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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD SIGHTINGS -> Salford Quays
Post Info TOPIC: Salford Quays
Rob Creek


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Salford Quays
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James Walsh wrote:

The adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULL on the La Pinta barge in South Bay showing exceptionally well 9am also 1 Great Crested Grebe

Is the Salford Docklands Yellow-legged Gull now the longest staying County rarity in Greater Manchester ever ?




Hi James,
this Yellow-legged Gull is a regular visitor to the Quays as you know, and appears to have returned 18th July, or at least was found on that day by Steve Burke.
Thats 3 months up to last weekend, bear in mind it hasnt been reported daily, infact it was reported 4 times in July, twice in August, only once halfway through September, then nothing until last week and we are nearing the end of October.
Im not saying it wasnt there in between, likelihood is - it was, but during the longish periods going unreported could it have been out of the county, or just not seen? Or, I suppose I have to ask has it ever been away over the last few years?

I would have to throw a couple of mine in there to at least try challenge that.
2 x 1st w Caspian Gulls N9 and WU were seen regularly at Redgate, WU just short of 2 months 25.10.25 to 20.12.25.
However, N9 was present 14.09.25 to 07.02.26, a week short of 5 months.

Now that is dwarfed in length by another county rarity (well 2 in truth).
I had 1 x adult Yellow-legged Gull at Sykes seafood on Smithfield Mkt, Openshaw, 24.01.17.
What I think was the same bird (that would have to be verified) reappeared on site 11.07.17, joined by a 2nd bird 25.07.17. They both remained locally mainly on site until the end of Jan 2018, 1 disappeared but the other was last recorded 29.01.18.
They were even joined by a 3rd individual for 7 days in the November. The pair as I called them were seen almost daily and I make it a minimum stay of 6 months for one bird, and 6 months 18 days for the longest staying bird. I couldnt possibly count the 1st bird from the January as I have no idea if it remained until the July, or if indeed it was 100% same individual.

Hope this helps


wink

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 26th of October 2026 12:03:03 AM

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James Walsh


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Probable adult CASPIAN GULL briefly on Trafford Wharf 12:30pm - looked very similar, if not identical, to the bird photographed on 30th November 2025 ! Flew off towards Trafford Park hopefully should return

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James Walsh


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The adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULL giving superb views on the car park adjacent to the Holiday Inn 11am

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James Walsh


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The adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULL on the La Pinta barge in South Bay showing exceptionally well 9am also 1 Great Crested Grebe Is the Salford Docklands Yellow-legged Gull now the longest staying County rarity in Greater Manchester ever ?

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James Walsh


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The adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULL showing well 3pm-5pm on Trafford Wharf amongst the pre-roost gathering of gulls

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Steven Heywood


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Yesterday 1645 - 1745, the raft of gulls in Central Bay included the usual adult yellow-legged gull and a common gull. Three house martins hawking over on the Salford side of the canal.

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Steven Heywood


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Hi Steven! I had no luck with the kittiwake either. And couldn't find the yellow-legged gull first time up, the boat was black-headed gulls packed shoulder to shoulder by the time I'd dawdled up there. Walking back from Pomona I found it with a crowd of herring gulls having a wash and brush-up on Central Bay. About twenty pied wagtails had gone to roost in the trees by the Millennium Bridge at sunset.

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steven burke


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No signs of the juvenile kittiwake in over an hours search just after 6pm.
Adult yellow-legged gull was in its usual spot on the boat in the dock.
1 peregrine at media city which may of been the juvenile steven heywood had & im guessing that was you i spoke to along Trafford wharf !



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saburke
Steven Heywood


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Juvenile peregrine over MediaCity, two common gulls on the roost by the Lowry.

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John Shaughnessy


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Juv. Kittiwake on MSC by Clippers Quay.

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Steven Heywood


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An hour's strolling up and down Wharfside between 6pm and 7pm. Sand martins very much in evidence, a dozen of them feeding this side of the Ship Canal and more flitting about over the other side. Half a dozen very young lesser black-backs on Clipper Quay. About fifty black-headed gulls, all very fidgety. There was a lot of traffic of large gulls of all ages, three lesser black-backs for every herring gull, coming in and out to loaf and bathe just off the Lowry. What I presume is the usual yellow-legged gull came in about quarter to seven and was part of the raft dispersed when the tourist boat came in. (A subadult bird that might have been a yellow-legged or a big lesser black-back with a chunky beak gave shockingly bad views as it flew into the sun.)

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steven burke


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Yesterday afternoon 26th.

Adult yellow-legged gull was sat in the usual spot on the boat in the dock.
1 great crested grebe
10 sand martins
4 swallows
1 swift over.

Just one adult peregrine at media city.



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steven burke


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Adult yellow-legged gull sat in usual spot on boat in the dock early evening.
2 great crested grebes
8 sand martins
1 house martin
1 grey heron at clippers

2 juvenile peregrines & 1 Adult at media city.

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saburke
steven burke


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Nice to see an adult yellow-legged gull this morning on Trafford wharf, pressumed returning bird as it was sat in a favoured location on the boat in the dock.

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saburke
John Shaughnessy


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2cy Mediterranean Gull at Clippers Quay yesterday evening. A bit shy, but came to bread. Has red Polish ring, details awaited. Also Common Tern, 8 Cormorant, 21 Mute Swan, and an ad. + juv. Mistle Thrush.

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Andy Isherwood


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Common tern patrolling between Pomona and the Trafford Road Swing Bridge this afternoon.



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Andy Isherwood


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Reed Warbler singing by Pomona yesterday afternoon.

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steven burke


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1 common tern along Trafford wharf early evening.
5 great crested grebes
2 peregrines at media city.



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saburke
Andy Isherwood


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Female Goosander with 8 ducklings at Pomona this afternoon, also at least 4 Ring Necked Parakeet in trees near the tram stop here.

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steven burke


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Pomona

3 sand martins, my earliest by one day.
2 chiffchaffs
1 ring-necked parakeet
1 kestrel

Trafford wharf

8 great crested grebes
All the usual black headed gulls, Common gulls, lesser black-backed gulls & Herring gulls, no signs of the adult yellow-legged gull, not been seen by me since December despite numerous visits.

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saburke
Mike Chorley


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18/02/26

13.15. Someone at the back of the Lowry Outlet decided she's share a car boot full of home baked cob loaves with the pigeons and Canada Geese, then chuck the hollowed out crusts to the gulls. The ensuing melee brought gulls from all directions including the Yellow-legged Gull. At least half a dozen adult Lesser Black backed, 1 adult Herring Gull and several large immature gulls were all in a fight with it directly opposite me at one point. Drama even before I got to the theatrebiggrin

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James Walsh


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5 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Goosander (2 drakes), also 1 adult Great Black-backed Gull and 100+ Herring Gull in pre-roost gathering

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James Walsh


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2 Goldeneye 2 Tufted Ducks 6 GC Grebe 2 Goosander

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Steven Heywood


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2 scaup still

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Andy Isherwood


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2 Scaup still present just off Central bay until at least 2.30 this afternoon, also 7 Great crested Grebe. 2 Coal tit in trees near Clippers quay.

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Ian McKerchar


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Both Scaup still present this morning On Trafford Wharf.

Info thanks to Tom McKinney



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steven burke


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2 scaup currently Trafford wharf opposite Central bay also 2 tufted ducks.
2 Goldeneyes
5 goosander
5 great crested grebes
No signs of the yellow-legged gull on my last 2 visits.
The scaup look to be 1st winters male & female.

-- Edited by steven burke on Friday 9th of January 2026 07:10:19 PM

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Andy Isherwood


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6 Tufted duck and 3 Great crested Grebe between Central Bay and South bay yesterday afternoon

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James Walsh


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2 female Goldeneye on Salford Wharf
2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls on Clippers Quay
also 2+ Goosander

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Andy Isherwood


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Chiffchaff feeding actively in waterside bushes adjacent to the Foundry this afternoon also at least 6 Goosander in the area.

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Steven Heywood


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29/12/25, 13:40 15:00 I caught the adult YLGull as it was leaving to go and join the herring gulls in Trafford Park. Also a big, dark agentatus herring gull even i could identify as such. It was good to be able to get both subspecies of cormorant fishing side by side so i could compare and contrast. I looked up the ring on one of the mute swans, it was ringed as part of a survey of mute swans in Northwest England.



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 30th of December 2025 02:15:34 PM

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Mike Chorley


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To the Lowry this afternoon, via Trafford Wharf.

14.20 The adult Yellow-legged Gull was showing nicely on the wooden-faced concrete structure nearest to the bridge when I got off the tram, but by the time I got round to the other side had disappeared, having re-located to stern of the long low blue boat in the dock by 14.30. One or two adult Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls among the birds along that stretch and one sinensis-type Cormorant among the breeding plumage birds strong along the barrier to the dock.

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steven burke


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Afternoon visit.

All the usual gulls on Trafford wharf...

Adult yellow-legged gull perched on the boat in the dock.
2 great black-backed gulls
Lesser-black backed gulls
Herring gulls
Common gulls
Black headed gulls
1 grey heron
4 pied wagtails
3 great crested grebes, 2 on Trafford wharf, 1 at media city.
1 peregrine at media city
72 cormorants mostly fly throughs coming from & beyond mode locks probably going to roost, at one point 30 were sat on the bouys at the dock.


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saburke
pete berry


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The adult Yellow legged gull was showing well at 3pm . Sat on a post that was in the water near gnome island.

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steven burke


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Morning visit.

All the usual gulls on Trafford wharf..

Herring gulls
Lesser-black backed gulls
2 great black-backed gulls
Common gulls
Black headed gulls
Adult yellow-legged gull
2 great crested grebes

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saburke
steven burke


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Early afternoon visit.

Lots of the usual gulls on Trafford wharf..
Lesser-black backed gulls
Herring gulls
1 great black-backed gull
Black headed gulls
Common gulls
The adult yellow-legged gull was showing well around the watersports centre.
And what looks to be a adult caspian gull, possibly the same bird i had 2 weeks ago but I'm not great with this species, still finding it hard ! Photos attached.
1 great crested grebe
1 goosander over
1 buzzard over being harassed by a crow.
Just the one peregrine at media city.
2 grey wagtails
6 pied wagtails




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saburke
steven burke


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Afternoon visit.

Adult yellow-legged gull
Lesser black-backed gulls inc a green darvic ringed one N40W
Herring gulls
Black headed gulls
5 common gulls
1 great crested grebe
2 peregrines at media city
3 Goosanders over



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saburke
Andy Isherwood


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Juvenile Peregrine over Exchange Quay this evening as I left work. The adult Yellow legged Gull was again in South bay early afternoon and 2 Little Egret were again on the mid at Pomona

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steven burke


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Post for yesterday afternoon 18th.

Lots of large gulls on Trafford wharf, majority lesser-black backed gulls, numerous Herring gulls.
3 great black-backed gulls
1 adult yellow-legged gull
Numerous black-headed gulls
2 common gulls
2 great crested grebes
1 grey wagtail
1 mistle thrush
2 peregrines at media city.



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saburke
Andy Isherwood


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Adult Yellow legged Gull again in South Bay this afternoon, also a Ring necked Parakeet flew north over here.

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Andy Isherwood


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Adult Yellow legged Gull again present this afternoon in South Bay also a Raven flew west over here

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Andy Isherwood


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Adult Yellow legged Gull mid afternoon bathing just off the mud at Clippers quay

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Rob Creek


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Weds 17th Sept
Delivering round the corner so a quick call to Clipper Quay.

- Little Egret up close on the mud, not bothered by me
- 1w Lesser Black-backed Gull N:2HM (at Redgate recently)
- Mute Swan 4HBN


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Andy Isherwood


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2 Little egrets on the mid at Pomona this afternoon and an adult Yellow legged Gull showing well in South Bay viewed from near Clippers House

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Andy Isherwood


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Little egret again at Pomona this afternoon and c.30 Sand Martin over here. Single Greylag goose still at Clippers Quay

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Andy Isherwood


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10 Redhead Goosander near Pomona again yesterday, looked like 1 adult with 9 nearly full-grown young

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Andy Isherwood


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Single Greylag goose in with Canada geese at Clippers Quay this afternoon and the Little Egret still feeding at Pomona.

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Andy Isherwood


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Little egret still feeding along Ship Canal at Pomona and single Peregrine flew over here heading west

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Andy Isherwood


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Presumed family flock of 12 redhead Goosander on the ship canal at Pomona this afternoon, also single Little Egret here again. 3 fledged Kestrel on the rooftops of the Exchange Quay buildings.

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Andy Isherwood


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Little egret present again on mud off Pomona opposite the Foundry this afternoon.

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