8.35am to 10.40am. First trip since reservoir filled up, so finally a proper WeBS count.
2 Great Crested Grebes 6 Canada Geese 93 Mallards 12 Teal seen. Others heard calling from thick cover. 8 Tufted Ducks Pair of Goldeneyes on lodge at the top end 1f Goosander 3 Moorhens 12 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Crested Grebe 1 Grey Heron 152 Mallards 10 Moorhens 7 Black-headed Gulls 1 Grey Wagtail 8 Meadow Pipits in the Black Bull corner, on the embankment & on the heather by the footpath
An interesting mix of birds were in the Railway Terrace/Strawbury Duck area before I dropped down to the reservoir :- A Great Spotted Woodpecker was tapping on an empty feeder. "Bring me some food it seemed to be suggesting !" 3 Meadow Pipits, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Mistle Thrush, a flock of Long-tailed Tits with a few Blue Tits and Great Tits, and of course the resident House Sparrows.
Broadhead Valley :- Never thought I would walk up here and not see any raptors, Stock Doves, or Ravens. Main aim though was to count Meadow Pipits on the moorland and farmland. 212 Meadow Pipits 2 Skylarks 1 Stonechat 2 Chiffchaffs 25 Goldfinches 1 Reed Bunting + some of the usual stuff
Broadhead Valley (strong wind blowing across from Holcombe Moor so not many small birds showing. As two chaps working on a pylon told me on their break "it is a bit breezy up there") 2 Kestrels, 1 Moorhen, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Swallow, 6 Meadow Pipits, 1 Raven.
Wayoh (water now so low that Little Wayoh is now a stream & a big puddle) 4 Cormorants 2 Canada Geese 20+ Mallards 4 Moorhens 40+ Black-headed Gulls 1 Kingfisher 1 Kestrel 1 Tawny Owl 20+ House Martins 3 Swallows 1 Raven
10.05 to 14.20 around the reservoir and up onto the moors.
On my way over I had a text saying 16 Shovelers had circled over the reservoir this morning before heading off
My Wayoh sightings :- 12 Cormorants 2 Grey Herons 2 Canada Geese 31 Mallards 1 Buzzard 5 Moorhens 40+ Black-headed Gulls 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 1 Kingfisher 5 Grey Wagtails (3 at the reservoir + 2 on one of the streams at the top end) 2 Chiffchaffs + the usual species
Broadhead Valley included :- 1 Buzzard 1 Peregrine 1 Kestrel 1 Pheasant 2 Grey Partridges 2 Moorhens 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker A few Swallows passing with a House Martin 16 Meadow Pipits 3 Chiffchaffs 1 Willow Warbler 2 Goldcrests 1 Raven A few individual Siskins and a Linnet seen in flight
Not much of note at all really except... - 1 Kestrel - Black-headed Gulls - Siskin heard only - Coal Tit heard only - Goldcrest heard only but Steve caught a glimpse of it flying off - Chaffinch, Blue-and Great Tit in garden with feeders - Canada Geese impersonating Deer!
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 6th of September 2015 08:59:31 PM
13 Cormorants 2 Canada Geese 88 Mallards 7 Moorhens 40+ Black-headed Gulls 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls No hirundines on my way up the reservoir but on my way back down a flock flew in. Some skimmed across the water, some high up, and others in between. Difficult to get an exact count but came up with these estimates. 50+ House Martins, 20+ Swallows, and just one Sand Martin picked out. After about 20 minutes they were all gone. At least 4 Chiffchaffs in one area of the reservoir 1 Willow Warbler
Heading up the hill to Wayoh Fold I spotted a Tree Pipit on a wire. A couple of hours later in the same area I came across 2 Spotted Flycatchers & a pair of Reed Buntings.
Broadhead Valley :- 1 Moorhen, 1 Pheasant, 2 Grey Partridges, 3 Woodpigeons, 4 Stock Doves, 1 Green Woodpecker, 40+ House Martins & 20+ Swallows passing through 2 Meadow Pipits, A few Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, Blue Tits, & Great Tits 2 Nuthatches 1 Jay, 4 Magpies, 7 Carrion Crows, 2 Ravens 1 Chaffinch, 80+ Goldfinches, 3 Linnets, 2 Bullfinches
10.00am to 13.55 around reservoir and up Broadhead Valley.
Wayoh :- 14 Cormorants 1 Grey Heron c90 Canada Geese. 51 Mallards 1 Buzzard Family of Sparrowhawks 6 Moorhens 2 Green Sandpipers 35 Black-headed Gulls 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 Kingfisher 25+ House Martins Usual woodland species
Broadhead Valley :- Seemed like a new species when I saw a white-headed/white-breasted bird at the top of a small tree. Buzzard size, so I presumed it was as usual another variation of Common Buzzard. Raptors of the World field guide confirmed it was the palest form of this species. The most striking Common Buzzard I have ever seen. A 'normal' Buzzard 1 Kestrel 1 Moorhen 2 Pheasants 7 Stock Doves 1 Green Woodpecker 12 Meadow Pipits 1 Grey Wagtail 2 Pied Wagtails 2 Ravens 1 Reed Bunting
Visited Wayoh seeing the following:
Great crested grebe, goldeneye, tufted duck, teal, heron, nuthatch,
Long tailed tit.
But the highlight was a green woodpecker.
Wayoh :- 5 Great Crested Grebes 3 Cormorants 1 Grey Heron 12 Canada Geese 20+ Mallards 1m Gadwall (very unusual here) Pair of Wigeon 38 Teal 9m + 5f Tufted Ducks 1m Goldeneye 3m + 4f Goosanders 1 Moorhen 1 Coot 20+ Black-headed Gulls Amongst the B-H Gulls was a same sized gull whose plumage was right for 1st winter Iceland Gull. Did not seem big enough though so I can only come up with an unusual B-H Gull. 1 immature Herring Gull Usual woodland birds plus Lesser Redpolls
Broadhead Valley :- 1 Grey Heron, 1 Moorhen, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, flock of 35 Woodpigeons, 14 Stock Doves, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Jay, 3 Magpies, 5 Carrion Crows including a whitish one which has been around for a couple of years, 2 Ravens, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, and a male Reed Bunting.
5 Great Crested Grebes 50+ Mallards Numerous Teal hidden away in cover at top end of Little Wayoh, but very vocal 7 Tufted Ducks 1m Goosander 1 Moorhen 50+ Black-headed Gulls 1 Grey Wagtail Small flock of Fieldfares
Great White Eret present all day on Friday. If not visible from road may be on small piece of water on left hand side of lake or one of the stream beds that flow in from the top of res.
A Great White Egret has been present all morning on the top end of the Wayoh Resevoir, easy viewing from the causeway that splits the reservoir, Hob Lane. It was here yesterday afternoon for a short time too. Still here at 11.12am
13 Common Scoters present at approx 5.30pm. We went for a pint in The Black Bull and a quick glance over to the res at approx 7.25pm confirmed they were still present then.
Other birds of note: 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 5 Cormorant 1 Great Crested Grebe Swallows and Sand Martins over the grassy area leading down to the works opposite the dam
In the woods at the side of the res...plenty of usuals including Coal Tit, Robin, Great Tit etc
Other reservoir birds :- 1 Great Crested Grebe 5 Cormorants 1 Grey Heron 23 Canada Geese + the 3 goslings Numerous Mallards, Moorhens, Coots, & Black-headed Gulls 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls 1 Swallow No House Martins on the reservoir but plenty of breeding birds in Chapeltown
Good close views of the Scoter can be had from the Dam end of the Wayoh at the moment. If you park on the Black Bull car park, please move your car before 11.45am or call in for food and/or refreshments before you leave.
3 Great Crested Grebes 1 Cormorant 3 Grey Herons Pair of Canada Geese with 4 goslings 2 Moorhens 8 Coots, + the almost fully juveniles 1 Black-headed Gulls 1 Swift 20+ House Martins 20+ Swallows Tawny Owls flying around (being chased by Blackbirds) in two different areas Family of Blackcaps
8.35am to 12.15pm. Nothing new around the reservoir (apart from buck Roe Deer barking & a scurrying Wood Mouse) so I headed up the Broadhead Valley.
Valley wildlife :- Pair of Canada Geese, pair of Moorhens, 2 Buzzards, Pheasants, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Lapwing, 2 Curlews, 2 Black-headed Gulls, 5 Woodpigeons, 9 Stock Doves, 2 Swifts, 4 Swallows, just a couple of Skylarks seen, 30+ Meadow Pipits, 3 Pied Wagtails, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, a Song Thrush at Wayoh Fold, Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, Magpies (including juveniles), a family of 4 Ravens (down to 20 yards away most of the time as they were grounded and did not seem to care about my presence), Carrion Crows, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, a flock of 5 Linnets (between Wayoh Fold & the reservoir), & Reed Buntings. 50+ Green-veined Whites, 3 Small Tortoiseshells, & my first Small Copper of the year. Silver-ground Carpet & numerous Cydia ulicetana on Gorse. Large Red damselflies. 3 Rabbits at The Naze.
Back at the reservoir after meeting a friend, a lady pushing a pram told us a bird had appeared to have fallen out of it's nest by a bench further down the footpath. We found it to be a young Carrion Crow and after gently getting it away from a dodgy position by the bench (especially from prying dogs) into the woodland, we left it to the calling adult in the trees above to take over.
7 Great Crested Grebes 1 Cormorant 1 Grey Heron 9 Canada Geese 1 Buzzard 2 Moorhens 11 Coots + juveniles 6 Black-headed Gulls 3 Swifts passed through early morning Pair of Swallows at The Black Bull (I have not seen them nesting there before) 1 Dipper Plus the usual woodland birds
8.45am to 12.50pm around the reservoir & up Broadhead Valley
Reservoir :- 8 Great Crested Grebes 2 Cormorants 1 Grey Heron 7 Canada Geese 24 Mallards including a female with 6 ducklings Just one pair of Tufted Ducks left from the wintering birds, normally they have all gone by now 2 Moorhens 8 Coots, including a pair with 5 young 1 Black-headed Gull No hirundines on the reservoir but Swallows and House Martins were nearby, including Chapeltown No Cuckoo for myself but a couple who live at the top of Hob Lane heard one calling at 4.30am from their house 1 Buzzard, Pheasants, 2 Curlews on nearby farmland, Woodpigeons, Stock Doves, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Pied Wagtail on the waterworks, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, 1 Whitethroat, 6 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 14 Willow Warblers, Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatches, Jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, & Bullfinches.
Wayoh Fold Farm :- For the first time in a couple of years locally I heard the buzzing call of a Willow Tit. Went into gardens behind the housing so I could not trespass to get a better look. My last sighting was on Little Wayoh and as there is a lot of inaccessible land up Wittlestone Head Brook between the two sites they could be resident. This year's challenge starts now.
Broadhead Valley (great place to be on a bank holiday as you can have the place to yourself, unless you count sheep and cattle) 2 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 2 Grey Partridges, Pheasants, 1 Curlew, 2 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying over, Woodpigeons, Stock Doves, my first Swift of the year, 2 Swallows, 10+ Skylarks & Meadow Pipits, 3 Pied Wagtails, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, 1 Wheatear, Blackbirds, Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, Magpies, Carrion Crows, 2 Ravens (getting very angry with one of the Buzzards), Chaffinches, Goldfinches, pair of Linnets, Bullfinches, & Reed Buntings.