6 adult little gulls (one with a slightly incomplete hood) arrived at 9.10. A while later, I noticed a bird in the same area with a 'W' shape wing pattern. Unfortunately, I attributed this to kittiwake, but having doubts I checked properly when I got home and saw that it was really a 1st winter little gull. Definitely no trace of a hood forming, so not 2nd summer yet.
A female peregrine decided to dine out on the grass bank of No. 3 resulting in the grizzly image below! No wonder there has been a lack of passerines recently (see Friday).
initially with another site regular, but joined by another 3 site regulars also.
Great White Egret, Over low at 06:58 heading Northwest towards Winter Hill, observed by myself and the other initial regular.
Curlew X 30+ (16 was down on #1 on arrival, but upped at 06:44 and continued to circle the site for approximately the next 15 minutes or so. Another 10 came down again on #1 at 08:25, with the odd 1's and 2's continuing over throughout the morning.
Shelduck X 2.
Grey Heron X 2.
Pochard X 1 (Drake).
Little Ringed Plover X 2.
Ringed Plover X 8.
Common Sandpiper X 3.
Greylag Goose X 2 on #3.
Yellow Wagtail X 2.
Kittiwake X 2.
Common Scoter X 1(female).
Cormorant X 5.
Little Gull X 1.
Teal X 2 (pair).
Goosander X 2 (males).
Mute Swan X 1.
White Wagtail X 4.
Meadow Pipit X 1.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 14th of April 2018 01:59:32 PM
Really excellent find this a.m. of a female merlin snacking on a pied wagtail on one of the reservoir walls. A first for me here. Also seen 3 dunlin, redshank, curlew, pr. goosander, house martin, c50 swallows.
Some sightings from this morning with other site regulars
5 Curlew (3 on no 1 and 2 over) 2 Lapwing flew over 3 Common Scoter (2 drake) Pair of Wigeon Drake Teal 7 Swallow Sand Martin Greylag Goose Willow Warbler Wheatear 2 White Wagtail 12 Meadow Pipit
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 8th of April 2018 10:42:50 AM
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 8th of April 2018 10:43:39 AM
3/4/18 some combined sightings from this morning by a few of the regulars.
1 Yellow Wagtail 2 Wheatear 4 Sand Martin 1 Swallow 1 Chiffchaff 1 Redshank 1 Curlew 1 Snipe 3 Greylag Geese 1 Red-breasted Merganser, same one as has been seen occasionally over recent weeks, 2 Buzzard 1 Sparrowhawk 1 Kestrel
Dunlin - landed briefly before flying off high again Curlew 4 Snipe 2 Lapwing 2 Skylark through 3 Meadow Pipit through and 2 birds on the ground 2 Kestrel 1 Pochard 4 Mute Swan
I visited for the first time from 9am-12am this morning. Had a great time and saw a few new birds for myself. Must thank the birding contingent on-site for the warm welcome and pointing out the Iceland Gull to me! I'll be back.
Highlights:
At No.2:
x4 Goldeneye
x1 Reed Bunting (Male. Appeared for 20 seconds at the southwest corner, perched just 10m away giving me a flawless view)
x1 Kestrel (On the grass south of No.2)
At No.1:
x1 Iceland Gull (2nd winter. Noted it flying north away from reservoir at 11am)
x1 Little Ringed Plover
x4 Snipe
x1 Green Sandpiper (caught it flying from E>W side of the reservoir at about 11:15am)
x~15 Linnet (Flock flew down to waterside from east briefly, around 11:30am)
x1 Pochard (Female, at south end of reservoir at 12am)
7 curlew down on No.1 tank was the highlight this morning. Also 2 shelduck, 1 redshank, 1 green sandpiper, 2 pochard, lapwing flocks totalling 36, 7 cormorant, 13 coot. Soon be welcoming Spring visitors from further afield I hope.
A short-eared owl was down on No.1, beneath the wall in the north-west corner, for 90 minutes, and still there when I left at 11.45 a.m. looking settled.
Glaucous Gull juvenile stood on the ice of a still mainly frozen no1 1 Mediterranean Gull 2 Snipe, 7 Dunlin, The Red-breasted Merganser was with a few Goosander. 3 Pochard
Only thing that was out of the recent norm was a curlew which came in, landed on one of the islands for a couple of minutes, then departed east calling. A nice portent of Spring (weather not withstanding).
The 2nd winter Caspian Gull was in very early and gave the best views of the winter on the partially frozen no 3 Reservoir.
Also in the roost the 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull again, a new 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull and c1,500 Herring Gull. 16 Pochard and 28 Golden Plover.