5340 Pink-footed Geese were seen from Ramsdales Ruck from 07:25 up to 09:44 in a total of 41 skeins, with the usual two flight lines, west/east from/to the Mersey which fly just south of the flash and NW/SE from/to the Ribble which fly just to the north or directly over the flash, continuing to be patently visible. 2237 birds flew east in seven skeins; 1918 west in 20 skeins; 963 flew NW in 10 skeins; 222 SE in four skeins.
2264 Fieldfares over W/SW in 13 flocks, with a largest flock of 680 west at 08:18 and another 120 which flew in from the west and dropped into trees along Byrom Lane.
385 Redwings over W/SW in 12 flocks.
8060 Woodpigeons flew S/SE in 89 flocks, three of which just exceeded 500 strong.
34 Whooper Swans low SE at 07:47.
46 Chaffinches over south mainly as singles.
26 Meadow Pipits actually down on Ramsdales Ruck, along with four Skylarks.
5 Raven over, with one east at 07:10 and four together north at 07:57.
A flock of 9 female/immature Goldeneyes in Ramsdales.
174 Tufted Ducks
9 Goosanders, with two drakes north at first light, flooded later by another two drakes north, two females in from the NE dropping in around the Ramsdales/nature reserve area and three (one drake) at the very western end (inflow area).
Male Cetti's Warbler singing on his usual territory at the very western end.
2 Kingfishers.
A small (but significant) flock of six Coal Tits making their way east through the trees on the top of Ramsdales Ruck.
31 Cormorants.
2 singing Mistle Thrushes, one in the south side and one around Ramsdales.
(a few record shots of geese skeins and Fieldfares)
I'm not sure that this is exactly the right place to put this record, but pink-footed geese that fly south of the flash go right over my back garden and if you were on the ruck they'd be seen from there and recorded as Pennington Flash. So just for interest, a flock of about 50 birds was heard over the house at 5.10am today and seemed to be going east.
David Hughes said
Sat Nov 4 11:52 AM, 2023
Yesterday, 1 kingfisher from ramsdales, approx 400 pinkfooted goose westward bound,at least 40 cormorant on the spit,5 goldeneye, several great crested grebe on the Flash ,2 muscovy duck and 1 oystercatcher in the car park area.
-- Edited by David Hughes on Saturday 4th of November 2023 11:54:02 AM
colin davies said
Sat Nov 4 11:12 AM, 2023
This morning, 8am - 10:30am
Whooper swan 1 juvenile dropped onto the flash at 9am from the north. Still present at 10:15am
Pink-footed goose 25 flew south at 8:45am
Goosander 6 (3 males, 3 females. 2 of the males possibly 1st win)
Goldeneye 5 (male and 4 females / juveniles. Not the pristine male of last week)
Pochard 2 males off the car park
Egyptian geese family party of 4 still at Mossley Hall farm
Fieldfare two flocks south over the ruck at 8:45am of 16 & 24 birds.
I forgot to mention in my previous post today that the family of 4 Egyptian geese were again on the flooded horse field between Mossley Hall farm and Slag lane.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Oct 26 3:53 PM, 2023
This afternoon, 1 Wigeon, 2 Siskin, 37 Snipe, 73 Lapwing and a Redshank which passed straight through.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
colin davies said
Thu Oct 26 11:48 AM, 2023
This morning, 8:30 - 11:00,
Little egret 1 in Ramsdales
Pochard 2 male and female in the south east corner
Goldeneye 2
Goosander 1
Fieldfare 20
Redwing 40
-- Edited by colin davies on Thursday 26th of October 2023 11:48:45 AM
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Oct 25 8:27 PM, 2023
An adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted again tonight.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
colin davies said
Wed Oct 25 7:43 PM, 2023
Additional to Ian's post this morning, there were 5 pochard off the car park.
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Oct 25 1:01 PM, 2023
This morning's highlights from very first light to c10am, mostly avoiding the early morning fog high above the clouds on the top of Ramsdales Ruck
5892 Woodpigeons S/SE in 97 flocks with 70% of that total passing over in the first half hour after sunrise!
68 Redwings over west in small flocks
18 Fieldfares west on a single flock
6 Song Thrushes over west in a single flock
29 Chaffinches over south mainly in singles
1 Linnet over low north
14 Greylag Geese over east together at 9am
22 Pink-footed Geese over SE at 09:05
2 Goldeneyes in Ramsdales, at least one other seen flying around the flash early morning but poor visibility prevented a proper look over much of the water
88+ Snipe on the spit, probably many more hidden in the grass and many of those counted disturbed by the resident Oystercatcher aggressively striding along the edge of the spit!
1 drake Pochard at the very western end, not checked the eastern end due to poor visibility and light
Ian McKerchar said
Tue Oct 24 9:57 AM, 2023
Late news for yesterday evening when two adult Yellow-legged Gulls roosted again. Also now five Pochard and a single Goosander.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
colin davies said
Mon Oct 23 11:20 AM, 2023
This morning 9.15 - 11.15,
Yellow-browed warbler calling on the ruck in birch woodland near big wooden lock monument on canal. Not seen. Possibly with long-tailed tits.
152 pink-footed geese west at 10.30
12 fieldfare over SW at 10.30
Mandarin Plank Lane marina
5 pochard off car park
4 Egyptian geese off car park
4 goldeneye Ramsdales
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 23rd of October 2023 11:25:48 AM
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Oct 23 10:35 AM, 2023
Another crazy hour from first light...
15,023 Woodpigeons S/SE in only just over c90 minutes, with 11,056 in the first 30 minutes from 07:45am alone! In total 75 flocks moved through with those directly over the flash or off to the east heading due south and those off to the west of the flash heading SE, clearly two lines of passage.
1537 Fieldfares S/SW in 20 flocks, the largest of which (by some way) being 420 strong.
282 Redwings S/SW in 23 flocks
4 Goldeneye, with one still in Ramsdales and three others flying around the flash seemingly having just arrived.
1 Greylag Goose west.
Only 16 Chaffinches over south today.
4 drake Pochard still.
Clearly less Song Thrushes and Goldcrests about than yesterday.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Oct 22 8:27 PM, 2023
Late afternoon/early evening today:
400 Pink-footed Geese over, all birds heading SE, with 130 at 17:00, 160 at 17:30 and 110 at 18:05 (the final flock seen well north of the flash)
7 Mistle Thrushes feeding on the grass by the sailing club
108 Redwings coming/going to roost just prior to dusk with 60 in a few small flocks dropping into trees around the northern edge of the 'nature reserve' area, 30 dropping into trees at the western end in a single flock and 18 dropping into trees and bushes around Sorrow Cow Pond in a few flocks but then departing east (maybe to roost elsewhere around the flash) just before dark
2 Fieldfares over west together
180 Lapwings on the spit
4 drake Pochards
Goldeneye still in Ramsdales (roosting there at dusk)
Cetti's Warbler still singing in shoreline bushes by Sorrow Cow Pond and later around the pond itself
Kingfisher around the Sorrow Cow shore
Very small gull roost of all species although two particularly conspicuous agentatus Herring Gulls were the first of the 'winter' here for me
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Oct 22 11:57 AM, 2023
Always a good morning here when you can fill two pages of your notebook...
From first light when it was cold, raining and very dull to mid-morning with clear blue skies and lovely sun:
13,498 Woodpigeons flew S/SE in 98 flocks up to 10am when I stopped counting. With the first flock directly over the flash as soon as the heaviest rain stopped around 8am it was swiftly followed by the largest flock of the morning, some 900 strong and for the first hour the heaviest passage ensued, firstly directly over the flash or just off to the west, then as the skies to the East slowly began to clear, the main flocks followed it and their route was now mainly off to the east of the flash. Flocks continued to pass over until mid-morning when they clearly slowed down and were smaller in their numbers but birds continued to move over the county and their true numbers must have been enormous (a couple of part-flock photos attached).
64 Chaffinches flew south over Ramsdales Ruck, mainly in singles or twos but a very good count for here where they're usually much too high to see let alone hear but today unusually, they were low and conspicuous.
16 Siskins south in a single flock
404 Redwings W/SW in 12 flocks, plus a clearly unwell bird along the shoreline path of the rucks which allowed approach to within a couple of feet before it literally 'wobbled' off into the undergrowth
260 Fieldfares W/SW in eight flocks
46 Song Thrushes around Ramsdales Ruck, mainly in shoreline trees and scrub which included a remarkable flock of 19 birds feeding together around the large gorse patch which then flew off together into nearby trees in a cacophony of 'zit' calls
26 Goldcrests, including some nice little flocks together feeding in shoreline bushes
82 Pink-footed Geese SE in four skeins, 10 south in one skein, 65 NW in a single skein and 18 W also in a single skein
6 Greylag Geese with 4 over SE and two down on the flash which departed NE
1 Redshank heard only and could not be relocated
59+ Snipe trying their best to hide (and some not so!) along the spit, undoubtably more on there
2 Stonechats on Ramsdales Ruck, looked like two males but the birds were very flightly and moved off towards the very NE corner of the ruck (photo attached)
At least 2 drake Pochards off the main car park
203 Tufted Duck (including the usual nasal saddled female)
1 female/immature Goldeneye in Ramsdales
5 Skylarks and 9 Meadow Pipits down on Ramsdales Ruck
Males Cetti's Warbler still singing (more often not too well either!) from shoreline bushes by The Point
The family party of 4 Egyptian geese still this afternoon, on the flooded horse field between Mossley Hall farm and Slag lane. Also today, 4 drake pochard off the car park.
Unsurprisingly, the flash is very flooded again with a lot of the spit under water.
colin davies said
Thu Oct 19 5:02 PM, 2023
This afternoon,
Family party of 4 Egyptian geese at the boat club, 2 adults, 2 juveniles. Unringed and wary (so far!). Surely as good as it gets for a GM tick!
2 Pochard off the car park, both drakes
15 snipe on the spit
-- Edited by colin davies on Thursday 19th of October 2023 05:02:43 PM
4251 Woodpigeons moved through SE in 85 flocks from first light up to 8:30am when passage seems to all but cease with only small numbers (uncounted) moving after that.
2 Raven flew south together very early morning.
Around 08:30, a fantastic flock of 210 Snipe 'appeared' in the sky above Ramsdales, presumably having been flushed from their roost around there and the spit. The flock split into smaller flocks which circled high above Ramsdales and the ruck for some time before at least most of them seemed to drop back in. A look at the spit shortly after revealed around a hundred birds crammed into the end of the spit (phonescoped record shots of part of the flock attached!).
2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls resting around the flash.
25 Goldcrests spread mainly in tit flocks on and around Ramsdales Ruck alone.
This evening 2 adult Whooper Swans circled once at 5:45pm then another 5 at 6:53 and 2 more south at dusk. 2 drake Pochard and 62 Teal.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Oct 14 10:54 AM, 2023
Fairly quick visit this morning:
37 Shoveler
1 Little Egret at the western end, flew in from the north, perhaps from Bickershaw
c32 Pink-footed Geese over SE
Woodpigeons moving over SE in relatively small numbers but uncounted
4 Skylark and 8 Meadow Pipit on Ramsdales Ruck
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Oct 13 9:27 PM, 2023
This evening, drake Common Scoter, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 112 Snipe on the spit, 38 Pink-footed Geese flew west. 41 Lapwing.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Oct 12 8:20 PM, 2023
Late afternoon/early evening at the gull roost:
2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls (including the recent bird also seen by Phil Rhodes last night)
358 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
449 Herring Gulls
6 Kingfishers, with four in Ramsdales and two around the Sorrow Cow shore
Cetti's Warbler singing from bushes around Sorrow Cow shore
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Oct 9 7:42 PM, 2023
This late afternoon/early evening today:
303 Herring Gulls in the roost
295 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
19 Great Black-backed Gulls
2 Kingfishers along the shore by Sorrow Cow Farm
Drake Mandarin in Ramsdales with Mallards
Resident Oystercatcher on the spit
2 Chiffchaffs in shoreline bushes by Sorrow Cow Pond
Cetti's Warbler singing around Sorrow Cow Pond
Redwing (uncounted as they were mainly heard) dropping into bushes around Sorrow Cow Pond to roost
c340 Pink-footed Geese over fairly low west at 18:30
c300 Jackdaws in the Sorrow Cow roost
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Oct 9 10:18 AM, 2023
This morning’s highlights from first light to 09:30 only:
97 Redwings through SW in several small flocks and two singles
449 Woodpigeons though SE
2 Yellowhammers together over Ramsdales Ruck at 08:55, at least one of which was an adult male
2 Little Egrets
48 Snipe on the spit (disturbed at one point which allowed counting!)
47 Cormorants flew in from the west in smaller flocks but some carried on through east
1 Chiffchaff on Ramsdales Ruck
33 Song Thrushes on and around Ramsdales Ruck, including a couple of birds dropping in from the NE
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Oct 8 7:49 PM, 2023
Also 22 Goldcrests on and around Ramsdales Ruck this morning (how could I forget!), a significant increase.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Oct 8 10:01 AM, 2023
From first light this morning:
1753 Woodpigeons SE in 37 flocks, with virtually no movement to the east of the flash and all birds coming in from the NW over the flash or just to the west of it, with passage slowing to an almost full stop by 8am.
1 Little Egret on the sailing club shore
3 Kingfishers in Ramsdales
Plenty of Snipe along the spit but typically extremely well hidden
3 Greylag Geese over with two east and one west
1 Raven NW just after first light
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Oct 7 2:53 PM, 2023
Late news for yesterday evening:
The adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted as did a first-winter Mediterranean Gull and 114 Herring Gulls and 226 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
53 Snipe
26 Teal
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Oct 6 9:58 AM, 2023
This morning:
1 Linnet SE
18 Goldfinch S in a single flock
178 Tufted Duck
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
27 Cormorants
Preparation for more filming today by Sorrow Cow Farm continues with more boats, cameras, divers and people everywhere (now having to park in the sailing club car park too). Must be an epic production…
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Oct 5 5:15 PM, 2023
Early afternoon today:
First calendar year Marsh Harrier flew fairly low west at 14:15, bringing everything off the spit and most of it then chasing it off over Ramsdales Ruck.
A single Pink-footed Geese with several Canada geese in the East Bay eventually flew off west alone.
The Egyptian Goose still off the main car park.
And some fairly large scale looking drama filming off a temporary jetty built by Sorrow Cow Farm seemed to involve three female characters, a hand gun and one of them throwing themselves into the flash and drowning!
Early this morning:
4 Shelducks flew in from the east and dropped onto the western end briefly before flying off west
Pair of Wigeon
Flock of Lesser Redpoll still mobile on Ramsdales Ruck
7+ Siskins
2 Little Egrets
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
c250 Pink-footed Geese flew east at 08:20
2 drake Pochards in Ramsdales
7 Goldeneyes, including one drake
Nasal saddled female Tufted Duck ventured across to the western end
Five Little Egrets roosted tonight.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
This morning 8am-10:30,
Lesser redpoll 15+ on and around the canal bank at Ramsdales
Fieldfare 38 south over the ruck at 9:30am
Pink-footed geese 30 east at 9:30am
Meadow pipit 30 south over the ruck in several small groups
Goosander 1 female
Goldeneye 7, male and 6 females
Teal 33 displaying in front of Tom Edmondson hide
Lapwing 62 on the spit
Oystercatcher 1 at the boat club
Egyptian geese family party of 4, initially at the boat club then flew to flooded field at Mossley Hall farm.
Two visits today, 8am - 11am & 2pm - 4:30pm:
Adult yellow-legged gull came in presumably to roost at about 4:15pm
Goosander 3 females
Goldeneye 7 inc. 2 males
Pochard 2 males off the car park
Egyptian goose family party of 4 still at Mossley Hall farm
Willow tit 2 at Mossley Hall farm
Treecreeper at Mossley Hall farm
For those who don't know, Mossley Hall farm is at the west end of the flash, accessed off Byrom Lane.
Adult Yellow-legged Gull showing well on a bouy off the spit around midday before eventually flying off north.
Also a single Willow Tit around Sorrow Cow Pond
This morning, 8am - 10:45, partly with Bill Harrison,
295 pink-footed geese all heading north west in 7 flocks
8 goldeneye all females / immatures
3 pochard, 2 drakes 1 female
3 lesser redpoll on the canal bank at Ramsdales
This morning,
9 goldeneye, 1 drake, 2 first winter drakes & 6 females / immatures
Little egret
27 pink-footed geese flying west
This morning's highlights from first light:
5340 Pink-footed Geese were seen from Ramsdales Ruck from 07:25 up to 09:44 in a total of 41 skeins, with the usual two flight lines, west/east from/to the Mersey which fly just south of the flash and NW/SE from/to the Ribble which fly just to the north or directly over the flash, continuing to be patently visible. 2237 birds flew east in seven skeins; 1918 west in 20 skeins; 963 flew NW in 10 skeins; 222 SE in four skeins.
2264 Fieldfares over W/SW in 13 flocks, with a largest flock of 680 west at 08:18 and another 120 which flew in from the west and dropped into trees along Byrom Lane.
385 Redwings over W/SW in 12 flocks.
8060 Woodpigeons flew S/SE in 89 flocks, three of which just exceeded 500 strong.
34 Whooper Swans low SE at 07:47.
46 Chaffinches over south mainly as singles.
26 Meadow Pipits actually down on Ramsdales Ruck, along with four Skylarks.
5 Raven over, with one east at 07:10 and four together north at 07:57.
A flock of 9 female/immature Goldeneyes in Ramsdales.
174 Tufted Ducks
9 Goosanders, with two drakes north at first light, flooded later by another two drakes north, two females in from the NE dropping in around the Ramsdales/nature reserve area and three (one drake) at the very western end (inflow area).
Male Cetti's Warbler singing on his usual territory at the very western end.
2 Kingfishers.
A small (but significant) flock of six Coal Tits making their way east through the trees on the top of Ramsdales Ruck.
31 Cormorants.
2 singing Mistle Thrushes, one in the south side and one around Ramsdales.
(a few record shots of geese skeins and Fieldfares)
I'm not sure that this is exactly the right place to put this record, but pink-footed geese that fly south of the flash go right over my back garden and if you were on the ruck they'd be seen from there and recorded as Pennington Flash. So just for interest, a flock of about 50 birds was heard over the house at 5.10am today and seemed to be going east.
Yesterday, 1 kingfisher from ramsdales, approx 400 pinkfooted goose westward bound,at least 40 cormorant on the spit,5 goldeneye, several great crested grebe on the Flash ,2 muscovy duck and 1 oystercatcher in the car park area.
-- Edited by David Hughes on Saturday 4th of November 2023 11:54:02 AM
This morning, 8am - 10:30am
Whooper swan 1 juvenile dropped onto the flash at 9am from the north. Still present at 10:15am
Pink-footed goose 25 flew south at 8:45am
Goosander 6 (3 males, 3 females. 2 of the males possibly 1st win)
Goldeneye 5 (male and 4 females / juveniles. Not the pristine male of last week)
Pochard 2 males off the car park
Egyptian geese family party of 4 still at Mossley Hall farm
Fieldfare two flocks south over the ruck at 8:45am of 16 & 24 birds.
This morning,
13 pink-footed geese flew over north west at 9am
8 goldeneye all females or 1st winters
2 pochard, both drakes
1 Goosander female at Charlie Owen hide
Also this morning,
Family party of 4 Egyptian geese still on flooded horse field at Mossley Hall farm
2 drake pochard
1 Little egret
Seven Whooper Swans flew east this morning as did c220 Pink-footed Geese. Six Goldeneyes and c80 Fieldfares also seen.
Info thanks to Bill Harrison
At least four Siskins in Alders around the back of Teal Scrape by the canal in the early afternoon today.
No further sign of the cattle egrets this afternoon, though I didn't go past Mossley Hall farm so could be there. Also today,
70 snipe
4 goldeneye (females / juveniles)
1 goosander
3 pochard all drakes off the car park
2 Egyptian goose flew across the flash
30+ teal off the end of the spit but probably a few more out of view.
Photos of the two cattle egrets at the boat club today.
Cattle egrets seem to have gone at 10.25 but may still be elsewhere at the flash. Mossley Hall farm might be a good bet.
Two cattle egrets currently on boat club foreshore. Photos to follow
Highlights this (wet) morning included:
41 Shoveler
148 Tufted Ducks
3 Goldeneyes
2 drake Pochard
At least 37 Snipe on the spit
A flock of 180 Fieldfares flew only just above treetop level SE across Ramsdales at 08:30 prior to the onset on heavy drizzle
This morning, 8:15 - 10:45,
Goldeneye 5 inc. one pristine male which I certainly didn't see yesterday
Goosander 1 male flew over
Pochard 3 males off the car park
Egyptian geese family party of 4 still at Mossley Hall farm, on the flooded horse field.
This morning, 8:15 - 11:15,
A dull, misty, murky morning making viewing difficult at times, occasionally I couldn't even see the far shore of the flash. However...
Goldeneye 7 including 5 together at the boat club
Pochard 1 drake off the car park
Little egret 1 in front of Horrock's hide
Egyptian geese family party of 4 in horse paddocks at Mossley Hall farm
Pink-footed geese 50+ heard flying over in a generally westerly direction. Not seen.
Plenty of goldcrests and tits around the ruck.
-- Edited by colin davies on Friday 27th of October 2023 12:36:59 PM
I forgot to mention in my previous post today that the family of 4 Egyptian geese were again on the flooded horse field between Mossley Hall farm and Slag lane.
This afternoon, 1 Wigeon, 2 Siskin, 37 Snipe, 73 Lapwing and a Redshank which passed straight through.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
This morning, 8:30 - 11:00,
Little egret 1 in Ramsdales
Pochard 2 male and female in the south east corner
Goldeneye 2
Goosander 1
Fieldfare 20
Redwing 40
-- Edited by colin davies on Thursday 26th of October 2023 11:48:45 AM
An adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted again tonight.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Additional to Ian's post this morning, there were 5 pochard off the car park.
This morning's highlights from very first light to c10am, mostly avoiding the early morning fog high above the clouds on the top of Ramsdales Ruck
5892 Woodpigeons S/SE in 97 flocks with 70% of that total passing over in the first half hour after sunrise!
68 Redwings over west in small flocks
18 Fieldfares west on a single flock
6 Song Thrushes over west in a single flock
29 Chaffinches over south mainly in singles
1 Linnet over low north
14 Greylag Geese over east together at 9am
22 Pink-footed Geese over SE at 09:05
2 Goldeneyes in Ramsdales, at least one other seen flying around the flash early morning but poor visibility prevented a proper look over much of the water
88+ Snipe on the spit, probably many more hidden in the grass and many of those counted disturbed by the resident Oystercatcher aggressively striding along the edge of the spit!
1 drake Pochard at the very western end, not checked the eastern end due to poor visibility and light
Late news for yesterday evening when two adult Yellow-legged Gulls roosted again. Also now five Pochard and a single Goosander.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
This morning 9.15 - 11.15,
Yellow-browed warbler calling on the ruck in birch woodland near big wooden lock monument on canal. Not seen. Possibly with long-tailed tits.
152 pink-footed geese west at 10.30
12 fieldfare over SW at 10.30
Mandarin Plank Lane marina
5 pochard off car park
4 Egyptian geese off car park
4 goldeneye Ramsdales
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 23rd of October 2023 11:25:48 AM
Another crazy hour from first light...
15,023 Woodpigeons S/SE in only just over c90 minutes, with 11,056 in the first 30 minutes from 07:45am alone! In total 75 flocks moved through with those directly over the flash or off to the east heading due south and those off to the west of the flash heading SE, clearly two lines of passage.
1537 Fieldfares S/SW in 20 flocks, the largest of which (by some way) being 420 strong.
282 Redwings S/SW in 23 flocks
4 Goldeneye, with one still in Ramsdales and three others flying around the flash seemingly having just arrived.
1 Greylag Goose west.
Only 16 Chaffinches over south today.
4 drake Pochard still.
Clearly less Song Thrushes and Goldcrests about than yesterday.
Late afternoon/early evening today:
400 Pink-footed Geese over, all birds heading SE, with 130 at 17:00, 160 at 17:30 and 110 at 18:05 (the final flock seen well north of the flash)
7 Mistle Thrushes feeding on the grass by the sailing club
108 Redwings coming/going to roost just prior to dusk with 60 in a few small flocks dropping into trees around the northern edge of the 'nature reserve' area, 30 dropping into trees at the western end in a single flock and 18 dropping into trees and bushes around Sorrow Cow Pond in a few flocks but then departing east (maybe to roost elsewhere around the flash) just before dark
2 Fieldfares over west together
180 Lapwings on the spit
4 drake Pochards
Goldeneye still in Ramsdales (roosting there at dusk)
Cetti's Warbler still singing in shoreline bushes by Sorrow Cow Pond and later around the pond itself
Kingfisher around the Sorrow Cow shore
Very small gull roost of all species although two particularly conspicuous agentatus Herring Gulls were the first of the 'winter' here for me
Always a good morning here when you can fill two pages of your notebook...
From first light when it was cold, raining and very dull to mid-morning with clear blue skies and lovely sun:
13,498 Woodpigeons flew S/SE in 98 flocks up to 10am when I stopped counting. With the first flock directly over the flash as soon as the heaviest rain stopped around 8am it was swiftly followed by the largest flock of the morning, some 900 strong and for the first hour the heaviest passage ensued, firstly directly over the flash or just off to the west, then as the skies to the East slowly began to clear, the main flocks followed it and their route was now mainly off to the east of the flash. Flocks continued to pass over until mid-morning when they clearly slowed down and were smaller in their numbers but birds continued to move over the county and their true numbers must have been enormous (a couple of part-flock photos attached).
64 Chaffinches flew south over Ramsdales Ruck, mainly in singles or twos but a very good count for here where they're usually much too high to see let alone hear but today unusually, they were low and conspicuous.
16 Siskins south in a single flock
404 Redwings W/SW in 12 flocks, plus a clearly unwell bird along the shoreline path of the rucks which allowed approach to within a couple of feet before it literally 'wobbled' off into the undergrowth
260 Fieldfares W/SW in eight flocks
46 Song Thrushes around Ramsdales Ruck, mainly in shoreline trees and scrub which included a remarkable flock of 19 birds feeding together around the large gorse patch which then flew off together into nearby trees in a cacophony of 'zit' calls
26 Goldcrests, including some nice little flocks together feeding in shoreline bushes
82 Pink-footed Geese SE in four skeins, 10 south in one skein, 65 NW in a single skein and 18 W also in a single skein
6 Greylag Geese with 4 over SE and two down on the flash which departed NE
1 Redshank heard only and could not be relocated
59+ Snipe trying their best to hide (and some not so!) along the spit, undoubtably more on there
2 Stonechats on Ramsdales Ruck, looked like two males but the birds were very flightly and moved off towards the very NE corner of the ruck (photo attached)
At least 2 drake Pochards off the main car park
203 Tufted Duck (including the usual nasal saddled female)
1 female/immature Goldeneye in Ramsdales
5 Skylarks and 9 Meadow Pipits down on Ramsdales Ruck
Males Cetti's Warbler still singing (more often not too well either!) from shoreline bushes by The Point
The family party of 4 Egyptian geese still this afternoon, on the flooded horse field between Mossley Hall farm and Slag lane. Also today, 4 drake pochard off the car park.
Unsurprisingly, the flash is very flooded again with a lot of the spit under water.
This afternoon,
Family party of 4 Egyptian geese at the boat club, 2 adults, 2 juveniles. Unringed and wary (so far!). Surely as good as it gets for a GM tick!
2 Pochard off the car park, both drakes
15 snipe on the spit
-- Edited by colin davies on Thursday 19th of October 2023 05:02:43 PM
Mid morning, 15 wigeon in the middle, also drake pochard and Egyptian goose off the car park.
This late afternoon/early evening:
Single Whooper Swan with Mute Swans at the very western end
Singles of Chiffchaff, Cetti’s Warbler and Treecreeper in bushes along the shore by Sorrow Cow Pond
49 Redwings came out of the bushes by Sorrow Cow Pond close to dusk and flew off east
305 Lesser Black-backed and 293 Herring Gulls in the roost
2800 Black-headed Gulls in the roost
10 Wigeon present this morning.
Info thanks to Barry Hulme
This morning's highlights included:
4251 Woodpigeons moved through SE in 85 flocks from first light up to 8:30am when passage seems to all but cease with only small numbers (uncounted) moving after that.
2 Raven flew south together very early morning.
Around 08:30, a fantastic flock of 210 Snipe 'appeared' in the sky above Ramsdales, presumably having been flushed from their roost around there and the spit. The flock split into smaller flocks which circled high above Ramsdales and the ruck for some time before at least most of them seemed to drop back in. A look at the spit shortly after revealed around a hundred birds crammed into the end of the spit (phonescoped record shots of part of the flock attached!).
2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls resting around the flash.
25 Goldcrests spread mainly in tit flocks on and around Ramsdales Ruck alone.
The resident Oystercatcher remains...resident.
This evening 2 adult Whooper Swans circled once at 5:45pm then another 5 at 6:53 and 2 more south at dusk. 2 drake Pochard and 62 Teal.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Fairly quick visit this morning:
37 Shoveler
1 Little Egret at the western end, flew in from the north, perhaps from Bickershaw
c32 Pink-footed Geese over SE
Woodpigeons moving over SE in relatively small numbers but uncounted
4 Skylark and 8 Meadow Pipit on Ramsdales Ruck
This evening, drake Common Scoter, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 112 Snipe on the spit, 38 Pink-footed Geese flew west. 41 Lapwing.
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
Late afternoon/early evening at the gull roost:
2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls (including the recent bird also seen by Phil Rhodes last night)
358 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
449 Herring Gulls
6 Kingfishers, with four in Ramsdales and two around the Sorrow Cow shore
Cetti's Warbler singing from bushes around Sorrow Cow shore
This late afternoon/early evening today:
303 Herring Gulls in the roost
295 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
19 Great Black-backed Gulls
2 Kingfishers along the shore by Sorrow Cow Farm
Drake Mandarin in Ramsdales with Mallards
Resident Oystercatcher on the spit
2 Chiffchaffs in shoreline bushes by Sorrow Cow Pond
Cetti's Warbler singing around Sorrow Cow Pond
Redwing (uncounted as they were mainly heard) dropping into bushes around Sorrow Cow Pond to roost
c340 Pink-footed Geese over fairly low west at 18:30
c300 Jackdaws in the Sorrow Cow roost
This morning’s highlights from first light to 09:30 only:
97 Redwings through SW in several small flocks and two singles
449 Woodpigeons though SE
2 Yellowhammers together over Ramsdales Ruck at 08:55, at least one of which was an adult male
2 Little Egrets
48 Snipe on the spit (disturbed at one point which allowed counting!)
47 Cormorants flew in from the west in smaller flocks but some carried on through east
1 Chiffchaff on Ramsdales Ruck
33 Song Thrushes on and around Ramsdales Ruck, including a couple of birds dropping in from the NE
Also 22 Goldcrests on and around Ramsdales Ruck this morning (how could I forget!), a significant increase.
From first light this morning:
1753 Woodpigeons SE in 37 flocks, with virtually no movement to the east of the flash and all birds coming in from the NW over the flash or just to the west of it, with passage slowing to an almost full stop by 8am.
1 Little Egret on the sailing club shore
3 Kingfishers in Ramsdales
Plenty of Snipe along the spit but typically extremely well hidden
3 Greylag Geese over with two east and one west
1 Raven NW just after first light
Late news for yesterday evening:
The adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted as did a first-winter Mediterranean Gull and 114 Herring Gulls and 226 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
53 Snipe
26 Teal
Info thanks to Phil Rhodes
This morning:
1 Linnet SE
18 Goldfinch S in a single flock
178 Tufted Duck
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
27 Cormorants
Preparation for more filming today by Sorrow Cow Farm continues with more boats, cameras, divers and people everywhere (now having to park in the sailing club car park too). Must be an epic production…
Early afternoon today:
First calendar year Marsh Harrier flew fairly low west at 14:15, bringing everything off the spit and most of it then chasing it off over Ramsdales Ruck.
A single Pink-footed Geese with several Canada geese in the East Bay eventually flew off west alone.
The Egyptian Goose still off the main car park.
And some fairly large scale looking drama filming off a temporary jetty built by Sorrow Cow Farm seemed to involve three female characters, a hand gun and one of them throwing themselves into the flash and drowning!