Just heard back from a couple of colour rings I managed to read this week,both Herring Gulls from the Chanters Industrial Estate. The first one was an adult that was ringed as a pullus on Walney Island ,Cumbria and was the only sighting of this bird away from there The 2nd was a bit more interesting and involved a third winter bird that was originally rung on Pitsea Landfill Site,Essex in December 2016 and was the first sighting of this bird since it was rung.
-- Edited by pete berry on Saturday 9th of February 2019 03:37:09 PM
The 3rd w.Iceland Gull showing well this afternoon on the roof of Sharrock Trichem,also an adult Yellow Legged Gull on same roof.The birds seem to use this roof a lot in the afternoon, it's on the rhs just as you drive into the industrial estate
An adult Yellow Legged Gull again on the spoil mound next to Viridor Site this morning.Not seen the Iceland Gull there for a while,but assume its still visiting the site as it seems to be roosting regulary at Pennington.
The adult Yellow Legged Gull was showing well on the spoil mound next to the Viridor site at lunchtime.I remembered to take my camera but unfortunately before I could get any pics the bird scarer was employed which resulted in all the gulls taking to the air .
Iceland Gull briefly at 12:20pm, sat on the Viridor sign in front of the rubbish pile.
Enough time for 2 photo's in the rain then everything spooked and dispersed.
Took an hour to locate it.
-- Edited by Keith Williams on Sunday 2nd of December 2018 09:55:02 PM
The 3rd w. Iceland around the Viridor site again this afternoon showing well,also a very good candidate for a 1st w. Caspian, but only seen briefly twice
The third winter Iceland Gull was seen briefly at the Viridor compound at approx 12.00. Among the birds scavenging on the rubbish inside the depot, then suddenly departed with all the gulls in the area. A lot of the Black-headed Gulls settled on the pylon but everything else cleared out. We checked the adjacent roofs but it seemed like a mass exodus south. A few large gulls came prospecting as we got ready to leave but didn't hang around.
A third winter Caspian Gull was at the Viridor site at approx 1.30pm picking over the rubbish inside the depot,presumably the same bird that was at Cutacre earlier
A 1st winter Caspian Gull was on the spoil mound this morning next to the Viridor site about 12am today(presumbly the Pennington bird).Unfortunately it flew off before I could get my camera out.
- 3rd Winter Iceland Gull present at Viridor refuse site until 3.40pm when it flew off and lost to view. What a cracking Gull this is!!!
Also 3 Ravens on the rubbish mound.
Actually 4 Ravens, another bird flew low over the yard and landed on the pylon.
- also had a mean looking Argentatus Herring Gull on KC Autos roof (it looked ok to me for one anyway)
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 25th of November 2018 06:13:08 PM
The Iceland Gull was back at the Viridor Waste Site on Chanters Ind Estate today,it's now in 3rd winter plumage and assuming it's the same bird as previous 2 winters should be roosting at Pennington Flash.
No less than NINE Common Whitethroat in a (presumably) extended family grouping at the spoil heap "hill" by the Busway on Miller's Lane. They were feeding and generally flitting around a semi-burnt area of scrub just next to the escarpment of the hill on the Miller's Lane side. Several other sightings of Whitethroat around the area of Miller's Lane may have been repeat sightings of birds from the group but I'd be confident that of the 17 sightings there were at least 11 different individuals.
Also good numbers of Swallow and House Martin over Miller's Lane and a charm of 30+ Goldfinch.
7 Mistle Thrush were feeding on one of the fields, and the 2 Raven now being seen regularly were again alighting on the pylons in the area.
Old Hall Mill Lane/Bee Fold Lane/ Langley Platt Lane/Millers Lane and Long Causeway.
1 Song Thrush 6 Whitethroat 5 Willow Warbler 4 Blackcap 7 Chiffchaff Small numbers of Swallow and House Martin around the farm on Millers Lane. Decent numbers of the more Common Birds, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Goldfinch. Yellowhammer heard only. 1 Buzzard over Millers Lane
Female Wheatear on Ladies' Walk this morning, at last! 4 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Lapwing and 2 Raven over. No Skylarks all year for me at all :(
This Afternoon at Atherton South... - 3 Pheasant - 1 Yellowhammer (Male) - 2 Chiffchaff (S) - 1 Blackcap (S) - 1 Willow Warbler - 1 Buzzard - 3 Lapwing (one pair scaring off all the crows and another)
Miller's Lane/Ladies' Walk/Bee Fold/Long Causeway/Old Hall Mill Lane today - totals were:
Robin 16 Dunnock 4 Wren 9 Blackcap 1 (Not singing) Willow Warbler 3 (various locations, all sighted and heard) Song Thrush 2 Long Tailed Tit 3 Great Tit 5 Yellowhammer 1m Jay 1 Grey Heron 1 Common Buzzard possibly 5 though hard to be sure different birds Shelduck 1 - still hanging around at top of Miller's Lane Lapwing - 1 only Chaffinch 6 Mistle Thrush 4 Blue Tit 6 Chiffchaff 2 Reed Bunting 1 Swallow - 1 single over football fields, Howe Bridge side. Teal 23 (Floods and field ponds) Gadwall 2 Shoveler 6
New "patch tick" today in the form of a Greylag Goose on flood water in field at Old Hall Mill Lane.
Also of note 1 Common Buzzard over Long Causeway 1 Kestrel male over Bee Fold Lane 2 Willow Warbler around S edge of Bee Fold Pond and over to meadow (my first of the year) 2 Chiffchaff - 1 Langley Platt, 1 Miller's Lane.
Wigeon and Pintail still present in aforementioned locations this afternoon.
Also of note today
14 Reed Bunting in field adjacent Miller's Lane. 1 pair Yellowhammer 37 Fieldfare in their "usual" field between Atherton Wood and Miller's Lane - not having seen any for a few days, I was thinking they had departed, but this was actually my highest count this winter for the patch!
1 Cormorant at Bee Fold Lodge 1 Kestrel 2 Common Buzzard
Pintail still giving good views either on the Long Causeway field floods or on Old Hall Mill Lane field pond. The pond also had a pair of Wigeon today and 4 Gadwall. At least 10 Coot were grazing in the field by the same pond.
Shelduck still present on the Miller's Lane farm flood (east of Miller's Lane) but when it saw me, it flew over to the floods on the fields south of Ladies' Walk.
On the topic of ducks, a surprising Shelduck was on the flooded field next to Miller's Lane this afternoon. Lapwing displaying at the bottom of Miller's Lane, where there was also a pair of Yellowhammer.
Nice new "patch tick" for me this afternoon in the distant shape of a drake Pintail on flooded field next to the Long Causeway. (photo taken at about 300m)
Also 30+ Teal here and at Old Hall Mill Lane 10 Common Gull at Old Hall Mill Lane
2 Common Buzzard over, and 2 - possibly different birds - on a pylon well to the east at the top end of Miller's Lane. Plenty of Robins singing across the whole area and 3 Mistle Thrush.
Crossing the fields next to Bee Fold Lane football pitches when a female sparrowhawk swooped down on a grey partridge concealed in the grass. The partridge just evaded the initial attack and flew off in the direction of some thick brush with the sparrowhawk remaining in hot pursuit. Five minutes or so later the sparrowhawk flew back over and a subsequent recce of the area they had both flown into revealed no sign of feathers etc so assume the partridge got away - I know sparrowhawks take woodpigeons and collared doves but first time ever seen or heard of one trying for a partridge.
The Gulls that frequent Chanters Industrial Estate and Cutacre often congregate in large numbers on the huge horse field near my house, so I thought it was worth a check for the Caspian Gull that visits the area. Unfortunately there was no sign but the flock consisted of: -116 Black-Headed Gull -24 Herring Gull -8 Lesser Black-Backed Gull -6 Common Gull -1 Great Black-Backed Gull
Round of Bee Fold and Miller's Lane early today in lovely cold sunshine.
4 Robin 4 Blue Tit 6 Great Tit 1 Song Thrush 56 Black Headed Gulls (Ladies' Walk) 4 Common Gull 2 Great Black Backed Gull 1Lesser Black Backed Gull 1 Common Buzzard 5 Bullfinch (4m1f) Bee Fold 6 Goldfinch 1 Greenfinch heard 1 Chaffinch (only!!) 1 Wren 87 Redwing flying from trees on edge of Atherton Wood down into the adjoining field to try to feed on the frozen ground! No Fieldfares seen this time even though I scoped the field.
Kingfisher on Chanter's Pond, then flew down Chanter's Brook. 2 Raven on the old mill at the same time and 2 Moorhen also on the pond. Grey Wagtail there yesterday.
Late one from mid-afternoon Sunday - sparrowhawk swooped across Tesco car park and clobbered a collared dove perched in one of the trees - the dove got away in a puff of feathers