hi ian-2nd this year-pity it was almost dark,there could have been more,didn't see the red neck in rammies,but the light was pretty dim all day.both me and charlie owen did rammies before charlie found out about the red necked,by then it would have been too dark to find the red necked,east bay is always a favorite for red necks,below car park,so anyone taking a look check that out first.
anyone seen the red necked today?31.12.07

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 08:35, 2007-12-31

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 12:45, 2007-12-31

that iceland's a superb record, your 2nd in a year there john? And absolute proof pennington can still produce the goods and should be ignored at birders peril, that roost is one of the best chances of a bonapartes or franklins gull in the county!

28.12.07-1-4pm- merlin 1 male went down point at 13.30 (quite scarce at the flash),brambling 1 male,wigeon-11,stonechat-1 fem by canal,goosander-14,whooper swan 1 juv-flew off towards plank lane end 2.30pm,shoveler-32,plus lots of rainbad for the camera

Dave Thacker wrote:

---

9-11am this morning.

8 Goosanders on the spit
2 Siskins next to path on the way to the New hide
Usual birds at the Bunting hide including 1 Linnit and a 1 legged Wren , is it the bird from Ian Woosey`s garden on its Xmas holiday ?

---

Hope it is Dave...........I`ve not seen that mon in over a year. Merry Christmas to it !

No sign of yesterday's reported Lesser Whitethroat today after a 2 hour search of the south side of Pennington, not much else either save for a couple of small flocks of Siskin and Long-tailed Tits.

Thursday 20th December.

Lesser Whitethroat reported (observer not known by name) by the wooden bridge at the far end of the car park (golf club side). An intruiging report, requiring confirmation then potentially the possibility of assigning to a particular race, as difficult and as tentative as that can be.

Also present today, 4 Stonechat (Pennington's largest group ever?), 1 Brambling and 1 Buzzard)

All info thanks to Barry Hulme.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 13:37, 2007-12-20

I've no doubt they do breed Rob, especially if you've seen them roding, there's some very good looking habitat around the flash, it's something to look out for again in 2008 and we may get a little closer to confiming it. Either way, a roding bird is a good sighting indeed.

Quiet on the flash today and forced by boredom I set upon criss-crossing Ramsdale Rucks in that optimistic search for a Shore Lark, nothing doing there so I crashed through the trees and scrub on top of the rucks, shfting just over a dozen Song Thrushes and best of all a Woodcock, not a mega perhaps but only my 2nd ever record for the site

A Cattle Egret was present today (2nd December) found around 10am by Neil Dowson on the golf course. It was apparently then seen on and off throughout the day, either on the golf course or the cattle paddocks along the approach road to the flash but remained very elusive and avoided the birding masses, last seen at approximately 3pm.

There is a thread dedicated to this bird 'Cattle Egret, Pennington Flash', but it has been included here to continue the completeness of this particular thread. Any further info or details should preferably be posted on the former mentioned thread though.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 21:26, 2007-12-02

29/11/07

10 Whooper Swans flying S @ approx 08.20

Info thanks to Barry Hulme.

8.30 till 1.30, very quite again, aprox 60 pink foots heading sw at 9am, the usual goosander, goldeneye, sparrowhawk, willow tit, gbbgull and grey wag. really noticable recently is the complete lack of waders, no snipe, redshank, dunlin etc. things can only get better!

8 till 1230, just the usual , goldeneye, goosander, shoveler, teal, little grebe, willow tit, water rail, bullfinch and the small canada goose

Just a quick look to see if the 7 Whooper swans that I saw flying over Bedford moss this morning turned up at the flash. No sign of them.
Bunting hide
3 Rats
5 Grey Squirrels
8 Magpies
16 Moorhens
Its a wonder that the smaller birds get any food at all.
2 Willow tits, a Brambling [f] and 2 pair of Bullfinches with the usual birds did manage to get something to eat.

Just back from Cornwall today John and I might just take you up on that offer, Bonaparte's do you...

31:10:07
common gull
water rail
lapwing
black backed gull
5 snipe
teal
1 female goosander
3 rats one as big as a squirrel showing well on feeders
plus all the usual stuff

Hello Mr Merman,

I`m not sure exactly, but they were probably on the spit with the Lapwings. I have seen small flocks of Goldie`s there in the past.

30/10/07

early morning - 8 Whooper Swans (4 ad, 4 juv). Departed 07.45

midday - 4 Golden Plover. 4 Buzzards. 4 f. Goosanders & 6 f. Goldeneye.

(Barry Hulme)

I have been in touch with DEFRA to see if I could get a licence to remove this cyggie to Martin Mere (I deal with about 100 swans a year (fishing line etc) so am experienced at catching) after consultation with Paul Heaton at the RSPCA. It was a question of passing the buck and I eventually ended up speaking to someone at the Leeds office who said they would get back to me, which of course they haven't ( they are so inefficiient). The law is that if the bird is not injured or distressed or in danger etc you have to have this licence to remove it. They agreed it would be best for its welfare to go to MM, but I got the impression they just didn't want to be bothered with the paperwork. I can download a form from the website so I'll do that, but it'll take ages...

dean-when i left you i watched the whooper take a slice of bread out of someones hand,think its just copying the geese.does seem lost,probably would be a good idea to transfer it to the mere,heard they braught 6 mute swans to penny today ,that had landed in a road and was holding traffic up.maybe the same people who did this could catch the whooper and take it to martin mere.i know we shouldnt interfere with nature ,but the sounds it makes all the time seem quite sad.hope it gets to the mere to join the others.6 goldeneye on rammies

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 09:26, 2007-10-28

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON at 09:27, 2007-10-28

I have had single Whoopers come to bread before (at Amberswood) _ I think they just copy the Mutes if they're alone.

too late, despite currently working my way through a huge cornish pasty at marazion, thanks to the very latest mobile phones, access to the internet and so the mancy forum is easy, no one's safe and that flippin juv whooper's history or perhaps it's natural behaviour for them to beg at burger vans? It was for the ruddy shelduck apparently!

There could be some kind of open sailing event on tomorrow at Pennington Flash - if so the L/t duck may be as mobile as it was today. I did get a half-decent photo but it can't be posted as Ian is away from his computer at present. I doubt it will go overnight, as the forecast is for drizzle and murk tonight.

Long Tailed Duck reported from Pennington Flash today.

Hi Riggers,

More than likely the same juvenile. You shouldn`t have said it was begging near the burger van though ; Mr Mckerchar will now banish it from the county in disgrace !

(See Ruddy Shelduck episode )

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 12:17, 2007-10-24