You are an original " Penny moocher " according to this forum & would not want to cause a fight. I only really got back into birding over the last year and a bit, and with 4 young kids its a case of nicking an hour here and there, although the elder 2 now come with me meaning it can be 2 or 3 hours.. You know what I mean, still got a bit of a thumb print on the old forehead...
Steve
ive not escaped that yet and my daughters 28!!!but manage to get out a bit more than that period when the kids were young
You are an original " Penny moocher " according to this forum & would not want to cause a fight. I only really got back into birding over the last year and a bit, and with 4 young kids its a case of nicking an hour here and there, although the elder 2 now come with me meaning it can be 2 or 3 hours.. You know what I mean, still got a bit of a thumb print on the old forehead...
It may be a bit out of your way Steve but Fishmoor Reservoir in Blackburn can be very good and you do not need a permit. There is a JJB sports hall and store adjacent to the reservoir and a good spot for viewing is the car park there.
As well as good numbers of the more 'commoner' gulls the following have been seen over the last 12 months or so :-
The gulls tend to feed at Whinney Hill tip near Accrington and then come in to roost during the afternoon and early evening. Many roost on the former Walker Steel factory roof which is huge.
If you look at the East Lancs site - www.eastlancsornithologists.org.uk and click on Links you will see at the bottom one or two blogs. Click on that for Bill Aspin and you will find photos and info (not just gulls).
The article 'gulls, glorious gulls- a guide to county gulling' on the Species Study section/Articles and Identification Issues on the Manchester Birding website should be of great use to you Steve, amongst other things it comprehensively covers county gull watcing sites
if you do a penny gull roost ste,make sure you head for the south bank,more or less opposite horrocks hide as its the only place on a bright day that you have ,a chance,if you look from horrocks hide the light can play huge tricks on wannabe yellow legged gullers!!p.s and expect to be there till dark as the main roosts at penny arrive very late
Nowhere near you in Greater Manchester, Steve. Audenshaw & Heaton Park Resrs are permit only so, apart from Penny, the only other roosts are Ashworth Moor Resr, Hollingworth Lake and (just out of the county) Rivington Resrs.
Not a roost, but a good place for gulls, Pilsworth Tip.
May be some Cheshire sites which are easier for you to get to, though.
Gulls are like Marmite - you either love them or hate them! I think I prefer Marmite!
Was wondering if anyone knows of any gull roosts around, that you dont require permits for. I only know via this website Pennington Flash which is a tad far out from Urmston and the other one obviously Audenshawe. There has to more, but just dont know where I really only have Irlam Locks, might give it a try, but any others to try ?
best birding site in the county/regeon,if your willing to mooch a bit and not stay in horrocks hide
that should stir up a bit of a row