PENNINGTON FLASH.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

RE: PENNINGTON FLASH.

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

2 Great White Egret this morning, 1 was on the Rucks at dawn and then flew over to the South side a 2nd bird flew in from the West just after 8am and landed on the South side where both them fed c.25 Metres apart. Other birds seen were at least 2 Little Egret, 8 Siskin south over in flocks of 5 and 3. 209+ Woodpigeon South, 29 Redwing in 4 flocks, the largest of 11 headed East the rest South. 8 Song Thrush west in 2 flocks, 11 Meadow Pipit south and at least 4 lingering on the Rucks. 2 Swallow south at 8.55 and 2 Greylag Geese West.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This morning:

Great White Egret on the south shore of the flash just east of Sorrow Cow Farm at first light

2 Kestrels hunting over the ruck, as was a Sparrowhawk

1543 Woodpigeons moved SE in 51 flocks up to just after 8am when they abruptly stopped again

11+ Meadow Pipits down around the ruck

45 Redwings over in 10 small flocks, mainly east but some birds west and a few dropping in around the ruck

26 Song Thrushes around the ruck, with four dropping in high out of the sky from the north and another two heading directly over south

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This morning from first light, saw the first 'proper' visible migration watch of the season from Ramsdales Ruck up to just after 9am:

1006 Pink-footed Geese in five skeins all moving south of the flash heading east and coming from the direction of the Mersey; c60 at 07:55, 140 at 08:05, 310 at 08:20, 56 at 08:30, c440 at 08:41

407 Canada Geese, with 364 coming in from the east in a single flock at 08:47 and dropping down off the main car park, then a further 43 flew in from the NW at 09:15

2 female/immature Wigeon on the main flash

1 female/immature Pintail flew straight through NW at 09:15

1 redhead Goosander

1 immature drake Goldeneye (associating with the Goosander!)

1 Great White Egret flew south over the ruck, from the direction of Bickershaw, at 09:25 and dropped onto the south shore of the flash somewhere

2631 Woodpigeons SE in 74 flocks up to just after 08:30 when they abruptly all but stopped moving

41 Skylarks in a single flock once again flew in from the SW at 07:56 and low north over the ruck; a roosting/feeding area movement? A further 2 birds flew high west at 09:17

21 Pied Wagtails in a single flock flew south over the ruck at 07:52

79 Meadow Pipits flew over south in 20 small flocks

345 Redwings flew over mainly E/SE in 33 flocks, the largest of 33 (which was also the latest at around 09:30 just as I was making my way off)

27 Song Thrushes on the ruck, including four dropping high out of the sky and into cover on the top of the ruck and another couple calling amongst the grass on the side of the ruck itself

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This evening, a second winter Caspian Gull was in the roost, along with 41 Great Black-backed, 84 Herring, 107 Lesser Black-backed and almost 3000 Black-headed Gulls. A flock of 27 Pied Wagtails flew S/SE over Sorrow Cow Farm near dusk and a single Chiffchaff was around the pond there in a tit flock, along with a single Treecreeper.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This early morning's highlights and a couple of nice surprises included:

252 Canada Geese in a single flock flew in from the west at 08:32 and landed on the flash

Juvenile Garganey still present on Ramsdales but could not be relocated a little later

316 Tufted Ducks

814 Woodpigeons over mainly S/SE in many flocks up to 9am, though their generally low altitude and rather long straggly flocks would indicate more local(ish) movements perhaps

A remarkable (for here at least) 73 Skylarks in two wonderfully noisy flocks very low (barely tree top height) north up and over Ramsdales Ruck, with the first of 56 at 08:46 very closely followed by a further 17

4 Redwings together west over Ramsdales Ruck at 08:17, great to hear their calls once again

5 Chiffchaffs around the ruck, including one singing in shoreline bushes

4 individual Jays very high south over the ruck through the early morning

Goldfinch flock feeding on the ruck has increased to 54 birds

Water levels around the flash now expectedly very high

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Garganey still present on Ramsdales Scrape this afternoon, also Great White Egret, Little Egret and 27 Great Black-backed Gulls in the pre-roost.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Last afternoon today, a female Mandarin was in Ramsdales, juvenile Garganey still, 26 Shoveler, 18 Teal, 6 Snipe, Common Sandpiper, plus adult Yellow-legged Gull and adult Mediterranean Gull roosted

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This morning:

188 Tufted Ducks

1 female/immature Goldeneye

1 Great White Egret, flew from the ‘nature reserve’ area And dropped in to the western end

1 Common Sandpiper on the sailing club shore

14 Great Black-backed Gulls (one juvenile and the rest adults) on the water and moving through N/NE

9+ Meadow Pipits down on the ruck

23 Song Thrushes around the ruck

2 Chiffchaffs on the ruck

24 Goldfinch feeding in the ruck

1 Yellowhammer flew high west over the ruck at 08:22

colin davies · Status: Offline

Early afternoon,

Goosander 1 drake on the spit

Great white egret 1

Little egret 2

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Yesterday evening:

Adult Mediterranean Gull roosted

5 Wigeon

Great White Egret flew off towards Bickershaw at dusk

Water Rail on the sailing club shore

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This afternoon, a juvenile Garganey was on Ramsdales Scrape (video on the website), five Wigeon flew west and the Great White Egret (or one of them anyway) was still present.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Adult Yellow-legged Gull and 26 Great Black-backed Gulls roosted on Tuesday evening (24th).

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

colin davies · Status: Offline

Sailing club to the ruck and back this morning,

Common sandpiper 1 at the sailing club

Great white egret 1 western reedbed

Little egret 1

colin davies · Status: Offline

A very enjoyable visit this morning, 7:30-10:30;

Stonechat 1 first-winter on the ruck. My first at the flash since 29/11/1981!

Great white egret 2-3. Two in view at the same time on the south side and at the western end reedbed. A few minutes later probably a third bird flew in high from the north and landed on the side of the ruck. By that time I couldn't see the other two.

Little egret 2

Common sandpiper 1 at the sailing club

Swallow 2

Great black-backed gull 1 adult

Pink-footed geese 10 heading east

Shoveler 28 including 18 at the western end.

Chiffchaff 2 on the ruck.

Skylark 1 on the ruck.

-- Edited by colin davies on Wednesday 25th of September 2024 11:04:46 AM

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This evening:

Great White Egret

2 Little Egrets

2 Wigeon

5 Snipe

Adult Yellow-legged Gull and 26 Great Black-backed Gulls roosted

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Highlights this morning included:

1 Wigeon flew in from the west

214 Tufted Ducks

2 Little Egrets

1 Redshank flew in from the west and then lost to view behind trees so no idea if it landed at all

1 Common Sandpiper

1 adult Great Black-backed Gull

1 Swallow very low west over the ruck

Only a handful of Meadow Pipits south

24 Song Thrushes around Ramsdales Ruck was a large increase in numbers and the first real sign of their migration here, which included five birds (a two and a three) dropping high out of the sky from the north and into cover on the top of the ruck

13 Chiffchaffs around the ruck

8 Jays around the ruck alone

colin davies · Status: Offline

This morning 7.00-8.45,

Common sandpiper 1 still at sailing club

Great white egret 1 south side reedbed

Little egret 1 on the spit

colin davies · Status: Offline

Common sandpiper still at the sailing club early afternoon and a single little egret on the side of the ruck.

colin davies · Status: Offline

This morning 10.30 - 11.30

Common sandpiper 1 in front of Horrock's hide

Gadwall 38 Penghy's

Shoveler 24 Penghy's

-- Edited by colin davies on Sunday 22nd of September 2024 12:27:26 PM

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

Generally a lot quieter this morning than of late with not one egret of any species. Main highlight for me was also a Hobby, this one an immature which appeared to be hunting dragonflies , c.9.05 -9.15 over the grass fields along Slag lane which were sheltered from the brisk Easterly. Other birds of note, Common Sandpiper on the sailing club shore then later on the main spit. 2 Siskin over south, 78 Meadow pipit alos south and at least 25 Goldcrest. A female Wigeon was sat on one of the islands at the entrance to Ramsdales.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Main highlight this morning was an adult Hobby which flew fairly low SE over the ruck and out across the flash at 07:35.

Other birds included:

1 Greylag Goose

2 Little Egrets

1 (resident) Oystercatcher still about

2 Great Black-backed Gulls (adult and juvenile), 64 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 14 Herring Gulls on the water

1 Swallow SE

108 Meadow Pipits south up to 08:20

8 Mistle Thrushes together high south

11 Chiffchaffs around the ruck

1 Rook west across the ruck

colin davies · Status: Offline

Briefest of looks today at 7am,

Great white egret 1 western end

Little egret 1

Blackcap 1 male Sorrowcow pond

colin davies · Status: Offline

Another 110 pink-footed geese flew south west at 9:30am.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This morning's highlights included:

204 Pink-footed Geese in two skeins, with 132 flying in from the SE at 07:25 then splitting into two with a skeins of 76 then heading east and another of 56 heading NW towards the Ribble; another skeins of 72 also flew in from the SE heading directly N/NW towards the Ribble also, an unusual flight path from here.

1 Little Egret

1 adult Mediterranean Gull

1 juvenile Great Black-backed Gull

3 Kingfishers around Ramsdales

197 Swallows flew SE in 12 flocks up to 08:30 when passage all but stopped

3 seperate Grey Wagtails high south over the ruck

84 Meadow Pipits south over the ruck in singles or very small flocks

1 Blackcap in with a tit flock around The Point

1 Raven NW early morning

3 Rooks SE together

5 Linnets flew over the ruck together from the N/NW landing in shoreline trees but presumably flew off south as they could not be relocated later

munsworth · Status: Offline

Late post for yesterday. Great white Egret from Ramsdales hide at 11 am

colin davies · Status: Offline

A much quieter day today, with the highlight being 4 wigeon on the flash and a couple of little egrets. For the first time in nearly two weeks I didn't see the great white egret or the common sandpiper.

colin davies · Status: Offline

Ian McKerchar wrote:
........
c15 Wigeon in a flock early morning, may have been down on the water but as I just caught them flying off west (with a few Teal mixed in) I only had seconds before they disappeared behind trees so it was a rough count
......

They were definitely on the water, just off the point. I counted 13 though it wasn't easy, they were against the bright sunlight for me from the sailing club. I could have easily missed one or two. There was also a drake pochard with them.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Sightings from this morning included:

132 Pink-footed Geese over, with 22 east at 07:45 (coming from the Ribble direction) and 110 west at 08:47 heading towards the Ribble

c15 Wigeon in a flock early morning, may have been down on the water but as I just caught them flying off west (with a few Teal mixed in) I only had seconds before they disappeared behind trees so it was a rough count

1 Common Sandpiper still on the sailing club shore

1 Redshank

7 Swallows SE

2 Skylarks still on the ruck

9 single Grey Wagtails south over the ruck up to 9am

146 Meadow Pipits south over the ruck in small flocks and ones and twos up to 09:15, though birds were still moving south after this

17 Chiffchaffs on and around the ruck

2 Willow Tits together on the ruck in amongst a large Long-tailed Tit flock

17 Greenfinches south over the ruck with a largest flock of 16!

7 Chaffinches south over the ruck in ones and twos

7 Bullfinch down around the ruck

colin davies · Status: Offline

Difficult viewing early morning due to thick fog, however the common sandpiper was still at the sailing club plus great white egret and at least four little egrets still.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Great White Egret present at the western end at 5:45pm and then presumably the same bird but perhaps a second was from there Tom Edmondson hide at 7pm.

An adult Mediterranean Gull also roosted.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

Other birds seen this morning included 2 Black tailed Godwit on Ramsdales scrapes, single Shelduck flew west c.9am, Yellow Wagtail flew south over the rucks c.7.50, Reed warbler in with mixed flock at the Western end. c. 30 Chiffchaff around the site and several Goldcrest in with mixed tit flocks

colin davies · Status: Offline

A three egret day already at the flash, with cattle egret just having flown over south east. Great white on the side of the ruck and at least 3 little egrets still present. Common sandpiper and drake mandarin at the sailing club.

-- Edited by colin davies on Sunday 15th of September 2024 10:33:49 AM

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This morning's highlights:

40+ Greylag Geese in a single skein flew low NE just west of the flash

1 Shelduck

1 Wigeon over high west at 08:19

4 female/immature Goosanders flew through west

1 Great White Egret

1 Ringed Plover over high west at 08:29

1 Common Sandpiper

3 Snipe over, with 2 together North and a single bird SE

1 Mediterranean Gull

3 adult Great Black-backed Gulls

Juvenile Black Tern (found by Colin Davies)

68 Swallows though SE and some also north

34 House Martins through SE

1 Grey Wagtail over Ramsdales Ruck high west

69 Meadow Pipits south (and a single bird west) over Ramsdales Ruck up to 8am when their passage seemed to stop

11 Chiffchaffs around Ramsdales Ruck

colin davies · Status: Offline

Also this morning, a hobby over the western end before disappearing behind the trees at Mossley Hall Farm.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Some highlights from this morning:

218 Pink-footed Geese over in 3 skeins, with c130 SE at 08:19, immediately followed by anther 31 both skeins from the Ribble direction, then anther 57 E/SE at 08:33 from the Mersey direction. Another skein heard at 09:30 but I was in thick tree cover at the time so couldn't see them.

8 Greylag Geese east at 07:45

176 Tufted Ducks

1 Great White Egret in Ramsdales

4+ Little Egrets

Coot have increased fairly dramatically since August and now number just over 1000 in total

1 Redshank

2 Common Sandpipers on the sailing club shore

1 Swift feeding over the western end for at least 15/20 minutes

4 Kingfishers with 2 at the western end and at least 2 in and around Ramsdales

160+ Swallows gathering on telephone wires around Whittles Fields on the south side in the early morning

41 Meadow Pipits over south up to 09:20, with a largest flock of 8 birds

16+ Chiffchaffs around Ramsdales Ruck with some in full song

5 Jays on Ramsdales Ruck

colin davies · Status: Offline

This afternoon,

Common sandpiper 2 at the sailing club

Common scoter 2 still

Great white egret 2

Little egret 4

colin davies · Status: Offline

This morning 6:45 - 8:30

Pink-footed geese 27 heading west

Common sandpiper 1 at the sailing club

Common scoter 2 females / immatures

Egyptian goose 6

Swallow 21

colin davies · Status: Offline

A full circuit this afternoon,

Common scoter 2 still in the middle. One bird raised itself out of the water to reveal a brown belly so presumably a female

Shoveler 31 in Ramsdales

Great white egret 1 at the western end reedbed

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This morning's highlights included:

157 Tufted Ducks

2 female/immature Common Scoters still present

1 Great White Egret

1 Peregrine over south

1 Redshank flew in from the east or up off the spit just prior to 7am and circled calling for a while, looking to land on the sailing club shore at one point but eventually headed off west

6 Great Black-backed Gulls with 3 on the water and another 3 though NW together

1 Swift through SE at 08:22

2 Swallows SE

3 House Martins SE

4 individual Grey Wagtails high south over Ramsdales Ruck

21 Chiffchaffs, with 18 on and around Ramsdales Ruck, including a tight little flock of 11 birds feeding tree to tree together and a further 3 around the SW reedbed area

Flock of 7 Greenfinch south over Ramsdales Ruck

25+ Goldfinch moving west at the western end of Ramsdales Ruck

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

This evening, Great White Egret, 2 Common Scoters and 6 Great Black-backed Gulls roosted.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

colin davies · Status: Offline

This afternoon, 2:30pm, two juvenile common scoter in the middle. This is the 3rd consecutive day that I've found scoter in the afternoon having not seen them in the morning.

colin davies · Status: Offline

This morning,

Knot 1 juvenile at sailing club

Common sandpiper 2 at sailing club

Great white egret 1 on side of ruck

colin davies · Status: Offline

This morning at 6.45, common sandpiper at the sailing club, this evening 5.30 3 common scoter, male, female and probably a juvenile.

Great white egret now seems a permanent fixture on the side of the ruck.

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Mid-morning today:

7 Egyptian Geese off the main car park

144 Tufted Ducks

2 Great White Egrets

1 Black-tailed Godwit, flew in and tried (unsuccessfully) to land on the spit before heading off west

26 House Martins W/NW

2 seperate Grey Wagtails SW over Ramsdales Ruck

1 Willow Warbler and at least 7 Chiffchaffs mixed in with a large tit flock at the western end

colin davies · Status: Offline

Early afternoon,

Common scoter 5, 4 drakes, 1 female

Great white egret 1

Egyptian goose 5

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

A morning of some movement it seems with visible migration counts made from Ramsdales Ruck up to 08:45:

Drake Common Scoter

7 Egyptian Geese still (5 by the sailing club and 2 on the spit)

2 Great White Egrets, together at one point

5 Little Egrets

530+ Lapwings disturbed from the spit and Ramsdales early morning, some of which flew off west

3+ Ringed Plovers appeared to fly east at 07:05, though I wasn't convinced more could have been involved as I was fairly obscured and only saw three but it sounded like there could well have been more

1 Redshank flew through west

1 Common Sandpiper

5 Great Black-backed Gulls

2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers flew separately east across Ramsdales Ruck and down into Ramsdales/the 'nature reserve' area

543 Swallows mainly SE in 29 flocks, with a largest flock of 77 birds

78 House Martins SE in 2 flocks

5 single Grey Wagtails flying high over Ramsdales Ruck pre-8am, 4 heading due south and 1 SE

31 Meadow Pipits over south in 11 flocks/singles, a largest of 7 birds together and a further 2/3 birds down on the ruck

1 Tree Pipit actually flushed from an area close to the memorial bench on the ruck at 08:42 which flew off strongly south

9 Chiffchaffs on and around the ruck

1 Linnet over west

colin davies · Status: Offline

A quick look this morning revealed,

Common scoter 1 drake in middle drifting towards spit

Great white egret 1 on edge of ruck

Little egret 3

Egyptian goose 5 at sailing club

colin davies · Status: Offline

This morning 6.45 - 8.45,

Tree pipit 1 calling over the ruck

Yellowhammer 1 on ruck

Great white egret 2 one at the western end, the other on side of ruck. Seen at the same time.

Little egret 3

House martin 50+ Sorrowcow farm

Swallow 10

Reed warbler 1 in sub song at the point of the ruck.

-- Edited by colin davies on Friday 6th of September 2024 03:49:12 PM

colin davies · Status: Offline

Mid afternoon the great white egret was at the west end reedbed with a little egret. This morning a new (for me) black-headed gull with a white darvic ring EVR6, apparently ringed in Holland but I'm currently awaiting exact details.