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Post Info TOPIC: Castleshaw Reservoirs
Mark Rigby


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RE: Castleshaw Reservoirs
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0900-1230

4 Whooper Swan (still present at 1345)
4 Snipe
150 Lapwing
2 Tufted Duck
6 Goosander
4 Teal
2 Little Grebe
2 Buzzard
10 Crossbill
Skylark
20 Meadow Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Several Goldcrest

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Ian Campbell


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James Walsh wrote:

4 adult Whooper Swans on Castleshaw Lower Reservoir still present 10am



I was there at 1st light, for the Red-crested pochard and the Swans were not present(neither were the Pochard) when I left at around 9ish, such is lifedisbelief. (GM Year list now 168 after yesterdays Red-throated Diver at Pennington)

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James Walsh


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4 adult Whooper Swans on Castleshaw Lower Reservoir still present 10am

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Mark Rigby


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3 Red-crested Pochard still present at dusk on Lower reservoir favouring the area of grass near junction of Cote Lane and dam.

5 Teal
4 Goosander
150+ Lapwing
Little Grebe (B.Stanley)

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Steve Suttill


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10.30 - 11.20

Big surprise - one male and two female RED-CRESTED POCHARDS - might be expected in a Stockport park but surely not up here? Seemed settled in at dam end of lower reservoir when I left.

also:
7 Cormorants
4 Teal
22+ Mallard
3 redhead Goosander
50+ Black-headed Gull
3 Common Gull
200+ Lapwing on upper resr
Little Grebe
juvenile Heron
29 Canada Geese

Around car park - Goldfinches, 2 Reed Bunting, House Sparrow.
(added seed to feeder)



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Steve "Make your birdwatching count!"
Mark Rigby


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1000-1130

160+ Lapwing
5 Goosander
2 Teal
27 Mallard
7 Cormorant
40+ Fieldfare
25+ Meadow Pipit
Grey Wagtail
3 Stonechat
12 Chaffinch
3 Goldcrest
Blue Tit
Robin
Wren



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Mark Rigby


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1030-1200

Little Grebe
4 Goosander
25 Mallard
2 Teal
6 Cormorant
182 Lapwing
2 Common Gull
40 Black-headed Gull
20+ Meadow Pipit
6 Goldfinch
Blackbird
Blue Tit

Feeding station has been re-commissioned so feel free to bring some seed, peanuts or fat balls if you visit!

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Steve Suttill


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10.30 - 11.20

10 Cormorants
3 Teal
26 Mallard
3 redhead Goosander
17 Black-headed Gull
3 Common Gull
33 Lapwing on lower resr
2 Snipe (through Mr O'Neil's scope)
4 Pied Wagtail
no Canada Geese!

Around car park - biggish flock ofGoldfinches and 2 Reed Bunting


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Steve "Make your birdwatching count!"
Mark Rigby


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0900-1130 with Barry Stanley

Little Grebe
2 Goosander
80 Lapwing
5 Teal
24 Mallard
40 Black-headed Gull
4 Common Gull
7 Cormorant
Kingfisher
100 Canada Goose
2 Kestrel
40 Redwing
6 Starling
2 Mistle Thrush
Blackbird
2 Reed Bunting
2 Robin
Dunnock
2 Meadow Pipit

Very cold and windy cry

-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Sunday 23rd of October 2016 01:09:27 PM

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Steve Suttill


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10.30 - 11.20

16 Cormorants
1 Heron
1 Teal
34 Mallard
1 redhead Goosander
14 Canada Geese
20 Black-headed Gull
100+ Lapwing (most on shore of upper resr.)

Much small bird acivity round car park - mainly Goldfinches, but also Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Wren & Blackbird.

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Steve "Make your birdwatching count!"
Mark Rigby


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Mid morning

6 Snipe on lower reservoir
75 Lapwing
2 Wigeon
3 Teal
Goosander
55 Mallard
18 Cormorant
Heron
Dipper walking around edge of Upper res.
6-8 Goldcrest
Blue Tit
Robin
Blackbird

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Mark Rigby


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Early afternoon

17 Cormorant
Little Grebe
Wigeon
3 Teal
2 Goosander
55 Mallard
c70 Lapwing
220 Canada Goose
Chiffchaff
5 Stonechat (Possibly 7 present)
Goldfinch
Reed Bunting
Meadow Pipit
Siskin
Chaffinch

B.Stanley had a Swallow earlier this morning


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Steve Suttill


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10.15 - 11.15

18 Cormorants
1 Heron
3 Teal
33 Mallard
2 redhead Goosander
No Canada Geese!
14 Black-headed Gull
1 Common Gull
c20 Lapwing
6 Meadow Pipit
1 Wheatear and 5 Pied Wagtail feeding on shore under attack from a Stoat which kept dashing out from shelter of the rushes.

Kingfisher on top resr

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Mark Rigby


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0915-1115

5 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
Several Goldcrest
2 Bullfinch
3 Wheatear
2 Stonechat
55 Meadow Pipit
15 Blackbird
Reed Bunting
25 Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
15 Swallow
Kestrel
Buzzard
Heron
53 Canada Goose
2 Wigeon
4 Teal
50 Mallard

33 species in total



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JSPALDING


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About 30 swallows passing through, 2 stonechat, plus the usual mixture.



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Steve Suttill


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late report for Thursday 15/09 11am-noon:

Upper resr:
15 Cormorants (moved to Lower resr when disturbed by canoeists). 35 Lapwing (also flew off when disturbed)

Lower resr:
2 Heron,
1 Teal with Mallards,
remarkably few Canada Geese.
6 Pied Wagtails
6 Meadow Pipits
7 Black-headed Gulls

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Mark Rigby


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0940-1045

14 Lapwing
13 Cormorant
5 Teal
32 Mallard
150+ Black-headed Gull
12 Common Gull
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
2 Wheatear
20 Meadow Pipit
35 Pied Wagtail

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Mark Rigby


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Late news for 9/9/16

Juv Peregrine hunting around the reservoirs.

11/09/16

3 Snipe
72 Lapwing
4 Stonechat
3 Wheatear
Grey Wagtail
30 Pied Wagtail
35 Meadow Pipit
150 Swallow
12 House Martin
3 Teal
2 Kestrel
13 Cormorant
2 Heron Kingfisher in channel on lower res

-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Sunday 11th of September 2016 08:36:05 PM

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Mark Rigby


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0930-1330 with B.Stanley

6 Canada Goose
55 Mallard
Teal
2 Heron
3 Coot
16 Cormorant
Pheasant
Hobby flew over Low Barn
2 Kestrel
3 Buzzard
6 Lapwing
33 Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
50 Swallow
House Martin
2 Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Jay
4 Raven
Wren
Goldfinch
Chiffchaff
Chaffinch
30 Linnet
35 Meadow Pipit
2 Wheatear
Robin





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Mark Rigby


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Late morning with Andy Platt and Barry Stanley

Redstart-male in hedge along Dirty Lane.
3 Buzzard
Kestrel
Merlin-behind Low Bank.
3 Willow Warbler
2 Robin
3 Blue Tit
50+ Meadow Pipit
35+ Goldfinch
100+ House Martin with many moving through.
150+ Swallow
Goosander
49 Mallard
18 Cormorant
12 Black-headed Gull.


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Mark Rigby


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Early morning

Buzzard
Kestrel
2 Heron
15 Teal
4 Mallard
Snipe
Stock Dove
150+ Swallow
Wheatear
50+ Meadow Pipit
2 Grey Wagtail
4 Blue Tit
15 Goldfinch
Wren
Reed Bunting

Barry Stanley found a Lesser Whitethroat and a Goldcrest in the dip. I could only find a juv Whitethroat in the car park area. Both Whitethroat sp. are not common here so good records.
Cracking make Redstart in Redstart hedge with possibly 1-2 juv also present at 1345hrs

-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Sunday 28th of August 2016 02:41:57 PM

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Mark Rigby


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Mid morning and mid afternoon visits with a bit of movement evident (at last!)

Buzzard
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Merlin
18 Cormorant
47 Canada Goose
37 Mallard
Grey Heron
100+ House Martin heading slowly south
150+ Swallow
4-5 Wheatear
2 Spotted Flycatcher
3 Goldcrest
3 Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
20 Meadow Pipit
12 Goldfinch
2 Blue Tit
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
5 Blackbird
Robin
Treecreeper (G.Crowder)


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Mark Rigby


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Quiet this morning

14 Cormorant
Great Crested Grebe
37 Mallard
15 Black-headed Gull
3 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Grey Heron
50+ Swallow over Fort
2 Grey Wagtail

-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Thursday 25th of August 2016 02:34:21 PM

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Mark Rigby


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Mid morning and mid afternoon (with B.Stanley)

15 Cormorant
Great Crested Grebe
39 Mallard
3 Coot
2 Heron
Buzzard (A.Platt)
2 Raven (B.Stanley)
Whinchat in the bay
4 Wheatear (B.Stanley)
Skylark
2 Meadow Pipit
12 Goldfinch
Willow Warbler
Great Spotted Woodpecker (B.Stanley)


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Steve Suttill


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an hour late morning:

1 Lapwing
2 Great Crested Grebe (one on each reservoir)
10 Cormorant (9 on top reservoir)
4 Grey Heron
190+ Canada Geese
41 Mallard
2 Willow Warblers (calling from hedge)

2 double-decker buses full of teenagers confuse

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Mark Rigby


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Mid afternoon

21 Lapwing
Great Crested Grebe
Little Grebe
31 Mallard
145 Canada Goose
9 Cormorant
11 Black-headed Gull

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Steve Suttill


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an hour late morning - Lower reservoir only:

10 Lapwing
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Little Grebe
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorant
2 Grey Heron
plenty of Canada Geese & Mallard
good numbers of Swallow, fewer House Martins and the odd Swift
Pied Wagtail
6 Goldfinch
2 Robin
2 Willow Warblers


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Steve "Make your birdwatching count!"
Mark Rigby


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Early to mid morning and mid afternoon

8 Lapwing
Common Sandpiper
Greylag Goose
169 Canada Goose
Teal
2 Tufted Duck
38 Mallard
6 Coot
Little Grebe
Buzzard
Kestrel
6 Swift
50 Swallow
2 Grey Wagtail
4 Pied Wagtail
11 Goldfinch
Robin
Skylark
Linnet


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Mark Rigby


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Late evening till dark

2 Common Sandpiper
35 Mallard
187 Canada Goose
5 Coot (3 juv)
150-200 Swallow dropped in and seemed to be going to roost on the dam bank. Landed and settled in the long grass for a couple of minutes before flying off high to the south.
Sand Martin
6 Swift

Barry Stanley had Buzzard and 32 Lapwing over earlier.

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Mark Rigby


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Late evening

Grey Heron
Oystercarcher
6 Lapwing
Greylag Goose
158 Canada Goose
35 Mallard
2 Tufted Duck
2 Cormorant
7 Goldfinch
Pied Wagtail

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Steve Suttill


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20.00 - 20.45 this evening:

32 Lapwing flew in to roost.
Oystercatchers heard but not seen.
One Greylag in with the large numbers of moulting Canada Geese.
Not enough hirundines to keep down the midge numbers!


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Mark Rigby


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0930-1100 with B.Stanley

2 Grey Heron
2 Tufted Duck
33 Mallard
Greylag Goose
150+ Canada Goose
Cormorant
3 Common Sandpiper (inc 1 juv bird )
Oystercatcher
Kestrel
Coot with young
Grasshopper Warbler
Reed Bunting
Goldfinch
Meadow Pipit
Skylark


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Mark Rigby


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5/7/16 0830-1100

2 Grey Heron
6 Coot (2ad+4 juv)
2 Buzzard
3 Common Sandpiper
2 Tufted Duck
36 Mallard
169 Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
20 Sand Martin through
150 Swallow
50 Swift
Wheatear (male on lower dam wall)
2 Grasshopper Warbler inc 1 juv bird being fed
2 Meadow Pipit
Skylark


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Mark Rigby


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Been pretty quiet recently

This morning

Great Crested Grebe
2 Ad Coot and at least 4 young
Heron
Common Sandpiper
Greylag Goose
150 Canada Goose
35 Mallard
6 Sand Martin through to the south

Yesterday

2 Oystercatcher
2 Redshank
50 Swift, 100 Swallow and 5 House Martin hawking insects along top bank.



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Mark Rigby


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Mid morning

2 Redshank
3 Common Sandpiper
3 Oystercatcher
Curlew
Greylag Goose
171 Canada Goose
2 Tufted Duck
35 Mallard
30 Swift
2 Coot feeding young


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Graham Beverley


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08:00-09:30
2 Redshank
2 Oystercatcher
Common Sandpiper
Buzzard
Redpoll
Skylark
Swifts
Swallows
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
Grey Heron
Coot + young
Grasshopper Warbler heard

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Graham
Mark Rigby


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Pretty quiet recentley

The Oystercatchers appear to have had another failed breeding attempt. 4 broods totalling 10 eggs, all predated disbelief

Coot have done better with 5/6 young seen this morning.

Greylag Goose
25 Mallard
2 Common Sandpiper
Lapwing
3 Buzzard

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Mark Rigby


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Late afternoon

Greylag Goose associating with the 89 Canada Goose
2 Oystercatcher
Redshank
8 Mallard

Otherwise dead!

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Graham Beverley


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08:10-10:00
Swallows,Swifts and House Martins putting on a fantastic show in the windy conditions passing within feet of me on lower bank
Goosander f
2 Coot
1 Grey Heron
1 Redshank
Skylark
Pied Wagtail
Meadow Pipits
2 Tufted Duck
Common Sandpiper
Great Crested Grebe 2
Grasshopper Warbler heard

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Graham
Mark Rigby


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Late morning

Garden Warbler singing and showed briefly in garden at Low Bank.

Subsequent searching found Spotted Flycatcher and singing Blackcap near farm. ( G Crowder)

Otherwise it's been quiet for the last week or so! disbelief

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JSPALDING


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Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher plus Grasshopper Warbler and Whitethroat down in the valley.



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JSPALDING


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No sign of the diver this morning.



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Mark Rigby


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It looks like the Great Northern Diver has finally departed after its 118 day visit. There was no sign this morning or late afternoon. I still need to check pre 1999 records but it's looking like its got the record for the longest staying bird in GM.

When it first appeared on January 27th it was very flighty between the top and lower reservoirs but settled on the lower reservoir for several weeks as it moulted and became flightless. In the last few weeks it started to make small flights across the lower reservoir then became flighty between the 2 reservoirs again for the last couple of weeks.

The last photos I took on 18th May attached

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Ian McKerchar


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colin davies wrote:

So does the diver look exactly the same as when it was first seen or is it showing signs of adult plumage? It's being reported on birdguides as a juvenile but it's about a year old now!




The bird is showing signs of moult and should be classed as an immature by now. See Gary Crowders images further down this thread from April 2016 and note the moult in upperwing coverts and scapulars. Some second calendar year birds moult into an adult non-breeding type plumage which this bird is well into; note its much more square shaped new scapulars complete with pale greyish internals on both webs. Other birds moult into something similar but with slightly more adult breeding type features apparently.

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Simon Gough


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I was up there about 3 weeks ago and the bird didn't look to have progressed from juvenile plumage at all, but I'm no expert. It was pretty dark over the back but there was no hint of the beautiful patterned plumage of a summer adult. I had expected some sort of transition. That said, the only summer plumage bird I've ever seen was in mid-November, so presumably there is lots of variability in the timing of the moults.



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colin davies


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So does the diver look exactly the same as when it was first seen or is it showing signs of adult plumage? It's being reported on birdguides as a juvenile but it's about a year old now!

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Mark Rigby


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Great Northern Diver on top res at 1720hrs

2 Redshank the only other bird of note in torrential rain
hmm

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Mark Rigby


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Great Northern Diver on top res at 1145hrs

Common Sandpiper
2 Oystercatcher
Tufted Duck
Buzzard
15 Swift

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Mark Rigby


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Great Northern Diver on top res at 0915hrs

Swifts, House Martin, Swallows and a lone Sand Martin on lower.

Common Sandpiper
Oystercatcher
Tufted Duck

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Mark Rigby


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Great Northern Diver on top reservoir

2 Redshank
4 Common Sandpiper
4 Oystercatcher
Tufted Duck
Buzzard
Mallard with 1 duckling
Stock Dove
Robin with 3 fledglings


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