The Cetti's warblers tend to favour the railway side of the reserve. I'll bump into the singing male perhaps every third visit, most times he's singing from the drain between the reeds and the path alongside the embankment.
Ive spent several hours in the reserve trying to find the Cetti's Warblers & also used Merlin sound ID without success, I did find two Garden Warblers though.
50+ swifts over the waterworks by Irlam Locks 3:30pm, just handfuls of swallows and sand martins. Two singing reed warblers and a pair of Cetti's Warblers on Jack Lane LNR, which I was dismayed to notice wasn't spared the power strimmer in No Mow May. Great tit broods in Wellacre Wood, Dutton's Pond and by the houses at Green Hill.
Mediterranean Gull adult at the ETW before flying overhead and south over the railway 10.12 Willow Tit 1 singing from the railway embankment by Jack Lane Farm 53.440521, -2.404796 Reed Warbler 5, 1 singing from the lagoons, the rest at Jack Lane NR
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Red Kite 1 slowly flying over the Ship Canal, heading upstream @ c 1420. Common Sandpiper 1 on rocks just behind the new turbine building. Grey Wagtail 1 female, as above. Cormorant 10+ Buzzard 2 over the ETW. Grey Heron 1 Swallow 4 Sand Martin 20+ Mute Swan 5 GBB Gull 1 immature. Oystercatcher 2 BH Gull 10+ LBB Gull 3 Mallard 10+ Moorhen 1 Pied Wagtail 2 etc.
Willow Tit_ 1 singing, along the steep path. Chiffchaff_ 5 singing plus 2 seen. Chaffinch_ 1 male. Cormorant_ 1 over.
General Sightings:
Willow Tit_ 1 singing plus 1 seen. Both along track from Jack Lane to Canal. Treecreeper_ 1 singing plus 1 seen. Just south of Wellacre College artificial pitch. Sand Martin_ 50+ at ETW. Swallow_ 10+ at ETW. Oystercatcher_ 2 at Irlam Locks. Cormorant_ 4 at Irlam Locks. Jay_ 1 Greenfinch_ 1 Nuthatch_ 1 in garden. Great Spotted Woodpecker_ 1 in garden. Ring-necked Parakeets. etc.etc.etc. 40 species.
The drake Common Scoter was still present on the north side of Irlam Locks yesterday just after 7:30pm, visible from Irlam Road, Urmston. 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Swallow and 18 Sand Martin also present
Wellacre CP
Cetti's Warbler 1 singing from the lagoon heard from Green Hill Blackcap 1 Jack Lane Chiffchaff 15 Willow Tit 4, 1 Green Hill at 53.441361, -2.393151 and 3 together along the railway beyond Jack Lane NR at 53.440453, -2.405093 Sand Martin 56 Raven 2
-- Edited by Pete Hines on Monday 3rd of April 2023 07:14:19 PM
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Highlights from my morning visit to the ETW/Irlam Locks and Ship Canal.
Common Scoter 1 male...had to repeat it as it's a first-time sighting for me on the Canal. Great Crested Grebe 2 Mute Swan 2 adult, 1 immature. Cormorant 6 Oystercatcher 2 Black-headed Gull 160+ Herring Gull 4 Chiffchaff 1 Stock Dove 1
Stott Drive to Green Hill and return via Jack Lane. Highlights from morning walk.
Pink footed Geese 150+ heading west. Goldcrest 2...Dutton's Pond area. Goosander 2 male, 2 female...River Mersey near Mile Road. Chaffinch 6 Coal Tit 2 Willow Tit 1...good views, south border of Jack Lane NR, along the track. Raven 1...on high pylon south of ETW. Jay 3 RN Parakeet 2...wood, south edge of Wellacre College. Mistle Thrush 2 Nuthatch 1...in garden. Better be there next weekend.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 22nd of January 2023 04:43:35 PM
Mixed tit flock in Wellacre Wood included two goldcrests, a nuthatch and a great spotted woodpecker with a large family of long-tailed tits and a few blue tits and great tits. The mixed tit flock at Jack Lane was goldcrests, blue tits and great tits. A heron was hunting in the reedbeds at Jack Lane and a flock of four fieldfares passed low overhead.
Red Kite. Calling from a tree in Willow farm at the end of Southgate off Church Road Flixton. Cross the metal bridge over old Eae brook and it was in the field on the left. Been in the vicinity for at least a week. Very vocal.