Quick look after work was hard work finding any birds on the Res but managed to find. 6 Tufted Ducks. 11 Teal. 3 Goldeneye. 1 female Goosander. No Large gulls.
Cheers Steven.
Richard Thew said
Wed Jan 31 3:15 PM, 2018
Just down the canal way- flooded fields have had a good number of gulls in over the past 4 days. Mostly black headed and a few common gulls. Today included a lesser black backed gull and a few herring gulls along with a nice looking argentatus one - from which after a number of weeks of trying to separate the races of herring gulls - I finally get it!!! (Well, adults or near adults at least - it's a start).
Derek Richardson said
Tue Jan 30 9:41 PM, 2018
11.00 - 12.30pm. 28 species seen including : 1 Greater Scaup. 4 Nuthatch. 2 Bullfinch. 1 Rook. 1 Kestrel. 7 Lesser Backed Gull. 1 Common Gull.
On Elton Reservoir. 3 Goldeneye. 4 Teal. 49 Herring Gull. 31 Argentatus Herring Gulls. 5 Great Black Backed Gulls. 8 Lesser Black backed Gulls. 5 Common Gull.
Cheers Steven
Ian Campbell said
Tue Jan 30 10:43 AM, 2018
8-10 with Malcolm, on the res. 1 Greater Scaup, 3 Shoveler, 5 Goldeneye and 11 Teal. At the feeders 7 Lesser Redpoll but no sign of Mealy. 34 Lapwing over. Cheers Ian
Steven Higginbottom said
Mon Jan 29 9:16 AM, 2018
07:45-09:00 with ian staying at the feeders and myself doing a quick look of the reservoir. At the feeders. 1 Woodcock flew over the feeders. 7 Lesser Redpoll. 1 Mealy (common) Redpoll. 75 Goldfinch. 23 Greenfinch.
On Elton Reservoir. 1 Greater Scaup record shot attached. 3 Goldeneye. 19 Teal. 2 Common Gull.
After a fruitless hour at Hollingworth Lake arrived at sailing club car park and got cracking views of the Mealy Redpoll on the feeders standing out well next to 3 Lesser Redpoll.
Also 2 Bullfinch.
Richard Thew said
Sun Jan 28 6:06 PM, 2018
Took my parents to see the Mealy redpoll this afternoon as my mother needed to get out for a bit.
Very windy periods and the feeders were swinging quite a bit which didn't help much, but we got some good views of the Mealy redpoll and mum found the bullfinches.
I walked it back home and I managed the Scaup which was still around. He was surprisingly close to the shore at the top end (although the boats had been out) and got the picture of it through a wide gap in the trees. Apparently, it was hanging out with 2 tufted ducks (de-ja-vu) and a female goldeneye.
Hi Mike, Just joined the site and had to wait for approval, but as promised here are the images from January 26th of Lesser Redpolls, Greenfinch and Brambling.
07:50-11:10am with Ian C and Martin L highlights. 1 Female Greater Scaup. 4 Wigeon. 9 Goldeneye. 1 Goosander. 24 Teal. 1 Goosander. 40 Pink Footed Geese. 2 Snipe. 5 Common Gulls. 3 Great Black backed Gulls. 1 Peregrine Falcon. 2 Kestrel. 1 Sparrowhawk. 1 Mealy (Common) Redpoll. 8 Lesser Redpoll. 80+ Fieldfare. 30+ Redwing. 2 Jay.
Cheers Steven
Steven Higginbottom said
Sun Jan 28 8:12 AM, 2018
Female Scaup present this morning in the creek Cheers Steven
Paul Wilson said
Sat Jan 27 4:37 PM, 2018
Quick visit this morning (with Malcolm) before going to Hollingworth No sign of Scaup and not much else. Highlights: 9 Teal. 1 Wigeon 1 Oystercatcher (heard). 1 Common Gull. 1 Common Redpoll. 3 Lesser Redpoll.
Mike c cooper said
Fri Jan 26 3:06 PM, 2018
Car park area 09:30-15:30
Common (Mealy) Redpoll several times during stay with 4 fem/imms and a very smart male Lesser Redpoll
Male Brambling in winter plumage in hawthorn and elder along stream by field right after wooden bridge. Another birder got some good photos which he said he would post
Steven Higginbottom said
Fri Jan 26 8:45 AM, 2018
Quick visit this morning 1 Female Scaup.Record shot attached. 6 Goldeneye. 8 Teal. 1 Oystercatcher. 1 Common Gull. 1 Mealy Redpoll. Afternoon visit.
1 Sparrowhawk.
3 Lesser Redpoll.
1 Possible Yellow Legged Gull dropped in for about five minutes record shot attached.
Cheers Steven .
-- Edited by Steven Higginbottom on Friday 26th of January 2018 09:40:26 PM
10 - 12 26 species including: Mealy redpoll 3 Lesser redpoll 30+ Goldfinch 15 Starling 4 Greenfinch 240+ Black headed gull 4 Mute swan Kestrel 8 Lesser black backed gull
Mike Chorley said
Thu Jan 25 6:26 PM, 2018
13.45 -14.10
Mealy Redpoll visiting the right hand feeders fairly regularly until just after 14.00 when it flew off. At least 4 different Lesser Redpoll visiting during the same period judging by size and markings. C 6 Long-tailed Tit Great Tits Blue Tits Good numbers of Greenfinch and Chaffinches Uncounted Goldfinches 4 Bullfinch 3 males and 1 female on the feeder trays lower down
En route from and to Radcliffe tram stop inc the reservoir Black-headed Gull Canada Goose Mallard Moorhen Wren Mistle Thrush Cormorant Mute Swan Tufted Duck Common Gull 6+ Lesser Black-backed Gull Woodpigeon Robin Blackbird Magpie. Carrion Crow House Sparrow
James Walsh said
Thu Jan 25 2:03 PM, 2018
Mealy Redpoll showing occasionally on the feeders late morning
Derek Richardson said
Mon Jan 22 9:44 PM, 2018
Slow 2 hour stroll midday.
24 species spotted.
Including :
2 water rail
3 lesser redpoll
12 cormorant
6 great crested grebe
25 starling
80 + canada goose
15 long tailed tit
5 bullfinch all male
8 tufted duck
1 pochard
Ian Campbell said
Mon Jan 22 1:54 PM, 2018
This a.m. Mealy Redpoll still present, also 1 Kingfisher over car park and 3 Goldeneye and 2 Wigeon on res. Cheers Ian
Paul Wilson said
Sun Jan 21 1:37 PM, 2018
This morning with Ian C and Steve H - Highlights:
1 Mealy Redpoll 3 Lesser Redpoll 1 Brambling (record shot attached - the best I could get in the hour I was looking for this bird!) 1 Coal Tit 1 Buzzard A few of each thrushes: Redwing; Fieldfare; Mistle Thrush; Song Thrush 11 Teal 1 Pochard (drake) Goldeneye
-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Sunday 21st of January 2018 01:37:35 PM
Also Blue Tit, Great Tit, Starling, Woodpigeon and Magpie
As you can probably guess not much else about other than 7 Goldeneye on the res
Ian Campbell said
Sat Jan 20 9:49 AM, 2018
8-9 a.m. Mealy Redpoll still present, also 2 brief views of a Brambling on the ground below the feeders. Cheers Ian
Tim Wilcox said
Fri Jan 19 3:04 PM, 2018
Mealy Redpoll showed well on the niger feeders today at 11am and then at 1-1.30pm with 5 Lesser Redpoll all of variable size and markings with one very bright red-breasted male. Excellent supporting cast of large 50+ Goldfinch flock, 20+ Greenfinch, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tits on the fatballs and 3 Bullfinches
Steven Higginbottom said
Thu Jan 18 11:38 AM, 2018
Britishis morning up to 10:30am with Ian C highlights.. 22 Goosander first light. 2 Little Egret. 5 Goldeneye. 6 Gadwall. 10 Teal. 1 Water rail. 1 Kestrel. 100+ Goldfinch at feeders first light. 1 Mealy (Common) Redpoll. 4 Lesser Redpoll.
1 Brambling record shot attached 2 Skylark.
Cheers Steven
-- Edited by Steven Higginbottom on Thursday 18th of January 2018 01:59:15 PM
And Mealy Redpoll on the feeders again at 9.20 and 9.40. Thanks Ian! Also 2 Lesser Redpoll on the feeders, 7 Goldeneye and 12 Teal on the reservoir, and 2 Little Egret on Old Hall Marsh.
50 Fieldfare flew over heading west, and a mixed flock of Redwing, Filedfare and 9 Mistle Thrushes on the fields by the canal.
Ian Campbell said
Wed Jan 17 9:17 AM, 2018
Mealy Redpoll seen twice at the feeders between 8-9 a.m. when I left. Cheers Ian
-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Wednesday 17th of January 2018 09:54:20 AM
Norman Price said
Tue Jan 16 1:27 PM, 2018
The Mealy Redpoll appeared around 10.40 this morning and showed well. It disappeared when the Beluga flew over but soon returned. Other birds much as yesterday's report.
Richard Thew said
Mon Jan 15 2:51 PM, 2018
Not been around the main area today but worthy of note; 2 gadwall on the flooded fields along the canal near crow trees farm and over half a dozen mistle thrushes were also seen there. Ta!
Tony Koziol said
Mon Jan 15 2:22 PM, 2018
Mealy Redpoll showing well at 11.00 this morning. Two lesser redpoll also active. Other birds include:
30+ Goldfinch
15+ Greenfinch
4 Bullfinch
2 Chaffinch
2 Coal Tit
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 15th of January 2018 05:33:56 PM
Ian Campbell said
Mon Jan 15 1:36 PM, 2018
Mealy Redpoll on feeders this a.m. at 8.15 with 3 Lesser Redpoll for comparison. Cheers Ian
Rob Creek said
Sun Jan 14 5:15 PM, 2018
Sunday 14th Jan, late morning.
Good to see Chris Greene & wife, and some other forum members. (I actually came yesterday afternoon after work but the Mealy Redpoll was a no show)
- 1 Mealy Redpoll (Common Redpoll) An absolute cracker of a bird with a stunning rosey plumage, and an obvious size difference between it and the Lesser Redpolls. - 4 Lesser Redpolls - 2 Bullfinch (m) - 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 Sparrowhawk (near the hospital)
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 14th of January 2018 05:22:46 PM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 14th of January 2018 05:33:42 PM
08:00-11:00am very quite highlights... 1 Common Redpoll... 5 Lesser Redpoll... 1 Linnet near Crow Trees... 1 Coal Tit... 22 Teal... 2 Kestrel...
Cheers Steven.
brian fielding said
Sat Jan 13 1:23 PM, 2018
Mealy redpoll showing well on feeders at 1.20 pm
Paul Wilson said
Sat Jan 13 1:00 PM, 2018
7am to 11am partly with Ian and Malcolm.
5 Lesser Redpoll 1 Common Redpoll 1 Coal Tit 1 Nuthatch 2 Teal 2 Common Gulls 1 Sparrowhawks 1 Kestrel 2 Water Rail at Capsticks 10+ Common Snipe in marsh below farm 1000+ Jackdaw murmurating over the res before sunrise
Good to meet fellow birders (Simon Gough, Ian Boote and others, who chipped in with donations for Steve, for all the seed he's been buying!)
Mark Burgess said
Sat Jan 13 9:07 AM, 2018
8.30/8.45 Mealy Redpoll still present on car park feeders with a supporting cast of 6/7 Lesser Redpoll for good comparison
Steven Higginbottom said
Fri Jan 12 6:33 PM, 2018
Also this morning 40 Redwing, 5 Fieldfare. 3 Gadwall 2m 1f. 1 Pochard Drake. 1 Meadow Pipit. 5 Lesser Redpoll. 1 Mealy Redpoll showed around 12noon and 14:15pm photo attached of Mealy Redpoll on left, Lesser Redpoll on right. You can see the size difference as pointed out by Simon Jonson in an earlier post. Cheers Steven
Also this a.m. 1 Raven and 1 Peregrine. Cheers Ian
Simon Johnson said
Fri Jan 12 11:41 AM, 2018
Nice morning round elton 51 species seen
Mealy Redpoll was in trees next to the sailing club with 11 Lesser Redpoll - there are also 2 very pale Lesser Redpolls within the flock which might be confused for the Mealy - one pointer to look out for with the Mealy is that it is larger than all the other Redpolls.
also - 904 Pink-footed Geese flew west in 8 Skeins between 10.28 and 10.43 Woodcock flew out of old hall marsh at dawn 2 Tawny Owl calling along the canal 4 Treecreeper Nuthatch 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers - drumming in the dip 4 Water Rail ( Old hall marsh, Bennies and 2 Coney green) 3 Wigeon 25 teal 24 Goosander 3 Coal Tit
Martin Loftus said
Thu Jan 11 5:09 PM, 2018
3.49pm The Mealy Redpoll made a 5 minute appearance on the niger feeder before flying off towards the pump house with one single lesser redpoll. Many other birders had given up and left as it was going dark and most bird activity had died down. Also a pair of sparrowhawks (M+F) flew over together scaring everything but the mealy off the feeders.. They were not in hunting mode as they were high up and looked to be flying off to roost.
-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Thursday 11th of January 2018 07:10:38 PM
-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Thursday 11th of January 2018 11:00:06 PM
No sign of Mealy Redpoll when I left although they were being looked for (good luck Simon et el), Woodcock over the car park at 8.00 a.m. and a Water rail near Bennies. Cheers Ian
Richard Thew said
Wed Jan 10 7:12 PM, 2018
Paul Wilson wrote:
Redpolls. Doing my head in! I give up trying to work out which one is a Common Redpoll and which ones are Lesser Redpolls, but maybe I'm just not cut out for this birding lark! One is pretty obvious when it appears next to the Lessers, due to the slight size difference, but when a male Lesser appears on its own it is a bit of a challenge!
-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Wednesday 10th of January 2018 05:43:25 PM
You've done very well here, I must admit even after 18 years of birding and research myself, there are still some things I struggle with, like I said in my previous post, I suspected there could be two mealy redpolls- I was wrong, so I'm glad I didn't hold my breath for that! But it's an easy mistake to get confused in the excitement. One thing that threw me (note my pictures) The angle can make things harder as picture 184 doesn't show any red on his body (top left), yet picture 103 shows it extensivly and besides, a pale lesser redpoll with the same side pattern didn't help much either. It's only after experiences like this that it usually clicks for me after some digging!
To be struggling in seperating bird species doesn't make one any less of a birder, it's as long as we enjoy the experience - and we can help each other out here too!
Your pictures are as follows ....... (hopefully)
Mealy redpoll, pictures 1,2,5 (top left) and 6. Pictures 3 and 4 are lesser redpolls.
Pictures attached,- 003- ring necked parakeet, 103 mealy redpoll top right, 184 mealy top left.
Redpolls. Doing my head in! I give up trying to work out which one is a Common Redpoll and which ones are Lesser Redpolls, but maybe I'm just not cut out for this birding lark! One is pretty obvious when it appears next to the Lessers, due to the slight size difference, but when a male Lesser appears on its own it is a bit of a challenge!
-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Wednesday 10th of January 2018 05:43:25 PM
Mealy Redpoll still there today
https://flic.kr/p/23mDkFk
Richard Thew said
Wed Jan 10 9:29 AM, 2018
Breaking news! A Ring necked parakeet was seen down withins Lane, unfortunately he flew off I think towards Elton res. He was seen in the big tree next to the 2nd bridge from Bury road. At least my mother (who hasn't been too well lately with this virus thing) got to see it as a lifer tick for her. I will post a record shot of it later this evening. Also worth a note; I've finally got to see my Mealy redpoll. (There are possibly 2 (had another birder with me at the time to 2nd that), but I won't hold my breath till I examine my pics). With 7 or 8 lesser redpolls too. We'll done Steven!!!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 10th of January 2018 10:57:30 AM
Roger Baker 3 said
Tue Jan 9 4:55 PM, 2018
My thanks to Steve Higginbottom for finding this Mealy ... certainly a well coloured little gem.
As Keith says plenty of disturbance on car park .... only short of a brass band turning up.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 9th of January 2018 04:56:38 PM
Keith Mills said
Tue Jan 9 3:35 PM, 2018
This afternoon at 2.15, after a 2 hour watch, with almost every possible disturbance by the feeders, a Mealy Redpoll with 4 Lesser Redpoll on the niger. County Lifer for me! Mike Cooper, Pete Baron also present.
6 Tufted Ducks.
11 Teal.
3 Goldeneye.
1 female Goosander.
No Large gulls.
Cheers Steven.
28 species seen including :
1 Greater Scaup.
4 Nuthatch.
2 Bullfinch.
1 Rook.
1 Kestrel.
7 Lesser Backed Gull.
1 Common Gull.
Feeders.
1 Goldcrest.
7 Lesser Redpoll
4 Bullfinch.
23 Greenfinch.
1 Male Sparrowhawk.
On Elton Reservoir.
3 Goldeneye.
4 Teal.
49 Herring Gull.
31 Argentatus Herring Gulls.
5 Great Black Backed Gulls.
8 Lesser Black backed Gulls.
5 Common Gull.
Cheers Steven
Cheers Ian
At the feeders.
1 Woodcock flew over the feeders.
7 Lesser Redpoll.
1 Mealy (common) Redpoll.
75 Goldfinch.
23 Greenfinch.
On Elton Reservoir.
1 Greater Scaup record shot attached.
3 Goldeneye.
19 Teal.
2 Common Gull.
Cheers Steven .
After a fruitless hour at Hollingworth Lake arrived at sailing club car park and got cracking views of the Mealy Redpoll on the feeders standing out well next to 3 Lesser Redpoll.
Also 2 Bullfinch.
Very windy periods and the feeders were swinging quite a bit which didn't help much, but we got some good views of the Mealy redpoll and mum found the bullfinches.
I walked it back home and I managed the Scaup which was still around. He was surprisingly close to the shore at the top end (although the boats had been out) and got the picture of it through a wide gap in the trees. Apparently, it was hanging out with 2 tufted ducks (de-ja-vu) and a female goldeneye.
Ta!
Hi Mike, Just joined the site and had to wait for approval, but as promised here are the images from January 26th of Lesser Redpolls, Greenfinch and Brambling.
1 Female Greater Scaup.
4 Wigeon.
9 Goldeneye.
1 Goosander.
24 Teal.
1 Goosander.
40 Pink Footed Geese.
2 Snipe.
5 Common Gulls.
3 Great Black backed Gulls.
1 Peregrine Falcon.
2 Kestrel.
1 Sparrowhawk.
1 Mealy (Common) Redpoll.
8 Lesser Redpoll.
80+ Fieldfare.
30+ Redwing.
2 Jay.
Cheers Steven
Cheers Steven
Common (Mealy) Redpoll several times during stay with 4 fem/imms and a very smart male Lesser Redpoll
Male Brambling in winter plumage in hawthorn and elder along stream by field right after wooden bridge. Another birder got some good photos which he said he would post
1 Female Scaup.Record shot attached.
6 Goldeneye.
8 Teal.
1 Oystercatcher.
1 Common Gull.
1 Mealy Redpoll.
Afternoon visit. 1 Sparrowhawk. 3 Lesser Redpoll. 1 Possible Yellow Legged Gull dropped in for about five minutes record shot attached.
Cheers Steven
.
-- Edited by Steven Higginbottom on Friday 26th of January 2018 09:40:26 PM
26 species including:
Mealy redpoll
3 Lesser redpoll
30+ Goldfinch
15 Starling
4 Greenfinch
240+ Black headed gull
4 Mute swan
Kestrel
8 Lesser black backed gull
Mealy Redpoll visiting the right hand feeders fairly regularly until just after 14.00 when it flew off. At least 4 different Lesser Redpoll visiting during the same period judging by size and markings.
C 6 Long-tailed Tit
Great Tits
Blue Tits
Good numbers of Greenfinch and Chaffinches
Uncounted Goldfinches
4 Bullfinch 3 males and 1 female on the feeder trays lower down
En route from and to Radcliffe tram stop inc the reservoir
Black-headed Gull
Canada Goose
Mallard
Moorhen
Wren
Mistle Thrush
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Tufted Duck
Common Gull 6+
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Woodpigeon
Robin
Blackbird
Magpie.
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Cheers Ian
-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Sunday 21st of January 2018 01:37:35 PM
Mealy Redpoll was showing well
3 Lesser Redpoll
Female Brambling
Willow Tit
2 Coal Tit
8 Long-tailed Tit
8 Bullfinch
30+ Greenfinch
50+ Goldfinch
5 Robin
3 Dunnock
6 Blackbirds
Wren
5 Moorhen
4 Mallard
Also Blue Tit, Great Tit, Starling, Woodpigeon and Magpie
As you can probably guess not much else about other than 7 Goldeneye on the res
Cheers Ian
22 Goosander first light.
2 Little Egret.
5 Goldeneye.
6 Gadwall.
10 Teal.
1 Water rail.
1 Kestrel.
100+ Goldfinch at feeders first light.
1 Mealy (Common) Redpoll.
4 Lesser Redpoll. 1 Brambling record shot attached
2 Skylark.
Cheers Steven
-- Edited by Steven Higginbottom on Thursday 18th of January 2018 01:59:15 PM
And Mealy Redpoll on the feeders again at 9.20 and 9.40. Thanks Ian! Also 2 Lesser Redpoll on the feeders, 7 Goldeneye and 12 Teal on the reservoir, and 2 Little Egret on Old Hall Marsh.
50 Fieldfare flew over heading west, and a mixed flock of Redwing, Filedfare and 9 Mistle Thrushes on the fields by the canal.
Cheers Ian
-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Wednesday 17th of January 2018 09:54:20 AM
Other birds much as yesterday's report.
Mealy Redpoll showing well at 11.00 this morning. Two lesser redpoll also active. Other birds include:
30+ Goldfinch
15+ Greenfinch
4 Bullfinch
2 Chaffinch
2 Coal Tit
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 15th of January 2018 05:33:56 PM
Cheers Ian
Good to see Chris Greene & wife, and some other forum members.
(I actually came yesterday afternoon after work but the Mealy Redpoll was a no show)
- 1 Mealy Redpoll (Common Redpoll)
An absolute cracker of a bird with a stunning rosey plumage, and an obvious size difference between it and the Lesser Redpolls.
- 4 Lesser Redpolls
- 2 Bullfinch (m)
- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
- 1 Sparrowhawk (near the hospital)
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 14th of January 2018 05:22:46 PM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 14th of January 2018 05:33:42 PM
1 Common Redpoll...
5 Lesser Redpoll...
1 Linnet near Crow Trees...
1 Coal Tit...
22 Teal...
2 Kestrel...
Cheers Steven.
7am to 11am partly with Ian and Malcolm.
5 Lesser Redpoll
1 Common Redpoll
1 Coal Tit
1 Nuthatch
2 Teal
2 Common Gulls
1 Sparrowhawks
1 Kestrel
2 Water Rail at Capsticks
10+ Common Snipe in marsh below farm
1000+ Jackdaw murmurating over the res before sunrise
Good to meet fellow birders (Simon Gough, Ian Boote and others, who chipped in with donations for Steve, for all the seed he's been buying!)
40 Redwing,
5 Fieldfare.
3 Gadwall 2m 1f.
1 Pochard Drake.
1 Meadow Pipit.
5 Lesser Redpoll.
1 Mealy Redpoll showed around 12noon and 14:15pm photo attached of Mealy Redpoll on left, Lesser Redpoll on right. You can see the size difference as pointed out by Simon Jonson in an earlier post.
Cheers Steven
Cheers Ian
Nice morning round elton 51 species seen
Mealy Redpoll was in trees next to the sailing club with 11 Lesser Redpoll - there are also 2 very pale Lesser Redpolls within the flock which might be confused for the Mealy - one pointer to look out for with the Mealy is that it is larger than all the other Redpolls.
also -
904 Pink-footed Geese flew west in 8 Skeins between 10.28 and 10.43
Woodcock flew out of old hall marsh at dawn
2 Tawny Owl calling along the canal
4 Treecreeper
Nuthatch
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers - drumming in the dip
4 Water Rail ( Old hall marsh, Bennies and 2 Coney green)
3 Wigeon
25 teal
24 Goosander
3 Coal Tit
3.49pm The Mealy Redpoll made a 5 minute appearance on the niger feeder before flying off towards the pump house with one single lesser redpoll. Many other birders had given up and left as it was going dark and most bird activity had died down. Also a pair of sparrowhawks (M+F) flew over together scaring everything but the mealy off the feeders.. They were not in hunting mode as they were high up and looked to be flying off to roost.
-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Thursday 11th of January 2018 07:10:38 PM
-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Thursday 11th of January 2018 11:00:06 PM
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Friday 12th of January 2018 09:38:10 AM
Cheers Ian
You've done very well here, I must admit even after 18 years of birding and research myself, there are still some things I struggle with, like I said in my previous post, I suspected there could be two mealy redpolls- I was wrong, so I'm glad I didn't hold my breath for that! But it's an easy mistake to get confused in the excitement. One thing that threw me (note my pictures) The angle can make things harder as picture 184 doesn't show any red on his body (top left), yet picture 103 shows it extensivly and besides, a pale lesser redpoll with the same side pattern didn't help much either. It's only after experiences like this that it usually clicks for me after some digging!
To be struggling in seperating bird species doesn't make one any less of a birder, it's as long as we enjoy the experience - and we can help each other out here too!
Your pictures are as follows ....... (hopefully)
Mealy redpoll, pictures 1,2,5 (top left) and 6. Pictures 3 and 4 are lesser redpolls.
Pictures attached,- 003- ring necked parakeet, 103 mealy redpoll top right, 184 mealy top left.
Redpolls. Doing my head in! I give up trying to work out which one is a Common Redpoll and which ones are Lesser Redpolls, but maybe I'm just not cut out for this birding lark! One is pretty obvious when it appears next to the Lessers, due to the slight size difference, but when a male Lesser appears on its own it is a bit of a challenge!
-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Wednesday 10th of January 2018 05:43:25 PM
Breaking news! A Ring necked parakeet was seen down withins Lane, unfortunately he flew off I think towards Elton res. He was seen in the big tree next to the 2nd bridge from Bury road. At least my mother (who hasn't been too well lately with this virus thing) got to see it as a lifer tick for her. I will post a record shot of it later this evening. Also worth a note; I've finally got to see my Mealy redpoll. (There are possibly 2 (had another birder with me at the time to 2nd that), but I won't hold my breath till I examine my pics). With 7 or 8 lesser redpolls too. We'll done Steven!!!
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 10th of January 2018 10:57:30 AM
As Keith says plenty of disturbance on car park .... only short of a brass band turning up.
Roger.
-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Tuesday 9th of January 2018 04:56:38 PM
County Lifer for me!
Mike Cooper, Pete Baron also present.
Cheers Ian
Thanks for your help Steven.. I know where to try now.