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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD SIGHTINGS -> WIGAN FLASHES
Post Info TOPIC: WIGAN FLASHES
David Hughes


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RE: WIGAN FLASHES
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Brief wander this afternoon, a few Martins, a few swallow,and 1 swift 15 30pm



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John Williams


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Midday visit

Westwood Flash:-

3 Little Grebes, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Tufted Duck and 1 Great Crested Grebe.

Pearson's Flash:-

17 Tufted Ducks, 4 Gadwall, 5 Mute Swans, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cormorant and 6 Little Grebes.

Also 2 Peregrines that initially had a small aerial tussle than settled down and soared high the flash for a while.

There was a clear difference in size, and seemed to be male and female.

Scotsman's Flash

7 Great Crested Grebes and 4 Little Grebes.

Apologies, I omitted to count the ducks, swans and cormorants.

I had a quick scan through the gulls though, and could not find anything unusual.

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John Williams
Ian Woosey


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29/6/26

 

Great White Egret & Little Egret on Scotman's Flash this morning. 

Also another Little Egret over Moss Bridge.

2 Ravens

6 Buzzards around Ochre Flash

20+ Common Terns all over site.

Kestrel

 



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Simon Warford


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adult Whooper Swan still on Horrock's Flash yesterday late evening.

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Ian McKerchar


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Adult unringed Whooper Swan on Horrocks Flash, also 3 pair of Common Terns and a Cuckoo singing at the back.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes



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David Hughes


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Female Marsh harrier over bryn marsh, willow tit from metal bench bryn marsh ,buzzard displaying over too. Sedge warbler singing also.



-- Edited by David Hughes on Thursday 16th of April 2026 01:14:36 PM

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Ian McKerchar


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Three female Common Scoters on Scotmans Flash this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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David Hughes


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2 Whooper swan South end scotmans 12 37

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Michael Hood


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Both the male Scaup and the hybrid on Pearson's this afternoon - both with the Tufteds. Hybrid difficult to properly spot because of the amount they were all diving (and having to be sure hadn't just required the Scaup when it came back up) and before you could be 100% certain it was back down again.

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munsworth


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5 black necked grebe on Scotsman's 11.45. Male Scaup also



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John Williams


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Many thanks Ian, it's just nice to have such a enigmatic duck it our area to look out for.



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John Williams
Ian McKerchar


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The Pearsons Scaup is in fact a rather stunning (Tufted x ‘scaup’/ Tufted x Pochard) hybrid!



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John Williams


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Late Morning visit, Packed up when the rain started at 13.00.

Scotsmans Flash

1 drake Scaup with 22 Tufted Ducks all along the Southern side of the flash,

probably due to boating taking place.

Also on the flash were 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1f Goldeneye, and 3 Common Gulls.

Pearsons Flash

Another drake Scaup (I'm pretty sure it was not the bird seen on Scotsmans), 50 Tufted Ducks,

22 Gadwall, 2m+2f Shovelers, an amazing 17 Goldeneyes (5m), 2prs of Teal,

2 Sand Martins flying W, 1 large female Sparrowhawk flying North, 2 Common Gulls

and a pair of displaying Mute Swans.

Photo 1 shows the Scotsmans Scaup and Photo 2 the Pearsons bird.






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John Williams
David Hughes


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Scaup still present 12 noon today

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David Hughes


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Scaup on scotmans flash ,siskin in alders canal Bank 50 Mtrs from moss Bridge ,goosander pair,pochard, goldeneye, tufted duck, great crested grebe, 2 common gull, coot ,mute swan, cetti's warbler seen at moss Bridge.

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David Hughes


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Great northern diver present at11 58am

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Ian McKerchar


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Juvenile Great Northern Diver still present on Scotmans Flash this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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Michael Hood


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Great Northern Diver still there Sunday morning - at times close to the canal bank

 



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Ian McKerchar


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Juvenile Great Northern Diver still present on Scotmans Flash this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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David Hughes


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Still present Juvenile great northern diver still on Scotman's Flash early afternoon. 



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colin davies


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Juvenile great northern diver still on Scotman's Flash early afternoon. 



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Ian McKerchar


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Juvenile Great Northern Diver still in Scotmans Flash this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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Ian Moran


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Great Northern Diver: Still present sometimes coming close to the footpath. 



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Mike c cooper


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Juv Great Northern Diver in SE corner of Scotsmans flash around yellow buoy 6 to right from water sports centres diving constantly between 12:30 and 13:00

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Craig Higson


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Great Northern Diver still present this afternoon. For the 3/4 hour or so I watched it, it spent most of it 20-30 yards out from the canal bank before heading across to the sailing club.


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James Tipping


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23/01/26

Juvenile great Northern Diver still present this afternoon. On the south side of Scotman's flash. Spent most of the time feeding below the surface.



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Chris Harper


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Juvenile Great Northern Diver this morning viewed from canal. Near the outdoor activity centre.



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Ian McKerchar


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Juvenile Great Northern Diver still present on Scotman’s Flash

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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Ian McKerchar


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19 Goldeneye of Pearsons Flash today, 10 of which were drakes

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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Ian McKerchar


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The Great Northern Diver was doing feeding circuits of Scotman’s today but did show well at times from the canal footpath.

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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David Hughes


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Great northern diver still present at 1 pm, 1 f goosander on canal

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Ian McKerchar


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Juvenile Great Northern Diver still present on Scotman’s Flash late afternoon today though distant.

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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pete berry


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Just seen on birdguides that the Great Northern Diver still present today on Scotsman Flash.

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JOHN TYMON


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There are posts on a local wildlife Facebook site that say the Great Northern Diver was still present on Scotmans but very mobile today monday12th   close in by canal edge today,so anyone who missed it at the weekend ,it may be worth a look tomorrow if you get the chance.



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JOHN TYMON


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Great northern diver still centre of flash in about 100 yard by 30 yard now of open water open patch thankfully getting bigger 

I suspect the ice feels normal to this bird ,it's been happily diving all morning,  best viewed from canal. The diver caught and swallowed many small fish while I was watching it from 10-12.30. pic below 

other birds of note 

Goldeneye - 15

Shoveler -40

Gadwall - 45

Great Crested Grebe -12

Cormorant 25 - (all looked sinensis) which seems to becoming the dominant race locally

Good numbers of all the Big Gull species 

Willow Tit -2 

Cettis Warbler - 2 

I forgot what a great place Scotmans

Another footnote it was 50 years to the day since I walked from Pennington flash to scotmans with Frank horocks as he had heard the very rare at that point inland Cormorant was there , he rarely left penny , but he wanted to see a cormorant lol how times change 



-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Sunday 11th of January 2026 07:38:31 AM

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Ian McKerchar


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Great Northern Dover still present on Scotman’s Flash this morning, on a very small patch of unfrozen water in the centre of the flash.

 Info thanks to Andy Makin



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Ian McKerchar


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Juvenile Great Northern Diver still present this morning on Scotman’s Flash.



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Ian Moran


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Juvenile Great Northern Diver still present at 13.30. 



-- Edited by Ian Moran on Thursday 8th of January 2026 02:19:59 PM

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Ian Bertenshaw


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Great Northern Diver still present at 1140hrs. Viewing from canal side footpath and is canal side and towards centre.



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munsworth


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Ian McKerchar wrote:

Great Northern Dover present on Scotman's Flash this morning for its second day.

 Approximately where on Scotsman's was the GNDiver seen please?



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Ian McKerchar


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Great Northern Dover present on Scotman's Flash this morning for its second day.



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David Hughes


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12 till 1 today,westwood flash 90% frozen,mute swan,moorhen,

Pearsons flash 60% frozen, little grebe,mute swan ,gadwall, teal,wigeon, shoveler,tufted duck, coot,black headed gull, goldeneye 

Scotmans flash great crested grebe, coot,goldeneye, moorhen,grey heron,cormorant, lesser black backed gull,black headed gull, 2 with 80 %summer headwear,mute swan, tufted duck,mallard and single male goosander. All the best for 2026!



-- Edited by David Hughes on Wednesday 31st of December 2025 01:45:20 PM

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Ian McKerchar


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At Horrocks Flash today, three Great White Egrets and five Little Egrets.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes



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David Hughes


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Pearsons flash. Several little grebe, Several coot,gadwall 4,goldeneye pair 1 m 1 f,



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David Hughes


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2 marsh harrier bryn marsh View point,also sedge warbler, reed warbler and juvs11 45 today



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David Hughes


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Common scoter male scotmans flash 11 12

 



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Ian McKerchar


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Male Crossbill flew fairly low along the edge of Scotsman's Flash and the canal path at 10:40am yesterday.

 

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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Ian McKerchar


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Adult Little Gull on Pearsons Flash this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin



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David Hughes


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Male marsh harrier 12 45 today,bryn marsh



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David Hughes


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Female marsh harrier bryn Marsh today 



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