Short walk covering Stott Drive to Jack Lane, Dutton's Pond and back.

Buzzards 7 comprising 2 separate pairs and group of 3.
Sparrowhawk 1
Meadow Pipit 1
Reed Bunting 2 singing in Jack Lane reed bed.
Willow Tit 1 in copse just south of Stott Drive.
Chiffchaff 1 singing from across railway line near flyash hill.
1 singing in alder plantation west of Dutton's Pond.
Missel Thrush 1 singing near Wellacre School.
Song Thrush 1 singing near Jack Lane. Have also heard from back garden 3 singing at dusk.

Wellacre School Field:
LBB Gull 1
C Gull 6
BH Gull 200+

Magpie 40+ in ploughed fields and general area.

Highlights from walk to Jack Lane and to Irlam Locks.

Goldfinches 30+
Fieldfares 20+
Redwings 15+
GtSWoodpecker 1f
L Redpolls 10 with Goldfinches
Bullfinches 2
Goldcrest 1
G Herons 2
Ravens 2 over low north
BH Gulls 150+
C Gulls 2

ETW:

Grey Wagtails 4
Meadow Pipits 2
Pied Wagtails 20+
Starlings 100+

Canal/Locks:

Coots 28
Mute Swan 1ad
Moorhen 1
Mallard 1

The Ravens were on their nest site at 4:00 pm yesterday

-- Edited by martin whittam on Wednesday 20th of January 2010 07:17:48 AM

IRLAM locks:

Coot 45
BH Gull 100+
Cormorant 3
Mute Swan 1
Common Gull 1

At nearby ETW:

Grey Wagtail 2
Pied Wagtail 30+
Meadow Pipit 1

1300 - 1430 drove the length of the Irlam and Cadishead Bypass stopping where safe and scanning the canal, no sign of Smew. As well as the rest reported today on this thread 4 male Goosander down near the Cadishead/Glazebrook roundabout end. Also Kingfisher and 3 snipe at Irlam Locks.

11.30am - 12.30pm
No sign of Smew between Irlam Locks and Irlam Container Depot on Northbank Industrial Estate but plenty of other duck as the Ship Canal is the only bit of water that isn't frozen

52 Gadwall
15 Teal
8 Shoveler
18 Tufted Duck
2 Pochard
12 Mallard
2 Little Grebe
10 Cormorant
9 Mute Swan
1 Redpoll
1 Redwing

No sign of the smew this morning 9.00am, will look again later.

Kevin

Smew (Red head) on Ship canal between Irlam Locks and the railway viaduct 14.00pm
First I have seen on my local patch, other birds included Little Grebe (2) Great Crested Grebe (4) one Shoveler (m) 10+ Gadwall, Tufted Duck (m) a few Teal, numerous Mallard and Coot, 30+ Cormorants, Kingfisher and a Redshank. 600+ gulls mainly Black Headed with a few Common Gulls and Lesser B.B. Gulls

There were two Green Sandpipers here on the 7th

Kevin

Tuesday, October 27th.

Irlam Locks area:
BH Gulls 5
Grey Wagtails 2
Kingfisher 1
Cormorant 1
LBB Gull 1

Wellacre College area:

Fieldfare 1
Redwings 2
Coal Tit 1
etc. etc. etc.

Canada Geese 100+ over at dusk. Reasonably regular sight heading in the Ship Canal's direction.

Well, an imm male Sparrowhawk flew past the back garden this afternoon and disturbed about 50 Starlings that were chattering away in a tree at the bottom of the garden. It's quite a regular event but he doesn't seem to catch much, which of course is a problem for imm Sparrowhawks, as their survival rates aren't particularly good, by all accounts.

A walk from Stott Drive, to the Locks, along past Jack Lane, to Dutton's Pond and return home produced:

Locks and ETW: BH Gulls 120+ ( all seem to be adults )
Mallard 1f
Swallows 10+
Pied Wagtails 1ad and 2imm
Grey Wagtails 2imm
LBB Gull 1

Jack Lane and environs:Reed Bunting 1
Chiffchaffs 4
Blackcaps 2
Willow Ws 3
Whitethroats 1
Bullfinches 3
Jays 2

Dutton's Pond: Moorhens 2ad+1smallyng, 2ads, 3imms and 4 juvs/large yng.
Grey Heron 1
Mallards 10+
Canada Geese 10
Coots 2ads

etc,etc,etc.

Interesting that of 120 BH Gulls, not 1 juv. Perhaps related to possible mink problems at the Shell Pool NR.

A possible noteworthy count of 40 Rooks on Woodsend Park this morning.

Walk to Irlam Locks, past Flixton Sewage Works, to Jack Lane and home.

Locks:
Mute Swan 2ad
GtCGrebe 1ad
Cormorant 1
Coot 1ad
Grey Heron 1
Mallard 16+ and 6juv
Swallow 10+ including 2imm
BH Gull 2ad
Swift 2

Works:
Oystercatcher 2
Pied Wagtail 2
Magpie 20+. Overrun as usual. Can be as many as 40+ in Winter.

Jack Lane and surrounds:

Blackcap 1singing
Willow W 3singing
Whitethroat 1singing
Chiffchaff 1singing
Reed W 4singing
Reed Bunting 1singing
Jay 4
Sparrowhawk 1imm male
etc,etc.

Usual walk from Stott Drive to Jack Lane, to Dutton's Pond and back to Stott Drive.

Blackcaps 2 singing.
Willow Ws 2 singing.
Whitethroats 3 singing.
Chiffchaffs 3 singing.
Song T 1 singing.
Stock Doves 2
Pied Wagtail 1
etc.

Jack Lane:

Reed Ws 3 singing.
Reed Bs 3 singing.
Moorhen 1
Sand Martins 5
Swallows 5
Swifts 2
BH Gulls 2

Dutton's Pond:

Mallards 20+ and 7 juv.
Coots 2ad and 6 juv.
Canada Geese 10ad and 6 juv.
Moorhens 2ad and 4 young.
No Mute Swans. Must have failed.

1 early purple orchid seen.
1 painted lady seen. That'll be the recent influx, Flixton style.

Just from Stott Drive to Jack Lane and return.

In field behind Arundel Avenue:

2 Grey Partridge
1 Skylark

Jack Lane NR:

Reed W 3 singing
Reed Bunting 2m
Moorhen 2 heard
Mallard 2
Swallow 2 over

plus:

Jay 1
Linnet 2
Willow W 5 singing
GtSWoodpecker 1
Bullfinch 1
Chiffchaff 3 singing
Blackcap 5 singing
etc,etc,etc.

I went and sat in the car park for half an hour yesterday morning-a few House Sparrows present but no Tree Sparrows.

New arrivals today, Whitethroat in lagooons and Reed Warbler in Jack Lane NR
full list as follows:

Black-headed Gull
Blackcap
Bullfinch
Carrion Crow
Chiffchaff
Coot
Dunnock
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Grey Partridge
Jay
Long-tailed Tit
Mallard
Moorhen
Pheasant
Reed Warbler
Sand Martin
Song Thrush
Swallow
Willow Tit
Woodpigeon
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Canada Goose
Chaffinch
Collared Dove
Cormorant
Gadwall
Great Crested Grebe
Greenfinch
House Sparrow
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Magpie
Mistle Thrush
Mute Swan
Reed Bunting
Robin
Skylark
Starling
Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
Wren

Walk from Stott Drive to Jack Lane, down to Ship Canal and return.

Willow W only 1 singing.
Blackcap 1 singing below railway line.
Chiffchaff 2 "singing".
Reed Bunting 1m
Stock Dove 2
G Heron 1
GSWoodpecker 1 drumming in Wellacre School grounds.
GtCGrebe 3 on canal just downstream from locks.
Cormorant 4 over.
Swallow 1 near rail bridge over canal.
Coal Tit 2
Kestrel 1f
etc. etc. etc.

water inlet repairs underway near locks but path alongside canal still not open.

Willow Warbler at Jack Lane NR thismorning + all the usual stuff

This afternoon 2 Sand Martins noted as I watched a pair of Buzzards south of the fly-ash hill.
Mute Swan appears to be sitting on what remains of the Dutton's Pond island.

White goose and 6 Canadians back on Mile Road last night 1700ish....

The white goose is a feral, just had the flock in last 1/2hr as passing down the mile rd.

Short walk from Stott Drive, south to Jack Lane NR, then return behind Arundel Avenue houses.

Linnets 30+
Meadow Pipits 3
Reed Buntings 3
Chaffinches 15+
Greenfinches 5+
Pied Wagtails 10+
Redwings 50+
Goldfinches 20+
Kestrel 1m
etc,etc.
Also,
Blackcap male in tree at NW corner of field behind Arundel Avenue.

Heard and read about the transferred services from the Church, buggers wont leave anything alone these days

I had managed with work etc to miss them all but had hoped to see them locally lucky you....

Phil,

Was the Waxwing flying towards the railway embankment or opposite direction towards Carrington.

If it was fllying towards the embankment, I may have seen it before although couldnt get on it quick enough..

We live on the Grove (34) but they havent been in our garden although we only have Hollie berries and Rose Hips so probably dont fancy that.

If your ever about knock on kettle is always on