1f Goosander, 1m Pintail, 10m + 16f Goldeneyes (In front of wooden hide), 4m +2f Pochards and 24 Tufted Ducks.
On the large island :1 Oystercatcher, 15 Lapwings plus a single 1st winter and 4 adult Great Black Backed Gulls.
1m Siskin was on the feeders by the hide. Chaffinches were frequent visitors to the woodland feeders, but no sign of Bramblings.
The gull roost was just building up as I left, but with bad light and the fact that they settle in the centre of the reservoir, viewing was extremely difficult.
Mallard were noticeably abundant, have some of these ducks been released by local keepers?.
Lots of Teal too, plus a few Wigeon and feral Greylag Geese, but no sign of any Shoveler.
A skein of 30 Pink Footed Geese flew over heading West, as did a flock of 8 Fieldfares.
Stocks Reservoir : 4 Goldeneye, 6 Pintail, 16 Tufted Ducks, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 22 Teal, 1 Little Egret, 17 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron,
10 Greylag Geese and 1f Pochard. Mallard, Canada Geese and Coots were in abundance.
Whilst around the surrounding fields were : 3 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels and 5 Ravens.
A group of 14 Golden Plover were on sheep pasture alongside Tinklers Lane, which also held a large flock of Rooks.
Hawthorn bushes alongside the surrounding lanes were full of Fieldsfares, Redwings, Starlings and Blackbirds.
The feeding station at Stocks Reservoir attracted Coal Tits in abundance, they were in equal numbers to Blues, and far outnumber the visiting Great Tits.
A single Bullfinch joined the few Chaffinches in attendance here too.
-- Edited by John Williams on Sunday 26th of November 2017 12:15:30 AM
The Montagu's Harrier was still present this morning. It was reported that yesterday the narrow roads around the area became increasingly congested as more birders arrived. A local request asked visitors please not to cause obstruction, not to park in field gateways and to observe only from the road.
-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 15th of July 2012 10:36:49 AM
Arrived on the moors above Stocks reservoir with Mr Barber in lovely sunshine this morning and within minutes we had our first views of the Montagu's Harrier initially being given grief by a Crow. We watched it for a while before it settled in a walled off area after having a difference of opinion with a family of Kestrels. It then sat resting and preening in the field for half an hour or so before giving us excellent flight views prior to disappearing over the crest of the moor. A lovely bird.
Just as soon as the Harrier disappeared a very pale Barn Owl began quartering the area
We then dropped down to Stocks Reservoir to see if we could pick up the reported Osprey but no luck with that one. We did see family parties of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff and a single Goldcrest in the wooded areas around the hides as well as Red-breasted Merganser and a Barnacle Goose on the water amongst the many Canada and Greylag Geese.
Nice to see Manchester birder Richard Norris.
-- Edited by sid ashton on Sunday 15th of July 2012 03:08:14 PM
