Hi Ian

Stopped in nearest layby as I saw first flock in distance coming from Astley area. It wasn't till they got closer I spotted the second flock. Could hear flight calls.
Both flocks virtually flew over car
Missus hates travelling with me as I don't always pull over when I spot birds in flight more nose nose to screen or looking anywhere but where I should be looking

Another 200 over my house in rochdale this evening heading west.

dave

Wow, that's pretty accurate Paul, considering you were in a car

I say that because I also saw the same flocks over my house (which is in Astley, just off the A580, so you were right again!) and counted 120 flying west (west-northwest ? Close enough !) at 15:08 which were very closely followed by another smaller flock of 70 on exactly the same flight line at 15:09.

 Looking north out of the window at work in the centre of Bury I estimated skein of about 100-125 pink-feet flying east to west at 13.00 today. Likely to have flown from over Rochdale towards west.  I can't be more accurate i'm afraid as was working at the time!
 Might nip back to wigan to see the young greylags in spring- thanks Judith.
Steve

There were 122 over Pearson's Flash at 1353hrs moving W today 30th, as well. Also the Red-crested Pochard was present.
The BBC interview was done but it won't go out till Wednesday at earliest (see birding discussion page)

Driving back along the A580 from Haydock I spotted two skeins of Pink-Footed Geese, about 150 altogether, flying north west over Astley at about 15.15 this afternoon

I forgot to mention that in addition to the 2 pink-feet were 13 greylag geese on the water.  It was about 1 o'clock. They all moved over to the far side of the flash and some including the pink-feet went onto the edge making the legs visible. There were also 20 cormorants, 4 goldeneye (1 male)  a few tufted, and a number of coot, canada geese and black-headed gulls.(Not forgetting the female smew of course!)

 I saw them Saturday - they flew in from the fields on the other side of the canal, stayed about 10 mins then flew back onto the fields. Very wary. We usually get up to 6 truly wild birds after winter there, coming and going.

Ian,been down to flash twice today and around the back but the weather,s not helping my i.d. skills,I found a suspicious bundle of feathers hiding in the grass 3/4  up (from dover end) and hoped it would be a bittern after 10 mins it moved and turned into two geese which i took to be greylag but didn,t check
(don,t say it)so if anyone can get there during the week and take a proper look  i can put them on my seen but not i.d.list(it,s growing)
regards Geoff

Steve Collins had 2 Pink-footed Geese 'paddling' around Horrock's Flash yesterday whilst he was catching up with the Smew (still present). 'Downed' birds aren't that common, so has anyone else seen these birds before this date (or even today perhaps?). (Thanks Steve for the info., nice to speak to you)