Mid afternoon following a birthday treat at a nearby Country Club, I managed to persuade the Mrs to go to Elton Reservoir. A grumpy 20 minutes walk down the canal to bridge 18 was soon forgotten & views of less than 5 feet were enjoyed of the Juvenile Cuckoo thanks to another birders meal worm treats which lured it excitingly close. I didn't have my camera with me but a very kind birder allowed me to screenshot a couple of his pics.

 

This morning, juv. Cuckoo still showing well at bridge 18. Also 4 Pochard, 3 Little Grebe and a Ringed Plover on the res.

Mon 7th Aug
Morning visit with Lucas, he loved it, he said the Bee-eater was a cracking good bird and he enjoyed meeting people.
Nice to meet Martin Loftus, cheers for your help mate.

- European Bee-Eater

Well done to Paul Wilson and the Elton gang for this, love these birds and it made a nice change seeing one locally instead of travelling distances to see one.
It was showing on arrival on its favoured Hawthorn, after a while it did a couple of short flights, caught 2 dragonflies and a bee. Then it took flight again and disappeared behind the hedges, suddenly taking us all by surprise by appearing within feet and flying right over our heads calling. I called it out and unfortunately that was the last anyone saw of it. After an extensive search it wasnt relocated.

Other birds of note ..
- Hobby circling over sailing club, then took off East
- Peregrine with pigeon landed on pylon near car park
- 2 Sparrowhawk
- 2 Garden Warbler
- 2 Willow Warbler
- 4 Chiffchaff
- 1 probable Lesser Whitethroat
- 1 Kingfisher over car park

Also we walked to canal bridge 18 to try for the juv Cuckoo but it didnt show, it showed later this afternoon though.

Hi John, the Bee-eater apparently flew off at c. 11.45 and has not been seen since. This is news from one of the bird info services.

Any further updates of the Bee Eater for the ones working today who doesn't have Birdguides? Or can't be bothered with social media :) or am I assuming before Lunctime it left?

Amazing find by Paul Wilson well deserved for all your effort this year, luckily I was just around the corner by the reservoir. Please view only from field behind the cemetry or the lane by Doffer Fold Farm.

Also this morning Garden Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher Spen Moor.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Monday 7th of August 2023 10:11:27 AM

Bee-eater by Withins at 7am and still present at 07:35

To view, please do not walk by Withins itself and view only from the field by the cemetery or Dogger Fold Farm. The bird is currently in Hawthorns by the waters edge and will flush otherwise.

Info thanks to Simon Warford

 

6pm 

 Juvenile Cuckoo still present in the Pony field / allotment area of around bridge 18 of the canal (Withins Lane)

Viewable from the canal and bridge wall. 

Although very elusive, when it did show, it did very well!

Well done to both the Simons on finding such a patch gold beauty! 

-- Edited by Martin Loftus on Sunday 6th of August 2023 09:38:40 PM

Sightings from this morning with Simon & Paul

Juv Cuckoo by bridge 18
Female common scoter still
2 pochard
2 Gadwall
Willow tit
Little owl
2 Yellow Wagtail west
2 snipe
Oystercatcher
15+ Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Grasshopper warbler
Green Woodpecker

A very wet morning with Simon Johnson and partly Paul Wilson produced-

11 Common Scoter (1 female) till 6.30am when they flew west
2 Shoveler
2 Pochard
7 Gadwall
3 Redshank and 1 Curlew through
1 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Garden Warbler in hedges between Spen Moor and the res
1 Redstart by Within's
2 Lesser Whitethroat
3 Grasshopper Warblers
30+ Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit

This evening

106+ Common Scoter flew west at dusk in flocks of 90ish and 16
Dunlin west
100+ Swift
112 Sand Martin roosted in the Goyt
2 Hobby west

A calling Whimbrel over this morning picked up above Doffer and flew quite high SW towards the cemetry at 8.15am also 2 Lesser Whitethroats near Capsticks.

Morning highlights, 2 Pied Flycatchers and 2 Spotted Flycatchers in the Doffer Fold area.

7 Common Scoter (all males), 1 Common Tern and a Little Egret this mornings highlights.

2 Little Egrets this morning

Grasshopper Warbler giving good views in hedgerow below pumphouse was this mornings highlight.

08.00am-12.15pm. Mixed cloud, light breeze. 14c-20c

46 Species including.

1 Black necked grebe.
1 Kestrel (with prey).
1 Cormorant.
2 Common tern.
30+ Goldfinch. (1 flock feeding on thistles).
50+ Starling. (1 flock flew up from marsh).
3 Chiffchaff.
4 Blackcap.
2 Willow warbler.
2 Sedge warbler.
2 Grasshopper warbler.(heard only).
3 Whitethroat.
5 Collared dove.
17 Swallow.
2 Sand Martin.
3 Swift.
4 Song thrush.
8 Great crested grebe.
2 Grey heron.
13 Herring gull.
2 Mute swan.


Thanks Derek.

Black-necked Grebe still present this morning

Highlights from a morning visit 6.7.2023
1 Grasshopper warbler heard .
1 Drake Common Scoter.
1 Juvenile Black-necked Grebe.

Cheers Steven.

Mornings highlights, Grasshopper Warbler again showing well below pumphouse, 1st Summer Mediterranean Gull, Reed Warbler at Capsticks, 1 Little Owl and family party of Water Rail heard along canal. Cheers Ian

Green Sandpiper flew towards the river
2 Dunlin
Willow tit
Common Tern
160 Swift

08.30am - 11.30am. Light cloud, light breeze. 11c - 18c.

51 species including.


1 Kestrel.
1 Buzzard.
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Grasshopper warbler.
1 Common tern.
5 Lesser black backed gull.
1 Kingfisher.
35+ Sand martin.
22 Swallow.
8 Swift.
1 House martin.
3 Long tailed tit.
2 Sedge warbler.
5 Chiffchaff.
3 Willow warbler.
4 Whitethroat.
12 Greenfinch.
100+ Jackdaw.
1 Pheasant.
5 Song thrush
6 Collared dove.
1 Water Rail.
3 Reed bunting.
1 Grey wagtail.
10 Great crested grebe.
33 Coot.
1 Grey heron.
7 Mute swan.

Thanks Derek.

Water level back to very high at main reservoir, water level going over the outflow at Withins.

Morning highlights (few and far between):

2 Grasshopper Warblers (heard only)
2 Common Tern
1 female Common Merganser with 4 young (on the river)
2 GS Woodpeckers (1 male and 1 young) - these were visitors to my garden feeders at Daisyfield.

David Hughes wrote:

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Can someone tell me where the goyt is at elton, thanks

---

 The goyt is the stream which runs through the marsh from the canal. It can be seen on the map (as a winding blue line running down from Bennie's) in the site guide on the main Manchester Birding website. Note that the goyt is often used as another name for the whole of the marsh area. Also note that the goyt is on private land, and you should stick to the public footpath or the canal towpath to view this area. 

-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Monday 19th of June 2023 10:01:31 PM