A Corn bunting was in a mixed flock of Reed buntings and Yellowhammers feeding in the fields going down from the main road to the reservoirs, a first for me in this area, there could have been more in the flock of around 40 birds, Dipper on river in woods and a pair of Oystercatchers in the fields to the right of the woods. thanks to Mr McKercher for confirming my sighting from my photo
2-15pm to 3-45 pm & quite pleasant in the sun as the tree lined lakes kept the blustery wind in check.
3 Cormorant one of which was in breeding plumage.
2 Great Crested Grebes.
A few Goldfinch with singles of Chaffinch, Bullfinch & Redwing.
About 50 Jackdaw around Kilhey Court grounds.
4 Buzzard - 2 aerial enjoying the sun & 2 in tree tops.
A walk down to the green iron bridge over the river Douglas produced a glimpse of a Dipper but it fled upstream instantly.
Finally it was really touching how tame the Blue/Great Tits & Robins were often landing right at the side of me & following me round - I can only assume they're used to being regularly fed.
Red Rock (Bridge 63 - Leeds/Liverpool Canal) - along towpath towards Adlington past Bridges 64 and 65 and turned off at Bridge 66 - towards and over River Douglas - circuit of following three Reservoirs - Adlington, Arley and Worthington - and return back over River Douglas, through Arley Woods and canal towpath.
Kingfisher x 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker x 1 Mandarin (Female) x 1 Goosander (Red Headed Female) x 1 Great Crested Grebe x 2 Redwing x 10 Dipper x 1 Grey Wagtail x 1 Nuthatch x 1 Buzzard x 1 Pied Wagtail x 5 Long Tailed Tit x 7 Blackbird x 6 Cormorant x 1 Jay x 1 Wren x 1 Mute Swan x 5 (including 3 cygnets) Mallard x 40 Black-Headed Gull x 50 Jackdaw x 30 Carrion Crow x 20 Magpie x 3 Great Tit x 4 Blue Tit x 1 Robin x 4 Chaffinch x 3 Collared Dove x 2 Woodpigeon x 10 Moorhen x 7
Surveying for willow tits at this site today - no luck.
Walk through the woods and along the river, not the reservoirs or open grassland. Highlights: 2 dipper 4 grey wagtail 1 sparrowhawk 2 great spotted woodpecker 2 mandarin duck 3 goldcrest 4 treecreeper 7 nuthatch 2 buzzard
First time visit so was nice to see some old lime and oak coppice with bluebells, wood anemone etc. Will re-visit in April. also 2 curlew over heading west
-- Edited by James Richardson on Thursday 21st of March 2019 03:41:02 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 6th of February 2024 03:47:37 PM
Saturday 24th November 2018 12:00 - 14:00 hrs. Nice to leave the centrally heated house and get some fresh air into my lungs! Not been on this patch for a while - and was rewarded.
Worthington Reservoir - Arley Reservoir - across footpaths to Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Bridge 66 - past Bridge 65 - into Woodland along River Douglas - back to Worthington Reservoir Car Park
Kingfisher x 1 Dipper x 1 Grey Wagtail x 2 Redwing x 7 Buzzard x 1 Great Crested Grebe x 2 Chiffchaff x 1 Teal x 2 Long-Tailed Tit x 4 Wren x 1 Grey Heron x 5 Moorhen x 3 Chaffinch x 1 Great Tit x 4 Blue Tit x 7 Cormorant x 5 Mallards x 30 Carrion Crow x 8 Rook x 15 Jay x 3 Magpie x 5 Goldfinch x 1 Canada Geese x 20 Blackbird x 10 Robin x 5 Black-Headed Gull x 50
This afternoon - at least 13 Mandarins (9 males and 4 females); 3 Kingfishers; c.30 Skylarks moving NW; 1 Great crested Grebe and 1 Coot only; 20+ Teal; Buzzard; Kestrel; Grey Wagtail; and many Rooks and Jackdaws back at the Rookery.
Two Green Sandpipers feeding in the channel to the west of Adlington Reservoir, Worthington, this afternoon but flew north. Also,a Greenshank was heard calling as it flew away, apparently with the Sandpipers, but was not seen.
In the meadows beside the track leading from the A5106 were 8 Linnets, 2 Yellowhammers, 1 Pied Wagtail and a family of 3 Kestrels (m+f+ juv).*
Adlington Reservoir * (* In Lancs)
3 Manderins and 4 Grey Herons (3 of which were in the marsh/reserve area and were fighting over a chunky dinner plate sized fish that looked like a bream).
Arley Reservoir
6 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Tufted Ducks.
Worthington Reservoir
3 adult Great Crested Grebes + 1 half grown youngster, 2 Cormorants and 3 Tufted Duck.
Checked the nearby River Douglas for Dippers and Grey Wagtails, without success.
When I checked the nearby Arley Brook, which previously had been a great spot for Dippers and wagtails, I found the waterlevel very low, but the biggest shock was that 3 scambler motorbikes
were being ridden along the stream bed, and throughout the surrounding woodland. Little wonder there was no wildlife to be seen.
This afternoon - 2 Kingfishers; 2 Herons in trees at north end of the site; 1 Great Crested Grebe (1st this year - ); c.12 Teal, 2 Cormorants; Pair Goosander on Adlington Reservoir; 3 Dippers; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Nuthatch; 7 Canada Geese (with perhaps another 30 on nearby canal).
Tonight Not really Worthington Lakes but closest post for it Chorley Rd Worthington opp White Crow 2 Curlews looking forlorn in recently silage field probably lost there brood due to the silageing
pleasant 90mins whilst waiting for a call to pick mam up from hospital
19 canada geese, plenty mallard, 5 great crested grebe, several coot, pair grey wagtail, 3 treecreeper, 1 goldcrest, several blackbird including some young, robin including at least 2 young, great tits i feeding a youngster in tree, blue tit, long tailed tit, goldfinch, chaffinch, wren,blackcap, willow warbler,nuthatch heard only, pretty sure i saw a male redstart near start of woods but only a fleeting glance with naked eye and with my dodgy eyes couldn't be 100% sure, usual corvids rook,jackdaw, magpie, carrion crow and 1 jay, wood pigeon,
Car Park at Worthington Lakes - along side of Lake - across fields to Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Bridge 66 - past Bridge 65 - into Woodland along River Douglas - back to Car Park
Highlight: 1M and 1F Adult Mandarin Ducks with at least 6 chicks on Leeds-Liverpool Canal Buzzards Kestrels Swallows Swifts Great Crested Grebes Coot Moorhen Chaffinch Great Tit Blue Tit Cormorant Mallards Carrion Crows Magpies Goldfinch Canada Geese with 5 goslings (on canal) Blackbird Lapwing (above Chorley Road on way home)
30 Rooks (In cultivated field off main road) 14 Mallard 12 Canada Geese 3 Great Crested Grebe 3 Mandarin Duck 3 Blackbirds 3 Magpies 3 Great Tits 3 Swallow (In cultivated field) 2 House Martin (Close to Bleach Works) 2 Black Headed Gulls Coot Grey Heron Grey Wagtail Blue Tit Oystercatcher (In cultivated field) Yellowhammer Moorhen
-- Edited by Nigel Marsden on Sunday 24th of May 2015 03:30:04 PM
-- Edited by Nigel Marsden on Sunday 24th of May 2015 03:34:16 PM
I am a newcomer to birding and this is my first ever posting.
14-30- 1700 hrs today, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 moorhen, 2 coot, 6 Canada Geese, 2 blue tits, 1 coal tit, 1 robin
I cannot identify what this duck is. My first thoughts were Wigeon or juvenile Mallard, can anyone help https://flic.kr/p/tdPWrt
Those are adult Mallard hybrids Nigel. You will see a lot of such hybrids in parks around Greater Manchester. Some are paler and some darker than purebred Mallards. I saw an American hybrid domesticated Mallard subspecies called Silver Appleyard Ducks in Martin Mere's captive collection this weekend. I'd never heard of them before. There's a whole world of wildfowl collecting out there and sometimes they escape causing confusion in the Birding world. Welcome to the most rewarding hobby in the World. Enjoy your birding and never let anyone tell you a bird is not worth looking at.
Hi Nigel The birds that are in your photo are Call Ducks which were put on Worthington about 4 to 5yrs ago if not longer I think there was approx 10 dumped birds both male and female but gradually the numbers have gone down. Not a clue about who put them there but about same time a Red Headed Smew was released but sadly that as gone as well. I don't know why people who buy these things and then throw them out onto a lake and think that they can look after themselves but its a strange world.
had a quick walk around the lakes this evening, what a sad sight the Great crested Grebe is lying dead on its nest, what made it worse is that its mate was still by its side Manderin with 5 young on the reserve
I am a newcomer to birding and this is my first ever posting.
14-30- 1700 hrs today, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 moorhen, 2 coot, 6 Canada Geese, 2 blue tits, 1 coal tit, 1 robin
I cannot identify what this duck is. My first thoughts were Wigeon or juvenile Mallard, can anyone help https://flic.kr/p/tdPWrt
Those are adult Mallard hybrids Nigel. You will see a lot of such hybrids in parks around Greater Manchester. Some are paler and some darker than purebred Mallards. I saw an American hybrid domesticated Mallard subspecies called Silver Appleyard Ducks in Martin Mere's captive collection this weekend. I'd never heard of them before. There's a whole world of wildfowl collecting out there and sometimes they escape causing confusion in the Birding world. Welcome to the most rewarding hobby in the World. Enjoy your birding and never let anyone tell you a bird is not worth looking at.
14.45 - 16.15: 17+ Teal, Mandarin M, Kingfisher, 2 Herons in trees, 3 Great Crested Grebes, Dipper and Grey Wagtail on river, Redwings, Treecreeper and 2 Oystercatchers.
After the rain - 16.15 - 17.30, sightings of note Gadwall M Worthington Res (unusual at his site); Pair Oystercatchers on draw off tower Arley Res; Curlew flying east and calling, Kingfisher Adlington Res; 3 Great Crested Grebes; 8 Whooper Swans flying west over Chorley Road
Afternoon visit 7 mandarin 3m 2f on nature reserve and a pair on Arlington red, at least 9 teal on nature reserve, 1 grey heron, plenty of mallard,great crested grebe, Canada geese,coot,moorhen and black headed gull, at least 3 treecreeper, 6 long tailed tit, decent numbers blue and great tit, horse paddock was very busy at least 40 fieldfare, 2 mistle thrush, 1 song thrush,4 blackbird,4 moorhen,1 collared dove,wood pigeon, chaffinch and yellowhammer also flying in to paddock from nearby trees,p Entry jackdaw,rook,carrion crow and magpie, walked down to river Douglas and saw 1 dipper, No sign of the long staying pinnioned smew and no cormorant,
Saturday 14th February 2015 10:40 - 13:00 hrs. Worthington Lake - Leeds/Liverpool Canal (past bridges 66 and 65) - River Douglas - back to Worthington Lake.
Black-Headed Gulls Mallards Tufted Duck Moorhen Great Crested Grebe Robin Blackbirds Blue Tit Great Tit Buzzard x 4 Kestrel Teal Treecreeper Long Tailed Tits Goldcrest Dipper Canada Geese Carrion Crow Woodpigeon Magpies Wren
Saw 1st Lambs of Spring in field next to Leeds/Liverpool Canal.
An hour this morning in very strong winds !! Grey Wagtail in the field tight to the layby Pied Wagtail on manure pile 5 Fieldfare in field on right side as walking down to the nature reserve 3 male 1 female Mandarin 7 Teal Great Crested Grebe Nice mixed woodland flock around the iron bridge comprising Long tailed tit Blue Tit 2 Coal Tit 2 Goldcrest Treecreeper
Tonight not Worthington Lakes but nearest site I could post on
Chorley Rd Adult Mediterranean Gull feeding with Black headed and Lesser Blacked gulls on recently silaged fields also 2 Curlew 4 Tree Sparrow 6 Yellowhammer 1 Nuthatch 3 Pheasant
Female Mandarin with 10 young 7 male Mandarins on nature reserve Buzzard over Great Crested Grebe on nest Yellowhammer on manure pile female Grey Wagtail