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Post Info TOPIC: PENNINGTON FLASH.
John Watson


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RE: PENNINGTON FLASH.
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Of interest at Martin Mere y'day 25th Sept, presumably the same individual:

"...at midday a pale adult/sub adult Arctic Skua flew over the In Focus shop coming from inland ..."

Photographed by Tony Disley (In Focus)

http://www.wwt.org.uk/news/all-news/2017/09/wwt-martin-mere-sightings/skua

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Ian McKerchar


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No further sightings of this morning’s skua but a Curlew flew east and a Redshank was on the spit.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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Ian McKerchar


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Dark-phase Arctic Skua present at 09:30; flew off towards the western end.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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Ian McKerchar


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Two female/immature Red-breasted Mergansers off Ramsdales Ruck this morning, though site still slightly misty.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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Ian McKerchar


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Three Common scoter present this morning (two drakes and a female).

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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JOHN TYMON


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only things of note different than yesterday was 2 Ravens,2 Sparrowhawk,3 Kingfisher and 3 Grey Wagtail .

 

:)



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JOHN TYMON


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Another Mooch on my Patch Pennington Flash today with Charlie Owen what did we see...
Teal - 171 (Good Number)
Shoveler-36
Common Snipe- 6
Kingfisher- 3+
Cormorant- 37
Wigeon- 12 (11 on main flash and one on Ramsdales scrape area)
Chiffchaff-2
Jay- 10
Buzzard-5 >S
Kestrel-2
Sparrowhawk- 1 Female
Tufted Duck -200+
Lesser Black Backed Gull-47
plus the usuals :)


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Jon Taverner


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Dipper back at the place where it was recently seen which is on the south side of the former railway bridge that goes over the brook heading toward St Helens' Road- noticed it at around 15.10 on a walk to the Flash and then again at 16.00 when I returned. Don't know whether there is more than one. Now that the water level has gone down, a number of suitable stones are available. 



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Ian McKerchar


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David Shallcross wrote:

thank you, Ian, for the explanation. A step too far for my liking. regards David 

 Can't say I necessarily disagree David, although I really don't know enough about them either.



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David Shallcross


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thank you, Ian, for the explanation. A step too far for my liking. regards David 



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David Shallcross
colin davies


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A single wigeon from Ramsdales, little egret and several chiffchaffs were the best I could manage from a circuit in the rain this morning.



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Ian McKerchar


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A small piece of coloured plastic is attached to the upper mandible and secured through the nostrils. It carries a code which permits easy in-field reading of such ‘ringed‘ birds (they also carry the usually metal ring on one of the legs too) and apparently cause no ill effects or discomfor/disablement to the bird itself.

An image of such a bird (not the Pennington one I might add) is attached to give you a better idea.



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David Shallcross


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Ian would you please explain what is meant by nasal saddled.



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Ian McKerchar


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Ian McKerchar wrote:

A nasal saddled female Tufted Duck amongst the couple of hundred present which, subject to confirmation, looks to have come from a French project

 This female was initially 'ringed' on 14th June 2017 at Sainte Suzanne, Mayenne in north-west France and was still present there on 18th July.



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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights this afternoon included:

24 Chiffchaff and 4 Blackcap around the site

2 Reed Warblers in Ramsdales Reedbed, one of which was persisting with a bit of feeble sub-song!



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colin davies


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This morning:

Wigeon 3

Pink-footed goose 4 over north

Great spotted woodpecker 6

Swallow 10

Lapwing 500



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JOHN TYMON


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AM/PM

Whinchat - 1 Juv on the Rucks ,seen twice ,but distant for pics

Great Crested Grebe-81 (good number)

Black Tailed Godwit - 1

Kingfisher-2

Kestrel-2

Buzzard-5

Swallow -50+>s

House Martin-10+>s

Sand Martin- 2

Cormorant-40

Tufted Duck-260

Chiffchaff-1

Cetti's Warbler-2

Grey Heron-10

Lapwing-550

 



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JOHN TYMON


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AM/PM

Kingfisher-2

Black Tailed Godwit-1

Swallow- 100 >s

Sand Martin-10>s

House Martin-20>s

Cormorant-26

Pink Footed Geese- 96>E(3 groups)

Common Snipe-1

Cetti's Warbler - 1 Male singing

Chiffchaff-2

Long Tailed Tit- 14

Tufted Duck - 262

Great Crested Grebe-72

small numbers of Shoveler and Teal

:)

 



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Craig Higson


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84 Pink-footed Geese, single Wigeon and a single Black-tailed Godwit from Horrocks Hide the highlights this morning.

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Ian McKerchar


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Singles of Black-tailed Godwit, Little Egret and Swift present so far today.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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dave broome


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2 Raven west this afternoon 



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Ian McKerchar


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Single Black Tern and Black-tailed Godwit present this morning.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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JOHN TYMON


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A Mooch today on my local patch at Pennington Flash ,started off well with plenty birds about ,but unfortunately finished badly when 2 canoeists decided to launch from the car park and go past Horrocks along the main spit and into the top of Ramsdales and at one point over 1200 birds were in the air,even coots were flying high,in the end it was left to me to confront these people again and put them right ,its such a shame that the place does not warrent a full time warden any more as these sort of things would be stopped,and people like me wouldn't have to sort it themselves ,and as me and Charlie discussed it after,it was thought that a few signs ,possibly a post out in the water at the end of the fence near Horrocks with no Boats etc on this side of the flash etc would help in these situations. Anyway the good stuff this is what we counted on our way round the flash today .
Black Tailed Godwit - 15
Swift-10
Swallow-1000+
Sand Martin-400+
House Martin - 50+
Mallard-245
Tufted Duck -220
Shoveler - 23
Gadwall-77
Teal-44
Great Crested Grebe -55
Little Grebe-6
Goosander-1 Female
Nuthatch-2
Willow Tit-4
Chiffchaff-5
Goldcrest-2
Sparrowhawk-1
Kestrel-2
Lapwing-550


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Ian McKerchar


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Hobby over Ramsdales Ruck this morning.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme



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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights this morning were:

Drake Common Scoter

2 Swift

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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Ian McKerchar


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Single Dipper present this morning, under the first bridge from the flash car park (bypass bridge).

Info thanks to Jim Caulfield



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John Watson


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Had a quick look for the Dippers, without success (but Grey Wagtail)

Access easy from behind College - Sports Centre CPs; head under former railway bridge, turn right towards river bridge

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colin davies


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So far this morning

7 black-tailed godwits

1 common term

5 swifts

No sign of dippers up to the time I left at 10.15.



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Ian McKerchar


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JOHN TYMON wrote:

That Tufted Duck with what looks from a distance like a Mute swan ring stuck round its bill ,is a saddle then?

 Yes, nasal saddle with an alpha-numeric code



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JOHN TYMON


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Ian McKerchar wrote:

Late afternoon into the evening today was pretty productive for a change:

Grey Plover briefly only, over the spit

Single Greenshank

A non-breeding plumaged adult Common Tern

14 Swift

Hirundines almost impossible to count accurately but estimates of 700 Sand Martin, 500 Swallow and 220 House Martin

360 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the roost along with a few dozen Herring, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls and 3100 Black-headed Gull

A nasal saddled female Tufted Duck amongst the couple of hundred present which, subject to confirmation, looks to have come from a French project

That Tufted Duck with what looks from a distance like a Mute swan ring stuck round its bill ,is a saddle then?, its been present at the flash about 6 weeks now ,putting Nasal saddles on ducks bills to me just doesn't sit well ,bit like the neck rings on Greylags ,there comes a point where you have to stop and look at the Ducks welfare, thats my thought anyway.



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Ian McKerchar


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Late afternoon into the evening today was pretty productive for a change:

Grey Plover briefly only, over the spit

Single Greenshank

A non-breeding plumaged adult Common Tern

14 Swift

Hirundines almost impossible to count accurately but estimates of 700 Sand Martin, 500 Swallow and 220 House Martin

360 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the roost along with a few dozen Herring, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls and 3100 Black-headed Gull

A nasal saddled female Tufted Duck amongst the couple of hundred present which, subject to confirmation, looks to have come from a French project



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Ian McKerchar


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colin davies wrote:

 It wasn't always in view and at first I walked past this bridge because it seemed an unlikely place for a dipper. 

Maybe not as unlikely as we may think as the last flash record was on exactly this stretch of water although it also got up as far as the bypass bridge itself. Rumours of potential breeding in Leigh this year coupled with these birds (and the last record) may well hint at a previously undiscovered pair or indeed lowland population. One wonders how many go unnoticed.



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colin davies


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Following Jons directions in the previous post I was able to locate the dipper this afternoon at about 3pm. For those who don't know the area that well, it's the bridge nearest Leigh college.  Walk under the road bridge near the car park, then turn left at the next bridge and walk along the line of the old railway for about 100m until you come to a third bridge. As John commented in his post, the bird was mainly frequenting a rock on the southern (or right hand) side of the bridge. It wasn't always in view and at first I walked past this bridge because it seemed an unlikely place for a dipper. However I had a second look and spotted the bird through some vegetation.  Then suddenly a second bird flew towards the first and they flew around for a bit and then under the bridge before returning, There was quite a lot of interaction between the two and it made me wonder (amazing as it may seem) if it was a new arrival and had not been present this morning because surely in the hour Jon was there he would have seen the two together at some stage?

I couldn't get a photo of the two birds together, but I think I have them individually in the attached photos. If you notice the white fringes to the terials on the photograph of the bird through the vegetation, they look more prominent than on the bird on the rocks. I assume that the pale fringes to the tertials and greater coverts make them young birds, though clearly not juveniles, first winters I guess. Also today, a juvenile common tern and at least 5 swifts.



-- Edited by colin davies on Wednesday 6th of September 2017 05:01:23 PM

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colin davies


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Two dippers under the same bridge now. Photo to follow.



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Jon Taverner


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Dipper seen from the bridge this morning, that goes over the brook, which is on the path of the old railway line from the Flash to St. Helens Road. Observed for over an hour, favouring a stone on the south side although, at times, flying under the bridge to the north.



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Ian McKerchar


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A juvenile Arctic Tern flew through being chased by a Black-headed Gull this morning and 7 Swifts were present.

 

Info thanks to Bill Harrison

 

 



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JOHN TYMON


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Only things of real note today were the large numbers of Hurundines present during the heavy rain this morning including the following

Swallow -1000+

Sand Martin -500+

House Martin- 200+

Swift -25



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Andy Isherwood


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Single Tree Pipit heard and seen flying South over Byrom Lane c.7.50 this am. Other birds seen, little egret at west end, Garden Warbler again around Sorrowcow pond and still 2 Greylag geese

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Rob Thorpe


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Saturday 02 September 2017

2 Tree Pipits calling and flying around low over the Lapwing Hide area at around 08:40 this morning while I was warming up for the parkrun.
Another, probably different Tree Pipit heard overhead near the Common Lane canal bridge a little later on.

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JOHN TYMON


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Nice Early visit to Penny this morning Dawn-11am

Tree Pipit - 1 (in a group of 4 pipits heading south at 7am,all 4 could have been Tree, but only one called )

Swift- c50

Swallow- c300+

Sand Martin -c400+

House Martin- 50+

Reed Warbler- 1 Juv

Goldcrest- 5

Willow Warbler- 10+

Chiffchaff-15+

Grey Wagtail-2

Lapwing-300

Kestrel-1

Buzzard-1

Kingfisher-4

Tufted Duck-210

Coot - 550+

Goosander-1 Female

Cormorant-16

Little Grebe -5

:)

 



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John Watson


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Just to be an annoying pedant and to correct the correction:

Butts Lagoon is part of Pennington Marshes, Hampshire (not Lancashire)

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Rob Creek


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Ian McKerchar wrote:

To be honest, it's one of the reasons I've always tried to keep the forum down to what you've seen yourself, and not what you've heard elsewhere biggrin




Hence why I put is anyone familiar with that area of Pennington Flash CP? It just didn't sound right. wink

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Ian McKerchar


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To be honest, it's one of the reasons I've always tried to keep the forum down to what you've seen yourself, and not what you've heard elsewhere biggrin



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Pete Hines


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Rob Creek wrote:

- Spoonbill just been reported (seen at 8.02am today) on the salt marsh at Butts Lagoon, Pennington Flash CP, anyone familiar? Might visit after work if I get chance.
Cheers




They mean Pennington Marshes, Lancashire. I've notified Birdguides and they are aware of the error .... and relax.

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Rob Creek


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- Spoonbill just been reported (seen at 8.02am today) on the salt marsh at Butts Lagoon, Pennington Flash CP, anyone familiar? Might visit after work if I get chance.
Cheers

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Shannon Llewellyn


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Day spent here today (supposed to go to Little Woolden Moss, but the train was cancelled; ah, well, nothing to see there today, anyway...); lovely day, some of the highlights:

Lots of chiffchaff, but no willow warbler; the only other warblers 3 blackcap and a single calling reed warbler.
3 willow tit (one Bunting Hide, one calling behind Ramsdale's Hide, the other calling amongst a mixed flock in the wooded part of the ruck).
4 house martin
10 swallow
1 wheatear
1 kingfisher (bringing up a pellet right in front of Ramsdale's Hide)
Moorhen with very young brood.
21 teal
52 gadwalll
7 shoveler
50+ tufted duck
7 little grebe
30+ great crested grebe (including a juvenile begging a fish from parent)
70+ lapwing
1 little egret (western end)
8+ grey heron
1 common tern
1 common gull
1 buzzard heard

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Craig Higson


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Late news from yesterday. 7 Black-tailed Godwits flew through mid morning.

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JOHN TYMON


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Of note today

Wheatear - 1 on spit most of the day ,looked like a Juvenile to me

Great Crested Grebe-47

Kingfisher-3

Cormorant-14

Chiffchaff-8

Buzzard-4

Swallow -10

plus the usuals



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Andy Isherwood


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Spotted Flycatcher in trees near bridge over brook on south side this am also Garden Warbler amongst good numbers of commoner warblers around Sorrowcow farm 2 Yellow Wagtail in cut fields between western end and Slag lane, little egret at west end. Other birds seen around flash drake Pochard, notable increase since last weekend of tufted duck, shoveler, and teal and still c.15 Swift over rucks.

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Ian McKerchar


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Red-crested Pochard present this mornin.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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