Cettis warbler heard where the footpath to the west of Lightshaw meets the canal towpath by the 'pond'. Also sedge warbler heard there and reed warbler seen. A pair of grey partridge were on the footpath to the south of the meadows and a male yellowhammer was seen (and two others heard).

Quiet this evening. Three redshank, 8 shelduck, 1 Oystercatcher, 3 swifts and a cuckoo about the most interesting things.

Cetti's Warbler singing on opposite side of the canal just west of Dover Basin. Not a lot else of note.

Between Dover Basin and Lightshaw western end today 7 singing Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler 10 Whitethroat, 9 Willow Warbler and 4 Chiffchaff.

6 Greylag Geese at Dover Basin and two broods of Mallard on the canal.

Fist time here in over a year for me walked down the canal from Pennington: Green woodpecker just of canal near the bench that looks over the meadow 6 buzzard 4 circling 2 in trees 2 wigeon male and female 2 shelduck 3 oystercatcher 1 female goosander 15 lapwing 20+ teal 10 shoveler

Late post for yesterday, 3 Pintail and 5 Wigeon amongst the Gadwall and Teal.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Tuesday 26th of September 2017 07:41:49 PM

4 Snipe, 183 Canada Geese and 3 Wigeon this evening. Water levels getting back to normal.

Birds at Lightshaw Hall Flash this evening included 71 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler and 5 Teal

Yesterday evening, a grasshopper warbler was reeling distantly from the western screen.

Lightshaw Flash today.

Almost forgot...
- Redshank 1
- Shelduck family
- Common Tern 4 flew through and then another 2 were put up from a bank that was out of view to us

If adding sightings for this bird could users please ensure they state that the bird is at Lightshaw Flash or not as the case may be. This thread is for the whole of the Abram Flashes which also includes others areas this bird could well relocate to, so it's best not to just let readers assume where the bird is 

Cattle egret just come back to lightshaw,and was still present at 4.30pm

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 24th of June 2017 05:50:10 PM

Lightshaw hall meadow & flash.

Cattle egret showed well when I arrived at 12pm in front of the screen, it took a short flight & returned to the same area. Later on it took flight again with everything else ( didn't see what sent them up) & dissapeared further away & out of view but soon returned & stayed on the spit of the flash until I left at 1.15pm. No signs of any idiots whilst I was there, let's hope he gets named & shamed.
2 shelduck with 9 juveniles
1 redshank
3 grey herons
30+ lapwings
Several house Martins & swifts around.

-- Edited by steven burke on Saturday 24th of June 2017 03:51:51 PM

Unfortunately there's always one idiot who spoils it for the rest.

This morning an idiot (I refuse to use the term birder or photographer because he was clearly neither) decided he'd climb over the metal gate and clearly and knowingly trespass on private farmland at Lightshaw in order to get close and undoubtably disturb the Cattle Egret in the field by the canal side. He didn't appear to have binoculars but certainly had a camera and a very long range photo was taken of the idiot.

If anyone can identify said idiot or knows him then please do have a 'word' with him about his selfish and thoughtless actions or feel free to get in touch with me.

Cattle egret still present c.10.05 at Lightshaw Hall Flash;seen in flight twice briefly over grass to left near Brown cattle.

Lightshaw Hall Flash
Good views in my scope for over 30 minutes of the Cattle Egret. Both County and Life tick for me.
Arrived at Western viewing screen just after 1pm. No sign of it for 30 minutes. Then it was seen flying onto the top of a tall hawthorn by the left shore, and well down the flash. After preening for 2 minutes it dropped down onto the shoreline where the reeds stick well out ( two thirds down?)
More preening until it was approached by a Grey Heron. Cattle Egret then flew up and down to the left of the viewing screen before landing in open ground about 90 yards to the front left of the screen. After 15 minutes it was approached, on foot, by another Grey Heron and the Cattle Egret turned and edged away, into clumps of Juncus etc. where it could only just be seen. Still present at 2.15pm.

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 23rd of June 2017 05:28:19 PM

Cattle Egret showing  well until I left at around 11.15.  It was on the far side of the flash as I arrived but followed the cattle to be in front of the screen giving some excellent views.  A GM lifer for me.  Now on 199... The magic 200 is next! 

Thanks Rick and Dave for your help.  Much appreciated.

Hi John

Where the A573 crosses the Leigh Branch Canal there is a canalside car park on the opposite side of the road to the Dover Lock Inn. Enter that and turn right along the towpath, passing Dover Basin after a few hundred metres, then you'll see a gated footpath on the right down on to a footpath along a dismantled railway line. Follow this path and Lightshaw Hall Flash is on your left. The Cattle Egret may be visible from a gate for a cattle pen, but carry further on along the path and there's a footpath to the left up to the western viewing screen. Good luck

This evening with Karen Foulkes, Cattle Egret showing well till 7.15pm at least, also adult Hobby present.

Cattle Egret still present 14:25 in same area nr screen at W end of Lightshaw Hall Flash, after circling several times when harassed by Lapwings

-- Edited by dave broome on Thursday 22nd of June 2017 02:29:20 PM

Osprey showing very well over dover basin at 10.30 am. 

Osprey at Dover basin at 10.45. Drifted towards Wigan flashes.

Osprey hunting over Dover Basin at 5:20 this afternoon, caught a fish and was still present at 6:35pm.

Info thanks to Rob Thorpe and Dave Broome

Up to 6:15pm today:

Male Ruff

Black-tailed Godwit

Snipe

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes