This afternoon same as this morning plus
1 Female Sparrowhawk
1 Very pale Buzzard
12 Tufted Ducks which have arrived since this morning
2 Little Grebe

Cheers Steven

Early a.m. with Steve, only birds of note a single Green Sandpiper and Steve had Lesser Whitethroat.
Cheers Ian

Additional to Richard's sightings 2 Spotted Flycatcher near bridge over stream below Withins.
Elton year list now 130

Full circuit around about from 6:45 am till 9am. Nothing really to shout about in the area, a nuthatch was heard in the Creek, at least 4 seperate flocks of a total of about about a dozen willow warblers, chiffchaff and blackcap together were located around, a flock of a dozen of posing long tailed tits, teal, little grebe and 2 lesser black backed gulls.

Also this morning, 2 Yellow Wagtails over west and 4 Lesser Whitethroats between the Creek and Wader Point, calling frequently.

6.30-10.00 with Brian, res very quiet, only birds of note were Yellow Wagtail (2nd day running) and Kingfisher.
Cheers Ian

This morning with Ian c, 1 redstart nr bennys bridge, 1 yellow wagtail over, 1 green sandpiper flew off early morning, 6 snipe.

6.45-10.15 a.m. with Brian, best birds were 1 Green sandpiper, 1 female Redstart (at canal bridge 20) and a flyover Yellow Wagtail (at pumphouse).
Cheers Ian

aft/eve stroll around, part with roy ridings.

1 spotted flycatcher, crow trees farm
20+ willow warbler
6 chiffchaff
3 whitethroat
1 little owl
2 little grebe
1 kingfisher (roy ridings) it flew past me at withins
1 sparrowhawk
6 lapwing
3 jay
2 curlew flew over high calling heading south west

a nice mixed flock below pumphouse held...

15+ long tailed tit
5+ blue tit
9 willow warbler
3 chiffchaff
3 blackcap
1 sedge warbler

a mixed tit flock in the dip...

long tailed tit
great tit
blue tit
2-3 willow tit

Also this morning, 6.20am - 11.15am, with Paul Wilson, highlights;

2 Redstarts (male Redstart Hedge & male Bridge 19)
5 Lesser Whitethroats (1 Creek, 1 near Wader Point, 2 Redstart Hedge & 1 Elton Goyt)
40 Willow Warblers (one of yesterdays birds had a silver BTO ring on)
11 Chiffchaff
3 Blackcap
6 Whitethroat
3 Little Grebe
1 very pale Buzzard
1 Little Owl
2 Common Gull
45 Swift
Also a swimming grey squirell after jumping into the water at Withins

Mid morning

Tree pipit over calling south near capsticks
Redstart - male inbetween crow tree farm and old hall
Lesser Whitethroat 1 withins and 1 pump house
2 Buzzard south one of which was very pale sandy colour

This morning, 6.30am - 12.15pm, an excellent morning produced;

1 Greenshank, flew in calling at 6.50am seemed to land past wader point but must have moved through.
1 juvenile Cuckoo in hedge between Crow Trees Farm and Old Hall Farm, but eventually mobile and seemed to fly towards the canal around 10.30am. My first juvenile Cuckoo at Elton in over 25 years birding there.
2 Redstart (male near bridge 19, female Old Hall Farm end of Elton Goyt)
2 Spotted Flycatchers (1 Withins and 1 in same hedge as Cuckoo)
4 Lesser Whitethroats (3 along field side and 1 in Redstart Hedge)
3 Yellow Wagtails (1 over and 2 amongst cattle at Withins)
53 Willow Warblers over the whole site, my best count here I think. Paul also saw 7 near Pumphouse / Dip, taking total to 60.
2 Little Grebe
29 Swift
17 Chiffchaff
2 Sedge Warblers, 1 carrying food.

Many thanks to Simon for finding the Cuckoo . Shame I missed the Greenshank, I was looking in the opposite direction as it flew by.
Elton year list now 129.

Juvenile Cuckoo in hedge between Crow Trees Farm and Old Hall Farm being mobbed by a spotted flycatcher. Also 4 Lesser Whitethroats and a Greenshank early morning only.

Just visited for the 3rd time today (thanks for the prompt about bird movements Simon), alas they are not at the moment moving in Elton's direction. That is except for lots of Swift, Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallow.
Cheers Ian

In the rain with Steve, 2 Snipe near wader point and a Kingfisher near car park made it all worthwhile.
Cheers Ian

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Friday 14th of August 2015 08:57:26 AM

2nd visit of the day looking for Spotted Flycatcher, (without success) this mornings juv. Dunlin was still present however and the 5 Little Grebe (1 adult with 2 juv. and 2 juvs in a second group).
Cheers Ian

Several small birds were found between 6am and 6:45 am in the shrubs along the side of the reservoir near the boat club. These included a few willow warblers, chiffchaff, blackcap and a spotted flycatcher that was preening itself. Also there was about 40 goldfinches around the shrubs too, most of these were juveniles, so it's was nice to see they have done well this summer. The same shrubs seem quiet now by 10 am by the time I got back to them.

Little Egret, 2 Spotted Flycatchers present late afternoon along with a Willow Tit and 12 Brown Hawkers in The Dip. At least 2000+ Black-headed Gulls feeding high up on flying ants.

Steven Higginbottom wrote:

---

05:45-10:30 with Ian, Richard,Malcolm & George


Willow tit herd


Cheers Steven

---

I thought they came in flocks rather than herds

Sorry, Steven, couldn't resist it!

Little Egret on wader point, then flew onto Irwell, single Green Sandpiper this a.m., 4 Little Grebes, 1 Teal and a Hobby at the canal the highlites, with Steve, Richard and Malcolm.
Cheers Ian
Sorry, hadn't realised that Steve was posting at the same time as me

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Wednesday 12th of August 2015 11:27:08 AM

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Wednesday 12th of August 2015 01:31:24 PM

05:45-10:30 with Ian, Richard,Malcolm & George
1 Green sandpiper
1 Little Egret
1 Little Owl
1 Teal
1 Grey Wagtail
Willow tit herd
Plenty of movement of warblers along hedgerows

Hi light being 1 Hobby along canal between bridge 18 & 20

Cheers Steven

The Green Sandpipers this morning have now taken my Elton year list to 128, number 127 was the Hobby on 8th June, I was beginning to lose hope of moving on !.
Cheers Ian

This morning was 3 green sandpipers which flew of at 7:30am near wader point and 4 little grebes to note along with one teal all in the same area. The little egret is still on the river in the same spot as yesterday evening.

A little egret is currently on the river Irwell in the same spot as a few weeks ago. Between the weir with the road bridge (Bury/Radcliffe road) and the metrolink monkey bridge. I suspect that the other reported egrets this morning won't be too far away. There is a lot of weeds on an island in the river which could provide cover for them.

05:45-10:00am With Brian and Ian
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Lesser Whitethroat
3 Little Grebe
3 Tufted Ducks
Highlight being a total of 8 little Egrets 5 @ 07:30am flew south east out off sight then 3 landed at 09:00 to 09:15 am then flew of south
Cheers Steven

3 hours to 9.30 with Paul W this a.m. lovely weather (for a change) but very quiet, 3 Little Grebe, Kingfisher seen twice, Linnet and a Kestrel with small numbers of Swift, Swallow and Sand Martin also.
Cheers Ian

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Saturday 8th of August 2015 03:10:27 PM

6.30-9.00 a.m. with Steve H who was there an hour before me as well !!, before I arrived Steve had Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Lesser Whitethroat (of which a good 'photo was taken). On res. 2 adult and 3 juv. Little Grebe, 1 Common Tern, 1 Kingfisher and 5 Cormorant. In the air many Swift, Sand Martin and Swallow, single figures of House Martin. Also Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Linnet and 20+ Pied Wagtail many of which were juveniles.
Cheers Ian

6.30-8.30 a.m. highlite a Hobby low and fast across the water from boathouse towards Capsticks at 7.30, not much else, the 3 Little Grebes and the only Ducks were Mallards.
Cheers Ian

This a.m. with Steve H, 1 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 3 Little Grebe, 200+ Swift moving South and the 1st Meadow Pipit of the Autumn.
Cheers Ian

This a.m. with Brian F and Steve H, 3 Little Grebe (1 adult) only birds of note. 1st day back after 2 Weeks in Bulgaria and it felt very cold. News of Sabine's Gull warmed us up as Brian and I raced off to Pennington.
Cheers Ian

0630 till 0930, not much about, 1 common sandpiper, 2 common terns

08:15-10:30am very quite this morning of note
2 Little Grebe 1 Adult 1Juv
2 Common Terns
1 Dunlin on wader point
2 Kestrels
1 Peregrine feeding on pylon
Cheers Steven

Just managed a quick walk round before the rains hit. Great views of the Common Scoter plus all the ones mentioned earlier (except the Peregrine). Lots of Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and the occasional Sand Martin.
Glad I'm not doing the open water swim that they were setting up for !

-- Edited by Neil Collier on Tuesday 28th of July 2015 05:45:49 PM

-- Edited by Neil Collier on Tuesday 28th of July 2015 05:46:30 PM

13:20=14:50 pm
Same as this morning plus
13:28pm Hunting Peregrine looked like a Juv first tried for Common Terns then Lesser Blacked Gulls before gaining height and diving into the cattle field below the pumping station out off sight.
Cheers Steven

Not much about but a few things worth noting:9:30-11:30am. 1 sparrowhawk, 1 kestrel, 1 dunlin at wader point with at least 2 dozen greenfinches feeding on the ground nearby, 1 male common scoter, 12+ swifts, 4 great crested grebes and several pied wagtails around the edges of the resovoir. Oh, and 2 common terns sat on the ground with the black headed gulls by the carpark.

-- Edited by Richard Thew on Tuesday 28th of July 2015 01:16:31 PM

05:30-0745am of note
1 Common Scoter male
2 Little Grebe
2 Common Tern
3 Goosander
1 Garden Warbler in Creek
Large number of Sand Martins House Martins and Swallows but no Swifts seen
Cheers Steven

Little egret currently on the river Irwell just past the tram monkey bridge on the island before the wier. He spends a bit of time hiding but seems to give nice full views too.

05:30-07:40am
1 Little Egret landed on shoreline for about 10 minutes before flying to the River Irwell at 07:31
3 Oystercatchers 1 Juv 2 adult
2 Common Terns
1 Kingfisher
3 Tufted Ducks 2 more than yesterday

Cheers Steven

Two and a quarter hours mooch this morning from just after 9am.

Swift (c.50)
Swallow
House Martin
Sand Martin (c.10)
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Lesser Whitethroat (1)
Sedge Warbler (1)
Whitethroat (1)

Plus usuals. Lesser Whitethroat showing well for a time by the canal on the town centre side of bridge no. 20. Sedge Warbler also showing well and vocal inbetween bridges 20 and 19.

-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Tuesday 21st of July 2015 05:21:40 PM

This morning with Steve H, very quiet at res. of note only 2 Stock Doves over also well grown Oystercatcher youngster on nearby factory roof visible from boathouse.
Cheers Ian

aft/eve visit 39 species seen highlights being...

1 common tern
2 oystercatcher
1 kingfisher
lots of swift, swallow, house & sand martin all around
2 siskin, over
2 willow warbler
1 chiffchaff
3 whitethroat
1 lesser whitethroat, singing along the canal & despite it only being about 8 ft away from me at times in the hawthorns I only managed a couple of glimpses.
2 kestrel
4 tufted duck on withins

05:20-10:00am
1 Hobby flew through at 07:55am unable to relocate it.
1 Kestrel
1 Oystercatcher
1 Great Black backed Gull
5 Lesser Black backed Gull
2 Herring Gulls
1 Little Owl
2 Common Terns
Lesser Whitethroat singing along canal
Ian C and Paul W also had 1 Common Sandpiper.
Cheers Steven

6.30-8.30 a.m. Black-necked Grebe untill 3 dogs caused it to fly off, also Little and Great Crested Grebe, Common Tern with juv. and Lesser Whitethroat still below pumphouse. 76 Lapwing(at least) and an Oystercatcher on nearby factory roof. Also 4 species of Gull; Lesser-black Backed, Herring, Common and Black-headed.
Cheers Ian

6.30-8.00 a.m. Oystercatcher with at least 1 youngster seen on factory roof, Common Terns with juv. and Lesser Whitethroat below pumphouse.
Cheers Ian

6.30-8.15 a.m. 1 juv. Little Ringed Plover, 1 Common Sandpiper, Common Terns with juv. plus 3 others through, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Oystercatcher, 90 Lapwing in Highland Cattle field and a Lesser Whitethroat singing near Benny's. Yesterdays Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebes have departed.
Cheers Ian

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 15th of July 2015 11:43:41 AM

Early a.m. new today, 14 Tufted Duck and 8 Great Crested Grebe along with the Common Tern adults and juv.
Cheers Ian

Early a.m. with Steven H, Terns and Oystercatcher still present also male Pochard.
Cheers Ian

Early a.m. with Paul W, 3 adult and 1 juv. Common Terns and a single Oystercatcher.
Cheers Ian

As well as Steven's sightings from earlier we also had a Common Sandpiper and a Sparrowhawk.
Cheers Ian