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
A first for me in this area yesterday was an adult Little Grebe feeding under the overhanging trees on the north side of the Irwell, adjacent to Exchange Quay.
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
Much better view of the tufted ducks this evening, I watched them from the other side outside Central Bay this time, they were right in front of me. Only 23 of them though 13 males 10 females. 19 goldfinch in roost in the trees there also.
Adult yellow-legged gull at clippers quay whilst on my way to work at 12.30pm.
On my way home from work this evening at 10.15pm there was 94 black blobs on the water along Trafford wharf, a bit further out than usual but definitely the majority of them were tufted ducks, I did notice some coots there.
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.
The adult yellow-legged gull was flying around when I was passing on my way to work at 12.30pm it then landed on the water with all the other big gulls but was soon back up & headed down towards clippers quay. There was an adult great black-backed gull also.
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.
No adult large gulls at Clipper's Quay when I arrived late morning but by the time I'd walked round to The Lowry to view the distant adults off the Trafford side they had inevitably re-located and the Yellow-legged Gull was back on the concrete structures 12-15 to12-30 at least with an adult Lesser Black-backed and an adult Herring Gull for comparison
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.
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.
A great crested grebe was on Trafford wharf this evening at 10.15pm whilst on my way home from work. A black headed gull looked to be just sat sleeping along the path near the edge but on closer inspection it appeared to be dead. No signs of any roosting ducks yet.
An adult Black-headed Gull blue 2R44 ringed at Salford Quays on 3rd December 2019 and resighted there on 7th February 2020 was seen on 25th September 2023 at Siauliai, Lithuania (1,666km E).
Whilst driving home from work around 2.10pm along wharfside way I noticed a grey heron flying over towards clippers Quay then as it got closer it turned slightly & then there was an egret flying towards it as if it was coming from clippers quay, it looked big but looks can be deceiving especially when driving, most likely to be a little egret, anyhow I lost view as it headed over towards white city retail park.
A flight (collective noun) of 36 cormorants in the main Central Basin at 8.00 am, yesterday, 12th July. Except they were on the water. Perhaps we should call them a flotilla? Or raft?
-- Edited by Colin Wood on Thursday 13th of July 2023 07:15:04 PM
A Firecrest was picked up a little earlier today (probably having struck a window) outside Dock House, Media City, Salford and released again unharmed on site.
4 sand Martins Male stonechat Singing chiffchaff 2 kestrels 1 buzzard over 1 meadow pipit over Cormorant with green darvic ZRE Distant binocular view of 2 buzzard & 2 peregrine together over salford/city centre.
Around 4:30pm at least 52 Pied Wagtail were seen feeding on the flotsam and jetsam floating between Media City and the Lowery with many flying back and forth from the Lowery. On my way back to the car at 5pm, I noticed about 100+ Pied Wagtail roosting in 2 of the Sorbus trees and bushes(one tree with a street lamp almost underneath) outside Imperial Point carpark entrance . Quite a sight and very noisy.
A decent roost of large gulls on the quays tonight,in excess of a1000 birds when I left including a 2nd w. Caspian Gull. Still plenty of birds coming in to roost when I was leaving,and plenty flying in as I was driving back down M602. There was also a pre roost gathering of about 300 large gulls on Man Uniteds north car park.
I received an email today regarding the cormorant I seen on 10th July & 31st July with green darvic ring ZRE. the email was from Stephen Dodd & the cormorant was ringed as a nestling on 2nd July 2021 on puffin Island, Anglesey.