Some good news this morning on a quick stop off whilst cycling to work: The single Lapwing chick that I thought had succumbed was seen again and has doubled in size over the past week or so. Its about half the size of the 2 adults now.
Return visit 4.30-4.45pm this afternoon No sign of the Lapwing chick again but: 1 male Yellow Wagtail and all the usuals
1 Oystercatcher 1 Yellow Wagtail - heard only 2 Reed Warbler- heard only 1 Whitethroat 4 Gadwall 3 Mallard 1 Little Grebe 2 Linnet 3 Coot + 1 young 1 Lapwing - not seen the single chick since last Tuesday despite 3 visits. Seems it has succumbed. Plenty of Swifts. Swallows and a few House Martins.
Also 1 Painted Lady butterfly was a surprise.
Henry Cook said
Thu May 24 5:16 AM, 2012
23/05/2012 - Evening visit with Phil Owen:
1 Little Grebe 3 Gadwalls 1 Lapwing 1 Kestrel c20 Swifts c40 House Martins 1 Sand Martin 5 Swallows 6 Yellow Wagtails - all males in the paddocks 3 Pied Wagtails 3 Willow Warblers 1 Blackcap 2 Whitethroats 2 Sedge Warblers 3 Reed Warblers 2 Reed Buntings 3 Linnets
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Tue May 22 3:05 AM, 2012
Monday, 21st May pm:
Not much on the pools.
Gadwall 3 Lapwing 3 Little Grebe 1 BH Gull 2 Swallow 2 House Martin 2 Swift 2 Mallards Canada Geese Coots Moorhens
2 male Yellow Wagtails in horse fields Lots of all Hirundines over the ETW 3 Sedge Warblers 3 Little Grebe 1 pair Shoveler 3 pair Gadwall 1 Pair Canada Geese
Joe Wynn said
Sun May 13 2:38 AM, 2012
4 male and 2 female Yellow Wagtails this evening, although this time the gate was closed.
Steven Nelson said
Thu May 10 3:47 AM, 2012
quick 10 mins on way home in the rain! (5.20-5.30pm)
main highlights:
1 Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling on hill at back of pools 1 Oystercatcher 3 Sedge Warbler (my first of spring) 4 Little Grebe 1 Tufted Duck - male 2 Gadwall pair Teal pair Lapwing 3 Sand Martin over the pools Lots of Swallows, Swift and a few House Martins (again my first of spring) over the treatment beds.
steven burke said
Tue May 8 3:54 AM, 2012
3-4.30pm
1 garden warbler,seen on 3 occasions(first off the year for me) 2 sedge warblers 1 reed warbler,heard only 3 chiffchaffs 2 willow warblers 3 reed buntings plenty off whitethroats & blackcaps around. 2 lapwings 1 oystercatcher 10 gadwalls 4 little grebes 2 tufted ducks,another 3 seen flying over. 4 pied wagtails 1 sparrowhawk 1 kestrel 1 great spotted woodpecker 2 mistle thrushes 5 bullfinches,3m 2f 2 greenfinches hundreds off mostly swifts & swallows plus house & sand martins
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Mon May 7 12:58 AM, 2012
Sunday, May 6th pm visit:
Yellowhammer 1 singing. Reed Warbler 3 singing Little Grebe 1 Gadwall 6 Lapwing 3 Swallows. House Martins. Yellow Wagtail 2m in horse paddocks. Sedge Warbler 1 singing NW edge of first pool. Garden Warbler 1 seen singing North of pools. Pied Wagtail 3+ Whitethroats/Blackcaps/Willow Warblers. Chiffchaff 1 singing.
etc.
Tim Wilcox said
Sun May 6 12:24 AM, 2012
5pm on with Vaughn Evans Yellow Wagtails 7 seen through the fence amongst the horses Swallows 100+ House Martin 100+ Sand Martin 1 or 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker on a fence post
Stuart Smith said
Thu May 3 12:45 AM, 2012
2/5/12 @15.30\
5 Pied Wagtails 2 Yellow Wagtails (Lifer) - Delighted! 2 Mistle Thrush 5 Magpie 4 Goldfinch 10 Woodpigeon 1 grey Heron 12 Black Headed Gull 2 Canada Geese 2 Coot 10 Mallard 3 Little Grebe 2 Gadwall 1 moorhen 5 Greenfinch 1 Oystercatcher 2 lapwing 2 Blackcap (males) Chiffchaff Great Tit Long Tailed Tit Blue Tit 8 Starling 5 House Sparrow 1 Wren 1 Pheasant 1 Crow 1 Swift 1 Reed Bunting 2 Common Whitethroat 1 Lesser Whitethroat 1 Yellowhammer 3 Swallow 1 Chaffinch 1 Robin 1 Buzzard
Richard Norris said
Wed May 2 6:02 PM, 2012
Early morning visit 06:00 - 07:30
Several Gadwall 2 Little Grebe 3 Blackcaps 1 Garden Warbler - my first of the year 2 Sedge Warbler - also my first of the year at least 6 Whitethroat - seem to have arrived en masse overnight! 1 Grasshopper Warbler - heard only 5 Swallow 1 Hobby through north-west 2 Yellowhammer 3 Reed Bunting Willow Warblers Chiffchaffs
Pleasant start to the day!
Henry Cook said
Wed May 2 5:00 AM, 2012
01/05/2012 - Evening visit:
4 Little Grebes 8 Gadwalls 2 Teals 4 Swifts 2 House Martins 5 Sand Martins c30 Swallows 1 Yellow Wagtail - flew north c20 Pied Wagtails - largely males 1 Common Whitethroat - my first of the year, v.late 2 Grasshopper Warblers 1 Yellowhammer 4 Reed Buntings 3 Linnets
I had 7 Yellow Wagtails from deep inside the open gate a few years back but it was all loads better before they built those missile silos. In those days (around 2003-4) I had a Blue-headed Wagtail at the site
what i'd be interested in is whether the birds seen about the sewage farm stay there, or are they the same birds that'll move round to the fields later to breed?
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 30th of April 2012 08:03:43 PM
Tim Wilcox said
Mon Apr 30 5:06 AM, 2012
I had 7 Yellow Wagtails from deep inside the open gate a few years back but it was all loads better before they built those missile silos. In those days (around 2003-4) I had a Blue-headed Wagtail at the site
Joe Wynn said
Mon Apr 30 4:19 AM, 2012
sid ashton wrote:
Joe Wynn wrote:
Having seen the 'other side', I have a feeling that the greatest wagtail concentration is round the back on the sewage farm proper, has anyone ever tried asking UU whether birders could be allowed round there?
Joe I have been on the "inside" a couple of times at this time of year, accompanied and by invitation, and I can't say that on those occasions the place was full of Wagtails. They do seem to prefer the fields where the horses have been - this seems particularly so for the Yellows.
I must admit when i had a look they were all in the paddocks on the far side of the gate, maybe its just that i've been unlucky with them in the past there and am trying to find a reason!
sid ashton said
Mon Apr 30 4:13 AM, 2012
Joe Wynn wrote:
Having seen the 'other side', I have a feeling that the greatest wagtail concentration is round the back on the sewage farm proper, has anyone ever tried asking UU whether birders could be allowed round there?
Joe I have been on the "inside" a couple of times at this time of year, accompanied and by invitation, and I can't say that on those occasions the place was full of Wagtails. They do seem to prefer the fields where the horses have been - this seems particularly so for the Yellows.
Joe Wynn said
Mon Apr 30 4:01 AM, 2012
sid ashton wrote:
One of those quick half hours this evening after the rain stopped, checking the horse paddocks for Wagtails. One Grey and a group of c.20 Pieds were present. No Yellows or Whites today unfortunately
Having seen the 'other side', I have a feeling that the greatest wagtail concentration is round the back on the sewage farm proper, has anyone ever tried asking UU whether birders could be allowed round there?
sid ashton said
Mon Apr 30 12:59 AM, 2012
One of those quick half hours this evening after the rain stopped, checking the horse paddocks for Wagtails. One Grey and a group of c.20 Pieds were present. No Yellows or Whites today unfortunately
Joe Wynn said
Sun Apr 29 9:13 PM, 2012
4 Yellow Wagtails yesterday, all male and all feeding in the area down the lane when you turn left off Woodcote Rd. The gate there is usually locked, but since today it was open I had a 'little peek' through to the sewage tanks and low and behold there were the yellow wags!
JasonAtkinson said
Fri Apr 27 10:04 PM, 2012
1 Yellow Wagtail (heard only) this afternoon around horse paddocks.
Cheers Jason
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Apr 27 5:05 PM, 2012
Friday, 27th April, mid morning visit.
Gadwall 8 Canada Geese 5 Moorhen 3 Coot 4 Little Grebe 4 Teal 1m 1f Tufted Duck 2m 1f Black-headed Gull 3 Swallow 3 House Martin 5 Pied Wagtail 1 Grey Wagtail 1 Reed Warbler 1 singing inside boundary fence. Grasshopper Warbler 1 singing just North of boundary fence. Lapwing 2 Snipe 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 over.
also a possible Marsh Harrier; slender looking raptor perched up being mobbed by crows out on the dry beds but too distant to be confident with bins alone.
Henry Cook said
Thu Apr 19 6:50 AM, 2012
18/04/2012 - 2pm, with Jason Atkinson:
1 Little Grebe 9 Gadwalls 1 Oystercatcher 1 Common Snipe 1 Lapwing 2 House Martins 30+ Swallows 3 Pied Wagtails 1 Blackcap
08/03/2012 - 5pm: 2 Oystercatchers - being very noisy around the pools 2 Kingfishers - also being noisy along Sinderland Brook 7 Cormorants - flew over towards Rostherne
Steven Nelson said
Thu Mar 1 5:07 AM, 2012
5.30pm - cycling past tonight
2 Oystercatchers 19 Shoveler - 10m,9f - lots of displaying and calling 3 Teal - 2m,1f 1 Heron pair Little Grebe 11 Redwing over 13 Fieldfare over
Steven Nelson said
Mon Jan 9 6:26 PM, 2012
5.10pm Cycling past on my way home from work tonight a Barn Owl - possibly 2 - flew along the fence line over the filtration bed opposite the first pool. A few yards further along the footpath/cycle path I found it sat in a tree perfectly silouhetted against the sky. It allowed me to approach to within c.20 feet. Then another bird - same size and shape - flew from another part of the tree but it was so quick I couldn't be 100% certain about it's ID before it disappeared. But it certainly gave me the impression of a Barn Owl. The owl that was still sat in the tree stayed for another minute or so before it too flew off. I had a Barn Owl in this same spot last winter too !
Stuart Smith said
Wed Jan 4 3:51 PM, 2012
4/1/12 - 2-2.30pm
10 teal 25 BH Gull 6 Moorhen 1 Pheasant 15 Starlings 1 Grey Heron 1 Song Thrush and a Wood Pigeon.
Weather still foul.
Judith Pidgeon said
Sun Jan 1 9:48 AM, 2012
Thanks for the info. I'll try and get there soon
Ann Ribbands said
Sat Dec 31 11:39 AM, 2011
From the A56 Manchester Road, Broadheath turn down Sinderland Road. Drive past the new Waitrose and half a mile on the right turn right into Woodcote Road. Drive past the entrance to the recycling centre and park by the stables. Walk down the concrete track, check the filter beds on the left. Go past a pool on the right, then turn right over rough ground to view the pools behind. Good luck!
Judith Pidgeon said
Sat Dec 31 10:14 AM, 2011
Please can someone tell me how to get to Altrincham sewage works? Thanks
Stuart Smith said
Thu Dec 29 6:02 PM, 2011
Down today 29/12/11 for 30 mins just before the weather turned to utter filth.
There were 4 Pochard on the front lake and that was literally it other than magpies.
Henry Cook said
Sat Dec 17 1:24 PM, 2011
17/12/2011 - 1 Green Sandpiper this morning.
PHIL GREENWOOD said
Fri Dec 2 9:03 PM, 2011
Friday, 2nd December, pm.
Teal 14 Moorhen 16 BH Gull 80+
Henry Cook said
Mon Nov 21 4:24 PM, 2011
21/11/11 - 2pm, first two ponds filling up nicely but the far pond is still bone dry:
25/09/2011 - 11am - 2 Green Sandpipers still. Barely any water left on the far two pools, so few birds there but the front pool still looking attractive to waders if a little disturbed. Also about were:
The single Lapwing chick that I thought had succumbed was seen again and has doubled in size over the past week or so. Its about half the size of the 2 adults now.
Return visit 4.30-4.45pm this afternoon
No sign of the Lapwing chick again but:
1 male Yellow Wagtail
and all the usuals
Garden Warbler 1 singing.
Sedge Warbler 2 singing.
Reed Warbler 1 singing.
Lapwing 2 ad.
Reed Buntings
Linnet 2
Whitethroats
Blackcaps
Chiffchaffs
Little Grebe 1
Cormorant 2 over.
BH Gull 2
Gadwall 1
Canada Geese
Mallards
Song Thrush 2 singing.
House/Sand Martins
Swifts
Swallows
Moorhens
Coots
Buzzard 1
1 Oystercatcher
1 Yellow Wagtail - heard only
2 Reed Warbler- heard only
1 Whitethroat
4 Gadwall
3 Mallard
1 Little Grebe
2 Linnet
3 Coot + 1 young
1 Lapwing - not seen the single chick since last Tuesday despite 3 visits. Seems it has succumbed.
Plenty of Swifts. Swallows and a few House Martins.
Also 1 Painted Lady butterfly was a surprise.
1 Little Grebe
3 Gadwalls
1 Lapwing
1 Kestrel
c20 Swifts
c40 House Martins
1 Sand Martin
5 Swallows
6 Yellow Wagtails - all males in the paddocks
3 Pied Wagtails
3 Willow Warblers
1 Blackcap
2 Whitethroats
2 Sedge Warblers
3 Reed Warblers
2 Reed Buntings
3 Linnets
Not much on the pools.
Gadwall 3
Lapwing 3
Little Grebe 1
BH Gull 2
Swallow 2
House Martin 2
Swift 2
Mallards
Canada Geese
Coots
Moorhens
However around the environs:
Reed Warbler 4 singing.
Sedge Warbler 4 singing.
Whitethroat 8+ singing.
Garden Warbler 1 seen singing.
Oystercatcher 1
Buzzard 1
Willow Warbler 2 singing.
Blackcap 2 singing.
Chiffchaff 2 singing.
Yellowhammer 1 singing.
Kestrel 2
Reed Bunting 2 singing.
Linnet 2 singing.
etc.
2 male Yellow Wagtails in horse fields
Lots of all Hirundines over the ETW
3 Sedge Warblers
3 Little Grebe
1 pair Shoveler
3 pair Gadwall
1 Pair Canada Geese
main highlights:
1 Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling on hill at back of pools
1 Oystercatcher
3 Sedge Warbler (my first of spring)
4 Little Grebe
1 Tufted Duck - male
2 Gadwall
pair Teal
pair Lapwing
3 Sand Martin over the pools
Lots of Swallows, Swift and a few House Martins (again my first of spring) over the treatment beds.
1 garden warbler,seen on 3 occasions(first off the year for me
2 sedge warblers
1 reed warbler,heard only
3 chiffchaffs
2 willow warblers
3 reed buntings
plenty off whitethroats & blackcaps around.
2 lapwings
1 oystercatcher
10 gadwalls
4 little grebes
2 tufted ducks,another 3 seen flying over.
4 pied wagtails
1 sparrowhawk
1 kestrel
1 great spotted woodpecker
2 mistle thrushes
5 bullfinches,3m 2f
2 greenfinches
hundreds off mostly swifts & swallows plus house & sand martins
Yellowhammer 1 singing.
Reed Warbler 3 singing
Little Grebe 1
Gadwall 6
Lapwing 3
Swallows.
House Martins.
Yellow Wagtail 2m in horse paddocks.
Sedge Warbler 1 singing NW edge of first pool.
Garden Warbler 1 seen singing North of pools.
Pied Wagtail 3+
Whitethroats/Blackcaps/Willow Warblers.
Chiffchaff 1 singing.
etc.
Yellow Wagtails 7 seen through the fence amongst the horses
Swallows 100+
House Martin 100+
Sand Martin 1 or 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker on a fence post
5 Pied Wagtails
2 Yellow Wagtails (Lifer) - Delighted!
2 Mistle Thrush
5 Magpie
4 Goldfinch
10 Woodpigeon
1 grey Heron
12 Black Headed Gull
2 Canada Geese
2 Coot
10 Mallard
3 Little Grebe
2 Gadwall
1 moorhen
5 Greenfinch
1 Oystercatcher
2 lapwing
2 Blackcap (males)
Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Long Tailed Tit
Blue Tit
8 Starling
5 House Sparrow
1 Wren
1 Pheasant
1 Crow
1 Swift
1 Reed Bunting
2 Common Whitethroat
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Yellowhammer
3 Swallow
1 Chaffinch
1 Robin
1 Buzzard
Several Gadwall
2 Little Grebe
3 Blackcaps
1 Garden Warbler - my first of the year
2 Sedge Warbler - also my first of the year
at least 6 Whitethroat - seem to have arrived en masse overnight!
1 Grasshopper Warbler - heard only
5 Swallow
1 Hobby through north-west
2 Yellowhammer
3 Reed Bunting
Willow Warblers
Chiffchaffs
Pleasant start to the day!
4 Little Grebes
8 Gadwalls
2 Teals
4 Swifts
2 House Martins
5 Sand Martins
c30 Swallows
1 Yellow Wagtail - flew north
c20 Pied Wagtails - largely males
1 Common Whitethroat - my first of the year, v.late
2 Grasshopper Warblers
1 Yellowhammer
4 Reed Buntings
3 Linnets
2 Little Grebes
2 Teals
4 Gadwalls
2 Lapwings
c20 Swallows
1 Garden Warbler
1 Blackcap
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
2 Grasshopper Warblers
what i'd be interested in is whether the birds seen about the sewage farm stay there, or are they the same birds that'll move round to the fields later to breed?
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 30th of April 2012 08:03:43 PM
I must admit when i had a look they were all in the paddocks on the far side of the gate, maybe its just that i've been unlucky with them in the past there and am trying to find a reason!
Having seen the 'other side', I have a feeling that the greatest wagtail concentration is round the back on the sewage farm proper, has anyone ever tried asking UU whether birders could be allowed round there?
Cheers
Jason
Gadwall 8
Canada Geese 5
Moorhen 3
Coot 4
Little Grebe 4
Teal 1m 1f
Tufted Duck 2m 1f
Black-headed Gull 3
Swallow 3
House Martin 5
Pied Wagtail 1
Grey Wagtail 1
Reed Warbler 1 singing inside boundary fence.
Grasshopper Warbler 1 singing just North of boundary fence.
Lapwing 2
Snipe 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 over.
Area North of ETW:
Whitethroat 1m
Yellowhammer 1 singing.
Reed Bunting 1m
Blackcap 1 singing.
etc.etc.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 27th of April 2012 05:32:10 PM
2 Little Grebes
8 Gadwalls
2 Teals
1 Lapwing
1 Oystercatcher
1 Swallow
2 Willow Warblers
5 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
2 Grasshopper Warblers
2 Reed Buntings
also a possible Marsh Harrier; slender looking raptor perched up being mobbed by crows out on the dry beds but too distant to be confident with bins alone.
1 Little Grebe
9 Gadwalls
1 Oystercatcher
1 Common Snipe
1 Lapwing
2 House Martins
30+ Swallows
3 Pied Wagtails
1 Blackcap
2 oystercatchers
3 lapwings
7 teals
8 shovelers
c25 pied wagtails
1 buzzard (over)
9 gadwalls
1 snipe
1 little grebe
info thanks to phil kelly.
-- Edited by Joe Wynn on Sunday 1st of April 2012 10:24:04 PM
1 Little Grebe
4 Shovelers
8 Gadwalls
7 Teals
1 Oystercatcher
3 Lapwings
2 Meadow Pipits
7 Jays
2 Oystercatcher
2 Long Tailed Tits
1 Reed Bunting
c75 Black Headed Gulls
10 Mallard
8 Teal
6 Gadwall
Moorhen
Coot
Magpie
Woodpigeons
Great Tits
1 Pied Wagtail
Teal 14
Coot 6
Mallard 6
Gadwall 9
Little Grebe 1
Oystercatcher 2
Shoveler 6
Tufted Duck 2m 1f
Moorhen 3
Reed Bunting 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Pied Wagtail 3
2 Shoveler
4 Gadwall
6 Teal
c40 Black Headed Gulls
2 Mallard
4 Tufted Duck
Coot
Moorhen
Magpie
Woodpigeons
2 Oystercatchers - being very noisy around the pools
2 Kingfishers - also being noisy along Sinderland Brook
7 Cormorants - flew over towards Rostherne
2 Oystercatchers
19 Shoveler - 10m,9f - lots of displaying and calling
3 Teal - 2m,1f
1 Heron
pair Little Grebe
11 Redwing over
13 Fieldfare over
Cycling past on my way home from work tonight a Barn Owl - possibly 2 - flew along the fence line over the filtration bed opposite the first pool. A few yards further along the footpath/cycle path I found it sat in a tree perfectly silouhetted against the sky. It allowed me to approach to within c.20 feet. Then another bird - same size and shape - flew from another part of the tree but it was so quick I couldn't be 100% certain about it's ID before it disappeared. But it certainly gave me the impression of a Barn Owl. The owl that was still sat in the tree stayed for another minute or so before it too flew off. I had a Barn Owl in this same spot last winter too !
10 teal
25 BH Gull
6 Moorhen
1 Pheasant
15 Starlings
1 Grey Heron
1 Song Thrush and a Wood Pigeon.
Weather still foul.
There were 4 Pochard on the front lake and that was literally it other than magpies.
Teal 14
Moorhen 16
BH Gull 80+
33 Teals
4 Gadwalls
9 Mallards
13 Moorhens
11 Lapwings
2 Pheasants
1 Kestrel
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Reed Buntings
1 Yellowhammer
Teal 12+
Moorhen 8
Grey Heron 2
BH Gull 70+
1 Green Sandpiper
3 Shoveler
5 Gadwall
10 Teal
6 Jay
1 GS Woodpecker
7 Moorhen
3 Song Thrush
5 Collared Dove
1 Grey Wagtail
3 Grey Heron
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Starling
1 Skylark
2 Pheasant
1 Little Grebe
10 House Sparrow
2 Bullfinch
20 BH Gull
c50 Wood Pigeon
1 Stock Dove
1 Jackdaw
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Wren
3 Goldfinch
1 Fieldfare
26 Redwing
5 Robin
5 Pied Wagtail
5 Blackbird
1 Reed Bunting
4 Green Sandpipers
3 Gadwalls
c30 Teals
8 Moorhens
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Redwing
9 Teals
1 Swallow
8 Meadow Pipits - heading south
2 Goldcrests
3 Chiffchaffs - singing still
2 Blackcaps
1 Willow Tit
2 Lesser Redpolls
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Sunday 25th of September 2011 01:31:12 PM
2 Green Sandpipers
3 Teal
2 Stock Dove over south
Late post for yesterday.
Chiffchaff singing 8.15am