The Cattle Egrets made several short flights within the minewater treatment compound, then in the surrounds of Gladden Hey Farm itself. They landed on the north side of the farm at about 12:45, where they may be visible from the Sandyforth site north of the farm. Parking is limited along Winstanley Road-Ashton Road. Leyland Green Road is easier for parking and is a short walk. There is a public footpath from there up to the minewater treatment site.
4 Cattle Egret at Downbrook Minewater Treatment site, Winstanley Road between Windy Arbour and Garswood. Parking for several cars at entrance to public footpath south of Gladden Hey Farm. Walk along public footpath to view fenced off treatment works, birds can be out of view inside green fence.
Minewater site is next to Gladden Hey Farm, Winstanley Rd, Ashton-in-Makerfield WN4 0UU.
Found by Chris Derbyshire but info thanks to Dave Broome.
One of the public footpaths to the disused reservoir is opposite 67 Leyland Green Road, not Leyland Green Lane, apologies. From there at the end of the track, before you reach the minewater treatment site, turn right, past the burned car(!) to enter the path around the perimeter of the disused reservoir. At a couple of spots it's possible to walk down in to the basin of the former reservoir and in to parts of the Willow scrub, where the bird called clearly at close range once this morning, though I couldn't see the bird. 3 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff and a Willow Tit were also hard to see, with just a glimpse of one Goldcrest. Min 20 Redwing and a Siskin. A continental race Song Thrush was seen well. 3 Teal also present.
-- Edited by dave broome on Tuesday 4th of October 2016 02:03:20 PM
Access to the disused reservoir adjacent to Downbrook Minewater Treatment site is along public footpath off Winstanley Rd just south of Gladden Hey Farm, continuing past the minewater treatment site, or off Leyland Green Lane, public footpath along farm track blocked by boulders then turn right at end in to site. A muddy path goes all way around the perimeter of former reservoir, with a couple of points of access down in to the middle of the site.
This Morning At least 20 Skylarks singing which was amazing not sure how may are on this area but there was also a lot of other skylarks feeding young 1 Wheatear 1 Reed Bunting 6 Meadow Pipits 2pr Lapwings rear of Gladden Hey Farm 1 Yellowhammer
32 Collared Dove feeding at Gladden Hey Farm this morning. At the overgrown former reservoir site and the adjacent minewater treatment site 22 Blackbird feeding, 1 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Willow Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 4 Bullfinch, 2 Teal
4 Wheatear 2 Buzzard 2 Kestrel 4 Skylark 4 Meadow Pipit 20+ Swallow at Gladden Hey Farm 30+ Lapwings in fields opp 22 Lapwings in field opp Windy Arbour Farm.
across the road from the main entrance this morning on farmland next to Barton Clough: 530 Black-Headed Gull, 12 Common Gull, 21 Lesser Black-Backed Gull, approx 40 Lapwing
35 Linnet, 20 Meadow Pipit and a minimum of 40 vocal and very active Skylark down on site this morning; small numbers of Meadow Pipit moving south in the haze
1 Wheatear, 3 Skylark and 1 Yellowhammer this morning a Kestrel was working hard in flight carrying what looked like a large Rat 1 Golden Plover flew south and 9 Goosanders SW
-- Edited by dave broome on Thursday 25th of August 2011 06:05:28 PM