The pale-bellied Brent Goose appeared on the resr at 18:00 hrs on Sunday evening (12th). It must have flown in unseen as there was no sign of it when I first arrived at about 17:30. It was associating with the Canada Goose flock. It took off with these but then circled back and landed on the reservoir. Sorry for the late post. Also 48 Goosander came into roost - all females apart from one imm. male.
__________________
The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
70 Goosander tonight - numbers risen dramatically in last few days 117 Black-headed gull, flew off before dusk, 33 Swallow heading SW 4 Meadow Pipit heading N
3 f goosander 1 GC grebe 4 curlew 1 raven mobbed by 5 lapwings and a curlew 2 wheatear 3 m pipits 2 kestrel, great views of the female devouring a vole. 2 sand martin
pm 3 f goosander 1 gc grebe 6 wheatear all lined up on a drystone wall M&F stonechat M&F kestrel, female again devouring a vole this time on a drystone wall. she almost lost it to a crow that flew in low and up at her on top of the wall, the male chased it off and she settled back down a few feet along. ace! 8 curlew lapwing 4 gbb gulls came and went. 2 pied wagtail
spent 2 freezing hours up there this afternoon 4-6pm
3 wheatear - 2 m 1 f 2 kestrel - 1 m 1 f 7 pied wagtail - 1 white meadow pipits 2 curlew 1 skylark singing 2 goosander - 1 m 1 f 40+ reed buntings in the rough by the side of the main road heron over 4 bhg 1 gull of a similar size to bhg but with a white head, couldn't keep my scope still in the wind (or stop my eye watering) to see bill colour 3 gbbg - 2 adults, i immature 1 pheasant 1 magpie several carrion crows 2 mallard 1 GC grebe
2 male Wheatears on western shoreline/wall with a few mipits. Goosander 11 Goldeneye 2 male Curlew 2
What in God`s name are you doing up there man ?...................... I don`t know, Rochdale birders (you know who you are ) at Pennington, Bolton birders in Rochdale, Stockport birders in Wigan ?!?!?.............the County`s gone mad !
Pair Goosander, 60+ Lapwings, fem Sparrowhawk chasing mipits and Dave Winnard and flippin freezing. Dave said the Goosander roosts are not happening at the moment and they are spread all over the rochdale waters.
The 3 Bar-tailed Godwits were on Ashworth Moor Res till approx 7-40 pm last night when they were seen to fly off high to the east, unfortunately I missed them arriving at 7-55. On the Res were 40+ Goosander and Whimbrel over at 8-20.
3 Bar Tailed Godwits showing well still in fields at Cheesden Bar at 11.45am today just north west of Ashworth Moor Res. Near Rossendale school i think it is just left of the A680 Grid Ref SD170820.
They are roosting on Ashworth Moor Res and were there last night(info per Dave Winnard),
PS Forgot to mention where they are during the day is just in Lancs!