I remember you coming to collect the manx shearwater. We once had a goosander in our freezer, it died choking on a big fish. It's now stuffed and in the Visitor Centre.
Did manage to get it on 'birds I've seen in my freezer' list though - a short list - Manx Shearwater, Shag and Domestic Chicken .....hoping that my wife didn't notice it!
No obvious injuries Karen - unfortunately I suspect it may have died of starvation, despite the amount of fish in the lake. When I saw it on the 24th it wasn't diving at all. The body has been taken to Manchester museum.
I was surprised to find that the Shag was still present this morning - there don't seem to be many local birders around here these days, I guess it may have been present throughout and just evaded detection.... strange because nothing else much seems to turn up here!>
The few local birders would probably see the Shag in the distance, mutter "Cormorant", shrug their shoulders and leave it at that. Not everyone has had the valuable lesson of overlooking a rare American vagrant
I was surprised to find that the Shag was still present this morning - I wonder if it might have been on some other local reservoir in the meantime as I had a thorough look for it last Thursday without success. However I've been at work the rest of the time, including the weekend, and as there don't seem to be many local birders around here these days, I guess it may have been present throughout and just evaded detection. Hollingworth Lake seems to have a good record with this species as it's the 5th record that I'm aware of for the site, and the 3rd one I've found here in the last ten years - all juvenile birds in late October or November.... strange because nothing else much seems to turn up here!
No sign of the Shag today.... and not much else either - 4 Great-crested grebe, 5 Cormorants and a Goosander with a couple of flyover Siskin was the best I could muster in inclement conditions.
The Shag was still present on Tuesday afternoon but I have not heard of any sightings since then
-- Edited by Simon Hitchen on Thursday 19th of November 2015 04:34:14 PM
Having failed once again with Operation Wryneck this year, Mission Yellow-browed has now been launched here but not going well so far.... but with 22 at Spurn on Monday they must be out there somewhere.....maybe....
juv Greenshank still present today and showing very well from the hide
also juv Common Sandpiper (and yes I did check for Spotted), 10 Cormorant, 2 Kingfishers, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch and 3+ Chiffchaff
Greenshank on nature reserve this morning - first seen yesterday by Simon Harris
Also 1 Kingfisher 2 Chiffchaff 2 Siskin over 9 Lesser Redpoll over Bullfinch with begging juvs
3 Spotted Flycatchers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Little Owl
5 Stock Doves - Bib Knowl
1 Green woodpecker
Big movement of House Martins today with 300+ on wires behind Turnough Hill and further 150+ south in 2 hours
Also struggling with 'Operation Wryneck'
Saturday morning, very quiet but did manage Spotted flycatcher and a male Redstart over at Shaw Moss. Also 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Willow Warbler and a single Chiffchaff.
Sunday morning, 2 Blackcap incl 1 male - between ealees and dipping pond. 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Common Buzzard together over Whittaker wood, 1 Kestrel, 2 Goldcrest, 5 Lt tit, 1 Chiffchaff.
Belated report of a little egret for a short time on Sunday 2nd August, in Queen's Bay. The observer, a member of the Rochdale Field Naturalists only informed me this evening.
A stonking male Ring Ouzel was near Rakewood in fields up from Schofield Hall Lane behind Benny Hill Plantation (yes that is its real name)
Other highlights of a long walk around the Lake and surrounding areas included 1 Buzzard, 2 Redshank, 6 Grey Partridge, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Little Owls, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, c15 singing Willow Warblers, 4 Linnets and song-flighting Lesser Redpoll.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 24th of April 2015 06:06:58 AM
6 Cormorant 1 Pochard - a Rochdale rarity these days 4 Goosander 1 Grey Wagtail 1 Chiffchaff 1 Lesser Redpoll over
Also Great Crested grebes displaying and prospecting for nest sites. Some floating platforms have been placed in the nature reserve which is excellent. However they have wire caging over them, presumably to protect the water plants growing on them, and I can't see how the grebes are going to climb up onto them with these in place. Does anyone else know whether grebes can climb up onto these structures?
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 28th of March 2015 04:43:37 PM
20/3
Drake Common Scoter
4 Tufted Duck 4 Goosander 2 Redshank (Shaw Moss)
There are still a few pairs of Reed Bunting around the Lake area Martin, and birds have recently started singing at Shaw Moss and at the nature reserve but they have certainly declined over the last few decades - a great bird to get on your feeders though.
We live near Hollingworth Lake and for a few days this week we have had a reed bunting on our bird feeder. It is years since we have seen any around the lake, so are there anymore around?
2 pairs of Goosanders are still showing well and I wonder whether these are the same ones that turn up on the Little Clegg lodge.
2 Oystercatchers today were my first of the Spring here.
Also big movement of gulls moving east this morning with 230+ Herring Gulls east in just over an hour heading off over the Pennines (with the largest flock being 140+) - very unusual to get these numbers here.
Late news for Tuesday (10th) when Jim Taylor had 22 Whooper Swans flying east over the Lake late morning
Blackbird x 1 Black Headed Gull x 89 Blue Tit x 6 Canada Goose x 122 Carrion Crow x 6 Coal tit x 2 Coot x 4 Cormorant x 2 Goosander x 3 1m+2f Great Crested Grebe x 5 Great Tit x 5 Grey Wagtail x 1 Lapwing x 2 Long Tailed Tit x 3 Magpie x 12 Mallard x 45 Mistle Thrush x 1 Moorhen x 1 Mute Swan x 2 Oystercatcher x 2 Pied Wagtail x 2 Robin x 2 Teal x 2 Woodpigeon x 14
A very brief look about on my way past. Highlights included: 4 Goosander 3 male 1 female 1 Great Crested Grebe 1 Gadwall 2 Mute Swans 8 Cormorants 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Great Crested Grebe 14 Teal 1 Wigeon female 1 Goldeneye female 1 Goosander male 1 Nuthatch - Big Hedge male Brambling - very vocal - with a small flock of Chaffinches at the nature reserve 5 Siskin 1 Lesser redpoll 2 Bullfinch
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 21st of November 2014 08:33:06 AM