On 3rd Jan Tony Broome found a small gull in a flock of 10 Black-heads at Poynton Pool. On the features noted his immediate reaction was Bonaparte's so he tried to photograph it in gale force winds. When he looked up after checking the results on the back of the camera the bird had flown, so the underwing was not seen.
He sent a selection of 10 photos to Bruce McTavish in Newfoundland without suggesting any ID. Bruce has replied and he confidently identified it as a first winter Bonaparte's Gull.
It has been looked for since, of course, but it seems to have passed through. It will be submitted to BBRC.
This is an alert to GM birders to check out their gull roosts carefully.
There is a report on 9th December of a Little Egret in the field by Glastonbury Drive opposite Poynton Pool.
Earlier this year what was probably the Chadkirk bird apparently commuted to this same area and also around Poynton Pool. It might be worth keeping an eye out at Chadkirk.
No sign of LE today but a Kingfisher catching a minnow at Phillip's Bridge was nice to see.
A Great White Egret flew through north at approx 1.30. Probably the bird that seems to have vacated Holmes Chapel this morning (info thanks to Geoff Lightfoot).
I was searching the area at approx 3.00 when another text arrived from Geoff to say was watching a Little Egret in the northern inflow "now".
As I was virtually on the spot I managed to see this but it was quickly flushed by a walker. This bird also flew north, perhaps back to Chadkirk?
Either, or both, could be found in Greater Manchester tomorrow.
(And before you ask, one had a black bill and the other was twice the size with a stonking yellow bill )