4/10/08 pm

drake Mandarin still present
female Shoveler
2 Black Swan and 68 Mute Swans
43 Tufteds
11 Cormorants on the raft

1/5/2008 Late am

Drake Mandarin - site Mega
2 Black Swans
2 Common Terns on raft
few Bullfinch from hide

Also MED GULL reported early am no idea who had it though.

4/9/2007 Mid Evening

89 Mute Swans (no other big white birds around)
23 Tufted Duck
2 Pochard both males
Fem Sparrowhawk

Evening 26/7/07 (update from work Internet playing up last night)

96 Mute Swans (down by 3 !)
Black Swan
3 G.C. Grebes
2 Tufted Duck
Grey Heron sat on Tern Raft
No Terns

PS Simon when can I have my pager back ?

Evening stroll with faithful friend and bins.

99 Mute Swans (counted twice)
Black Swan
3 Song Thrushes (seem to be on the increase round Bolton).
2 Great Crested Grebes
Blackcap
Little Grebe on river
Lots of Swifts over river
No Terns

28/05/07

No Terns, 89 Mute swans and the Black Swan still.

Kane at Doffcocker there are 4 pairs of Common Tern and no visible rings.

104 in August and September 2006, Simon - looks like as more come in to moult, it should be higher this year. Quite a few pairs are giving breeding a miss this year for some reason, and other regular sites are empty. So those birds might join the communal moult!

Popped in this afternoon and 2 Common Terns still.

83 Mute Swans today and could have been more only looked from the car park, dont think ive ever seen that many here before, whats the highest count at Crompton Lodges Judith any idea?

That dodgy Black thing is still there.

I was at Doffcocker last fri. At least 6 Terns on and around the raft looked to be nesting. Didn't have my scope with me so couldn't say if any had rings.

Dean.

Kane I havent been up to doffcocker for two weeks as I had a bad fall and havent been able to walk. Will try and get up over the weekend and let you know.

-- Edited by Psilo at 18:18, 2007-05-11

In 2005 one of the youngsters jumped of the tern raft into the water. It seemed ok, in fact they are quite good swimmers! The day after it was back on the raft, I presume the wardens had placed it back on. We got permission to ring these young, but had second thoughts, as we didn't want them to dive-bomb in again!

One disadvantage of that tern raft is that it has no sides like the ones at Pennington and Doffcocker.

Does anyone know how the terns are doing at Doffcocker (Annette are you there?), I must get up there to see. Last year we colour ringed (Blue & Yellow rings) 13 Common tern chicks.

Cheers
Kane

Great stuff. There were 4 commons at cromi on tues which were then seen tearing through the streets of LL chasing each as I made my way home. Hope they breed again.

Tough birds to breed on that raft with the ever present LBB, geese, swans etc.
Saw them last year but 1, the terns dive bombing a swan and the swan retreating!


-- Edited by Steven Astley at 22:53, 2007-05-10

This evening - 2 Common Terns displaying on tern raft, one adult was making a scrape. 82 Mute Swans, lots of Swifts, 2 Kingfisher, LBBG.

Cheers Kane


-- Edited by Kane Brides at 20:04, 2007-05-10