Apart from Black Headed and a few Lesser Black Backed Gulls the only other bird seen here was a single Buzzard.
Neumanns Flash
1 Little Egret, 4 Little Grebes and surprisingly just 2 Lapwings. Canada Geese en-masse though, lots of Coot too with 2 tiny Coot chicks amongst the moulting Mallard on the small island.
Haydns Pool
6 Green Sandpipers, 1 Lapwing and a pair of Bullfinches.
Greg Baker said
Sun Aug 7 5:42 PM, 2016
A juvenile Marsh Harrier was a nice find early this morning on Neumann's Flash. Initially seen a couple of times briefly flying and then dropping into cover in the south-west area near Stilt Island, it then seemed to be disturbed by a marauding Fox and was seen to leave over the west bank heading seemingly towards Haydn's Pool. No sign of it again however.
Also seen this morning, the Little Egret still on Neumann's and 6 Green Sandpipers on Haydn's Pool.
-- Edited by Greg Baker on Sunday 7th of August 2016 05:43:34 PM
Doc Brewster said
Wed Aug 3 4:18 PM, 2016
Female Goosander on Neumann's Flash this morning at 7.05am. Ten Green Sandpipers on Haydn's Pool along with a juvenile Water Rail and two Common Snipe. (all per D.Hughston)
Greg Baker said
Tue Jul 26 3:53 PM, 2016
A Glossy Ibis found on Neumann's this morning thankfully returned after doing a disappearing act on Ashton's and was then mobile between the two flashes until around 11.15 at least. Only the second ever patch record, the other (which I also saw!) was in October '92. Today's bird could possibly be the same individual recently seen at Hale.
A Little Egret was also still on Neumann's along with an adult and a juvenile Water Rail, also 3 Common Terns and a Kingfisher on Ashton's plus 3 Green Sandpipers - 1 on Ashton's and 2 on Haydn's Pool.
3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes plus 2 adults, 1 of which is brooding. A male Reed Bunting was still in full song.
27 Mute Swans, 130+ Coots (I don't normally count these, but I can't recall seeing this many on here before ) and 6 Grey Herons.
Haydn Pool
Still 4 full grown Black Headed Gull youngsters here, a family of Reed Buntings, 2 Lapwings and 6 Tufted Ducks.
Dairyhouse Meadows
4 Oystercatchers, a highly vocal group, they circled the site several times before flying off south.
John Williams said
Thu Jun 30 10:41 PM, 2016
5.30-7.30pm (Mostly in the rain)
Ashton's Flash
6 Lapwings, 3 Curlew and 1 Buzzard.
Neumanns Flash
2 adult + 7 full grown young Shelduck. 1 pr Great Crested Grebes with 2 half grown young, 1 adult with 1 full grown young plus 1 full grown youngster on it's own.
Also an adult brooding with it's mate close by, and 1 adult on it's own. 1 pr of Little Grebes with 1 young, plus 1 juvenile on it's own.
1 Common Tern patrolling the middle of the flash, diving occasionally to catch small silver fish from near the surface. 2 newly fledged Black Headed Gulls were with adults
on the flash. One of these youngsters tried following the tern around, it attempted to dive and try to catch a fish like the expert, but it looked clumsy and eventually gave up.
Swifts, martins and swallows in profusion were fly-catching above the flash. An adult Fox was patrolling the shoreline.
Haydn Pool
12 full grown Black headed Gull youngsters were dotted around the pool. A pair of Oystercatchers were showing off their single half grown youngster.
John Williams said
Sat Jun 11 2:22 PM, 2016
09.00-12.00
Ashton's Flash
25 Lapwings, 1 Buzzard and 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull.
A female Tufted Duck has a brood of 8 small ducklings, the youngsters are diving most of the time, a sensible idea, especially with a Lesser Black Backed Gull high above them.
Neumanns Flash
A Mute Swan family with 4 half grown cygnets, a brood of 8 small Shelduck youngsters with 2 adults, a brood of 6 small Tufted Ducklings, and 3 small Great Crested Grebes
being shown off by their parents. 1 other adult Great Crested Gull on the flash too, plus 4 Greylag Geese. Garden Warbler in full song by the path near the mound.
Haydn Pool
1 Snipe, 2 adult and 3 juvenile Little Grebes, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard, 2m+1f Shoveler. 8 near full grown Black Headed Gull chicks.
2 Stock Doves were sat on their box for a while, until the Buzzard arrived to use the box as a lookout post. I'd be amazed if the doves manage to produce young from this box,
the Buzzard seems to spend as much time as they do perched on it.
John Williams said
Thu Jun 9 11:35 PM, 2016
18.00-20.00
Ashtons Flash
2 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 24 Lapwings.
Neumanns Flash
24 Mute Swans, 3 Great Crested Grebes (1 seemed to be carrying small young on it's back), 3 Grey Herons and 2 Greylag Geese (Which seemed nervous and gave the impression
that they had young hidden in the reeds). Lesser Whitethroat singing, but not showing near the mound. Mixed flock of 20+ Swifts and House Martins high above the flash.
2 Broods of Mallard, 1 with 5 near full grown young, the other with 8 thrush sized young. Willow Warbler, Blackcap (1), Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat (2) still
in song around the flash.
Haydn Pool
1 Sedge Warbler carrying food, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard (Sat on the dove box, and upsetting the gulls) and 1 adult Little Grebe feeding 1 youngster.
8 young Black Headed Gulls, most thrush sized, mainly gathered in small family groups on the water, none remain on the gravel island which is becoming overgrown with loosestrife.
Dairyhouse Meadows
1 Song Thrush in full song perched on a dead tree. 1 of several male Blackbirds in song on the overhead wires had extensive white patterning to his head.
John Williams said
Sun May 29 3:19 PM, 2016
09.00-13.00
Ashton's Flash
7 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 1 "Dark Phase" Buzzard.
Neumanns Flash
44 Mute Swans, 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Greylag Geese plus a pair with 2 goslings, 2 Lapwings, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Grey Herons and 2 Bullfinches.
A Sedge Warbler was singing along the West side of the flash, but could not be seen from the path. Reed Warblers showing really well from the South side hide.
A Garden Warbler was in full song near the mound along the East bank, but the bird did not emerge from the hawthorn thicket.
One Mallard mum had 12 half grown ducklings in tow, whilst the other broods of Mallard, Coot and Moorhen on the flash, was a Coot family with 4 half grown young.
Haydn's Pool
The drake Gargeney was showing well from the main scree, he was fast asleep on the water and looks like he is starting to moult.
1 Peregrine was on the former ICI tower. 1 Green Woodpecker was seen flying across the bed, calling loudly.
1 pr of Oystercatchers. 1 Buzzard and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Mark Jarrett said
Thu May 19 7:09 PM, 2016
A Little Egret was present around midday in the south west corner.
John Williams said
Sat May 14 7:41 PM, 2016
09.00-11.00
Neumanns Flash
32 Mute Swans,16 Tufted Ducks and a pair of Great Crested Grebes.
Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers in full song in the reeds. A large flock of Swifts and House Martins passed over drifting North.
A Common Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler were in song on the mound. 6 Bullfinches were along the Marsden side, with 3 Swallows on the nearby wires.
Haydn Pool
A pair of Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard and 2 Lapwings.
John Williams said
Wed May 4 11:19 PM, 2016
5.30-6.45pm
Neumanns Flash
1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Tufted Ducks, 4 Shoveler, 1 Lapwing, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Goldcrest,6 Greylag Geese and 6 adult Lesser Black Backed Gulls.
1 Reed Warbler by the hide on the South bank. 3 Willow Warblers singing around the mound, and a male Blackcap here too.
Haydn Pool
Stock Dove doing an impressive display flight. Several Reed Warblers calling, with 1 bird showing well by the main screen.
2 Oystercatchers, and 1m Teal.
Cettis Warbler heard calling by Witton Brook, close to where the young sycamore sits close to the reeds on the South bank.
Greg Baker said
Wed May 4 12:50 PM, 2016
At the flashes this morning, the Lesser Whitethroat again in the vicinity of Wincham Mound, a Grasshopper Warbler finally heard reeling behind Haydn's Pool and a Garden Warbler along the E side of Neumann's Flash.
Mark Jarrett said
Tue May 3 4:54 PM, 2016
In addition to Greg's sightings below, both Cetti's Warblers were in song this morning, one a hundred yards upstream of Carden's Ferry Bridge with the other a couple of hundred yards downstream of it.
Greg Baker said
Tue May 3 8:11 AM, 2016
As Mark mentioned, a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling on and off at the back of Haydn's Pool yesterday (2nd) although I never managed to hear it. Listening from the Tata hide paid off however with a Little Egret flying NW overhead. Over at Neumann's, the Lesser Whitethroat was still around Wincham Mound and a Whimbrel was hunkered down on Stilt Island, although it looks like the Goldeneye may have moved on. A single Garden Warbler was along the eastern footpath and a Swift was over the bund.
Mark Jarrett said
Mon May 2 11:52 AM, 2016
Grasshopper Warbler reeling away continuously this morning at around 10.30 straight out from main hide at Haydn's Pool. This brings up the 10th warbler species this Spring on (Marbury) patch.
The Garganey pair were not on show and haven't been seen at Haydn's since, I think, Thursday last. Could possibly be well hidden still, somewhere nearby or just moved on.
-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Monday 2nd of May 2016 02:04:25 PM
John Williams said
Thu Apr 28 12:23 AM, 2016
5.15-6.30 pm
Neumanns Flash
1 Kingfisher and 3 Shelduck. A large fox was patrolling the West side of the mere, whilst a couple of Moorhens watched very anxiously from the waterside.
A dozen Swallows and 3 Sand Martins flew low over the pool. 1m+1f Blackcaps showed well in the bushes close to the hide on the West side.
Ashton's Flash
5 Shoveler
Haydn Pool
2 Oystercatchers, a pair of Gadwall and 1 Little Grebe.
John Rayner said
Sun Apr 17 11:25 PM, 2016
Mike Chorley wrote:
Called in this afternoon on our way back from Shropshire.
Drake Garganey was showing nicely in the open water between the two islands, before heading right to dabble in the willow stems to the right of the stony island. After about 5 minutes he swam back the other way, preened for a few minutes then joined the female asleep below the large triangular stone. No sign of any Mediterranean Gulls or Oystercatchers.
Pair of Gadwall Pair of Tufted Duck Single Shelduck 2 Mute Swans Canada Goose etc.
Cetti's Warbler just upstream of Carden's Ferry Bridge. Occasional bursts of song and showed briefly in one of the trees beside the track.
Called in this afternoon on our way back from Shropshire.
Drake Garganey was showing nicely in the open water between the two islands, before heading right to dabble in the willow stems to the right of the stony island. After about 5 minutes he swam back the other way, preened for a few minutes then joined the female asleep below the large triangular stone. No sign of any Mediterranean Gulls or Oystercatchers.
Pair of Gadwall Pair of Tufted Duck Single Shelduck 2 Mute Swans Canada Goose etc.
Cetti's Warbler just upstream of Carden's Ferry Bridge. Occasional bursts of song and showed briefly in one of the trees beside the track.
steven burke said
Sun Apr 17 10:15 PM, 2016
late post for yesterday morning 16th.
hadyn's pool...
the pair of garganey eventually flew out of the vegetation to the right side of the pool after an hour & 45 minute wait and landed on the water inbetween the 2 islands then settled down on the left hand island, I managed a few pics of them both. 10 mins later 2 Mediterranean gulls drooped in & stayed a while. eventually go to view the reed warbler to the left of the hide.
other birds around hadyn's pool, nuemanns & ashtons... peregrine falcon 2 raven several buzzards around 1 sparrowhawk 2 oystercatcher 4 little grebe 2 gadwall 2 tufted duck 1 great spotted woodpecker green woodpecker heard only several chiffchaff, willow warbler & blackcap around 1 whitethroat near the car park.
Popped down again today after only having a short window & missing the Garganey yesterday. Saw the drake and female on Haydn's Pool in the afternoon, first roosting on the island, then preening and then swiming around before disappearing off into the submerged willow shoots again as they have a habit of doing! A Reed Warbler sang continuously just left of the hide here, where it showed yesterday. Also yesterday a Common Whitethroat sang and Showed well between the road bridge and the Witton Mill car park entrance. Today a Sedge Warbler sang by the road in the same area on the brook side after possibly the same one was on Ashton's Flash yesterday.
Mark Jarrett said
Fri Apr 15 1:35 PM, 2016
After an early appearance this morning and then disappearing, the Garganey pair finally emerged from surrounding vegetation at around 11.15 - photos attached.
A minimum of six Reed Warbler in reedbeds at Haydn's and along the River Weaver with the Cetti's Warbler a couple of hundred yards downstream of Cardens Ferry Bridge.
Three Garganey on Haydyns: pair flew back and left from screen and split up, and a male swam out briefly from the willows to the right. Two stonking adult Mediterranean Gulls, and pairs of Gadwall, Shoveler and Wigeon. Nearby a singing Sedge Warbler.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 14th of April 2016 04:59:02 PM
Doc Brewster said
Wed Apr 13 11:10 AM, 2016
Had two reports in this morning:
A Green Sandpiper on Haydn's Pool am.
Cetti's Warbler still singing at Witton Brook near Carden's Ferry Bridge.
Greg Baker said
Tue Apr 12 1:19 PM, 2016
There isn't a separate thread for Haydn's Pool so will continue to report sightings here.
A superb session there this morning in very gloomy conditions. Firstly, at around 08.25 a pair of Sandwich Terns arrived overhead and tried to settle on the small island. Unfortunately the local Black-headed Gulls were having none of this and saw them off before they could land. The terns circled overhead a couple of times and looked like they might try and settle again but soon gave up thanks to the unwelcome attention of the gulls and they quickly flew off south-west.
Then later at around 10.10 all the gulls suddenly took flight in panic. A good sign for a raptor and there it was ... a female Marsh Harrier which passed directly over the pool and being harassed by gulls carried on steadily heading north.
The Cetti's Warbler was again very vocal this morning, singing where Marbury Brook joins Witton Brook. Are there actually 2 present given yesterday one was singing near Butterfinch Bridge? Also good to see the Oystercatchers settling down to nest on the old island.
Mark Jarrett said
Sun Apr 10 4:55 PM, 2016
Mediterranean Gull pair back on Haydn's Pool mid morning.
-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Monday 11th of April 2016 06:54:40 AM
News texted to me just in case anyone wants to try for a patch tick tomorrow
Cetti's Warbler still around, singing along Witton Brook c.150m downriver of Carden's Ferry Bridge (per G.Baker, thanks).
Doc Brewster said
Sat Apr 9 10:00 AM, 2016
from Twitter:
The first Reed Warbler singing in reeds near Bund Hide on Neumann's Flash this morning.
Doc Brewster said
Wed Apr 6 4:54 PM, 2016
A pair of Mediterranean Gulls were on Haydn's Pool at 1.10pm (per S.Grimmett, thanks).
John Williams said
Tue Apr 5 11:56 PM, 2016
From 5.30pm
Neumanns Flash
18 Tufted Ducks, 8 Shoveler, 4 Shelducks, 4 Teal and 4 Great Crested Grebes. 12+ Sand Martins fed over the pool but moved on after a couple of minutes.
1 Oystercatcher flew over.
Haydn Pool
4 Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard, 4 Bullfinches. 1 singing Chiffchaff, but also lots more of them in the bushes around the pool, in an obvious fall of migrants.
Every bush it seemed had a couple of Chiffchaffs moving through it, 1 bird stood out among them, a much more lemon coloured fellow, with pink legs, which I logged as a Willow Warbler.
The whole flock was silent though, with not even a "huitt" from any of them.
John Williams said
Sun Apr 3 11:38 PM, 2016
PM.
2 prs Great Crested Grebes, 6 Teal, 5 Shelducks ,9 Shovelers and 3 singing Chiffchaffs.
A Blackcap was singing along Marbury Lane, and at 8.00pm as I was leaving, there was a brief burst of Willow Warbler song from the hawthornes on the East bank.
Greg Baker said
Wed Mar 30 1:11 PM, 2016
Highlight was this morning was a striking male Mealy Redpoll with around 50 other redpolls in the SE corner of Ashton's Flash at around 07:15. A few other paler birds were present so there could be more but this individual was very distinctive. The whole flock perched in a birch tree fairly close to the bund for about 5 minutes, providing a rare chance to properly scan through them.
Peter Dawson said
Thu Mar 24 1:48 PM, 2016
No sign of green sandpiper this morning. A pair of oystercatchers and approx 6 snipe were present.
Doc Brewster said
Wed Mar 23 10:57 AM, 2016
Our last patch wintering Green Sandpiper was January 2103 but Common Sandpipers have been more frequent winterers. Haydn Pool can be used purely for roosting up to & they move to Witton Brook to feed so she may have been lucky seeing it returning or leaving from there.
p.s. Just thought of an alternative. A small resident population exists in the UK now and this could be one of those moving, rather than it having been at this location for long, and as you say the habitat isn't ideal to hold it on Haydn's Pool, so this may be a better bet, a bird that dropped in briefly but didn't stay. Observers luck - right place, right time! i.e one of the 'several' birds that regularly overwinter in the NW as reported by Steve Oakes here, just moving around pre Spring migration:
He mentions the Dee Estuary and I too have seen multiple birds down on Neston Marsh over several recent winters.
And knowing you, John, I know you wouldn't doubt her, but knowing how some other folk can be a little doubtful without knowing the back story of a sighting I thought I'd clarify
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 23rd of March 2016 11:16:01 AM
John Williams said
Tue Mar 22 10:31 PM, 2016
I never questioned the validity of the sighting, I was just surprised, mainly because of the state of the pool, only the 2 islands were not submerged. I know these birds can tuck
themselves into a muddy nook somewhere, I just could'nt see any exposed mud. So given the circumstances, I was merely curious as to where the bird had settled.
As I recall a Green Sandpiper spent much of one winter, although a decade or so ago, in the bay below the church at Rostherne, and they do appear at other local sites occasionally
in winter, but they are the exception not the rule. Green Sandpipers are a species I tend to look for beyond late June, especially when the Haydn Pool holds just a few muddy pools.
Doc Brewster said
Tue Mar 22 5:45 PM, 2016
News texted to me:
male Stonechat on Ashton's Flash viewed from bench at 8.30am (per G.Baker).
Doc Brewster said
Tue Mar 22 5:17 PM, 2016
Green Sandpipers frequently overwinter, I saw one on January 1st in 2015, always a surprise but not uncommon. Common Sandpipers do the same, I remember the 2 that overwintered for several years at Tal-y-Bont on the way to Llanbedr-y-cenin for the Hawfinches
(p.s. Sheila is a very reliable observer & frequently lets me know of sightings to transmit on the grapevine, always spot on too )
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 22nd of March 2016 05:19:02 PM
Patrick Earith said
Tue Mar 22 7:05 AM, 2016
I had Green Sandpiper on Haydn's Pool on 6th January and was equally surprised, given the time of year!
John Williams said
Mon Mar 21 10:51 PM, 2016
That's a surprise, I was there mid-afternoon, the sandpiper could of been tucked in somewhere, and it's a species I had'nt considered at this time of year.
Something flushed the Oystercatcher pair of the gravel island just as I got there, and I thought I glimpsed a Little Ringed Plover on the main island but it was
a false alarm. I was amazed at the high water level on Haydn's, Neumanns and Ashtons Flashes. There was no exposed banking on Neumanns, and water extended onto
the meadow on Haydn's, as a pair of Shoveler swam out of the long grass, and I suspect that's where the missing Teal were hiding. Haydn's looks good for Garganey this spring.
I'd love to know where that sandpiper was though, perhaps it was flushed by whatever spooked the Oystercatchers.
Doc Brewster said
Mon Mar 21 12:17 PM, 2016
Bird news texted to me for yesterday:
Green Sandpiper on Haydn's Pool at 3pm (per S.Grimmett)
John Williams said
Sat Mar 19 9:26 PM, 2016
Ashtons Flash
With large areas again covered by water, the flash is well worth checking out again.
8 Common Gulls, 2 Shelducks, 4 Tufted Ducks, 6 Gadwall and a pair of Mute Swans
Neumanns Flash
The water level was high, with no exposed banking, so the only wader seen was 1 overflying Lapwing.
3 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Mute Swans, 4 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Gadwall and a single drake Wigeon.
8 Lesser Redpolls were feeding on birch seeds on the south bank. 2 bumble bees were seen along the banking.
Haydn Pool
2 Oystercatchers, 2 Buzzards and 4 Shoveler. The Black headed Gulls are settling in, hopefully to breed again.
No Teal seen throughout, either at Marbury or Neumanns.
Doc Brewster said
Fri Feb 5 1:27 PM, 2016
Again in the interests of keeping folk up to date here are a few reports from Greg again.
3 Ruff were in the Curlew Roost, seen at dawn, 153 Curlew counted in that. The Starlings leaving the Neumann's Flash roost numbered approx 650,000, turning the sky black at times. The Cetti's Warbler was again seen and heard by Witton Brook after not being reported for some time. All proving once again that the early bird gets the worm!! (all per Greg Baker)
Mark Jarrett said
Wed Feb 3 8:16 PM, 2016
Quick check on waterfowl numbers today, three quarters circuit of Neumann's between 12.00 and 13.00, weather fine, breezy and cold :-
Another impressive murmuration at dusk tonight, again viewed from The Anderton side of Uplands. Initially there were upwards of 20k birds that were flying back and forth at the top of Uplands itself before another large group joined from the west. Over the next ten minutes or so the flock got bigger and bigger, moving over Uplands, Anderton NP and the River Weaver by the Tata complex. At one point I was watching the Uplands birds whilst another large group could be seen down at the Flashes a mile or so away. Eventually, I think the two flocks merged and for a few minutes, just prior to 17.25 hrs, around 250k birds were seen flying around Uplands before moving on down to the Flashes to roost. An incredible sight with the birds, at times, flying only 50 feet above my head. I was only splattered twice so got off lightly. Two Sparrowhawks also in attendance.
Mark Jarrett said
Sun Jan 31 7:20 PM, 2016
I went down to the Flash on Thursday to look at the Starling murmuration. Difficult to estimate numbers because one minute they were over Neumann's, then over Ashton's. They also seemed to be going down to roost in stages. After moving my own position a few times, I finally settled on observing from the Bund Hide. Couldn't definitely confirm numbers of 320k like the previous evening but there may well have been. Certainly at one point, there was a gathering of at least 100k birds.
On both Friday and tonight, at dusk, I have been on the Anderton side of Uplands looking for Woodcock. Looking down towards the Flashes, I have been able to observe the Starling murmuration at around a distance of one mile. Friday was quite impressive but tonight was superb with probably 250k birds giving a lovely, whirling display before going out of sight behind the trees.
-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Sunday 31st of January 2016 07:23:47 PM
John Williams said
Sat Jan 30 2:16 PM, 2016
11.00-13.30
Neumanns Flash
18 Shoveler, 20 Teal, 6 Common Gulls, 3 Tufted Ducks,1 Shelduck,1 Buzzard, 1 Treecreeper and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Haydn Pool
3 Shoveler, 7 Teal and 1 Tufted Duck.
Greg Baker said
Wed Jan 27 10:59 PM, 2016
Having seen the huge numbers of Starlings leaving their roost on Neumann's this morning (i estimated 100k), I went down again this evening armed with my video camera. It was a phenomenal sight. Scrutiny of the images and using a grid method to calculate numbers I came up with 320,000. This is like nothing I've ever seen before here, so if you haven't witnessed it yet get down there before they move on.
Doc Brewster said
Wed Jan 27 2:22 PM, 2016
An estimated 100,000 Starlings at dawn at Neumann's Flash. I am not surprised given the size of some of the 'satellite' murmurations that I have seen around the Northwich area. these I assume join up to form this huge roost (per Greg Baker)
Doc Brewster said
Mon Jan 18 2:37 PM, 2016
After reporting other folks sighting of the Cetti's Warbler it was about time I popped down & got it and a visit to town today allowed me the opportunity to have a go.
I was really surprised to find the bird where I did, I had expected to go all the way to the confluence of the streams below Haydn's Pool but only about 100m from the Witton Mill Car Park, along Witton Brook, there was the unmistakeable burst of Cetti's song. The bird was on the left in the reeds on my side of the brook and sang a few more times whilst I was there, as well as clambering through the reeds and then flying twice, so seen & heard and a Marbury Patch Lifer on my list
Later I got a message saying that 2 Woodcock were seen on Carey Park (per Greg Baker).
Doc Brewster said
Sun Jan 17 9:51 PM, 2016
The Cetti's Warbler was in a similar area but over on the Carey park side of Witton Brook today, it has bee roaming up and down the brook for anyone planning a visit (info per Paul Hill).
Ashtons Flash
Apart from Black Headed and a few Lesser Black Backed Gulls the only other bird seen here was a single Buzzard.
Neumanns Flash
1 Little Egret, 4 Little Grebes and surprisingly just 2 Lapwings. Canada Geese en-masse though, lots of Coot too with 2 tiny Coot chicks amongst the moulting Mallard on the small island.
Haydns Pool
6 Green Sandpipers, 1 Lapwing and a pair of Bullfinches.
Also seen this morning, the Little Egret still on Neumann's and 6 Green Sandpipers on Haydn's Pool.
-- Edited by Greg Baker on Sunday 7th of August 2016 05:43:34 PM
Female Goosander on Neumann's Flash this morning at 7.05am. Ten Green Sandpipers on Haydn's Pool along with a juvenile Water Rail and two Common Snipe. (all per D.Hughston)
A Little Egret was also still on Neumann's along with an adult and a juvenile Water Rail, also 3 Common Terns and a Kingfisher on Ashton's plus 3 Green Sandpipers - 1 on Ashton's and 2 on Haydn's Pool.
Ashtons Flash
6 Curlew and 24 Lapwings
Neumanns Flash
3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes plus 2 adults, 1 of which is brooding. A male Reed Bunting was still in full song.
27 Mute Swans, 130+ Coots (I don't normally count these, but I can't recall seeing this many on here before ) and 6 Grey Herons.
Haydn Pool
Still 4 full grown Black Headed Gull youngsters here, a family of Reed Buntings, 2 Lapwings and 6 Tufted Ducks.
Dairyhouse Meadows
4 Oystercatchers, a highly vocal group, they circled the site several times before flying off south.
Ashton's Flash
6 Lapwings, 3 Curlew and 1 Buzzard.
Neumanns Flash
2 adult + 7 full grown young Shelduck. 1 pr Great Crested Grebes with 2 half grown young, 1 adult with 1 full grown young plus 1 full grown youngster on it's own.
Also an adult brooding with it's mate close by, and 1 adult on it's own. 1 pr of Little Grebes with 1 young, plus 1 juvenile on it's own.
1 Common Tern patrolling the middle of the flash, diving occasionally to catch small silver fish from near the surface. 2 newly fledged Black Headed Gulls were with adults
on the flash. One of these youngsters tried following the tern around, it attempted to dive and try to catch a fish like the expert, but it looked clumsy and eventually gave up.
Swifts, martins and swallows in profusion were fly-catching above the flash. An adult Fox was patrolling the shoreline.
Haydn Pool
12 full grown Black headed Gull youngsters were dotted around the pool. A pair of Oystercatchers were showing off their single half grown youngster.
Ashton's Flash
25 Lapwings, 1 Buzzard and 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull.
A female Tufted Duck has a brood of 8 small ducklings, the youngsters are diving most of the time, a sensible idea, especially with a Lesser Black Backed Gull high above them.
Neumanns Flash
A Mute Swan family with 4 half grown cygnets, a brood of 8 small Shelduck youngsters with 2 adults, a brood of 6 small Tufted Ducklings, and 3 small Great Crested Grebes
being shown off by their parents. 1 other adult Great Crested Gull on the flash too, plus 4 Greylag Geese. Garden Warbler in full song by the path near the mound.
Haydn Pool
1 Snipe, 2 adult and 3 juvenile Little Grebes, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard, 2m+1f Shoveler. 8 near full grown Black Headed Gull chicks.
2 Stock Doves were sat on their box for a while, until the Buzzard arrived to use the box as a lookout post. I'd be amazed if the doves manage to produce young from this box,
the Buzzard seems to spend as much time as they do perched on it.
Ashtons Flash
2 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 24 Lapwings.
Neumanns Flash
24 Mute Swans, 3 Great Crested Grebes (1 seemed to be carrying small young on it's back), 3 Grey Herons and 2 Greylag Geese (Which seemed nervous and gave the impression
that they had young hidden in the reeds). Lesser Whitethroat singing, but not showing near the mound. Mixed flock of 20+ Swifts and House Martins high above the flash.
2 Broods of Mallard, 1 with 5 near full grown young, the other with 8 thrush sized young. Willow Warbler, Blackcap (1), Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat (2) still
in song around the flash.
Haydn Pool
1 Sedge Warbler carrying food, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard (Sat on the dove box, and upsetting the gulls) and 1 adult Little Grebe feeding 1 youngster.
8 young Black Headed Gulls, most thrush sized, mainly gathered in small family groups on the water, none remain on the gravel island which is becoming overgrown with loosestrife.
Dairyhouse Meadows
1 Song Thrush in full song perched on a dead tree. 1 of several male Blackbirds in song on the overhead wires had extensive white patterning to his head.
Ashton's Flash
7 Lesser Black Backed Gulls and 1 "Dark Phase" Buzzard.
Neumanns Flash
44 Mute Swans, 2 Tufted Ducks, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 12 Greylag Geese plus a pair with 2 goslings, 2 Lapwings, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Grey Herons and 2 Bullfinches.
A Sedge Warbler was singing along the West side of the flash, but could not be seen from the path. Reed Warblers showing really well from the South side hide.
A Garden Warbler was in full song near the mound along the East bank, but the bird did not emerge from the hawthorn thicket.
One Mallard mum had 12 half grown ducklings in tow, whilst the other broods of Mallard, Coot and Moorhen on the flash, was a Coot family with 4 half grown young.
Haydn's Pool
The drake Gargeney was showing well from the main scree, he was fast asleep on the water and looks like he is starting to moult.
1 Peregrine was on the former ICI tower. 1 Green Woodpecker was seen flying across the bed, calling loudly.
1 pr of Oystercatchers. 1 Buzzard and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Neumanns Flash
32 Mute Swans,16 Tufted Ducks and a pair of Great Crested Grebes.
Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers in full song in the reeds. A large flock of Swifts and House Martins passed over drifting North.
A Common Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler were in song on the mound. 6 Bullfinches were along the Marsden side, with 3 Swallows on the nearby wires.
Haydn Pool
A pair of Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard and 2 Lapwings.
Neumanns Flash
1 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Tufted Ducks, 4 Shoveler, 1 Lapwing, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Goldcrest,6 Greylag Geese and 6 adult Lesser Black Backed Gulls.
1 Reed Warbler by the hide on the South bank. 3 Willow Warblers singing around the mound, and a male Blackcap here too.
Haydn Pool
Stock Dove doing an impressive display flight. Several Reed Warblers calling, with 1 bird showing well by the main screen.
2 Oystercatchers, and 1m Teal.
Cettis Warbler heard calling by Witton Brook, close to where the young sycamore sits close to the reeds on the South bank.
The Garganey pair were not on show and haven't been seen at Haydn's since, I think, Thursday last. Could possibly be well hidden still, somewhere nearby or just moved on.
-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Monday 2nd of May 2016 02:04:25 PM
Neumanns Flash
1 Kingfisher and 3 Shelduck. A large fox was patrolling the West side of the mere, whilst a couple of Moorhens watched very anxiously from the waterside.
A dozen Swallows and 3 Sand Martins flew low over the pool. 1m+1f Blackcaps showed well in the bushes close to the hide on the West side.
Ashton's Flash
5 Shoveler
Haydn Pool
2 Oystercatchers, a pair of Gadwall and 1 Little Grebe.
Drake Garganey at Haydn's Pool:
Drake Garganey was showing nicely in the open water between the two islands, before heading right to dabble in the willow stems to the right of the stony island. After about 5 minutes he swam back the other way, preened for a few minutes then joined the female asleep below the large triangular stone. No sign of any Mediterranean Gulls or Oystercatchers.
Pair of Gadwall
Pair of Tufted Duck
Single Shelduck
2 Mute Swans
Canada Goose etc.
Cetti's Warbler just upstream of Carden's Ferry Bridge. Occasional bursts of song and showed briefly in one of the trees beside the track.
hadyn's pool...
the pair of garganey eventually flew out of the vegetation to the right side of the pool after an hour & 45 minute wait and landed on the water inbetween the 2 islands then settled down on the left hand island, I managed a few pics of them both.
10 mins later 2 Mediterranean gulls drooped in & stayed a while.
eventually go to view the reed warbler to the left of the hide.
other birds around hadyn's pool, nuemanns & ashtons...
peregrine falcon
2 raven
several buzzards around
1 sparrowhawk
2 oystercatcher
4 little grebe
2 gadwall
2 tufted duck
1 great spotted woodpecker
green woodpecker heard only
several chiffchaff, willow warbler & blackcap around
1 whitethroat near the car park.
Popped down again today after only having a short window & missing the Garganey yesterday. Saw the drake and female on Haydn's Pool in the afternoon, first roosting on the island, then preening and then swiming around before disappearing off into the submerged willow shoots again as they have a habit of doing! A Reed Warbler sang continuously just left of the hide here, where it showed yesterday. Also yesterday a Common Whitethroat sang and Showed well between the road bridge and the Witton Mill car park entrance. Today a Sedge Warbler sang by the road in the same area on the brook side after possibly the same one was on Ashton's Flash yesterday.
A minimum of six Reed Warbler in reedbeds at Haydn's and along the River Weaver with the Cetti's Warbler a couple of hundred yards downstream of Cardens Ferry Bridge.
Three Garganey on Haydyns: pair flew back and left from screen and split up, and a male swam out briefly from the willows to the right. Two stonking adult Mediterranean Gulls, and pairs of Gadwall, Shoveler and Wigeon. Nearby a singing Sedge Warbler.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 14th of April 2016 04:59:02 PM
Had two reports in this morning:
A Green Sandpiper on Haydn's Pool am.
Cetti's Warbler still singing at Witton Brook near Carden's Ferry Bridge.
A superb session there this morning in very gloomy conditions. Firstly, at around 08.25 a pair of Sandwich Terns arrived overhead and tried to settle on the small island. Unfortunately the local Black-headed Gulls were having none of this and saw them off before they could land. The terns circled overhead a couple of times and looked like they might try and settle again but soon gave up thanks to the unwelcome attention of the gulls and they quickly flew off south-west.
Then later at around 10.10 all the gulls suddenly took flight in panic. A good sign for a raptor and there it was ... a female Marsh Harrier which passed directly over the pool and being harassed by gulls carried on steadily heading north.
The Cetti's Warbler was again very vocal this morning, singing where Marbury Brook joins Witton Brook. Are there actually 2 present given yesterday one was singing near Butterfinch Bridge? Also good to see the Oystercatchers settling down to nest on the old island.
-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Monday 11th of April 2016 06:54:40 AM
News texted to me just in case anyone wants to try for a patch tick tomorrow
Cetti's Warbler still around, singing along Witton Brook c.150m downriver of Carden's Ferry Bridge (per G.Baker, thanks).
from Twitter:
The first Reed Warbler singing in reeds near Bund Hide on Neumann's Flash this morning.
A pair of Mediterranean Gulls were on Haydn's Pool at 1.10pm (per S.Grimmett, thanks).
From 5.30pm
Neumanns Flash
18 Tufted Ducks, 8 Shoveler, 4 Shelducks, 4 Teal and 4 Great Crested Grebes. 12+ Sand Martins fed over the pool but moved on after a couple of minutes.
1 Oystercatcher flew over.
Haydn Pool
4 Oystercatchers, 1 Buzzard, 4 Bullfinches. 1 singing Chiffchaff, but also lots more of them in the bushes around the pool, in an obvious fall of migrants.
Every bush it seemed had a couple of Chiffchaffs moving through it, 1 bird stood out among them, a much more lemon coloured fellow, with pink legs, which I logged as a Willow Warbler.
The whole flock was silent though, with not even a "huitt" from any of them.
PM.
2 prs Great Crested Grebes, 6 Teal, 5 Shelducks ,9 Shovelers and 3 singing Chiffchaffs.
A Blackcap was singing along Marbury Lane, and at 8.00pm as I was leaving, there was a brief burst of Willow Warbler song from the hawthornes on the East bank.
Our last patch wintering Green Sandpiper was January 2103 but Common Sandpipers have been more frequent winterers. Haydn Pool can be used purely for roosting up to & they move to Witton Brook to feed so she may have been lucky seeing it returning or leaving from there.
p.s. Just thought of an alternative. A small resident population exists in the UK now and this could be one of those moving, rather than it having been at this location for long, and as you say the habitat isn't ideal to hold it on Haydn's Pool, so this may be a better bet, a bird that dropped in briefly but didn't stay. Observers luck - right place, right time! i.e one of the 'several' birds that regularly overwinter in the NW as reported by Steve Oakes here, just moving around pre Spring migration:
http://www.worldbirds.co.uk/green_sandpiper.aspx?key=171
He mentions the Dee Estuary and I too have seen multiple birds down on Neston Marsh over several recent winters.
And knowing you, John, I know you wouldn't doubt her, but knowing how some other folk can be a little doubtful without knowing the back story of a sighting I thought I'd clarify
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 23rd of March 2016 11:16:01 AM
I never questioned the validity of the sighting, I was just surprised, mainly because of the state of the pool, only the 2 islands were not submerged. I know these birds can tuck
themselves into a muddy nook somewhere, I just could'nt see any exposed mud. So given the circumstances, I was merely curious as to where the bird had settled.
As I recall a Green Sandpiper spent much of one winter, although a decade or so ago, in the bay below the church at Rostherne, and they do appear at other local sites occasionally
in winter, but they are the exception not the rule. Green Sandpipers are a species I tend to look for beyond late June, especially when the Haydn Pool holds just a few muddy pools.
News texted to me:
male Stonechat on Ashton's Flash viewed from bench at 8.30am (per G.Baker).
Green Sandpipers frequently overwinter, I saw one on January 1st in 2015, always a surprise but not uncommon. Common Sandpipers do the same, I remember the 2 that overwintered for several years at Tal-y-Bont on the way to Llanbedr-y-cenin for the Hawfinches
(p.s. Sheila is a very reliable observer & frequently lets me know of sightings to transmit on the grapevine, always spot on too )
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 22nd of March 2016 05:19:02 PM
I had Green Sandpiper on Haydn's Pool on 6th January and was equally surprised, given the time of year!
That's a surprise, I was there mid-afternoon, the sandpiper could of been tucked in somewhere, and it's a species I had'nt considered at this time of year.
Something flushed the Oystercatcher pair of the gravel island just as I got there, and I thought I glimpsed a Little Ringed Plover on the main island but it was
a false alarm. I was amazed at the high water level on Haydn's, Neumanns and Ashtons Flashes. There was no exposed banking on Neumanns, and water extended onto
the meadow on Haydn's, as a pair of Shoveler swam out of the long grass, and I suspect that's where the missing Teal were hiding. Haydn's looks good for Garganey this spring.
I'd love to know where that sandpiper was though, perhaps it was flushed by whatever spooked the Oystercatchers.
Bird news texted to me for yesterday:
Green Sandpiper on Haydn's Pool at 3pm (per S.Grimmett)
Ashtons Flash
With large areas again covered by water, the flash is well worth checking out again.
8 Common Gulls, 2 Shelducks, 4 Tufted Ducks, 6 Gadwall and a pair of Mute Swans
Neumanns Flash
The water level was high, with no exposed banking, so the only wader seen was 1 overflying Lapwing.
3 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Mute Swans, 4 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Gadwall and a single drake Wigeon.
8 Lesser Redpolls were feeding on birch seeds on the south bank. 2 bumble bees were seen along the banking.
Haydn Pool
2 Oystercatchers, 2 Buzzards and 4 Shoveler. The Black headed Gulls are settling in, hopefully to breed again.
No Teal seen throughout, either at Marbury or Neumanns.
Again in the interests of keeping folk up to date here are a few reports from Greg again.
3 Ruff were in the Curlew Roost, seen at dawn, 153 Curlew counted in that. The Starlings leaving the Neumann's Flash roost numbered approx 650,000, turning the sky black at times. The Cetti's Warbler was again seen and heard by Witton Brook after not being reported for some time. All proving once again that the early bird gets the worm!! (all per Greg Baker)
Mallard (7)
Wigeon (2)
Shoveler (31)
Gadwall (3)
Teal (70)
Mute Swan (2)
Cormorant (1)
Buzzard (2)
On both Friday and tonight, at dusk, I have been on the Anderton side of Uplands looking for Woodcock. Looking down towards the Flashes, I have been able to observe the Starling murmuration at around a distance of one mile. Friday was quite impressive but tonight was superb with probably 250k birds giving a lovely, whirling display before going out of sight behind the trees.
-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Sunday 31st of January 2016 07:23:47 PM
11.00-13.30
Neumanns Flash
18 Shoveler, 20 Teal, 6 Common Gulls, 3 Tufted Ducks,1 Shelduck,1 Buzzard, 1 Treecreeper and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Haydn Pool
3 Shoveler, 7 Teal and 1 Tufted Duck.
An estimated 100,000 Starlings at dawn at Neumann's Flash. I am not surprised given the size of some of the 'satellite' murmurations that I have seen around the Northwich area. these I assume join up to form this huge roost (per Greg Baker)
After reporting other folks sighting of the Cetti's Warbler it was about time I popped down & got it and a visit to town today allowed me the opportunity to have a go.
I was really surprised to find the bird where I did, I had expected to go all the way to the confluence of the streams below Haydn's Pool but only about 100m from the Witton Mill Car Park, along Witton Brook, there was the unmistakeable burst of Cetti's song. The bird was on the left in the reeds on my side of the brook and sang a few more times whilst I was there, as well as clambering through the reeds and then flying twice, so seen & heard and a Marbury Patch Lifer on my list
Later I got a message saying that 2 Woodcock were seen on Carey Park (per Greg Baker).
The Cetti's Warbler was in a similar area but over on the Carey park side of Witton Brook today, it has bee roaming up and down the brook for anyone planning a visit (info per Paul Hill).