Three Common Scoter on the lake at about 4pm.
(It was raining and quite dark, which is my excuse for the quality of the photos.)

Best day counts of migrants in last ten days or so:

Swift  -  3

Common Sandpiper  -  2

Sand Martin  -  c.25

Swallow  -  5

House Martin  -  8

Willow Warbler  -  6  More this year than in previous three combined, present daily.

Chiffchaff  -  14  Only about two thirds of site covered.

Sedge Warbler  -  1

Reed Warbler  -  3

Blackcap  -  17  Only about two thirds of site covered.

Whitethroat  -  2

But nothing else unfortunately. In past four days have recorded 60 species, getting 51 & 52 yesterday & today.

Both Cetti's Warblers have been showing extremely well in v. early morning, the male coming within 2 ft. of me once.

The B.E.D. Little Grebe pair hatched one chick in midweek, but it only lasted a single day.

The Moorhen pair from the middle of B.E.D. have just hatched 6 young.

Only 11 Coot over the last two weeks, now three sitting birds, one pair thinking of starting again after a recent failure, one pair just getting together, and a spare bird. The male of the B.E.D. pair has a white darvic ring, fitted at Chorlton W.P. on 7th Jan. 2023.

The Raven pair now prefers the pylon just W. of the canal to that by B.E.D., and seems to go towards Stretford Meadows to feed. The other pair of the two pairs present last seen heading off to SE a couple of weeks ago.

Willow Tit, just one singing around eastern part of site.

The Jackdaw roost at B.E.D. was down to 225 in midweek.

The only unusual migrant activity for here in last few days:

Lapwing - 1 high over to E.

Sparrowhawk - 2 together high over to E., much to the annoyance of the local birds.

Rook - 1 high over to SW one morning, and 3 together similarly the next morning.

Only just about enough to get me out of bed at 0500hrs. every morning.

Reed Warbler - heard in reeds at back of Teal Pool from pathway

Cetti's Warbler - very vocal and showy between Broad Ees Dole and Teal Pool

Growing number of Blackcap, and a couple of Willow Warblers. 

Monday 12th Feb

Redwing
Siskin
Goldfinch
Robin
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Willow Tit (on feeders)
Nuthatch (feeding on table)
Crow
Magpie
Kestrel
Reed Bunting
Heron
Merganser (m & f)
Canada Goose
Moorhen
Coot
Mallard
Mute Swan
Great Crested Grebe
Little Grebe
Snipe
Cormorant
Song Thrush

1.5 hours this afternoon, before work:

Blue tit
Great tit
Coal tit
Willow tit
Long-tailed Tit
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Robin
Wren
Wood Pigeon
Magpie
Crow
Ring-necked Parakeet
Cormorant
Black-headed Gull
Blackbird
Redwing
Song Thrush
Chaffinch
Siskin
Mallard
Teal
Gadwall
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Coot
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Heron
Kingfisher

Quick call in  to the car park on way home yesterday evening:

Canada Geese

Mute swans

Tufted ducks

Black headed gulls

5 Goosander 

Best counts from the lake during the cold spell and through this week:

Mute Swan  (25);   Teal  (47 on the B.E.D. ice);   Gadwall  (41);  Shoveler  (6);  Tufted Duck  (17);  Goldeneye  (2 fem./imm.);

Goosander  (10);   Cormorant  (9);  Great Crested Grebe  (4);  Little Grebe  (16);  Coot  (94);  Water Rail  (2);

Common Snipe  (3).

Cetti's Warbler still present, but the B.E.D. Chiffchaff disappeared as soon as it froze. Lots of Long-tailed Tit (25+), Siskin (45+).

Ice on the lake gave opportunity to look at gull legs. Apart from three locally ringed regular Black-headed Gulls and a regular Belgian bird, also saw

two Norwegian B.-h. G., a returning Polish bird and a Danish bird. Also, on one day, the Common Gull seen in Jan at S.W.P. was present, ringed as adult on

25/7/20 at the Lofoten Islands, N. Norway, just inside the Arctic Circle. These two S.W.P. sightings are the only ones since ringing.

One of the Norwegian B.-h. Gulls was a bird I saw at S.W.P. in Jan. 2021, ringed as a 3cy+ male nr. Oslo in April 2020 and seen there several times 

each year since, last in April 2023.

The other Norwegian bird was ringed as 2cy at Oslo in May 2022, seen there in June 2022 and April- June 2023, next at S.W.P. for four days this week.

I also saw the Danish bird in Jan.; unfortunately the ringer is one with a bad reputation for replying to reports of his birds. Birder friends

on the east coast and south coast normally ignore his birds as they don't expect a reply. As this bird was close to home I sent off a report

for the January sighting, and guess what, no reply.

The Shag took a bit of finding when I first arrived this morning. It was distant and diving. After I had lunch in my car, I went back out and located it again. Eventually, it swam up onto the slipway by the car park. So glad I hung about as I was aiming for high tide at Parkgate or a walk from Rostherne to Tatton Park. 

For its 5th day now the Shag is still present on the main lake , coming in remarkable close at times and getting up onto the jetty's .

Shag is still present this afternoon, showing well,  and having quite a few visitors , they have even come from Audenshaw res to see it .

Shag still present this morning info via Jackie 

Thanks Dave. Just bobbed down now & very showing well.

Anyone had a look today?

Shag still present in the rapidly fading light at 17:35. Always great to get a GM first that is within walking distance from your home!

-- Edited by Andrew Jeffery on Friday 27th of October 2023 06:54:31 PM

info via John Shaunessy 

Shag at Sale water park on the boardwalk present now .

visibility poor today .. fog ,, However feeding station busy with small passerines and Ring necked Parakeets ,

2 different coal tits and 3 willow tits among Blue, Great and Long tailed tits ,Nuthatch and Jay .