13:45 to 16:00 - From Plank Lane Lift Bridge to both Lightshaw Flash viewing points & back along canal to Lift Bridge.
Apart from a few Canada Geese & Mallards Lightshaw Flash was devoid of anything significant, but the surrounding fields & farmland made up for it with :-
Jay x 6; Kestrel; Buzzard; Grey Heron & 2 Cormorant over, Bullfinch x 3 ~ 2F & 1M, Goldfinch; Linnet; Greenfinch x 2, Fieldfare x 2;
Pied Wagtail; Pheasant x 10 ~ 7F & 3M.
Also a field at the side of Lightshaw Flash had a nice covey of 12 Red-Legged Partridge but they were very distant so pics very poor.
No sign of the Mandarin Duck at Pennington Wharf Marina.
Dover Basin: 34 Shoveler, 2 Wigeon, 2 singing male Cetti’s Warblers (one a young male), 2 Willow Tit, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler and a single Restart along the western end.
Lightshaw Flash: 18 Shoveler, 2 Wigeon, one singing male Cetti’s Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap
14.30 walk from Plank Lane swing bridge to Dover Lock, then back to Pennington Flash via Lightshaw Lane and Byrom Hall Wood arriving back at canal bridge 17.30 ,was very quiet only things of note were 2 Drake Pintail, 5 Goosander - Dover Lock 4 Shelduck - Lightshaw Flash 1 Buzzard over Lightshaw Flash 2 Willow Tit on path heading towards road, near fenced shooting warnings and 30+ Redwing as you approach the house.
No sign of Wryneck between 18:30-19:00 this evening, but a class find by Rob and shows the rewards of working a patch. c75 Goldfinch in the hedge and 2 Lapwing over.
No sign now for approx 2 hours since it dropped in to a large dense Hawthorn and Blackthorn hedgerow opposite the wooden footbridge (before I got here)
-- Edited by dave broome on Saturday 28th of August 2021 01:33:34 PM
Walk from swing bridge along canal to Dover Lock and back to Pennington Flash via Lightshaw Lane and Byrom Hall Wood. Highlights 2 Hobby flew South over Dover Lock 1 Blackcap along path between Dover and Lightshaw 1 Swift 1 Lesser Whitethroat by the east sightscreen Not really a highlight but the carcass of a Pheasant on path near West sightscreen.
Walk from swing bridge along canal to Dover Lock and back to Pennington Flash via Lightshaw Lane and Byrom Hall Wood. Highlights 2 Hobby flew South over Dover Lock 1 Blackcap along path between Dover and Lightshaw 1 Swift 1 Lesser Whitethroat by the east sightscreen Not really a highlight but the carcass of a Pheasant on path near West sightscreen.
9.30-12.00. Both screens visited. Highlights included....
4 Black Tailed Godwits
2 Oystercatchers
At least 12 Shoveler
4 Gadwall
2 Shellduck
2 Teal
6 Buzzards.. overhead
2 Kestrels.. male and female
1 Sparrowhawk.. male
3 Cock Pheasants
Lots of Lapwings
Plenty of calling Chiffchaff
A few Willow Warblers
Sunday afternoon wander around Lightshaw, sightings included:-
1 x Woodcock
4 x Greylag (one white)
4 x Redshank
1 x Oystercatcher
1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker
40 x Lapwing
4 x Shelduck
3 x Wigeon
2 x Gadwall
2 x Shoveler
40 x Teal
1 x Snipe
4 x Linnet
1 x Kestrel
-- Edited by Keith Williams on Monday 22nd of March 2021 08:59:47 AM
-- Edited by Keith Williams on Monday 22nd of March 2021 09:00:35 AM
In an interesting development this evening, I have been contacted by Stuart Derbyshire who birds the Ribble Estuary and finds lots of interesting geese there. It appears that the Lightshaw bird is the same as one which he found at Longton Marsh on 15th January but which has since gone missing. Of course this doesn't prove its origins either way but it's an interesting movement at least.