Shag still present at 7.30am feeding at the end furthest from the footpath, then flew and perched on the side of the tower.

Sept 12th.

Also a Kingfisher flew across the lodge below the dam-head at 11.30 hrs.

Roger.

Shag still present this morning info thanks Mike Passant

pm visit
as i arrived just after 1pm i was pretty sure the shag was on the stones at the bottom of the bank 30yds up from several cormorant and a grey heron unfortunately before i could get my scope set a walker down on the bank ( possibly going to the anglers near the tower) frightened all the birds the cormorant all went into the water and the heron and possible shag flew off the possible shag flew over the farmhouse and behind the trees and out of site, it was a much darker bird than the others although most of the cormorant seemed to be juvenile and pretty lightish anyway, i hung around for an hour or so but got no further sighting, i honestly think it was the shag but didn't see enough to be 100% sure,

Any updates re the Shag would be helpful please as we may be able to get to Ogden Res on Thursday night if our homeward flight is on time (normally it isn´t of course!); otherwise it would have to be a case of booking an overnight stay in Manchester and having a go on Friday morning.

Regards,
Mike and Barb

Another great GM lifer! 5-7.30pm with Steve Burke. We walked up to Piethorne and back and also saw:

Grey Heron 2
Great Crested Grebe 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 and 1 heard
Meadow Pipit 2
Grey Wagtail 1
Pied Wagtail 2
Jay 2
Cormorants 8
Canada Geese 31
Woodpigeon 20+
Jackdaws 100+
Swallows 40+
House Martin 4

Lots of good stone walls for migrants but none late in the day

Good spot and our first visits both

Shag still present currently, perched on water tower.

shag still present at12-15 but distant on the far bank

Cheers Gary . Perhaps I should've said that it seems to like the ledge on the draw off tower. It did a lot of moving between there and the water, with a few low flight circuits thrown in.

Regards, Chris

Shag still present on Ogden Reservoir at 6pm.

Info thanks to Gary Crowder

On a pretty dismal, in the rain, late afternoon stroll were:

green woodpecker, calling in Knowsley Plantation,
five tufted duck, on Kitcliffe Res',
two grey wagtails, by Piethorne Res'
two meadow pipits, above Springholes,
a few swallows,
woodpigeons starting to flock and a
willow warbler, by the bridge at the eastern end of Ogden Res'.

I also found devil's bit scabious in flower, a floral valley first for me.

Regards, C. Jepson-Brown

One Spotted Flycatcher and at least one Redstart above Kitcliffe Farm at 6:30pm today.

Info thanks to Gary Crowder

This morning:

2 female Redstart
1 Spotted Flycatcher,
1 Common Whitethroat

At the side of Kincliff Farm, on the middle field viewed from path on left hand side.

Info thanks to Alan Nuttall

Male common redstart behind farm buildings by Kitcliffe res.

Visited the parents this weekend and managed a quick visit on the way past, my first to my old stomping ground in a couple of years, and even managed a patch tick! A small gathering of tits in Piethorne Plantation drew my attention, presumably mobbing an unseen owl, but when I lifted my bins to look at some movement, I was more than surprised to lay eyes on a Nuthatch, the first one I've ever seen there (though did hear one briefly in Old House Ground back in about 2002ish I think it was). Not a great deal else, flyover (presumably Lesser) Redpoll, Kestrel sat on a wall with prey, lots of young Swallows, a family of Mistle Thrush and a single Great Crested Grebe on Ogden.

Neil

Couple of hours walk around today - highlights :- 1 Whitetroat, 1 Little Owl, 2 Oystercatcher, at least 3 Common Sandpipers Plenty of butterflies on the wing including >10 Large Skippers, 3 Small Heaths plus Meadow Browns, Whites and Red Admiral

Pete Sutton, another birdwatcher from Milnrow, told me last week he had seen a 'black heron' flying over Peppermint Bridge, New Hey. This would explain it.
Chiffchaff, blackcap and willow warbler all singing in the vicinity of Paddy Greenhalgh's this morning.

C. Jepson-Brown

Ian, thank you for clearing that up. And you are right the bird is quite magnificent in its own right.

John

Just had a beautful work around piethorn, and my heart was sent racing - a 'black' heron standing with its back to me at the waters edge of east end Ogden res. Managed to get closer views until it flew further around the reservoir. Can't say I'm an expert on any form of herons apart from the norm - but this bird I think was essentially a melanistic from of a grey heron (as far as I am aware). The same size as a grey heron, black/dark slate grey back and body, similar very vague markings to that of grey heron, yellow bill, a yellowish legs. No rings or anything to suggest of captive origin and was spooked when I got within 100yrds. If anyone is around Piethorn today I'd suggest looking out for it, just to make sure I'm not going mad.

Otherwise, common sandpiper, tawny owl (heard), swallows, goosander (x4), little owl in usual spot, pied, white & grey wagtail.

Regards

John

Yellow Wagtail late afternoon in the field between Piethorne and Hanging Lees reservoir

Pink-footed Goose with Canadas on Ogden Res'r

Swallows have arrived. No sign of sand martins yet.

After meeting Chris J Brown for the first time after a fruitless attempted to get the Two-barred Crossbill (a pleasure to meet you) I promised to post more on this great site, so...

A brief walk around the lower reserviors, the birds of note:

Chiffchaff
Reed Bunting
Great Crested Grebe
Curlew
Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers
Tawny Owl (heard)
1st Swallow of the year

and a Pink-footed Goose with Canadas on Ogden.

Regards

John

The good weather produced all that was hoped for. The highlights being
1 pair of stonechats
1 pair of goldeneye
Skylarks, song thrushes, robins and curlew heard throughout the valley.
Oystercatchers (3)
Fieldfares approx 20