single Greenshank present on New Water at 18.25 as I approached on the hill overlooking water. Flew off at 18.35 SSW towards Pennington Flash calling. poor photo attached looking towards the sun and from distance.
At 9.20 this morning, at the very top of the Road to Nowhere off Smiths Lane, a male Reed Bunting delivered an extended warbler-like song, nothing like the usual brief four- or five-note offering!
1 Kestrel, Male seen a number of times hunting. 1 Buzzard Small numbers of Reed and Sedge Warbler, also small numbers of Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. 3 Skylark, one individual was seen having a dust bath, got to within 10 yard outstanding views. 7 Meadow Pipit Reed Bunting numbers at the moment on this site are the most I've ever seen. They are absolutely everywhere. Lapwing sitting and one with youngsters. Black headed sitting in same area. 1 Linnet Plenty Swift over in most areas. 1 Common Tern over
1-2 Grasshopper Warblers (h) 1 Raven (E of rucks, drifting N) 3 Whitethroats 3 Sedge Warblers 10 Reed Buntings 20 Swift (E of rucks) 20 House Martins (flock, E of rucks, drifting N) Chiffchaffs Willow Warblers
45 mins after work from 18.30 2 Common Tern visited Nevisons Flash for 5 mins before departing over to Pennington Flash. Green Woodpecker flying around edge of Nevisons Flash before landing in top of tree on top rucks then yaffling for 10 mins. plenty of Reed Warbler chattering away. Cetti's Warbler very vocal.
08.00-10.15 1 Cuckoo perched in top of tree on edge of playing field 2 Whitethroat at end of road to nowhere 1 Sedge Warbler(C8) 2 Grasshopper Warbler 9 Reed Warbler Cetti's Warbler singing 4 Oystercatcher 5 Buzzard 3 Grey Partridge Green Woodpecker yaffling in distance while stood at end of road to nowhere Willow Warbler, Blackcap & Chiffchaff all into double figures 3 Linnet 8 Lapwing
Not much this morning should of gone out early as went cloudy as I left the house and eventually turned to rain
2 Grasshopper Warbler
Cetti's Warbler
2 Swallow
Plenty of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff
2 Blackcap
4 Reed Warbler
18-00-20.00 Male Hobby circled over playing field @ 18.10 showed a brief interest in a passing Woodpigeon before departing North ( my previous earliest record for the Rucks was 2nd May)
08.50-10.15 of note single Reed Warbler single Whimbrel heard only single Green Woodpecker flew across top rucks single Cetti's Warbler very vocal and managed a very brief glimpse single Blackcap Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff both in good numbers
1 1/2 hours late morning, much more pleasant than yesterday in the rain Highlights
14 Fieldfare on top rucks moving through East Green Woodpecker yaffling way in distance 1 Grey Wagtail Cetti's Warbler singing Willow Warbler Chiffchaff Long-tailed Tit collecting nesting material from an old cushion discarded, that you wouldn't normally like to be seen left, but came in useful on this occasion.
17.00-16.00 3 Sand Martin Cetti's Warbler singing from Nevisons Flash (probably same bird that has been singing from central ditch as initially heard from Nevisons Flash back in September 2017 , of course there could be 2 birds as I didn't visit central ditch area this evening), would like to think there are two individuals.
07.30-10.15 1 Chiffchaff - flew into small bush on edge of ruck above new housing ,called once then flew off. Green Woodpecker still present, seems to like to cover whole site has it has done this morning Curlew - heard only
08.45-12.30 cracking mornings walk 47 species seen highlights being:
Green Woodpecker - initially heard in C12 as the other day but not seen , then at midday what I presume was the same bird ,was yaffeling from trees by C5/football field before flying to trees overlooking Fir Tree Flash then flew further away still yaffeling. (could possibly move of site, watch out Pickley Green)
Little Egret - landed in flooded area of C10 that has recently had a lot of work done to retain water levels etc , but was promptly flushed by dog walker walking by waters edge despite new banking and channels put in place acting as screening and not easy to get through. ( probably same bird that is at Pennington Flash and that I have seen flying over towards Pennington Flash a couple of times recently?)
Cetti's Warbler heard only but deafening (loudest I have heard it call since first arriving at back end of last year).
17.00-18.15 Went in search of Wheatear unsuccessfully, in usual areas I see Wheatear every year, that I haven't walked over for in ages but glad I did has I heard a Green Woodpecker yaffelling in distance , so went in search, finding it perched in a tree in C2 .(managed a poor record shot attached below). only other bird of note was a single Fieldfare (only my third record of the winter which is poor for here). Also couple of photos attached of the guys handywork in laying out the railings in Nevisons Flash the other day.
17.00-18.45 3 Siskin N @ 17.19, 1 Kingfisher, Cetti's Warbler singing briefly, 800+ Starling. Snipe flushed by some idiot dragging metal railings through water and reeds laying them in a line to form a walk way didn't dare try and approach him.
single Little Egret flew SW over Nevisons Flash towards Pennington Flash @ 18.35. male Stonechat in corner of C5, also present this evening with Cetti's Warbler singing loudly from central ditch
male Stonechat still present in C5 this morning increase in numbers of Skylark and Reed Bunting with both singing, giving hint of spring round the corner
Cettis Warbler giving brief bursts of song this afternoon from central ditch between C5 & C6 also in same area 11 Lesser Redpoll and 2 Water Rail calling
male Stonechat still present in C5 as per Saturdays post although that post and the other wildlife post for same site seemed to disappear soon after posting for some reason. 1 male Pochard - DF 2 Goosander - FTF numbers dropped since end of January 1 Grey Wagtail - C3
peregrine falcon over this am circled around close to diggle flash before heading off in direction of pennington flash, 2 goldeneye on diggle flash 1m 1f, kestrel seen catching prey,
2 drake goldeneye, 4 pochard 3m 1 f, 19 gadwall, 2 great crested grebe, 1 liottle grebe, 1 cormorant, 1 lesser black backed gull, 3 mallard, 3 moorhen, 3 mute swan, c 40 each coot + tufted duck, c 30 black headed gull, 14 long tailed tit, 4 green finch with 2 chaffinch 4 more chaffinch much farther on, 11 blackbird, 1 kestrel, 2 redwing, 3 wren, 5 robin, 3 dunnock, small numbers great and blue tit, carrion crow, magpie, wood pigeon, 4 jackdaw. not seen any fieldfare at all as yet although i don't cover as much of the area as i used too ( some places i find too much like hard work because of damage caused by off roaders) i would still expect to see some fieldfare activity if only birds passing over ?
1 drake goldeneye, 6 pochard 4m 2f, 3 gadwall 2m 1 f, 1 little grebe, 3 great crested grebe, 3 mute swan, tufted duck, black headed gulls, 3 lesser black backed gulls, coot, moorhen, mallard, 1 very agitated kestrel turned on a carrion crow and saw it off and was then diving at something in the field but couldn't see what possibly a fox nicking it's prey,
15.30 - dark Cetti's Warbler gave a couple of bursts of of song from central ditch between New Water and C5 (probably same bird from Nevisons Flash a few weeks ago). 4 Drake Pochard - Fir Tree Flash
20+ redwing sharing a tree with a kestrel another 20 + redwing two trees further away, small numbers goldfinch and great tit, 7 blackbird, 2 robin, 2 wren, magpie,carrion crow, wood pigeon, 8 jackdaw over. diggle flash- 3 mute swan, 7 gadwall, tufted duck, coot, black headed gull, 2 great crested grebe, 4 mallard, 2 moorhen, 1 little grebe.
morning walk 4 redwing, again good numbers of blackbird, 2 mistle thrush, 4 robin, 3 wren, 3 dunnock, 2 collared dove, 1 kestrel, 1 sparrowhawk, small numbers blue tit, great tit and long tailed tit, c25 goldfinch, magpie, wood pigeon, carrion crow, 2 jackdaw, 1 cock pheasant. diggle flash- 9 gadwall 7 on stock pond 2 on main flash, 2 male pochard with c40 tufted duck, c 30 coot, 3 mute swan, 5 mallard, 2 great crested grebe. 2 little grebe, 3 moorhen, c 50 black headed gulls,
7 redwing feeding with blackbirds in hawthorns, a total of 16 blackbird seen during walk, 11 long tailed tit, c30 goldfinch, several small mixed tit flocks mainly great tit with a few blue tit, 3 wren, 3 dunnock , 6 robin, magpie, wood pigeon, carrion crow, 5 jackdaw, 1 kestrel. diggle flash 6 gadwall on stock pond, 3 great crested grebe, 2 little grebe, c30 black headed gull, 3 lesser black backed gull, 1 common gull, c35 coot, c40 tufted duck, 4 mallard, 4 moorhen, 3 mute swan 1 adult 2 cygnets stretching their wings and flying the length of the flash twice before settling back down not seen the adult male for a couple of days ?
8 Whooper Swan West @ 09.45ish (forgot to check exact time), (having read Geoff Hargreaves post from Wigan Flashes most likely the same birds) 1 Grey Wagtail in pony enclosures 45 Pink-footed Geese West 1 Lesser Redpoll 1 Siskin
pair of Wigeon - DF 2 drake Pochard - FTF 6 drake Shoveler - C10 single Fieldfare 50+ Redwing single Common Gull - DF 70+ Pink-footed Geese NW (also a group heard heading towards Pennington Flash direction while in tree cover) 5 Willow Tit single Great spotted Woodpecker