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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD SIGHTINGS -> PENNINGTON FLASH.
Post Info TOPIC: PENNINGTON FLASH.
Ian McKerchar


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RE: PENNINGTON FLASH.
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Early morning today:

3 Redshank flew west

A fantastic adult Hobby flew low north over Ramsdales Ruck

4 Snipe

2 Water Rails in Ramsdales Reedbed

36 Magpies in one flock on Ramsdales Ruck

9 Chiffchaffs around Ramsdales Ruck



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colin davies


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This evening, 17 snipe on the end of the spit at 18.45, with 14 flying high at 19.00 and apparently leaving west.

 



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Ian McKerchar


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Highlights from early this morning included:

8 Chiffchaffs on and around Ramsdales Ruck

2+ Kingfishers

1 Greylag Goose

1 Swift

50+ Swallows

6 Jays on Ramsdales Ruck

1 Grey Wagtail over south

7 Meadow Pipits over south

1 adult Great Black-backed Gull



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colin davies


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Brief early afternoon visit;

Pochard 1 drake with tufted ducks

Lesser black backed gull 162 about half of which were juveniles

Herring gull 20

Lapwing 110 on the spit.

 



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Ian McKerchar


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A flock of six Tree Pipits flew fairly low south calling loudly over Ramsdales Ruck at 7am this morning as I was walking the shoreline path, they were low enough to conceivably have come up off the ruck itself but most likely were just passing directly over. An excellent site count.

Nothing much else of note over though other than two Meadow Pipits south (together) and plenty of Woodpigeons in all directions (though perhaps with a NE bias) which were almost certainly local movements.

22+ Chiffchaffs on and around Ramsdales Ruck, including a very oddly disyllabic calling bird which gave me the runaround for a short while until I could confirm it was indeed a very young looking juvenile Chiffchaff

1 immature Willow Warbler with a tit/warbler flock near the point on Ramsdales Ruck, often trying feebly to sing!

4 Kingfishers around the flash

1 Greylag Goose west

73 Tufted Duck

16 Swallows

 

 



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Ian McKerchar


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3 drake Common Scoter and a Redshank so far this morning.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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Ian McKerchar


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Garganey just off the spit this morning, then flew off west with three Mallard around 7am

Single Tree Pipit flying quite high over the western end of the flash, calling at 06:35

5 Swifts through low west together at 07:20

Single noisy flock of 36 Swallows north over Ramsdales Ruck at 07:25

2 Sand Martins north together over Ramsdales Ruck at 07:30

1 Oystercatcher

Eclipse drake Wigeon

5 Shoveler



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colin davies


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Sanderling and redshank at the boat club this morning. Also 102 lapwing at the boat club and more on the spit but too distant for me to count.

 



-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 28th of August 2023 08:22:50 PM

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colin davies


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This morning a merlin flew over the junction of Sandy Lane and Green lane. Otherwise a very quiet visit, with 68 lapwing at the boat club the highlight for me.

 



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Ian McKerchar


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4 Turnstones flew straight together west at 07:05 this morning

2 Redshanks

2 Common Sandpipers flew high off to the east

3 Kingfishers

19 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps on and around Ramsdales Ruck



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colin davies


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A quick look this morning, 6.00 - 7.00,

Common sandpiper 3 at the boat club

Redshank 1 on the spit

 



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colin davies


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The great white egret was on the spit until at least 10am. Also today, little egret and common sandpiper. 



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Ian McKerchar


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Great White Egret dropped onto Ramsdales Scrape at 9am

Info thanks to John Dixon



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colin davies


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This morning, 7:50 - 10:15,

Common sandpiper 1 at the boat club

Little egret 1 in Ramsdales

Common tern 1 adult still at 9:45

No sign of the juvenile black-necked grebe for me but likely still there somewhere.



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Ian McKerchar


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A short lived tern movement during rain mid-morning resulted in 3 Arctic Terns (adult and 2 juveniles) and two adult Common Terns. 



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Ian McKerchar


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This morning:

Juvenile Black-necked Grebe

2 juvenile Arctic and 1 adult Common Tern dropped in around 08:20 during rain

Common Sandpiper on the spit

2 Redshanks briefly

At least 19 Chiffchaffs on and around Ramsdales Ruck, also 9 Goldcrests



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colin davies


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Various short visits throughout the day produced,

Common sandpiper 1 at the boat club

Little egret 1

Swift 3

Black-headed gull ringed in Holland in 2016. Metal ring on right leg 3,738,977

Teal 7

I'm finding it tough going at the flash at the moment, water levels too high, vegetation too tall, habitats too overgrown, very restricted shore line, crowds like I've never seen here before and loads of disturbance. Roll on a stormy day in the middle of November I say!



-- Edited by colin davies on Tuesday 22nd of August 2023 07:22:10 AM

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Ian McKerchar


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Early morning today:

The 2 Redshank on the sailing club shore eventually flew off high west

2 Little Egrets flew low east along the flash

31+ Swifts up to 8am

3 House Martins

8 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps on and around Ramsdales Ruck

 

 



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colin davies


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Two redshank and 2 kingfishers at the boat club were the best I could manage early morning today. No sign of yesterdays black tern for me, nor yesterday evening at 18.30.



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Ian McKerchar


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Juvenile Black Tern resting by the spit at 5pm

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes



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colin davies


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This morning up to 7am;

Common sandpiper 3, two at boat club, one on ruck

Swift 5+

 



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colin davies


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This morning:

Common sandpiper 1 at the boat club

Swift 15

Little egret 1

 



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Ian McKerchar


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This morning:

2 Little Egrets (one of which made its way onto the sailing club shore)

1 Common Sandpiper

1 eclipse drake Mandarin on the sailing club shore

860 Coot

4 Common Terns

4 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap on and around Ramsdales Ruck

17 Swifts



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Ian McKerchar


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Late news for yesterday evening when a second winter Mediterranean Gull was present, 3 drake Common Scoter flew west at 8:48pm and 2 Little Egrets were in the sailing club shore.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes



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Ian McKerchar


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This morning, 2 Common Scoters, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Redshank, 1 Little Egret.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme



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Ian McKerchar


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Dean Clark wrote:

Is accessibility good after the recent rain?

 All seems well if a little wet/muddy in places Dean.



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Ian McKerchar


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This morning:

5 Common Terns

2 Kingfishers in Ramsdales

2 Sedge Warblers and at least 4 Reed Warblers in Ramsdales Reedbed

18 Chiffchaffs, 7 Willow Warblers, 3 Reed Warblers, 5 Blackcaps and 2 Whitethroats on and around Ramsdales Ruck



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Dean Clark


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Is accessibility good after the recent rain?



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Ian McKerchar


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2 drake Common Scoter and a Common Sandpiper were the highlights this morning.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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Ian McKerchar


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A couple of hours either side of midday produced:

A fairly large mixed warbler feeding flock on Ramsdales Ruck consisted of a minimum of 14 Chiffchaffs, 9 Willow Warbler and 4 Blackcaps, mainly juveniles.

Juvenile Cetti's warbler on the shore of Ramsdales Ruck

16 Common Terns

Hobby way over high above the SE of the flash, soaring for a while then actively chasing Swifts

3 Raven together circling high over the flash, slowly loving off NW

106 Lapwing on the spit

77 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 61 of which were juveniles 

3 Shoveler, a female with two fully grown and fledged juveniles

Family party of Bullfinch along the shore of Ramsdales Ruck



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colin davies


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An excellent morning, 7:45 - 10:45,

Garganey 1 juvenile briefly close to Horrock's hide, then flew in direction of Ramsdales. This is the first Garganey I've heard of here this year, certainly my first.

Common sandpiper 5 at the boat club.

Shelduck 2 juveniles flying around then departed west.

Common tern 11

Great black-backed gull 1 juvenile

Lesser black-backed gull 82 with 51 juveniles

Tufted duck 50+ including female with 3 chicks at Pengy's and bird with nasal saddle CH1

 



-- Edited by colin davies on Thursday 3rd of August 2023 04:51:21 AM

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colin davies


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Just a very quick look from the boat club at 8am today on my way out revealed 14 terns which I'm fairly confident were all common, though I did only have binoculars with me.



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colin davies


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Also today, common sandpiper at the boat club. Attached a few photos of the arctic terns.

 



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Ian McKerchar


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This afternoon:

4 Arctic Terns for me (Colin Davies had 5)

14 Common Terns

84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including 62 juveniles)

37 Swifts



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Ian McKerchar


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This morning 18 Black-tailed Godwits flew south.

Info thanks to Bill Harrison



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Ian McKerchar


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So far this morning, Redshank, 9 Common Terns and 4 kingfishers together.

Info thanks to Barry Hulme



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Ian McKerchar


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This evening, 8+ Common Terns, a Pochard and 3 Oystercatcher.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes



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colin davies


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This morning, 8:15 - 9:45,

Common tern 11

Little egret 1

Greylag 11

Coot 320+ inc. two large tight packed flocks 

Lesser black-backed gull 120+ inc. at least 85 juveniles

 



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colin davies


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Today,

Common sandpiper 1

Common tern 15

 



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colin davies


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This afternoon,

Dunlin 1 flew through heading west

Little ringed plover 1 juvenile at the boat club

Common sandpiper 1 at the boat club

Common tern 11 

 



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Ian McKerchar


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2 female Common Scoter this evening, along with a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Sandpipers, 7 Common Terns and 2 Little Egrets which flew west.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes



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colin davies


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This morning,

Common scoter 1 female in middle

Common sandpiper 1 on the jetty at the boat club 

Common tern 11+

Little egret 1 juvenile Pengys 

Black-headed gull 310 on the flooded golf course.

Water level of the flash slightly higher than yesterday but the floods on the footpaths etc. Have receded slightly. 



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colin davies


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This morning 6am - 7am,

Common tern 13

Tufted duck 65

Sand martin 50

Black-headed gull 262 on the newly created "Lake golf course". Nothing else with them.

Three photos attached to show how much the flash has risen since yesterday. The first was taken at about 3pm yesterday, the other at 6.30am today, the last at 7.30pm today. At least two and a half times the height of a coot!

Horrocks is only accessible along the shoreline of the flash, the path through the woods is a torrent of water at least ankle deep. Charlie Owen and Pengys hides inaccessible. The golf course and new car parking areas are now lakes.

 



-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 24th of July 2023 08:54:12 PM

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colin davies


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I spent a couple of hours in Horrock's hide this afternoon, in torrential rain, hoping that something might drop in but all I could manage was 13 common terns. 

I didn't go to Teal / Charlie Owen hide but I imagine it's impassable. Westleigh Brook had burst it's banks yesterday morning and the footpath was under 20cm of water, after this lot I don't think you'd even get through with wellies. 

 



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Ian McKerchar


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2 adult Arctic Terns present this evening, also 3 adult Common Terns and three Little Egrets.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes



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Kristian Wade


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Late post from yesterday afternoon when I just caught the drake Common Scoter in the centre of the flash before it was flushed by a yacht and flew off west. Also 10 Common Tern which chased a Peregrine that flew across the flash before heading north.

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colin davies


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It's a struggle at the moment with very high water levels and over grown habitat meaning that there is virtually no shoreline, and tall vegetation impedes viewing from almost everywhere. Hopefully now that the children's playground, cafe and new car park have been opened, and the hides have been painted inside and out, and Iron Man has been and gone, they will spend at least some time and money on improving the habitat at this part of the "National Nature Reserve". I have at least been assured that the spit will be completely cleared of vegetation in August or September depending on water levels, and will then be kept clear. We shall see....

Anyway, with open water swimmers all over the flash from 6:30am today and later yachts, plus dogs and anglers everywhere, the best I could manage today was 9 common terns and a single little egret, plus about 70 lesser black-backed gulls including around 50 juveniles. 

 



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colin davies


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Early afternoon, drake common scoter in the middle of the flash. 



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colin davies


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This morning, 4 little egrets in trees and occasionally flying around from Pengy's hide.

Also 7 common terns. 



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Ian McKerchar


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This evening, single Black-tailed Godwit, adult Common Gull, 5 Little Egrets with a single bird flying into the nature reserve at 9:40pm.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes



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This forum is dedicated to the memory of Eva Janice McKerchar.