An adult Kittiwake was present at 7am this morning

22/04/24 1000hr

60 Whooper Swans on the Lake

From the main car park side of the lake this morning: 4 Shoveler mid-lake (3m 1f), Cormorants, Magpies, Jackdaws, Mallards, Canada Geese, Mute Swans, Great Crested Grebes, Black Headed Gulls, Herring Gulls

2 Pink Footed Geese, Canada Geese, Mute Swans, Cormorants (one with a mostly white head, the most white I've seen on one, had it's white breeding patch lower down), 2 Oystercatchers landed briefly on the pier, Great Crested Grebes, Moorhens, Mallards and crossbreeds, Black Headed Gulls, Lesser Black Backed Gulls, Heron, Jackdaws, Crows, Magpies, Robin, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon, 3 female Gooseanders, 2 preening on the bank in front of the hide.

From the North side of the lake, this morning: 3 Pink-Footed Geese, approx 200 Canada Geese, Black Headed Gulls, Common Gull, Mallards, 3 Mute Swans (1 immature), 22 Lapwings on the pier, Great Crested Grebes, Cormorants, Jackdaws

A single Waxwing was in a garden on Milbury Drive this afternoon but it flew off towards Hollingworth Lake and could not be relocated in a brief search

On 1st January there was a male Brambling in Pavilion Wood, a Kingfisher was showing well from the hide and 3 Pink-footed Geese were with 310+ Canada Geese

 

2 drake Common Scoter Also 1 Kingfisher, 15+ Redwing, 40 + Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat, 4 Siskin and 2 Lesser Redpoll

The Glossy Ibis was still showing well at 530 pm on fields at Clegg Hall marsh - best viewed from Branch Road - however there is nowhere to park along this road so best to park at the top just off Wildhouse Lane and walk down to view

A Willow Tit was at the nature reserve - a bit of a mega here in Rochdale - only my 3rd record at the site Also 4 Wigeon, 12 Teal, 2 Little Egret, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Linnet over were the other highlights

Unfortunately no sign of the Cattle Egret today although there were still 2 Little Egrets on the nature reserve.

This morning there were 9 Common Scoter (8 males, 1 female) and, more surprisingly, a female Scaup closely associating with them - they all flew off west together when disturbed by boats about 10 am - unfortunately this is a familiar problem here. 

 

 

Cattle Egret was seen eventually yesterday evening at 18:45. From the bank between the hide and the Eastern path. Not viewable from the hide or road as it was sheltering in the creek. Grainy shot attached.

Also present were 3 Little Egret, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Kingfisher, 30+ Lapwing, Jay, Chiffchaff, 2 Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron.

Cattle Egret present this morning at 07:45 (undoubtably the bird seen a little earlier at Audenshaw Reservoirs) but flew N/NW at 08:40 when disturbed by boats and lost to view behind trees but could conceivably still be present.

Female Redstart this morning near Turnough Farm Also 4 Wigeon - and 2 singing Sedge Warblers were at Shaw Moss

9 Little Gull went slowly east over the lake at 08:36

Adult Kittiwake this morning

Also drake Mandarin, 11 Wigeon over, 1 Buzzard, 12 Redwing, 15 Fieldfare, singing Willow Warbler and 5 Lesser Redpolls

A few ducks on the move today :-

23 Wigeon

24 Teal

16 Goldeneye

Also 3 Goosander and a Curlew over

Redhead Smew present this morning.

Info thanks to Simon Hitchen

Lunchtime today: Whooper Swan in channel to hide pool Pied Wagtails Mallards + various hybrid Gulls, various 7 Cormorants 70 Lapwings 4 Canada geese (2 one side of the lake, 2 the other) + 30 Canada geese in a nearby field with the white domestic goose that's been helping shepherd the young geese this summer Robin Chaffinch Goldfinch Dunnock Wren Great Tit Starling Magpie Crow Jackdaw Wood Pigeon 10+ Teal 2 Wigeon Male + female Goosander (he was looking smart with his dark red bill and salmon-pink flush) Great Crested Grebe Heron

Mid afternoon walk round today Mon 7/11

Herring gull 1ad 1juv
Common gull c 10
L Bb gull 3 ad 6 juvs
B hd gull c 160

Lapwing c 120

Juv. Mediterranean Gull this morning Also at least 4 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat, 3 Willow Warblers and 1 Chiffchaff Yesterday (4/9) single Spotted Flycatcher and a Lesser Whitethroat.

Great White Egret still present 07.00-08.00

8/8 Long-staying Great White Egret still present

Yesterday (7/8) also a single Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart at Shaw Moss, and Andrew Huyton also had a Hobby here

6/8 - also 1 Little Egret and a Spotted Flycatcher

Great White Egret again present today (and it was also here yesterday)

Other recent sightings were a Little Egret and a Dunlin on Thursday (28th), a drake Common Scoter on Friday (29th) and Ian Kimber had a juv. Mediterranean Gull and a Dunlin yesterday (30th)

Great white egret at the nature reserve - presumably the same bird was also seen last Sunday.