Also in the evening, 2 Kingfisher and a Cetti's Warbler on Pearsons Flash; 4 Gadwall, 6 Tufted duck, 20 Lapwing and Great Crested Grebe with 2 chicks on Horrock's Flash
Pearson's Flash this evening, Green Sandpiper, 77 Lapwings, adult Water Rail, adult Common Tern, 16 Swifts, 12 Teal and 3 Shoveler. On Scotmans, 3 Common Terns including a juvenile, 36 Lesser Black-backed and 4 Herring Gulls.
Female/juv blackcap in trees near Pearsons flash,2 common tern on scotmans flash along with a kingfisher rapidly flying by the houses,several cormorant, and lesser black backed gull,plus swallow 1on the canal this morning.
Yesterday, a Red Kite flew East over Moss Bridge, Scotland Flash at 5:22pm. A newly hatched Common Tern chick was on Horrocks Flash, also Garden Warbler and 2 adult Little Ringed Plovers. On Pearson's Flash, 3 Common Terns, 49 Lapwings, 2 Little Ringed Plovers and 4Teal.
Female Marsh Harrier today, 2 Reed Warblers singing on Bryn Marsh, at least 20 Cetti's Warblers (including 19 singing males) from a large portion of the site area and 2 Little Ringed Plovers.
Short walk today,long tailed tit ,coal tit ,great tit by the wellham Rd entrance , 2 pair bullfinch and a single male,willow tit, coal tit Robin, great tit,blue tit, the last five birds seemed to follow me for 100mtrs or so because I had put seed out earlier
-- Edited by David Hughes on Thursday 28th of December 2023 01:21:41 PM
Re willow tit with leg bands, the bird was ringed as part of a scheme in Washington Tyne and Wear
Interesting, I've read papers suggesting that Willow Tit are reluctant to fly across an open space of a few hundred metres between decent scrub or woodland habitat, but this one has crossed the Pennines!
Willow tit on the first feeder from wellham Rd, bryn viewpoint, willow tit,goldcrest ,coal tit,nuthatch, birds round this area are fed regularly by passers by and seem to follow folk around, if you're missing out on willow tit, maybe put some seed out and sit and wait,?
Short walk in a loop from wellham Rd entrance via ochre flash, bryn viewpoint ,canal and back,willow tit with leg bands,right leg red over white ,near to the feeding station that is no longer,blue tit, great tit, robin,blackbird, ochre flash 40+black headed gull,3 coot viewpoint, tufted duck 2,moorhen 2 ,goldfinch and siskin feeding on nearby alder,along the canal toward moss Bridge, goldcrest, redwing,Jay, Robin, blackbird ,moss Bridge, collared dove,sparrowhawk over and circling, back toward the feeding station, bullfinch ,blue tit great tit1 dunnock,2 house sparrow on the feeder on the left as I left
-- Edited by David Hughes on Friday 10th of November 2023 02:58:06 PM
A walk today from poolstock locks to horrocks's,12 30 /3pm on westwood fleash a few black headed gulls and a pair of mute swan, on Pearson's flash coot, tufted duck, cormorant,lapwing, more black headed gull, onward to moss bridge great tit ,blue tit ,long tailed tit, woodpigeon, mallard on canal,jay calling from woodland opposite, terrapin in canal ,peregrine on pylon nearest the railway as previous, on horrocks flash grey heron, lapwing, cormorant, black headed gull, mallard, terrapin on island, with lapwing, on return peregrine still on pylon, 6 raven or more over scotmans flash, chiffchaff calling in the wooded bit before Pearson's, plenty of black headed gull, and some lesser black backed gull on scotmans.
It is with great pleasure I can confirm that a pair of Marsh Harriers successfully bred for the very first time in the county at this site during the summer.
Raven over ochre flash,3 marsh harriers airborne over bryn flash viewpoint, a cettis warbler seen here too ,also several buzzard,a peregrine falcon on the pylon nearest the canal,another cettis warbler singing near the metal bench 1 30 -3pm today
Spotted Crake heard late yesterday evening from within the reedbed at Horrocks Flash in the farthest E/NE corner as viewed from canal footpath.
This morning the bird has been seen on several occasions very briefly on muddy edges in the same area (VERY roughly at ///camp.first.swing) but viewing is very restricted, rather distant and a telescope probably essential.
A wander today 2pm/4pm,from the canal near st James church,to moss bridge and back,several Cetti’s warblers calling in different locations, reed warbler 3 or 4 seen in the reeds near Pearson's flash, lesser black backed gull, black headed gull, cormorant, sparrowhawk, mallard, canada goose, long tailed tit, blue tit, great tit, reed bunting ,teal ,tufted duck ,coot, moorhen, buzzard over, robin ,2 at least 2 common tern,and 3 swifts
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 29th of April 2023 09:46:28 PM
A wander today 11 30 -13 30 from locks and to moss bridge and back, on westwood flash just a couple of tufted duck, on Pearson's flash cormorant, lesser black backed gull and black headed gull, goldeneye, coot, mallard, moorhen, tufted duck, robin in the bushes between the canal and Pearson's flash,goldfinch, siskin,lesser redpoll on alders on the corner of Pearson's, long tailed tit also in a few places,blue tit, great tit too.I went to the feeding station/screen behind the school and have to report that the tree that carried the existing feeders has now fallen. However the feeder nearest to metal entrance was active with blue tit, great tit ,long tailed tit, and 1 willow tit,jay also seen in nearby trees ,blackbird a few in this area,back along the canal,Canada goose,mallard on canal, scotmans flash goosander female, tufted duck, coot,canada goose, mute swan, great crested grebe, cormorant, pochard, 2 Cetti’s warbler calling this visit.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 14th of March 2023 04:15:24 PM
Mon 13-Mar-23: Lunchtime visit, during which it rained continually. Visibility wasn't great, so I may have missed a few things. Certainly didn't find any Willow Tits.
Afternoon excursion, willow tit on feeder nearest to school also a few at bryn marsh bench (feeders nearby) great spotted woodpecker, 2 raven again ,bullfinch, long tailed tit, coal tit plus usual suspects.also cettis warbler calling in 3 locations
-- Edited by David Hughes on Tuesday 24th of January 2023 03:15:15 PM
Pink-footed Goose 147 over NW in 2 skeins Gadwall 66 Wigeon 33 (two flocks flying around of 13 and 20) Teal 3 Tufted Duck 210 Goldeneye 29 Goosander 8 Little Grebe 4 Great Crested Grebe 1 Coot 177 Willow Tit 1 Colour ringed bird, by the school, at 53.524171, -2.635863. Red over blue on left leg, green over silver on right.