Both Wood Sandpipers present 16.00 to 17.00 although only one was showing at first. When the second one appeared they were both set upon by a fractious Moorhen and appeared to fly over to the next pool. They did return in time for Ian Woosey and Mike Duckham to get good views - nice to see you both
Woodcote Road off Sinderland Lane is the nearest road Ian. Best to park outside Woodcote Stables and walk north beyond the lake on the right. The middle pool is just east, behind the first lake. Henry.
Leucistic Black Headed Gull still around, didn't see any evidence of its normal mate, although it was being mobbed by some normal Black Headed Gulls
Pair of Shoveler Little Grebe Gadwall (two lots of small ducklings) Lapwing with 3 small chicks 10 Magpies in horse paddock all appeared to be non breeding adults c8 House Martin nesting near stables
-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Saturday 11th of June 2011 10:39:15 PM
Following your comments about racial variation (or not, as the case may well be) in Golden Plovers, I went out and bought Brykjedal & Thompson's "Tundra Plovers".
Fascinating read - but I think I'm starting to get obsessed (quiet at the back there! )
All ours in the county are (or have been as far as we know up to this point) islandica. Limosa would be a county mega (first no less) but their identification is a challenge at the very least
In understand that the first pool along the road from the riding school used to be a horse grazing paddock until the clay became "puddled" by constant use and now holds water. You have to look through the fence for this one. There are two more pools viewable from up the hill by turning right at the end of the fencing. I guess it is the first one of these pools that is being called the "second" pool and this was where the bird was?
-- Edited by sid ashton on Thursday 26th of May 2011 05:13:42 PM
Wood Sandpiper still present at 18.30 (info from Tony O'Mahoney)
At 12.30 I'd walked round to the back of the second pool lifted my binoculars and said to to myself **** me I've got a Wood Sand , the following seconds were 'do I stay and take notes ?' (it was 40 -50 metres away) or leg it back to the car and grab my scope and camera, knowing full wel that this is a GM rarity requiring a description. I took the second option. Thankfully I managed to relocate it after a few minutes and rang Ian at 12.50. I watched it until 15.30, hopefully got some record shots and took a description just in case. Brian Hilton arrived at 13.50 and Henry Cook at 15.00. The bird can disappear at times behind vegetation and viewing through the fence is a bind. Hope it sticks.
Just checked and it isn't a County rarity after all . Decent enough bird though
-- Edited by Pete Hines on Wednesday 25th of May 2011 08:03:26 PM
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Friday morning visit but no sign of Blue-headed Wagtail.
With reference to my late moulting White Wagtail a few days ago, there was further evidence of late moulting, concerning a Grey Wagtail with blotchy black throat markings, not a fully developed black throat of a male. Possibly the same bird I had mistakenly identified as a female a few days ago, which did have an odd mark on its throat at the time but which I'd discounted.
Also a female Yellow Wagtail near the filter beds. 5 House Martins plus numbers of Swallows, Swifts and Sand Martins.
Lapwing 4 Gadwall 6 Little Grebe 1 2 Coot families of 3 and 4 young. Canada Geese 2 adult and 5 young. etc.etc.
The Blue-headed Wagtail was present at 2.40pm in the first Horse Paddock just north of Woodcote Stables with a single Yellow Wagtail. Thanks for putting the news out Mike, not got near an internet source for a bit.
The interesting White Wagtail was still present on the marshy field Phil. Agree it looks like it's still in winter plumage, strange. Perhaps if it's not moulted into full sum.plum. this explains why it has not headed upto the expected breeding grounds yet.
The Cuckoo was heard calling from within the united utilities compound.
You're quite right Ian. And BHW could mean at least 2 different flava races! In fact i did put Blue Headed Wag as the title but it seems it might default to Re:Thread Title Anyway - Blue Headed Wag at ASW lol!!
Ian McKerchar wrote:
Mike Duckham wrote:
One BHW present with a Yellow, got text from Henerz a coupla hours ago, local birders could see it before dark if so inclined. Sure Henerz will be on later with more detailed directions. Cheers.
Mike, with reference to the current 'abbreviated and misspelled bird names' thread on this forum, an awful lot of visitors simply won't know what a BHW is I'm afraid
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
One BHW present with a Yellow, got text from Henerz a coupla hours ago, local birders could see it before dark if so inclined. Sure Henerz will be on later with more detailed directions. Cheers.
Mike, with reference to the current 'abbreviated and misspelled bird names' thread on this forum, an awful lot of visitors simply won't know what a BHW is I'm afraid
One BHW present with a Yellow, got text from Henerz a coupla hours ago, local birders could see it before dark if so inclined. Sure Henerz will be on later with more detailed directions. Cheers.
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Timperley life list c. 89 (ish). Barn Owl 4.11.19, Green Sand 27.8.19, Little Egret 13.2.19, ringtail harrier sp 20.10.18, Fawn Yawn 15.10.18, Grasshopper Warbler 15.4.16, Tree Pipit 13.4.16, Yellowhammer 5.4.15, Hobby May '11, Wigeon Dec '10
Grey Heron 1 Cormorant 1 over Shelduck 1m 1f Mallard 15+ Gadwall 6 Mute Swan 1 ad Little Grebe 1 Tufted Duck 2m 1f Canada Geese 9 ad and 5 young Coot 12+ including young Moorhen 4 Sand Martin 20+ Swift 2 Lapwing 4 BH Gull 5 Reed Bunting 1 singing Sedge Warbler 3 singing Grey Wagtail 1f White Wagtail? 1 with light grey crown, nape, mantle and rump, strong black bib but no black throat and no hint of yellow/brown of a juvenile Pied Wagtail. Could it be an adult female still in winter plumage?
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 28th of May 2011 08:05:30 PM