13/4
2 adult Kittiwakes early morning
Andrew Huyton had an Osprey over north this evening
Simon Hitchen said
Wed Apr 11 8:03 AM, 2018
Adult Kittiwake this morning and drake Red-breasted Merganser
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Apr 9 8:25 PM, 2018
Late news for yesterday (8/4) when there were 3 Gadwall and a Drake Shoveler as well as an early Common Sandpiper, at least 3 Willow Warblers and 2 Chiffchaff. Ian Kimber also had an adult Kittiwake for about 20 minutes in the morning
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Monday 9th of April 2018 11:03:37 PM
Mon 2nd April: 10:00 - 11:40
As the weather was rubbish at home, we set out here thinking that at least there were paths to walk on and it wouldn't be too busy. Well we certainly didn't see many people or birds.
- 3 Great Crested Grebe
- 3 Redwing
- c4 Skylark displaying
- 1 Curlew heard
- 6+ Meadow Pipit
- small finch flock
- 2 or 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- pr Goosander
Just a few Mallard and Canada Geese at the sailing club.
Simon Hitchen said
Mon Mar 26 11:15 PM, 2018
Glaucous Gull still here
Also 4 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall
Simon Hitchen said
Sun Mar 25 10:31 PM, 2018
1W Glaucous Gull still
1 Green Sandpiper - Shaw Moss
also 1 Buzzard, 1 Curlew, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Dippers at Rakewood
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Mar 22 10:20 PM, 2018
1W Glaucous Gull still
1 female Goldeneye, pair Wigeon, 1 Green Sandpiper at Shaw Moss, 2 Oystercatcher, 140+ Redwings and a Lesser Redpoll over were the other highlights
Andrew Huyton also had a Chiffchaff singing at the Nature Reserve and a Woodcock near Shaw Moss
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Mar 8 10:33 PM, 2018
Glaucous Gull back again
1 Curlew over - my first of the year here
9 Great crested Grebes, 8 Tufted Ducks, 2 Goosander, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Snipe, 1 Buzzard, 1 Grey Wagtail, 11 Skylark over east
Paul Wilkins said
Wed Mar 7 3:53 PM, 2018
A circuit of the lake gave me:
Glaucous Gull - on the slip way near the cafe and public loos, very tame and not at all camera-shy Goosander (5) Goldeneye (1) Great Crested Grebe (3 pairs, one displaying) Mute Swan (1) Canada Goose (4) Mallard (I didnt bother counting) Tufted Duck (ditto) Black-headed Gull (ditto) Common Gull (8) Lesser Black-backed Gull (6) Coot (3) Moorhen (2) Cormorant (5) Goldfinch Greenfinch (singing) Blackbird Jackdaw Carrion Crow Magpie Dunnock (singing) Robin Chaffinch (singing) Great Tit Blue Tit
Simon Hitchen said
Tue Mar 6 10:34 PM, 2018
Amazingly a raft of 19 Kittiwakes were on the Lake this morning at 10 am - mostly adults in summer plumage but 3 in winter plumage and unusually one first winter bird. The most Iâve ever seen here by some margin - quite incredible - although Ian Kimber once had 45 here in the nineties!
March tends to be the month for seeing Kittiwakes here when they are virtually annual and I suspect that the birds are overland migrants cutting across from Liverpool Bay to the North Sea - days such as today with mist over the Pennines presumably bring them down here. We never get any here in Autumn so I wonder if they migrate by another route in autumn.
No sign of the Glaucous Gull today although it was here on Sunday (4/3)
Martin Watts said
Wed Feb 28 5:39 PM, 2018
Excellent view of a Snipe this afternoon using its long beak to dig in the snow in the field bounded by Peanock Lane and Wildhouse Lane. I have had a couple of very brief long distance glimpses of a wader flying around this area over the last few days, so this was probably it. It sometimes seems to be heading towards the flooded fields near Shaw Moss Farm.
New bird on the house list.
mike killelea said
Mon Feb 26 8:40 AM, 2018
Glaucous Gull showing very well Sunday while I was there between 12:00 and 14:00 ( Thanks Rob Creek )
-- Edited by mike killelea on Monday 26th of February 2018 11:42:09 AM
Glaucous Gull - Larus hyperboreus (Also has the synonym Larus Glaucus)
Iceland Gull - Larus Glaucoides
'oides' is Greek for 'resembling'
Therefore... Glaucoides means 'resembling a Glaucous Gull'
Mike Chorley said
Sun Feb 25 12:31 AM, 2018
Hi Richard. Do you mean 1894 for the date of your book. Just wondered as my birding 'primer' from my pre-teens in the late 1950's was the Observer's Book of Birds and that lists both Glaucous and Iceland Gull as separate species, at a time before Rock and Water Pipits had been split. You're right about the derivation of the name though. The Classical Greek Hyperboreans were people who lived beyond the North Wind (Boreas).
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 25th of February 2018 12:33:11 AM
Richard Thew said
Sat Feb 24 10:29 PM, 2018
I have some info which may be of help?? I have an old 1984 book on English bird names and a bird scientific name dictionary. 1st, both iceland and glaucous gulls are very simular according to several references. Glaucous in English is named so due to its greyish blue appearence- hence the Latin name glaucoides means "resembling or likeness" and derived from "glaucus" meaning "blue-grey". Unfortunately, the iceland gull isn't mentioned in the English bird name book but i have enouth information to make me think that at are sometime in the past the iceland gull may not have been well known or marked as a sepetate species at some point. So I assume from this that the Iceland gull may have possibly been mistaken for the glaucous gull or vice versa (but this is my personal guess). I say this because as in the previous post- glaucous gull ranges further north- hence the latin "hyperboreus" which means "northern - a people of the extream north" so perhaps when a simular looking smaller gull was separated, the English name sruck with the original find (glaucous gull) but because the glaucous gull lived further north- the latin name was changed to mean "further north" whilst the Iceland gull scientific name stuck (for its greyish blue look) and just it's English name was changed. Hope this is correct and that it helps.
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Sunday 25th of February 2018 08:13:37 AM
Mike Passant said
Sat Feb 24 7:12 PM, 2018
The scientific names may reflect the breeding distribution? I suggest that hyper = extra, and perhaps boreus (aka boreal) refers to the Arctic, which would give us more or less high Arctic - fittingly, as Glaucous Gulls breeding range is truly circumpolar and generally further north, whereas Iceland Gull is largely confined as a breeder to Southern Greenland and NE Canada around Baffin and adjacent islands.
Nev Wright said
Sat Feb 24 5:10 PM, 2018
Thanks Ian.
Interesting. Clearly it's all in the '-oides' !?
Nev
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Feb 24 3:55 PM, 2018
Dunno, it’s all bloody Latin to me Nev
Wikipedia does offer an interesting answer though if you try that, no idea if it’s genuine but it’s sounds convincing enough
Nev Wright said
Sat Feb 24 3:38 PM, 2018
Yep, good views this morning on the slipway by the boathouse.
Anyone know why it's Larus hyperboreus, whereas the Iceland Gull is Larus glaucoides? Ian?
Cheers
Nev
Tony Coatsworth said
Sat Feb 24 12:34 PM, 2018
Glaucous Gull showing really well by lake side cafe - hanging in the icy breeze it must feel like home.
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 24th of February 2018 02:36:49 PM
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 24th of February 2018 02:38:21 PM
Glaucous Gull reappeared around 14.45 and was highly active, taking off and circling among the dozens of other gulls. It took a whole crust of bread and was pursued by various other gulls trying to steal this, eventually finding a peaceful spot on the water over towards the far side, where it stayed until I left soon after 3pm. Beautiful bird with stunningly close views.
Gary Crowder said
Fri Feb 23 2:16 PM, 2018
The 24 Whooper Swans still on the lake at 2pm. Glaucous Gull in field north of the lake at c1:30
Simon Hitchen said
Fri Feb 23 10:30 AM, 2018
The 14 whoopers from yesterday had gone by first light but 24 more whooper swans have now just appeared at 10am
Simon Hitchen said
Thu Feb 22 9:33 PM, 2018
14 Whooper Swans this afternoon were still present at dusk
The Glaucous Gull was still showing well
Also 2 Greylag Geese and a drake Gadwall this morning - a Pink-footed Goose was with the Canadas at Akzo Pond and an Oystercatcher was also there
Chris Greene said
Sun Feb 18 9:19 AM, 2018
Colour ringed Black-headed Gull ( KFL4 ) , which I reported from Hollingworth Lake on 07/02/18 , was ringed as a pullus at Lake Babite,near Laci in Latvia on 27/06/15. It was subsequently reported twice from Dublin,Ireland in December 2015.It was then sighted at Bray harbour, Co. Wicklow in January, 2016,before being reported back near Dublin in February '16. A bit of a gap then, until July 2017, when KFL4 was reported twice from Pumpuri, Jurmala in Latvia. The next reported sighting was mine on 07/02/18 at Hollingworth. It has since been reported again at Hollingworth on the 12th of Feb.
Quite fascinating to discover the traveling habits of an often overlooked species.I wonder where he'll turn up next!
A 2nd visit to treat my mother to a new tick after she has recovered from that nasty flu for the glaucous gull.
Arrived at 12:30pm and straight away the glaucous gull showed very well and unlike my last visit, he actually landed very close on the ramp and the lighting was much better too! Another fantastic visit and experience for both of us.
Also noteworthy was common gulls (1st winter and adult) 1 fully hooded black headed gull, 2 lesser black backed gulls and 1 juvenile herring gull. Also 1 pochard drake seen on the pools from the train near smithy Bridge station.
Just received e-mail back from Latvia regarding the colour ringed Black-headed Gull which I reported on this site on 08/02/18.
I will post the information here later today.
Cheers Chris
Mike Cooper said
Fri Feb 16 3:26 PM, 2018
Fri 16/2 12:30-14:30 lovely winter/early spring day
No sign of Glaucous but area rammed with half term families so
Cormorant 17
Tufted Duck c 30
G c Grebe at least 4 pairs
B hd gulls c 120
Common gull 3+
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 16th of February 2018 04:06:53 PM
Mark Jarrett said
Wed Feb 14 1:32 PM, 2018
1st Winter Glaucous Gull still present this morning and showing very well from the slipway. Not put off by several kids with mums (what I call in these situations www.noise.com) who no doubt had just finished feeding the nearby geese and ducks. Managed to get a few half decent photos and spent twenty minutes or so having some good views before the sleet and snow set in.
Chris, with regards your colour-ringed Black-headed Gull contact ridibundusr@gmail.com
Cheers, Ian
Chris Greene said
Thu Feb 8 11:19 AM, 2018
Apologies for late posting,but I finally managed to catch up with the Glaucous Gull at Hollingsworth Lake,yesterday lunchtime!
Initially it was over the far side of the lake from the slipway,but it soon flew over to pose for the next half hour or so.It truly is a spectacular looking creature!
Whilst I was somewhat preoccupied with the Glaucous Gull,Jane drew my attention to a rather interesting Black headed gull, on the slipway about 8' away...this gull appears to have been ringed in Latvia, a brief search of the internet drew a blank.( any ideas on who to contact for further info and to report , Ian ? ) Images below.
Cheers Chris. Forgot to say the black headed gull had a metal ring on it's left leg reading ....LATVIA-RIGA. S3304. And a yellow ring on it's right leg reading KFL4
-- Edited by Chris Greene on Thursday 8th of February 2018 11:24:25 AM
-- Edited by Chris Greene on Thursday 8th of February 2018 11:27:29 AM
The Glaucous Gull present mid morning onwards but not first thing.
Carl Fletcher-Poole said
Mon Feb 5 3:01 PM, 2018
Monday 5th. went to see the Juvenile Glaucous Gull this morning at around 10.40 am. When I first arrived no sign of it on the jetty and the snow started to fall. Waited in the car for 15 mins and it flew onto the jetty. A lady was feeding the gulls and it flew to the ramp. Gave great views (see photos) and what a bird. Recommend you go and visit while its still here.
Sunday 4th Feb. Morning visit until around 1.15pm.
- Juvenile Glaucous Gull was showing extremely well. Sat out on the jetty for a while then flew on to the ramp to within feet of me. I must admit there was a few times it flew back to the jetty when some of the dog walkers let their dog right down to the waters edge. Nice to see it bathing and then preening. Absolutely cracking looking Gull.
- Great Black-backed Gull 1 juv - Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 - Common Gull 7 - Sparrowhawk 1 (Flew right over the car park and put nothing up at all)
I'd thought I'd give Hollingworth a visit for a spare afternoon since I got curious about the status of the glaucous gull there after I've seen some belting pictures of him around. Only took me about an hour to get to smithy Bridge station.
I'm not surprised he has stayed at the ramp and pontoon area as he has daily pickings with about 100 other gulls, and I suspect he is from a region that is close to a town because non of the noisy kids or the dog walkers bothered him in the slightest.
I've also noticed he was a tad paler then the one I've seen in North Wales in December and personally I prefer their 1st winter plumage then the other stages because the almost plain creamy white look gives them a more unusual and a more beautiful appearance. It was just a tad shame the lighting started to fade a tad after 45 minutes of being there due to some thicker cloud but still thrillingly good and managed plenty of decent pictures!
Other birds to note included; great crested grebe, 2 Pied wagtails and a lesser black backed gull.
Late news for yesterday (15/4) when a male Redstart was near Turnough Hall Farm
Late news for yesterday (8/4) when there were 3 Gadwall and a Drake Shoveler as well as an early Common Sandpiper, at least 3 Willow Warblers and 2 Chiffchaff. Ian Kimber also had an adult Kittiwake for about 20 minutes in the morning
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Monday 9th of April 2018 11:03:37 PM
1W Glaucous Gull still
1 female Goldeneye, pair Wigeon, 1 Green Sandpiper at Shaw Moss, 2 Oystercatcher, 140+ Redwings and a Lesser Redpoll over were the other highlights
Andrew Huyton also had a Chiffchaff singing at the Nature Reserve and a Woodcock near Shaw Moss
Glaucous Gull back again
1 Curlew over - my first of the year here
9 Great crested Grebes, 8 Tufted Ducks, 2 Goosander, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Snipe, 1 Buzzard, 1 Grey Wagtail, 11 Skylark over east
Glaucous Gull - on the slip way near the cafe and public loos, very tame and not at all camera-shy
Goosander (5)
Goldeneye (1)
Great Crested Grebe (3 pairs, one displaying)
Mute Swan (1)
Canada Goose (4)
Mallard (I didnt bother counting)
Tufted Duck (ditto)
Black-headed Gull (ditto)
Common Gull (8)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (6)
Coot (3)
Moorhen (2)
Cormorant (5)
Goldfinch
Greenfinch (singing)
Blackbird
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Dunnock (singing)
Robin
Chaffinch (singing)
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Excellent view of a Snipe this afternoon using its long beak to dig in the snow in the field bounded by Peanock Lane and Wildhouse Lane. I have had a couple of very brief long distance glimpses of a wader flying around this area over the last few days, so this was probably it. It sometimes seems to be heading towards the flooded fields near Shaw Moss Farm.
New bird on the house list.
Glaucous Gull showing very well Sunday while I was there between 12:00 and 14:00 ( Thanks Rob Creek )
-- Edited by mike killelea on Monday 26th of February 2018 11:42:09 AM
Glaucous Gull - Larus hyperboreus
(Also has the synonym Larus Glaucus)
Iceland Gull - Larus Glaucoides
'oides' is Greek for 'resembling'
Therefore... Glaucoides means 'resembling a Glaucous Gull'
-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Sunday 25th of February 2018 12:33:11 AM
-- Edited by Richard Thew on Sunday 25th of February 2018 08:13:37 AM
The scientific names may reflect the breeding distribution? I suggest that hyper = extra, and perhaps boreus (aka boreal) refers to the Arctic, which would give us more or less high Arctic - fittingly, as Glaucous Gulls breeding range is truly circumpolar and generally further north, whereas Iceland Gull is largely confined as a breeder to Southern Greenland and NE Canada around Baffin and adjacent islands.
Thanks Ian.
Interesting. Clearly it's all in the '-oides' !?
Nev
Dunno, it’s all bloody Latin to me Nev
Wikipedia does offer an interesting answer though if you try that, no idea if it’s genuine but it’s sounds convincing enough
Yep, good views this morning on the slipway by the boathouse.
Anyone know why it's Larus hyperboreus, whereas the Iceland Gull is Larus glaucoides? Ian?
Cheers
Nev
Glaucous Gull showing really well by lake side cafe - hanging in the icy breeze it must feel like home.
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 24th of February 2018 02:36:49 PM
-- Edited by Tony Coatsworth on Saturday 24th of February 2018 02:38:21 PM
Beautiful bird with stunningly close views.
The 14 whoopers from yesterday had gone by first light but 24 more whooper swans have now just appeared at 10am
14 Whooper Swans this afternoon were still present at dusk
The Glaucous Gull was still showing well
Also 2 Greylag Geese and a drake Gadwall this morning - a Pink-footed Goose was with the Canadas at Akzo Pond and an Oystercatcher was also there
Colour ringed Black-headed Gull ( KFL4 ) , which I reported from Hollingworth Lake on 07/02/18 , was ringed as a pullus at Lake Babite,near Laci in Latvia on 27/06/15. It was subsequently reported twice from Dublin,Ireland in December 2015.It was then sighted at Bray harbour, Co. Wicklow in January, 2016,before being reported back near Dublin in February '16. A bit of a gap then, until July 2017, when KFL4 was reported twice from Pumpuri, Jurmala in Latvia. The next reported sighting was mine on 07/02/18 at Hollingworth. It has since been reported again at Hollingworth on the 12th of Feb.
Quite fascinating to discover the traveling habits of an often overlooked species.I wonder where he'll turn up next!
Cheers Chris.
Arrived at 12:30pm and straight away the glaucous gull showed very well and unlike my last visit, he actually landed very close on the ramp and the lighting was much better too! Another fantastic visit and experience for both of us.
Also noteworthy was common gulls (1st winter and adult) 1 fully hooded black headed gull, 2 lesser black backed gulls and 1 juvenile herring gull. Also 1 pochard drake seen on the pools from the train near smithy Bridge station.
Ta!
Glaucous gull still on pontoon this morning
Just received e-mail back from Latvia regarding the colour ringed Black-headed Gull which I reported on this site on 08/02/18.
I will post the information here later today.
Cheers Chris
Fri 16/2 12:30-14:30 lovely winter/early spring day
No sign of Glaucous but area rammed with half term families so
Cormorant 17
Tufted Duck c 30
G c Grebe at least 4 pairs
B hd gulls c 120
Common gull 3+
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 16th of February 2018 04:06:53 PM
Juvenile Glaucous Gull still present at 1pm today and still showing very well indeed form the jetty.
Info thanks to Brian Fogg
Adult Mediterranean Gull in the roost tonight along with the Glaucous Gull
Also around 25 Herring gull, 15 Lesser black backed Gulls and c300 Common Gulls
-- Edited by Len Poxon on Friday 9th of February 2018 02:22:24 PM
Glaucous Gull still there today at 2pm.cheers neil
Thanks Ian,will do .
Cheers Chris
Chris, with regards your colour-ringed Black-headed Gull contact ridibundusr@gmail.com
Cheers, Ian
Apologies for late posting,but I finally managed to catch up with the Glaucous Gull at Hollingsworth Lake,yesterday lunchtime!
Initially it was over the far side of the lake from the slipway,but it soon flew over to pose for the next half hour or so.It truly is a spectacular looking creature!
Whilst I was somewhat preoccupied with the Glaucous Gull,Jane drew my attention to a rather interesting Black headed gull, on the slipway about 8' away...this gull appears to have been ringed in Latvia, a brief search of the internet drew a blank.( any ideas on who to contact for further info and to report , Ian ? ) Images below.
Cheers Chris. Forgot to say the black headed gull had a metal ring on it's left leg reading ....LATVIA-RIGA. S3304. And a yellow ring on it's right leg reading KFL4
-- Edited by Chris Greene on Thursday 8th of February 2018 11:24:25 AM
-- Edited by Chris Greene on Thursday 8th of February 2018 11:27:29 AM
Morning visit until around 1.15pm.
- Juvenile Glaucous Gull was showing extremely well.
Sat out on the jetty for a while then flew on to the ramp to within feet of me. I must admit there was a few times it flew back to the jetty when some of the dog walkers let their dog right down to the waters edge.
Nice to see it bathing and then preening.
Absolutely cracking looking Gull.
- Great Black-backed Gull 1 juv
- Lesser Black-backed Gull 1
- Common Gull 7
- Sparrowhawk 1
(Flew right over the car park and put nothing up at all)
I'm not surprised he has stayed at the ramp and pontoon area as he has daily pickings with about 100 other gulls, and I suspect he is from a region that is close to a town because non of the noisy kids or the dog walkers bothered him in the slightest.
I've also noticed he was a tad paler then the one I've seen in North Wales in December and personally I prefer their 1st winter plumage then the other stages because the almost plain creamy white look gives them a more unusual and a more beautiful appearance. It was just a tad shame the lighting started to fade a tad after 45 minutes of being there due to some thicker cloud but still thrillingly good and managed plenty of decent pictures!
Other birds to note included; great crested grebe, 2 Pied wagtails and a lesser black backed gull.
Ta!
Glaucous Gull still on jetty showing very well at 2pm.