The pair of Garganey again on Swan Lake,spending most of their time in juncus on south side of lake.
A Yellowhammer and 6 singing Chiffchaff on way in from Atherton side.
Highlights mid-afternoon to early evening today, drake Garganey, male Wheatear, 2 Curlew dropped in at 6:25pm, 20+Gadwall, 3 Teal, 10 Snipe and Little Egret.
I called in at Cutacre this afternoon and found only the drake garganey present. No sign of the female for me. However there was a cracking adult (5CY?) Caspian gull on the water. Great to meet Colin Broadhurst and glad you saw it.
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 24th of March 2025 07:44:29 PM
The Hooded Crow again present,viewable from Wharton Hall Avenue in the fenced off area opp the Amazon W'house.
Also Stonechat,2 Oystercatchers, several singing Skylark etc.
I wonder if this is the same Hooded Crow that has been seen at Chat Moss. Not far apart in distance between the two sites (as the crow flies!). Pardon the pun.
I left the Hooded Crow still feeding in the compound at 13.30 with at least 70 Carrion Crows. A quick look around elsewhere produced 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Buzzards, 1 Snipe, pair Gadwall, 4 Teal, 1 Little Egret. Cheers John
45 species this morning inc 2 x Grey Partridge, 1 x Snipe, 2 x Oystercatchers, 2 x Little Egret, 16 x Gadwall, 7 x singing Chiffchaff, 4 x Buzzard (2 copulating). Also Hooded Crow still present.
The Hooded Crow was showing intermittently in the compound area, viewed from the higher ground to the south, between 1300-1400 yesterday. Also on the country park were Buzzard, Coot, Gadwall, Great Tit, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Lapwing, Little Egret, Magpie, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Reed Bunting, Skylark and Stock Dove. My first singing Chiffchaff of the year as well.
Nice bumping into Den and Chris and a gentleman that had come across from North Yorkshire to see the bird.
For those Cutacre regulars, I have a BTO Breeding Bird survey square available on the country park (in the Skylark Hill area). If you are interested in taking this on please email me at nmhilton71@aol.com for further details.
The Hooded Crow still present until at least 6pm this evening in the south east corner of the green fenced off area, also 2 Ringed plover flew south over here, at least 15 Linnet and c.20 Meadow Pipit and 2 Little egret still on site.
This afternoon 3 x Buzzard, 1 x Peregrine (high flyover), 8 x singing Skylark, large flock of approx 120 mixed Jackdaw and Carrion Crow, 1 x Raven, 1 x drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 x Redwing, 2 x Willow Tit, 1 x female Stonechat, 2 x Little Egret, 2 x Oystercatchers, 1 x Little Grebe
Female Merlin flew through heading East just before 8am today. Did have a quick chase of one of the many singing Skylark but soon gave up and kept going.
Yesterday afternoon highlights 2 x Stonechat, 1 x Little Egret, 1 x Snipe, 2 x Oystercatchers, 1 x Grey Wagtail and approximately a dozen singing Skylark.
Yesterday afternoon....1x Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 x Oystercatchers, 900 plus gulls again inc 4 x Great Black Backed and 1 x Common Gull. 1 x Little Egret, 1 x Grey Partridge, 1 x Grey Wagtail, 2 x Mistle Thrush and a flock of 20 Meadow Pipit. 45 species
Late afternoon....95 x Starling on overhead power lines, 58 x Redwing on trees by railway line and 16 x Pied Wagtails between Swan Lake and upper pools.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 3rd of February 2025 07:16:59 PM
2 Little egret and Green Sandpiper on the top pools this afternoon, flock of 12+ Redpoll in trees at the southern end of the site. Group of 8 c.10 year old kids trying to start a fire in the stream valley along common lane, soon ran off when we approached and stamped it out.
Afternoon walk round Cutacre produced 42 species. Of note 2 x Willow Tit together off Engine Lane, 1 x Water Rail, 1 x Little Egret, 1 x Skylark, 1 x Mistle Thrush, 6 x singing Song Thrush and in excess of 900 gulls in horse field south of the railway line.l
Morning walk produced 40 species. Of note 1 x Little Egret, 1 x Water Rail, 4 x Redpoll, 1 x Raven, 1 x Rook, 1 x Grey Wagtail and 3 x Willow Tit (1 displaying)
40 species this afternoon including 42 x Pink Footed Goose heading east, 5 x Grey Partridge, 2 x Treecreeper, 2 x Stonechat, 1 x Snipe, and a flock of 61 x Redwing.
Morning walk around Cutacre. 43 species Inc 1 x Great Crested Grebe (unusual for this site)4 x Grey Partridge, 3 x Stonechat, 1 x Water Rail (heard)1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 x Skylark , 1 x Grey Wagtail
9 Pink footed Geese flew south west over the site at 1pm. 2 Greylag Geese in with c.40 Canada geese on slope north of Swan lake, female Shoveler and Male Pochard on Swan lake.
Walk around Cutacre produced 42 species. Of note 1 x Siskin with a flock of Goldfinch, 1 x Peregrine harrassing a LBB Gull, 10 x Redwing along Engine Lane, 2 x Grey Wagtail, 1 x Raven and 3 x Stonechat
At least 8 Chiffchaff and 3 Blackcap around the southeast edge of the area today also 3 Buzzard foraging on the mown Grass on the slope just north of Swan lake. Still c.15 House Martin feeding over the farm and fields here too
Good afternoon around Cutacre with 1 x Little Egret, 1 x Water Rail, 2 x Stonechat, 2 x Raven, 4 x Willow Tit, 5 x Little Grebe and 1 x Grey Wagtail. 42 species
Birds of note this afternoon 1 x Little Egret on Swan Lake also 3 x Little Grebe. Only 1 x Swallow, 1 x House Martin and 1 x Sand Martin seen. No Swift. Treecreeper by derelict Barns at western end.
Still good numbers of Swift feeding over the whole site today, also 3 very small Gadwall ducklings on Swan lake as well as a single Oystercatcher. Couple of hundred mixed Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls loitering between the small pool left in the horse fields and the northern end.