8.15am to 9.30am

3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Grey Herons
12 Canada Geese + the hybrid
20+ Mallards
20+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Tern
10+ Swallows
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Linnet
1 Curlew on the other side of Bradshaw Road
+ the usual residents

8.00am to 10.15am.

Good Friday became Super Friday when I got to the top end of the reservoir. Two Pink-footed Geese with the Canada Geese & 5 Ravens on the quarry. Two of the Ravens stayed in the tree tops while the other three flew off. Two of them returned and then the four flew off towards Turton Golf Course.

Other birds this morning included :-
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
4 Grey Herons
30 Canada Geese + the hybrid
25+ Mallards
2 Moorhens
8 Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Tern
2 Stock Doves
1 Sand Martin
2 Swallows at Grange Farm stables & 2 at the farm up the access road (no problem with returning Swallows on my local patch)
2 Linnets on the fields between the access road & Walsh Fold, with lots of Rooks

8.00am to 10.40am.

9 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
19 Canada Geese + the hybrid
4 Moorhens
80+ Black-headed Gulls on the fields near Walsh Fold eventually moved down to the reservoir
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Pheasant
24 Woodpigeons, 1 Stock Dove, 2 Collared Doves, 1 Tawny Owl near the information centre, 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Swallow, 1 Pied Wagtail
Wrens (35) & Robins (29) everywhere + 6 Dunnocks
10 Blackbirds, 6 Song Thrushes, 2 Mistle Thrushes
3 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers, 4 Goldcrests
2 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Coal Tits, 10+ Blue Tits & Great Tits, 6 Nuthatches, 1 Treecreeper
3 Jays, 10 Magpies, 4 Jackdaws, 25+ Carrion Crows, 1 Raven flying over, & Rooks heard calling from the rookery on Bradshaw Road
House Sparrows at Walsh Fold & up the access road
12 Chaffinches, 8 Greenfinches, 9 Goldfinches, & 2 Bullfinches

8.10am to 9.15am

4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
25 Canada Geese
Numerous Mallards
2 Moorhens
1 Lapwing
10+ Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Dipper at the overflow

7.50am to 9.00am

5 Great Crested Grebes
5 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
20 Canada Geese + the hybrid
c40 Mallards
1m Pochard
3 Moorhens
1 Coot
1 Curlew
10 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2m Reed Buntings at the pond near the pill box

8.25am to 9.35am

5 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
15 Canada Geese
Numerous Mallards
1m Pochard
Pair of Goosanders
4 Moorhens
4 Lapwings
1 Curlew
40+ Black-headed Gulls

8.20am to 10.45am. Fairly sheltered from the wind, which drew me down here in the first place. Glad I came down here as it confirmed a garden sighting from earlier.

I heard Ravens over my garden at 7.20am as I went out to top up the garden feeders/table. A definite pair and possibly 3 others. I doubted myself that so many would fly oyer together and not having binoculars handy I guessed that some of them may have been Crows. It all became clearer later on at Jumbles.
About 9am I watched two pairs of Ravens fly into Jumbles and watched them fly around for a while. After they landed I saw 3 on a pylon near the railway and then they flew off down the Bradshaw Valley with another one from the trees behind the pylon. I did not think both pairs had gone onto that side of the reservoir and I soon heard the other pair calling from a pylon on the Bradshaw Road side, so there were actually six birds, and I presume this was the flock over my house earlier. The Bradshaw Road side pair was still flying around when I left.

6 Great Crested Grebes
4 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
33 Canada Geese + the hybrid
50+ Mallards
1m Pochard
5 Moorhens
1 Coot
2 Lapwings
2 Curlews
30+ Black-headed Gulls (still checking them all for a Med Gull and still waiting for one)
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Buzzards
20+ Siskins at the Chapeltown Road car park
1 Reed Bunting at the pond near the pill box on Chapeltown Road
+ all the other regular species

8.15am to 9.00am

9 Great Crested Grebes
4 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
15 Canada Geese
Numerous Mallards
1m Pochard
5 Moorhens
2 Coots
30+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Kingfisher

8.00am to 10.40am. Whole area covered in excellent conditions for counting everything. All the regulars very active & a few things just passing through.

8 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
Only 1 Grey Heron on the reservoir, and a couple passing over
2 Mute Swans. Left the reservoir at 8.50 and flew down the valley
25 Canada Geese + the hybrid goose
65 Mallards
1m Pochard
1m Goldeneye. Flew in and left after about 20 minutes
5 Moorhens
3 Coots
30+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
1 Buzzard at the top end as usual
1 Sparrowhawk very high up
An Oystercatcher flew in from down the valley, circled around the reservoir, and then headed off towards Wayoh
4 Lapwings on farmland
90+ Woodpigeons, lots of them passing through. Pair of Collared Doves on Grange Road.
1 Tawny Owl calling from the top of the quarry again
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Grey Wagtail at the bottom end of the reservoir & 2 more at the top end
1 Pied Wagtail up the access road
Lots of Wrens, Dunnocks, & Robins
19 Blackbirds, 50+ Redwings (Grange Road), 9 Song Thrushes, & 3 Mistle Thrushes
5 Goldcrests
Numerous pairs of Long-tailed Tits, pair of Coal Tits, & lots of Blue Tits and Great Tits
Only 2 Nuthatches seen and no Treecreepers (they must have been somewhere)
11 Jays (including a flock of 7 birds), 11 Magpies, 6 Jackdaws, 20 Carrion Crows. Rooks could be heard calling at the rookery on Bradshaw Road
3 Starlings, 2 House Sparrows
12 Chaffinches, 10+ Greenfinches, 10+ Goldfinches, 4 Bullfinches

8.30am t0 9.45am.

7 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
5 Grey Herons
26 Canada Geese
78 Mallards
1m Pochard
3m + 1f Tufted Ducks
4 Moorhens
30+ Black-headed Gulls

Pair of Buzzards perched in trees. If they are supposed to be such a threat to Pheasants why did they totally ignore the delicious looking cock bird immediately below them ?

1 Kestrel flushed 70+ Redwings from near the information centre. Another 50+ Redwings were along Grange Road.

I watched a Kingfisher fly across the top end of the reservoir whilst listening to a Tawny Owl calling from the top of the quarry.

A Dipper flew past the Horrobin Lane car park towards the stream by Horrobin Lane before flying back past a few minutes later heading for the top end of the reservoir.

9am to 9.45am.

5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Grey Herons
39 Canada Geese + the hybrid goose
Numerous Mallards
1m Pochard
1 Buzzard
3 Moorhens
30+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull

The large Redwing flock was still around Grange Road this morning, spread all over the place so I could not get an exact count. Still well over 100 seen. Also Lesser Redpoll heard whilst I was checking them, first ones I have seen or heard down here this winter.

As I was checking the Grey Herons on the reservoir (only 3 this morning), through the fence by the entrance gate to Grange Farm, I saw two Shelducks flying off the reservoir (10.07am). They continued their flight over Bromley Cross.

Other reservoir birds :-
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
5 Canada Geese
Numerous Mallards
1m Pochard
1m Goldeneye
2 Moorhens
30+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull passing over

Still a large flock of Redwings on the field between Grange Road & the railway line. 200+ on Saturday morning and early afternoon today.
A pile of muck/straw from the stables also attracted a couple of Grey Wagtails & a Pied Wagtail to the Redwing flock.

On the reservoir :-
6 Great Crested Grebes
3 Grey Herons
29 Canada Geese + the hybrid
90 Mallards
1m Pochard
6 Moorhens
60+ Black-headed Gulls
3 Common Gulls

A good day for Redwings, morning and afternoon.
I estimated about 90 birds along Grange Road this morning as I headed for the reservoir, and as I walked up the access road about an hour later I saw another 100+. Boths flocks seemed to be heading towards Bradshaw Lodges. A few more were between Walsh Fold & Bradshaw Road.
In the afternoon as I crossed Ousel Nest Meadow I heard a Fieldfare calling so I followed the call to add to the morning sightings. It took me back to Grange Road where I found almost 300 Redwings on the field between the road & the railway line, plus one Fieldfare. It looks like the morning flocks had merged together.

Others seen today :-
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
5 Grey Herons
17 Canada Geese + the hybrid which has been missing for quite a while
67 Mallards
5 Moorhens
40+ Black-headed Gulls
13 Feral Pigeons & 40+ Woodpigeons
5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, including 3 squabbling away in a tree where 3 Mistle Thrushes were doing the same. Sometimes 3 into 2 does not go.
1 Pied Wagtail
Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, & Song Thrushes
1 Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, & Nuthatches
Jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Rooks, Carrion Crows, & House Sparrows at Walsh Fold
Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, & Bullfinches

Early afternoon search of the reservoir.

4 Great Crested Grebes
9 Grey Herons
20 Canada Geese (the bird with the injured wings still does not mix with the other geese)
Numerous Mallards
2 Moorhens
60+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull

9.30am to 10.30am

3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
6 Grey Herons
10 Canada Geese
Numerous Mallards
1f Goosander
4 Moorhens
80+ Black-headed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls passing over
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Common Gull

A brief visit this afternoon from 13.20 to 14.00

4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
5 Canada Geese
Numerous Mallards
3 Moorhens
40+ Black-headed Gulls
2 Common Gulls

8.10am to 10.55am. Longer than usual search to get this year's recording sheets going paid off when I had a Raven in the last few minutes (last year's ready for posting tomorrow Ian)

4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
5 Grey Herons
16 Canada Geese
100+ Mallards
1 Buzzard being mobbed by Crows
1 Pheasant
2 Moorhens
50+ Black-headed Gulls
250+ Woodpigeons, including lots flying through
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
12 Wrens
2 Dunnocks
28 Robins. Seem to be everywhere again
14 Blackbirds
14 Redwings. A flock of 10 plus 4 individuals
2 Song Thrushes
5 Mistle Thrushes
2 Goldcrests
1 flock of Long-tailed Tits (10+)
2 Coal Tits
35 Blue Tits
15 Great Tits
4 Nuthatches
1 Treecreeper
5 Jays
18 Magpies
20+ Jackdaws
9 Carrion Crows
1 Raven
35 Starlings
2 House Sparrows
6 Chaffinches
5 Greenfinches
2 Goldfinches
6 Bullfinches

8.40am to 9.35am.

4 Great Crested Grebes
8 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
1 Canada Goose (the injured bird)
100+ Mallards
1m Pochard
2f Tufted Ducks
3 Goosanders flew over me as I walked across Ousel Nest Meadow, followed soon after by 2 more. All of them had come off the reservoir and were heading towards Bradshaw.
30+ Black-headed Gulls

9.10am to 11.00am.

2 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
15 Canada Geese
100+ Mallards
1m Pochard
7 Moorhens
100+ Black-headed Gulls as I left. Birds constantly flying in and out over the couple of hours I was there.
1 Common Gull
1 Fieldfare
1 Redwing
1 Dipper on Bradshaw Brook near the overflow

Other birds present on a fairly quiet morning :-
Woodpigeons, Collared Doves, Pied Wagtails, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatches, Jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Starlings, House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Siskins, Bullfinches.

8.55am to 11.15am.

3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
1 Grey Heron
2 Canada Geese. One on the reservoir and the one with it's Mallard mates on farmland
80+ Mallards
4 Moorhens
50+ Black-headed Gulls
A flock of 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over followed soon after by 12 Herring Gulls heading in the same direction
3 Common Gulls
4 Feral Pigeons
26 Woodpigeons
2 Collared Doves
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Grey Wagtail
1 Pied Wagtail
9 Wrens
4 Dunnocks
12 Robins
13 Blackbirds
1 Song Thrush
1 Mistle Thrush
2 flocks of Long-tailed Tits
2 Coal Tits
14 Blue Tits
6 Great Tits
4 Nuthatches
1 Treecreeper
6 Jays
17 Magpies
6 Jackdaws
8 Carrion Crows
12 House Sparrows
8 Chaffinches
2 Greenfinches
4 Goldfinches
2 Siskins
6 Bullfinches

I had a text from John Barlow about the Whooper Swans over Wayoh. Nothing on Jumbles when I got there and speaking to a dog walker who had already been all around , no swans present before I got there, so it looks like they had just passed over.

As soon as I got to the reservoir at about 9am I watched two Ravens fly across just above tree height. They continued their flight over Bromley Cross.

2 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
14 Canada Geese at the yatch club as yesterday, and the usual one with Mallards on farmland ponds.
100+ Mallards
4 Moorhens
c75 Black-headed Gulls
2 Common Gulls
9 Feral Pigeons
20+ Woodpigeons
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits
1 Nuthatch
1 Dipper at the overflow
Jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Rooks, Carrion Crows
Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches

9am to 10.30am. Reservoir & farmland.

2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
3 Canada Geese. As usual one was with Mallards on farmland. Even when geese fly in it prefers the company of ducks.
100+ Mallards
5 Moorhens
50+ Black-headed Gulls
2 Common Gulls
1 Kingfisher
9 Feral Pigeons, 15 Woodpigeons
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
3 Pied Wagtails
Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds. 1 Redwing.
Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatches.
Jays, Magpies, Jackdaws, Rooks, Carrion Crows, House Sparrows.
Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Siskins, Bullfinches.

Only decent woodland sighting this morning was a mixed flock of finches on Ousel Nest Meadow, which consisted of 30+ Goldfinches with a few Chaffinches, Siskins, and Bullfinches.

When I got to the reservoir the first bird I saw was a Dipper flying from the reservoir down the embankment to Bradshaw Brook.

Not much on the reservoir :-
1 Great Crested Grebe
2 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
5 Canada Geese
Numerous Mallards
1 Moorhen
50+ Black-headed Gulls

As I was finishing off here I was asked a few questions by a young school party out with their teachers. "Not much about" I told them, and then one little girl brightened things up by saying "there's a seagull, seagulls are well good". I couldn't argue with her.