Mute Swan - 1, as mentioned previously re Hidden pool. It had not got off & was trying to get out through fence & had been doing so for some time, but managed to catch it & release it on East pool
Wigeon - 75
Tufted Duck - 15
Gadwall - 7, 4m/3f
Shelduck - 2, once they use to breed on site but now restricted to a short annual Spring stop over
Goosander - 1 pair
Common Buzzard - 2, being blown about in strong winds
Kestrel - female, same problem!
Starling - 100 heading low west
Fieldfare - 50 low west
JOHN TYMON said
Tue Feb 15 11:46 AM, 2022
87 wigeon,2 Shelduck, 2 Stonechat best I could muster today.
Rob Smith said
Fri Feb 11 7:09 PM, 2022
A morning wander, cool but warming.
Wigeon - 84, numbers varying daily
Tufted Duck - 23
Pochard - 5 males
Mute Swan - 1, unusually on Hidden pool, not easy for take off from there for this size bird
Goosander - 1 pair
Heron - 2
Buzzard - as per Andy, 2 around area
Kestrel - 1 female
Cormorant - 1, in splendid breeding plumage on west pool raft
Little Grebe - 1
Meadow Pipit - 40+ flitting around on top of landfill
Skylark - 10 singing birds on landfill
Song Thrush - 14 singing males for whole site
Marsh Tit - 1, mobile but still around area
Andy Slee said
Fri Feb 11 5:10 PM, 2022
Pre dawn (6:15am) / dawn / post dawn mooch for a couple hours this morn.
Water Rail in reeds on small pond at end of site just next to J11, wonder if displaced by ice elsewhere as that pool seems to freeze last despite being smaller than all three on the NE side. Always wonder what is in the water in the pools at Risley IV landfill (we did find and remove a full cyclohexane artic tanker that someone had tried to dump overnight when I worked there in the early 1990s when the tip was active God knows what was missed or what went in the hazardous waste trench which I think was this end of the site).
Two Buzzards, one very dark. Possibly three Kestrels, certainly two as they were both hovering 180 degrees apart either side of me.
76 Wigeon on the largest pool, suspect some in banks still.
21 Fieldfare on the tip.
1 Skylark singing up in the heavens once sun was up. Two Meadow pipits on the tip.
3 Linnets on the fields East of tip (site of proposed service station).
At least 12 Song Thrush in the first true "dawn chorus" I've heard this year in a transect from the entrance at J11 NE to the end of the smaller pool of the three.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 11th of February 2022 05:58:58 PM
JOHN TYMON said
Thu Feb 10 5:27 PM, 2022
96 Wigeon this morning (new record) Raven and Merlin also of note across the Eastern arable and very distant Marsh Harrier heading NE across Holcroft Moss early morning,most likely the regular Juvenile from Woolson Eyes.
Rob Smith said
Sun Feb 6 6:46 PM, 2022
Despite the wet & windy weather decided I needed some fresh air (and boy was it!)
Wigeon - 85, numbers creeping up daily & a new site record
Tufted Duck - 15
Pochard - 5 males
Goosander - 1 pair
Kestrel - male, doing its best to hover in the strong winds!
JOHN TYMON said
Fri Feb 4 11:44 AM, 2022
4 goldeneye (1male,3 Fem)1st of winter here for me,1 oystercatcher , 83 wigeon (sl new record )
JOHN TYMON said
Thu Feb 3 1:34 PM, 2022
Wigeon up to 72 at sl new site record for me ,and possibly ever.
During short walk around the patch. Wigeon 63; Goosander 6(3m/3f); Pochard 3 males; Whooper Swan 2 over east at 10.45; Redpoll 6.
JOHN TYMON said
Wed Dec 8 4:07 PM, 2021
Always nice to find an Adult Mediterranean gullon the patch even though the weather was Horrendous finding something a little rarer makes it worth while ,about the 4th for me at Silver Lane pools but first this year,and Ian informed me that it is not the bird that's been roosting at Pennington Flash recently. Picture record shot from 300 yards off back of camera with phone.
Mute Swan - 2, a bit edgy from guns going off around (not on) the area, flew up from east pool & onto west pool & then back onto east pool
Wigeon - 34, on west pool
Mallard - 29, across northern pools
Teal - 8, as previous
Sparrowhawk - male, disturbed from east hedgerow and took a couple of swoops at Teal on the flooded east field as it crossed the field
Lapwing - 70, drifting around overhead
Pink footed Geese - 50, flew west
Coal Tit - 1, on its own near west pool
re Little Egret - this was only the 2nd on-site record (several overflying) for Silver Lane Pools (previous 27 November 2016) in 20 years of monitoring this local patch.
JOHN TYMON said
Tue Nov 30 11:11 AM, 2021
Little Egret in tree first thing flew off east 10.45 . First down on site for me even though ive done the site almost daily when off work in the last 2 yearsand regularly the previous 5 years, although I have had a few flyovers.pic off back.of camera with
A cold, dry start to the day but a refreshing wander around the pools.
Goosander - 3 males, circling the partially frozen east pool but eventually settling on the middle pool
Wigeon - 29, numbers varying daily
Mute Swan - 2
Mallard - 21
Cormorant - 3
Lesser black back Gull - 2, among 30 Black Headed Gull
Coot - 21, numbers increasing
Long tailed Tit - 2 separate flocks of 13 & 15
Siskin - 20, flew east
Lapwing - 300, circling NW fields
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Nov 27 2:09 PM, 2021
This morning
Pretty quiet really
2 Wigeon
1 Male Goosander ( first of winter here for me )
Siskin- c50
Skylark -100+ on eastern Arable
Afew pochard, Gadwall, Teal and Tufted Duck, Little Grebes and both the Mute Swans looking ok today
Buzzard-3
cheers
John
The last few days
Wigeon - 27 seem to come in each day about 11.30
Yellow Legged Gull - 1 2nd Winter came off the eastern Arable and flew NW yesterday , no picture as camera was in the bag as it never stopped raining.
Rob Smith said
Fri Nov 26 9:28 PM, 2021
Well done Dave, its a lucky swan that you were close by to rescue it. It seems to be a (bad) habit with some mutes on Silver Lane cos several years ago & within months I rescued 2 different swans from inside fenced off newly planted tree plantations. After the 2nd incident I contacted Biffa about the problem which we resolved by removing discreet sections of several fenced off plantation sections resulting in no more problems - until now.
John Watson said
Fri Nov 26 9:03 AM, 2021
Hero of the day
Dave Benson said
Thu Nov 25 8:33 PM, 2021
Tuesday 23rd November 2021
2 Willow Tits were showing well in trees immediately down sloping footpath from J11 of M62.
Later in my walk I came across the female Mute Swan (of the pair on the East pool) which had become trapped in an area of dense vegetation behind a wire fence. She was desperately trying to get through the wire netting fence with a barbed wire top and in the process was risking injury to herself. Her mate seemed aware of her predicament and was calling from the pool and it was obvious that she would not be able to get back to him without help.
I must admit I was a little concerned about how she would react to me trying to pick her up but I managed to lean over the fence and wrap my coat around her wings and body. I held her neck with my other hand and to my surprise she allowed me to pick her up with no fuss at all. I lifted her over 2 fences and placed her on the ground where she slowly walked down to the pool and joined her mate and immediately had a drink. A great ending to a slightly stressful moment.
Andy Slee said
Wed Nov 24 8:20 PM, 2021
Dawn visit.
1 Woodcock.
3 kestrels in the air hovering at the same time over the cap of the Landfill.
Only one Redwing, a few blackbird.
160 Pink-footed Geese West at 7:50am. 13 more ten minutes later.
30 Lapwing spooked off arable field near A574, 92 more Lapwing came over ten minutes later (8:12am).
1 Siskin.
4 Goldfinch.
2 Bullfinch.
1 Buzzard, very pale.
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull dropped in on pool nearest A574. Canada Geese, Tufted Duck and at least three Wigeon present. Two Mute Swan on pool furthest from A574.
Partridge sp. flushed from ditch next to recently ploughed field, light till too murky to ascertain definitively sp.
JOHN TYMON said
Mon Nov 22 7:31 AM, 2021
Sunday 21st Nov highlights
Wigeon -27
Siskin - c60 across the whole site in small flocks
Lapwing -350 on the surrounding Arable areas
Marsh Harrier - A Juvenile flew across the eastern arable heading towards little Wooldon moss area.
John Watson said
Fri Nov 19 4:17 PM, 2021
pm walk
Treecreeper & Bullfinch (f) NW corner by pipe over stream
~30 Goldfinch on various beech mast, couldn't find anything else with them
Siskin - 30, in mixed flock on west side of landfill
Common Redpoll - 15, among finch flock along east side of landfill
Chiffchaff - 1, calling from edge of west wood
Also 21 Wigeon also on the west pool on Wednesday,and 100 Linnet on the eastern arable
Rob Smith said
Thu Nov 18 7:02 PM, 2021
Mute Swan - 2, still on east pool
Tufted Duck - 32
Pochard - 3
Gadwall - 3
Cormorant - 1
Woodcock - 1, disturbed
Black headed Gull - 50, on west pool
Kestrel - 2, around area
Siskin - 30, in mixed flock on west side of landfill
Common Redpoll - 15, among finch flock along east side of landfill
Chiffchaff - 1, calling from edge of west wood
Rob Smith said
Sun Nov 7 7:46 PM, 2021
Late pm
Pink footed Geese - 400, circling over eastern arable fields
Wigeon - 9, on west pool
Tawny Owl - male & female calling at dusk
Rob Smith said
Thu Nov 4 6:49 PM, 2021
On NE fields:
Whooper Swan - 2, then flew off west
Lapwing - 400
Golden Plover - 3, among lapwing
Starling - 200+
Peregrine Falcon, female putting up all of the above apart from swans.
Elsewhere on the pools
Tufted Duck - 36
Pochard - 13
Mute Swan - 2
On flooded east fields
Wigeon - 4
Mallard - 7
Gadwall - 3
Rob Smith said
Tue Oct 26 7:08 PM, 2021
Mute Swan - 2, back on pools, first visitors since May
Pink footed Geese - 40 flew west
Cormorant - 2
Canada Goose - 1, been on west pool for over a week, seems alright but not interested in joining any CG flyovers
Pochard - 14
Tufted Duck - 28
Mallard - 23
Peregrine Falcon - female over fields, spooking but not chasing lapwing
Lapwing - 100, spooked by peregrine
Golden Plover - 3 among lapwing flock
Stock Dove - 60, on east fields
Stonechat - 9, (3 male/6 immatures)
Brambling - 1, over south
Greenfinch - 5, flew south
Rob Smith said
Sat Oct 23 3:49 PM, 2021
From first light this morning.
Pink footed Geese - 200 flew east
Tufted Duck - 31
Pochard - 8
Mallard - 15
Wigeon - 4
Coot - 21
Common Snipe - 21
Woodpigeon - 600/hour heading SW whilst on site
Stonechat - 5 (2 pair + 1 male)
Siskin - 15 dropped into trees along west side
Rob Smith said
Thu Oct 21 8:27 PM, 2021
Brambling - 9 flew east,
Linnet - 70+ on east fields,
Bullfinch - 3 pair noted,
Stonechat - 2 along east arable edge,
Redwing - 100+ feeding in hawthorns spooked by male Sparrowhawk diving into trees,
Skylark - 40+ circling fields,
Common Snipe - 27 up from field
Rob Creek said
Tue Oct 19 11:27 PM, 2021
Almost a Buzzard strike mid afternoon on the M62 on way back from Liverpool. Flew low out of the trees near J11 slip road, across the motorway and reared up last second over an impending wagon.
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Oct 16 2:48 PM, 2021
Steven Nelson wrote:
JOHN TYMON wrote:
Red Kite over south at 10.30 followed it until it was almost over woolston eyes then out of view amazing patch bird for me.
John - I wonder if this is one of the 2 birds I saw over Irlam Moss at 10.15 or whether this is a another bird altogether?
I would think another bird ,it was an adult and came directly North to South from the direction of Rivington and off over Thelwall ,it was moving fast in one direction see my flickr site for the picture to compare.
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 16th of October 2021 02:49:29 PM
Steven Nelson said
Sat Oct 16 2:35 PM, 2021
JOHN TYMON wrote:
Red Kite over south at 10.30 followed it until it was almost over woolston eyes then out of view amazing patch bird for me.
John - I wonder if this is one of the 2 birds I saw over Irlam Moss at 10.15 or whether this is a another bird altogether?
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Oct 16 11:18 AM, 2021
Red Kite over south at 10.30 followed it until it was almost over woolston eyes then out of view amazing patch bird for me.
JOHN TYMON said
Thu Oct 14 10:33 AM, 2021
7000 + Redwing going SW first hour this morning in what seems to be a massive movement across the NW , also of note so far a Green Sandpiper east and 10 Yellowhammer along with 60 Pink Footed Geese feeding on the stubble on the eastern arable.
Rob Smith said
Thu Oct 14 9:53 AM, 2021
As of yesterday morning
Redwing - 1000+ in small flocks heading mostly SW in 90'
Fieldfare - 2 among them & calling
Pink footed Geese - 300+ in small skeins high to SE
Greylag Geese - 8 flew west accompanied by 2 Canada Geese
Kestrel - 2 over landfill
Cormorant - 2 on west pool
Mallard - 27
Tufted Duck - 23
Pochard - 5
Lapwing - 140, first on eastern arable then circling around later
Common Snipe - 3 circling area
Meadow Pipit - 70+ on landfill & harassing Kestrels
Stonechat - 2 immature females
John Watson said
Sun Jul 4 12:30 PM, 2021
Y'day (I think), this msg from a friend: "green woodpecker in wooded area above skylark hill (Biffa)"
Not sure of the precise spot, but he'll have approached from the Culcheth side
Rob Creek said
Fri Jul 2 3:32 PM, 2021
Cheers Mike and Rob for both inputs.
Mike - a good point, I had a cracking male flying just over the side of my van last year near Buglawton, Congleton. that did indeed show the classic pigeon head, but it was a lot closer than this one.
And Rob I reckon the fact there is a dark Common Buzzard present and coupling that with Mikes observation its likely to be that one Ive seen.
Rob Smith said
Thu Jul 1 8:16 PM, 2021
If its any help, of the two pairs of Common Buzzard present around the immediate locale, one is a very dark bird which also got my interest a few weeks ago when first seen!
Mike Chorley said
Thu Jul 1 7:47 PM, 2021
Hi Rob. If you had anything approaching a side on view I think the "pigeon head" on a Honey Buzzard would be noticeable. We had a similar experience many years ago driving back from South Stack via Rhosneigr. Coming head on to us we couldn't call the bird; Buzzard? Harrier? but as we crossed its' flight path it turned and flew beside us for about a minute silhouetted against the sea and we all yelled "Honey Buzzard" - well there were a few other words as well - before the road turned left and the bird carried straight on. Sounds to me like very dark phase Common Buzzard on its' glide path in but then again, I wasn't there, you were.
Rob Creek said
Thu Jul 1 5:35 PM, 2021
Tuesday morning 29th June.
On way to Liverpool when a roughly Buzzard-sized bird of prey glided fairly low (flying right) over the M62 approx 500yds east of J11 Birchwood. Had I not been driving I would?ve nailed it but despite getting a few features, for now Im not 100% what it was.
Appeared to be very dark brown, darker than usual Common Buzzard brown, long tail, and large longish wings. Perhaps one crucial feature was that as I passed it, it was getting lower and I could see its wings were virtually flat with no upturn, or could that have been a precise momentary position of its wings when I saw it?
Id love to say it was a Honey Buzzard but light could well be a factor and the fact I was in a moving vehicle doesnt make for the best situation. The one that got away!
Rob Creek said
Fri Jun 4 11:56 PM, 2021
Tuesday 1st June
Afternoon tacho break.
- 1 Garden Warbler (singing up close but couldnt see it, frustrating!) - 4 Willow Warbler - 3 Chiffchaff (2 fighting) - 3 Blackcap - 2 Common Whitethroat - 2 Skylark - 1 Reed Bunting - 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2 Greenfinch - 1 f Bullfinch - 2 Common Buzzard - 1 Kestrel - 1 Little Grebe - 1 Jay hopping around on M62 slip road
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Friday 4th of June 2021 11:59:35 PM
Rob Creek said
Tue May 25 3:53 PM, 2021
Tuesday 25th May.
Afternoon stop whilst on tacho break.
- 11 Common Swift through / over the pool - 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker - 5 Common Whitethroat - 3 Chiffchaff - 1 Willow Warbler - 1 Blackcap - 1 Reed Bunting - 2 Goldfinch - 1 Chaffinch - 2 singing Skylark - 1 pr Coot with young
Rob Creek said
Wed May 19 10:23 PM, 2021
Tuesday 18th May
Afternoon visit. - 2 m Reed Bunting in a sing off - 8 Common Whitethroat possibly more - 3 Chiffchaff (inc 1 pr) - 1 Blackcap singing - 2 Willow Warbler - 2 pr Meadow Pipit - 1 pr Skylark - 1 Little Grebe - 4 Lapwing - 1 Oystercatcher (vocal / over) - 1 Common Buzzard - 1 Mistle Thrush - 4 Song Thrush
JOHN TYMON said
Wed May 19 12:22 PM, 2021
John Watson wrote:
.. or a dreaded "hybrid" ?
No just Common Whitethroat with an aberrant song,they do not hybridise as far as I'm aware .
John Watson said
Wed May 19 9:31 AM, 2021
.. or a dreaded "hybrid" ?
JOHN TYMON said
Tue May 18 5:48 PM, 2021
Pretty Quiet today
After a further sighting and song I have decided the Lesser Whitethroat, I reported Sunday is actually a Common Whitethroat with a Aberrant song , good views today after a few weeks hearing it on and off and seeing it briefly ,and it was definitely Common Whitethroat strangely it sings like a Lesser in short rattling bursts.
Whitethroat- 10+
Great Crested Grebe - 1 Pair
plenty Skylark and Meadow pipits feeding young
Coots with young
plenty Reed Warbler
2 Kestrel
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Buzzard
4 pairs of Little Grebe
Rob Creek said
Sun May 16 10:33 PM, 2021
Wouldnt know what to suggest Rob, it would be purely speculation on my part and I think you and John would be far better placed (both being regulars) to try and determine how many could be on site. Im time limited on any site I visit whilst in work hours so cant stray too far as its obviously going to be the same time / distance back to the vehicle. A very interesting site with a lot going on birdwise!
Rob Smith said
Sun May 16 7:05 PM, 2021
Rob/John for information and from my frequent visits to Silver Lane. The Lesser Whitethroat was also present along the NE edge on 11th May, so we either have 2 on site or this one today - which is most likely, is moving around as it wasn't in the NE area when I was there this morning?
Rob Creek said
Sun May 16 4:54 PM, 2021
JOHN TYMON wrote:
Rob Creek wrote:
Hi John, with reference to images below... from J-11 roundabout follow main path from access barrier up the hill, first time was singing in hedgerow at bottom of embankment between skip and locked gates, then 2nd time was just passed the skip in same hedgerow but it wasnt singing, it was moving stealthily through the cover.
Cheers
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 16th of May 2021 10:29:15 AM
Cheers Rob had one there this morning brief view and sang once
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 16th of May 2021 11:49:09 AM
Thats brilliant John, I think the site is an interesting one, with many different habitats in a fairly small and easily accessible area, absolutely alive with birdsong of all types.
Short walk out before worse weather came in.
Mute Swan - 1, as mentioned previously re Hidden pool. It had not got off & was trying to get out through fence & had been doing so for some time, but managed to catch it & release it on East pool
Wigeon - 75
Tufted Duck - 15
Gadwall - 7, 4m/3f
Shelduck - 2, once they use to breed on site but now restricted to a short annual Spring stop over
Goosander - 1 pair
Common Buzzard - 2, being blown about in strong winds
Kestrel - female, same problem!
Starling - 100 heading low west
Fieldfare - 50 low west
87 wigeon,2 Shelduck, 2 Stonechat best I could muster today.
Wigeon - 84, numbers varying daily
Tufted Duck - 23
Pochard - 5 males
Mute Swan - 1, unusually on Hidden pool, not easy for take off from there for this size bird
Goosander - 1 pair
Heron - 2
Buzzard - as per Andy, 2 around area
Kestrel - 1 female
Cormorant - 1, in splendid breeding plumage on west pool raft
Little Grebe - 1
Meadow Pipit - 40+ flitting around on top of landfill
Skylark - 10 singing birds on landfill
Song Thrush - 14 singing males for whole site
Marsh Tit - 1, mobile but still around area
Pre dawn (6:15am) / dawn / post dawn mooch for a couple hours this morn.
Water Rail in reeds on small pond at end of site just next to J11, wonder if displaced by ice elsewhere as that pool seems to freeze last despite being smaller than all three on the NE side. Always wonder what is in the water in the pools at Risley IV landfill (we did find and remove a full cyclohexane artic tanker that someone had tried to dump overnight when I worked there in the early 1990s when the tip was active God knows what was missed or what went in the hazardous waste trench which I think was this end of the site).
Two Buzzards, one very dark. Possibly three Kestrels, certainly two as they were both hovering 180 degrees apart either side of me.
76 Wigeon on the largest pool, suspect some in banks still.
21 Fieldfare on the tip.
1 Skylark singing up in the heavens once sun was up. Two Meadow pipits on the tip.
3 Linnets on the fields East of tip (site of proposed service station).
At least 12 Song Thrush in the first true "dawn chorus" I've heard this year in a transect from the entrance at J11 NE to the end of the smaller pool of the three.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 11th of February 2022 05:58:58 PM
Despite the wet & windy weather decided I needed some fresh air (and boy was it!)
Wigeon - 85, numbers creeping up daily & a new site record
Tufted Duck - 15
Pochard - 5 males
Goosander - 1 pair
Kestrel - male, doing its best to hover in the strong winds!
4 goldeneye (1male,3 Fem)1st of winter here for me,1 oystercatcher , 83 wigeon (sl new record )
Wigeon up to 72 at sl new site record for me ,and possibly ever.
usual today 45 wigeon, 2 stonechat , 8 Goosander , 85 Canada Geese , 1 Treecreeper ,200 skylark on arable
2pm to 4-30pm
East Pool - M & F Goosander
Middle Pool - Grey Heron, Little Grebe, 5 Snipe in small reed bed & a Buzzard in the overhead trees.
West Pool - Grey Heron, about 50 Wigeon & 50 mixed Gulls.
Former Landfill area - 3 Kestrel, 30 Redwing, a very noisy flock of about 50 Siskin, 10 Long-Tailed Tits & a Pheasant.
Also at dusk in trees on the western edge 3 Jay & at least 250 mobile Fieldfare plus 2 Mistle Thrush on a transmitter.
Reported in local press that the service station developer is appealling.....
https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/19828404.developers-appeal-plans-huge-motorway-services-near-birchwood/
Always nice to find an Adult Mediterranean gull on the patch even though the weather was Horrendous finding something a little rarer makes it worth while ,about the 4th for me at Silver Lane pools but first this year,and Ian informed me that it is not the bird that's been roosting at Pennington Flash recently. Picture record shot from 300 yards off back of camera with phone.
This morning:
Mute Swan - 2, a bit edgy from guns going off around (not on) the area, flew up from east pool & onto west pool & then back onto east pool
Wigeon - 34, on west pool
Mallard - 29, across northern pools
Teal - 8, as previous
Sparrowhawk - male, disturbed from east hedgerow and took a couple of swoops at Teal on the flooded east field as it crossed the field
Lapwing - 70, drifting around overhead
Pink footed Geese - 50, flew west
Coal Tit - 1, on its own near west pool
re Little Egret - this was only the 2nd on-site record (several overflying) for Silver Lane Pools (previous 27 November 2016) in 20 years of monitoring this local patch.
Little Egret in tree first thing flew off east 10.45 . First down on site for me even though ive done the site almost daily when off work in the last 2 yearsand regularly the previous 5 years, although I have had a few flyovers.pic off back.of camera with
Phone
A cold, dry start to the day but a refreshing wander around the pools.
Goosander - 3 males, circling the partially frozen east pool but eventually settling on the middle pool
Wigeon - 29, numbers varying daily
Mute Swan - 2
Mallard - 21
Cormorant - 3
Lesser black back Gull - 2, among 30 Black Headed Gull
Coot - 21, numbers increasing
Long tailed Tit - 2 separate flocks of 13 & 15
Siskin - 20, flew east
Lapwing - 300, circling NW fields
This morning
Pretty quiet really
2 Wigeon
1 Male Goosander ( first of winter here for me )
Siskin- c50
Skylark -100+ on eastern Arable
Afew pochard, Gadwall, Teal and Tufted Duck, Little Grebes and both the Mute Swans looking ok today
Buzzard-3
cheers
John
The last few days
Wigeon - 27 seem to come in each day about 11.30
Yellow Legged Gull - 1 2nd Winter came off the eastern Arable and flew NW yesterday , no picture as camera was in the bag as it never stopped raining.
Dawn visit.
1 Woodcock.
3 kestrels in the air hovering at the same time over the cap of the Landfill.
Only one Redwing, a few blackbird.
160 Pink-footed Geese West at 7:50am. 13 more ten minutes later.
30 Lapwing spooked off arable field near A574, 92 more Lapwing came over ten minutes later (8:12am).
1 Siskin.
4 Goldfinch.
2 Bullfinch.
1 Buzzard, very pale.
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull dropped in on pool nearest A574. Canada Geese, Tufted Duck and at least three Wigeon present. Two Mute Swan on pool furthest from A574.
Partridge sp. flushed from ditch next to recently ploughed field, light till too murky to ascertain definitively sp.
Sunday 21st Nov highlights
Wigeon -27
Siskin - c60 across the whole site in small flocks
Lapwing -350 on the surrounding Arable areas
Marsh Harrier - A Juvenile flew across the eastern arable heading towards little Wooldon moss area.
Treecreeper & Bullfinch (f) NW corner by pipe over stream
~30 Goldfinch on various beech mast, couldn't find anything else with them
5 Stock Dove, Kestrel, 7 Fieldfare - fields
2 Wigeon, 3 Gadwall, 5 Pochard, 20+ Tufted Duck - pools
Also 21 Wigeon also on the west pool on Wednesday,and 100 Linnet on the eastern arable
Mute Swan - 2, still on east pool
Tufted Duck - 32
Pochard - 3
Gadwall - 3
Cormorant - 1
Woodcock - 1, disturbed
Black headed Gull - 50, on west pool
Kestrel - 2, around area
Siskin - 30, in mixed flock on west side of landfill
Common Redpoll - 15, among finch flock along east side of landfill
Chiffchaff - 1, calling from edge of west wood
Late pm
Pink footed Geese - 400, circling over eastern arable fields
Wigeon - 9, on west pool
Tawny Owl - male & female calling at dusk
On NE fields:
Whooper Swan - 2, then flew off west
Lapwing - 400
Golden Plover - 3, among lapwing
Starling - 200+
Peregrine Falcon, female putting up all of the above apart from swans.
Elsewhere on the pools
Tufted Duck - 36
Pochard - 13
Mute Swan - 2
On flooded east fields
Wigeon - 4
Mallard - 7
Gadwall - 3
Mute Swan - 2, back on pools, first visitors since May
Pink footed Geese - 40 flew west
Cormorant - 2
Canada Goose - 1, been on west pool for over a week, seems alright but not interested in joining any CG flyovers
Pochard - 14
Tufted Duck - 28
Mallard - 23
Peregrine Falcon - female over fields, spooking but not chasing lapwing
Lapwing - 100, spooked by peregrine
Golden Plover - 3 among lapwing flock
Stock Dove - 60, on east fields
Stonechat - 9, (3 male/6 immatures)
Brambling - 1, over south
Greenfinch - 5, flew south
From first light this morning.
Pink footed Geese - 200 flew east
Tufted Duck - 31
Pochard - 8
Mallard - 15
Wigeon - 4
Coot - 21
Common Snipe - 21
Woodpigeon - 600/hour heading SW whilst on site
Stonechat - 5 (2 pair + 1 male)
Siskin - 15 dropped into trees along west side
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 16th of October 2021 02:49:29 PM
John - I wonder if this is one of the 2 birds I saw over Irlam Moss at 10.15 or whether this is a another bird altogether?
Red Kite over south at 10.30 followed it until it was almost over woolston eyes then out of view amazing patch bird for me.
7000 + Redwing going SW first hour this morning in what seems to be a massive movement across the NW , also of note so far a Green Sandpiper east and 10 Yellowhammer along with 60 Pink Footed Geese feeding on the stubble on the eastern arable.
As of yesterday morning
Redwing - 1000+ in small flocks heading mostly SW in 90'
Fieldfare - 2 among them & calling
Pink footed Geese - 300+ in small skeins high to SE
Greylag Geese - 8 flew west accompanied by 2 Canada Geese
Kestrel - 2 over landfill
Cormorant - 2 on west pool
Mallard - 27
Tufted Duck - 23
Pochard - 5
Lapwing - 140, first on eastern arable then circling around later
Common Snipe - 3 circling area
Meadow Pipit - 70+ on landfill & harassing Kestrels
Stonechat - 2 immature females
Not sure of the precise spot, but he'll have approached from the Culcheth side
Mike - a good point, I had a cracking male flying just over the side of my van last year near Buglawton, Congleton. that did indeed show the classic pigeon head, but it was a lot closer than this one.
And Rob I reckon the fact there is a dark Common Buzzard present and coupling that with Mikes observation its likely to be that one Ive seen.
If its any help, of the two pairs of Common Buzzard present around the immediate locale, one is a very dark bird which also got my interest a few weeks ago when first seen!
On way to Liverpool when a roughly Buzzard-sized bird of prey glided fairly low (flying right) over the M62 approx 500yds east of J11 Birchwood. Had I not been driving I would?ve nailed it but despite getting a few features, for now Im not 100% what it was.
Appeared to be very dark brown, darker than usual Common Buzzard brown, long tail, and large longish wings. Perhaps one crucial feature was that as I passed it, it was getting lower and I could see its wings were virtually flat with no upturn, or could that have been a precise momentary position of its wings when I saw it?
Id love to say it was a Honey Buzzard but light could well be a factor and the fact I was in a moving vehicle doesnt make for the best situation.
The one that got away!
Afternoon tacho break.
- 1 Garden Warbler (singing up close but couldnt see it, frustrating!)
- 4 Willow Warbler
- 3 Chiffchaff (2 fighting)
- 3 Blackcap
- 2 Common Whitethroat
- 2 Skylark
- 1 Reed Bunting
- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
- 2 Greenfinch
- 1 f Bullfinch
- 2 Common Buzzard
- 1 Kestrel
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 Jay hopping around on M62 slip road
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Friday 4th of June 2021 11:59:35 PM
Afternoon stop whilst on tacho break.
- 11 Common Swift through / over the pool
- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
- 5 Common Whitethroat
- 3 Chiffchaff
- 1 Willow Warbler
- 1 Blackcap
- 1 Reed Bunting
- 2 Goldfinch
- 1 Chaffinch
- 2 singing Skylark
- 1 pr Coot with young
Tuesday 18th May
Afternoon visit.
- 2 m Reed Bunting in a sing off
- 8 Common Whitethroat possibly more
- 3 Chiffchaff (inc 1 pr)
- 1 Blackcap singing
- 2 Willow Warbler
- 2 pr Meadow Pipit
- 1 pr Skylark
- 1 Little Grebe
- 4 Lapwing
- 1 Oystercatcher (vocal / over)
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Mistle Thrush
- 4 Song Thrush
No just Common Whitethroat with an aberrant song,they do not hybridise as far as I'm aware .
Pretty Quiet today
After a further sighting and song I have decided the Lesser Whitethroat, I reported Sunday is actually a Common Whitethroat with a Aberrant song , good views today after a few weeks hearing it on and off and seeing it briefly ,and it was definitely Common Whitethroat strangely it sings like a Lesser in short rattling bursts.
Whitethroat- 10+
Great Crested Grebe - 1 Pair
plenty Skylark and Meadow pipits feeding young
Coots with young
plenty Reed Warbler
2 Kestrel
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Buzzard
4 pairs of Little Grebe
Im time limited on any site I visit whilst in work hours so cant stray too far as its obviously going to be the same time / distance back to the vehicle.
A very interesting site with a lot going on birdwise!
Rob/John for information and from my frequent visits to Silver Lane. The Lesser Whitethroat was also present along the NE edge on 11th May, so we either have 2 on site or this one today - which is most likely, is moving around as it wasn't in the NE area when I was there this morning?
Thats brilliant John,
I think the site is an interesting one, with many different habitats in a fairly small and easily accessible area, absolutely alive with birdsong of all types.