SALE WATER PARK (and Broad Ees Dole)

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

RE: SALE WP

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Mid afternoon today at the lake side.

Only birds of note were 3 Common Swift and 2 Swallow.

And something that had me laughing that happened on 3 different occasions. Firstly a girl feeding the Canada Geese and as they encroached she backed off and ran back to the waiting car. Then 2 girls walking on the jetty had the fright of their lives and ran off as one Goose flew up out of the water infront of them.
Lastly 3 girls with buggies and youngsters were feeding them when all of a sudden they started running off and the Geese were actually running after them. You could hear the kids screaming laughing and all of them threw the whole slices of bread and ran off in terror to the other side near Deckers as more and more Geese appeared!

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Brief visit ending at 3pm.yester day 10.05.18
Similar to last post with -
Reed warbler - 3 seen with 2 singing males competing for the same spot and giving great views.
Reed bunting - 1.
Grt.Crested Grebe - 2.
Chiffchaff - 1.
All the above seen on main lake.

Broad Ees Dole.......
Water level dramatically high covering nearly all the islands.
Little grebe - 4.
Grey Heron - 1 over.
Moorhen - 2.

Ps.time ran out so didn't do the rest of the WP.

Chris Chandler · Status: Offline

2 possibly 3 Reed Warblers in reeds at the north west corner by Broad Ees Dole. Only had 2 birds together on the edge of the lake, but singing from beyond the pond to the north of the path was likely a 3rd bird. 4 Blackcap 2 Chiffchaff Reed Bunting Great Crested Grebe - otherwise little of note on or over the water. Broad Ees Dole: 2 Little Grebe Teal Grey Heron By the bridge over the river: 2 Grey Wagtail Buzzard being mobbed by crows

James Walsh · Status: Offline

Common Sandpiper Main Lake in bay SE of Watersports Centre 10:20am

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Few hours around here this afternoon; pretty chilly, and water-sports on the lake.

2 chiffchaff
5 blackcap
1 nuthatch
c25 sand martin
3 swallow
1 song thrush
1 moorhen
5 coot, including one on nest
5 - 7 mute swan
4 or 5 great crested grebe
1 cormorant over
1 black-headed gull
5 lesser black-backed gull
4 herring gull
1 buzzard

Broad Ees Dole:

3 moorhen
2 coot
2 little grebe
1 herring gull

sid ashton · Status: Offline

Called in at the water park early afternoon and watched a pair of Great Crested Grebe appearing to start their courtship dance. One of the birds had a bill full of water weeds.

Matt Gillett · Status: Offline

Brief evening jog around the main lake and recovery viewing from Boathouse car park (745-815pm)

Of note;

2 Swift

2 Swallow

1 Kestrel

1 Blackcap (m if full song repertoire)

Pete Hines · Status: Offline

Common Sandpiper 1
Willow Tit pair
Gadwal 5
Tufted Duck 3
Little Grebe 1
Blackcap 7
Chiffchaff 5
Willow Warbler 2
Swallow 2
Sand Martin 1
Reed Bunting 4
Ring-necked Parakeet 3

-- Edited by Pete Hines on Tuesday 17th of April 2018 12:26:43 PM

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

BTO WeBS count today 7am-9am

Water Park and Broad res Dole

Canada Geese

Mute Swan

Coots

Moorhen

Great Crested Grebe

Little Grebe

Mallard

Tufted Duck

Teal

Gadwall

Heron

Black Headed Gull

LBB Gull.

Of other interest Chiffchaff Willow Warbler in good numbers

Willow tit seen carrying nesting material.

Keep Birding

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Saturday morning visit, and pretty much the same as Phil's sightings yesterday except no Artic terns but a nice pair of Wigeon on Broad ees dole

Keep Birding

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

This afternoon from 1pm.

Visitor centre :
Grey Heron - 1 (in marsh).
Willow tit - 1 (on bird table with a very narrow chin marking but briefly seen) .

Cow lane :
Treecreeper - 1.

Inflow channel :
Chiffchaff - 2.
Grey Heron - 1.
Mallard - 4.

Wildflower meadow :
Greenfinch - 6.
Bullfinch - 1.
Reed bunting - 2.
Jay - 1.
Chiffchaff - 2 .
Treecreeper - 1.
Woodpigeon .- c 30.

Old Car park :
Blackcap - 2 m+f .
Bullfinch - 1.
Willow warbler - 1.
Pied Wagtail - 1 over .
And a constructed mound of soil - wish they'd leave it alone !!!

Main lake :
Blackcap - 5 Inc 1 f.
Grt.Crested Grebe - 2.
Lesser Black-back gull - 4.
Reed bunting - 2.
Arctic tern - 1.
Cormorant - 3.

Broad Ees Dole :
Little Grebe - 2.
Teal - 4.
Gadwall - 1.
Reed bunting - 2.
And 2 very young children with a basic scope and bins who knew about MB website with their dad ...... nice to meet them .

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 13th of April 2018 09:18:26 PM

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

This afternoon from 1pm.

Visitor centre :
Grey Heron - 1 (in marsh).
Willow tit - 1 (on bird table with a very narrow chin marking but briefly seen) .

Cow lane :
Treecreeper - 1.

Inflow channel :
Chiffchaff - 2.
Grey Heron - 1.
Mallard - 4.

Wildflower meadow :
Greenfinch - 6.
Bullfinch - 1.
Reed bunting - 2.
Jay - 1.
Chiffchaff - 2 .
Treecreeper - 1.
Woodpigeon .- c 30.

Old Car park :
Blackcap - 2 m+f .
Bullfinch - 1.
Willow warbler - 1.
Pied Wagtail - 1 over .
And a constructed mound of soil - wish they'd leave it alone !!!

Main lake :
Blackcap - 5 Inc 1 f.
Grt.Crested Grebe - 2.
Lesser Black-back gull - 4.
Reed bunting - 2.
Arctic tern - 1.
Cormorant - 3.

Broad Ees Dole :
Little Grebe - 2.
Teal - 4.
Gadwall - 1.
Reed bunting - 2.
And 2 very young children with a basic scope and bins who knew about MB website with their dad ...... nice to meet them .

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Common Tern present early afternoon today.

Info thanks to Tony O'Mahony

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

Common Sandpiper on boat ramp this am also 2 singing Blackcap and at least 3 Chiffchaff on the approach road.

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

2 Sand Martin flew straight through, north this am also 2 Grey wagtail on shore by boat club and singing Blackcap near park and ride car park.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

BTO WeBS Count.( in the snow brave of me I know )

Goosander c6

Mallard c25

Canada goose c23

Mute Swan c13

Moorhen c11

Coot c38

Cormorant c11

Great Crested Grebe c9

Gadwall c20

Tufted Duck c35

Black Headed Gull c 327

LBB Gull c14

Herrring Gull c5

Common Gull c10

Heron 1

Broad ees dole

Teal 33

Mallard 9

Shoveler 14

Snipe 9

Little Grebe 3

Keep Birding

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Today, through the afternoon:

2 willow tit
1 bullfinch
6+ redwing
3 song thrush
4 moorhen
31 coot
5 teal (on marshy area beneath cafe)
3 gadwall
14 tufted duck
2 goosander
2 mute swan
2 great crested grebe
2 grey heron
8 cormorant
c100 black-headed gull
13 common gull
3 herring gull
1 kestrel
1 buzzard

Broad Ees Dole:

2 reed bunting
4 moorhen
1 coot
16 teal
24 gadwall
1 mute swan
3 little grebe
4 snipe
3 grey heron

Another birder had a water rail just in front of the hide before I arrived.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Mute Swan

Canada Geese

Mallard

Tufted duck

Gadwall

Teal

Gulls BH Gull Herring Gull LBB Gull

Grebes Great Crested and Little

Tits Blue Great Willow Long Tailed

Corvids Crow Jackdaw Rook Magpie Jay

Goosanders

Snipe

Herons and Cormorants.

Wren Dunnock Goldcrest

Blackbird Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Redwing

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Finches Chaffinch Goldfinch

Keep Birding

-- Edited by Paul Heaton on Saturday 10th of March 2018 04:15:41 PM

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Quick ride around. Highlights:
Main lake:
1 great crested grebe
3 little grebes
3 tufted ducks
2 goosander, a pair
2 teal
1 snipe flushed from the grassy bank, next to the islands
1 fieldfare
2 lesser redpoll feeding on ground with fieldfare
good numbers of gadwall + the usual
Broad ees dole
2 goosanders, redheads
2 shoveler, a pair
3 little grebe
20+ teal

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

BTO WeBS Count Sunday 18th Feb

Coot 38

Moorhen 9

Canada geese 53

Mute Swan 7

Tufted Duck 27

Gadwall 38

Mallard 24

Goosander 4

Great Crested Grebe 2

BH Gull 157

Common Gull 4

LBB Gull 1

Cormorant 8

Broad ees dole

Teal 17

Mallard 8

Canada geese 5

Moorhen 4

Snipe 1

Heron 1

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Here from around 2.30 - 4.45. Again much of the lake frozen, including what looked like a small water bird (little grebe?) that seemed to have become locked into the ice and perished.

Main lake and surrounds:

1 goldcrest
1 willow tit
1 grey wagtail
Redwing heard
2 moorhen
27 coot
4 teal
c20 gadwall
2 goosander
4 mute swan
2+ great crested grebe
2 grey heron
8+ cormorant
116+ black-headed gull
3 common gull
16+ lesser black-backed gull
6+ herring gull
1 buzzard

Also possible yellow-legged gull; mantle colour looked good, and head pristine, but couldn't make out leg colour (which perhaps suggests they weren't yellow).

Broad Ees Dole:

54 teal
1 shoveler
2 mute swan
1 little grebe
2 grey heron

Ok, so no red-breasted merganser, but 52 species for the day, which isn't too bad, and it sure as hell beats work.

-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Wednesday 7th of February 2018 08:14:26 PM

Steven Nelson · Status: Offline

16.30-17.00 Quick visit after Chorlton WP hoping the Red-breasted Merganser had relocated to Sale WP

6 Goosander -5f & 1m
2 Grey Wagtail

..but no Merganser! I wonder where else it goes to?

Pete Hines · Status: Offline

08.40-09.55

Goosander 5 (1 male, 4 female)
Great crested Grebe 5
Little Grebe 3 (Broad Ees Dole)
Cormorant 12
Tufted Duck 19
Gadwall 23
Teal 21 (Broad Ees Dole)
Snipe 3 (Broad Ees Dole)
Herring Gull 13
Lesser Black-backed Gull 9
Common Gull 12
Ring-necked Parakeet 1
Siskin 20+

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 3rd of February 2018 10:35:34 AM

PHIL GREENWOOD · Status: Offline

Late morning after Chorlton WP.

Red-Breasted Merganser 1f. Appeared at the east end of main lake just as we were walking back to the car park.
Tufted Duck 5
Gadwall 12+
Mute Swan 6
Cormorant 10+
Great Crested Grebe 6
Teal 8m 2f.
Mallard 20+
Coot 40+
Moorhen 2
Little Grebe 3
Buzzard 1
Grey Heron 10
Willow Tit 2
Nuthatch 2
etc.

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Late post for Monday afternoon 3pm ish , 30.01.18

Main lake.
Goosander 4 (3f+1m).
Common gull 10.
Black-headed gull c200.
Lesser Black-back gull c30.
Yellow legged gull 1.
Gt. Crested Grebe 5.
Gadwall 24.
Plus 2-3 siskin in a mixed flock of Tits.

Broad Ees Dole.
Grey Heron 4.
Teal c15.

-- Edited by phillipskelly on Wednesday 31st of January 2018 04:48:42 PM Also Mute swan 5 plus Herring gull .

-- Edited by phillipskelly on Wednesday 31st of January 2018 04:50:25 PM

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

BTO WeBS Sunday 8.30-10-30

Weather. could have been better and drier, sadly

Coot 110

Moorhen 18

Cananda Geese 54

Tufted Duck 23 m 7 f

Gadwall 18 m 7f

Mallard 15 m 12f

Mute Swan 12

Goosander 1 f

Cormorant 22

B H Gull 137 (3) showing summer plumage heads

LBB Gull 5

Herring Gull 2

Common Gull 8

Great Crested Grebe 7

Broad res Dole

Teal 23m 8f

Heron 2

Kingfisher 1

Keep Birding ( even in the rain )

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Friday 12th Jan (2.30pm)

A late delivery in Stretford so called in here for a break. Of note...
- c30 Tufted Duck
- 6 Gadwall
- 8 Cormorant
- 5 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 adult Common Gulls

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

A few hours around here today, morning and afternoon, nice day for it, and lots to be seen.

Main lake and surrounds:

1 willow tit
2 nuthatch
7+ goldfinch
1 chaffinch
1 bullfinch
1 song thrush
1 kingfisher (with the largest fish I've ever seen one with)
3 great spotted woodpecker
1 moorhen
c40 coot
3 teal
21 gadwall
41 tufted duck
2 goosander
9 (I think) mute swan
4 little grebe
2 great crested grebe
1 grey heron
c8 cormorant
250+ black-headed gull
8+ common gull
10+ lesser black-backed gull
6+ herring gull
1 sparrowhawk

Broad Ees Dole:

1 grey wagtail
1 moorhen
36 teal
1 little grebe
12+ snipe
3 grey heron
1 kestrel (on pylon behind hide)
1 buzzard

-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 7th of January 2018 07:40:07 PM

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Good stroll round today, Lots of activity at the visitors centre Willow tit x1 Great Tit x 11 R N Parakeets 4 Nuthatch x3

large flock of mixed finches on cow lane mainly Chaffinch with possible Brambling (bad light in the trees )

Main lake B H Gull 200+ Coots 80+ Gadwall 25 Tufted duck 40+ Goldeneye 1

Broad ees Dole Teal 38 Snipe 9+ Heron 3 Little Grebe 4 Kingfisher 1.

Goldcrest x7 and lots of other stuff as well .

Keep Birding.

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

Now 38 Tufted Duck as well as 22+ Gadwall, 9 Cormorant and drake Goldeneye.

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

37 Tufted Duck this am and 12+ Gadwall. Kingfisher heard around islands and single Buzzard flew low over lake toward west end.

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

Quick check of main lake at first light this am, 36 Tufted Duck (28 drakes) single drake Goldeneye and 6 Cormorant.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Well spotted Roger, and when I do my 2108 list , it will be interesting I wonder what will be here then.

Have fun birding in the meantime .

Roger Baker 3 · Status: Offline

update in 2108 and find something good
............................................................
Does longevity run in the family Paul ? Only another 91 years to go !

Roger.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Sunday Morning 9.30-12.30

Visitor centre area

Willow tit x1

GS Woodpecker x2

Nuthatch x1

Great tit x5

Blue Tit x4

Main Lake

B H Gull 218

Common Gull 18

Lesser Black backed Gull x9

Herring Gull x 2

Cormorants x 13

Canada Goose 27

Mute Swan x12

Great Crested Grebe x6

Little Grebe x 2

Gadwall x23

Mallard x 29

Goosander x1

Coots x30

Moorhen x 4

Kingfisher x2

Wood pigeon x 30

Feral pigeon x11

Broad ees dole

Teal x 15

Buzzard x2

Blackbird x 1

Mistle Thrush x 2

Robins x9

Jackdaw x 5

Crow x 18

Well thats about it for 2017 planing to do a few more Mersey Valley update in 2018 and find something good ...

Keep Birding

-- Edited by Paul Heaton on Sunday 31st of December 2017 08:25:00 PM

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Late post for yesterday afternoon 26.12.17

Main lake .......
Gadwall - 24
Tufted duck - 26.
Little grebe - 1.
Grt. Crested Grebe - 2.
Mute swan - 7.
Common gull - 10 .
Black-headed gull - c200.
Lesser Black-back gull 4.
Herring gull - 1.
Yellow legged gull 1.

Broad Ees Dole ......... ( not frozen ).
Snipe - 12 .
Moorhen - 3.
And Nowt else !

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Main lake .......

Mute swan - 7.
Common gull - 2.
Black-headed gull - c 160.
Lesser Black-back gull - 10.
Gadwall - 17.
Goosander - 1 (f).
Tufted duck - 14.
Grt.Crested Grebe - 2.
Cormorant - 7.
Old carpark .....

Kestrel - 1.

BroadEes Dole. .......

Snipe - 6.
Grey Heron - 1.

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Hour or so around the western end and Broad Ees Dole this afternoon. Jet-skiing, but still, some birds:

Main lake and surrounds:

1 stock dove over
1 moorhen
2 coot
10 (or possibly 11) mute swan
2 great crested grebe
35+ black-headed gull
4+ common gull
6+ lesser black-backed gull
1 herring gull

Broad Ees Dole was very quiet:

Long-tailed tit flock, with the odd blue tit mixed in
1 jay
2 moorhen
1 snipe
1 grey heron

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Apologies for the very late post for Thursday 30.11.17.
Main lake ........
Mute swan - 3 cygnets.
Black-headed gull - c100.
Lesser Black-back gull - 10.
Herring gull - 2 ( both 3rd winter ) .
Common gull - 10.
Yellow legged gull - 1 (same individual as last time ).
Broad Ees Dole ........
Teal - 30 on a mainly fozen bund.
Snipe - 2 on reed bed edges of bund.
Also several mobile long-tail tit flocks about.
Plus another long-tail tit flock and 2 Treecreeper (one seen , one heard) in hedge along Hawthorn lane on the way back.

Pete Hines · Status: Offline

08.05 - 08.25

Gadwall 8
Herring Gull 1

(nothing on Broad Ees Dole)

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Friday 17th November. (4pm)

A late break on main car park at Deckers.

- 1 Yellow-legged Gull (certainly looked good for it) has just flown from the side of Deckers over to the far side of the lake, done a couple of circuits round that area but I've lost it. Could well be the same one that myself and then Phil Kelly have seen here recently.
- 2 Grey Wagtail
- 1 Woodcock has just flown up from beyond the island and then dropped back down towards the entrance area.
(I remember Steve Burke saying it was a good sight for them here, right place right time I guess!)

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

All the normal stuff but GADWALL count up to 17

Keep Birding

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Late post - Wed 08.11.17
Yellow Legged Gull - 1 (confirmation from Ian McKerchar from images ).
Grey Heron - 1.
Goldfinch - 5.
Grt. Crested Grebe - 1.
Little grebe - 1.
Tufted Duck - 1.
Mute Swan - 6 (2 ad. + 4 cygnets ).
Broad Ees Dole ..........
Snipe - 1.
Teal - 7.

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Thursday 2nd Nov
Tacho break yesterday afternoon after a late delivery in Stretford.

Usual stuff knocking around including the Black-headed Gulls and an interesting large Gull that appeared flying round the car park and the edge of the reservoir near Deckers.
I reached for my bins and immediately the mantle hue stood out along with the yellow legs. I tried to snap a flight shot but I just couldn't get one (except for a totally blurred one) and it was out of sight behind the trees before I knew it!
I've attached some still images below, and although it looks good for Yellow-legged Gull I was hoping for a shot of the primaries or underwing pattern to confirm it.
Thanks for your view on this one Ian, seems it looks ok but for the very reason above regarding the wings, it can't be 100% confirmed. Yet!
In my view, it doesn't look like one of the Smithfield pair neither.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

20+ Redwing near the visitors centre

2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

lots of dog walkers , joggers and speed boats on the water, left it late to visit.

Keep Birding

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

A quick cycle round, around 3 today. Highlight being:
Broad ees dole
-5 teal
-a pair of gadwal
-a little grebe
-6 grey herons
Main lake
-4 lesser black backed gulls
-5 cormorants
-1 great crested grebe
-1 little grebe
Wildflower meadow
-2 swallows over
-a tit flock
-1 willow tit
-1 goldcrest

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

42 species today Highlights

Jay x5

Treecreeper Goldcrest Chiffchaff , Kingfisher

Keep Birding

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Steven Heywood wrote:

A couple of treecreepers with the mixed tit flocks near the car park this lunchtime.
Two juvenile sparrowhawks kept everything quiet on Broad Ees Dole.

I'm not sure two Sparrowhawks were needed to 'keep it quiet'. Best birds there for a while...

Steven Heywood · Status: Offline

A couple of treecreepers with the mixed tit flocks near the car park this lunchtime.

Two juvenile sparrowhawks kept everything quiet on Broad Ees Dole.