Sat 26th Oct

- 3 Black-headed Gulls
Blue rings 26EE, 2V25, 2V20

Also what I think was a 2w Yellow-legged Gull but it didnt move much and I didnt see the legs as they were hidden behind the concrete ledge of the mode wheel.

The juv. Shag in early September had been ringed on 20th June at Bardsey Island; no other sightings since ringing.

A quick visit early this week: ad. Yellow-legged Gull still there, also a 3cy G. B.-b. Gull at Clippers Quay. 33 Cormorant were all lined up on the boom on W. side of C. Quay, also a Great Crested Grebe on the water. Apart from these, very little else.

Three colour-ringed juv. L. B.-b. Gull seen earlier in Sept. were from the Bowland colonies, and a 2cy bird was ringed nr. Cadiz in Dec. 2023. One juv. Herring Gull was from Walney Island. A Norwegian Black-headed Gull was back at Clippers Quay, and a Polish bird back by the Lowry.

At least 50 Pied Wagtail were going to roost this evening in three Hornbeam near the entrance to the retail complex opp the main Lowry Theatre entrance

3 Ring Necked Parakeet flew west over Exchange Quay c. 8.10 this morning. Adult Yellow Legged Gull still present around Clippers Quay at lunch time. Little Ringed Plover flew from the mud alongside Pomona c.12.30

Steve Christmas wrote:

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Black-headed Gull 2R37 was ringed as an adult at Salford Quays on 1/12/2019. It has been resighted there every winter since, with the exception of winter 2021/22.

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Thanks Steve, I was going to send you the details this morning but youve beaten me to it mate.

Fri 19th July

Delivering to Leopard Pie in the Kargo MKT at The Quays late morning so I was able to have a little break and have a quick scour for some Gulls on the water facing.
Some interesting individuals around but after careful consideration with the bright sunlight and the water reflection, I put them down to Lesser Black-backeds.


The Quays
- Black-headed Gull blue 2R37

Clipper Quay.
- adult Yellow-legged Gull
Just chilling out in the shallow water then a few of them took off towards some commotion near ITV, food!

I had a look for the reported 2CY bird by Steve last week but I wasnt so lucky.

Yellow-legged Gull - adult again at Clippers Quay this morning

Yellow-legged Gull - returning adult again at Clippers Quay up from Gnome Island this morning. Found yesterday by John Shaughnessy (again)

Walked along the MSC past Pomona a few days ago:

Mute Swan - 14

Cormorant - 10

Lapwing - 1 on canal mud.

Curlew - 1 came off Pomona land and headed off to N.

Sand Martin - c. a dozen.

Late afternoon/early evening visit.

Pomona...

17+ sand martins
3 chiffchaffs
4 blackcaps

Trafford wharf...

1 willow warbler
2 chiffchaffs
3 swallows
6 sand Martins
20 mute swans
2 pied wagtails
2 peregrines

3 Sand Martins over the Pomona area this lunchtime also my first Mallard brood of the year, 5 on the Bridgewater canal nearby. The adult Little grebe still present on the Irwell along with a pair of Goosander

5 Singing Chiffchaff in the Exchange Quay/Pomona area today also Jay and Siskin

Little grebe still on the Irwell near Exchange Quay, also 2 singing Chiffchaff and 2 Siskin in the area

At least 4 Siskin in with a sizeable goldfinch flock in trees in the middle of White City roundabout this lunchtime.

A bit of a gull watch, viewing from Wharfside 1643 - 1716, later than planned, consequently I missed nearly all the lesser black-backs and a good number of herring gulls, I saw a lot of them flying South on the way over. 

• Black-headed gulls c.150, about half of these lingered after the herring gulls left
• Herring gulls c.120, including two argentatus, an adult and a third-Winter, all gone before dark
• Adult yellow-legged gull in one of the last groups of herring gulls to leave
• Two lesser black-backs amongst the first to leave

 

Adult Yellow Legged Gull still at Clippers Quay this lunchtime

On my way home from work this afternoon I couldn't locate the adult yellow-legged gull along wharfside & clippers quay, a scan over the other side near the holiday Inn express & then noticed it was on top of a lamp post. I cycled around & then found it in the Dock near the holiday Inn express having a bathe & then perching on a little yellow bouy. Now I know where else to look.
Also an adult great black-backed gull amongst the other usual gulls.
2 tufted ducks
Peregrine at media city eating prey.

On my way home from work this evening at 7pm I noticed some black blobs sat on the water, got my binoculars on them & there was 14 coots then up popped 2 tufted ducks, then another flew in, all males. As I scanned a bit more there was another 7 tufted ducks, 4 males & 3 females. The first tufted ducks I've seen here this winter.

The adult yellow-legged gull was at clippers quay along with an adult great black-backed gull this morning whilst on my way to work at 11.30 am.
1 peregrine over.
2 goldcrest were with a tit flock in budhlea along the side of the Premier Inn.

No sign of the Yellow Legged Gull around Clippers Quay this lunchtime. A Chiffchaff was feeding and calling constantly in the scant vegetation around the Wharfside tram stop.

Adult yellow-legged gull again at clippers quay at 2.15pm whilst on my home from work.
Ignore the time on the attached photo, I never changed the time back in October.


There was also an adult great black-backed gull but disappeared as I went to get a photo.

Sun 31st Dec (New Years Eve)
Afternoon visit with Lucas.

- adult Yellow-legged Gull
Same bird as found by Steve Burke a few days ago, a belter!

A couple more blue darvic ringed black headed gulls this afternoon...

2V20
204P
also a white darvic JO779

also what looks like an adult yellow legged gull at clippers quays, have noticed it a few times but first chance to get any decent photos.

Male & female goosander, didn't notice the male until going past Trafford Road Bridge whilst on the tram.

Peregrine at media city with prey.

Spent three mid afternoon / evenings earlier in the week looking at the large gulls: 500 or more Herring Gulls one evening, also five G. B.-b. Gulls, but best was a superb ad. Yellow-legged Gull on the small 'island' next to 'Gnome Island' one afternoon. Also, on two days, a L. B.-b. Gull ringed as a chick on Walney Island in July 2022 was the same bird as seen by both Pete Hines and me in January on Turn Moss, no other sightings since ringing.

The Black-headed Gulls included 17 locally ringed birds, also a Norwegian bird ringed as a chick nr. Oslo on 11/6/22, seen again at Oslo in May 2023, but not again until at SQ this week.

19 Cormorant included the previously reported Puffin Island bird Green ZRE.

 

 

15+ whooper swans over Trafford wharf at 10.17pm heading east whilst on my way home from work.