Vis-mig from Top Bank with Andy Platt produced very little in the way of migration with the following note:-
71 Meadow Pipits 2 Skylark 3 Chaffinch 2 Goldfinch Stock Dove 21 Woodpigeon 7 Mistle Thrush Blackbird 7 Pied Wagtail.
Lone Pink-footed Goose with 2 Canada Geese flew in and and landed on the field near Redstart hedge.
However, at about 8.20 I spotted what I initially thought was a Common Buzzard perched on a fence post but it didnt look quite right through my bins. This was confirmed when I got my scope on it, it wasnt a Buzzard but a female Goshawk. After watching it for a couple of minutes it flew strongly along the far side of the reservoir and was lost to view behind a hill and wasnt seen again.
Other birds of note where:-
3 Kestrel Sparrowhawk 2 Goosander 4 Little Grebe 58 Lapwing
A flock of 32 Pink-footed Geese flew over and the lone Pinky flew up from the field to join them.
-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Sunday 7th of October 2018 01:01:11 PM
-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Sunday 7th of October 2018 01:01:56 PM
Good numbers of wading birds on Castleshaw Reservoirs due to low water levels, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 9 Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 40 Lapwing, 3 Oystercatcher, also 2 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Tufted Duck, 20 Swift, 1 Common Gull
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Drake (first-year?) Red-breasted Merganser showing along the north-east shore of the Upper Reservoir, still present at 5:30pm viewable from Castleshaw Top Bank or the adjacent footpath along the north shore of the Upper Reservoir
Lower Resr: 5 Cormorant 7 Common Gull 30+ Lapwing 60+ Canada Geese 12+ Mallard 1 Great Crested Grebe flock of 60+ Swallows (with a few House Martins included)
Upper Resr (full circuit - rather muddy!): 1 Little Grebe 4 Cormorants 60+ Lapwing 4 Meadow Pipits 2 Kestrels + several dead sheep...
One juvenile Ringed (or Little Ringed) Plover at Lower Resr. Couldn't get close enough for a definite ID and wasn't hanging around to get bitten any longer!
Also: one juv. Lapwing, one Cormorant, several Mallards, Tufted Ducks and Common Gulls.
Evening visit 20.00 to 21.30. Quail calling loudly from the field at the south end of the road between the two reservoirs. Hobby passed through and attempted to catch a Common Sandpiper without success. 4 Oystercatcher, 118 Lapwing, 3 Common Sandpiper and 1 Teal. Also of note on the lane towards the A62 a Grasshopper Warbler was reeling at around 21.35.
Common Sandpiper 2 Oystercatcher Dunlin Curlew Lapwing 2 Black-headed Gull Mallard with 2 chicks out of the initial 11 left. 30 Swift 2 House Martin Swallows 2 Grasshopper Warbler
Late news-Ringed Plover present over the weekend and was still present yesterday morning but no sign today
Late evening visit. 2 (m and f) Ring Ouzels, 1 Fieldfare and a f Wheatear in field below Low Bank. At least 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Redshank and 2 Oystercatchers on Lower resolution
1 common sandpiper 2 pied wagtails 1 grey wagtail Ca.8 swallows on lower res. 1 house Martin in midst of the swallows. 1 goosander in flight over lower res. Flew up to higher res.
This mornings highlights from 5:30
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling behind the car park
2 Ravens
3 Common Sandpipers
3 Redshank
2 Oystercatchers
3 Curlew
2 Willow Warblers