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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Cheshire and The Wirral -> Silver Lane Pools, Risley
Post Info TOPIC: Silver Lane Pools, Risley
JOHN TYMON


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This morning a large movement South of Buzzard in particular with 18 in the air at one point watching from the landfill summit , all but our regular 4 heading South. Also 1 Juvenile Marsh Harrier , high South and a Juvenile Hobby chasing House Martins South. Other numbers of note.

House Martin - c 300+ South

Swallow - 200+ South some feeding young on the wing

Swift -4

Little Grebe- one pair with newly hatched young on west pool 

Whitethroat - a Family of fledged young showing Summer isn't over yet

Blackcap-6

plenty Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff still

Reed Warbler-1

Kestrel-3

Sparrowhawk- 1

Stock Dove - 20 on eastern arable

Woodpigeon-300+ on eastern arable

Bullfinch-2

Great Crested Grebe-2

Grey Heron-2

Cormorant -2

plus the usuals



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Rob Smith


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This morning

House Martin/Swallows - 200, hawking at varying heights over east treeline as they drifted south

Swallow - 50, came in low from the north, hawked briefly over west pool & then out west

Herring Gull - 7, juveniles on west pool

Black headed Gulls - 70 mostly adults on pool

Great spotted Woodpecker - 1 over north

Nuthatch - 1

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Rob Smith


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Grey Partridge 8 - House Martin 80+ along east ridge with a few swallows among them - Swift 2, drifting SW - Hobby flying fast south - Kestrel 3 - Great spotted Woodpecker 1 - Chiffchaff, adult feeding 2 juveniles


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Rob Smith


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From this morning of note

Marsh Harrier - female, flew low to east over pools

Kestrel - 2, over landfill

Pochard - 7

Cormorant - 3, west pool raft

Great crested Grebe - 2

Great black back Gull - 1, flew low to NE

House Martin - 80/hour drifting south

Swallow - 20/hour same

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JOHN TYMON


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Also Adult Hobby over se side as I was leaving at 1 pm.

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JOHN TYMON


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1st juv wheatear this morning 40 swift and a snipe. Pools more or less the same as last 2 weeks.

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Rob Smith


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From dusk last night -

Hirundines, 30+ mostly House Martins but several Sand & Swallow with them -

Kingfisher, 1 - Great crested Grebe, 2

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JOHN TYMON


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Of note today a Juvenile Yellow Wagtail , first ive seen on the floor at silver lane this year, only had flyovers previously. Rest was much the same as a week ago.

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Andy Slee


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15 years ago licence conditions were applied for...........how soon forgotten.

I worked on Risley IV when it was being filled up - my MSc was in the switch from Bentonite Clay landfill liners to Geotextile liners / leachate recovery and gas recovery for energy. Risley IV was an early Geotextile Liner. I wouldn't be wanting to poke around under the ground on that site installing foundations for any minor plant, there is still some nasty smells of degradation gases coming off.

I did reply in both a personal and technical position to the planning enquiries but no avail (as per Port Warrington and the MSA).

(Apols if not birds related enough and needs moving to another section of the forum such as general news).



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Andy Slee


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Closure plan from 12 years ago........with licence conditions for scrub / woodland. Not solar plant.

 



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Rob Smith


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The combined loss of habitat from the MSA & now the solar farm will be a huge loss of biodiversity for the area as a whole. Having monitored this area for over 20 years and annually sent in detailed records to Cheshire LRC & CAWOS in the hope that it would be of value in making decisions in future years, but clearly not!

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Andy Slee


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Warrington have a distorted idea of "green belt" and "brownfield" sometimes.

Silver Lane and Risley Landfill - the closure plans showed rewilding (I've got Biffas habitat drawings from when I worked at Risley iV); not energy farms and hotels.

Fiddlers Ferry Lagoons to be filled in with demolition waste from the power station to make new brownfield land for light industrial, housing and a small nature park.

Moore Lapwing Lane and Pool and Big Wood and Dog fields plus Black-Fields Pools to be built over for Port Warrington, replaced by a "country park" on the Arley Landfill site (which is still giving off a lot of degradation gas so the 2025 date for that happening that WBC published in 2020 - quietly during the first lockdown..........seems unrealistic....yet prep works on the Ethelyene Pipeline through Moore are starting for Peels plans). No one seems bothered - raised with CAWOS, no response. Spoke to Wildlife Trust - they've no money no Landfill funding came to an end. Other large bird charity not interested as a done deal with Peel anyway and site diversity being lost already due to vandalism lack of habitat management and changing water management.



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JOHN TYMON


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Andy Slee wrote:

Planning permission given today for the Solar Farm on the Landfill site (9ha of 76ha total area). 

 Thats sad but expected news, the end of nesting Skylark I would expect  9ha is a massive area. Another of my patches coming to an end



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Andy Slee


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Planning permission given today for the Solar Farm on the Landfill site (9ha of 76ha total area). 



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Rob Smith


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From first thing this morning Cormorant - 4 on raft Herring Gull - 11, dropped in with Lesser black-backed Gulls - 12, & then all out south Great crested Grebe - 2 Canada Geese - 2 Kestrel - 3 Long tailed Tit - 3 separate small flocks moving round area with juvenile Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler among them. Common Whitethroat - feeding young on nest Goldfinch - 50, flitting around summit

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JOHN TYMON


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10 Cormorant showing change of the season this morning on the west pool , Male Marsh Harrier was over the eastern arable over the spoiled crops 4 Kestrel, 2 Great Crested Grebe best of the rest ,otherwise much the same as last week .

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Rob Smith


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From this morning

Coal Tit - 1, with small mixed tit flock, Scarce bird here

Sedge Warbler - 1, several brief song bursts

Whitethroat - 2, calling nearby

Swift - 10, feeding/drifting south

House Martin - 20, with several Swallows hawking around & over trees

Starling - 150, on wires with smaller flocks passing over pools

Kestrel -2

Common Buzzard - 2, adult & vocal juvenile

Great crested Grebe - 2

Pochard - 4, in moult

Tufted Duck - 30, again some going into moult

Coot - 26



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JOHN TYMON


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Nothing of real note again this morning apart from the 3 juv and 2 adult Kestrel hunting across the area ,whitethroat Juv and plenty Tufted Duck, and good number of Little Grebe. Main note really is the total dirth of birds on the landfill basicly a mile square of perfect flower meadow, and grassland habitat held more or less no birds .

 

Note for anyone visiting 30 caravans of travellers gave taken up summer residency on the west end of Silver Lane .



-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 29th of July 2023 03:16:18 PM

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JOHN TYMON


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of note Am

Cormorant-2

Greylag Goose -1

Oystercatcher-1

Grey Heron - 2

Great Crested Grebe - 2 unfortunately as Rob says lost their nest in the flood

Little Grebe - 1 Pair with 2 Juveniles west and a pair with the 2nd set of Juvenile on entrance pool

Swift - at least 300 mainly tracking South

Kestrel - 2 adults with 3 Juvenile

 

       Seems more or less like the end of a bang average season, luckily the 2 weeks of sunshine mid June allowed some of the common birds, the time to get their young off , but overall the area is quiet , basically the whole of the landfill zig zagging across about a mile and half walk I saw 10 Goldfinch imagine that 30 years ago in perfect habitat for small birds. At least the Kestrel have been successful which i suppose is  a good thing these days , but year on year its so noticeable from a patcher that all birds in general are in decline away from major reserves like Woolston etc ,basically a 2 x 2 mil site with 1 sedge Warbler were 30 years ago I would have expected 20+ . Where have all the Hobby gone to this year ? obviously the poor weather means Dragonflies are not surviving well so they have left early. 



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Rob Smith


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early start this morning, generally quiet but of note:

Willow Tit - 5, 2 adults feeding 3 juveniles. Rare sight here but a pleasure to record.

Bullfinch - 3, female feeding 2 juveniles in same area

Grasshopper Warbler - 1 reeling briefly on several occasions

Grey Partridge - 3, on summit

Kestrel - 3

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Rob Smith


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Of note
Swift - 150+ over east side as well as parties of 10-30 drifting south over pools

House Sparrow - 40+ in local hedgerow

Raven - 2 over SW

Common Buzzard - 4 around area

Reed Warbler - 2, adult feeding juvenile

Great crested Grebe - 2, nest washed out by rising water levels






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Rob Smith


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Damp but warm walk out & not a sole around with wildfowl numbers slowly increasing.

Mallard - 31

Tufted Duck - 33

Gadwall - not garganey, adult + 6 young

Great crested Grebe - 2, nest barely above increasing water level

Little Grebe -6,

Coot - 33

Grey Heron - immature wading across east pool

Kestrel - 5, 2 adult + 3 immatures

Sparrowhawk - female, dropping onto wood pigeon flock along east side

House Martin - 10+ over pools

Swift - 10+ over pools






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JOHN TYMON


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JOHN TYMON wrote:

Am

1 pair of Kestrel with 3 fledged Juveniles hunting 

Great Crested Grebe - Pair still on 2 eggs

Garganey- female still with the full compliment of 6 young

Bullfinch - 1 Pair with 4 fledged young

Sedge Warbler - 1 Singing on landfill

Plenty Swallow,Swift and a few Sand Martin

2 Buzzard

 That was a Gadwall with 6 young not Garganey it wouldn't let me edit unfortunately lol



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JOHN TYMON


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Am

1 pair of Kestrel with 3 fledged Juveniles hunting 

Great Crested Grebe - Pair still on 2 eggs

Garganey- female still with the full compliment of 6 young

Bullfinch - 1 Pair with 4 fledged young

Sedge Warbler - 1 Singing on landfill

Plenty Swallow,Swift and a few Sand Martin

2 Buzzard



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JOHN TYMON


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Am

Great Crested Grebe still sitting on eggs on West pool,so there's still hope 

Gadwall - Female still with 6 young

Shoveler - 1 Pair

Pochard-1

Kestrel- 1 Pair hunting

Buzzard -4 

Goldfinch - 40 +

Swift - plenty over

Coot with new hatched chick's on West pool 

Little Grebe -8



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JOHN TYMON


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A first for me at the site this morning a Quail was singing on the SE side of the landfill in a long grass,wild flower area. 



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JOHN TYMON


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Friday Am

No sign of Juvenike Black Necked Grebe.  The rest was same as Thursday . 



-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 8th of July 2023 07:33:19 AM

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JOHN TYMON


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 A new Juvenile Black Necked Grebe present this morning and early afternoon Gadwall Female with 6 young also .Great Crested Grebe still sitting on 2 eggs . Also a fair movement South this morning of Swift and a Hobby over the west pool at 2pm . 



-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Thursday 6th of July 2023 04:03:00 PM

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Rob Smith


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From yesterday evening. Goosander, female on raft - Great crested Grebe, 2 still sitting - Mallard, 28 inc female with 6 young & a white farmyard duck - Tufted Duck, 22 - Pochard, 3 - Cormorant, 2 - Coot, 27 - Swift, 70+ & House Martin, 40+ hawking over pool - Sedge Warbler, 1 - Willow Warbler & Chiffchaff, lots of young in every tree it seems at times

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JOHN TYMON


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No sign of juv Black Necked Grebe this morning ,and great crested who sat asleep for 3 weeks in the hot period,  decided to lay 2 eggs on a bit of floating weed last week just lost both to the rising water :(



-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Monday 3rd of July 2023 01:08:02 PM

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Rob Smith


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A fruitful west pool this morning despite some recent vandalism around its edges

Black-necked Grebe - juvenile, being harassed by

Great-crested Grebe - 2.

Little Grebe - 4

Mallard - 27

Tufted Duck - 14

Pochard - 3, 2m/1f

Cormorant - 1

Coot - 23

Lesser black-backed Gulls - 6

Herring Gull - 1

Oystercatcher - 2, circled pool & then out west

Several each of Swift, House & Sand Martin - briefly hawking over pool




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JOHN TYMON


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Only thing of note 1 fem Gadwall with 6 young newly hatched.



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Rob Smith


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Generally quiet but this morning on west pool only

Mallard - 14

Coot - 19 inc. a single day old chick

Great crested Grebe - 2

Little Grebe - 2

Lesser black backed Gull - 7

Grey Heron - 1

Moorhen - 2

Elsewhere:

Kestrel - female

Sedge Warbler - singing on summit

Grey Partridge - 5, (adult + 3 immature) on summit / a single immature on its own along east side)

Meadow Pipit - 2 displaying males



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Rob Smith


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a morning stroll before it gets too warm.

Grey Partridge - 1 adult + 2 chicks

Oystercatcher - 2 circling then out south

Grasshopper Warbler - 1 reeling near west pool

Blackcap - 8 singing birds (northern area mostly)

Willow Warbler - 17 (as above)

Chiffchaff - 10 (as above)

Common Whitethroat - 9 (as above)

Reed Warbler - 5

Reed Bunting - 8 (as above)

West pool: Canada Geese 7, Mallard 22, Tufted Duck 8, Heron 1, Cormorant 1, Little Grebe 2, Coot 14 - Herring Gull 3, Lesser black back Gull 2, Greater black back Gull 2 flew over north

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JOHN TYMON


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Only things of note 2 new Sedge Warbler singing presuming disturbed from another area by strumming as none present recently.



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JOHN TYMON


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This morning 

2 Pochard 

1 Great Crested Grebe 

Cormorant - 2

Reed Bunting- feeding young 

Swift -14

Lots of little Grebe but strangely only seen one with young this year

Kestrel - 1 Pair



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Rob Smith


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Always something of interest & this morning was no different.

Grey Partridge - adult & at least 2 chicks (could have been more but lost among corn crop)

Yellow Wagtail - female dropping into cornfield

Kingfisher - on east pool, my first record here this year!

Sand Martin - several hawking over pool

Swift - ca 10 overhead briefly

Mallard - female + 7 ducklings

and usual warblers

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JOHN TYMON


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Nothing if any real note this morning , just the usual Skylarks etc in good numbers ,pools almost birdless as we're the skies prob due to constant low flyovers of 2 motorised Hang gliders  bombing the summit.



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Rob Smith


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Osprey, with several feathers missing flew east this pm being harassed by gulls & crows - Great crested Grebe, 2 back on west pool - Earlier in week, Hobby+ 2 Kestrel+2 Common Buzzards & a Sparrowhawk, loosely & briefly sharing thermals over landfill summit

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JOHN TYMON


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Of note this morning 

Marsh Harrier - Male through West

Whitethroat - 20 +

Great Crested Grebe -1 pair asleep on West pool

Lots of Skylark 



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Rob Smith


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From this morning

Cuckoo - female, not a clear view but probable rufous being the only one seen to date

Kestrel - 2

Grey Partridge - 4

Swift - 2

Grasshopper Warbler - 1 reeling quietly

Sedge Warbler - 2

Blackcap - 8

Reed Warbler - 2

Cormorant - 2

Great spotted Woodpecker - back & forth

Long tailed Tit - 8, 2adults & 6 young flitting about


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JOHN TYMON


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Little of note this morning apart from both Skylark and Meadow Pipit feeding young in the nest 



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JOHN TYMON


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Of note this morning along with the normal stuff was a Rufus Type Cuckoo female possibly the one I had a couple if years ago Strangely although this was likely looking for places to lay it's eggs ,I haven't seen any Males on site this year ,although I did hear a distant one to the North in April,I do wonder if this rufous bird gets chased off after mating as its such a oddball and ends up laying on the landfill.I have not seen one this colour since I was a kid locally .



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JOHN TYMON


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Only thing of note this afternoon 

1 Fem Whinchat seen briefly on the se side.



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JOHN TYMON


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3 Hour Mooch this morning

1 Female Greenland type Wheatear

Whitethroat - 10+

Skylark - c 10 pairs

Little Grebe- 1 Pair with 2 x newly hatched chicks 

Lesser Whitethroat - 1  sang briefly on the South side

Linnet 6

Blackcap -4

Kestrel- 2

Buzzard -2

Willow Warbler - c 20

 



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JOHN TYMON


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Of note Am

3 Greenland type Wheatear



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Rob Smith


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On Dusk/night walk noted Shelduck 5 on west pool - Sand Martin 10 in from east at dusk - Tawny Owl calling - Whimbrel 2 calling as they flew over after dark

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JOHN TYMON


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of Note AM/PM

Swift - 50 + very high over the north end

Oystercatcher-1

Great Crested Grebe - 2

Cormorant -1

Plenty Whitethroat, Skylark and Linnets 

overall mega quiet for time of year on the pools 



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Rob Smith


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Of note this morning

Cuckoo - 1, a few calls over west side but not seen

Garden Warbler - 1, along east side

Grasshopper Warbler - 1, scrub SE of west pool

Reed Warbler - 5, east, hidden pool & near J11

Common Tern - 2, flew low to north

Great crested Grebe - 2, west pool

Mallard - 2 sets of ducklings - 6 & 3




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Rob Smith


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After a few days in Wales a return to the patch.

Grasshopper Warbler - 2

Sedge Warbler - 1

Reed Warbler - 3

Lesser Whitethroat - 1

Common Whitethroat - 13, displaying males

Blackcap - 7, singing males

Wheatear - 1, female

Swallow - 5, flew north

Mistle Thrush - 2

Stock Dove - 4

Kestrel - 2

Linnet - 14, mostly in pairs

Lesser black backed Gull - 4

Gadwall - 7

Coot - adult & 3 young (3 days)



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