Morning, Tuesday, May 29th.

Garden Warbler 1 singing.
Sedge Warbler 2 singing.
Reed Warbler 1 singing.
Lapwing 2 ad.
Reed Buntings
Linnet 2
Whitethroats
Blackcaps
Chiffchaffs
Little Grebe 1
Cormorant 2 over.
BH Gull 2
Gadwall 1
Canada Geese
Mallards
Song Thrush 2 singing.
House/Sand Martins
Swifts
Swallows
Moorhens
Coots
Buzzard 1

23/05/2012 - Evening visit with Phil Owen:

1 Little Grebe
3 Gadwalls
1 Lapwing
1 Kestrel
c20 Swifts
c40 House Martins
1 Sand Martin
5 Swallows
6 Yellow Wagtails - all males in the paddocks
3 Pied Wagtails
3 Willow Warblers
1 Blackcap
2 Whitethroats
2 Sedge Warblers
3 Reed Warblers
2 Reed Buntings
3 Linnets

5.30pm this evening

2 male Yellow Wagtails in horse fields
Lots of all Hirundines over the ETW
3 Sedge Warblers
3 Little Grebe
1 pair Shoveler
3 pair Gadwall
1 Pair Canada Geese

quick 10 mins on way home in the rain! (5.20-5.30pm)

main highlights:

1 Grasshopper Warbler heard reeling on hill at back of pools
1 Oystercatcher
3 Sedge Warbler (my first of spring)
4 Little Grebe
1 Tufted Duck - male
2 Gadwall
pair Teal
pair Lapwing
3 Sand Martin over the pools
Lots of Swallows, Swift and a few House Martins (again my first of spring) over the treatment beds.

Sunday, May 6th pm visit:

Yellowhammer 1 singing.
Reed Warbler 3 singing
Little Grebe 1
Gadwall 6
Lapwing 3
Swallows.
House Martins.
Yellow Wagtail 2m in horse paddocks.
Sedge Warbler 1 singing NW edge of first pool.
Garden Warbler 1 seen singing North of pools.
Pied Wagtail 3+
Whitethroats/Blackcaps/Willow Warblers.
Chiffchaff 1 singing.

etc.

2/5/12 @15.30\

5 Pied Wagtails
2 Yellow Wagtails (Lifer) - Delighted!
2 Mistle Thrush
5 Magpie
4 Goldfinch
10 Woodpigeon
1 grey Heron
12 Black Headed Gull
2 Canada Geese
2 Coot
10 Mallard
3 Little Grebe
2 Gadwall
1 moorhen
5 Greenfinch
1 Oystercatcher
2 lapwing
2 Blackcap (males)
Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Long Tailed Tit
Blue Tit
8 Starling
5 House Sparrow
1 Wren
1 Pheasant
1 Crow
1 Swift
1 Reed Bunting
2 Common Whitethroat
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Yellowhammer
3 Swallow
1 Chaffinch
1 Robin
1 Buzzard

01/05/2012 - Evening visit:

4 Little Grebes
8 Gadwalls
2 Teals
4 Swifts
2 House Martins
5 Sand Martins
c30 Swallows
1 Yellow Wagtail - flew north
c20 Pied Wagtails - largely males
1 Common Whitethroat - my first of the year, v.late
2 Grasshopper Warblers
1 Yellowhammer
4 Reed Buntings
3 Linnets

Tim Wilcox wrote:

---

I had 7 Yellow Wagtails from deep inside the open gate a few years back but it was all loads better before they built those missile silos. In those days (around 2003-4) I had a Blue-headed Wagtail at the site

---

what i'd be interested in is whether the birds seen about the sewage farm stay there, or are they the same birds that'll move round to the fields later to breed?

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 30th of April 2012 08:03:43 PM

sid ashton wrote:

---

Joe Wynn wrote:

---

Having seen the 'other side', I have a feeling that the greatest wagtail concentration is round the back on the sewage farm proper, has anyone ever tried asking UU whether birders could be allowed round there?

---

Joe I have been on the "inside" a couple of times at this time of year, accompanied and by invitation, and I can't say that on those occasions the place was full of Wagtails. They do seem to prefer the fields where the horses have been - this seems particularly so for the Yellows.

---

I must admit when i had a look they were all in the paddocks on the far side of the gate, maybe its just that i've been unlucky with them in the past there and am trying to find a reason!

sid ashton wrote:

---

One of those quick half hours this evening after the rain stopped, checking the horse paddocks for Wagtails. One Grey and a group of c.20 Pieds were present. No Yellows or Whites today unfortunately

---

Having seen the 'other side', I have a feeling that the greatest wagtail concentration is round the back on the sewage farm proper, has anyone ever tried asking UU whether birders could be allowed round there?

4 Yellow Wagtails yesterday, all male and all feeding in the area down the lane when you turn left off Woodcote Rd. The gate there is usually locked, but since today it was open I had a 'little peek' through to the sewage tanks and low and behold there were the yellow wags!

Friday, 27th April, mid morning visit.

Gadwall 8
Canada Geese 5
Moorhen 3
Coot 4
Little Grebe 4
Teal 1m 1f
Tufted Duck 2m 1f
Black-headed Gull 3
Swallow 3
House Martin 5
Pied Wagtail 1
Grey Wagtail 1
Reed Warbler 1 singing inside boundary fence.
Grasshopper Warbler 1 singing just North of boundary fence.
Lapwing 2
Snipe 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 over.

Area North of ETW:

Whitethroat 1m
Yellowhammer 1 singing.
Reed Bunting 1m
Blackcap 1 singing.

etc.etc.


-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 27th of April 2012 05:32:10 PM

24/04/2012 - 10.15-11am, still no Whitethroats but nice to have the Groppers back:

2 Little Grebes
8 Gadwalls
2 Teals
1 Lapwing
1 Oystercatcher
1 Swallow
2 Willow Warblers
5 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
2 Grasshopper Warblers
2 Reed Buntings

also a possible Marsh Harrier; slender looking raptor perched up being mobbed by crows out on the dry beds but too distant to be confident with bins alone.

late post for yesterday 1st april.

2 oystercatchers
3 lapwings
7 teals
8 shovelers
c25 pied wagtails
1 buzzard (over)
9 gadwalls
1 snipe
1 little grebe

info thanks to phil kelly.

01/04/2012 - 10.30am, a quick check of the pools with Phil Owen:

1 Little Grebe
4 Shovelers
8 Gadwalls
7 Teals
1 Oystercatcher
3 Lapwings
2 Meadow Pipits
7 Jays

Sunday, 18th March. Slightly earlier than Stuart, as I probably disturbed some of the birds.

Teal 14
Coot 6
Mallard 6
Gadwall 9
Little Grebe 1
Oystercatcher 2
Shoveler 6
Tufted Duck 2m 1f
Moorhen 3
Reed Bunting 1
Grey Wagtail 2
Pied Wagtail 3

08/03/2012 - 5pm:
2 Oystercatchers - being very noisy around the pools
2 Kingfishers - also being noisy along Sinderland Brook
7 Cormorants - flew over towards Rostherne

5.10pm
Cycling past on my way home from work tonight a Barn Owl - possibly 2 - flew along the fence line over the filtration bed opposite the first pool. A few yards further along the footpath/cycle path I found it sat in a tree perfectly silouhetted against the sky. It allowed me to approach to within c.20 feet. Then another bird - same size and shape - flew from another part of the tree but it was so quick I couldn't be 100% certain about it's ID before it disappeared. But it certainly gave me the impression of a Barn Owl. The owl that was still sat in the tree stayed for another minute or so before it too flew off. I had a Barn Owl in this same spot last winter too !

Thanks for the info. I'll try and get there soon

Please can someone tell me how to get to Altrincham sewage works? Thanks

17/12/2011 - 1 Green Sandpiper this morning.

21/11/11 - 2pm, first two ponds filling up nicely but the far pond is still bone dry:

33 Teals
4 Gadwalls
9 Mallards
13 Moorhens
11 Lapwings
2 Pheasants
1 Kestrel
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Reed Buntings
1 Yellowhammer

2 Ring necked Parakeets flew over heading east towards Broadheath at 8.10am this morning. Very noisy

10/10/2011 - 8.15-9am:

4 Green Sandpipers
3 Gadwalls
c30 Teals
8 Moorhens
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Redwing