Had to go to Swinton to visit my dentist all the way from West Yorkshire, so decided to call in at Clifton C.P. Birds seen as follows Magpie x2 Lesser Black Backed Gull x1 Herring Gull x1 Mute Swan x 2 plus 4 cygnets Canada Goose x26 Mallard x12 Black Headed Gull x10 Tufted Duck x6 Coot x2 Common Buzzard x1 overlying Great Black Backed Gull x1
starling x6 Dunnockx1 blackbird x 3 house sparrow x3 Goldfinch x2 magpie x4 black headed gull x lots carrion crow x4 tufted duck x21 mallard x 17 Canada goose x 8 mute Swan x5 Coot x24 gadwall x 6 Great black backed gull x 1 cormorant x1 Grey wagtail x 1 Robin x 3 teal x 8 goldcrest x 1 long tailed tit x 5 treecreeper x 1 moorhen x 1 song thrush x 1 Mediterranean gull x 1on the path back to the car park.
On the Marina there were 70 Gadwall and one Drake Wigeon. On the River Irwell was a Little Egret, Dipper and 27 Teal. There was also two Raven flying toward Kearsley.
Late post for yesterday afternoon: Walked through the woods to the motorway bridge and back along the river. 19 species seen. Woodland: Feral Pigeon x 3 Starling x 4 Robin x 5 Magpie x 3 Carrion Crow x 1 Bullfinch (f) x 1 Long Tailed Tit x 4 River: Goosander x 8 (2m 6f) Common Buzzard x 2 Mallard x 8 Magpie x 2 Lake: Black Headed Gull x 50+ Coot x 8 Herring Gull x 2 Mallard x 10 Canada Goose x 30+ Tufted Duck x 12 Mute Swan x 4 Grey Heron x 1 Goldeneye x 1
Went here yesterday along with hundreds of others. Very little social distancing anywhere. The carpark was full, so had to drive round to the sewage works to park. At the sewage works: 26 x Black Headed Gull 1 x Juvenile Herring Gull(doing a waggle dance on frozen ground,trying to charm worms, with no success.) 1x Pied Wagtail On the river: Black Headed gull x 19 Mallard x 22 Moorhen x 1 Teal x 21 Goosander x 2 (1m 1f) Robin at the waters edge x 1 Dipper x 1 Woods and lake: Starling x 6 Blackbird x 4 Feral Pigeon x 4 Black Headed Gull x 40 + House sparrow x 6 Lesser Black Backed Gull x 1 Magpie x 7 Blue tit x 1 Wood Pigeon x 2 Carrion Crow x 2 Canada Goose x 20+ Mallard x 20 + Coot x 20+ Mute swan x 3 Tufted Duck x 9 Dunnock x 1
5 x Great crested grebe (three adults two juveniles)
3 x Great tit
1 x Greylag goose
6 x mute swan ( two adults four signet's)
1 x Nuthatch
3 x Robin
4 x Swift
2 x Tufted Duck
1 x Wren
Lots of Canada Geese, mallards, Coots, Magpies, Black headed and common gulls
Also sighted hopping around the floor and lower branches of trees along the waters edge were four or five brown Robin sized birds. They wouldn't stay still long enough for me to identify them or got themselves into the thick foliage so I couldn't see them properly.
Lots of good spots from today at the Marina and surrounding area;
Lots of long tailed tits, blue tits, great tits, a couple of coal tits
Great Crested Grebe on the marina with a lot of tufted ducks
Lots of robins, fighting among themselves!
Many female Goosander on the Irwell with some mallards and a couple of teal
Cormorant on the Irwell
Nuthatch in the woods
Dipper on the Irwell
And best spot of the day - a kingfisher on the pond
Just a final update of the young adult female buzzard. She was successfuly released by myself on Saturday morning at Clifton Marina, having spent a week in rehabilitation in Rochdale. She flew away off high towards the water treatment plant after a few minutes sat perched in a tree assessing her surroundings. Fully recovered from hitting pylons a week before....an overall success story (photos courtesy of Gary Taylor)
Got an update and a photo of the Buzzard I rescued last week. Seems to be doing well enjoying its rehabilitation. Apparently its eating fine and has no visible injuries. So was probably just stunned from flying into powerlines when we found it. It is scheduled for release sometime this week.
Got a phone call last night from a dog walking friend of mine saying they had found a large injured bird. She had rang the rspca before me who basically wouldn't help..To cut a long story short..
I arrived just as it was going dark to find this distressed buzzard running around under the powerlines just near the car park.. It was full of energy but absolutely soaking wet and couldn't fly. I took it to Armac In Bury.. I am still awaiting an update to its condition
This afternoon at clifton country park: 2 Spotted flycatchers seen in trees next to pond just off footpath was the surprise of the day, seems late in year and site tick for me ⺠also in same area: Little grebe Kingfisher Bullfinch Goldcrest Treecreeper Jay Chiffchaff
Marina:
Coot 17
Tufted duck 27
Black-headed Gull 47
Cormorant 6 flew over
Mute Swan 12 inc 3 cygnets
Goosander on river
Grey heron 2 flew over
Siskin flocks Giant Seat Woods
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk sighted 3 times
Long-tailed tit flocks in country park
Chiffchaffs in good numbers
not much on lake but on river 8 Teal, 4 Gadwall, 4 Goosander, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Jay, singing Goldcrest 12 Swallow, and Buzzard. First Bluebells also in flower
Walk from Clifton country park to the thirteen arches over the motorway back to the garden centre and back into the country. Park Marina Great crested grebe1 cormorant 1 mute swan5 Canada geese loads mallard 10 tufted duck 4 black headed gull loads ccarrion crow2 On and around the river Teal. 12 mallard 20 red headed goosander 3 buzzard 1 kestrel 2 moorhen 1 black headed gull 12 woodpigeon 6 grey wagtail 1 robin 6 blackbird 6 blue tit 4 great tit 2 magpie 10 carrion crow 4 starling 8
Noon ish Quick half hour from the viewing platform Mute swansx5(3 juv) Canada geese 20+ Tufted ducks 30+ Coot 20+ Moorhen Mallardx6 Gadwallx2 Magpies 15+ Robinx2 Great and blue tits Female blackbird eating berries Wren Loads of common gull Cheers Jay Don't twitch and drive.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 31st of January 2013 02:57:09 PM
14.00 ish From viewing platform Canada geesex10 mallardx10 Cootx15 Tufted duckx13 Mute swanx2 plus 3 juv House sparrowx1 Magpie city Buzzard over No grebe today Cheers Jay
High noon again From viewing platform 1XMute swan with 1 juv 39xtufted ducks 19 canada geese 2xgc grebe 10xcoot 12xmallard 2xchaffinch on feeders Cheers Jay
High noon From viewing platform 2xmute swans with 3 juvs 20xcanada geese 14xtufted ducks 12xmallard 2xcoot 1xgc grebe 1xcormorant over 1xkestrel being harrased by various hirundines 2xbuzzards And a cheeky juv house sparrow on the viewing platform with me. Cheers Jay
On Clifton moss (morning) Had a little visit round the old stomping ground from many a moon ago. 2xswallow pair of mallards small flock of starling 1xgs woodpecker 1xbuzzard 6xcarrion crow 2xtreecreeper heron over heading towards country park various tits 2xdunnock 2xmistle thrush Cheers jay