MB

 

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Doffcocker Lodge


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:
RE: Doffcocker Lodge


Visited this morning 8.40 to 10.15 hightlights : Reed Warbler 1 (first of the year), Reed Bunting, Great Crested Grebe 1. Blackcaps 3 (2 male 1 Female), Jay 1 and a couple of Chiffchaff. As was the case yesterday no Common Tern or Willow Tit. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Site visit this morning 8.45 to 10.20 not much of interest seen : Reed Buntings 3, Willow Warblers 6+, Chiffchaffs 3, Song Thrush 2, Blackcap 1, Rook 1, Bullfinch 1. Great Crested Grebe 1, Buzzard 1 and Long-tailed Tits 2. I drew a blank on anymore Common Tern or Willow Tit sightings today.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 455
Date:

Great that the Terns are back - sounds about a week early for the site


__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

A short visit this morning 8.35 to 9.10 highlights : Common Tern 1 flying over the tern rafts and feeding on small fry picked from the lodge surface, my first of the year . Chiffchaff (1 seen, 2 others heard)

and a Willow Tit 1.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Arrived 8.45am left 10.10am. birds observed included :male Sparrowhawk chasing a small bird which managed to escape, Song Thrushes 4, Great Crested Grebe 1, Snipe 1, Reed Buntings 4, Willow Warblers 3, Blackcap 1 (a singing male), Mistle Thrush 1 and Willow Tit 1.  



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Damp and overcast this morning visited 9.00am to 10.30pm. A single Great Crested Grebe on the lodge, 5 Song Thrushes, 1 Female Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler seen (2 or 3 others heard), 2 Willow Tits seen (one of which was a singing male), 2 Swallows, 2 Snipe, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Chiffchaff (both heard only), numbers of Black-headed Gulls well down I counted 11 on the lodge (usually 50+) and Reed Bunting 6+.   



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Visited 8.45 to 10.10 this morning, birds seen included Willow Tit 1, Swallows 20+, Sand Martins 2 or 3, a single Chiffchaff, Song Thrush 1, Reed Bunting 1, Long-tailed Tits 4+, Jay 1 and some House Sparrows gathering feathers to line their nest from around the geese nests on the island. Also heard only a Nuthatch and a Blackcap.  



-- Edited by Paul Thompson on Wednesday 11th of April 2018 12:18:41 PM

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Had a stroll around the lodge this morning 8.35 to 9.55 birds seen include 1 Bullfinch, 4 Blackcaps (2male & 2Female), 1 Chiffchaff (several others heard), 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Reed Bunting and 1 Oystercatcher which flew low over the island while calling but failed to land.

Notable absentees: Great Crested Grebes if as appears to be happening, it will be the first year they've fail to breed on this site since I started birding here (12 years or so ago). There have not been any Mute Swans this spring so far.  I have not seen any Willow Tits in the last couple of weeks I'm glad Jon had a sighting on Sunday I was worried they may have left also.  



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 455
Date:

more spring like at least from a bird perspective this morning;
2 Swallows
1 White Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
4 Chiffchaffs
Willow Tit
Increased number of Starlings about
Tufted Duck numbers down, likewise Black-Headed Gull numbers
6 House Sparrows
Song Thrush
Greenfinch
Bullfinch
plus the usual



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 455
Date:

Weekly walk around the lodge - the rafts are looking good and lots of work completed in the roadbeds. Still no sign of spring migrants but plenty of life, highlights
Pair of Willow Tits
Great Crested Grebe back on the lodge
6 Snipe
Goldcrest
Oystercatcher (flyover)
Kingfisher
Plenty of Dunnock, Reed Bunting and Wrens in song
plus lots of usual species and Tufted Ducks looking great in the sunlight

Attachments
__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 1719
Date:

I had to touch my brakes, as a large Cock Pheasant crossed the ring road, from the field by Old Kiln Lane, onto the Lodge area.

Loked dark; probably a melanistic one.



__________________

 

  
  

Rumworth List 2019, species to date: 63 Latest: Sand Martin, Reed Bunting, Redshank, Pink-footed Goose, Curlew.

 

 



Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

This Morning I walked around the lodge 8.40 to 10.30. The highlights were 2 Water Rail showing behind the reeds at the Moss Bank Way end of the causeway on the eastern side. Also a single Snipe in front of the reeds at the other end of the causeway on the eastern side. Other sightings included Chiffchaff 1 (my second sighting this year I saw one here on the 14th of this month) Willow Tit 2, Song Thrush 3, Goldcrest 1, Pheasant 1(fairly rare to this site) and Reed Bunting 12+. The single Great Crested Grebe that returned after the harsh weather seems to have left again.

Bolton Conservation Volunteers are due to work on the site this Sunday 25th March 2018 including repairing the Common Tern rafts and returning them to their correct positions, anyone interested see their website(www.boltonconservation.org.uk) for details. 



Attachments
__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

8.55am to 10.45am. Buzzard flying low over the willow scrub at the western end of the lodge, couple of sightings of a Kingfisher, 3 Snipe seen 2 at one location the other on the opposite side of the lodge, a pair of Goosanders, a Kestrel perched on the back of one of the benches on the Moss Bank Way side, 2 Willow Tit seen in the small wood at the Moss Bank Way side of the causeway others also heard on the opposite side of the lodge.



-- Edited by Paul Thompson on Friday 15th of December 2017 05:35:37 PM



-- Edited by Paul Thompson on Friday 15th of December 2017 05:43:09 PM

Attachments
__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walked round the lodge this morning 9.00am to 10.25pm. Highlights a flock of half a dozen small birds which land in a tree nearby on closer inspection of 2 of them I I.D. them as Mealy Redpoll (both male with crimson breasts with white wingbars). Also observed were 2 Kingfishers, I was glad to see they had survived the lodge freezing. A single Snipe, 2 Goosanders, 5 Reed Bunting, A Grey Heron and 3 Tufted Duck(usually about 30 to 50) (returned after the lodge thawed out on the eastern side of the causeway), Still no Great Crested Grebe. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

9.10am to 10.15am. The Lodge is completely frozen this morning. highlight of the visit a pair of Water Rail behind the reedbed on the North West side of the causeway. other birds seen include a Jay, a Redwing, a Grey Wagtail and 5 Common Gull. Birds not seen which are usual sightings round Doffcocker include Snipe, Kingfisher, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron Tufted Duck and Mute Swan. Yesterday there was a single female Goldeneye that had also gone. Also no sign of the Bittern I saw last week.  



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walked round the lodge between 9.00am to 10.20am. Highlights Bittern flew into the site from  the Moss Bank Way side of the lodge and passed over me and landed in the reedbed on the island side of the causeway. As I got around the opposite side of the lodge I had a good look at the front of the reedbed, but was unable to see the Bittern. Other birds seen include Kingfisher, Snipe, Goosander, Sparrowhawk, Common Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron,Teal and Bullfinch. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walk around this morning 8.45 to 10.30 several sightings of snipe at various spots round the lodge, the vegetation that they like has increased since the removal a few years ago of 85% of the farmyard geese that grazed the lodge banks . A kingfisher was in the willow at the western end of the lodge, it flew off flying toward me and passed over the causeway where I lost sight of it. A Grey Wagtail was on the wall next to the overflow at the dam end. A Water Rail was heard only. A single Grey Heron, a couple of Cormorants and a couple of Great Crested Grebe were also observed. Notable absentees this autumn are Teal(no sighting on this site at all)  and winter thrushes (only a few Redwing & Fieldfares have been see and none on this visit). The Mute Swans that bred over the summer (2 signets and the pen) which left 5 or 6 weeks ago have not returned. There was a flyover of Pinkfooted Geese ( see my post under that heading).   



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Had a walk round between 8.35am to 10.00am. Highlights of my visit were Willow tits visiting an obvious nest site carrying food, 4 Whitethroats, 4 sedge warblers, a single sand martin, 2 Reed Warblers and the Common Terns most of which were on or around the rafts on the east side of the causeway. There were 2 Common Terns which landed on the raft on the west side of the causeway a couple of times but didn't settle. 40 species see and heard in total. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 106
Date:

I had a brief visit at lunchtime and saw four common tern (two on each raft in the main pool), a whitethroat, a sedge warbler and a reed warbler (the reed warbler was arguing with a reed bunting at one point!) and I heard a chiffchaff and a willow warbler.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 14
Date:

2 Common Terms on the nest platform this morning. Fingers crossed Lots of Willow Warblers also Whitethroat

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Had quick walk round this morning and I am glad to say Rick Parker and another member of Bolton Conservation Volunteers were there with a boat and were about to start correctly positioning the Tern Rafts etc.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

8.40 am. to 9.50 am.  Went round the lodge, no sign of any action over the tern rafts, no Common Terns seen on this visit. 26 species seen, highlights. Common Sandpiper 1 seen at the eastern end around the dam etc. Lesser Redpolls 8+ seen in 2 locations, Sand Martins 20+, Blackcap, Reed Bunting 3 and Reed Warbler1.  



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 1719
Date:

Paul, Try Bolton Conservation Volunteers. They have
worked on these rafts in the past. They have a contact form on their website.


__________________

 

  
  

Rumworth List 2019, species to date: 63 Latest: Sand Martin, Reed Bunting, Redshank, Pink-footed Goose, Curlew.

 

 



Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walked round the lodge this morning between 9.10am. to 10.15am. 29 species seen, 2 others heard only. The highlights being : Reed Warbler spotted after a long search while listening to it's scratchy song (my first of the year), A single Common Tern perched on the raft near the causeway, worryingly the rafts have not been moved back to their correct positions away from the banks and this could cause the Terns to move on. As this is one of the best breeding sights in the region I feel that this needs to be addressed urgently. Other birds seen include Reed Bunting, house Martin, Song Thrush & Great Crested Grebe. 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 1719
Date:

This morning' dog walk. Raining.
5 Swallow.
8 Reed Buntings, all immaculate and including one female.
2 Mute Swans, being hand fed.
Only one tern raft in open water, the other 2 being up against the reeds.


__________________

 

  
  

Rumworth List 2019, species to date: 63 Latest: Sand Martin, Reed Bunting, Redshank, Pink-footed Goose, Curlew.

 

 



Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walked around the lodge between 9.10am. to 10.15am. 34 species seen, Highlights : Osprey hovering over the lodge for several minutes about 10.00am. eventually seen off by some corvids, it flew off to the west towards High Rid. A single Tree Sparrow, Blackcaps 2 & Reed Bunting 1.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walk around the lodge this morning 8.45am to 10.10am 31 species seen, highlights : Common Sandpiper 1, Blackcap 1, Chiff chaffs 6, Willow Warbler 1, Reed Bunting 1, Sandmartins 3, Swallows 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 (having a bath under a willow bush) & a pair of adult Mute Swans ( the juvenile seems to have been chased off by the adult male which it was doing on my last visit).



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walked round the lodge this morning 8.40 to 9.55 30 species seen, highlights: Chiffchaff 2, Snipe 2, Goldcrest 1, Willow Tit 1, Grey Wagtail1, Teal 2, Reed Bunting 4, Grey Heron 1 and a single Juvenile Mute Swan.

P.S. Late post single Sand Martin seen on 13th March 2017. 



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 24th of March 2017 12:52:07 PM

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 61
Date:

Bittern showed well (eventually) this evening at 6.15pm in the usual place.

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 8
Date:

Nice to meet up with Phillip,no show for me,stayed till 5.00pm

Also seen pair Great Crested Grebe trying to build a nest in a sunken nest of twigs,

5 Reed Bunting,1 Chiffchaff,1 Wren,plenty of Dunnocks,few Long tailed Tits.

1 Buzzard over.



-- Edited by Peter Krischkiw on Wednesday 15th of March 2017 06:45:53 PM

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 597
Date:

Bitern showed briefly at 12.50pm.
Seen from the seat looking down to the left of the causeway from the old kiln lane / markland hill lane entrance. ....I stayed until 2.30pm but didn't see it again.

__________________
psk


Status: Offline
Posts: 79
Date:

I arrived at 14 10 and the Bittern was showing although partly hidden in its usual area.  At first I thought it was a large clump of reed heads until it moved and its head and breast showed well in typical pose. I even managed a photo.

i watched it for 15 minutes till it moved left and disappeared into the reeds. It was very windy and quite cold

My first Chiffchaff of the year was in song.. No sign of any Sand Martins ...Although I didn't look too hard.

A GM tick for me at last having been here twice in November and twice at Pennington.

it pays to persevere.  biggrin

 



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 61
Date:

Bittern still in its usual spot this evening.

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 15381
Date:

Two Sand Martins present mid morning today.

Info thanks to Andy Makin



__________________

Forum administrator and owner



Status: Offline
Posts: 106
Date:

Second time lucky, I got there at 6:30 just as a group of birders were leaving. Thankfully they yold me the bittern was still showing. I met two other birders, Gary and another chap who said he'd just got a lifer. The bird showed well for 5 minutes before taking off and flying to the reeds on the opposite side of the pond. A flying bittern was a great first for me as the only other bittern I saw at Pennington Flash last year stuck to the reed bed. I managed to get a couple of phone scope shots. If I can I'll post them.

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 2221
Date:

Bittern again at dusk tonight, showing well on the same perch as last night.

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 2221
Date:

Bittern showed well at dusk tonight, and phone-scoped.

-- Edited by Simon Warford on Saturday 11th of March 2017 08:22:09 PM

Attachments
__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 106
Date:

Tried for the bittern this lunchtime but no joy. I did however see three goosander, 3 tufted duck, 1 juvenile mute swan, numerous coot, moorhen and black headed gull. Additionally, I saw a reed bunting and blue tit feeding in the reeds. The compensation for missing out on the bittern though was hearing my first chiffchaff of the year. Spring is well and truly here for me now.

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 15381
Date:

Bittern present at the top end of the Lodge, showing well behind the raft at 6:25pm until dark.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

__________________

Forum administrator and owner



Status: Offline
Posts: 61
Date:

Bittern still this evening in the usual place.

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 1719
Date:

Up to 5.30 this evening.
After an hour of watching the Bittern tucked down in the reeds, just after 5pm, it walked a few yards left. Thus showing quite well with, at one point, it's head and neck out of the reeds.
The Bittern is in the reed bed that is at right angle to the causeway at the end of the smaller water( looking North)
The Tern raft has gone, so forget it.
David Sulway and Ian Roe present for parts of the watch. NB The Bittern's position today was identical to my sightings at the end November 2016; probably the same bird.



-- Edited by keith mills on Wednesday 8th of March 2017 06:03:21 PM

__________________

 

  
  

Rumworth List 2019, species to date: 63 Latest: Sand Martin, Reed Bunting, Redshank, Pink-footed Goose, Curlew.

 

 



Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Went around the lodge 8.30 am to 10.00 am. Many thanks to Dave Sulway who pointed out where the bittern tends to show and the point on the causeway you need to be to see it, also letting me borrow his scope. Also seen behind no.2 to 10 Old Kiln Lane 4 Tree Sparrows. I would suggest not using the tern raft as a point of reference as it appears to be no longer anchored and is drifting about. When I met Dave I was looking in the reed bed on the southern shore where the raft had been the day before. The Bittern is located in the northern reed bed on the Moss Bank Way side. Don't use the maps on birdtrack as the roads are wrong ( Moss Bank Way is shown as Stapleton Ave., Old Kiln Lane is shown as Markland Hill Lane & Chorley Old Road is shown as Doffcocker Brow and Monserrat Brow.) see google maps.

Went back later with David Aldred and my own scope 10.30 am to 12.00 noon, but the Bittern failed to show again.   



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 1719
Date:

The Bittern was seen earlier this morning by Paul Thompson, who has gone back to collect his scope and David
Aldred for a return visit.

__________________

 

  
  

Rumworth List 2019, species to date: 63 Latest: Sand Martin, Reed Bunting, Redshank, Pink-footed Goose, Curlew.

 

 



Status: Offline
Posts: 61
Date:

17.30 to 18.15. Bittern showing well as the light disappeared. In the same area as described in the previous posts. Many thanks to David Sulway who put me on it. Also of note, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Goosander (m) and 1 Water Rail (heard).

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 15381
Date:

Bittern showing again in the same place as yesterday early this morning but low down in the reeds.

Info thanks to Joe Palframan

__________________

Forum administrator and owner



Status: Offline
Posts: 15381
Date:

Bittern sat in the reeds behind the tern raft which has drifted to the north shoreline of smaller waterbody for much of yesterday afternoon.

Info thanks to Joe Palframan.


__________________

Forum administrator and owner



Status: Offline
Posts: 758
Date:

11.30 am today:

2 Redpoll on Boot Lane feeders

__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 1719
Date:

This morning with David Aldred:

Tree Sparrow....5 frequenting trees that border the Lodge, in Old Kiln Lane back gardens.
Goosander.....5 ...including 2 drakes
Tufted Duck....c10
Goldfinch...5
Greenfinch...1
Long-tailed Tit...3
Reed Bunting...4
Teal...a pair.
Kestrel...1 female perched.
Cormorant...5
Bumped into Paul Thompson, as he was leaving, who helped us with the Tree Sparrow location.

-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 28th of February 2017 09:58:11 AM

__________________

 

  
  

Rumworth List 2019, species to date: 63 Latest: Sand Martin, Reed Bunting, Redshank, Pink-footed Goose, Curlew.

 

 



Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walked round the lodge this morning from 8.25 to 9.45 highlights Common Gull, male Bullfinch, 5 Goosander and 6 Reed Bunting.



__________________


Status: Offline
Posts: 250
Date:

Walked round the lodge this morning from 8.25 to 9.45 highlights Common Gull, male Bullfinch, 5 Goosander and 6 Reed Bunting.



__________________
«First  <  1 2 3 4 5 6 7  >  Last»  | Page of 7  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

RODIS

 

This forum is dedicated to the memory of Eva Janice McKerchar.