10.15am to 10.40am. Walk down from Turton Heights to Greens Arms Road. 3 Meadow Pipits 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers 1 Robin 1 Magpie 1 Carrion Crow 2 Jays 1 Chaffinch 1 Linnet flying over 2 Reed Buntings
10.45am to 11.15am. Entwistle Reservoir :- 1 Great Crested Grebe 4 Cormorants 1 Grey Heron 24 Mallards 42 Black-headed Gulls
12.45 to 13.55. As I said a couple of days ago this is normally a "boring reservoir" hence the lack of birders as always. To me everywhere is worth checking, the last few days being a great example.
1 Great Crested Grebe 3 Cormorants 5 WHOOPER SWANS. All the birds were adults. 35 Mallards 13 Black-headed Gulls
Checking back on the Pintails a couple of days ago they appear to maybe be a first for here. My Lancashire Bird Reports go back about 20 years, and I have site list printouts from Bolton Museum.
10.35am to 12.20pm. Normally pretty boring on the reservoir, but this morning will take some beating.
1 Great Crested Grebe 7 Cormorants 2 Grey Herons 25 Mallards 6 COMMON SCOTERS. 3m + 3f on the reservoir throughout. 17 PINTAILS. Soon after arriving a flock of ducks flew over heading for Wayoh. They turned around and spent about 10 minutes circling around the reservoir, twice swooping down towards the Scoters. They never landed and continued their journey. I did a quick check of Wayoh & Jumbles as I worked my way home but there was no sign of them again. 2 Lapwings flying over 5 Pied Wagtails 13 Black-headed Gulls 1 Kestrel 5 Woodpigeons 1 Meadow Pipit 2 Jays 4 Magpies 5 Carrion Crows 1 Rook 2 Chaffinches 2 Greenfinches 1 Siskin 6 Bullfinches 2 Crossbills + other common woodland species
Reservoir area :- 2 Cormorants 1 Grey Heron seen swallowing a dead trout which it found floating at the reservoir edge 25 Mallards 1 Kestrel 14 Black-headed Gulls 2 Woodpigeons 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 4 Swallows 1 Meadow Pipit 1 Blackbird 1 Nuthatch 1 Siskin Numerous Wrens, Robins, Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Chaffinches. Common Hawker Green-veined Whites, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacocks, Speckled Woods.
Edge Lane (Cadshaw to Edge Fold) :- 1 Buzzard House Martins & Swallows at Cadshaw Farm, distant views looking down from the lane. 9 Woodpigeons 2 Meadow Pipits 1 Wren 6 Magpies 3 Rooks 30+ Carrion Crows 2 Ravens 5 Goldfinches
Reservoir area :- 4 Cormorants 27 Mallards 2 Pheasants 8 Black-headed Gulls 10 Woodpigeons 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers 2 Swallows Numerous Wrens and Robins 1 Dunnock Numerous Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits 1 Nuthatch 1 Dipper 2 Magpies 5 Carrion Crows A few Chaffinches 3 Greenfinches 1 Goldfinch 1 Siskin 10 Lesser Redpolls At least 2 Crossbills. The dense conifers could hold any numbers. Comparing our morning sightings with a mate from Darwen who I bumped into we saw a Crossbill fly over, maybe one of the two, or a seperate one. Gary showed me a picture of a Spotted Flycatcher which he took a couple of days earlier at Fairy Battery, where I was heading next. He said two had been there for a few days, but I suspect due to strong winds on a very exposed tree they had moved on or found a more sheltered spot. I checked some ideal sheltered spots with dead trees but without success. Common Hawker Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, Green-veined Whites.