Wigeon Teal Shoveler Tufted Gadwall and Goldeneye.
The Goldeneye have started their mating ritual on Pearsons flash. This consists of shacking the head from side to side then throwing the head backwards over onto their backs, quite a wonderful sight.
Peregrine chasing the congregation of starlings over Bryn flash.
1 great white egret, eventually showing well on horrocks flash 1 little egret 12 grey heron 1 bittern seen in flight on bryn marsh at 4.40pm 1 raven 1 peregrine falcon 1 sparrowhawk 2 willow tit 2 lesser redpoll with a flock of goldfinch 1 goldcrest 5 bullfinch 11 snipe 10 goosander 6 goldeneye 6 pochard tufted duck teal shoveler wigeon gadwall
This am Water Rail at Hawkley FS; 3 Willow Tits singing and at least 4 by Bryn Marsh FS; Cettis Warbler heard Bryn Marsh; Gadwall and Shoveler Ochre and Pearsons; 20+ Goldeneye Pearsons along with c.80 Tufted Duck; Little and Great Crested Grebes; Lesser Redpoll; Sparrowhawk; Bullfinch; 500+ Pink Footed Geese flying NW in 3 skeins between 11.00 and 11.20
Horrocks Flash,the Great White Egret flew into roost at dusk today probably from the front pool.Steve you have a pm
Brynn Marsh (int dark)Water rail screaming to be heard over 1000,s of Starling that had gone to roost in the reeds,50s 60s flocks still coming in at 18.00
No signs of the great white egret At horrocks flash. Raven on top of a pylon. 2 willow tits 1 goldcrest 13 goosander 3 Goldeneye 1 grey heron Teal Shoveler Tufted duck Gadwall Pochard.
The Great White Egret was last seen from the rear screen at noon and was feeding when I left.Record shot to follow.Record shot now added,digiscoped from a long,long way off.
cheers geoff
-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves on Tuesday 3rd of January 2017 02:24:47 PM
-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves on Tuesday 3rd of January 2017 02:28:28 PM
20 Lesser Redpoll with approx 120 Goldfinch by Turner's Flash today; min 6 Water Rail and a Cetti's Warbler heard there, with another Cetti's Warbler and approx 40 Goldfinch by Hawkley Reedbed feeding station
Horrocks Flash' update a Little Egret was present this a.m. viewed from the toilet block and later from the rear screen (J Smith).It,s been around a week now
Walk from Dover Lock Inn (Abram) along Leigh branch of Leeds-Liverpool canal - Horrocks Flash - Scotmans Flash - Hawksley Viewing Screen - and return
Redpoll x 20 (in trees between canal and Horrocks Flash; and on other side of canal) Redwing x 50 Goldcrest x 1 Goosander x 2 Willow Tit x 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker x 1 Bullfinch (Male) x 1 Coal Tit x 1 Shoveler x 4 Wigeon x 4 Reed Bunting x 1 Gadwall x 10 Lapwing x 20 Nuthatch x 1 Jay x 1 Magpie x 20 House Sparrow x 25 Dunnock x 1 Collared Dove x 3 Tufted Duck x 25 Coot x 100 Mallard x 10 Cormorant x 30 Long Tailed Tit x 8 Robin x 5 Blackbird x 12 Moorhen x 3 Great Tit x 4 Blue Tit x 12 Woodpigeon x 30 Carrion Crow x 5 Black-Headed Gull x 40 Mute Swan x 5 Buzzard x 1 Grey Heron x 1 (flying overhead above East Lancs on way home)
Walk from Dover Lock Inn (Abram) along Leigh branch of Leeds-Liverpool canal - Horrocks Flash - Scotmans Flash - Hawksley Viewing Screen - Ochre Flash - Bryn Marsh and return
Redwing x 30 Goldcrest x 1 Goosander x 5 Willow Tit x 2 Shoveler x 4 Reed Bunting x 3 Teal x 4 Pochard x 2 Gadwall x 6 Kestrel x 2 Jay x 4 Magpie x 10 Great Crested Grebe x 3 House Sparrow x 7 Collared Dove x 3 Tufted Duck x 5 Coot x 100 Mallard x 50 Cormorant x 12 Long Tailed Tit x 10 Robin x 12 Blackbird x 8 Chaffinch x 4 Moorhen x 4 Great Tit x 5 Blue Tit x 4 Woodpigeon x 6 Carrion Crow x 15 Black-Headed Gull x 25 Mute Swan x 4 Buzzard x 1 (on same lamp-post on East Lancs going and returning!)
Target birds of Bittern and Waxwing not seen unfortunately - but still cracking day on a chilly but sunny winter afternoon!
blackbird x 6 jay x 1 mallard x 15 blue tit x 6 house sparrow x 16 starling x 9 tree sparrow x1 lesser black backed gull x 4 coot x 50+ black headed gull x 12 gadwall x 8 tufted duck x12 lapwing x 27 Canada goose x 6 moorhen x4 goosander (f) x 2 teal x 6 mute swan x 2 cormorant x 1 magpie x 6 pochard x 2 raven x 1 jackdaw x 6
Visited Bryn marsh today with Ian Campbell to follow up a bearded Tit report from Sunday but no joy although did see juvenile or female marsh harrier and 2 bitterns in flight, also cettis warbler and water rail heard, we also saw the red throated diver at Pennington earlier so not a bad day all in all.
Pearsons Flash : 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 3 Wigeon, 4 Pochard and 1 Water Rail. Gadwall displaying. 8 Common Gulls were amongst the Black Headed flock.
Several flocks of mixed Redwings and Blackbirds were on the surrounding hawthornes, seen with them was a single Song Thrush.
Birds at south end of Scotman's Flash this afternoon included 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Treecreeper and a loose feeding flock of 20+ Redwing and 10+ Blackbird
Been Haigh Hall on mountain bike this morning down the canal,
2 Cettis Warbler both singing one at Pearsons the other just before Scotmans Flash. Massive numbers of Coot on Scotmans. Grey Wagtail flew over. Little Grebe, Wigeon, Gadwall and Tufted Duck seen on Scotmans Flash.
Linear walk from Plank Bridge car park (near Pennington Flash) - along Leigh Branch of Leeds/Liverpool canal - Lightshaw Meadows - Dover Lock - Platt Bridge - Horrocks Flash and return.
Saturday, 10th September 2016. 13:30 - 17:00 hrs. Nice and quiet on the roads (Manchester Football Derby taking place certainly helped here!).
Snipe x 7 (all on Horrocks Flash) Buzzard x 1 Kestrel x 1 Willow Warbler x 3 Wigeon x 2 Jay x 3 Swallow x 10 House Martin x 7 Lapwing x 150 (most in field next to Dover Flash) Reed Bunting x 1 Canada Geese x 50 Greylag Geese x 10 Tufted Duck x 4 Great Crested Grebe x 1 Coot x 30 Moorhen x 3 Cormorant x 8 House Sparrow x 5 Goldfinch x 4 Starling x 30 Carrion Crow x 7 Robin x 2 Great Tit x 5 Magpie x 10 Mallard x 40 Black-Headed Gull x 5
Boating was dominating most of the flash, and the SW corner appears choked with algae.
Common Terns are constantly visiting the flash though, and dive for fish right in among the yachts. One left the flash carrying a small eel.
Whilst the boating took place Mute Swans gather en-masse in the NE corner.
Horrocks Flash
Around a dozen Common Terns are around the flash at any one time, but there is a constant procession of them arriving with fish for their young.
4 half grown youngster were dotted around the small islets, plus 3 fledged young begging for, and getting, fed by their parents.
One of the smaller nestlings devoured a teaspoon sized Perch, no problem. Only one half grown Black Headed Gull could be seen, but their were plenty of newly fledged birds,
including one that pulled a large earthworm out of the ground on one of the little islets. 50+ Lapwings were the only waders. 1 Grey Heron stalked along the edge of the reedbed.
The 3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes noted on my visit on the 13th were still around, bunched together close to the reeds, with an adult close by.
Pearsons Flash
25 Great Crested Grebes, including a juvenile. One is still brooding, and appeared to have a couple young tucked underneath. The brooding bird was being attended by it's mate.
1 Blackcap was still singing near the canal footbridge.
-- Edited by John Williams on Saturday 23rd of July 2016 10:55:42 PM
12 Great Crested Grebes including 1 that is brooding, and 1 Grey Heron.
Horrocks Flash
6prs Common Terns, including 2 adults brooding and 1 pair with 2 "Robin" sized youngsters. 2 Oystercatchers, 3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, 1 juvenile Pied Wagtail and 1 Grey Heron.
Scotsmans Flash
10 adult Great Crested Grebes
The sheer numbers of Swifts over Pearsons Flash and the canal was breathtaking, with birds zooming across the towpath and missing peoples heads by just a few feet, whilst innumerable
others were above, some so high they could barely be seen. Lesser numbers of House Martins were amongst the Swifts, whilst around a dozen Swallows skimmed the surface of Pearsons.
As I was leaving many Swifts moved across to feed just above the surface of Scotsmans Flash.
The Common Terns were commuting from their colony on Horrocks Flash to feed on Westwood or Scotsmans Flashes.
Linear walk (seriously long to burn off the calories!) from Plank Bridge car park (near Pennington Flash) - along Leigh Branch of Leeds/Liverpool canal - Lightshaw Meadows - Dover Lock - Platt Bridge - Horrocks Flash - Scotmans Flash - Pearsons Flash and return.
Saturday, 2nd July 2016. 12:15 - 17:30 hrs - long but enjoyable walk - breezy with one brief heavy shower and pleasant evening sunshine.
Common Tern x 25 (most on Horrocks Flash) Siskin x 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (juvenile) x 1 Bullfinch (Male) x 1 Song Thrush x 1 Buzzard x 3 Kestrel x 2 Reed Bunting x 1 Skylark x 1 Willow Warbler x 1 Chiffchaff x 5 Lapwing x 5 Pied Wagtail x 2 Goldfinch x 7 Canada Geese x 70 Greylag Geese x 8 Gadwall x 2 Swallows x 40 Swift x 100 House Martin x 35 Collared Dove x 2 Grey Heron x 2 Wren x 1 House Sparrow x 3 Mute Swan x 20 Tufted Ducks x 30 Goldfinch x 4 Great Crested Grebe x 20 Coot x 50 Moorhen x 8 Cormorant x 3 Great Tit x 7 Blue Tit x 3 Chaffinch x 1 Blackbird x 7 Mallard x 40 Black-Headed Gull x 150 Lesser Black-Backed Gull x 15 Herring Gull x 10 Woodpigeon x 30 Carrion Crow x 10 Magpie x 35