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
Count low as birds were disturbed by 2 ships passing down the canal; the 68m WD Mersey suction hopper dredger and the 27m Norma plough dredger (which did a bloody U turn in the Sludge Loading Bay and caused havoc !!). It wasn't to be my day as both ships joined me for the WeBS count on Salford Quays as well !!
Also of note on the reserve; 1 Willow Tit 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Jay 8 Bullfinch 4 Lesser Redpoll