1130 - 1230 1 Little Grebe on top resvr against right-hand bank 5 Cormorant 1 Buzzard 3 Kestrels 1pr Teal 1f Goosander 1 Grey Wagtail 35 Starlings over south-west
Garry Chesters said
Tue Nov 10 10:08 AM, 2015
Early morning visit , ever hopeful after yesterdays' rain.
The top reservoir held no ducks or similar, whatsoever. At about 08:15 a skein of around 40 Pink footed geese flew over heading North East. A buzzard also appeared and circled over the top res.
On the lower reservoir was a female Goosander, and at around 08:45 another skein of Pink footed geese, this time numbering approx. 80 birds, also heading North East. Also 2 kestrels flying around and later perching.
S Rothery said
Sun Nov 8 4:42 PM, 2015
1500 - 1600
1 little grebe on top resvr
1m pochard
2 goosander
9 teal
1f tufted duck
3 cormorant
2 grey heron
Over 300 jackdaw with other corvids
Mark Rigby said
Sat Nov 7 2:14 PM, 2015
A couple of brief visits mid morning and early afternoon
I had a longer walk around from 11 till 3 Things of note to add to Mark's sightings - 1 Dipper from the footbridge below the lower res 1 Nuthatch 1 Redwing 1 Snipe 4 Goldcrests 4 Siskins
Mark Rigby said
Thu Nov 5 5:01 PM, 2015
A quick visit before work
2 Pochard still 4 Tufted Duck 19 Teal 5 Goosander 15 Cormorant Grey Heron Kingfisher (possibly 2) in overflow. 27 Lapwing Buzzard 3 Kestrel Grey Wagtail 7 Meadow Pipits over 8 Fieldfare 33 Woodpigeon over west
-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Saturday 31st of October 2015 10:41:23 PM
Mark Rigby said
Fri Oct 30 12:48 PM, 2015
AM visit
22+ Teal 2 Tufted Duck 6 Goosander 8 Cormorant Merlin (male over the top res then flew off at speed down the valley) Peregrine Buzzard 3 Raven 200+ Fieldfare 63 Redwing
Mark Rigby said
Thu Oct 29 8:05 PM, 2015
A couple of visits today
108 Lapwing 12 Teal 9 Tufted Duck 4 Goosander 12 Cormorant Little Grebe on 'no fishing pond' (B.Stanley) 2 Goldcrest
50 Lapwing Great Crested Grebe 8 Teal Wigeon 50 Redwing over north 11 Cormorant
Mark Rigby said
Sat Oct 10 9:42 AM, 2015
Back to normal this morning
208 Lapwing feeding in field opposite the Fort was the highlight 8 Teal Great Crested Grebe 5 Cormorant Kestrel 5 Starling 18 Mistle Thrush 40 Goldfinch Few Meadow Pipits over 5 Pied Wagtail
Mark Rigby said
Fri Oct 9 1:18 PM, 2015
An excellent morning 0750-1140
Hen Harrier (Ringtail) flew in from the west over Upper reservoir and quartered the moor below the Pennine Way before being lost to view (0820hrs) 13 Crossbill flew in from the north and circled a couple of times before flying off south (0825hrs) Spotted Flycatcher in garden near Lower reservoir 51 Pink-footed Goose flew east at 0910hrs Great Crested Grebe Little Grebe 8 Teal c200 Lapwing 5 Cormorant 2 Grey Heron Buzzard Kestrel 35 Meadow Pipit over Grey Wagtail 2 Pied Wagtail Redwing over (heard only) Chiffchaff Goldcrest
Mark Rigby said
Sun Oct 4 3:02 PM, 2015
0920-1100
2 Great Crested Grebe 10 Teal Wigeon 27 Mallard 234 Lapwing (new record count) 10 Cormorant Goldcrest Redpoll Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Raven
Mark Rigby said
Sat Oct 3 12:41 PM, 2015
1030-1130 with B.Stanley
Big clear out of duck
2 Teal Wigeon 27 Mallard 2 Great Crested Grebe 146 Lapwing 5 Chaffinch N 16 Meadow Pipit N Snipe S Otherwise pretty quiet
Mark Rigby said
Fri Oct 2 8:15 PM, 2015
1730-1900 with Barry Stanley
Great Crested Grebe 11 Teal 3 Wigeon 5 Tufted Duck 51 Mallard A record count of 193 Lapwing Buzzard Kestrel 2 Short-eared Owl on nearby moorland
Steve Suttill said
Thu Oct 1 2:00 PM, 2015
A pleasant hour 1100-1200
Bottom Resr: 9 Teal 1 Great Crested Grebe 1 Tufted male 27 Mallard 10 Canada Geese 12 Black-headed Gull
Top Resr: 3 flocks of Lapwing eventually combined and settled to make one flock of over 150 11 Cormorant 35 Black-headed Gull 1 Mallard
Mark Rigby said
Thu Oct 1 8:19 AM, 2015
0700-0815
11 Teal 2 Wigeon Little Grebe Great Crested Grebe 75 Lapwing 3 Redpoll Siskin 45 Meadow Pipits
Goosander (fem/imm) 2 Teal 2 Tufted Duck 10 Cormorant 3 Great Crested Grebe 37 Mallard Heron 2 Kestrel 25 Swallow 10 House Martin 2 Linnet 10 Goldfinch Chiffchaff in full song
Barry Stanley had 2 Whinchat late morning in dip near car park but no sign at 1430hrs.
Mark Rigby said
Tue Sep 8 1:25 PM, 2015
0800-1115 with B.Stanley
3 Teal 3 Wigeon 3 Tufted Duck 3 Great Crested Grebe 2 Moorhen 12 Cormorant Massive flock of 400 House Martin's on wires being attacked periodically by fem Merlin. 100's Swallow Sparrowhawk Kestrel Buzzard 2 Chiffchaff Willow Warbler 2 Grey Wagtail 5 Pied Wagtail 5 Linnet 40 Goldfinch 10 Meadow Pipit with small numbers over 2 Dunnock Robin Blackbird
Mark Rigby said
Sun Sep 6 12:54 PM, 2015
Feeling a little bit left out recently with all these migrants found at what seemed like everywhere else bar Castleshaw. Anyway, this morning with B.Stanley and A. Platt produced:-
Whinchat (Lower Res on fence posts in bay) Wheatear (on top bank) 2 Siskin over Sand Martin 100's of House Martins moving through. Difficult to get definitive numbers but several large flocks of over 100 birds feeding up briefly then moving off. 100's of Swallows moving through 2 Buzzard 4 Kestrel Few Meadow Pipits moving through and several feeding on top bank 3 Great Crested Grebe 3 Tufted Duck Teal 51 Mallard Heron
Mark Rigby said
Sun Aug 30 6:07 PM, 2015
1130-1400 with B.Stanley
3 Buzzard Kestrel 18 Cormorant Teal 41 Mallard 3 Great Crested Grebe Coot Kingfisher Swallows moving through high up 9 Lapwing
Arriving on Waterworks Road I received a text message from Andy Platt who had a Red Kite fly from the direction of Saddleworth Hotel towards the gulley between the Top Reservoir and the Pennine Way. It landed on a fence post briefly before being picked up again as it flew towards Dowry Reservoir mobbed by a Raven. That's what you call 'timing'!
A Red Kite had been reported by one of the residents on Tuesday 15th flying over fields below the hotel.
Also
7 Goosander Mallard with 5 ducklings 2 Kestrel Buzzard Cormorant House Martin Swift Swallow 2 Raven
Steve Judge said
Sat Jul 18 6:28 PM, 2015
Saturday, 18th July 2015 12:00 - 16:45 hrs.
Circular walk: Wool Road British Waterways Car Park (half mile north of Uppermill) - Delph - Castleshaw Upper Reservoir - Castleshaw Lower Reservoir - Dobcross - back to car park
Curlew (1 seen and 1 heard) Goosander x 7 (Castleshaw Lower Reservoir) Wheatear (slopes below Harrop Edge) Kestrel Grey Wagtail Pied wagtail Canada Geese (50 plus) Great Crested Grebe x 2 Cormorant Song Thrush Tufted Duck Mallards Swallows Swift Skylark Meadow Pipits Rook Jackdaw Carrion Crow Juvenile Robin Chiffchaff Coal Tit Great Tit Juvenile Great Tit Blue Tit Blackbird Wren Grey Heron Starling Wood Pigeon Collared Dove Herring Gull Black Headed Gull
Mark Rigby said
Sat Jul 18 2:34 PM, 2015
Quick visit at lunch time
Greenshank (found by B.Stanley) Little Ringed Plover Curlew 2 Sand Martin 7 Goosander 11 Tufted Duck
Common Scoters still present at 1330 a least. All drakes (5adult/2 1st summer)
JSPALDING said
Sun Jul 12 11:06 AM, 2015
7 Common Scoter on the lower reservoir this morning at 10-15 but looking unsettled surrounded by Anglers.
Mark Rigby said
Tue Jul 7 9:39 PM, 2015
Brief visit late afternoon
Little Ringed Plover (Barry Stanley had 2 earlier) on Lower Reservoir 10 Lapwing 10 Tufted Duck 3 Great Crested Grebe 15 Mallard C300 Swifts moving through on a weather front
Garry Chesters said
Tue Jun 23 11:19 AM, 2015
Lower reservoir.
A Dipper in flight this morning near the lower pumphouse. It was probably disturbed by a very noisy drive by tractor, and therefore took to the wing following the stream.
-- Edited by Garry Chesters on Tuesday 23rd of June 2015 11:22:07 AM
-- Edited by Garry Chesters on Tuesday 23rd of June 2015 11:24:55 AM
1 Little Grebe on top resvr against right-hand bank
5 Cormorant
1 Buzzard
3 Kestrels
1pr Teal
1f Goosander
1 Grey Wagtail
35 Starlings over south-west
The top reservoir held no ducks or similar, whatsoever.
At about 08:15 a skein of around 40 Pink footed geese flew over heading North East.
A buzzard also appeared and circled over the top res.
On the lower reservoir was a female Goosander, and at around 08:45 another skein of Pink footed geese, this time numbering approx. 80 birds, also heading North East.
Also 2 kestrels flying around and later perching.
11 Teal
Pochard
Tufted Duck
2 Goosander
15 Mallard
9 Cormorant
3 Heron
Peregrine
Otherwise very quiet and damp
Things of note to add to Mark's sightings -
1 Dipper from the footbridge below the lower res
1 Nuthatch
1 Redwing
1 Snipe
4 Goldcrests
4 Siskins
2 Pochard still
4 Tufted Duck
19 Teal
5 Goosander
15 Cormorant
Grey Heron
Kingfisher (possibly 2) in overflow.
27 Lapwing
Buzzard
3 Kestrel
Grey Wagtail
7 Meadow Pipits over
8 Fieldfare
33 Woodpigeon over west
2 Pochard (first for 2 years!)
15 Teal
2 Tufted Duck
Heron
40 Goldfinch
Grey Wagtail
Little Grebe
13 Teal
4 Tufted Duck
4 Goosander
9 Cormorant
69 Lapwing
105 Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Buzzard
2 Kestrel
Goldcrest
Meadow Pipit
-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Saturday 31st of October 2015 10:41:23 PM
22+ Teal
2 Tufted Duck
6 Goosander
8 Cormorant
Merlin (male over the top res then flew off at speed down the valley)
Peregrine
Buzzard
3 Raven
200+ Fieldfare
63 Redwing
108 Lapwing
12 Teal
9 Tufted Duck
4 Goosander
12 Cormorant
Little Grebe on 'no fishing pond' (B.Stanley)
2 Goldcrest
Lots of rain
3 Wigeon
9 Tufted Duck
9 Teal
5 Goosander
Grey Heron
55 Lapwing
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
5 Meadow Pipit
Fieldfare
Goldcrest numbers much reduced and have dispersed
Common Crossbill over NE at 0904
3 Brambling
5 Coal Tit
6 Chaffinch
Greenfinch
50 Goldfinch
Wren
Grey Wagtail
7 Teal
7 Tufted Duck
75 Lapwing
Great Crested Grebe
Little Grebe
3 Grey Heron
7 Cormorant
Kestrel
Buzzard
Info thanks to Mark Rigby (seen by Barry Stanley and Gary Crowder)
Info thanks to Mark Rigby
9 Teal
Great Crested Grebe
27 Mallard
7 Cormorant
Heron
56 Lapwing
3 Redwing
10 Chaffinch
Brambling
25 Meadow Pipit over
40 Goldfinch
50 Lapwing
Great Crested Grebe
8 Teal
Wigeon
50 Redwing over north
11 Cormorant
208 Lapwing feeding in field opposite the Fort was the highlight
8 Teal
Great Crested Grebe
5 Cormorant
Kestrel
5 Starling
18 Mistle Thrush
40 Goldfinch
Few Meadow Pipits over
5 Pied Wagtail
Hen Harrier (Ringtail) flew in from the west over Upper reservoir and quartered the moor below the Pennine Way before being lost to view (0820hrs)
13 Crossbill flew in from the north and circled a couple of times before flying off south (0825hrs)
Spotted Flycatcher in garden near Lower reservoir
51 Pink-footed Goose flew east at 0910hrs
Great Crested Grebe
Little Grebe
8 Teal
c200 Lapwing
5 Cormorant
2 Grey Heron
Buzzard
Kestrel
35 Meadow Pipit over
Grey Wagtail
2 Pied Wagtail
Redwing over (heard only)
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
2 Great Crested Grebe
10 Teal
Wigeon
27 Mallard
234 Lapwing (new record count)
10 Cormorant
Goldcrest
Redpoll
Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Raven
Big clear out of duck
2 Teal
Wigeon
27 Mallard
2 Great Crested Grebe
146 Lapwing
5 Chaffinch N
16 Meadow Pipit N
Snipe S
Otherwise pretty quiet
Great Crested Grebe
11 Teal
3 Wigeon
5 Tufted Duck
51 Mallard
A record count of 193 Lapwing
Buzzard
Kestrel
2 Short-eared Owl on nearby moorland
Bottom Resr:
9 Teal
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Tufted male
27 Mallard
10 Canada Geese
12 Black-headed Gull
Top Resr:
3 flocks of Lapwing eventually combined and settled to make one flock of over 150
11 Cormorant
35 Black-headed Gull
1 Mallard
11 Teal
2 Wigeon
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
75 Lapwing
3 Redpoll
Siskin
45 Meadow Pipits
A clear out of the recent numbers of duck.
2 Wigeon (4 yesterday)
7 Teal (13 yesterday)
3 Tufted Duck (12 yesterday)
9 Cormorant
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Kestrel
2 Buzzard
54 Lapwing
27 Meadow Pipit
70 Goldfinch
Lesser Redpoll
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
3 Blue Tit
Coal Tit
8 Long-tailed Tit
6 Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
12 Cormorants (10 upper, 2 lower res)
10 Teal (all lower res)
6 Wigeon (5 upper, 1 lower res)
1pr Tufted Duck (lower res)
1f Goosander (upper res)
1 Little Grebe (lower res)
2 Great Crested Grebes (lower res)
Mallards (many)
32 Lapwings
1 Snipe
1 Grey Heron
1f Kestrel
1 Buzzard
Goldfinch, Meadow Pipits, Chaffinches and Coal Tits
Dunlin (present for 4th day)
4 Teal
Wigeon
2 Raven
Wheatear
75+ Meadow Pipit
As well as the usual suspects
2 Goosander
3 Teal
Wigeon
9 Cormorant
Grey Heron
Coot
Dunlin (juv)
7 Lapwing
3 Kestrel
Sparrow hawk
6 Swallow
5 Wheatear
50+ Meadow Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Dipper below lower reservoir flying high calling circling
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Coot
Wigeon (drake)
2 Teal
41 Mallard
108 Canada Goose
Kestrel
3 Whinchat
3 Stonechat
Siskin over
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Tufted Duck
Wigeon
3 Teal
Goosander
9 Cormorant
2 Moorhen
2 Coot
2 Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
2 Whinchat
Lesser Redpoll
6 Pied Wagtail
Skylark
No hirundines at all today!
2 Coot
2 Wigeon
3 Teal
5 Goosander
11 Lapwing
2 Buzzard
3 Kestrel
98 House Martin
3 Sand Martin
300+ Swallow through
Cuckoo (juv) briefly
150+ Meadow Pipit
4+ Whinchat
Wheatear
Bullfinch
2 Grey Wagtail
6 Pied Wagtail
White Wagtail
2 Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Treecreeper (site tick)
Blackcap
Jay
Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Teal
Tufted Duck
3 Great Crested Grebe
12 Cormorant
2 Heron
3 Lapwing
4 Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
50 Swallow
5 House Nartin
Whitethroat
Chiffchaff
8 Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
66 Meadow Pipit
Bullfinch
Goosander (fem/imm)
2 Teal
2 Tufted Duck
10 Cormorant
3 Great Crested Grebe
37 Mallard
Heron
2 Kestrel
25 Swallow
10 House Martin
2 Linnet
10 Goldfinch
Chiffchaff in full song
Barry Stanley had 2 Whinchat late morning in dip near car park but no sign at 1430hrs.
3 Teal
3 Wigeon
3 Tufted Duck
3 Great Crested Grebe
2 Moorhen
12 Cormorant
Massive flock of 400 House Martin's on wires being attacked periodically by fem Merlin.
100's Swallow
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Buzzard
2 Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
2 Grey Wagtail
5 Pied Wagtail
5 Linnet
40 Goldfinch
10 Meadow Pipit with small numbers over
2 Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Whinchat (Lower Res on fence posts in bay)
Wheatear (on top bank)
2 Siskin over
Sand Martin
100's of House Martins moving through. Difficult to get definitive numbers but several large flocks of over 100 birds feeding up briefly then moving off.
100's of Swallows moving through
2 Buzzard
4 Kestrel
Few Meadow Pipits moving through and several feeding on top bank
3 Great Crested Grebe
3 Tufted Duck
Teal
51 Mallard
Heron
3 Buzzard
Kestrel
18 Cormorant
Teal
41 Mallard
3 Great Crested Grebe
Coot
Kingfisher
Swallows moving through high up
9 Lapwing
3 Buzzard
8 Kestrel
3 Sparrowhawk
Coot
3 Great Crested Grebe
5 Tufted Duck
Teal
37 Mallard
12 Cormorant
100+ Swallow
65+ House Martin
5 Pied Wagtail
Wheatear
Willow Warbler
Wren
15 Goldfinch
4 Teal
3 Tufted Duck
25 Mallard
7 Cormorant
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Kestrel
Otherwise it's been extremely quiet recently
2 Curlew (1 juv)
Common Sandpiper
2 Oystercatcher
Moorhen
6 Tufted Duck
30 Mallard + duckling
2 Heron
Cormorant
Juv Wheatear
Arriving on Waterworks Road I received a text message from Andy Platt who had a Red Kite fly from the direction of Saddleworth Hotel towards the gulley between the Top Reservoir and the Pennine Way. It landed on a fence post briefly before being picked up again as it flew towards Dowry Reservoir mobbed by a Raven. That's what you call 'timing'!
A Red Kite had been reported by one of the residents on Tuesday 15th flying over fields below the hotel.
Also
7 Goosander
Mallard with 5 ducklings
2 Kestrel
Buzzard
Cormorant
House Martin
Swift
Swallow
2 Raven
Circular walk: Wool Road British Waterways Car Park (half mile north of Uppermill) - Delph - Castleshaw Upper Reservoir - Castleshaw Lower Reservoir - Dobcross - back to car park
Curlew (1 seen and 1 heard)
Goosander x 7 (Castleshaw Lower Reservoir)
Wheatear (slopes below Harrop Edge)
Kestrel
Grey Wagtail
Pied wagtail
Canada Geese (50 plus)
Great Crested Grebe x 2
Cormorant
Song Thrush
Tufted Duck
Mallards
Swallows
Swift
Skylark
Meadow Pipits
Rook
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Juvenile Robin
Chiffchaff
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Juvenile Great Tit
Blue Tit
Blackbird
Wren
Grey Heron
Starling
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Herring Gull
Black Headed Gull
Greenshank (found by B.Stanley)
Little Ringed Plover
Curlew
2 Sand Martin
7 Goosander
11 Tufted Duck
Not a bad week!
2 Buzzard
5 Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
11 Tufted Duck
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 ad/3juv Coot
23 Mallard and 6 duckling
2 Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover (Barry Stanley had 2 earlier) on Lower Reservoir
10 Lapwing
10 Tufted Duck
3 Great Crested Grebe
15 Mallard
C300 Swifts moving through on a weather front
A Dipper in flight this morning near the lower pumphouse.
It was probably disturbed by a very noisy drive by tractor,
and therefore took to the wing following the stream.
-- Edited by Garry Chesters on Tuesday 23rd of June 2015 11:22:07 AM
-- Edited by Garry Chesters on Tuesday 23rd of June 2015 11:24:55 AM