3 pied wagtails feeding 2 Oystercatchers feeding on exposed bank near old bank,later flew to the other side of res. Flock of Ca. 40 Lapwings], very flighty and unsettled. Chaffinch in song. Reed Bunting on feeders.
-- Edited by Garry Chesters on Friday 24th of February 2017 11:42:41 AM
With visibility down to a few yards viewing was difficult. Pink-footed Geese could be heard passing over with some perhaps grounded but couldn't see them.
When fog lifted slightly
2 Little Grebe 2 Teal 12 Cormorant 72 Lapwing
When I arrived home, I got a call from B.Stanley who had located 271 Pink-footed Geese in fields to the south of the lower reservoir. When I arrived back, some had been flushed by a van but c200 still remained. There was nothing in amongst them and they were all flushed by a dog walker and they flew off down the valley at 1250hrs.
4 adult Whooper Swans on Castleshaw Lower Reservoir still present 10am
I was there at 1st light, for the Red-crested pochard and the Swans were not present(neither were the Pochard) when I left at around 9ish, such is life. (GM Year list now 168 after yesterdays Red-throated Diver at Pennington)
Big surprise - one male and two female RED-CRESTED POCHARDS - might be expected in a Stockport park but surely not up here? Seemed settled in at dam end of lower reservoir when I left.
also: 7 Cormorants 4 Teal 22+ Mallard 3 redhead Goosander 50+ Black-headed Gull 3 Common Gull 200+ Lapwing on upper resr Little Grebe juvenile Heron 29 Canada Geese
Around car park - Goldfinches, 2 Reed Bunting, House Sparrow. (added seed to feeder)
18 Cormorants 1 Heron 3 Teal 33 Mallard 2 redhead Goosander No Canada Geese! 14 Black-headed Gull 1 Common Gull c20 Lapwing 6 Meadow Pipit 1 Wheatear and 5 Pied Wagtail feeding on shore under attack from a Stoat which kept dashing out from shelter of the rushes.
Barry Stanley found a Lesser Whitethroat and a Goldcrest in the dip. I could only find a juv Whitethroat in the car park area. Both Whitethroat sp. are not common here so good records.
Cracking make Redstart in Redstart hedge with possibly 1-2 juv also present at 1345hrs
-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Sunday 28th of August 2016 02:41:57 PM
1 Lapwing 2 Great Crested Grebe (one on each reservoir) 10 Cormorant (9 on top reservoir) 4 Grey Heron 190+ Canada Geese 41 Mallard 2 Willow Warblers (calling from hedge)
10 Lapwing 1 Common Sandpiper 1 Little Grebe 2 Great Crested Grebe 3 Cormorant 2 Grey Heron plenty of Canada Geese & Mallard good numbers of Swallow, fewer House Martins and the odd Swift Pied Wagtail 6 Goldfinch 2 Robin 2 Willow Warblers
2 Common Sandpiper 35 Mallard 187 Canada Goose 5 Coot (3 juv) 150-200 Swallow dropped in and seemed to be going to roost on the dam bank. Landed and settled in the long grass for a couple of minutes before flying off high to the south. Sand Martin 6 Swift
Barry Stanley had Buzzard and 32 Lapwing over earlier.