3 male Wigeon and an eclipse male Pintail on the reservoir this evening from 18:45 to 20:00 hrs. The first of the autumn here.
Green Woodpecker flew across the quarry from the SW of the resr and lost to view over East Hill, so covered almost a kilometre in about a minute! Green Woodpecker flight line
Grey Heron - 2
Sunday morning Lapwing - 47 roosting on the old Ramsden Road island which has emerged in recent weeks as the water level has continued to drop Swallow - 6 Chiffchaff - 2 Blackcap - 2 Bullfinch - 2 Lesser Redpoll - 9
Late post from Sat 25th August A Spotted Flycatcher in trees in the NW corner of the reservoir. A traditional location which is sheltered and catches the early morning sun.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Even better than yesterday. Wood Warbler singing in Ramsden Rd plantation just to the north of the windsurfers club house. My first ever for the site, Rochdale and GM
Also Cuckoo heard calling by the hide.
-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Wednesday 9th of May 2018 09:14:25 PM
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
An evening visit after the rain (18:30 - 20:00 hrs) proved productive.
Sedge Warbler - one singing by the hide was the first here for several years. Need to check my records
Cuckoo - heard calling in the distance whilst I was in the hide. I managed to track it down to a fence line below the Shore path. It was silent whilst working its way from post to post along the fence Watergrove Cuckoo
Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling from the Juncus on the moors along Ramsden Road.
-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Tuesday 8th of May 2018 08:37:13 PM
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
A good morning for bird song with sunshine, clear blue sky and a light easterly 08:35 - 11:35 hrs
Willow Warbler - 26 singing from the plantations around the reservoir, well down on last year's record of 37 on 23rd Apil. However, perhaps there are still more to arrive given the late spring. Chiffchaff - 1 singing Grasshopper Warbler - 1 reeling from an area of Juncus on the moor and showing well. Skylark - 4 singing Song Thrush - 1 singing Robin - 8 singing Wren - 6 singing. They seem to have been hit badly by the harsh weather in March, as there was a maximum of 19 singing in April 2017. Dunnock - 2 singing Coal Tit - 2 singing Chaffinch - 6 singing Goldfinch - 2 singing Lesser Redpoll - 2 Reed Bunting - 1 male Bullfinch - 2 Kestrel - 2 Buzzard - 1 soaring to the SE Raven - 1 Tufted Duck - 2 pairs Great Crested Grebe - 1 Canada Goose -1 sitting on nest at a traditional location Lapwing - 2 displaying
Not many other migrants around. No sign of any Curlew or Wheatear. 1 Blackcap was singing yesterday evening near the hide. A late male Siskin was in the treetops on the 18th. The water level is very high at the moment, so no shoreline to attract waders.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
WeBS count 11:20 - 12:45 hrs Later start than usual as I had to walk up due to the snow. Strong easterly blowing making the reservoir very choppy
The highlight was a male Red-breasted Merganser which gave close views on the east side of the reservoir from the vehicle track round to the windsurfers' club house.
Also on the reservoir Goldeneye - 3 Great Crested Grebe 1
On the hide pool Wigeon - pair Tufted Duck - 3 Teal - 9 Snipe - 2 standing in the snow on the edge of the pool
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Two Tree Pipits flew in at 11:35 hrs (identified on call) and perched obligingly on the dam wall for a few minutes before being flushed by dog walkers.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
5 Shelduck were standing out of the water on the hide spit (north shoreline) and 5 Common Scoter (1 male & 4 female/immature) were on the reservoir at 19:10 hrs. All were still present at 20:10 hrs, the scoter illuminated by a beautiful sunset.
A pair of Great Crested Grebes has bred successfully for the first time since 2012. Both adults were with the well grown juvenile.
-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Tuesday 29th of August 2017 08:59:41 PM
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Common Scoter - 2 males and a fem/imm. were on the reservoir at 18:35 hrs and still present when I left at 20:15 hrs Dunlin - an adult in breeding plumage was roosting on the west shoreline Little Ringed Plover - 2 juveniles Wheatear - a male on the fields to the east of Steward Barn
Kingfisher - one dived into the hide pool and flew off with a small fish. Blackcap - 2 singing intermittently Lesser Redpoll - 2 in song flight Grey Wagtail - one feeding at the top of the spillway
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
One of the best mornings at Watergrove in a long time. 07:45 - 10:30 hrs
Shelduck - 5 were circling over the reservoir, calling before I'd left the car park. They landed and were still present at 10:30 hrs. Mallard - female with 9 small ducklings (just a few days old) on the pool by the hide Tufted Duck - pair on the compensation lagoon. There were 7 here yesterday evening. Great Crested Grebe - a pair displaying and warding off a solitary bird. Whimbrel - 3 flew low over the dam at 10:10 hrs within 50 metres of where I was standing. One bird called. Unfortunately, due to the high water levels there is no shoreline for waders to land on at present. They flew east low over the moors. Sand Martin - 3 flew north Swallow - 1 Willow Warbler - 37 singing from the plantations, in several places four birds could be heard singing against each other. This is a minimum count as not all areas of the plantations were visited. A new site record beating the previous of 32 singing on 20th April 2015. Surprisingly, no other warblers heard or seen. Goldcrest - 1 singing Reed Bunting - 1 male Skylark - 4 singing Song Thrush - 1 singing Wheatear - 1 female Raven - 1 flew south calling
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Wigeon 8 (5 males) were on the reservoir at 15:50 hrs Goosander - 2 males looked like they were going to roost overnight Great Crested Grebe - 1 Lapwing - c.40 flew off from the shoreline inside the nature reserve at 16:20 hrs heading west, perhaps going to feed overnight on the fields.
Two groups of snipe heard calling as they flew out of the roost on the hide pool. On 19th November, I counted 22 leaving the roost in small groups over a ten minute period, about 30 minutes after sunset. All flying high up to the south, nicely silhouetted against a clear sky, making them easy to count These were presumably going off to feed somewhere.
This morning. just before the "Park" Run hoardes arrived: Bullfinch - 4 feeding on Rowan Berries Long-tailed tit - a flock of 13 Treecreeper - 1
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Wigeon - 18 at 16:30 hrs, still present at 18:00 hrs Pink-footed Geese - 200+ came in from the east at 17:40 hrs and flew west Teal - 6 Tufted Duck - 1 Lapwing - c.40 landed on the inside of the dam Fieldfare - a flock of 42 spooked by a Sparrowhawk Kingfisher heard calling on the hide pool at dusk Goldcrest - 5
Several Brambling heard calling in flight this morning in the low cloud.
It is good to see that United Utilities have put a sign up on the north shoreline informing people that the area is a nature reserve and that there is no public access. All it needs now is for the fence to be fixed to keep out those who can't read
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
21 Wigeon on the reservoir at 18:00 hrs, looking settled, so probably going to roost overnight. Males emerging from eclipse. Typically they weren't present on the WeBS count this morning, nor at 2.30pm. Perhaps they had already been logged on another water and delayed their arrival to avoid being double-counted
Not a lot to report on the WeBS count itself apart from: Teal - 4 Goosander - 2 red heads (my first of the autumn here) Cormorant - 1 Lapwing - 67 Snipe - 2
In addition this morning: Sparrowhawk - 1 Chiffchaff - 1 Raven - 1 flew low over WTW Lesser Redpoll - 17
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
15 Wigeon were on the reservoir at 09:35 hrs and still present at 12:15 hrs.
Swallow - one flew south Lapwing - 30 on hide spit until flushed repeatedly by walkers following the shoreline through what is supposed to be part of the nature reserve. Someone has helpfully cut through the barbed wire fence to make it easier for them Snipe - 2 on the hide pool Raven - one landed on the pylon to the SW of the reservoir Redwing - 5 flew north Chiffchaff - 2
This evening a Kingfisher was calling at dusk by the hide pool.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Two new species for Watergrove in one morning is a rare event.
A Willow Tit was calling along Higher Slack Brook to north of reservoir by the steps at SD909188. My initial thoughts were it was the Marsh Tit returning but call was conclusive. Managed to take a poor quality photo.
The next surprise was a Little Egret which flew west towards Brown Wardle ( aka Dotterel Hill) at 10:55 hrs. My first ever in Rochdale.
Whilst both species may be regularly seen elsewhere in GM they are both scarce birds in Rochdale.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
2 Whimbrel on the spit (island) in front of the windsurfer's club house at 19:00 hrs this evening. One bird noticeably larger than the other. Common Sandpiper - 2 displaying. Blackcap, Chiffchaff and 4 Willow Warbler singing.
Ironically, whilst the rest of Rochdale has enjoyed record breaking numbers of Greenshank, Whimbrel and Wood Sandpiper this spring, wader passage has been very poor here due to high water levels.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
7 Redshank circled over the reservoir this morning, calling, before flying off high to the north. A record count for the site.
Whilst walking across the moors this afternoon Zoe Barrett, got on to a female type Marsh Harrier which was flying relatively low in a NW direction, struggling against the strong NW wind. At one point the bird turned to show its cream crown and landed twice on the slope of Brown Wardle before disappearing over the brow of the hill. The first I've seen in Rochdale and only the 3rd record for the borough.
The harrier made up for the disappointment of not finding any Dotterel on Brown Wardle.
2 Wheatear on the hill and four on fields to the south.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
08:30 to 10:30 hrs. Temperature a balmy 3C at start. Cold NW wind.
Willow Warbler - 25 singing during full circuit of the reservoir not matching last year's all time record count of 32 singing on 20th April. Perhaps there are more to arrive. Chiffchaff - 1 singing Grasshopper Warbler - 1 heard reeling in Juncus field to north of Little Town (first of the year here) Whitethroat - 1 singing to the north of the hide (also first of the year here) Teal - pair on hide pool Great Crested Grebe - pair Swallow - 5 Goldcrest - 1 singing Song Thrush - a pair Linnet - 1 flew north
-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Sunday 24th of April 2016 01:46:02 PM
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Willow Warbler - 4 singing this morning on only a partial circuit of the reservoir Chiffchaff - 1 singing Swallow - 2 flew south over reservoir Great Crested Grebe - 2 Green Woodpecker showed well Lesser Redpoll - 2 Jay - 2 flying around making strange calls, one of which sounded like a horse whinnying!
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
3 female Goldeneye on the reservoir at 09:00 hrs were the first I've seen here since the WeBS count in October 2013. They used to be an annual winter visitor but have become very scarce in recent years. Also seen this morning:
Cormorant - 1
Great Crested Grebe - 1
Siskin - 4
Lesser Redpoll - 4
Yesterday afternoon a treecreeper was just outside the hide with 4 Long-tailed tits and a Goldcrest
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
The almost full moon and clear skies overnight have brought the autumn's first influx of ducks to Watergrove. A mixed flock of 16 Teal and 13 Wigeon were on the reservoir at 08:00 hrs. They were flushed by someone (clearly not in need of a megaphone ) shouting at the top of their voice. The Wigeon droppped back down onto the water fairly quickly but the Teal disappeared for nearly 30 mins and then returned. By 09:25 hrs the Teal had built up to 23 birds.
Cormorant - 5 roosting on the former Ramsden Road spit (revealed by the low water level) with 25 Lapwings, until flushed by a photographer. Chiffchaff - 3 including one in sub-song Lesser Repoll - 6 Green Woodpecker - heard calling Grey Wagtail - 2 House Martin - 5 high up
A small skein of Pink-footed Geese, probably about 30 birds, were high up to the SW at 09:30 hrs, heading south.
Snipe - 2 seen from the hide by Deon Meadowcroft
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
A Cuckoo was heard calling this evening. From the direction of the sound the bird was covering quite a large area to the north of the reservoir. By a stroke of luck, I chose the right place to look for it, along the track which runs from Ramsden Road (north of Little Town) down to the reservoir.
It was perched low down on the eastern edge of the plantation, north of the reservoir, close to where the pair was seen last May (approx. grid ref SD909185). At one point it dropped down to the ground and flew up onto a fence post with what looked like a very large caterpillar. It was mobbed a couple of times by a meadow pipit and then took flight chased by a crow, finally flew into a tree and began calling.
Also a Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling from the Juncus to the north of the track.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Male Common Scoter present until at least 10.30am Teal - a pair Great Crested Grebe - a pair Redshank - a pair displaying Common Sandpiper -1 Lapwing - 1 diving at a Carrion Crow Sand Martin - 40+ hawking over the reservoir Blackcap - 1 singing by club house Whitethroat - 1 singing to the north of the hide (the first of the year here) Willow Warbler - 10 singing between car park and hide Pair of Coal Tits courtship feeding on fat balls Blue Tit carrying nesting material No sign of the Marsh Tit since 14th April, as far as I'm aware, but it may be spending its time in the plantations now there is plenty of natural food available Lesser Redpoll - 4 in display flight together
Thursday evening (23rd April) - a Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling by the hide.
-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Sunday 26th of April 2015 11:35:28 AM
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
A female Common Scoter was on the reservoir this evening and a Ringed Plover feeding on the eastern spit.
The Marsh Tit was at the feeding station by the club house and intimidated a Lesser Redpoll into vacating the nyger seed feeder. The bird was heard calling early last week but the lack of song makes me think this is a female. According to the article, The Ecology and Conservation of the Marsh Tit in Britain, published in the January issue of British Birds females do disperse further than males.
Little sign of any migrants apart from 3 Willow Warblers singing. Perhaps not surprising, as after the warm weather of a few days ago, it feels more like winter again.
Present this morning Teal - 3 Oystercatcher - 2 Great Crested Grebe - pair
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
The Wigeon flock had increased to 33 (15 males) this evening and they were calling, bathing and standing up out of the water wing flapping. Perhaps the birds calling this morning had brought down the others as they were flying over. Still present at 18:50hrs, they may be waiting for darkness before continuing on their journey. Conditions are near perfect for migration with a light westerly and clear skies. Also a beautiful sunset.
This equals the previous highest count from Watergrove of 33 Wigeon which flew in as a single flock and landed on the water on 9th September 2006.
A pair of Oystercatchers flew in and landed on the spit by the hide path.
-- Edited by Steve Atkins on Sunday 22nd of March 2015 07:35:31 PM
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
My last sighting was on 7th March when it was puffing out its chest and following a pair of Coal Tits around, behaviour perhaps indicative of a male It was also following a pair of displaying Coal Tits on 14th Feb and seen following a single Coal Tit on 24th Feb.
Alan Nuttall saw it on 16th March. I've not been able to get up to Watergrove this week due to problems with my car.
It has been strangely silent since early January and I've rarely heard it call and certainly not sing. I had hoped to make use of GMLRC's sound recording equipment but there has been no point in taking it up there.
Good luck with your record attempt.
Regards
Steve
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Hi Steve, I've been doing a few "big morning" counts recently at Low Barns (one of my local patches in Co. Durham) with a view to a record attempt in a few weeks time after Easter. I'm hearing our marsh Tits now singing (as opposed to just calling) and consequently rather easier to locate at distance. I wondered if you still have your Watergrove bird present, and if so, has it started to sing at all?
Regards, Mike P.
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Challenges are inevitable, but failure is optional.
09:00 - 10:15 hrs Sunny at first, then clouded over and became misty. Light NE
Skylark - 6 flew north calling. The first I've seen here this spring. A vis mig watch would have produced a lot more Lesser Redpoll - 5 Chaffinch - 1 in full song (birds were in sub-song last Sunday) Dunnock - 4 singing
Spit on north shoreline Lapwing - 24 Black-headed Gull - 43 Common Gull - 27 Herring Gull -1
Pools by the hide (which will be open all day) Goosander - 2 males and 2 red heads Tufted Duck - 2 males and a female diving and feeding Teal - 13
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Main sighting were at the feeding station- with Lesser Redpolls Long Tailed, Marsh, Coal, Great, and Blue Tits, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch, Jay, Blackbird, Robin Reed Bunting and a Kestrel
-- Edited by Ian Boote on Monday 26th of January 2015 12:36:19 PM
Walk around a snowy and foggy Watergrove 11-12amno need for a scope! Highlight was the busy feeding station; loads of Tits, great views of Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting and finches. Thought we would miss out on the Marsh Tit, but then my better half spotted it as we walked about 20m up to the gate to the woods, with a group of foraging Long-tailed Tits. Lots of people enjoying the opportunity to toboggan down the reservoir banks as we got back to the car too! Cheers Nev
Marsh tit showed briefly just after dinner time today. Other pleasing subjects were a couple of lesser redpoll and a reed bunting. Nice to catch up with Alan Nuttall too.
marsh tit still present also a male brambling showing well for about half an hour this morning along with greenfinch,chaffinch,goldfinch,lesser redpoll,blue,great,long-tailed tits,dunnock,robin all on the feeders by the surf club 4 snipe 2 teal heron and a kestrel on the hide pond .sparrowhawk chasing a flock of fieldfare over little town, great spotted woodpecker on the second feeding station redwing further up ramsden rd along with reed bunting and pheasant
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 4th of January 2015 09:26:54 PM
The Marsh Tit was showing well at the feeding station by the windsurfers' club house this morning, even hiding a sunflower seed in a lichen. Here's an interesting quote from the Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland (1981-84):
Marsh Tits generally feed rather low in the woodland profile and especially in the shrub layer. However, beechmast and other tree seeds form an important part of the diet in winter. Like the coal tit, this species is subordinate to great and blue tits. This may explain why coal tits and marsh tits hoard seed in winter. Marsh Tits tend to hoard seeds and insects in the morning, usually retrieving them the same day, although seeds may remain for three days before retrieval. Food items are stored individually in moss on or near the ground. Recent laboratory studies show that marsh tits have tremendous powers of recall, and usually remember where they have stored food.
There is a second feeding station approx. 100 yards up Ramsden Rd on the right and the bird is spending quite a bit of time here and can often be heard calling "pitchoo" from the plantations either side of the cobbled road.
So, hopefully the Marsh Tit will be around on New Year's Day, providing it avoids the attentions of the local Sparrowhawk
Also seen this morning: Green Woodpecker Great Spotted Woodpecker Snipe - 1 on the pools by the hide Teal - 20 Tufted Duck - 5 Great Crested Grebe - 2 Kestrel - one hunting over the snow covered moors
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
The Marsh Tit was present at the feeders today, on the edge of the plantation, by the windsurfers' club house and has been seen on a daily basis throughout December. Many thanks to Antony Dore who has endured some pretty unpleasant weather over the past month on his daily visits to replenish the feeders. He walks from his home and back which amounts to a four mile round trip. He has posted some excellent video footage and still photos on the Friends of Watergrove Facebook page Facebook
I'll post an update on New Year's eve in case anyone is planning a special trip to Watergrove on New Year's Day. I can't imagine why
This bird has broken the Healey Dell record set in January 2001 for the longest staying Marsh Tit in Rochdale and has now been resident at Watergrove for two months and seven days. The nearest known breeding populations are in the Derbyshire Peak District (Woodhead Pass area) which is approx. 16 miles to the South East, and in the Hodder Valley, East Lancashire (Clitheroe area) which is approx. 20 miles to the North West.
According to the Systematic List on Manchester Birding the last long staying Marsh Tit Marsh Tit seen elsewhere in GM was at Brook Wood, Sale and in nearby gardens between Sep 1997 and Aug 2000.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
The marsh tit is still present for its 41st day. That Healey Dell record (49 days) is looking very shaky . The bird was at the original feeding station approx. 100 metres up the cobbled road, collecting food and flying off presumably to cache it somewhere. It is now calling "pitchoo" quite loudly.
Apart from the Healey Dell bird it would appear that the only other confirmed record of this species in Rochdale was at Bamford Wood on 28th March 1975 when a bird was calling. Source: Birds in Rochdale 1900-1977 by Peter Hill.
A kingfisher was on the main pool by the hide with 2 male Teal and a Grey Heron.
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Rochdale twitch! If I am lucky enough to birdwatch in Rochdale another ten years I don't think today's observations of six species of tits will be beaten. Watergrove,Marsh,Coal,long tail,Blue,Great tit Private garden in Rochdale produced a splendid Willow tit this bird was my second in Rochdale. Cheers Alan
After looking again at the feeders (Marsh Tit et alia), including good close views of Lesser Redpolls and an opportunity to judge these critically and get my "eye in" (ahead of hunting for Common Redpoll this winter!) I had a walk along the track which cuts off to the west from the main road up to Little Town, and heard a Chiffchaff singing somewhat tentatively in the plantation there, but before I could pin it down by triangulating from a little further along the path, a couple approached and engaged me in conversation, during which time of course, I lost it.
It was very pleasant but quite windy, with no sign of your previous day's Dunlin, the island being fully occupied by: 1 Cormorant, Lapwings, several Lesser-black-backed Gulls, Common Gulls and Black-headed Gulls. I did note 3 Snipe still, viewed earlier from the approach path to the hide.
Cheers, Mike P.
Hi Mike,
Watergrove is a good place for obtaining close up views of Lesser Redpolls. Although there have never been any Common (Mealy) Redpolls records submitted from the site. Dunlin rarely spend more than a day at Watergrove. It was my first of the year here in what has been a very poor year for waders generally. Probably, due at least partly, to the high pressure dominating our weather during September and October.
The Marsh Tit was still present this morning, landing on the feeders whilst I was topping them up, no more than five feet from where I was standing. So it's now been here for 21 days. A Woodcock flushed 1 metre from the path down to the reservoir, to the east of Roads Farm, nearly giving me a heart attack!
Cheers
Steve
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
Hi Alan Not sure if you were the guy with the scope we passed, but my wife and I had a very enjoyable first visit to Watergrove this morning despite the rain setting in later: Marsh Tit was very obliging on the feeders and it was good to see the Whoopers (I think they exited about 11am after doing a circuit). Unfortunately no scope to get close ups of the Gulls on the island, but 1st Winter Common Gull was on the reservoir wall as we were leaving. Lesser Redpoll 6 Reed Bunting 8 Fieldfare 25+ Bullfinch 5 Goldcrest 4 plus many other common species31 sp total Cheers Nev
2 Whooper Swans present for their second day. Marsh Tit still present but feeders being taken by unscrupulous types, so anyone with any spare please get in touch with myself or Alan Nuttall.