Around 8:35 this morning a Peregrine was chasing Lapwings and landed briefly in the spit before heading off west.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
colin davies said
Fri Dec 29 11:25 AM, 2023
This morning, 8:45 - 11:00, partly with Bill Harrison;
Mediterranean gull 1 adult landed in east bay at about 9:30am. Still present to at least 10:30am
Wigeon 1 drake west end
Pochard 17 off the car park
Goosander 2 flew over, male and female
Black-headed gull on car park with metal ring 3,738,977 ringed in Holland 2016. I've seen it on many occasions since at least 6th November 2022. Also several birds with blue plastic rings but all previously ringed at the flash.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Dec 28 5:30 PM, 2023
This afternoon up to nightfall:
167 Great Black-backed Gulls in what remained a relatively small roost for Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5300 Black-headed Gulls
c3400 Jackdaws in the south side roost with an impressive pre-roost 'murmeration'
Pair of Wigeon on the sailing club shore
33 Goldeneye
At least 15 Pochard, perhaps as many as 18
Michael Hood said
Tue Dec 26 6:06 PM, 2023
Only managed 34 species on my quick walk around the hides around midday - only the 3 nearest the car park were open - although there's the viewing bit next to Ramsdales and you can go round the front of Teal hide for a "lesser" view.
Highlights were:
How close you can get to the car park Oystercatcher for a good look at it, it moved to the spit towards the end of my quick visit (I'm presuming there's just the one)
Seeing 5 tit species with 4 of them (not Long-tailed) + Bullfinch + Nuthatch from really close up on the feeders between Bunting and Teal hides - there was a young man putting seed out and taking photos
I've never seen the water level that high (no doubt others have)
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Dec 26 5:20 PM, 2023
This late afternoon up to dark:
A relatively poor gull roost for large gulls at least held 42 Great Black-backed Gulls
20 Pochard, with 18 in Ramsdales and two off the car park though towards dusk more birds moved over to off the car park
38 Goldeneye
2 Wigeon (probably missed the female this morning as the pair were not together and the female was around the sailing club shore area)
420 Lapwings
56 Pink-footed Geese over west at 3:50pm
1 Little Egret at the western end
66 species were recorded during my two visits today without even trying (I only totalled up tonight out of interest), if I had done, I could probably have added a further four or five species.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Dec 26 12:38 PM, 2023
From first light to midday today, some interesting full site counts on what was a very decent day weather wise for a change!
202 Tufted Duck
24 Shoveler
97 Gadwall
66 Teal
1 drake Wigeon
13 Pochard, 12 off the car park and one in East Bay
5 Goosander (three western end and two on Teal Scrape)
865 Pink-footed Geese over east in three skeins between 08:58 and 09:25
21 Goldcrests
78 Long-tailed Tits
36 Song Thrushes (of which 15 were in song)
2 Lesser Redpolls feeding in trees on the side of Ramsdales Ruck
18 Redwings behind Ramsdales Hide
6 Nuthatches
8 Treecreepers
4+ Siskin in alders north of Teal Scrape
2+ Willow Tits, both in the feeding station
12 Coal Tits
8 Bullfinches, all in the feeding station
16 Reed Buntings, all in the feeding station/Pengies area
40 Goldfinch in one flock feeding in alders on the south side
4, probably 5, Little Egrets around the western end
31 Cormorants
The resident Oystercatcher, of course
colin davies said
Mon Dec 25 10:21 AM, 2023
This morning 8.15-9.45;
Little egret 7 at Mossley Hall farm, then flushed by buzzard. I think my highest count ever at the flash.
Pochard 14 off the car park
Wigeon 4 (2 pairs)
Goldeneye 25
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 25th of December 2023 10:22:38 AM
An improved gull roost this late afternoon up to dark!
512 Herring Gulls, including a small but noticeable increase in argentatus birds
42 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Great Black-backed Gulls
67 Lapwings still circling around towards duck looking for some dry land to roost
1 drake Mandarin in Ramsdales
29 Goldeneye
12 Pink-footed Geese over low NW at 4:15pm
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Dec 11 5:18 PM, 2023
Only a relatively small and widely distributed across the flash gull roost this afternoon up to dusk contained 26 Great Black-backed Gulls although the majority of them flew off SW well prior to darkness.
19 Goldeneye
At least six Pochard around the eastern outflow
c60 Lapwings looking desperately to land on a non-existent spit, now completely submerged under the very high water levels
One Kingfisher off the Sorrow Cow shore
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Dec 8 10:41 PM, 2023
Much earlier this morning:
31 Goosander
11 Pochard
4 Little Egrets
44 Cormorants
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Dec 7 1:23 PM, 2023
2 Whooper Swans flew east this morning, also present, 4 Little Egrets, 8 Pochards and 41 Cormorants.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Dec 4 10:48 AM, 2023
41 Goosander this morning and four Little Egrets.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Dec 3 10:43 AM, 2023
This morning's highlights included:
27 Goosanders
32 Shoveler
139 Gadwall
13+ Pochard (five in Ramsdales but couldn't count the eastern outflow properly from the rucks so may have been more)
88 Cormorants
1 Greylag Goose
5 Water Rails (three calling from the western end bullrushes and at least two from Ramsdales Reedbed)
A flock of c30 Siskin feeding in trees around The Point
2 Lesser Redpolls on Ramsdales Ruck
5 Bullfinches around Ramsdales Ruck
12 Song Thrushes spread around Ramsdales Ruck
1 Little Egret
5 Great Black-backed Gulls (including a single first winter) on the spit and dotted around various bouys
colin davies said
Fri Dec 1 8:40 PM, 2023
Today,
Water rail 2 on the edge of the reeds in Ramsdales
Goosander 16
Pochard 5 off the car park
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Nov 30 6:29 PM, 2023
Also this morning, two Little Egrets, 80 Lapwings and 55 Cormorants.
The Goosanders (2) were both male green headed; one seen from Teal hide (asleep on the "island", at a quick glance you'd assume just another Shoveler - sneaky), the other from Ramsdale hide; no females seen
Little Grebe - a couple visible from Teal hide
1 Little Egret at the car park end of the spit quite near the hide
A few (<15) Redwings flying across and one sharing a tree by the canal with a solitary Fieldfare
Quite a few Great Black-backed gull; didn't actually count them but I'd say between 10-15 in adult or near adult plumage
Plenty of Lapwing, Cormorants and Great Crested Grebe
Sparrowhawk - 2 both female although could have been the same one because they were over an hour apart
Long-tailed Tits - little flocks all over the place, with one flock going off into loads of alarm calls when a Sparrowhawk blasted through - don't think it got one
Snipe on the spit - none - but was that none there or me missing them, easily done.
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Nov 28 12:29 PM, 2023
This morning 3 Whooper Swans flew over SE and 3 Little Egrets, 3 Goosanders, 100 Lapwings and 51 Cormorants were the other highlights.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Nov 26 11:54 AM, 2023
Three Little Egrets present this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Nov 26 9:45 AM, 2023
Highlights from early this morning:
Little Egret at the western end
6 Goosander (all redheads)
16 Snipe on the spit
First winter Great Black-backed Gull on the spit
35 Redwing at the western end and several in the trees on Ramsdales Ruck
57 Pink-footed Geese east and 62 west, all on a flight line south of the flash coming from/going to the Mersey area
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Nov 25 6:47 PM, 2023
This late afternoon up to dusk:
Comparatively small gull roost tonight, 358 Herring Gulls which isn't bad but smaller number of everything else, even the Jackdaw roost was significantly smaller than it has been.
12 Pochard (2 females)
27 Goldeneye
4 Goosander
1 Raven flew west at 3pm
Cetti's Warbler singing from the shore by Sorrow Cow Farm
colin davies said
Sat Nov 25 1:30 PM, 2023
This morning 8:15 - 12:00,
Bittern 1 flew in front of Ramsdales reedbed at 11:30
Scaup 1 female still at western end at 9am but the tufted duck flock constantly flushed this morning by a canoe from the boat club which went right into the bay almost up to the reeds on several occasions, putting everything up and most of the tufted ducks and probably the scaup landed in Ramsdales.
Pochard 13 including 10 males and 2 females off the car park and another male at the western end.
Pink-footed geese 16 flew west at 9am
Goosander 1 male
Snipe 14 including 5 at Penghys
colin davies said
Fri Nov 24 12:06 PM, 2023
This morning, 8:15am - 11:15am,
Whooper swan 2 at the west end at 8:15, then another 4 flew over east and the two on the water flew off.
Scaup 1 still at west end
Pochard 14 off the car park, 12 males and 2 females
Goosander 2 immatures
Pink-footed geese 40+ flew west
Lesser redpoll 1 in alders behind Ramsdales hide
Siskin 5 in alders behind Ramsdales hide
Little egret 2
colin davies said
Thu Nov 23 11:37 AM, 2023
Just a quick visit this morning,
Wigeon 12 at the west end including 3 drakes
Pochard 10 off the car park including 9 drakes
Snipe 5 on the spit
Tufted duck with nasal saddle off the boat club.
No sign of the scaup for me but I didn't go to the west end, I just viewed from the boat club so could easily still be present.
colin davies said
Wed Nov 22 10:38 AM, 2023
This morning,
Common scoter 3 including 1 drake
Scaup 1 still west end
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Nov 22 9:47 AM, 2023
This morning, 9 Pochard, 71 Gadwall, single female/immature Goosander and a Little Egret.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
colin davies said
Tue Nov 21 4:37 PM, 2023
This afternoon to 15:15,
Scaup 1 still at western end (photos)
Redwing 30 Mossley Hall farm
Pochard 7 off the car park
Goldeneye 20+
Goosander 1 male
-- Edited by colin davies on Tuesday 21st of November 2023 04:38:38 PM
This morning 13 Whooper Swans went over around 8am with six and then five east and a further two which were looking to land.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Nov 20 6:32 PM, 2023
Late afternoon today up to dark:
Adult female Scaup (unsurprisingly) still present at the western end
30 Goldeneye at dusk
9 Pochard off the western end of the car park, including one female
7 Goosanders at dusk
514 Herring Gulls
203 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
27 Great Black-backed Gulls
5820 Black-headed Gulls
2200 Jackdaw in the roost
c40 Lapwing settling on a relatively small submerged weed patch out in the middle of the flash at dusk was a surprising sight!
14 Redwing going to roost in the trees around Sorrow Cow Pond
3 Kingfishers, with two around the shore at Sorrow Cow Farm and one in Ramsdales
colin davies said
Mon Nov 20 3:07 PM, 2023
Also this morning, seven pochard off the car park still and 80 pink-footed geese over east. Two water rails calling at the western end.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Nov 20 12:46 PM, 2023
Adult female Scaup still present at the western end late morning today.
colin davies said
Sun Nov 19 11:56 AM, 2023
An exciting visit this morning in heavy drizzle, mist and murk. 8:15am - 11:15am.
A very dark, almost black juvenile marsh harrier flew over Mossley Hall farm at about 9am. Unlike the hen harrier on Friday which was high and powered through east, this harrier appeared from the west at just over tree height and then lazily disappeared north. It didn't look like it was simply moving through, more like it was hunting the local area, so perhaps it will return in the coming days. Other birds today included:
Woodcock 2 on the south side
Greater scaup 1 1st winter. The less obvious bird was apparently missing, but the weather was pretty grim and it could easily have been overlooked.
Goosander 8 including 2 drakes
Goldeneye 20+
Pochard 7 off the car park, including 6 drakes
-- Edited by colin davies on Sunday 19th of November 2023 04:13:50 PM
Wigeon 4, male & female at west end, 2 females in middle
Goldeneye 18+ including 4 adult males & 1st winter male
Pochard 7, including 6 males, still off the car park
colin davies said
Fri Nov 17 2:04 PM, 2023
This morning 8am - 11:15am
Hen harrier 1 flew high east at 10:15, seen from Horrock's hide. A site first for me.
Greater scaup 2 1st winter still west end.
Goldeneye 20+
Pochard 10 (8 males, 2 females). The usual 6 off the car park plus 4 in the middle.
Pink-footed geese 42 over south west.
Wigeon 4 all females. One in flooded horse field at Mossley Hall, three in Ramsdales.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Nov 16 6:09 PM, 2023
Late afternoon today up to dusk:
266 Herring Gulls
74 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
14 Great Black-backed Gulls
340 Lapwings
350+ Starling circling around Sorrow Cow Farm Pond just before dusk, then settling into the tall conifers there before eventually heading off west
29 Goldeneye at dusk split in three flocks at the Western End, Ramsdales and off the East Bay Reedbed
Jackdaw roost near Sorrowcow Farm building nicely
colin davies said
Thu Nov 16 4:55 PM, 2023
This morning I didn't see a single snipe on the spit from Horrock's hide despite being there at around the same time that Ian was watching 48 snipe and a jack snipe from the point of the ruck . Even when the lapwing flushed no snipe flew up.
However, this afternoon, 13:30 - 15:30 from the point.
Jack snipe still present on the spit and frequently bobbing
Snipe 40+
Just shows it's worth viewing the spit from several different angles
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Nov 16 10:48 AM, 2023
Additional highlights this morning included:
A single Jack Snipe, presumably the same bird seen twice amongst Snipe about half way along the spit
48 Snipe on the spit but undoubtably many more
1 Rook over north
6 Greylag Geese (4 at the western end joined later by a further two from the east)
Cattle egret 2 flew low over Sandy Lane at 8:30. They didn't appear to have come from or be going to the flash and judging by their flight it appeared to be a local movement rather than just passing over, almost as if they were just jumping the road. I walked the fields between Sorrowcow farm and Liptrot farm but could find no further sign of them during the duration of my visit.
Dunlin 2 flew over the flooded horse field at Mossley Hall farm and appeared to be heading for the boat club shore but there was disturbance there from dogs and people so presumably they just carried on since there is currently no other shoreline anywhere at the flash.
Chiffchaff 1 singing male in the woods behind East Bay reedbed. Quite a strong song, not just a feeble effort as is sometimes the case at this time of year.
Egyptian geese family party of 4 still on flooded field at Mossley Hall farm.
Around 8:35 this morning a Peregrine was chasing Lapwings and landed briefly in the spit before heading off west.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
This morning, 8:45 - 11:00, partly with Bill Harrison;
Mediterranean gull 1 adult landed in east bay at about 9:30am. Still present to at least 10:30am
Wigeon 1 drake west end
Pochard 17 off the car park
Goosander 2 flew over, male and female
Black-headed gull on car park with metal ring 3,738,977 ringed in Holland 2016. I've seen it on many occasions since at least 6th November 2022. Also several birds with blue plastic rings but all previously ringed at the flash.
This afternoon up to nightfall:
167 Great Black-backed Gulls in what remained a relatively small roost for Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5300 Black-headed Gulls
c3400 Jackdaws in the south side roost with an impressive pre-roost 'murmeration'
Pair of Wigeon on the sailing club shore
33 Goldeneye
At least 15 Pochard, perhaps as many as 18
Only managed 34 species on my quick walk around the hides around midday - only the 3 nearest the car park were open - although there's the viewing bit next to Ramsdales and you can go round the front of Teal hide for a "lesser" view.
Highlights were:
I've never seen the water level that high (no doubt others have)
This late afternoon up to dark:
A relatively poor gull roost for large gulls at least held 42 Great Black-backed Gulls
20 Pochard, with 18 in Ramsdales and two off the car park though towards dusk more birds moved over to off the car park
38 Goldeneye
2 Wigeon (probably missed the female this morning as the pair were not together and the female was around the sailing club shore area)
420 Lapwings
56 Pink-footed Geese over west at 3:50pm
1 Little Egret at the western end
66 species were recorded during my two visits today without even trying (I only totalled up tonight out of interest), if I had done, I could probably have added a further four or five species.
From first light to midday today, some interesting full site counts on what was a very decent day weather wise for a change!
202 Tufted Duck
24 Shoveler
97 Gadwall
66 Teal
1 drake Wigeon
13 Pochard, 12 off the car park and one in East Bay
5 Goosander (three western end and two on Teal Scrape)
865 Pink-footed Geese over east in three skeins between 08:58 and 09:25
21 Goldcrests
78 Long-tailed Tits
36 Song Thrushes (of which 15 were in song)
2 Lesser Redpolls feeding in trees on the side of Ramsdales Ruck
18 Redwings behind Ramsdales Hide
6 Nuthatches
8 Treecreepers
4+ Siskin in alders north of Teal Scrape
2+ Willow Tits, both in the feeding station
12 Coal Tits
8 Bullfinches, all in the feeding station
16 Reed Buntings, all in the feeding station/Pengies area
40 Goldfinch in one flock feeding in alders on the south side
4, probably 5, Little Egrets around the western end
31 Cormorants
The resident Oystercatcher, of course
This morning 8.15-9.45;
Little egret 7 at Mossley Hall farm, then flushed by buzzard. I think my highest count ever at the flash.
Pochard 14 off the car park
Wigeon 4 (2 pairs)
Goldeneye 25
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 25th of December 2023 10:22:38 AM
Today’s highlights include a first winter drake Scaup, pair of Wigeon and two Little Egrets.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Late news for yesterday late afternoon when a drake Common Scoter, 9 Pochard and a Little Egret were all present.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
First visit for a while following a holiday, 12:30 - 13:30. Mainly from the boat club;
Wigeon 3 (2 drakes)
Goldeneye 27
Little egret 1
'Interesting' conditions this late afternoon!
220 Lapwings around the spit
320 Tufted Duck, mainly at the slightly more sheltered western end
44 Cormorants
26 Great Black-backed Gulls
210 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
At least one adult Mediterranean Gull
This late afternoon:
538 Herring Gulls roosted
3 Little Egrets at the western end
5 Pochard
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Highlights from mid-afternoon up to dark today:
Adult Mediterranean Gull
1037 Herring Gulls
142 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Great Black-backed Gulls
206 Tufted Ducks
10 Pochard
c120 Lapwing, which as water levels have dropped just under two feet in the past couple of days (!), now have some spit to utilise
6 Goosanders
An improved gull roost this late afternoon up to dark!
512 Herring Gulls, including a small but noticeable increase in argentatus birds
42 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Great Black-backed Gulls
67 Lapwings still circling around towards duck looking for some dry land to roost
1 drake Mandarin in Ramsdales
29 Goldeneye
12 Pink-footed Geese over low NW at 4:15pm
Only a relatively small and widely distributed across the flash gull roost this afternoon up to dusk contained 26 Great Black-backed Gulls although the majority of them flew off SW well prior to darkness.
19 Goldeneye
At least six Pochard around the eastern outflow
c60 Lapwings looking desperately to land on a non-existent spit, now completely submerged under the very high water levels
One Kingfisher off the Sorrow Cow shore
Much earlier this morning:
31 Goosander
11 Pochard
4 Little Egrets
44 Cormorants
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
2 Whooper Swans flew east this morning, also present, 4 Little Egrets, 8 Pochards and 41 Cormorants.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
41 Goosander this morning and four Little Egrets.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
This morning's highlights included:
27 Goosanders
32 Shoveler
139 Gadwall
13+ Pochard (five in Ramsdales but couldn't count the eastern outflow properly from the rucks so may have been more)
88 Cormorants
1 Greylag Goose
5 Water Rails (three calling from the western end bullrushes and at least two from Ramsdales Reedbed)
A flock of c30 Siskin feeding in trees around The Point
2 Lesser Redpolls on Ramsdales Ruck
5 Bullfinches around Ramsdales Ruck
12 Song Thrushes spread around Ramsdales Ruck
1 Little Egret
5 Great Black-backed Gulls (including a single first winter) on the spit and dotted around various bouys
Today,
Water rail 2 on the edge of the reeds in Ramsdales
Goosander 16
Pochard 5 off the car park
Also this morning, two Little Egrets, 80 Lapwings and 55 Cormorants.
Info hanks to Barry Hulme
This morning 8am - 11:45am
Bittern 1 sunbathing in Ramsdales
Pochard 15, 9 off the car park, 6 in Ramsdales
Late afternoon today up to the beautiful dusk it was!
First winter Caspian Gull, in early but always far away down the western end with a large flock of gulls
1268 Herring Gulls
131 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
19 Great Black-backed Gulls
241 Tufted Duck
21 Goldeneye
24 Goosander
1 Shelduck
At least 11 Pochard with a drake in Ramsdales and the rest in the usual location at the eastern outflow
Drake Mandarin in Ramsdales, no doubt frozen off the Plank Lane Marina
At least 16 Snipe on the spit
From Sunday 26th PM - nothing particularly unusual seen but...
Snipe on the spit - none - but was that none there or me missing them, easily done.
This morning 3 Whooper Swans flew over SE and 3 Little Egrets, 3 Goosanders, 100 Lapwings and 51 Cormorants were the other highlights.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Three Little Egrets present this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
Highlights from early this morning:
Little Egret at the western end
6 Goosander (all redheads)
16 Snipe on the spit
First winter Great Black-backed Gull on the spit
35 Redwing at the western end and several in the trees on Ramsdales Ruck
57 Pink-footed Geese east and 62 west, all on a flight line south of the flash coming from/going to the Mersey area
This late afternoon up to dusk:
Comparatively small gull roost tonight, 358 Herring Gulls which isn't bad but smaller number of everything else, even the Jackdaw roost was significantly smaller than it has been.
12 Pochard (2 females)
27 Goldeneye
4 Goosander
1 Raven flew west at 3pm
Cetti's Warbler singing from the shore by Sorrow Cow Farm
This morning 8:15 - 12:00,
Bittern 1 flew in front of Ramsdales reedbed at 11:30
Scaup 1 female still at western end at 9am but the tufted duck flock constantly flushed this morning by a canoe from the boat club which went right into the bay almost up to the reeds on several occasions, putting everything up and most of the tufted ducks and probably the scaup landed in Ramsdales.
Pochard 13 including 10 males and 2 females off the car park and another male at the western end.
Pink-footed geese 16 flew west at 9am
Goosander 1 male
Snipe 14 including 5 at Penghys
This morning, 8:15am - 11:15am,
Whooper swan 2 at the west end at 8:15, then another 4 flew over east and the two on the water flew off.
Scaup 1 still at west end
Pochard 14 off the car park, 12 males and 2 females
Goosander 2 immatures
Pink-footed geese 40+ flew west
Lesser redpoll 1 in alders behind Ramsdales hide
Siskin 5 in alders behind Ramsdales hide
Little egret 2
Just a quick visit this morning,
Wigeon 12 at the west end including 3 drakes
Pochard 10 off the car park including 9 drakes
Snipe 5 on the spit
Tufted duck with nasal saddle off the boat club.
No sign of the scaup for me but I didn't go to the west end, I just viewed from the boat club so could easily still be present.
This morning,
Common scoter 3 including 1 drake
Scaup 1 still west end
This morning, 9 Pochard, 71 Gadwall, single female/immature Goosander and a Little Egret.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
This afternoon to 15:15,
Scaup 1 still at western end (photos)
Redwing 30 Mossley Hall farm
Pochard 7 off the car park
Goldeneye 20+
Goosander 1 male
-- Edited by colin davies on Tuesday 21st of November 2023 04:38:38 PM
This morning 13 Whooper Swans went over around 8am with six and then five east and a further two which were looking to land.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
Late afternoon today up to dark:
Adult female Scaup (unsurprisingly) still present at the western end
30 Goldeneye at dusk
9 Pochard off the western end of the car park, including one female
7 Goosanders at dusk
514 Herring Gulls
203 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
27 Great Black-backed Gulls
5820 Black-headed Gulls
2200 Jackdaw in the roost
c40 Lapwing settling on a relatively small submerged weed patch out in the middle of the flash at dusk was a surprising sight!
14 Redwing going to roost in the trees around Sorrow Cow Pond
3 Kingfishers, with two around the shore at Sorrow Cow Farm and one in Ramsdales
Also this morning, seven pochard off the car park still and 80 pink-footed geese over east. Two water rails calling at the western end.
Adult female Scaup still present at the western end late morning today.
An exciting visit this morning in heavy drizzle, mist and murk. 8:15am - 11:15am.
A very dark, almost black juvenile marsh harrier flew over Mossley Hall farm at about 9am. Unlike the hen harrier on Friday which was high and powered through east, this harrier appeared from the west at just over tree height and then lazily disappeared north. It didn't look like it was simply moving through, more like it was hunting the local area, so perhaps it will return in the coming days. Other birds today included:
Woodcock 2 on the south side
Greater scaup 1 1st winter. The less obvious bird was apparently missing, but the weather was pretty grim and it could easily have been overlooked.
Goosander 8 including 2 drakes
Goldeneye 20+
Pochard 7 off the car park, including 6 drakes
-- Edited by colin davies on Sunday 19th of November 2023 04:13:50 PM
Just a quick visit this morning, 8am - 9.30am
Scaup 2, 1st winters at west end still
Wigeon 4, male & female at west end, 2 females in middle
Goldeneye 18+ including 4 adult males & 1st winter male
Pochard 7, including 6 males, still off the car park
This morning 8am - 11:15am
Hen harrier 1 flew high east at 10:15, seen from Horrock's hide. A site first for me.
Greater scaup 2 1st winter still west end.
Goldeneye 20+
Pochard 10 (8 males, 2 females). The usual 6 off the car park plus 4 in the middle.
Pink-footed geese 42 over south west.
Wigeon 4 all females. One in flooded horse field at Mossley Hall, three in Ramsdales.
Late afternoon today up to dusk:
266 Herring Gulls
74 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
14 Great Black-backed Gulls
340 Lapwings
350+ Starling circling around Sorrow Cow Farm Pond just before dusk, then settling into the tall conifers there before eventually heading off west
29 Goldeneye at dusk split in three flocks at the Western End, Ramsdales and off the East Bay Reedbed
Jackdaw roost near Sorrowcow Farm building nicely
This morning I didn't see a single snipe on the spit from Horrock's hide despite being there at around the same time that Ian was watching 48 snipe and a jack snipe from the point of the ruck . Even when the lapwing flushed no snipe flew up.
However, this afternoon, 13:30 - 15:30 from the point.
Jack snipe still present on the spit and frequently bobbing
Snipe 40+
Just shows it's worth viewing the spit from several different angles
Additional highlights this morning included:
A single Jack Snipe, presumably the same bird seen twice amongst Snipe about half way along the spit
48 Snipe on the spit but undoubtably many more
1 Rook over north
6 Greylag Geese (4 at the western end joined later by a further two from the east)
This morning 8am - 10am,
Greater scaup 1 still at west end
Goldeneye 18 (4 adult males, 1st winter male & 13 females / immatures).
Pochard 6 (5 adult males)
Goosander 3 females
Pink-footed goose 21 over east
This morning 8:30am - 11am,
Greater scaup 2 1st winter males still at the western end
Wigeon 3 (2 males, 1 female) at the western end
Lesser redpoll at least 12 still on the ruck
Meadow pipit 10 on the ruck
Goldeneye 11 (3 adult males, 1st winter male & 7 females / immatures)
Pochard 7 (6 males, 1 female) off the car park
This afternoon, 2 greater scaup at the western end, both 1st winter males I think. Also little egret at Mossley Hall farm.
-- Edited by colin davies on Tuesday 14th of November 2023 03:51:47 PM
This morning, 7.45am - 10.30am,
Wigeon 2 male and female on flooded horse field at Mossley Hall farm
Goldeneye 10 including 1 male
Pochard 6 including 5 males
Tufted duck 170+ including bird with nasal saddle
Pink-footed goose 80 flew east
Goosander 2 flew over the canal
Redwing 50
Fieldfare 1
Meadow pipit 12 on the ruck
A brief look this morning 8:30 - 9:30 followed by this afternoon 13:30 - 15:30 produced,
Fieldfare 100+ in hawthorn bushes at western end.
Redwing 50+ in hawthorn bushes at western end.
Goldeneye 11 (2 adult males, 1st winter male & 8 females / immatures)
Pochard 2 males off the car park
Goosander 2 females
No sign anywhere of the Egyptian geese
An interesting morning, 8:30am - 11:15am,
Cattle egret 2 flew low over Sandy Lane at 8:30. They didn't appear to have come from or be going to the flash and judging by their flight it appeared to be a local movement rather than just passing over, almost as if they were just jumping the road. I walked the fields between Sorrowcow farm and Liptrot farm but could find no further sign of them during the duration of my visit.
Dunlin 2 flew over the flooded horse field at Mossley Hall farm and appeared to be heading for the boat club shore but there was disturbance there from dogs and people so presumably they just carried on since there is currently no other shoreline anywhere at the flash.
Chiffchaff 1 singing male in the woods behind East Bay reedbed. Quite a strong song, not just a feeble effort as is sometimes the case at this time of year.
Egyptian geese family party of 4 still on flooded field at Mossley Hall farm.
Wigeon 1 female from Tom Edmondson hide.