Many thanks for your comments on this Gull Ian.

As I put in my post, an interesting Gull and a 2nd winter, that I suspected looked a little more advanced with the yellowing bill and adult like grey mantle, and no wonder, its a 3rd winter (4CY).
I also made reference to the greyish darker primaries that had me intrigued, and further to that observation this individual could be a Kumliens Gull.
I suspected that at the time but didnt see a full range of pro features, therefore (as I put in my sighting description to Ian) I wasnt about to claim that species from the features I saw and mainly one positional views that I had whilst it was on the water.
I saw it in flight but brief views due to poor afternoon light and the chaos of Black-headed Gulls flying everywhere reacting to bread being thrown for Wildfowl. Unless theres an image of open wing with full primary view then chances are it still cant be certain? I had it as a Glaucoides rather than Kumlieni simply for the reasons above... I didnt think I had enough on it to call Kumliens!

2.12.2020 15:12

2x Pochard

Tuesday 26th May

Dropped Lucas off at Nursery and called in Debdale for an hour this morning.

Of note...
- Ring-necked Parakeet pair to and fro
- numerous Blackcap singing (2 seen)
- 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
- 1 Oystercatcher over
- Jays going mad but no sign of any Owls
- 2 Nuthatch fledgelings, the adults trying to coax out a 3rd

Rob Creek wrote:

---

Hi Tony,

just park in the main car park near MacDonalds. I dont want to disappoint you but the Owls have been in a different tree every time and would be impossible for me to predict where they could be, but what I will say is there are other birds that could be worth listening out for to point you in the right direction. Probably the reason why they are not favouring a particular tree.

Look at the middle photograph below, the Owls are slap bang in the middle of the image but not necessarily obvious unless you knew they were there. The only reason I found them was because a Woodpigeon flew out from that part of the tree!

---

 Thanks Rob, I've sent you a pm.

Tony

Rob Creek wrote:

---

Just to add... Im sure these are the same young Owls that Ive seen recently even though todays location is totally different. The Corvids must be driving them mad! The middle image below of the main tree actually has both Owls in view.

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Wednesday 20th of May 2020 11:15:18 PM

---

 Hi Rob, is there a particular area that the owls are roosting and where would be the closest place to park up near McDonalds or near the school. I know the area reasonably well, thank you in anticipation.

Tony

Weds 20th May.

Couple of early walks since Saturday but no sign of the Cuckoo, or Tawny Owls for that matter. But then this morning...

- 2 imm Tawny Owls in a Horse Chestnut tree.
A squawking Jay in a nearby Sycamore drew my attention, but then a Woodpigeon flew from this tree and distracted me. I got my bins and these 2 were showing beautifully but distant!
The funny thing is I was nowhere near this tree, few other smaller trees and plenty of inaccessible bushes and vegetation in front of it so I struggled to relocate them but eventually I managed to get closer. Ive attached an image below of my initial view, both Owls are in view in the image, I managed to zoom in and get an ok shot but then an even better one when I refound them.

Other birds of note...
- Umpteen Blackcap (m + f), some close up
- 2 different Chiffchaff
- Nuthatch pair still busy feeding young
- Treecreeper landed on a trunk within a foot of my face, wow!
- Song Thrushes / Dunnocks / Wrens all in full voice
- more close up Blackbirds than you can shake a stick at! .

Some Wildlife really is starting to emerge from the shadows again in my view, the Blackbirds mooch about round near your feet, and the Treecreeper I heard its trill call in flight then landed near my face like I wasnt there!

Couple of morning walks through Debdale earlier this week.

- Tawny Owl
Adult and then 2 well grown young in different tree on Monday.
Adult on Tuesday in a different tree.
Adult again on Wednesday morning in a totally different tree.

Probably sick of being mobbed by the Jays and Magpies so using different roosts. A Blackbird gave the adult away on Wednesday otherwise I wouldnt have thought for one minute to look in the location it was.

Plenty of other stuff around...
- lots of Blackcap
- few Chiffchaffs
- Nuthatch pair seemingly doing well
- Treecreeper
- Bullfinch pair close up
- Goldfinches
- Chaffinches
- a single male Greenfinch
- Mistle Thrush
- Song Thrush
- Jays
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- female Sparrowhawk
- Tufted Duck
- Great Crested Grebe
...and a Rook over too!

Also worth mentioning that lots of all the usual park and woodland species were seen, some of which were going about their business right near your feet!




-- Edited by Rob Creek on Saturday 16th of May 2020 10:18:26 AM

New Years Day (pm)

Walk round the park with Michelle and Baby.
Of note...
- 6 Ring-necked Parakeets spaced over the area we walked
- 7 Redwings over

Tufted Duck 104
Great Crested Grebe 7
Little Grebe 2
Kingfisher 2
Ring-necked Parakeet 2
Sparrowhawk 1

A midday stroll with the family.

Of note.

Mute Swan X 7 (6 adult,1 immature).

Little Grebe X 6.

Wigeon X 2 (males on upper).

 

Female Long-tailed Duck still present on Gorton Upper Reser at 13:50; near the dam and overflow.

 

Info thanks to Simon Ghilks

10:30-13:00 ,bright/calm, all three reservoir iced over to some degree, Lawrence Scott totally iced over.

With the boy in toe.
Highlights.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull x 1(showing really well on the ice of lower).
Little Grebe x 10.
Shoveler x 2 ( males on upper).
Raven x 1.
Goldeneye x 2 (males on upper).
Mistle thrush x 3.
Mute Swan x 8 (2 groups, 1 on lower 2 adult, 2 immature & the 2nd group on upper 1 adult and 3 immature).
Cormorant x1.
Grey heron x 1 ( the only bird on Lawrence Scott).
Common Gull x 16.
Hybrid ducks x 4.

Other birds seen.
Black-headed gull.
Mallard.
Great crested grebe.
Coot.
Moorhen.
Bullfinch.
Goldfinch.
Chaffinch.
Carrion crow.
Blue tit.
Great tit.
Blackbird.
Robin.
Dunnock.
Long-tailed tit.
Canada goose.
Farm duck.
Wood pigeon.


Tufted duck

-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Sunday 29th of January 2017 02:23:49 PM

This Morning with the boy. Bright/calm.

Of note.
Goosander x 2 (1 male, 1 adult female) .
Little Grebe x 6.
Raven x 1.
Mute Swan x 4 ( 2 adult , 2/immature).
Plus.
Cormorant x 2.
Pekin Duck x 2.
Moorhen x c7.
Tufted Duck x c90.
Mallard c32.
Canada Goose x c 60.
Black-headed Gull x c120.
Lesser Black-backed Gull , c20.
Great Created Grebe x c8.
Hybrid Ducks x 3.
Coot x c90.

Robin/Blackbird all around the site, but no winter thrushes found.

A Monday morning Mooch with the boy in the rain.

Mute Swan x 13.
Tufted Duck c30.
Coot x c20 (5 chicks also).
Moorhen x c8.
Great Crested Grebe x 9.
Mallard x c15.
Greenfinch x 1.
Grey Wagtail x 2

Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch all showing really well at the Eastern end of the Upper reservoir.

Another Birder, has mentioned that mid week, Tree Sparrows within the same location I'd previously spotted them, were again found. So well worth a look at future visits.

Plus the usuals all around all three reservoirs.

-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Monday 2nd of May 2016 02:46:41 PM

It's a form of domesticated Mallard that the Manky Mallards site calls an Abacot Ranger.

Hybrid fowl. Most "manky" Mallards [http://10000birds.com/manky-mallards-domestic-feral-or-just-plain-odd-mallards.htm] are crosses between wild Mallards and various domestic breeds, like the Pekin. This leads to many colour patterns and, usually, larger birds, that can look goose-like.
There are infrequent duck hybrids, mostly between different Anas species (Mallard, Pintail, Teal, Shoveler...).
Canada Geese have been known to cross with Greylags, but, as far as I know, not with ducks.

Sunday 28-02-2016 09:30-12:00 .Bright E.
Accompanied by my Son.

Lower.

Bullfinch x 2 (males)
Lesser Black-backed Gull x 1.
Mallard x 19.
Tufted Duck x c40.
Cormorant x 2 (over).
Mute swan x 9, ( 3 x juvenile).
Hybrids x 2.
Canada Goose x 16.
Long-tailed Tit x 4.
Tree Sparrow x 2.
Robin x 8.
Dunnock x 3.
Wren x 1.
Great Crested Grebe x 4.
Siskin x 1.
Black-headed Gull x c20+.

Lawrence Scott.

Moorhen x 2.
Tufted Duck c 6.
Wren x 2.
Long-tailed Tit x 4.
Bullfinch x 2 (heard).
Goldfinch x 14.

Upper.

Pochard x 10. (8 male, 2 female).
Mute Swan x 2.
Canada Goose x 9.
Mallard x 5.
Tufted Duck x 49.
Wren x 1.
Moorhen x 3.
Chaffinch x 3.
Great Crested Grebe x 3.

Coot,Blue/Great tit, Blackbird, Wood pigeon & Carrion Crow seen over the whole site.



-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Sunday 28th of February 2016 02:22:31 PM

Saturday 13-02-16 , 09:00-12:00 . Sunny. E.

Via Greenfold .

Lower.

Mediterranean Gull x 1 ( adult ,ringed, white on left leg).
Canada Goose x c30.
Mute Swan x 8 (adult)
Hybrid x 2.
Collard Dove x1.


Upper.

Pochard x 8 (6 drake, 2 hen).
Yellow-legged Gull x 2 (adult).
Mute Swan x 5( 2 adult 3 juvenile).
Cormorant x 1.

Lawrence Scott.

Shoveler x2 (1 drake ,1 hen).
Grey Heron x 1.

Over all three reservoir.

Tufted Duck x 102.
Mallard x c30.
Coot x c100+.
Black-headed Gull x c100+.
Herring Gull x 6.
Moorhen x 6.

Cycle path North of Wright Robinson.

Bull Finch x 2.
Mistle Thrush x 3.
Great Spotted Woodpecker x 1.

Blue/Great Tit, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, seen over the entire site.

Nice to meet you Peter and your Wife this morning



-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Saturday 13th of February 2016 03:58:14 PM

-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Saturday 13th of February 2016 04:02:22 PM

-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Saturday 13th of February 2016 04:11:27 PM

Sunday 31-01-2016. 09:00-11:00. Drizzle . S.
Accompanied by my son.

Entry via GreenFold.

Lower reservoir.

Little Grebe x 2.
Mute Swan x 6, adults.
Bull Finch x 1, male.
Hybrids x 2, 1 possible Mallard/Cayuga cross & 1 possible Mallard/Canada Goose cross.

Upper reservoir.

Pochard x 3, 1 male & 2 females.
Goosander x 1 male.
Mute Swan x 5, 2 adults & 3 juveniles.
Cormorant x 1.
Moorhen x 2.

Across both reservoirs.

Canada Goose x 34.
Tufted Duck x c50.
Coot x c100+.
Black-headed Gull x c60.

Mallard x c40.

-- Edited by Peter Nolan Woolley on Sunday 31st of January 2016 12:48:02 PM

17-01-2016, 09:15-12:00 bright SSE.

Me accompanied by my son.

Via Green Fold entrance.
Lower Reservoir.
Little Grebe x 3.
Grey Heron x 1.
Cormorant x 2.
Med Gull x 1 (adult).
Canada Goose c 30.

Upper Reservoir.
Pochard x 3 ,1 male & 2 female.
Wigeon x 3 , 1 male & 2 female.
Goosander x 1 male.
Mute Swan x 5, 2, adults & 3 juvenile.

Spent a lovely 10 minutes watching a Goldcrest that we enticed by playing from my phone it's own song. Very confiding.

Across both reservoirs, c100 Coot , c12 Mallard , c50 Tufted Duck, c15 Moorhen, c20 Herring Gull , c40 Black Headed Gull. c12 Carrion Crow & 4x Great Crested Grebe.

22nd Feb from 07:15
Winter Thrushes survey

Nothing unusual on the first section of the walk however as I neared Corn Hill Lane I thought I could hear an engine running, as I got a little closer I thought that sounds like it could be birds but the noise was incredible, I then noticed a few Redwing flitting about various trees it then became apparent that what I thought was a small car engine from some distance was in fact hundreds of Redwing chattering away. I must have stumbled on an overnight roost with most of the birds still in the trees but there were at least 100 birds already down on the grass feeding. Without doubt the highlight of my birding year so far, absolutely amazing to be right underneath so many chattering birds.
Also around were a few Mistle and Song Thrushes in full song and a Kingfisher on the upper reservoir.
However the walk ended on a very sad note with 2 Skylarks in full song flight over land that is currently being turned over for house building.
The ups and downs of urban birding in microcosm.

19/4/13 6am-8am
Final Thrushes survey this winter

Along Kings Rd, down Corn Hill Lane and back then around the upper reser.

11 Willow Warbler
9 Chiffchaff
5 Blackcap
1 singing Redpoll
2 Great Crested Grebe
Plenty of Blackbirds
4 Song Thrush
Pair Mistle Thrush collecting nest material
No Redwing or Fieldfare seen though.

Goosander 9 on the lower res at 3.30pm

9/10/2012 1500-1545

Upper Res. only, used to know this as Fairfield and the lower as Debdale.
Vegetation along the path makes viewing the water very restricted.
Last time I was along here there was very little if any vegetation between the path and the water.
Wouldn't recommend wearing your slip ons for this walk, the path turns into a quagmire about half way along.

1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Little Grebe
c10 Tufted Duck
3 Mute Swan
c20 Coot
5 Moorhen
1 Kingfisher