Brockholes LWT, Preston, Lancashire

John Watson · Status: Offline

RE: Brockholes LWT, Preston, Lancashire

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Great views of the Bittern at last!
After sheltering in the new ''Look Out'' Hide from the torrential rain this afternoon I left it's comfort at 3.15
as the hide was being locked up. Fortunately the rain had stopped.
Scoping then for the Bitterns across Meadow Lake, I had no joy with the one usually by the Osprey platform.
I tried for the one in the South corner reeds, and immediately saw it at the front of the reeds.
The Bittern showed very well stretching it's neck and spreading wings repeatedly. It appeared to climb halfway up the reeds. After a good 5 minutes the Bittern flew across the Lake to the access road side.
smile

Other sightings this pm:
8 species of duck most in good number:
Gadwall
Wigeon
Teal
Shoveler
Goldeneye
Tufted
Pochard
Mallard.
I dipped on the Female Scaup ( Bill Aspin) this am.
The usual back up crew:
Mute Swan/ Canada Goose/Grey Heron/ Cormorant/ Great Crested Grebe.
A few Herring Gull and Common Gull.
Good views of at least 6 Reed Buntings close to the hide. Showing at the front of the reeds and sometimes to the feeding
Table
At around 4.15 Barn Owl and Kestrel were hunting just north of the car park and about a dozen Fieldfare flew over the trees towards the Ribble.
A really enjoyable afternoon, following the ''Pork cooked in Cider'' lunch at the Floating café.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Bittern showing well the last 3 days by Meadow lake. (following a break in sightings that started with my visit here Thursday 7th of Jan..)
Now apparently today, two Bitterns by Meadow Lake! ( info thanks to Carl Partington)

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 15th of January 2016 07:29:48 PM

steven burke · Status: Offline

popped in on my way home from Scotland this afternoon.

no signs of the bittern, it was reported earlier in the morning.

fantastic views of a barn owl flying around meadow lake.

black swan, pochard, tufted duck, goldeneye, gadwall, wigeon, teal.

3 buzzard, 20+ siskin, 1 goldcrest, 1 song thrush, 2 mistle thrush, 3 fieldfare, 1 reed bunting, 2 grey heron.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Bittern showing well at Meadow Lake this pm. Info thanks to Jean Price.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

This afternoon, last 2 hours before dusk.

Kestrel...1
Jay...1
Lapwing...2
Goldeneye...8
Pochard...4
Teal....c100
Wigeon...c50
Shoveler...11
Tufted Duck.... 10
Gadwall...50+
Grey Heron...3
Cormorant...7
Great Crested Grebe...2
Pheasant...3
Long-tailed Tit...11
Reed Bunting 2
Mute Swans...10
Canada Geese...a few

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Gloomy light for our visit this afternoon.
The Black Redstart that was in front of the new hide (The Look Out) for 3 days late last week has been taken by a Sparrowhawk.
No sign of the Otters seen regularly here, often around the Solar Panel raft on No 1 Pit.
Sightings from No1 Pit Hides only:
Wigeon...2 ...(a pair)
Gadwall...50+
Goldeneye...4
Tufted Duck...c20
Coot...c130
Great Crested Grebe...2
Buzzard...1
Cormorant...1
Grey Heron...1
Mute Swan...10 including juveniles
Canada Goose...3
Hen Pheasant...1
There was a small Starling murmuration, over the pit at Dusk.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

A Barn Owl hunting around the Dipping
Pond area at 4.35 this evening.

john spurgeon · Status: Offline

Hobby over No1 Pit at 21:20 yesterday.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

A pleasant afternoon today, despite the wind and being fairly quiet birdwise.
Redshank.... c10 on the islands
Ringed Plover....c8 ditto
Common Sandpiper...2
Greylag Goose...2 with Canada's
Cormorant...12
Grey Heron...1
Pied Wagtail....4
About a dozen Swifts over each main Lake, with a few Swallows and Sand Martins there too.
Sand Martins...up to 35 over the Ribble, and in and out of their holes on the river banks.
Shelduck...2
Tufted Duck....3
Gadwall...1
Blackcap...1 .singing in my ear.
Great Crested Grebe/ Mute Swans/Lapwing.
Lesser Black-backed Gull..1
Cock Pheasant...1
Good to meet Carl Partington, who had seen 2 Hobby and 3 Turnstone, briefly before I joined him.

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 29th of May 2015 09:46:49 AM

Frank Whitney · Status: Offline

Our group have just had a Little tern on meadow lake before flying off north , seemed settled then suddenly remembered somewhere it had to be , white patch and yellow bill

Simon Gough · Status: Offline

According to Birdguides over 200 Whimbrel came into roost here last evening (April 29th). This sounds extraordinary, is it a known phenomenon? I notice a report of 86 in the thread from around this time last year. Are they gathering to fly on north perhaps? Nearly 400 roosted at Barnacre Reservoir too. Wow.

Peter Harling · Status: Offline

Thanks for these reports Keith.... much appreciated by new watcher!

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Yesterday with dog on allowed paths (no scope) :

Little Egret...1 by Ribble just up from the Church.
Pintail Duck... 3 drakes on Meadow Lake.
Curlew... lots spotted on No. 1 Pit Island... Counted by Bill Aspin as 199 Birds.
Fieldfare/ Redwing Flock....c80
Reed Bunting...4

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 27th of February 2015 02:14:27 PM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

This afternoon a couple of hours viewing the two main Lakes and the adjacent
feeding stations.
Sightings:
Oystercatcher....22
Mute Swan...8 including 3 immature.
Cormorant...10
Gadwall....c55
Teal...c40
Tufted Duck...c25
Goldeneye...6 including 3 drakes.
Shoveler...1
Grey Heron...2
Pied Wagtail...2
Great Black-backed Gull...1 adult
Reed Buntings....14
Blue Tits ...12
Dunnock...2
Cock Pheasant....1
Mistle Thrush...1
Another excellent lunch today in the floating café; Gammon ham with pineapple sauce

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 13th of February 2015 08:42:10 AM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

After an enjoyable lunch in the floating village café, we braved some heavy persistent rain this pm.
Just a few sightings, in the poor light too:
Fieldfare... a flock of around 45 moving around, were almost the only birds of note flying.
Reed Buntings....15 at least; at the 2 feeding stations. (the Ribble Way station a much improved facility)
Pheasant...several under the feeders.
Goldeneye...15+
Tufted Duck....20+
Gadwall...6
Shoveler...4 drakes feeding together inches apart.
Pied Wagtail...1
Cormorants....at least 20
Mute Swans at least 6
Lapwing....60+ stood on islands
Grey Heron...1

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 1st of January 2015 06:35:31 PM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Three hours this afternoon. Pleasant weather.
Goldeneye....2f
Tufted Duck... 17
Shoveler...1 drake
Teal....c35
Gadwall....14
Cormorant...14 including 2 white fronted.
Sparrowhawk...1
Kestrel...2 or 3
Tree Sparrow....8+
Chaffinch...20+
Meadow Pipits....3
Wren...1
Mistle Thrush....4
Pied Wagtail...1
Goldfinch /Reed Buntings / Mute Swans / Canada Geese.
Grey Heron...2
Pheasant...6
The Starling murmuration (c2500 birds)went on for 20 minutes,after 4 pm, and gave some great shapes!

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 20th of November 2014 05:44:55 PM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Very quiet yesterday afternoon,with some drizzle:
Buzzard...1 (wing feathers missing)
Kestrel..2
Sparrowhawk...1
Mute Swan 12 + 1 Juv.
Cormorant...10
Grey Heron....4
Pheasant...3
Pied Wagtail...1
Gadwall...4
Tufted Duck...16
Teal...2
Great Crested Grebe..5
The 2 Dragonflies seen were hyper active but we erred towards Migrant Hawker.

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 26th of September 2014 07:58:10 AM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Night Heron showing well
at 5.08 viewed from near M6 hide.
A juvenile.

-- Edited by keith mills on Wednesday 17th of September 2014 06:52:48 PM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Juv. Night Heron at
No.1 pit.
found by Carl Partington.
view only from M6 side (path)
To avoid disturbance.

Info thanks to Bill Aspin.

-- Edited by keith mills on Wednesday 17th of September 2014 04:13:11 PM

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Not my sighting but definitely worth passing on:

A juvenile Night Heron is at Brockholes in a tree viewable from near the M6 Hide but distant. From the car park follow the road SW for 1/2ml then take the track N.before the bridge then fork left. Last report was on the pagers for 2.36pm.

Info & directions courtesy of Rare Bird Alert smile

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

This afternoon:
Kingfisher...1 by the M6 Ribble bridge.
Kestrel...1
Buzzard...1 low across the centre mobbed by Corvids.
Curlew...1
Teal...19
Lapwing...40
Gadwall...9
Tufted Duck...c14
Cormorant...17
Black-headed Gull...12
Grey Heron...5
Crows...2 juvs sat on a fence with their beaks agape
Great Tit/Long-tailed Tit/Wren
Pied Wagtail...2
Speckled Wood and Common Darters everwhere.
Clouded Yellow..not seen by me.....but present this morning.

The new Osprey nest platform looks like it's finished.
Ribble Hide which overlooks it, looks to have been trashed!

John Williams · Status: Offline

11.00-13.30

The Great White Egret was still showing well on Meadow Lake, and at one point caught what appeared to be a small Perch.

A female Scaup was with a group of Tufted Duck on No 1 Pit, and I'm pretty sure there was a drake Scaup there too, but I hadn't the time to check and
the ducks spent most of the time submerged, which didn't help.

No1 Pit also held 17 Cormorants and 6 Great Crested Grebes, including 2 striped youngsters.

A female Sparrowhawk flew across the river to hunt low over the balsam and thistles on the East bank, she was then joined by another female that came in from the North. Both hawks gave the impression they were hunting dragonflies, rather than birds. That didn't stop them being mobbed by a Black Headed Gull.

2 Buzzards were mewing loudly above Bolton Wood, where 2 Nuthatches were seen high in the trees.

Common Darter dragonflies were in abundance, there was also a single Brown Hawker, plus numerous other hawkers that moved around that fast I couldn't ID them.
Speckled Wood butterflies were abundant too, 4 Red Admirals were around Brockholes, with another 8 in Bolton Wood, 6 of them on the bark of a single oak
where they appeared to licking sap that was oozing from a wound.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Great White Egret on Meadow Lake at 11.30 this am.
Info with thanks from Bill Aspin

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Some good sightings this pm once the rain stopped and the sun came out:

Hobby....1 over Boilton Woods
Kestrel ...1 came up for the Hobby and gave it some harassment.
Little Ringed Plover....1 Juv
Common Snipe...1
Teal...1 (I missed the main group)
Wigeon...4 new arrivals
Tufted Duck...18
Pied Wagtail...5
Grey Heron...2
Cormorants...9
Redstart...2 one an adult male ( 4 Redstart seen by Bill Aspin)
Spotted Flycatcher...2 (3 seen by Bill)
Butterflies: Good views of 2 Clouded Yellow from the path down to the centre.
Many Common Blues, Speckled Wood,and Small White, and a Small Tortoiseshell.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

This afternoon:
Kestrel...3 regular activity over Boilton Wood and one showing well along the Ribble.
Sparrowhawk....1
Jay....1
Lapwing...c90 (350 in the area)
Little Ringed Plover....1 juv.
Common Snipe...3
Gadwall...2
Goosander ...8 over north
Several Lesser Black-backed Gulls with juvs, were the only Gulls seen.
Cormorants 10
Several Grey Heron
Reed Bunting...1
Hirundines.. c100 over the Lakes. Mainly Swallows with a few House Martins and Sand Martins..
................ c40 Sand Martins over the River from the viewing seats.
Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Small White.
Several Brown Hawker.
Good to meet Bill and Carl again. Also Dominic and Claudia... Dominic is researching Redshank breeding trends
and their causes, on the Ribble Estuary.

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 14th of August 2014 06:09:36 PM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

This afternoon:
Little Egret...1 with rings on both legs above knee; beige or yellow coloured I think.
Garganey...1 juvenile No. 1 Pit island
Wigeon...1 drake eclipse
Teal ...2 fem.
Black Swan...1
Cormorants...6
Grey Heron...3
Lesser Black-backed Gulls...c30
Buzzard..1
Spent time watching the White Letter Hairstreak, plus a fest of Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Comma,
Red Admiral. Peacock, Common Blue, Speckled Wood etc...

An Osprey nest support is under construction on Meadow Lake Island. A substantial pole is already erected.

-- Edited by keith mills on Friday 1st of August 2014 08:58:01 AM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Three hours this afternoon. Far too little time, to spend at this great reserve, to do it justice.
Good to meet for the first time, and have a long chat with Bill Aspin.

Black Swan...1 Meadow Lake
Mute Swan...36+
Little Egret...1 Meadow Lake
Lapwing...200+
Oystercatcher....6
Ringed Plover....4
Common Sandpiper....4
Redshank ...4 including 2 Juveniles.
Avocet...2 including the 1 surviving near fledgling.
Pied Wagtail...3
Reed bunting...1
Grey Heron...5+
Cormorants...7
Great Crested Grebes ...several adults with Humbugs.
Eclipse drake Gadwall.
A few Swallows and Sand Martins over the lakes
Number One Pit Island remains covered in wild flowers. The Ox-eye daisy has been replaced with
Purple-loosestrife and a yellow flower probably Common Ragwort. It would be great to see this
type of cover, which has proved very popular with waders here, on the Rumworth Islands.
Lots of Speckled Woods and Meadow Browns A single Comma Hutchinsoni I believe. But no time to go for the star of the show; a White-letter Hairstreak currently on the Boilton Wood brambles!

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 17th of July 2014 06:58:34 PM

Gordon Cottle · Status: Offline

Monday 7th July early PM

No 1 Pit

3 Avocet 1 adult 2 juv
3 Tufted Duck 1 female 2 juv
Lapwings
G C Grebe with juv on back
Oystercatchers
Ringed Plovers
Sandpipers
Redshank
Canada Geese
Mute Swans
Sand Martins
Swallows
Magpie

-- Edited by Gordon Cottle on Monday 7th of July 2014 05:29:02 PM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Most of this afternoon spent here in fine weather. Most enjoyable again.

Avocets... 1 Adult guarding the 2 large juveniles. Great views.

Common Sandpiper....2
Redshank...4
Ringed Plover...4
Little Ringed Plover...1
No sign of the Curlews although one juvenile did survive the predation that I recently reported.
Great Crested Grebe...c8 plus 2 large juveniles and 2 or 3 chicks climbing onto mum's back.
Wigeon...2 drakes.
Mute Swans...21 + 2 cygnets.
Oystercatchers/ Lapwing/ Cormorants in number.
Tufted Duck...5+ brood of 5.
Gadwall.1 in moult
Lesser Black-backed Gulls...c18
Swifts...c60
Sand Martins...c25
Grasshopper Warbler...1 heard only, near number I Pit viewpoint

Very pleasing as I was beginning to think that I had lost this frequency.
Common Whitethroat...1
Reed Bunting...1 fem.
Kestrel...1
Grey Heron ...4
Pied Wagtail...3
NB In addition to the recent Ospreys and Red Kite, Hobbies are seen over often... but not for me today!

An Emperor Dragonfly, close views.

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 3rd of July 2014 07:54:24 PM

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Forgot to post this yesterday due to the Red Kite being sighted.

Oystercatcher - 2 prs
Lapwing - possibly about 3 prs
( some with chicks coz the Carrion Crows were being dive bombed constantly )
Redshank - 1
Reed Bunting - 1
Black-headed Gulls
(Juvenile knocking about)

Plus usual Great Crested Grebes, Coot, Gadwall, Teal, Black Swan ...etc

Saw the Red Kite and Buzzard within minutes of driving out of the reserve

Cheers

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 26th of June 2014 02:57:10 PM

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Approx 3.56pm a Red Kite drifting just south of Brockholes and the Lancashire Police / Highways Agency roundabout on the M6.
Also a Buzzard circling in same area but bit higher.

Steve Scrimgeour · Status: Offline

Called in approx 4.25pm for roughly 15 mins on way back from Bowness delivery due to tacho instruction.

Surely Rob, that should read 45mins.....for a tacho instruction, not that i work for VOSA or anything...

Cheers

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Late post for Wednesday 11th June.

Called in approx 4.25pm for roughly 15 mins on way back from Bowness delivery due to tacho instruction.

1 Black Swan
Oystercatcher pair with chicks
Few Lapwing
1 Reed Bunting
Black-headed Gulls and juveniles
Usuals

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Sad news, just in from Brockholes via Facebook: Curlew chicks predated this morning by Carrion Crow.
One seen being carried off. Not clear if they have all gone.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Another good afternoon here in glorious weather:

Leaving the car park a ''flock'' of 5 Grey Heron passed over as they dropped onto Meadow Lake. 11 were on the board as on the River, and later 7 were at The Lake.
Kestrel....3 over together.
Avocet... the breeding pair (first record here) were on No 1 pit Island. The 2 or 3 chicks not seen, but brooding
almost certainly taking place.
The large No I pit Island was nearly all covered with Ox Eye Daisy and was well stocked with Waders etc.
Lapwing ( 19 pairs) with young, Oystercatchers with young, Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover,
Black-headed Gulls with Juveniles, Redshank.......Curlew see below.

On arrival at the Backless Hide the pair of Curlew, on the Island, were very agitated at constantly flying across
the channel, and around the Hide.
Things soon became clear as, one by one, 3 Curlew chicks appeared ( a first for me ). The chicks were right in front of the hide, having swam across the channel from the Island.. a good 20-25 yards. Eventually, after 30 minutes of cajoling from their parents, they set off to cross the channel back to the Island. Having struggled to the middle of the channel, 3 Mute Swans then took off
from the water right across their path!!! The chicks did an abrupt U- turn back to near the hide. After another half hour,
and as I was leaving, and with constant commotion from the parents, 2 of the chicks made it back to the Island. However the third leaving late, took a right turn in mid channel and ended up along the lakeside right of the Hide.

Very good numbers of Sand Martin over both Lakes and the Ribble and using the River Banks not the new prefabricated Sand Martin Boxes!
Single Lesser Black-backed Gull on the Weir.

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 12th of June 2014 06:37:30 PM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Footnote to my last post, regarding the Wimbrel:

They returned to No. 1 island at 20.45 hours yesterday; just 113 of them this time!! Info thanks to Michael Foley.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

An enjoyable few hours this afternoon:

4 Coot chicks Meadow Lake.
2 Wheatear(m) on the front edge of Meadow Lake Island.
2 Greylag Geese with the Canada Geese.
Oystercatchers in good numbers and sitting.
Small numbers of Gadwall and Tufted Duck.
2 Pied Wagtail.
4 Lapwing chicks seen on No. 1 Pit island, where I had images of 2 of these chicks, plus a Ringed Plover and a Little Ringed Plover all in the scope view at one time !
Wimbrel...1 ... N.B. the 86 Wimbrel that arrived last night, on No 1 Pit, had moved on!
Redshank..2
Cormorant...1
Grey Heron....7
Buzzard...3 up together.
Kestrel...1
No Sand Martins seen around the various artificial walls, but plenty along the Ribble.
50 minimum count..... Sand Martins.. a fantastic sight as they often flew as a flock before trying out their
holes in the sandy river banks.
I had two goes for the Grasshopper Warbler at the Dipping pond without joy.

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

This afternoon; a pleasant walk along the Ribble Way with the dog, downstream from the weir to the M6 bridge.

Canada Goose...5
Mute Swan...2
Goosander...6 but only one Drake
Mallards...5
Grey Heron...1 being seriously harassed by a Crow.
Sand Martins...c12
Oystercatcher...3
Cormorant...2 over low
Lesser Black-backed Gull...2
No sign of the Kingfisher at the usual spot.
Chiffchaff...2
Blackcap...1
Reed Bunting...1

From Ribble Hide, without my scope, as the tripod away for running repairs.
Gadwall...5
Redshank..1
Oystercatcher...2
Ringed Plover...1
Great Crested Grebe...1
Grey Heron...1
Sand Martin...c10
Lapwing...a few
Canada Geese/Coots in abundance
Mute Swan...2
As I walked back on the Cycling path, good numbers of both Ringed Plover and Redshank and 11 Tufted Duck were seen on No. 1 Pit
island.....where Lapwing were fending off a Crow.
A pair of Peacock butterflies chased by.

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 10th of April 2014 09:37:22 PM

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Another enjoyable afternoon here. I managed some sightings including:

Redshank ...6
Ringed Plover.... 7
Dunlin....1
Oystercatcher....14
Sand Martin...70+ low over No. 1 Pit and later higher over land near car park.
Cormorants...10
Grey Heron..1
Lesser Black-backed Gull.... 12 together on the water No 1 pit with
Herring Gull...2
Greylag Goose...1
Goldeneye ..at least one pair.
Pochard...1 drake
Teal....4
Tufted Duck...a few
Gadwall...4 minimum count.
Lapwings
Meadow Pipit...2
Pied Wagtail...4
Reed Buntings and
Plenty Chaffinch

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 27th of March 2014 07:46:38 PM

Jim Caulfield · Status: Offline

From 10:30 to 15:15 - misty start, then cloudy grey, cold and poor light. 39 species, but far less visitor numbers. An enjoyable day with Tom Jones.

On the waters : Canada Geese, Gadwall, Coot, Cormorant, Heron, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe, Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed, Common, and Mediterranean
Gulls, Mallard, Moorhen, Shoveler, Mute Swan, Teal, Tufted Duck.

On the banks and islands : Crow, Curlew, Lapwing, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Pied Wagtail.

In the woods, and from the paths : Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon, Wren, Robin, Kestrel, Dunnock , Blackbird, Reed Bunting, Treecreeper.

And at close range, in front of No 1 Pit hide, a Sparrowhawk swooping in for two unsuccessful attempts.

Chris Greene · Status: Offline

An all too brief visit yesterday , en route home from Blackpool. 11:00 -13:30.
Sightings of note included :
Common Sandpiper - Meadow Lake .
Single Sand Martin, seen by warden ,heading South around lunchtime.
Redshanks,Curlews,Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers plus plenty of assorted wildfowl...
Great views of a Kingfisher fishing near where the small brook enters the Ribble behind the reserve.
Also flock of 68 Curlews and 2 smaller flocks of Oystercatchers over farmland on opposite site of river.
4 Buzzards soaring over towards Pendle Hill.
All in beautiful sunshine .
Cheers Chris .

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

The 18 Whooper Swans roosted overnight, departing early Sunday morning. Info thanks to Hugh Jones.

Dave Higginson-Tranter · Status: Offline

42 species, these were:- Carrion Crow; Pheasant; Meadow Pipit; Grey Heron; Magpie; Lapwing; Kestrel; Canada Goose; Mute Swan; Tufted Duck; Gadwall; Coot; Reed Bunting; Wood Pigeon; Teal; Mallard; Wren; Black Headed Gull; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Pied Wagtail; Shoveler; Cormorant; Moorhen; Great Crested Grebe; Blue Tit; Chaffinch; Oystercatcher; Redshank; Ringed Plover; Dunlin; Goldeneye; Herring Gull; Robin; Dunnock; Blackbird; Great Tit; Long Tailed Tit; Tree Sparrow, Mediterranean Gull (*2) + Song Thrush; Goldfinch and Nuthatch on call.

www.fungalpunknature.co.uk

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Some of my sightings today, during a visit to Brockholes :

Whooper Swans....18.. flew onto No. 1 Pit about 10 am and cruised around in the middle of the Lake in a flotilla. Majestic!
Mediterranean Gulls (adult)....2... on No.1 Pit Island.
Goldeneye....6 (drake 3)
Shoveler...5 ( drake 4)
Gadwall...good numbers
Teal, Tufted Duck and Lapwing in fair numbers.
Goosander...1 Redhead on the Ribble
Oystercatcher...1
Ringed Plover...4 but more hidden.
Redshank...2
Common Gull ...2
Great Crested Grebe...2
Plenty Cormorant and Grey Herons but the Bittern was not showing and I missed the Little Egret!
Pied Wagtail.. constant activity over Meadow Lake.
Usual good numbers of Tree Sparrows and Reed Buntings.
Cock Pheasant

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Bittern still present today. Seen across Meadow Lake from Ribble Hide at 3.58pm.....
when flushed by a loose spaniel!
Information thanks to ''Brockholes Nature Reserve (Lancs) Bird and Wildlife News'' on Facebook.

Jon Bowen · Status: Offline

Good couple of hours this morning despite the lack of Bittern

3 Mediterranean Gulls on No 1 and 1 in fields beyond the weir
5 Tree Sparrow
Good numbers of Tufted Duck, Gadwall, a few Teal
Great Scaup on Lower Brockholes
7 Goldeneye in flight
Herring, Great Black-backed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls on Lower Brockholes
3 Oystercatchers
2 Ringed Plover

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

This afternoon:
Missed the Bittern. Today it twice walked down the shore of Meadow Lake(road side), starting from opposite the café. Once just before I arrived and once while I was at Number 1 pit. So much for my timing!
Around the feeders there were numerous Chaffinch, Reed Buntings, Great and Blue Tits. At the Ribble Way feeding station, the single Male Yellowhammer that had been a regular there today, did not show.... but 8 Tree Sparrows were constant visitors.
Kestrel...1
Sparrowhawk...1 in dispute with a corvid
Grey Heron...4
Cormorant...19
Great Crested Grebe...2
Little Egret...1 Meadow Lake.
Gadwall...20 minimum count
Goldeneye 6 ... including 3 drakes.
Teal...a few
Tufted Duck...a few
Shovelers... a pair
Oystercatcher...20 minimum count
Curlew....5
Lapwing... quite a few most places but no flock
Pheasant...3
Mute Swan...3

Keith Mills · Status: Offline

Good views of the Bittern this afternoon around 3 o'clock. smile

Viewed across Meadow Lake from the hide.
First seen as it kindly flew across my scope. Flew 50 yards; then down into Phragmites, where it showed for 15 minutes.
Little Egret on the Ribble and 2 Grey Heron on the Lake, but could not get the quartet.
Plenty of Gadwall.

-- Edited by keith mills on Thursday 13th of February 2014 05:53:40 PM

John Williams · Status: Offline

10.00-13.00

No 1 Pit/Ribbleton Pool

2m+5f Goldeneye,1 Snipe and 2 Great Crested Grebes. I regret I did'nt count the other waterfowl but the there were lots of Pochard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck & Teal.

Only 7 Shovelers though.

Meadow Lake

6 Grey Herons, 1 Buzzard, lots of Mallard and 8 Gadwall.

The river was in flood and there was'nt a single bird on it.

Boilton Woods

In addition to the Blue & Great Tits, 1 Treecreeper and 1 Buzzard.