Hi Simon There are a couple of viewing screens although you are quite a distance away, i always take my scope, i generally park at the dover lock inn and walk down from there, just past dover flash ( or just before if coming from penny flash)there is a railing and path that leads off the canal towpath just through the gate the screen is visible, walk down this path until you reach a smaller path leading down to the screen, it can be a bit of a trek but i generally find it worth the effort, good luck Bernard
I was thinking of heading over here in the morning. I have never been over that way before so a few tips from some good folk of Wigan or Leigh would be much appreciated. If I have identified the right bit of water, is it between the canal and Lightshaw Lane? And so where do people normally have a look from, presuming the land is not accessible? It looks like it's only a bit further down the canal from Pennington Flash so I would most likely approach from that direction.
Wood sandpiper still showing when I left @2-30 although it was quite elusive for much of the time I was there, 2 black tailed godwit,5 redshank,2 oystercatcher,2 common snipe,3 shelduck, 4 grey lag geese 2 on water 2 in field,c20 teal, 2 grey heron, 4 shoveler, 2 sand martin and 7 swallow, 2 pied wagtail, 5 pheasant in surrounding fields, 30+ lapwing,cuckoo calling frequently from direction of crankwood, kestrel,willow warbler,chiffchaff,blackcap plus usual great tit etc, Dover flash - 3 mute swan,2 grey heron,2 mallard,1 great crested grebe,1 shelduck,2 swallow over,
Out running this morning down the canal produced my first swallows of the year over Lightshaw meadows. 20+ Lapwing, Lightshaw Meadows Plenty Chiffchaff heard
Early pm visit Dover flash- 5 mute swan,1 pochard,4 teal,7 tufted duck,mallard, coot,1 Canada goose, Lightshaw flash- 1 black tailed godwit,1 little egret,4 oystercatcher,1 common snipe,2 shelduck,2 grey lag geese,2 gadwall,2 grey heron, several teal, mallard,lapwing, 2 golden plover over, 2 red legged partridge and 4 pheasant in surrounding fields, a few skylark singing, several reed bunting, .
7 Wigeon on Dover Basin and 2 more on Lightshaw this am; also Willow Warbler Juvenile by canal and 100+ House Martins over; 6 Gadwall on Dover with 3 Tufted Ducks; Chiffchaff singing.
Dover flash 7 mute swan 2 adult 5 well developed cygnets, mallard,gadwall,great crested grebe,black headed and lesser black backed gulls,grey heron,coot, Lightshaw flash teal,gadwall,mallard,moorhen,coot, restricted view from screen due to overgrown foliage,
Craig,Beautiful Demioselle - One on path to viewing screen, perched for some time giving close observation - there were some Bandeds about too giving a useful comaprison. My first time for this species, cheers.
Looking at the Dragonfly atlas which came out recently, this appears to be a new record for this species in that particular square (although it is hard to pinpoint exactly where sites are without any names or physical features on the maps). Even so, it is not mentioned as being in Greater Manchester, only a recent colonist in Lancs. If anyone else sees one, please ensure that it is reported to the area recorder (probably Steve White who collates records for South Lancashire would be the most appropriate).
Craig,Beautiful Demioselle - One on path to viewing screen, perched for some time giving close observation - there were some Bandeds about too giving a useful comaprison. My first time for this species, cheers.
Walk from Dover Lock this am. Canal - Common Sandpiper, 1 young Tufted Duck, at least 4 Common Terns; Dover - Kingfisher, Water Rail, several Swifts, 5 broods of Mallard, 1 of Gadwall, 1 Mute Swan, single pairs of Tufted and Great Crested Grebe; Lightshaw 20+ Lapwings, brood of Shelduck, 1 Grey Heron trying to catch a young Coot and had it in its beak once but after the youngster bravely resisted for several minutes it eventually gave up. General - 4 Buzzards including two young birds, 6 species of warbler still in song (3 Willow, 2 Sedge, 7/8 Reed, Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 6 Whitethroat), 8+ Reed Buntings, Kestrel, Coal Tit, singing Skylark. Also Large and Small Skipper, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Large White Butterflies, and Beautiful and Banded Demoiselle Damselflies amongst others.
tufted duck on canal near Dover lock with 5 juv, 4 house martin,8 swallow again near Dover bridge, 2 chiffchaff, 5 willow warbler, jay, goldfinch chaffinch, robin, great tit,blue tit, mistle thrush, blackbird, wood pigeon,magpie, carrion crow all seen on walk up towpath, Dover Flash c25 each mallard and gadwall, 1 mute swan, 5 coot, Lightshaw, pair shelduck with 7 juv, 5 redshank, 1 oystercatcher, 1 common snipe, 2 grey heron, 20+ lapwing, moorhen, coot, mallard, 1 buzzard, several reed bunting, 1 sedge warbler.
hour before it got too dark Lightshaw flash, 2 black tailed godwit, 3 redshank, 2 oystercatcher, 2 shelduck, 2 grey lag geese,several lapwing, 1 grey heron,1 common sandpiper, several mallard.pheasant, skylark singing over fields. Dover flash 1 mute swan + 2 on canal nearby, numerous mallard and coot, 2 gadwall, 1 moorhen, 1 mistle thrush several blackbird and robin singing in the fading light.
afternoon stroll from Dover lock to Lightshaw flash and back. Dover flash 2 shelduck, 1 pochard, 2 mute swan, mallard, teal, coot,moorhen, tufted duck, 3 great crested grebe 2 of them displaying and courtship dance. Lightshaw flash 2 shelduck, 3 grey heron, 12 lapwing, 1 canada goose, teal, mallard,coot, tufted duck, plenty wood pigeon in surrounding fields, a few skylark singing, 1 buzzard. plenty blue tit, great tit and chaffinch along canal, 2 wren, robin, a few goldfinch around pub car park, blackbird, 2 mistle thrush.
On Saturday 22nd February 2014 12:00 - 15:00 hrs. - walked from Plank Lane Bridge (Near Pennington Flash) to Platt Bridge along Leigh branch of the Leeds/Liverpool Canal.
Dover flash, counted 14 pochard going up canal but got 20 on my way back, 2 goosander 1m,1f, on way up none on flash on way back but 8 on canal 3m, 5f, 7 tufted duck, 2 mute swan, 12 black headed gull, coot, moorhen,mallard. Lightshaw flash, 2 shelduck, 2 tufted duck, at least 10 teal ( probably more) 1 grey heron, mallard, coot. fields just before lightshaw a flock of 80+ winter thrushes mainly fieldfare but also saw redwing and starling, c40 wood pigeon, canal towpath, magpie, carrion crow, goldfinch, blue tit, great tit, robin,buzzard over, cormorant over,
both flashes Lightshaw and Dover with as expected very high water levels, Lightshaw flash was the quietest i have ever seen it with just a few teal and a grey heron, Dover flash 2 mute swan, 12 tufted duck, 2 gadwall, 4 mallard, 7 coot, 1 grey heron, the field just before Dover flash contained c200 winter thrushes, mainly fieldfare but redwing and mistle thrush also seen, chaffinch, great tit,blue tit, robin, magpie and wood pigeon all seen along canal towpath.
Early morning walk 0430- 0530, very misty and not much about.
Yellowhammer, heard from the pub carpark
2 herons fishing from the canal bank
pair of mute swans with 1 young on canal.
Not much different to the usual suspects really. The Shelduck still have 5 young left, which is promising as they're quite big now. Water levels were up but it doesn't appear to have flooded all the islands out so still hope for anything attempting to raise young on there. A flock of approx104 lapwings was put up from fields to the south and west. A Common Sandpiper was also on the canal. Other than that just a pleasant stroll with a few birdy distractions.
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