Another enjoyable morning session at Neumann's.

Whimbrel (4) 

Sedge Warbler

Cetti's warbler (heard only)

Avocet (5)

Oystercatcher

Reed Warbler

Reed Bunting

Shelduck

Long Tailed Tit

Tufted Duck

Lapwing

Sand Martin

Swallow

Swift

Cormorant (1)

Great Crested Grebe

Pied Wagtail (1)

Goldfinch

Buzzard

No sign of the Grasshopper Warblers whom were quite vocal on Saturday.

 

Very enjoyable morning from 8am to 10:30 with some firsts for me. Highlights being;

Avocet

Oystercatcher 

Shelduck

Lapwing 

Reed bunting

Chiffchaff 

Blackcap

Water rail heard and seen but it flew across my line of vision so still really want a better sighting!

Reed warbler...my patience paying off for my first sighting!

Circumference of Ashtons Flash only. Sunny and fine, 3-5*c, two hours from 6.25 am. Of note :-

Shoveler (2)
Gadwall (2)
Water Rail (3)
Reed Bunting (3)
Raven (1)
Cettis Warbler (6)
Sedge Warbler (9)
Willow Warbler (10)
Chiffchaff (6)
Blackcap (9)
Garden Warbler (1)
Whitethroat (3)

A few of the usuals were present, ie. Shelduck, Greylag & Canada Goose, Lapwing and corvids. A very quick detour to the path leading to Pods Hide on Neumanns found that the two pairs of Avocet had returned after their brief departure. Back on Ashtons, Cettis seemed to be everywhere. I heard calling from ten different areas and, allowing for some duplication, I reckon 6 is a reasonable figure to record.

Spent a couple of hours, early afternoon, viewing Neumanns from Pods Hide and Ashtons from both the mound and the bund bench. Forty five species in total, highlights :-

Avocet (4)
Little Ringed Plover (3)
Redshank (2)
Reed Warbler (3)
Cettis Warbler (3)
Sedge Warbler (4)
Whitethroat (1)
Grasshopper Warbler (1)
Swallow (5)
Tufted Duck (14)
Shoveler (1)
Shelduck (6)
Gadwall (2)
Teal (6)

Whimbrel (8) had roosted overnight at Ashtons and been seen early doors by GB.

Morning visit.

2 Avocets, 1 Redshank, 10 Shovelers, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Shelducks and 4 Lesser Redpolls (With Goldfinches).

A single Willow Warbler was in song, and that was by the mound.

Found 2 Avocet this morning, asleep on Stilt Island. Also there were 2 Oystercatcher, a Redshank and a remaining Black-tailed Godwit that has been around for a few days now. Still half a dozen or so Lesser Redpoll on the bund.

Two Black-tailed Godwit remain at Neumanns on Stilt Island along with two Snipe. Small numbers of the usual wildfowl were centred around the south west downer of the flash. Four Great Crested Grebe out in the centre.

Across on Ashtons, Cettis Warblers were heard calling from nine different areas. In trying to establish how many birds/territories there actually are, I would say a minimum of four birds, possibly as many as six or seven. Nine Reed Bunting were present, although at least four of these were feeding in trees on the bund with around a dozen Lesser Redpoll. Fourteen Chiffchaff were heard/seen plus a singing male Blackcap. Blackbird, Robin and Wren were out in decent numbers, thirteen, sixteen and fifteen respectively.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 30th of March 2021 01:59:49 PM

Circumference of Ashtons Flash, then viewed Neumanns from Pods Hide only. Three and a half hours from 7.40am, weather sunnyish and fine, 7-9*c, light winds. Amongst others :-

Greylag Goose (2)
Canada Goose (6)
Great Crested Grebe (4)
Little Grebe (2)
Tufted Duck (14)
Wigeon (4)
Gadwall (2)
Teal (5)
Shoveler (14)
Pintail (2)
Shelduck (4)
Black-tailed Godwit (13)
Snipe (1)
Redshank (1)
Oystercatcher (3)
Water Rail (2)
Cettis Warbler (5)
Lesser Redpoll (12)
Buzzard (2)
Kestrel (1)

The highlight was when the Black-tailed Godwit dropped on to Stilt Island on Neumanns. They stayed for around thirty minutes before being spooked by four herons circling overhead and moving off northwards.

3CY Yellow-legged Gull found on Ashtons Flash yesterday, late afternoon, by Malc Curtin. I was down there in record time but, true to form, it had departed despite my endeavours. First on patch since 2019 and one per year seems about average, so it was a shame to miss it.

At least 7 Chiffchaff heard early afternoon, three seen around the bridge on the north side of Neumanns flash and near DHM. Two Water rail heard. Also 2 bullfinch and one very vocal song thrush.

Three hours around the flashes this morning, also taking in Witton Brook as far as Haydns and then back via Dairy House Meadows. Weather cool and overcast, 5-7*c, light winds, marginal rain. 52 species, amongst others :-

Mute Swan (3)
Great Crested Grebe (2)
Little Grebe (3)
Tufted Duck (10)
Wigeon (21)
Gadwall (2)
Teal (8)
Shoveler (8)
Shelduck (9)
Oystercatcher (2)
Lapwing (9)
Water Rail (3)
Sparrowhawk (1)
Buzzard (5)
Green Woodpecker (1)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (2)
Cettis Warbler (4)
Stock Dove (3)
Lesser Redpoll (15)

Stonechat - 1 (male)
On spit by reedbed at SW end of Neumann's Flash.

First proper visit to the flashes for a while, out for a long exercise walk from half an hour before dawn for three hours. Did a figure of eight around firstly Ashtons, then Neumanns before carrying on to Dairy House Meadows and Haydns Pool. Weather cool and fine, 3*c, light south westerly winds. Amongst others :-

Canada Goose (18)
Mute Swan (2)
Shelduck (3)
Gadwall (6)
Wigeon (78)
Mallard (25)
Pintail (4)
Teal (34)
Tufted Duck (4)
Stock Dove (4)
Water Rail (1)
Lapwing (c.200)
Curlew (c.50)
Tawny Owl (1)
Raven (2)
Cettis Warbler (1)
Lesser Redpoll (3)
Reed Bunting (1)

Checked out an area where Snipe, Jack Snipe and Woodcock have been seen since the turn of the year but no luck. The Wood Pigeon were leaving their overnight roost in woodland to the west of Witton Brook and, similarly, the Curlew left their roost on Ashtons. Not much happening at Haydns Pool where both willow and the existing reedbed are encroaching on what was the pool. Just a damp reedbed now which is a shame as it used to host a selection of waders on migration.

Two nice finds yesterday by Sheelagh Halsey, firstly a female Marsh Harrier at nearby Haydns Pool, then a Ring-tailed Hen Harrier at Neumanns, heading towards Budworth Mere.

No further sightings yesterday but the Hen Harrier was reported again, this morning at dawn, hunting Starlings at Neumanns. At midday, there was another sighting of the same bird from the Bittern Hide at the Mere, heading east.

I ventured down for the Starling murmuration at Neumanns, late afternoon today, thinking the Hen Harrier may well be present but twas not to be. Whilst a few thousand Starling went into the reedbed at the north western end, most carried on, no doubt to Coward Reedbed at the Mere.

Around c.25k Starlingin the late afternoon roost up until 16.05 although they were still coming in, in small groups. Woodcock, Carey Park.

It should be stressed that Ashton's Flash can only be viewed from the perimeter fence and the look-out points. There is no public access within the perimeter fence.

(I'm not part of the WhatsApp group, so I don't know what was reported. I can only assume that Greg, if indeed he was within the fence (?), had permission from the ranger).

A quiet couple of hours around the flashes this morning in fine but dull weather. Amongst others :-

Shelduck (10)
Shoveler (7)
Canada Goose (60)
Pink-footed Goose (161) Two separate skeins over SW
Water Rail (2)
Cettis Warbler (4)
Lesser Redpoll (5)
Stock Dove (1)

Cant remember things being so quiet at this time of year.

An hour and a half from 11am, in cool and fine weather. An influx of wildfowl overnight, bringing totals of :-

Wigeon (122)
Pintail (7)
Shoveler (21)
Teal (c.10)
Mallard (c.25)
Tufted Duck (c.10)
Little Grebe (4)

A Water Rail was heard on the south side of the Flash, as was a Cettis Warbler. There are up to three European Stonechat currently on the adjacent Ashtons Flash, which also held a sole Mute Swan and nothing else.

The 1st w Black-necked Grebe, present on and off for a couple of weeks or so, is usually seen at the north end of the Flash, often close to the reeds. For the first time today, I saw it around 30 yards out from Pods Hide, under the water more than it was above. It then swam towards the hide, past it, before swimming back in front and posing, instead of constantly diving. Great views.

As Mark says it was still on Dairyhouse Meadow when I arrived after chatting to Mark! I watched the Cattle Egret distantly with the cattle but when a farmer arrived the cattle stampeded towards him looking to be fed presumably. This put the Cattle Egret up and it circled high over the field to head off towards Neumann's Flash at 2.35pm. I headed straight down and scanned the flash but no sign of the egret. I even headed back to Dairyhouse Meadows in case and by just before 3pm the field was devoid of Cattle Egret and Cattle, I don't know if the Cattle were still in the back field where they ran or whether the farmer had removed them. Subsequently a report came through on our grapevine that the Cattle Egret was seen flying over Dairyhouse Meadow at 3pm and looking like it was losing height, but couldn't be found on the ground subsequently.

I have PM-ed you about staying in touch Steven, as you were the person to put the news of your great find out

No problems doc, I was trying to see if your number was anywhere on this forum but then decided to just put a post on so I'm glad you seen it straight away. It was nice to see many of the local chaps getting there to see the cattle egret. I left pods hide around 4.30pm & also did not see the egret go.
Other birds around....
3 vocal cettis warblers in different locations, one did show well for me at pods hide.
Water rails heard
A single swallow went straight through heading east.
Numerous chiffchaffs around & singing.
Treecreeper
Nuthatch
4 ravens
Several buzzards
And lots of jays.

There is currently a cattle egret on the north island of neumanns flash.
No signs of the black necked grebe. Garganey is still there but not seen by me.

-- Edited by steven burke on Sunday 27th of September 2020 04:48:55 PM

19/9/20

Black-necked Grebe 1
Greylag Goose 36
Canada Goose - min.500 ( NB Has there been a population 'explosion' of this species in 2020?)
Pintail 1 (female)
Wigeon 15
Greenshank 1 - flew over

-- Edited by Steve Costa on Sunday 20th of September 2020 09:49:49 AM

09.30-1200

Neumanns Flash :

1 Swift amongst a large gathering of House Martins and Swallows.

10 Snipe, 120 Lapwings, 1 Wigeon and 1 juv Shelduck.

Water Rail calling near Pods Hide.