The nature reserve re-opened last Saturday with a new footbridge (thanks to Steve S for letting me know, he had an excellent record of a Yellowhammer here on his visit).
UU have done quite a bit of work to the reserve, opening up the two ponds and creating another. Still work in progress but promising habitat. A couple of really nice area's of wildflowers, with Common Blue Butterflies darting over them.
The Great Black-backed Gull (stood on a lighting column at Barton Locks) is my first record of this species at the Millenium Park and bring the total species noted to 94.
BTO WeBS Survey (again noted as a "low count" due to reasons as per last post) Site Name: Manchester Shipping Canal - Davyhulme Date: Sun, 8 Oct, 2017 Time: 10:00 - 11:00
Species Count Comment Black-headed Gull 38 Canada Goose 34 Common Gull 1 Cormorant 9 Grey Heron 2 Little Grebe 3 Mallard 6 Moorhen 1 Mute Swan 18 Total number of species: 9 Individuals: 112
Site Name: Manchester Shipping Canal - Davyhulme NR Date: Sun, 12 Mar, 2017 Time: 09:00 - 10:00
Black-headed Gull 48 Canada Goose 4 Coot 11 Cormorant 13 Gadwall 24 Goosander 1 Great Crested Grebe 3 Grey Heron 1 Mallard 14 Moorhen 3 Mute Swan 20 Oystercatcher 1 Teal 12 Wigeon 1 Total number of species: 14 Individuals: 156
Also of note on the reserve 2 Willow Tit chasing each other, 6 Bullfinch and a single Chiffchaff.
-- Edited by Nick Hilton on Monday 13th of March 2017 08:51:08 AM
Also of note on the reserve were 7 Ring-necked Parakeet around the sludge loading bay, they then flew east along the ship canal. A first for me on the reserve and my 93'd species here.
Also on the reserve 1 Willow Tit, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Bullfinch and 30 strong mixed flock of Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch at the horse paddock.
Also noted on the reserve; 1 x Buzzard, 1 x Sparrowhawk, 2 x Bullfinch and one Raven circling overhead (a new species on the reserve for me, total up to 91 now). The place is in a bit of a mess, no upkeep or maintenance unfortunately.
03/04/15 1000 - 1045hrs Of note; 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Tufted Duck, 5 Gadwall, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 1 Oystercatcher, 8 Canada Geese, 2 Teal, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Bullfinch, 4 Jay and 1 Pink Footed Goose (on the canal, shadowing 6 of the Canada Geese. First Pink Foot I think I can recall on the canal). Also of note was a dead Coot lying on the gravel car park, the body was unmarked (and unrung), slightly strange!
-- Edited by Nick Hilton on Friday 3rd of April 2015 03:33:40 PM
Coot = 10 Moorhen = 6 Mallard = 27 Gadwall = 37 Teal = 12 Tufted Duck = 9 Goldeneye = 3 Feral Duck = 1 Great Crested Grebe = 2 Little Grebe = 10 Cormorant = 3 Grey Wagtail = 1 Water Rail = 1 (I think my first sighting in 15 years at this location) Black Headed Gull = 54 Common Gull = 1 Mute Swan = 7 Grey Heron = 1
And following the recent theme of hybrid ducks in the Trafford area there was a very attractive male of what I would suggest was a Mallard X Teal. Smaller than the Mallard it was with but feeding in the same manner, undertail coverts and flanks of Teal, mantle and breast of Mallard and a head pattern that was a mixture of the two. Quite eyecatching!
Moorhen = 9 Mallard = 18 Gadwall = 12 Cormorant = 5 Little Grebe = 13 (looks to have been a good breeding season in this area) Teal = 6 Tufted Duck = 96 Great Crested Grebe = 1 Coot = 10 Black Headed Gull = 102 Lesser Black Backed Gull = 1 Common Gull = 1 Mute Swan = 13 Grey Heron = 1