi Pete,
Have only just seen this post - this brought to mind one of my field observations regarding Carrion Crows at Piethorne in 2005 - "On 29th September 2 birds were observed collecting freshwater bivalve molluscs from the shoreline of Ogden Reservoir and dropping them from a height onto exposed rocks at the side of the reservoir". I would guess that this type of behaviour is probably not too common locally but also that it might tend to go unnoticed anyway - as birders generally don't spend that much time watching such an unloved species!
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 21:56, 2008-06-03