This evening the adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted again and 33 Snipe were present.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

750 Pink-footed Geese over SE in two skeins this morning, of 600 and 150.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

A ringtail harrier flew low SSW this late afternoon but was too brief for an identification and an adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Also this morning, 3 Redwings and 40 Pink-footed Geese NE.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison

This morning's highlights from first light:

2857 Meadow Pipits south from c7:30 to 10am, the bulk of what was a pretty impressive passage for here came between 08:15 to 08:50 with some decent sized flocks. This number was clearly only the tip of a much larger iceberg as counting at this location is very challenging and I knew I was missing loads!

228 Swallows S

2 House Martins S

16 Chaffinch S in singles other than two together at one point

9 Skylarks over with most south but three north!

13 Snipe dropping into Ramsdales from very high out of the NE sky, mainly in small numbers (ones or twos) but four together was the largest flock

46 Song Thrushes, with 32 down on and around Ramsdales Ruck (mainly from shorelines bushes) but a surprising 11 dropping in from high in the sky from the N/NE as singles other than a flock of four together and a further three singles flying straight through south. Their 'zit' calls seemed to be everywhere at one point and many of the birds dropping out of the sky did so around 08:30 as a very dark and brooding looking cloud front moved in (but swiftly disappeared again).

9 Greylag Geese, with five together over west (seen flying in from very distantly over Leigh) and four flying in from the west, doing a big U-turn and flying back off west again.

10 Linnet (decent here), with two flocks of five flying over south

171 Tufted Duck

1 Common Sandpiper still on the sailing club shore

5 Kingfishers around the shore of Ramsdales Ruck from the very western end to Ramsdales itself

23 Shoveler

1 male Cetti's warbler still holding (new) territory along the shore of the ruck

From first light to c9am this morning:

14 Goosander flew straight through NW in a single flock

70+ Lapwing on the spit were joined by two flocks of 90 and 130 flying in from the SSE and at 08:16 a further flock of 110 coming in from the west

9 Swallows through together south

17 Song Thrushes around Ramsdales Ruck including two flocks of three each which dropped from high in the sky and into cover

76 Pink-footed Geese, with 32 east and 44 NW (undoubtably the same as Colin's but a slight variance in counting!)

204 Tufted Ducks

14+ Shoveler in Ramsdales Scrape early morning

1 Greylag Goose which flew in from the west but didn't land and flew back off NW

324 Meadow Pipits over in just over an hour's watch but considerably more must have gone over as many were just too high to see and every time I scanned the sky with by binoculars small flocks were passing through very high in the sky

5 Chiffchaffs around Ramsdales Ruck (including a singing bird)

This morning, 8:15 - 10:30;

Common sandpiper still at the boat club (day 15)

Single redpoll on the ruck

74 pink-footed geese over in 2 flocks, 39 west, 35 east

4 buzzards over the ruck

10 snipe in Ramsdales, at least 2 on the spit

Also today, common sandpiper still at the boat club and 6 swallows heading south.

Teatime wander 17:05 - 18:40

Highlights:

• 14 snipe on the spit at the Horrocks Hide (I was dead jammy: they took flight, wheeled round and landed as I sat down in the hide). Also a singing Cetti's warbler here.
• Sixty-odd lapwings flying out to roost.
• The gull roost included an adult great black-back and a 2CY Mediterranean gull.
• I had no luck finding the Egyptian goose when I scoured the banks by the car park on the way in. On the way out there it was, cruising about with the Muscovy ducks.
• It's always good to see the car park oystercatcher.

Just out of curiosity: is everyone else finding this a bumper Autumn for crowds of gadwall and shoveler in the region?

Todays sightings, 

Common sandpiper still at the boat club

130+ pink-footed geese over in 3 flocks (60, 50 & 20) all south of the flash and heading east

Snipe 18+ in Ramsdales. I didn't see any on the spit though they aren't always obvious

100+ Meadow pipits over the ruck, all heading south

Egyptian goose still on the car park

Finish ringed black-headed gull (left leg) and Dutch ringed bird (right leg) still on the car park. 

Also today, a black-headed gull on the car park wearing a metal ring on it's left leg ST170852. This bird was ringed at Sipoo, Finland on 23/06/2020 which is approximately 1130 miles from the Flash. I first saw it at the flash on 02/11/2022 but despite looking through the gulls on the car park almost daily ever since, this is only my second sighting.

Common Sandpiper again on the sailing club shore this morning.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison

Groundhog day at the flash (again);

Common sandpiper still at the boat club

Egyptian goose off the car park

19 snipe on the spit

4 swallows heading south

300+ lapwing on the spit

130+ tufted ducks including bird with nasal saddle CH1

Not much change at the flash, 

Common sandpiper still at the boat club for its 9th day

At least 19 snipe on the spit

Egyptian goose still on the car park 

Two swallows over south this evening 

This morning, 

Common sandpiper still at the boat club

26 pink-footed geese over East

Grey wagtail

10 snipe. Horrock's hide still closed when I left so couldn't do a proper count.

Egyptian goose still off the car park

40 snipe this morning, only really viewable from inside Horrock's hide.

Also, 9 Snipe this morning.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme

Highlights this morning from first light to 9am:

The Common Sandpiper remains on the sailing club shore, along with the Egyptian Goose

353 Pink-footed Geese over, with 239 in 5 skeins SE (from the Ribble area) from 07:25 to 08:28 and a skein of 114 E (from the Mersey area) at 08:05

2 Pintail, with a drake travelling with the flock of 114 Pink-footed Geese heading east at 08:05 and a lone female SE at 08:27

1 redhead Goosander over south (didn't stop!) at 08:17

366 Meadow Pipits over south up to 9am, many more undoubtably missed as towards mid-morning birds were flying much higher so could be heard but not always seen

3 Grey Wagtails south (a single and two together)

Single Sand Martin, 2 House Martins and 3 Swallows south through the morning

4 Kingfishers around the northern shore of the flash

16 Goldcrests around Ramsdales Ruck and a noticeable increase in Song Thrushes

8 Chiffchaffs around Ramsdales Ruck

1 Blackcap by the Slag Lane car park

1 adult Great Black-backed Gull

Early afternoon today:

Common Sandpiper still on the sailing club shore

183 Tufted Ducks

314 Lapwing (290 on the spit, the remainder on the sailing club shore)

43 Cormorants

46 Great Crested Grebes

Egyptian Goose still on the shore by the car park

Juvenile Cetti’s Warbler in poor song by The Point at Ramsdales Ruck

3 House Martins (together)

Yesterday evening, a second winter Mediterranean Gull roosted, a Common Sandpiper still present, along with 24 Snipe and 165 Lapwing .

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

A good early morning at the flash,

Juvenile arctic tern on the end of the spit and later flying around the flash. 

Hobby 1 shot through East

Common sandpiper 1 still on the boat club shore

Snipe at least 25 on the spit

Egyptian goose off the car park

This morning, 7:30 - 11:00;

Common sandpiper again at the boat club

22 snipe flew from the area of the mini spit, flew around for a bit and then landed in the same area out of view

Egyptian goose on the spit then the car park

The car park is now open again.

This evening an adult Yellow-legged Gull roosted, 3 juvenile Common Terns were around at 6:40pm then flew off. Water Rail and 17 Snipe in Ramsdales.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Eventful morning from first light today:

A female Common Scoter was present on the water, making her way down to the western end and at 08:30 a male flew in from the east, circled and then flew off west!

At 07:30 two Sandwich Terns came in and flew around the flash calling loudly, occasionally they flew really high and seemed to head off west but came back until at 07:50 they finally departed west for good

Just after 8am, in a group of gulls on the water off the East Bay, I picked up a Caspian Gull, remaining until I left at almost 10am, at that point having spent a large amount of time aggressively defending a bouy in the East Bay from other gulls! Ageing the bird was more problematical though, it 'felt' like a first winter bird but was strongly bi-coloured on the bill and the scapulars were also really (too) advanced for that age at this time of year and yet it didn't look moulted enough in the remiges etc for a second winter bird. So, a mega advanced 1W bird or mega retarded 2W. Answers on a postcard (or email), not on here! Videos of the beast on the website (quality not great due to having to be reduced in file size from the enormous 4K they were).

The Egyptian Goose was present on the spit, along with several Snipe

This morning, 6:45 - 7:45 from the boat club,

1 common sandpiper 

1 Egyptian goose

200+ lapwing on the spit

2 snipe

130+ tufted ducks

So far this morning from the boat club, 

2 drake common scoter

1 common sandpiper 

1 Egyptian goose 

Also this morning, 36 pink-footed geese flew west at 10:07am and little egret in front of Horrock's hide.

I was surprised to find that todays common sandpiper was not only my latest ever at the flash, but it's only the second that I have ever seen in September at the site!

Sightings so far this morning between Colin Davies, Bill Harrison and myself included:

2 Ruff with 4 Redshank flying around before departing east

Common Sandpiper at the sailing club

24+ Snipe around the spit area

131 Tufted Duck

Egyptian Goose now off the main car park (still currently closed)

Second winter Mediterranean Gull present around 6pm

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Great white egret flew through heading west at 10.30.

Beautiful morning from first light to 9am on and around Ramsdales Ruck with the following highlights:

844 Pink-footed Geese E or SE between 07:30 and 08:20, following the usual two lines of movement seen from here with 399 birds from the Mersey area heading due east in 10 skiens south of the flash (some well south) and 445 birds from the Ribble area moving north of the flash in 5 skiens. 

2 Greylag Geese together low east

Good pipit movement with 374 Meadow Pipits over south in small flocks through the morning

3 individual Tree Pipits south though all of them were within two minutes of each other!

7 Skylarks over south in three flocks

11 Chaffinches over south in 5 flocks

19 Goldfinches over in two flocks, the largest was 16 strong

2 Little Egrets in Ramsdales Scrape

28 Snipe, some along the spit but mainly around the mini spit feeding out on the open but very flighty

Egyptian Goose at the sailing club

7 Chiffchaffs

5 Coal Tits 

12 Swallows 

7.30am-9.30am,

Wigeon 5 flew in over the ruck from the North and dropped onto the flash.

Snipe 6

Tufted duck 110

Egyptian goose 1 at the boat club

This morning, 8am - 10am;

Egyptian goose 1 on the end of the spit then swam past Horrock's towards the car park. It's unringed for what it's worth. For at least the past five years a pair of Egyptian geese have spent a month or two at the flash over the summer and in 2021 they had a juvenile with them. However this is the first record that I have from the flash this year, just as I was beginning to think that this was going to be the first blank year for a while.

Snipe 2

Little egret 1 in Ramsdales

Note: In the unlikely event that anybody actually wants to "twitch" the Egyptian goose, please be aware that the main car park is now closed until next Monday 18th.

Mid-morning today:

6 Little Egrets appeared around 09:30 before all flying south at 09:41; at least one bird was ringed.

Hobby south over the sailing club at 10:20

18 Snipe

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

This morning's highlights from first light:

Single Siskin over west

106 Tufted Ducks

8+ Snipe feeding on the mini-spit

2 Greylag Geese

2 Wigeon

36 Swallows feeding over fields around Sorrowcow Farm

15 Chiffchaffs and 12 Goldcrests around Ramsdales Ruck (mainly mixed in with the large Long-tailed Tit flocks)

1 Nuthatch at the very western end

Lots of snipe activity around the spit this morning once the mist cleared. Four were feeding on the edge of the vegetation, then another 12 flew up and flew around before landing again, then nine seemed to drop in, possibly from the east. 

Early morning today:

3 Redshank flew west

A fantastic adult Hobby flew low north over Ramsdales Ruck

4 Snipe

2 Water Rails in Ramsdales Reedbed

36 Magpies in one flock on Ramsdales Ruck

9 Chiffchaffs around Ramsdales Ruck

This evening, 17 snipe on the end of the spit at 18.45, with 14 flying high at 19.00 and apparently leaving west.

Highlights from early this morning included:

8 Chiffchaffs on and around Ramsdales Ruck

2+ Kingfishers

1 Greylag Goose

1 Swift

50+ Swallows

6 Jays on Ramsdales Ruck

1 Grey Wagtail over south

7 Meadow Pipits over south

1 adult Great Black-backed Gull

Brief early afternoon visit;

Pochard 1 drake with tufted ducks

Lesser black backed gull 162 about half of which were juveniles

Herring gull 20

Lapwing 110 on the spit.

A flock of six Tree Pipits flew fairly low south calling loudly over Ramsdales Ruck at 7am this morning as I was walking the shoreline path, they were low enough to conceivably have come up off the ruck itself but most likely were just passing directly over. An excellent site count.

Nothing much else of note over though other than two Meadow Pipits south (together) and plenty of Woodpigeons in all directions (though perhaps with a NE bias) which were almost certainly local movements.

22+ Chiffchaffs on and around Ramsdales Ruck, including a very oddly disyllabic calling bird which gave me the runaround for a short while until I could confirm it was indeed a very young looking juvenile Chiffchaff

1 immature Willow Warbler with a tit/warbler flock near the point on Ramsdales Ruck, often trying feebly to sing!

4 Kingfishers around the flash

1 Greylag Goose west

73 Tufted Duck

16 Swallows

3 drake Common Scoter and a Redshank so far this morning.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison

Garganey just off the spit this morning, then flew off west with three Mallard around 7am

Single Tree Pipit flying quite high over the western end of the flash, calling at 06:35

5 Swifts through low west together at 07:20

Single noisy flock of 36 Swallows north over Ramsdales Ruck at 07:25

2 Sand Martins north together over Ramsdales Ruck at 07:30

1 Oystercatcher

Eclipse drake Wigeon

5 Shoveler

Sanderling and redshank at the boat club this morning. Also 102 lapwing at the boat club and more on the spit but too distant for me to count.

This morning a merlin flew over the junction of Sandy Lane and Green lane. Otherwise a very quiet visit, with 68 lapwing at the boat club the highlight for me.

4 Turnstones flew straight together west at 07:05 this morning

2 Redshanks

2 Common Sandpipers flew high off to the east

3 Kingfishers

19 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps on and around Ramsdales Ruck

A quick look this morning, 6.00 - 7.00,

Common sandpiper 3 at the boat club

Redshank 1 on the spit

The great white egret was on the spit until at least 10am. Also today, little egret and common sandpiper. 

Great White Egret dropped onto Ramsdales Scrape at 9am

Info thanks to John Dixon

This morning, 7:50 - 10:15,

Common sandpiper 1 at the boat club

Little egret 1 in Ramsdales

Common tern 1 adult still at 9:45

No sign of the juvenile black-necked grebe for me but likely still there somewhere.