This morning, the redhead Smew was initially on no 1 reservoir then flew onto no 2. Also 1 drake Pintail, 26 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, c10 Goldeneye, 3 Goosander, 187 Lapwings and 12+ Snipe. Also a first winter Caspian Gull again on no 3 for about 10 mins and 41 Great Black-backed Gulls
Late am/early pm today;- the redhead Smew continues on no 1. Other birds included 2 Gadwall, 39 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 16 Pochard, c15 Goldeneye, 10 Goosander, 19 Lapwings, 4 Snipe and 12 Great Black-backed Gulls. Also 3 Pintail were seen earlier but had departed by late morning
This afternoon, 3 Caspian Gulls in the roost (1 1st winter and 2 x 2nd winter birds), also the regular adult Yellow-legged Gull. Other birds included the Black Swan, 20 Teal, 10 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 4 Pochard, 242 Lapwings. at least 8 Snipe and 1 Little Grebe.
Other birds present included the Black Swan, c30 Teal, 8 Gadwall, 3 Pintail, 17 Shoveler, 1 Pochard, several Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebes, c250 Lapwings, 1 Oystercatcher, 10+ Snipe and 2 Redpolls.
Highlights this morning were the Black Swan, c15 Teal, 2 Pintail, 8 Wigeon, 6 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 6 Goldeneye, 3 Little Grebes and a singing Chiffchaff.
This evening, the Black Swan, 164 Teal, 71 Wigeon, 18 Shoveler, 12 Gadwall, 6 Pintail, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Little Egret, 5 Lapwings and an adult Yellow legged Gull.
23/10/2022 some sightings from yesterday morning with other site regulars.
6 Whooper Swan came in with 3 1st year birds that turned out to be Mute Swans. The Whoopers left east after about an hour on site. With the additional young birds a final count of 54 Mute Swans Black Swan 1 Rock Pipit 7 Pintail Other ducks similar to Fridays count, minus Goldeneye and Pochard. 1 Dunlin 12 Lapwing c10 Snipe seen A few Redwing over 1 Skylark over 1 Kestrel
This morning some good counts of duck with 13 Pintail, 94 Wigeon, 29 Shoveler, 12 Gadwall, 163 Teal, 2 Pochard and the Goldeneye. Other sightings from this morning included c70+ Lapwings, 5 Snipe, a brief Little Egret, the Black Swan, 2 Little Grebes, a Stonechat, c10+ Meadow Pipits, and 2 Sparrowhawks.
Highlights from this morning included first Rock Pipit of the autumn, 1 Black Swan, 1 Goldeneye, 67 Wigeon, 10 Gadwall, 3 Pintail, 141 Lapwing, 3 Skylark, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Meadow Pipit.
Late am/early pm today, the Black Swan, c50 Teal (although more could have been hiding in the vegetation on the island), c20 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 8 Pintail, 68 Wigeon, 2 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye, 6 Little Grebes, 80 Lapwings and a Swallow.
Good movement of Pink-footed Geese this morning with 11 skeins of approx 1093 birds, Ruff still present though elusive, 6 Pintail, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Dunlin, 14 Ring-necked Parakeet, 40 Meadow Pipit being the highlights.
Ruff on No.1 this morning but elusive, Ringed Plover (heard only) 5 Pintail, 1 Black Swan, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 11 Ring-necked Parakeet and the welcome start of the Autumn with my first 13 Skylark, 30 Meadow Pipit, 4 Linnet, 10 Chiffchaff.
Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper on no 1 briefly this morning, flew up from the spit with Lapwings and lost to view. Also the Black Swan, 139 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 20 Shoveler, 65 Wigeon, 6 Pintail, 5 Little Grebes, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 104 Lapwings, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin, 3 Snipe, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kestrel and 9 Swallows.
This morning/early afternoon, an increase in duck numbers with 110 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 21 Shoveler, and 51 Wigeon. Also the Black Swan, 45 Mute Swans, 7 Little Grebes, 2 Black-necked Grebes, 66 Lapwings, Green and Common Sandpipers, 1 Ringed Plover, 3 Snipe and 3 Dunlin.
1 garganey, 1 great egret, 2-3 common sandpiper, 9 black-tailed godwits, 2 swifts, c20 house martins, 5 wheatear (possible 7), 2 yellow wagtails, a possible tree pipit with c20 meadows (seen by G. Hughes), 64 wigeon, uncounted numbers of teal, gadwall, shoveler, pintail (I was told 3, but saw only 1), 2 kestrels, and a distant sparrowhawk. Plenty of the usuals too.
Red-necked Phalarope, Pectoral Sandpiper and Great White Egret all present at 5pm, all on No1. I had 2 visits today 10am - 2pm and 4-5 pm. I didn't see the Red-necked Phalarope during the first visit and may have been elsewhere possibly on site. Grateful for a message from Andy Bissitt that it was back on No 1 and went back to find it!
This morning the Black Swan, 30 Teal , 3 Gadwall, 19 Shoveler, 9 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Kestrel, 1 adult Hobby, the breeding plumaged Grey Plover, up to 16 Black tailed Godwits, 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Snipe, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 18 Swifts, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Wheatear.
A very decent morning (9.00 - 11.15). A 1st Winter Little gull was on No.2 straight away, followed immediately by an Osprey quite high over No.1. It was battling into a stiff breeze, so was in view for quite a while before it was lost to the West. Walking round to the north end of No1 brought the 2 greenshanks into view, and whilst looking at these, and 4 dunlin, a Ruff was picked up. Other highlights were a fem. kestrel, seen twice, and seeing a Great Crested Grebe with 3 recently hatched young. The Little gull was still present as I left.
No sign of the Great White Egret by 8.30am this morning but only 3 Grey Herons too. Otherwise the Black Swan, 9 Teal, 8 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 15 Goosander, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers , just 1 Common Sandpiper, 11 Snipe, 2 Swifts and a Wheatear.
This morning the Great White Egret remains on no 1. Also the Black Swan, 4 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 13 Teal , 3 Wigeon, 16 Goosander, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 8 Common Sandpipers, 2 Dunlin, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Snipe, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet, 12 Swifts and a Wheatear.
This morning the Great White Egret continues to show well on no 1 along with a Little Egret. Other birds included the Black Swan, 8 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 3 Wigeon, 1 Goldeneye, 18 Goosander, 2 Little Grebes, juvenile Peregrine, just 3 Lapwings, 7 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Redshank, 2 Snipe, Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper , 1 Great Black-backed Gull, c20 Swifts and a Yellow Wagtail. A Dunlin was also seen earlier.
Great White Egret and 2 Little Egrets along east side on No1 reser. at about 7:30 this morning.
Some ringing info received recently regarding a colour ringed Little Egret seen on 17th July together with 3 other Little Egrets. Left leg White (6), Right leg Green (K). It was ringed in the nest, one of a brood of three in a colony near Hale Cheshire on 2/6/22
This morning the Black Swan, 14 Teal, 4 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Little Grebe, pair of Great Crested Grebes with at least 2 chicks, 6 Lapwings, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Snipe, 4 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, c40 Swifts and 10 Grey Herons.
Early afternoon today, an Arctic Tern arrived on no 2 reservoir and remained for c20 mins before departing south. Otherwise Black Swan, 1 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 15 Lapwings, several Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers.
14 black-tailed godwits dropped into No. 1 reservoir during a squall this morning. They stayed for about 20 minutes before flying round for another 5 or so, then gained height above the waters until almost beyond the human eye (just shows you what might be up there at any time!). Also 2 redshank, green sandpiper, common sandpiper, little ringed plovers (2), and a few lapwings made up the wader scene.
This morning, similar to yesterday with the Black Swan, 1 Teal, 1 Goldeneye, 17 Goosander, 4 Little Grebes, 1 Lapwing , 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin and several Little Ringed Plovers.
Early afternoon today saw the Black Swan, c200 Mallard, 1 Teal, 31 Goosander, 3 Little Grebes, Green Sandpiper, 3+ Common Sandpipers, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Dunlin.
Black Swan, 3 Gadwall, 4 Avocets (adult and 3 juvenile), 4 Little Grebes, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin, 1 Knot, a moulting adult Black Tern, and 1 Common Tern.
There was also one yellow wagtail, and one wheatear, as well as willow warbler and chiffchaff being heard.
Black Swan, 3 Gadwall, 4 Avocets (adult and 3 juvenile), 4 Little Grebes, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin, 1 Knot, a moulting adult Black Tern, and 1 Common Tern.