Are you sure about that count Martin or was it an estimate? There were 43 Whooper Swans from 8 am to 11am. Also a Grasshopper Warbler reeling at Shaw Moss
From the main car park side of the lake this morning: 4 Shoveler mid-lake (3m 1f), Cormorants, Magpies, Jackdaws, Mallards, Canada Geese, Mute Swans, Great Crested Grebes, Black Headed Gulls, Herring Gulls
A few birds on the Lake this morning - no doubt due to the bank of fog over the Pennines halting migrants
5 Pintail (3 males 2 females) , 2 drake Pochard (a real scarcity here these days) and a drake Wigeon were the highlights. Also present were 11 cormorants and 5 Goosander
Ian Kimber also had 2 Little Gulls
2 Pink Footed Geese, Canada Geese, Mute Swans, Cormorants (one with a mostly white head, the most white I've seen on one, had it's white breeding patch lower down), 2 Oystercatchers landed briefly on the pier, Great Crested Grebes, Moorhens, Mallards and crossbreeds, Black Headed Gulls, Lesser Black Backed Gulls, Heron, Jackdaws, Crows, Magpies, Robin, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon, 3 female Gooseanders, 2 preening on the bank in front of the hide.
From the North side of the lake, this morning: 3 Pink-Footed Geese, approx 200 Canada Geese, Black Headed Gulls, Common Gull, Mallards, 3 Mute Swans (1 immature), 22 Lapwings on the pier, Great Crested Grebes, Cormorants, Jackdaws
A single Waxwing was in a garden on Milbury Drive this afternoon but it flew off towards Hollingworth Lake and could not be relocated in a brief search
On 1st January there was a male Brambling in Pavilion Wood, a Kingfisher was showing well from the hide and 3 Pink-footed Geese were with 310+ Canada Geese
Male Ring Ouzel at Shaw Moss associating with winter thrushes (2 were present on Saturday)
Also 2 Brambling in Pavilion Wood, 3 Swallows south, 200+ Fieldfare,150+ Redwing, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Linnet west, 2 Siskin over
Ian Kimber also had a Great White Egret fly over south
The Glossy Ibis was still showing well at 530 pm on fields at Clegg Hall marsh - best viewed from Branch Road - however there is nowhere to park along this road so best to park at the top just off Wildhouse Lane and walk down to view
Glossy Ibis at Shaw Moss this mid-afternoon (photo and video now on the website)
The bird has been commuting between Shaw Moss (at ///jukebox.became.fires) and the fields to the south-west of Clegg Hall off Branch Road (at ///thigh.shelf.pizza).
A Willow Tit was at the nature reserve - a bit of a mega here in Rochdale - only my 3rd record at the site
Also 4 Wigeon, 12 Teal, 2 Little Egret, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Linnet over were the other highlights
Unfortunately no sign of the Cattle Egret today although there were still 2 Little Egrets on the nature reserve.
This morning there were 9 Common Scoter (8 males, 1 female) and, more surprisingly, a female Scaup closely associating with them - they all flew off west together when disturbed by boats about 10 am - unfortunately this is a familiar problem here.
Cattle Egret was seen eventually yesterday evening at 18:45. From the bank between the hide and the Eastern path. Not viewable from the hide or road as it was sheltering in the creek. Grainy shot attached.
Also present were 3 Little Egret, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Kingfisher, 30+ Lapwing, Jay, Chiffchaff, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron.
Cattle Egret present this morning at 07:45 (undoubtably the bird seen a little earlier at Audenshaw Reservoirs) but flew N/NW at 08:40 when disturbed by boats and lost to view behind trees but could conceivably still be present.
Lunchtime today:
Whooper Swan in channel to hide pool
Pied Wagtails
Mallards + various hybrid
Gulls, various
7 Cormorants
70 Lapwings
4 Canada geese (2 one side of the lake, 2 the other) + 30 Canada geese in a nearby field with the white domestic goose that's been helping shepherd the young geese this summer
Robin
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Dunnock
Wren
Great Tit
Starling
Magpie
Crow
Jackdaw
Wood Pigeon
10+ Teal
2 Wigeon
Male + female Goosander (he was looking smart with his dark red bill and salmon-pink flush)
Great Crested Grebe
Heron
Male goosander, not sure if juv or adult coming out of eclipse, just now, swimming across lake towards the white pub. (Saw male and female teal at the hide pond last week)
Juv. Mediterranean Gull this morning
Also at least 4 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat, 3 Willow Warblers and 1 Chiffchaff
Yesterday (4/9) single Spotted Flycatcher and a Lesser Whitethroat.
A Greenshank flew through west calling this morning.
Also today a fem/imm Redstart, 1 Whitethroat and 3 Buzzard
No sign of the Great White Egret since Saturday evening
Great Egret showing well this afternoon, commuting between the nature reserve and the shoreline between the Pavilion Cafe and Rakewood Road, also Little Egret, juvenile Mediterranean Gull, Little Grebe, 120 Lapwings, 2 Oystercatchers and a Ring-necked Parakeet - a superb days birding!
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Great White Egret again present today (and it was also here yesterday)
Other recent sightings were a Little Egret and a Dunlin on Thursday (28th), a drake Common Scoter on Friday (29th) and Ian Kimber had a juv. Mediterranean Gull and a Dunlin yesterday (30th)
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Grasshopper Warblers reeling in the area
2 Whinchat Shaw Moss
2 Ring Ouzel and at least 2 Wheatear at Longden End
6 Swallow
4 Sand Martin