Looking on the lendf website (Lowton east residents) they have a map of the hs2 route can't fully understand it but it seems to suggest to will go via Dover lock and lightshaw hall and there will be some form of railway maintenance works there.
Dave Tennant said
Fri Jan 25 8:10 AM, 2013
Walk from the dover lock pub to light hall flash. 1130-1300. 2 mute swans on the frozen canal. 1 kestrel 1 sparrowhawk 47 noisey jackdaws flying west 1 heron
Norman Price said
Thu Nov 15 11:59 PM, 2012
20 - 30 Redwings between the two bridges this afternoon at 1400 - 1500. 1 Kestrel on wires above canal 2 mute swans 1 pair mallards
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Nov 12 9:01 PM, 2012
Originally posted by Gordon Newman today:
On a walk aling the canal towpath from Plank Lane bridge to Dover Lock 3.30- 4.30 very misty after rain all day
2 Kingfisher fishing in canal just past 2nd bridge 75+ Redwing 15 Fieldfare - with the Redwing feeding on berries at side of canal just past first bridge ( alas no Waxwing as I had hoped) 1 Kestrel 1 Grey Partridge Chaffinch Great Tit Blue Tit Long-tailed Tit Linnet constant stream of gulls flying to Penny Flash
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 12th of November 2012 09:04:07 PM
Dave Tennant said
Mon Oct 29 6:42 PM, 2012
0745-0930 Nice walk from DB pub to the screen on LH flash. Redwing - lots feeding in berry laden trees from the steps from the canal along the old mineral line down to the screen, difficult to count while they were feeding but 43 flew from the last tree before the scteen. 5 fieldfare 8 long tailed tits 9 tufted duck DB reed bunting [lost count] 1 skylark 2 cormorants [over ] 1 heron 1 fox Back at the car a flock of 61 redwing flying southwest.
Lightshaw 1 Willow Tit calling 3 Grey Heron 3 Buzzard 1 Kestrel 20 Gadwall 65 Lapwing 1 Common Snipe A charm of 30 Goldfinch 7 Teal 11 Shoveler flushed from a ditch by a Buzzard, all landed on flash Blackcap singing quietly Song Thrush 11 Stock Dove 3 Woodpigeon 20 Starling Mixed flock of House Martins and Swallows hawking over fields 50+ predominantly Swallow
Also watched a Kestrel eating a large dragonfly in mid air Hobby-style
50+ Starling on Warrington Road near school bus lay-by
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Sep 11 5:43 AM, 2012
3 Wigeon on Dover Basin and Pintail on Lightshaw Hall Flash at 11:50am today.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Sep 5 6:56 AM, 2012
A Green Sandpiper flew into Lightshaw Hall Flash at 4:19 this afternoon.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Jimmy Meadows said
Sun Aug 26 6:10 PM, 2012
This morning Lots of water Dover Basin 3 Snipe flying
Lightshaw 10 Gadwall 4 Teal 1 Buzzard 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker Willow tit calling near cattle gate Blackcap same area 1 Kestrel
Jimmy
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Aug 25 12:16 AM, 2012
9 Black-tailed Godwit on Lightshaw at 3:40pm with 3 Wigeon on Dover.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Dave Tennant said
Wed Aug 22 12:53 AM, 2012
1 possibly 2 hobbys viewed from the canal at 1330. the first hunting across the large flash before joining up with what seemed like a smaller bird soaring high up above my head. what looked first like aggression toward each other changed to give me the impression that they were related. could 'nt be certain of the second birds id.
Jonathan Platt said
Mon Aug 20 4:26 AM, 2012
Ian McKerchar wrote:
An amazing 15 Little Egrets flew over heading east at 8am this morning.
This may be entirely unconnected but I had a similar sized flock flying over the M56 just before the Frodsham junction at 6.30am this morning, at the time they were flying north-east. Never seen such a large flock in an area where, as far as I'm aware, they are only occasional visitors. Same birds perhaps?
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Aug 20 1:55 AM, 2012
An amazing 15 Little Egrets flew over heading east at 8am this morning.
Also seen flying over were a Tree Pipit and 7 Black-tailed Godwits.
Info thanks to Rob Thorpe
Karen Foulkes said
Sat Aug 11 3:04 AM, 2012
Afternoon visit
Dover Basin
Family of 6 Tufted ducklings now not much smaller than adult female 3 Grey Heron 40+ Mallard 2 Shoveler
Lightshaw Flash
2 Teal 30+ Gadwall 2 juv Shelduck 3 Grey Heron 2 Cormorant 1 Kestrel 1 Sparrowhawk 3 Snipe 20+ Lapwing plus another 40+ flew in 2 Sand Martin with 40+ Swallows 1 Whitethroat 1 Stock Dove
Also 1 Cormorant on canal, 2 more over 2 House Martin Large mixed tit flock
Keith Mills said
Sun Aug 5 4:37 PM, 2012
90 minutes mid afternoon Saturday, with John Parkinson:
No sign of Little Egret.
Grey Heron ....5 including 1 Juv. Gadwall ...14 Lapwing ...20 plus Cormorants...3 Shelduck....2 Common Tern...2 ...over LBB Gulls... 90 ...over BH Gulls...6 Two waders: one a Green Sandpiper and the other probably a Common Sandpiper ( no scope) Mallards and Coots.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Aug 4 2:08 AM, 2012
Little Egret (breeding plumaged adult) on Lightshaw Hall Flash today, looking quite settled picking off emerging Common Darters. No further details.
Info thanks to LWT
Karen Foulkes said
Mon Jul 23 12:41 PM, 2012
1 Green Sandpiper - Dover Basin
Other sightings included
2 broods of Tufted Duck (3 small ducklings and 6 larger ones) Reed Warbler singing
On the canal a female Mallard with 8 small ducklings
Lightshaw
3 juv Shelduck 1 Grey Heron hiding in the reeds 40 Lapwing 3 Oystercatcher 1 Kestrel 1 Yellowhammer singing 1 Reed Bunting singing 1 Kingfisher heard calling flying away down the channel
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Monday 23rd of July 2012 05:35:31 PM
Dave Tennant said
Sun Jun 17 9:58 AM, 2012
0620- 0835 Water levels higher than last week. highlights flock of 26 lapwing 8 redshank 2 oystercatcher lovely male linnet on fence in front of screen 4 long tailed tit raven [ over ] cuckoo [ heard ] common tern pair of bullfinch pair of shelduck [ with 3 young ] 4 willow warbler 2 blackcap the sound of wren everywhere 1 cormorant on canal 1kestrel 1 sparrowhawk
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 17th of June 2012 11:49:32 AM
Geoff Hargreaves said
Mon Jun 11 5:45 AM, 2012
A pleasant hour at the western end of the recording area early a.m. Willow,Reed and Sedge Warbler,Mistle and Song Thrush,Whitethroat,Willow,Blue,Great and Long-tailed Tit,Linnet,Goldfinch Over,Canada Geese,Greylag,Oystercatcher,Common Tern,Grey Heron,Kestrel
cheers geoff
Dave Tennant said
Sun Jun 10 10:04 AM, 2012
Nice couple of hours 0640- 0850 highlights. Barn owl 2 snipe 7 redshank pair of bullfinch 2 shelduck with 3 young 1 grasshopper warbler 1 oystercatcher lost count of lapwing 1 grey wagtail 1 common tern female mallard with 2 young flock of 15 long tailed tits skylark reed bunting heron [ over ] marooned herd of cattle in flooded field, as expected water levels very high, just great to get out and about after 3 days of rain.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 10th of June 2012 10:45:32 AM
Rob Thorpe said
Thu May 17 2:08 AM, 2012
Wednesday 16 May 2012 11:15-14:45 | sunny, W wind, 12'C
1 Whimbrel (in same field as yesterday) 1 Spotted Flycatcher
Ian McKerchar said
Wed May 16 5:48 AM, 2012
Dunlin, Ringed Plover and 2 Common Terns present up to 2:40 today.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Rob Thorpe said
Tue May 15 11:12 PM, 2012
Tuesday 15 May 2012 09:30-13:30 & 18:00-21:45 | showers in morning - sunny in evening, gusty NW wind, 8'C-12'C
quite flooded again after overnight rain c30 Greylag Goose 8 Tufted Duck 1 Hobby (over > east) Ringed Plover (heard) 1 Dunlin 1 Whimbrel (in field off LL) 2 Wheatear
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 15th of May 2012 11:23:07 PM
Rob Thorpe said
Tue May 15 3:20 PM, 2012
Monday 14 May 212 15:00 - 16:30 | sunny with westerly wind, 12'C
where did all the Greylags come from? 33 Greylag Goose 1 Ringed Plover 2 Dunlin 1 Lesser Whitethroat
Rob Thorpe said
Tue May 15 3:16 PM, 2012
Saturday 12 May 2012 06:00-12:00 | sunny at first but clouding, gusty westerly wind
46 species on walk to West viewing screen and back. Perhaps only new arrival was a Ringed Plover. Had good 'scoped views of a Grasshopper Warbler reeling from a small bush on s.side of canal in the sunken marshy area between pub and Dover Basin.
Rob Thorpe said
Wed May 9 10:01 PM, 2012
Tuesday 08 May 2012 18:00-21:45 | clouding, west wind, 13'C > falling
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Wednesday 9th of May 2012 10:01:51 PM
Bernard McGurrin said
Sun May 6 6:18 PM, 2012
2-30pm-- 4-55pm
Lightshaw swallow numbers starting to build up as i was leaving( didn't spot any other hirundines) 2 common tern 1 oystercatcher 3 redshank 3 ringed plover 12 greylag geese 4 canada geese 4 shelduck ( 2 more kept trying to land but were constantly chased off) 2 grey heron pied wagtail moorhen, coot, 8 gadwall, mallard, black headed gull,tufted duck 2 linnet on fence in front of screen in surrounding fields, lapwing, magpie, wood pigeon, pheasant, carrion crow. buzzard and kestrel over dover basin 2 great crested grebe, 3 shelduck, coot, moorhen, heron, mallard, gadwall along canalwalk and paths chiffchaff, willow warbler, reed bunting, chaffinch, robin, great tit, blue tit, wren, goldfinch, 2 mute swan on canal, cormorant over
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 6th of May 2012 06:19:28 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 6th of May 2012 06:19:52 PM
-- Edited by Bernard McGurrin on Sunday 6th of May 2012 06:21:11 PM
Cool wind and cloud cover kept everything fairly quiet but a smart male Whinchat on a fence near the screen and two Grey Partridge on the path made the walk worthwhile.
Rob Thorpe said
Thu May 3 9:50 PM, 2012
Thursday 03 May 2012 17:30-21:00 | sunny, NE breeze, 14'C - 10'C
Whimbrel passage and first Whinchat of the year 1 Shoveler 6 Tufted Duck 3 Whimbrel (2 on then flew west, another high over > west - all very vocal!) 4 Common Tern 1 Little Owl many Swift 1 Whinchat 3 Reed Warbler 3 Sedge Warbler
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Friday 4th of May 2012 08:25:04 AM
Rob Thorpe said
Wed May 2 12:13 AM, 2012
Sunday 29 April 2012 evening
1 Wheatear
Rob Thorpe said
Wed May 2 12:07 AM, 2012
Saturday 28 April 2012 05:45-12:45 | cloudy, cold NE wind, 6'C
first Lesser Whitethroat returns, water levels still high 1 Little Ringed Plover (over > east) 1 Common Sandpiper 16 Swift 4 House Martin 1 Fieldfare 4 Wheatear 4 Grasshopper Warbler 2 Reed Warbler 2 Sedge Warbler 1 Lesser Whitethroat 4 Whitethroat 6 Blackcap 32 Willow Warbler
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 1st of May 2012 05:40:35 PM
Rob Thorpe said
Fri Apr 27 4:38 AM, 2012
Thursday 26 April 2012 18:30-20:30 | rain, NE wind, 10'C
big flood , but long awaited patch tick! 2 Great Crested Grebe 1 Hobby 1 Great Black-backed Gull (over > NW) 2 Common Tern 1 House Martin 2 Grasshopper Warbler 24 Meadow Pipit (flock over > N)
Rob Thorpe said
Fri Apr 27 4:33 AM, 2012
Tuesday 24 April 2012 18:00-21:15 | sunny
Barn Owl the highlight 4 Teal 1 Little Grebe 4 Great Crested Grebe 1 Common Sandpiper 1 Barn Owl 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 House Martin 1 Reed Warbler 1 Sedge Warbler
Rob Thorpe said
Fri Apr 27 4:30 AM, 2012
Sunday 22 April 2012 18:50-20:30 | sunny, west breeze, 11'C
also, 3 tern sp. high in the distance, heading east.
Craig Higson said
Wed Apr 25 5:22 AM, 2012
First Swift of the year at Dover Lock
Geoff Hargreaves said
Mon Apr 23 4:50 AM, 2012
A couple of hours touring the canal bank and the west screen didn,t turn up any surprises. 2 Greylag geese with 5 young on the canal 1 Buzzard perched up at DB
cheers geoff
Rob Thorpe said
Sat Apr 21 9:51 PM, 2012
Saturday 21 April 2012 05:50-12:40 | heavy rain shower then sunny spells, west breeze, 4'C - 9'C
3 redshank 4 shelduck + 2 more on Dover basin 4 gadwall 2 oystercatcher mating on spit 1 little ringed plover 2 pied wagtail c30 swallow 6 grey lag geese 2 canada geese plenty lapwing 3 black headed gulls 2 great crested grebe teal, mallard plenty wood pigeon + magpie, 2 carrion crow, coot, moorhen buzzard over quite frequently kestrel. 3 grey heron +2 Mute swan plus loads of teal on dover basin willow warbler, chiffchaff, great tit, blue tit, robin, chaffinch and blackbird along canal song thrush in Dover Lock Inn car park.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 20th of April 2012 06:51:40 PM
chrisdorney said
Fri Apr 20 7:07 AM, 2012
Great white egret showing well from 7.30 to 7.45 then disappeared in channel until 8 when it was relocated by fantastic Mr fox who caused the bird to stretch its long neck above the ditch!it then flew onto the main flash and fed until 8.15 before flying off to roost west over the A573. Also present:willow warbler and willow tit along the towpath.shelduck shoveler teal oystercatcher reed bunting buzzard greylag skylark linnet(20) swallow(30) yellowhammer meadow pipit and a single snipe in cattle field.on the walk back heard a grasshopper warbler reeling. Very late sighting for 10/4/12: Water rail flushed from marsh behind Dover lock inn.
Gordon Newman said
Fri Apr 20 3:16 AM, 2012
Great White Egret still present 7.30 viwable from new sight screen and canal towpath
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Apr 19 11:58 PM, 2012
Great White Egret still present at 4:40pm, at this time favouring the small pool to the north of the main flash and so possibly best viewed from the canal bank if possible.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Apr 19 10:53 PM, 2012
Great White Egret still present at 3:50 this afternoon.
Info thanks to Phil Kelly
Mike Passant said
Thu Apr 19 8:13 PM, 2012
Dear Great White Egret,
Are you being a bit of a tease,or are you just a bit slow?
You know that really, you want to get onto my GR. Man. list, but you've just been a bit too shy of late, (perhaps a bit of stage fright?). Frankly, you must try harder, (i.e. settle down by the main pool, and stop poking about tucked away in those dirty wet ditches or thick reedy margins all the time), then I MIGHT find time to fit you into my busy schedule say, on Saturday?
Be warned though, don't leave it too late if you want to avoid more disappointment, and if something better turns up at this end, (say a Rufous Bush Chat, or a Great-black-headed Gull, well that's tough luck!) - you don't get many opportunities in life, so when they do come along, -- grab with both wings! (Try not to blow it a second time)
Good Luck, ( and if I may recommend; - the frogs legs down there are excellent).
2 mute swans on the frozen canal.
1 kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
47 noisey jackdaws flying west
1 heron
1 Kestrel on wires above canal
2 mute swans
1 pair mallards
On a walk aling the canal towpath from Plank Lane bridge to Dover Lock 3.30- 4.30
very misty after rain all day
2 Kingfisher fishing in canal just past 2nd bridge
75+ Redwing
15 Fieldfare - with the Redwing feeding on berries at side of canal just past first bridge ( alas no Waxwing as I had hoped)
1 Kestrel
1 Grey Partridge
Chaffinch
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Linnet
constant stream of gulls flying to Penny Flash
Dover Lock
15 Tufted Duck
5 Mallard
1 Shoveler
Coot
Moorhen
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 12th of November 2012 09:04:07 PM
Redwing - lots feeding in berry laden trees from the steps from the canal along the old mineral line down to the screen, difficult to count while they were feeding but 43 flew from the last tree before the scteen.
5 fieldfare
8 long tailed tits
9 tufted duck DB
reed bunting [lost count]
1 skylark
2 cormorants [over ]
1 heron
1 fox
Back at the car a flock of 61 redwing flying southwest.
Dover
20+ Mallard
2 Tufted Duck
4 Coot
1 Moorhen
2 Mute Swan
Lightshaw
1 Willow Tit calling
3 Grey Heron
3 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
20 Gadwall
65 Lapwing
1 Common Snipe
A charm of 30 Goldfinch
7 Teal
11 Shoveler flushed from a ditch by a Buzzard, all landed on flash
Blackcap singing quietly
Song Thrush
11 Stock Dove
3 Woodpigeon
20 Starling
Mixed flock of House Martins and Swallows hawking over fields 50+ predominantly Swallow
Also watched a Kestrel eating a large dragonfly in mid air Hobby-style
50+ Starling on Warrington Road near school bus lay-by
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Lots of water
Dover Basin
3 Snipe flying
Lightshaw
10 Gadwall
4 Teal
1 Buzzard
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Willow tit calling near cattle gate
Blackcap same area
1 Kestrel
Jimmy
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
This may be entirely unconnected but I had a similar sized flock flying over the M56 just before the Frodsham junction at 6.30am this morning, at the time they were flying north-east. Never seen such a large flock in an area where, as far as I'm aware, they are only occasional visitors. Same birds perhaps?
Also seen flying over were a Tree Pipit and 7 Black-tailed Godwits.
Info thanks to Rob Thorpe
Dover Basin
Family of 6 Tufted ducklings now not much smaller than adult female
3 Grey Heron
40+ Mallard
2 Shoveler
Lightshaw Flash
2 Teal
30+ Gadwall
2 juv Shelduck
3 Grey Heron
2 Cormorant
1 Kestrel
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Snipe
20+ Lapwing plus another 40+ flew in
2 Sand Martin with 40+ Swallows
1 Whitethroat
1 Stock Dove
Also 1 Cormorant on canal, 2 more over
2 House Martin
Large mixed tit flock
No sign of Little Egret.
Grey Heron ....5 including 1 Juv.
Gadwall ...14
Lapwing ...20 plus
Cormorants...3
Shelduck....2
Common Tern...2 ...over
LBB Gulls... 90 ...over
BH Gulls...6
Two waders: one a Green Sandpiper and the other probably a Common Sandpiper ( no scope)
Mallards and Coots.
Info thanks to LWT
Other sightings included
2 broods of Tufted Duck (3 small ducklings and 6 larger ones)
Reed Warbler singing
On the canal a female Mallard with 8 small ducklings
Lightshaw
3 juv Shelduck
1 Grey Heron hiding in the reeds
40 Lapwing
3 Oystercatcher
1 Kestrel
1 Yellowhammer singing
1 Reed Bunting singing
1 Kingfisher heard calling flying away down the channel
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Monday 23rd of July 2012 05:35:31 PM
flock of 26 lapwing
8 redshank
2 oystercatcher
lovely male linnet on fence in front of screen
4 long tailed tit
raven [ over ]
cuckoo [ heard ]
common tern
pair of bullfinch
pair of shelduck [ with 3 young ]
4 willow warbler
2 blackcap
the sound of wren everywhere
1 cormorant on canal
1kestrel
1 sparrowhawk
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 17th of June 2012 11:49:32 AM
Willow,Reed and Sedge Warbler,Mistle and Song Thrush,Whitethroat,Willow,Blue,Great and Long-tailed Tit,Linnet,Goldfinch
Over,Canada Geese,Greylag,Oystercatcher,Common Tern,Grey Heron,Kestrel
cheers geoff
Barn owl
2 snipe
7 redshank
pair of bullfinch
2 shelduck with 3 young
1 grasshopper warbler
1 oystercatcher
lost count of lapwing
1 grey wagtail
1 common tern
female mallard with 2 young
flock of 15 long tailed tits
skylark
reed bunting
heron [ over ]
marooned herd of cattle in flooded field, as expected water levels very high, just great to get out and about after 3 days of rain.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 10th of June 2012 10:45:32 AM
11:15-14:45 | sunny, W wind, 12'C
1 Whimbrel (in same field as yesterday)
1 Spotted Flycatcher
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
09:30-13:30 & 18:00-21:45 | showers in morning - sunny in evening, gusty NW wind, 8'C-12'C
quite flooded again after overnight rain
c30 Greylag Goose
8 Tufted Duck
1 Hobby (over > east)
Ringed Plover (heard)
1 Dunlin
1 Whimbrel (in field off LL)
2 Wheatear
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 15th of May 2012 11:23:07 PM
15:00 - 16:30 | sunny with westerly wind, 12'C
where did all the Greylags come from?
33 Greylag Goose
1 Ringed Plover
2 Dunlin
1 Lesser Whitethroat
06:00-12:00 | sunny at first but clouding, gusty westerly wind
lots of Whitethroats!
1 Whinchat
5 Wheatear
2 Grasshopper Warbler
4 Reed Warbler
15 Sedge Warbler
3 Lesser Whitethroat
25 Whitethroat
15 Blackcap
31 Willow Warbler
11 Chiffchaff
1 Treecreeper
1 Lesser Redpoll
evening
biggest flood yet!
3 Great Crested Grebe
4 Dunlin
Dover basin 2 Shelduck
2 Grey heron
4 Mallard
2 Coot,Reed Warbler,Reed Bunting,Yellowhammer,Skylark,Common Buzzard
Lightshaw,15 greylag,
1 Oystercatcher
2 Redshank
1 Dunlin
1 Lesser Whitethroat
cheers geoff
a quick evening visit
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Wheatear
3 Yellow Wagtail
06:00-11:30 | sunny but cold, NW wind, 0'c - 10'C
Cuckoo arrives
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Cuckoo
1 Grasshopper Warbler
8 Reed Warbler
7 Sedge Warbler
5 Lesser Whitethroat
14 Whitethroat
11 Blackcap
25 Willow Warbler
9 Chiffchaff
1 Treecreeper
2 Siskin (over > north)
Wed May 9th:
Visited 12 noon to 14.00, Rain started 13.00
46 species on walk to West viewing screen and back. Perhaps only new arrival was a Ringed Plover. Had good 'scoped views of a Grasshopper Warbler reeling from a small bush on s.side of canal in the sunken marshy area between pub and Dover Basin.
18:00-21:45 | clouding, west wind, 13'C > falling
flashes flooded again!
1 Goosander (over > west)
1 Shoveler
1 Hobby
1 Whimbrel (over > west)
1 Barn Owl
3 Whinchat
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Wednesday 9th of May 2012 10:01:51 PM
Lightshaw
swallow numbers starting to build up as i was leaving( didn't spot any other hirundines)
2 common tern
1 oystercatcher
3 redshank
3 ringed plover
12 greylag geese
4 canada geese
4 shelduck ( 2 more kept trying to land but were constantly chased off)
2 grey heron
pied wagtail
moorhen, coot, 8 gadwall, mallard, black headed gull,tufted duck
2 linnet on fence in front of screen
in surrounding fields, lapwing, magpie, wood pigeon, pheasant, carrion crow.
buzzard and kestrel over
dover basin
2 great crested grebe, 3 shelduck, coot, moorhen, heron, mallard, gadwall
along canalwalk and paths
chiffchaff, willow warbler, reed bunting, chaffinch, robin, great tit, blue tit, wren, goldfinch, 2 mute swan on canal, cormorant over
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 6th of May 2012 06:19:28 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 6th of May 2012 06:19:52 PM
-- Edited by Bernard McGurrin on Sunday 6th of May 2012 06:21:11 PM
Cuckoo (heard)
Great Crested Grebe
Shelduck
Gadwall
Kestrel
Redshank
Lapwing
Whitethroat
Reed Warbler
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Mike Unsworth
Cool wind and cloud cover kept everything fairly quiet but a smart male Whinchat on a fence near the screen and two Grey Partridge on the path made the walk worthwhile.
17:30-21:00 | sunny, NE breeze, 14'C - 10'C
Whimbrel passage and first Whinchat of the year
1 Shoveler
6 Tufted Duck
3 Whimbrel (2 on then flew west, another high over > west - all very vocal!)
4 Common Tern
1 Little Owl
many Swift
1 Whinchat
3 Reed Warbler
3 Sedge Warbler
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Friday 4th of May 2012 08:25:04 AM
evening
1 Wheatear
05:45-12:45 | cloudy, cold NE wind, 6'C
first Lesser Whitethroat returns, water levels still high
1 Little Ringed Plover (over > east)
1 Common Sandpiper
16 Swift
4 House Martin
1 Fieldfare
4 Wheatear
4 Grasshopper Warbler
2 Reed Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat
4 Whitethroat
6 Blackcap
32 Willow Warbler
cloudy, gusty east wind
Yellow Wag - patch tick!
2 Teal
3 Yellow Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
5 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Treecreeper
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 1st of May 2012 05:40:35 PM
18:30-20:30 | rain, NE wind, 10'C
big flood
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Hobby
1 Great Black-backed Gull (over > NW)
2 Common Tern
1 House Martin
2 Grasshopper Warbler
24 Meadow Pipit (flock over > N)
18:00-21:15 | sunny
Barn Owl the highlight
4 Teal
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Barn Owl
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 House Martin
1 Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
18:50-20:30 | sunny, west breeze, 11'C
Greylag invasion!
9 Greylag Goose
10 Teal
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Black-tailed Godwit
2 Reed Warbler
also, 3 tern sp. high in the distance, heading east.
2 Greylag geese with 5 young on the canal
1 Buzzard perched up at DB
cheers geoff
05:50-12:40 | heavy rain shower then sunny spells, west breeze, 4'C - 9'C
Whimbrel, Wheatear and Warblers
18 Teal
3 Great Crested Grebe
3 Black-tailed Godwit
3 Whimbrel (over > NW)
1 Sand Martin (over > N)
2 House Martin (over > N)
many Swallow
5 Fieldfare
1 Wheatear
3 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
2 Whitethroat
6 Blackcap
15 Chiffchaff
37 Willow Warbler
80+ Linnet (flock)
1 Siskin (over > N)
no sign of Great white egret from viewing screen
3 redshank
4 shelduck + 2 more on Dover basin
4 gadwall
2 oystercatcher mating on spit
1 little ringed plover
2 pied wagtail
c30 swallow
6 grey lag geese
2 canada geese
plenty lapwing
3 black headed gulls
2 great crested grebe
teal, mallard plenty wood pigeon + magpie, 2 carrion crow, coot, moorhen
buzzard over quite frequently
kestrel.
3 grey heron +2 Mute swan plus loads of teal on dover basin
willow warbler, chiffchaff, great tit, blue tit, robin, chaffinch and blackbird along canal
song thrush in Dover Lock Inn car park.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 20th of April 2012 06:51:40 PM
Also present:willow warbler and willow tit along the towpath.shelduck shoveler teal oystercatcher reed bunting buzzard greylag skylark linnet(20) swallow(30) yellowhammer meadow pipit and a single snipe in cattle field.on the walk back heard a grasshopper warbler reeling.
Very late sighting for 10/4/12:
Water rail flushed from marsh behind Dover lock inn.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Info thanks to Phil Kelly
Dear Great White Egret,
Are you being a bit of a tease,or are you just a bit slow?
You know that really, you want to get onto my GR. Man. list, but you've just been a bit too shy of late, (perhaps a bit of stage fright?).
Frankly, you must try harder, (i.e. settle down by the main pool, and stop poking about tucked away in those dirty wet ditches or thick reedy margins all the time), then I MIGHT find time to fit you into my busy schedule say, on Saturday?
Be warned though, don't leave it too late if you want to avoid more disappointment, and if something better turns up at this end, (say a Rufous Bush Chat, or a Great-black-headed Gull, well that's tough luck!) - you don't get many opportunities in life, so when they do come along, -- grab with both wings! (Try not to blow it a second time)
Good Luck, ( and if I may recommend; - the frogs legs down there are excellent).
Mike