Earlier this morning:

 

9 Black-tailed Godwits dropped in briefly at 7.35am but were spooked by the Oystercatchers and flew off east.

Audi this am 8:00-10:30.

June in full swing.

Highlights.

Ringed Plover X 3.

Mute Swan X 6.

Linnet X 1.

Swift X c100.

Lesser Black-backed Gull Dark green colour ringed left leg" NC39". Awaiting a reply from nwgulls.

 

18.35-20.05 this evening. 

Little Egret flew off at 19.45. Record shots attached .

Also 4 Ringed Plover, 3 Oystercatcher, Sparrowhawk, 8 Great Crested Grebe with 2 displaying pairs, Redshank, 2 Shoveler, 6 Goosander, Linnet, many Swift and Ssnd Martin, 6 Swallow, House Martin collecting mud, many Pied Wagtail and young, 2 Grey Wagtail, 6 Mute Swan.

Audi, 07:00-11:00 with another site regular.

Highlights.

Sanderling X 19 .(record shot showing 14 of the 19).

Common Sandpiper X 1.

Lapwing X 4.

Ringed Plover X 4.

Oystercatcher X 4.

Greylag Goose X 3/5 (3 over, but 2 came down 20 minutes later).

Linnet X 7.

Mute Swan X 5.

Grey Heron X 1.

House Martin, Swallow and Swift all present but in diminished numbers.

 

-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Sunday 2nd of June 2019 12:11:13 AM

This morning on no 1:

1 Sanderling

6 Oystercatcher

Shelduck

 

This am 06:15-10:30. With other site regulars.

Highlights.

Curlew Sandpiper X 1.

Greenshank X 1.

Dunlin X 2.

Lapwing X 2.

Ringed Plover X 2.

White Wagtail X 1.

Grey Wagtail X 2.

Mute Swan X 6.

-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Saturday 25th of May 2019 05:22:12 PM

Curlew Sandpiper on no1 this morning.

Info thanks to Pete Nolan Woolley

Audi this am with another site regular.

Highlights.

Greenshank X 1.

Common Sandpiper X 3.

Dunlin X 1.

Ringed Plover X 1.

Pintail X 1 female.

Goosander X 1.

Mute Swan X 5.

 

3 Black Terns commuting between numbers 1 and 2 reservoirs this morning.

 

Also 3 Sanderlings, 4 Dunlin, 2 Greenshank and the female Pintail still present.

06:15-10:00 With other site regulars.

Highlights.

Whimbrel X 1.

Oystercatcher X 6.

Dunlin X 6.

Common Sandpiper X 1.

Lapwing X 1.

Ringed Plover X 1.

Wheatear X c4.

Shelduck X 2.

Goosander X 1.

White Wagtail X 2.

Grey Wagtail X 2.

Linnet X 2.

Swift X 150+.

House Martin X c 40.

Sand Martin X c 20.

 

A few late sightings from yesterday evening

6 Black Tern were seen to fly away around 1925, although 2 birds were on no 2 10 minutes later
2 Arctic Tern
c10 Common Tern, 7 of these seemed settled on the sand on no 1
8 Dunlin
Yellow Wagtail
Wheatear
5 Goosander included 4 drakes

The Knot flock increased to 12 during the morning but possibly all departed.

Common Tern built up to 13. 

A very good morning so far has produced:

2 breeding plumaged Grey Plover

1 male Bar-tailed Godwit

11 Knot  (including some in breeding plumage)

1 Sanderling

up to 12 Dunlin

8 Ringed Plover

4 Common Tern

A visit between 5-6 pm

Birds of note:

3 oystercatcher
1 dunlin
4 Goosander


The highlight was at one point 80+ swift descending. They were so close as I walked along the central path that I could feel and hear their wingbeat. They suddenly outçnumbered the other hirundines. It literally rained swifts around my head for 10 minutes then they dissappeared out of sight within a minute.

One of the birding highlights of my life. It was one of them moments when time stood still.

-- Edited by Vicky Harper on Saturday 4th of May 2019 06:23:33 PM

This am, With other site regulars.

Highlights.

Bar-tailed Godwit X 2.

Sanderling X 1.

Dunlin X 3.

Curlew X 1.

Lapwing X 6.

Oystercatcher X 1.

Common Sandpiper X 1.

Yellow Wagtail X 1.

White Wagtail X 4.

Goosander X 4

Mute Swan X 5.

-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Sunday 28th of April 2019 02:28:31 PM

At 8 this morning, I could only find 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and no Whimbrel. May have been out of view around one of the reservoirs.
Also seen:
4 Ringed Plovers
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Goosander
1 Dunlin

Some other sightings from today before and around lunchtime

9 Dunlin (including some cracking birds in breeding plumage)
2 Common Sandpiper
2 Goosander
White Wagtail
Several Swift were also present

The 3 Godwit and the Whimbrel were still present early afternoon

A couple of pictures from this afternoon of the Godwits and Terns

also present
Yellow Wagtail 2
White Wagtail 2
Dunlin 2
Ringed Plover 2

Late afternoon -  Bar-tailed Godwits down to 3.  Arriving in sunshine and light winds within minutes the weather turned nasty to say the least, with hail and torrential rain and a gale force southerly wind. Arriving at the hide totally soaked, conditions over No2 were awful, but there were 3 terns flying, but it was difficult to ascertain which due to the appalling conditions.Eventually 2 came reasonably close to the hide when I could ascertain 1 Common and 1 Arctic. The other one was further away and in the conditions I was unable to tell whether Common or Arctic. By the time I plucked up courage to leave the hide I couldn't see them but they possibly were still present somewhere.

The weather had turned back to sunny with light winds. 3 Yellow Wagtails were on the wall by the hide and a flock of Linnets also. A rough count of Sand Martins produced c150. Back on No1, the Godwits had moved to the west side  feeding near the central well. 2 Whimbrel were showing well on the northern bank.

On arriving at Audenshaw, the covered reservoir had been mowed, almost certainly destroying the Skylarks nests for the umpteenth year running. Sadly on leaving a couple of days previously there was a pair of Lapwings on. One of which appeared to be on a nest. Needless to say they weren't there today. They were regular nesters on the covered reservoir years ago and we used to mark any nests when it was being cut

. Probably the finest show for many miles around of Cowslips were also destroyed in full flower,as they are every year, and are gradually being reduced in numbers. 

A few years ago I did have a word with 2 young men from the company cutting the grass, and they told me that they had been instructed by United Utilities to cut it monthly, to keep the grass too short so that birds couldn't nest on it. Why they are against nesting birds I haven't got a clue. I was given a number at UU to ring at the time, and although I rang the number a couple of dozen times or more over a period of time, nobody ever answered.

Wed. 24/04/19 19.30 - 20.00

Arrived on site after a quick dash down from Durham and had 20 minutes scanning over no. 1 res.

1 Lapwing, 1 Whimbrel, and 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, (2 of which in breeding plumage).

Back home for 22.50.

Cheers,

Mike & Barb

Quick visit after the storm from 6.15 to 6.45pm.

4 Bar Tailed Godwit on number 1 as well as the Whimbrel. Also mu first Common Swift of the year with many Swallow and House Martin 

2 Little Ringed Plover and 4 Lapwing too 

Was on earlier didn't see the Bar-tailed Godwits at approx 2pm. when it was pretty dead

In addition 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Ringed Plover. Sparrowhawk circling overhead. Bushes perimeter of No 2 - 3 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Whitethroat and 1 Lesser Whitethroat

 

Brief evening visit 6.30 - 8pm

Wader numbers down on what was reported earlier in the week, but lots of fishermen and dog walkers probably had an impact. Also, the midgies were out in force!

Greenshank
1 Ringed Plover
3 Snipe
2 Oystercatcher
6 Lapwing
No sandpipers of any description (Common, Wood or Green)
2 Yellow Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Wheatear
c10 Linnet
1 Peregrine
12 Goosander
1 Goldeneye
6 Teal
3 Gadwall

This am with other site regulars.

Highlights. 

Wood Sandpiper X 1.(record shot)

Whimbrel X 1.

Avocet X 1.

Greenshank X 1.

Common Sandpiper X 1.

Oystercatcher X 3.

Little Ringed Plover X 8+.

Ringed Plover X 2.

Dunlin X 1.

Lapwing X 6+.

Shelduck X 3.

Teal X 4.

Goosander X 3.

White Wagtail X 4+.

Mute Swan X 5.

Swallow X 2.