-Just wondering if there are any cattle presently at/near Lightshaw as it is twice in less than a week that a Cattle Egret has flown west over Pennington. Any info would be appreciated please.
Cheers,
Mike P.
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Challenges are inevitable, but failure is optional.
A single Mediterranean Gull was in the gull roost this evening but the highlight was undoubtedly a Cattle Egret, picked up by Phil Rhodes, which flew west across the flash and headed off in the direction of Lightshaw.
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Two adult Mediterranean Gulls in the roost this evening.
Adult Whooper Swan still present.
Cetti's warbler showed well around Sorrowcow Pond, initially scolding a cat which was wandering past and then alert calling in flash-side shoreline trees.
Water Rail calling from the outflow by Sorrowcow Farm
A single Chiffchaff was around the western end this morning, along with the usual Cetti's Warbler there. The flock of Meadow Pipit on Ramsdales Ruck still numbered just over 80 strong.
The roost was a bit poor tonight with relatively few large gulls in,only things of note was an adult Mediterranean Gull picked out by Phil and a couple of Argentatus Herring Gulls.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 27th of October 2018 07:21:12 PM
Tern sp. adult on the Flash this morning, looks like Arctic. It was still present when I left at 13.05. I don't think I've ever seen either common or arctic this late before.
Full circuit of Pennington Flash 19th October 10:30 - 14:30 hrs.
Redwing x 5 (first of the autumn for me - in trees in field next to Sorrow Cow Farm) Snipe x 7 (see photo attached) Kingfisher x 3 different sightings Willow Tit x 2 Wigeon x 4 Teal x 5 Shoveler x 15 Gadwall x 8 Pink-Footed Geese x 250 flying eastwards Buzzard x 3 Kestrel x 2 Oystercatcher (still there in the car park!) Coal Tit x 1 Great Crested Grebe x 5 Cormorant x 25 Lapwing x 20 Lesser Black-Backed Gull x 1 Black-Headed Gull x lots Mute Swan x 7 Wren x 1 Dunnock x 1 Blackbird x 5 Little Grebe x 2 Grey Heron x 4 Pied Wagtail x 1 Canada Geese x 40 Coot x lots Moorhen x 10 Tufted Duck x lots Mallard x lots Robin x 4 Chaffinch x 2 Great Tit x 1 Blue Tit x 1 Starling x 50 Woodpigeon x 40 Mute Swan x 9 Jay x 2 Magpie x 10
-- Edited by Steve Judge on Saturday 20th of October 2018 08:57:32 AM
Another circuit of the Flash this morning again failed to produce yellow-browed warbler, but there was a decent passage of pink-footed geese with around 600 mainly heading east / south east in flocks of around 70. Redwings continue to pass over mainly south west, but perhaps less than yesterday. Also a small passage of meadow pipits and woodpigeons. A Cetti's warbler showed well at the western end. Two wigeon were on the Flash. Highlight of the day, my first sighting this autumn of yellow-legged gull, a cracking 3rd winter bird sitting on one of the bouys from Horrock's hide. This bird has apparently been present since at least the 6th so hopefully will remain for the rest of the winter. Thanks to Bill Harrison for the loan of his scope to allow me to take the photos which helped clinch the identification.
A circuit of the Flash this morning failed to produce the hoped for yellow-browed warbler, but plenty of redwings passing over mainly south west. Highlight for me was a swallow flying east over Ramsdales and the bizarre sight of a 1st winter oystercatcher coming to bread and seed thrown down for the ducks on the car park. The latter has been present here for a month or so at least.
-- Edited by colin davies on Tuesday 16th of October 2018 07:40:32 PM
Full circle of the flash this afternoon produced very little of note apart from the following
Kingfisher-4
Grey Wagtail-2
Redwing - 30+ on the south side
Goldcrest-1
Redpoll -2
Cetti's Warbler-3 (1 sorrowcow/1 west end/1 Ramsdales reedbed)
plus the usuals :)
I am Surprised a bit with the total lack of Goldeneye at the flash ,I would have expected some to be in by now, and Goosander also seem to be missing at the moment.
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Monday 15th of October 2018 07:52:21 PM
3310 Woodpigeon moved through S/SE (in 76 flocks) promtly between 07:45 and 08:30, mainly just off to the west of the flash with virtually none moving through to the east of it
117 Redwing (5 flocks) and a single Fieldfare S
33 Chaffinch and 14 Greenfinch over S (mainly singles or very small flocks)
722 Pink-footed Geese moved east in 5 skeins from the Mersey area (moving through south of the flash) and 340 in 1 skein east from the Ribble area (moving through north of the flash), with a further 7 birds over low north!
22 Linnet feeding on the grassy area of Ramsdales Ruck and 24 Goldfinch feeding along the edge of it in one flock
Not much more I can add to previous posts this aft/eve apart from good views of a cettis warbler in ramsdale reed bed, water rails heard, 2 skylarks over whilst stood at the posts there. 1 blackcap 2 goosander
7th January, 2010: On a bright, but sunny day, one flew north-westwards over the golf course. Cliff Hampson managed a distant record shot. Possibly the same bird was at Southport next day!
Any idea how many records there have been for the flash? I can only remember one previous.
This should prove to be the third accepted record (I'd expect anyway!), with previous records in May 2008 and January 2010.
4th then I saw one earlier this year ,in the kidney pond area :) not that I will probably be submitting it as I only had a brief view but it was one ,I can't find the record now ,so would have to rely on others I told at the time as my records went astray at that point :(
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 12th of October 2018 07:47:56 PM
Found it 12/04/2018 - Kidney pond area Pennington Flash 1 flew from the back of the island circled once and flew off towards Horrocks Hide never to be seen again :)
Any idea how many records there have been for the flash? I can only remember one previous.
This should prove to be the third accepted record (I'd expect anyway!), with previous records in May 2008 and January 2010.
4th then I saw one earlier this year ,in the kidney pond area :) not that I will probably be submitting it as I only had a brief view but it was one ,I can't find the record now ,so would have to rely on others I told at the time as my records went astray at that point :(
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Friday 12th of October 2018 07:47:56 PM