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.
Went to get on the tram at wharfside to head into the city centre around 1.45pm & I could see a large mass of gulls on Trafford wharf, by far the most gulls I have ever seen on here, I tried a count but seeing that the majority of them were lesser black backed gulls I just tried to just count them, I gave up when I got to 600 knowing that there was a great deal more down towards mode wheel locks, unbelievable, there were several Herring gulls there & the rest seemed to be black headed gulls. An amazing sight for here for me
1 sand martin seen flying around Pomona whilst changing tram at cornbrook.
10+ sand Martins, nice to watch as I haven't seen any since May 5 Swifts 1 kingfisher 1 common sandpiper
Trafford wharf
The usual black headed, Herring & Lesser Black backed gulls Cormorant with green darvic ZRE, I did send an email to puffin island cormorants soon after seeing it on 10th July but had no reply. 2 chiffchaff
A common tern was on Trafford wharf this afternoon. 1 great crested grebe Several Swifts high up 1 Swallow 2 peregrine falcons at media city Cormorant with green darvic ring ZRE
Lesser whitethroat heard & seen inbetween Weaste etw & Manchester ship canal next to allied Mills. Also in the same area... 4 blackcap 2 chiffchaff 3 buzzard 2 peregrines seen over media city, then one (female) came towards allied Mills. On the ship canal... 2 great crested grebes 1 tufted duck
A lot of gulls on the choppy water this afternoon: a couple of hundred black-headed gulls and about a hundred herring gulls; a couple of dozen each of common gulls and lesser black-backs. I'd promised myself I wasn't doing any serious gullwatching, just going for a walk, so a yellow-legged gull insisted on flying across my line of vision.
Also a couple of sinensis adults amongst the cormorants.
Hi Steve, just incase you couldnt find on Twitterthese appear to be North West ringed birds and probably either Steve Christmas or Scott Petrek ringed individuals.
A walk along Trafford wharf for an hour from 11.15am...
2 peregrine falcons over together calling, one then headed in the direction of pomona, the other I watched heading over man utd football ground then lost to view as it went into a stoop. All the usual gulls.. Lesser Black backed gulls Herring gulls Common gulls, a bigger count this time with at least 39 Black headed gulls including blue darvic 2R41. 12 coots 4 moorhens 12 cormorants 13 mute swans 3 Grey wagtails 1 Grey heron 1 collared dove
120+ large gulls, mostly Herring gulls 4 Lesser black-backed gulls 1 Great black-backed gull Plenty of Black-headed gulls but a distinct lack of Common gulls. 3 colour ringed (1 yellow & 2 dark blue) Black-headed gulls, only read 1 (2V18).
Possible 3rd Winter Caspian gull in the raft of large gulls by the Lowry. (Not confident of this species so I'll be consulting the references when I get home and checking my photos. Will delete this post if it turns out I'm just having a giddy spell.)
Yep, just giddy. From a distance, and from the back of my camera, it looked dark-eyed.
-- Edited by Steven Heywood on Sunday 3rd of October 2021 08:15:32 PM
-- Edited by Steven Heywood on Sunday 3rd of October 2021 08:16:19 PM
Both peregrines on view this early afternoon, it looks like these have failed at the nest site yet again, from my observations both adults came in with prey tucked in for themselves & then stashed the rest in their larder. Couple of photos of the male, he did have an extra long bill back in March, looks like it has now broke off.
Got called into work in the morning for Health & Safety meeting, but was able to make an early afternoon visit.
Of note... - possible 2W (3CY) Yellow-legged Gull (By no means certain but looks very similar to one reported a few weeks ago) - the 2CY Yellow-legged Gull (?) still present - 1 Grey Wagtail - 3 Pied Wagtail - 1 pr Goosander - 3 Cormorant - Chiffchaff singing again near Waterside / Premier Inn - Blackcap singing on Clipper Quay
Monday 12th April Morning visit after dropping littln off at nursery. Bright sunshine was a bit of a nightmare, looking over towards the quay from the tram stop was heavily affected at times.
Of note... - 2CY Yellow-legged Gull (Same individual that was present a few weeks ago) - possible adult Yellow-legged Gull - 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls - very interesting immature Lesser Black-backed - 1 White Wagtail on Clipper Quay - 2 Grey Wagtails - 1 Grey Heron close up - Coot J17 - Sparrowhawk over - 1 pr Goosander - 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap singing on Waterside
Hi Rob,
I still always ask a few trusted friends for their opinions on anything other than 100% bangers. I don't study gulls anywhere near enough to be hugely confident. But overall, I'd say a 2cy Caspian at this time of year should look way more advanced than this, sort of like a 2nd winter Herring Gull. Structurally you'd want this to be a lot longer and lankier as well. Tail base also looks grubby, as does the head.
Personally I'd advocate the only acceptable records to be ones with those nice big Polish colour rings on them! Lol
Morning Rob, hope I haven't got the wrong end of the stick here, but are you referring to the gull in the first four photos you've attached? It looks like a Herring Gull to me.
Hi Tom, this one had me in 2 minds at first, I thought it showed some pro Caspian features that in my opinion warranted an ask! I was advised to submit it which I have already done, so its certainly not a foregone conclusion as to its true identity. We will see what happens when it is reviewed by the committee.
As you know yourself, Gulls can be a nightmare, especially the immature ones and if it is a Herring Gull then it will be an educational one for me.
Morning Rob, hope I haven't got the wrong end of the stick here, but are you referring to the gull in the first four photos you've attached? It looks like a Herring Gull to me.
Dropped Lucas off at nursery and checked Redgate...nothing! I thought Id try my luck here again. You can tell Im having Gull withdrawal symptoms. No Gulls whatsoever for ages but eventually some did pass over and a few dropped in.
- 1st W (2CY) Caspian Gull (Rarity submission will be made so fingers crossed) - 4 ad Lesser Black-backed Gulls - 2 (pr?) Grey Wagtail - 1 redhead Goosander - 1 Blackcap singing on Sir Alex Ferguson Way - plenty of Goldfinch about - 1 m Greenfinch
- 26 Mute Swans including... 4DBJ (Ringed as male cyg, Ashton Moss 02/09/20) 4DJV (Ringed as fem cyg, Barton 28/08/20) 4DSB (Ringed as 2CY, Sale WP 24/02/21)
- Coot J17 (white ring) Ringed as an adult at Pennington Flash 16/10/20 and looked to be part of a breeding pair. Appeared to have a limp right wing but seemed to be doing ok though.
Thanks to Steve Christmas / Kane Brides for ringing info.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 8th of April 2021 11:48:44 PM
Tuesday 6th April Morning visit after dropping Lucas off at nursery.
Of note... - 3CY Yellow-legged Gull - probable (feeding on a corn on the cob) - 2 ad Lesser Black-backed Gulls - 4 Common Gulls - 6 Sand Martin - 1 pr Goosander - 1 Sparrowhawk harassed by Carrion Crow - Mute Swans including 4DPP, 4DPU, & 4DPX (All ringed here Nov 2020 thanks Steve Christmas)
Regarding the Yellow-legged Gull, these are never a foregone conclusion so a rarity submission will be made to the committee for proper analysis. Also there was a long spell of brilliant sunshine whilst I was there so it didnt make for the best of light conditions.