2 Lesser Whitethroats on Pomona on Sunday 6th May (info thanks to Stuart Marsden)

A walk from National Tyres to Pomona 2 - 4 pm.
No acess under the arches at Woden st. bridge or any of the new aapartments.
Acess found at little bridge by the scrapyard, through a section of fence.

Willow Warbler - 1 (singing away 20m from workmen erecting a large yellow gateway and fencing across the tarmac road, which I was told is only temporary for a film shoot .... phew !!).
Bullfinch - 1.
Blackcap - 1.
Goldfinch - 10.
House Sparrow - c10.
Swallow - 5.
Sand Martin - 10 (none seen at,or near the traditional nesting site ).
Long-tail tit - 6.
Cormorant - 2 on MSC.

Pomona

4 sand Martins
1 stock dove
1 sparrowhawk
2 meadow pipit, over
2 bullfinch
2 mistle thrush

I have made a couple of trips recently and informed GMEU of the veg clearance taking place there, will hopefully find out more soon.

It is a tragedy if the whole site would be lost to development, I agree. That is why we must submit all the records we have as soon as possible, then more chance of saving some from development.

Pomona this afternoon from 1pm.
As people have said, almost the all of Pomona has been been cleared.
The Southern part has been left without any vegetation just topsoil with some large deep holes now filling with water, providing a good Wader habitat (if it gets left for a while) . Unfortunately this won't be the case as it's already fenced off.
The Northern section (where the grey pipes are and where Wheatear / Whinchat turn up on passage ) has been Flailed
to ground level up to and including part of the House Sparrow colony.
Unfortunately for me ,the Fire Brigade where doing a very visible training exercise with lots of machines , pipes and flashing lights over almost the entire length of the site.

Stonechat - 1m.
Kestrel - 1.
Dunnock - 4.
House sparrow - 20 seen but lots more heard.

MSC .........
Mute swan - 20.
Cormorant - 10.
Black-headed gull - aproximately 300.



-- Edited by phillipskelly on Tuesday 6th of March 2018 07:58:41 PM

8 Lapwing 8 Tufted Duck 4 Goosander 1 Goldeneye

Walked down to Pomona south end during dusk this evening and noticed veg clearance. Any idea what is going on? Will contact GMEU and ask. 5 Goosanders on dock 2 singing Song thrushes 1 singing Robin

1 peregrine falcon, possibly the female, perched up at media city this morning.
Shannon, I noticed all the habitat destroyed at the southern end opposite Pomona tram stop whilst going past on the tram, not looking good you still managed a woodcock which is a great bird for there.

BTO WeBS 0830 - 0920 today;

8 Mallard (7 male, 1 female)
2 Feral Duck
18 Coot
2 Grey Heron
7 Cormorant
56 Canada Geese
130 Black-headed Gull
16 Common Gull
12 Lesser Black-backed Gull
6 Herring Gull
5 Mute Swan
2 Grey Wagtail

This afternoon at Pomona: 43 Fieldfares 4 Bullfinches 4 Goosanders

3 peregrine falcons over trafford wharf this afternoon, making a bit of a racket, looked to be a male (probably the resident) chasing off another male whilst the female landed on a nearby appartment & left him to it. The peregrine being chased then headed off towards the city centre. The female was then on view for a while.
Drake goldeneye
1 grey heron, just sitting looking at me at around 15 feet away & was not bothered.
4 grey wagtails

Pomona, for a couple of hours this afternoon:

2 goldcrest
1 house sparrow
14 goldfinch
2 bullfinch over
1 grey wagtail
4 mistle thrush
2 moohen
6 coot
2 goosander
8 mute swan
1 woodcock (flew off over the soap works)
1 grey heron
4 cormorant
60+ black-headed gull
8 common gull
3 lesser black-backed gull
3 herring gull
1 kestrel

i spent a couple of hours this morning watching the pair of resident peregrine falcons, the female perched up for a while before disappearing, the male not around until shortly after. he started making a lot of noise & then a feral pigeon was going over being chased by the female, he then joined in the chase & were both trying to get the pigeon, they both got close to it but for all the time I could see the chase they did not catch the pigeon, needless to say both birds came back towards me & then perched back up on the nearby buildings. great to watch

a couple of photos attached, the male is the one scratching.

4 grey wagtail
1 pied wagtail
2 mistle thrush

Originally posted today by Owain Williams:

There is a Dead Wader of some type next to the Entrance for Dock house at Madia City in Salford.

Might be a Sandpiper although a bit late in the year isn't it?... or perhaps a Redshank? pale legs medium long bill.

My guess is that is was caught by one of the Peregrine Falcons which live here, but then dropped and not recovered.

It's 6am on Sunday now and it's still there... it's beautiful... despite its crushed head.

 

Owain

Pomona, from about 10 - 12.30:

1 chiffchaff
2 greenfinch
9 goldfinch
3 meadow pipit
1 pied wagtail
2 grey wagtail
1 starling
1 redwing over
6+ mistle thrush
1 jay
1 kingfisher
3 moorhen
5 coot
11 mute swan
1 snipe
5 cormorant
50+ black-headed gull
1 or 2 common gull
6+ lesser black-backed gull
1 sparrowhawk
1 kestrel
1 buzzard (a patch first)

36 species overall, which is my record for here, I think.

From Trafford Road bridge to Media City bridge, until about 2.30 (nice to meet Philip Kelly again here, too):

2 grey wagtail
8 starling
1 moorhen
23 mute swan
2 grey heron
32 cormorant
c140 black-headed gull
1 common gull
11+ herring gull
c40 lesser black-backed gull
1 kestrel

Salford Docklands West

20 Lapwings and 7 Grey Herons on the Manchester Ship Canal west of Mode Wheel Locks

Pomona this morning from about 9 - 11.30:

4 chiffchaff
3 sand martin (a pair repeatedly entering wall cavity)
c5 house martin
2 swallow
5 grey wagtail
25+ starling
1 kingfisher (repeated sightings, presumed same bird)
2 moorhen
1 coot
5 mute swan
1 grey heron
3 cormorant
c135 black-headed gull
1 common gull
10+ lesser black-backed gull

-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 3rd of September 2017 01:50:55 PM

Weaste ETW and Msc.
Etw.
Pied wagtail 39.
Alba wagtail 1.
Starling c100.

Msc .
Lapwing 25.
Grey Heron 1.
Swallow 1 only.

The Etw. had some filter beds with lots of weed growth in them and the view of the some of the site was obscured by large shrub and tree growth between the fence and the road barrier.
It was also unusual not to see any hirundines over the beds.

Nice one Colin, that is just the third record of Common Scoter for Salford Docklands

Two and a half hours or so at Pomona this morning:

1 chiffchaff
4+ willow warbler
1 blackcap
4 whitethroat
Fledgling blue and great tit
4 goldfinch
1 greenfinch
30+ sand martin, a few darting in and out of probable nest sites
2 song thrush
Moorhen pair, one sitting, with at least two very young chicks hatched, popping their heads out to receive food.
Coot pair with brood of six; not much older than the moorhens, but leaving the nest occasionally.
1 grey heron on Bridgewater canal
6+ black-headed gull
2 cormorant
1 kestrel

Whitethroat singing at Pomona this evening.

Also:
9 Willow Warblers
2 Chiffchaffs
30 Sand Martins
2 Swallow over

Late post for yesterday, about 3:30pm by Pomona tram stop - 5 sand martins over, and 1 kestrel hunting.

Cheers
Charlie

Pomona late morning early afternoon time:

Chiffchaff singing
6 Sand Martins
Buzzard over

Pomona

3 sand martin
2 goosander