On today's WeBS from Hough Lane Bridge to Agecroft bridge: 24 Goldeneye in total. The numbers seen low compared to previous two years possibly due to mild weather and fast flowing water.

14 Goldeneye on the stretch today 4 M, 10F - one pair distinctly separate from the other 12

Numbers growing - my "record" so far on the stretch over the last 3 winters is 30

My usual stretch - Broughton Bridge to Adelphi Footbridge - about 13:30 today...

9 Goldeneye; 1M & 8F

2 Goosander; 1M & 1F upstream from the Adelphi

Kersal wetland: Stonechat pair 2 Snipe 4 Common gulls 4 Gadwall 4 Tufted ducks 1 Reed bunting

Five female goldeneyes and a fishing kingfisher on the Irwell between Adelphi Bridge and Broughton Bridge between 1:30pm and 2:05pm.

No Goldeneye (or Goosanders) on "my stretch" but (for a few minutes) first Little Egret I've seen there for over a year.

Also a decent view of a Kingfisher (which didn't seem to be interested in fishing) rather than just a flypast and disappear.

1 Little Grebe a little downstream of Broughton Bridge as well

Yesterday PM - Wed 4th

• Sand Martins - several - just below Cromwell Bridge (A576), but still flying into the holes in the concrete wall on the East bank, so presumably still got young in there - 2nd brood?
• Swallow - 1 - approaching Kersal Wetlands
• Little Grebe - 1 - only thing of note during a quick walk by the actual wetlands

At last, first Kingfisher I've seen on "my stretch" since mid-January - only a flypast going under Broughton Bridge but still nice to see

Otherwise, the usual suspects; Mallard, Goosander, Cormorant, BH Gull, LBb Gull, Canada Geese, Grey Wagtail 

River levels down; 20 Goosanders

Blackcap - female or juvenile

Garden Warbler

I've not seen a Kingfisher on "my stretch" since January - I think the higher river levels until the last couple of weeks have not been good for them - hopefully just gone elsewhere

-- Edited by Michael Hood on Tuesday 30th of July 2024 09:00:11 PM

Insect eaters out in force above the river, generally low down;

• Swifts, Sand Martins, House Martins
• Pied & Grey Wagtails

Goosanders - loads - more than I've ever seen here...

• Upstream from Broughton Bridge - 85-90 initially ~65 just upstream and another 22 on the shingle bank but all disturbed downstream (much better for counting as they float past) by a snake of young schoolkids (+teachers) on the path 
• Just downstream from Broughton Bridge - another 65-70
• That's at least 150!!!
• Both sexes, not an obviously uneven mix, no goosanderlings

 

Male Blackcap heard and seen today

Chiffchaff heard

Lots of Goosanders on the water and on the gravel bank, the river being the lowest it's been so far in 2024

Several of the male Goosanders seem to be losing the green sheen on their heads, going dark purple

 

It seems that the female Goosanders were just on an away day - several back today

1 or 2 Willow Warblers - this was a pleasant surprise - heard but not seen - in a derelict area behind wall/fence/barbed-wire next to the path on the city side of Broughton Bridge with lots of Silver Birch growing in there (ideal WW habitat) - but very difficult (next to impossible) to spot anything in there without doing some serious (and potentially injurious) spiky fence climbing which I have no intention of doing.

1 Chiffchaff briefly heard as well

Thursday 28th - the Sand Martins are back on the Irwell

I've now been visiting "my" stretch of the Irwell (Broughton Bridge to the Adelphi footbridge) during lunch breaks for 2 years; typically 2 or 3 times a week (when it's not raining) and certainly not every week.

During that time I've seen 48 species on/by what often just looks like a dirty river near the city centre...

• Standout spots: Goosanders and (in winter) Goldeneye - the views of these are as good as absolutely anywhere - if you want photos of these 2 ducks, this is a great place
• Most surprising: Single Pink-footed Goose happily less than 10 feet away from me amongst the Canada Geese, next would be Little Egret - seen 3 or 4 times
• Surprisingly not seen (biggest "surprise" first): Jackdaw, Collared Dove, Swallow
• Hopeful to still see: Mediterranean Gull amongst the Black-headed Gulls

From Friday 22 March, around lunchtime, walk up from Agecroft, through Drinkwater Park, up to Kingfisher Lodge/Waterdale, back down along the River Irwell . Kingfisher Lodge pool: pair Gadwall, Mallards, Coots River Irwell: Goosander pair + 1, Tufted Duck pair, Black Headed Gull Drinkwater Park: Chiffchaffs, Great Tits, Blue Tits , Long-Tailed Tits, Wrens, Robins, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Magpies, Pied Wagtail, Mute Swans, Mallards, Coots, Moorhens, Heron, Wood Pigeons, Nuthatches

Usual stretch:

• Goosander - 1M 2F - one with the male and also (I think) looking for a nesting site being as she was investigating lots of rocky "inlets" at the water's edge - not behaviour I've seen before
• Goldeneye - 6 above Broughton Bridge 2M 4F and another 7 or 8 below it but some way off
• Sparrowhawk - F flew across the river and immediately out of sight - I was alerted by all the gulls taking off from the buildings 5 seconds before - they can obviously see from up there
• Graffiti artist - 1M on the graffiti wall by Broughton bridge (maybe this should be in "other wildlife") - be interesting to see the finished article next time

River level the lowest I've seen for a few weeks and you could actually see through the water on some shallower bits

Today water level was high on the irwell so few birds and no goldeneye seen from Pint pot to Agecroft Bridge. Highlights include: Chiffchaff singing in kersal dale Greylag goose just before Frederick Road Bridge 23 Ring necked parakeets at dusk near Salford uni Kestrel hunting near kersal wetland Kingfisher on river opposite wetland American mink seen running on bank then into Agecroft cemetery, haven't seen one in ages!

Superb view of over 30 Siskin feeding in Peel Park today in the sunshine. Heard initially from a distance then when I fetched my bins some excellent views. Just need a Redpoll now, had Siskin a few times but not their equally charming cousin.

River level not totally back down and very little on the water:

• Goosander - 2 M
• Goldeneye - 1 M

But, at last after nearly 2 years of waiting to see one from "my" stretch of the Irwell - a Peregrine flew over

23 Goldeneye today (Wed), but only 4M - which means at least 4 of the F are "new" since yesterday - wonder how many of the other 19 were the same birds as yesterday

Pink-footed Goose has gone elsewhere 

Jubilee Bridge is the red bridge, crossing the Irwell between Jasmine Drive/Elderflower Drive

Pink-footed goose amongst a flock of Canada geese today on the river bend just upstream from Jubilee bridge

-- Edited by Zoe Barrett on Sunday 14th of January 2024 08:43:29 PM

Just now...

Goldeneye 7 females, 3 males displaying - beautiful

Little Grebe - just the 1, only see these occasionally

Long-tailed Tits - party of 10-15, but today I was ahead of them so some great close views as they went past

 

Judging by the debris line, the river is about 10' lower than its peak level in the last few weeks.

-- Edited by Michael Hood on Tuesday 9th of January 2024 02:27:58 PM

-- Edited by Michael Hood on Tuesday 9th of January 2024 02:28:16 PM

The Goldeneye are back on ("my" little stretch of) the Irwell in the middle of Salford

Rubbish photo (phone, max zoom, couldn't see screen because of sunlight, real point and shoot), 15 of them, 6m 9f

Not seen any Goosanders around for a while

-- Edited by Michael Hood on Wednesday 29th of November 2023 07:42:42 PM