Numbers up again late afternoon c700 Black-headed gulls in total - 2 flocks - 1 of about 200 gulls on school playing fields - the other over 500 on football pitches immediately on left as you enter from Turn Moss Road/Lane. Many following the tractor cutting the grass! No sign of Mediterrian Gull in large flock - the second flock was too distant for detailed scan with binoculars. Also; Lesser Black-backed gull 2 Woodpigeons 70+ Starling 1 flock of c40 birds Swallow 7
Had a look at 6.45am this morning could not find redstart.going back past at 10.25am and found it again still in same area despite the football being played.
I popped down on my bike, arriving at about 6:45pm but having not been to the site before, didn't really know where to look and wasn't fortunate enough to bump into Messrs Burke and Kelly. Darn!
ollie,we were still there at that time,a shame,but it is a large area. i have given a description off the area,but it might be too late now or not its still worth a look around the area. good luck if you do.
I popped down on my bike, arriving at about 6:45pm but having not been to the site before, didn't really know where to look and wasn't fortunate enough to bump into Messrs Burke and Kelly. Darn!
got here just after 5pm walked across the field to my right and headed for the top corner off the schools fenced off field which has hawthorns along the top fence and after counting the woodpigeons just got to the corner and a REDSTART a fine looking male was feeding low to the ground on and off the hawthorns onto the grass,it was a bit wary so i kept my distance but carried on watching it for a good couple off hours,it was always keeping low to the ground but did disappear every now and then. after letting ian know about my find i got in touch with phil kelly and he was there in 15 mins,so was nice to have someone else see it and to my surprise it was actually a lifer for phil your welcome phil and thanks for the lift back.
other birds..
2 willow warblers 200+ woodpigeons 1 pied wagtail 2 great tits 2 blue tits 2 jackdaws 4 crows lots off magpies great spotted woodpecker (heard )
because the football on the pitches all (or most) off the gulls were in the school fields...
218 common gulls & there were still several more in flight. the largest amount i have ever counted there. 100+ b h gulls 3 l b b gulls 6 mistle thrushes jackdaws & starlings
2 buzzards over heading towards sale water park at 12.15pm
Common Gull (most numerous species) Black-headed Gull 7 Lesser Black-Backed Gull 30 Redwing 2 Mistle Thrush 6 Carrion crow 3 Blackbird Magpies in large numbers (I ran out of rhyme ages before I ran out of birds) 20 Wood Pigeon 3 Bullfinch (in the trees near the changing rooms) 1 Teal (mooching around a very large puddle)
A very large flock of gulls on the playing fields today. Mostly the usual Black- headed kind but also a fair few Common Gulls and at least 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. There was a mixed flock of Starlings and Redwings (c. 12 7 24 respectively).