Highlights from an early afternoon visit:

2 Scaup(1 imm male, 1 female), 2 Tufted Duck, 5 Goldeneye and 2 Goosander.

1 Buzzard, 1 calling Tawny Owl and 1 Raven.

1 Stock Dove.

1 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Treecreeper (5+) and Goldcrest(5+) both active and prominent.

Great egret feeding at North end of Little Wayoh 12.15pm

-- Edited by dstrath on Tuesday 22nd of November 2022 01:31:43 PM

2 Cuckoo this morning . One up Broadhead below The Toby and the other in woodland below Roundbarn.

Redstart, Garden Warbler and 3 Grasshopper Warbler also up Broadhead Valley 

Cuckoo this morning close to Martin's Farm at the bottom of Knowsley Lane in the Broadhead Valley.. 2 Grasshopper Warbler in the same area too ..

9.40am to noon

2 Great Crested Grebes
20 Canada Geese
1 Greylag
8 Mallards
11 Tufted Ducks
6 Moorhens
7 Coots
30+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Curlew
1 Buzzard
1 Raven
A few Chiffchaffs
2 Pied Wagtails
Numerous Siskins
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
+ the usual resident species

9.50am to noon

3 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
22 Canada Geese
Pair of Greylags
30+ Mallards
Lots of Teal heard, only a few seen out in the open
16 Tufted Ducks
2m Goosanders
5 Moorhens
4 Coots
65 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull flew through
1 Dipper
1 Raven
1 Skylark

9.50am to 12.10pm.

3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
7 Canada Geese
40+ Mallards
35+ Teal
9 Tufted Ducks
2 Moorhens
1 Coot
20+ Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

There did not seem many woodland birds about, until I came across various species mobbing a Tawny Owl by the brook at the top end. Most of the commoner woodland species were joined by a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The same area had a couple of Buzzards, one flying over and one being mobbed by a Crow.
Great Spotted Woodpeckers were also seen in two other areas this morning.

After finishing checking the reservoir I headed up Embankment Road. Two Mistle Thrushes were on the field by the road, a Buzzard circled above, and a Raven was being mobbed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull. The Raven was seen again a few minutes later flying low across Greens Arms Road.
When I got to the Chetham Arms the Buzzard & the Raven could be heard flying around together somewhere up above the pub.

Late morning check of the reservoir birds.

3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
25 Mallards
27 Teal
8 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosanders
1 Moorhen
12 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls

Not much around the woodland, but I did hear a few Fieldfares.

11.25am to 12.25pm

1 Great Crested Grebe
10 Cormorants
10 Canada Geese
83 Mallards
6 Teal
7 Moorhens
50+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Kingfisher

Along Overshores Road I came across 20+ Fieldfares + numerous Goldfinches and Greenfinches

9.15am to 10.55am.

1 Great Crested Grebe
7 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
78 Mallards
1 Wigeon
2 Teal
4 Moorhens
50+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Kingfisher
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Pied Wagtail

I have always suspected that when I get Crossbills around the top end of Little Wayoh that they are birds using Entwistle Reservoir as well, which is exactly what I saw this morning.
As I crossed the railway bridge at Entwistle Station two very noisy Crossbills flew over me, coming out of the Wayoh conifers, and heading across the fields towards Entwistle Reservoir.

9.00am to 10.45am.

1 Great Crested Grebe
7 Cormorants
6 Grey Herons
80+ Canada Geese
1 Greylag
56 Mallards
4 adult Moorhens, 2 adult sized juveniles, & a small juvenile
1 Coot
1 Common Sandpiper
90+ Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Tern
30+ House Martins around the houses on Embankment Road. Others around the centre of Chapeltown.
A great view of a male Sparrowhawk perched on a branch above the footpath just a few yards away. Juveniles heard calling nearby.

9.40am to 11.55am.

3 Great Crested Grebes
6 Cormorants
4 Grey Herons
1 Greylag
42 Canada Geese
47 Mallards
3 Moorhens
7 Coots included a couple of juveniles
2 Oystercatchers
35+ Black-headed Gulls included juveniles
1 adult Mediterranean Gull
Some larger gulls circling around very high up with a Buzzard
8 Common Terns
1 Swift
1 Swallow
A few House Martins drifted over from Chapeltown
1 Kestrel flew across the reservoir
+ the usual woodland species

Nice views of a Cuckoo today at the top of Broadhead Valley..

Grasshopper Warbler below the Toby Inn

8.45 to 13.10.

Wayoh :-
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
8 Canada Geese
8 Mallards
6 Tufted Ducks
8 Moorhens
6 Coots
1 Curlew
4 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1m Sparrowhawk on the floor by the reservoir edge
1 Swallow
4 Blackcaps, 14 Chiffchaffs, 20 Willow Warblers, + the usual species.

Broadhead Valley :-
3 Canada Geese, 1 Mallard, 1 Moorhen, 2 Buzzards, 7 Lapwings, 3 Stock Doves, 4 Skylarks, 14 Meadow Pipits, 2 Swallows, 4 Pied Wagtails, pair of Stonechats, 2m + 1f Wheatears, 11 Willow Warblers, 3 Ravens, a few Chaffinches, Goldfinches, & Lesser Redpolls, 3 Reed Buntings.

7.30am to 10.30am (which includes my time around Entwistle Reservoir)

5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Grey Herons
8 Canada Geese
11 Mallards
4 Tufted Ducks
4 Goosanders
3 Moorhens
4 Coots
12 Black-headed Gulls
4 Swallows

8.30 to 13.15.

Wayoh :-
5 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 21 Canada Geese,
27 Mallards, 2 pairs of Teal, 2m + 2f Tufted Ducks, 1m + 3f Goosanders, 9 Goldeneyes (2m + 2f on Little Wayoh & an interesting group of 5 birds in the middle of the main reservoir which at first glance from a distance looked like 5 females. On closer inspection one had some white on it's sides, one had white face patches starting to show, and the other 3 still looked like females).
7 Moorhens, 9 Coots, 18 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Curlew, 1 Grey Wagtail, 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Lesser Redpolls, + the usual species :-
Pheasants, 90+ Woodpigeons, Collared Doves, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes, Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Magpies, Jackdaws, 1 Rook, Carrion Crows, Starlings, House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Siskins, & Bullfinches.
Amongst the Carrion Crows was the white one which I have not seen for quite a while.
Also saw my first Common Toad of the year..

Broadhead Valley birds included :-
1 Grey Heron, 9 Canada Geese, 1 Mallard, 1 Moorhen, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 8 Lapwings, 6 Curlews, 9 Stock Doves, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker,
7 Skylarks, 47 Meadow Pipits, 5 Pied Wagtails, pair of Stonechats, 1 Wheatear, 2 Nuthatches, a flock of 10 Goldfinches + a few individual Goldfinches, & 2 Reed Buntings.

10.00am to 12.25pm.

5 Great Crested Grebes
8 Canada Geese
9 Mallards
Teal heard only
4m + 3f Tufted Ducks
Pair of Goldeneye
1f Goosander
Only 2 Moorhens seen. Similar to Jumbles with birds sheltering from the wind giving lower than normal count.
5 Coots
2 Curlews on adjoining field again
17 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

11.45am to 12.55pm.

4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Canada Geese
16 Mallards
2 pairs of Teal
4m + 3f Tufted Ducks
1m Goldeneye
5m + 6f Goosanders
8 Moorhens
7 Coots
2 Curlews on an adjoining field
38 Black-headed Gulls

8.10am to 12.20pm.

Wayoh :-
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron flying over
5 Canada Geese
22 Mallards, Teal heard only, 4m + 4f Tufted Ducks, 1m Goldeneye, 4m + 5f Goosanders
10 Moorhens, 8 Coots
22 Black-headed Gulls
Pair of Kestrels
1 Skylark
2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail
1 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing
+ the usual residents, Pheasants, Stock Dove as usual near the viaduct, Woodpigeons, Great Spotted Woodpeckers (4), Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Magpies, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Starlings, House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Siskins, & Bullfinches.

Broadhead Valley birds included :-
6 Canada Geese, 2 Buzzards, 2 Curlews, 14 Stock Doves, 4 Skylarks, 12 Meadow Pipits, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1f Stonechat, 1 Raven, 1 Lesser Redpoll.

8.00am to 10.15am.

2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Grey Heron
19 Canada Geese
20 Mallards
Pair of Teal at top end of Little Wayoh & another pair in conservation area on main Wayoh
4m + 2f Tufted Ducks
5 Moorhens
6 Coots
13 Black-headed Gulls
4 Herring Gulls flew across without landing

9.10am to 12.55pm.

Wayoh :-
3 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
22 Canada Geese
16 Mallards
2m + 1f Teal
6m + 4f Tufted Ducks
Pair of Goldeneye
4m + 3f Goosanders
9 Moorhens
4 Coots
22 Black-headed Gulls
+ all the usual woodland species

Broadhead Valley :-
1 Grey Heron, 2 Canada Geese, 1f Goosander, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzards, 5 Pheasants, 20 Lapwings, 1 Curlew, 9 Stock Doves, 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Wrens, 4 Robins, 2 Blackbirds,
15 Redwings, 12 Magpies, 8 Carrion Crows, 3 Starlings.
Surprisingly no Skylarks or Meadow Pipits back yet.

Wayoh Fold Farm :-
A few Long-tailed Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, & Siskins.
1 House Sparrow (my first here since last summer) & 1 Nuthatch also here.

11.30am to 12.30pm.

6 Great Crested Grebes
19 Canada Geese
45 Mallards
11 Tufted Ducks
1m Goldeneye
2 Moorhens
1 Coot
28 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

8.55 to 13.00 around reservoir & up the valley.

Reservoir :-
1 Little Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 9 Canada Geese, 40 Mallards, numerous Teal (heard only), 20 Tufted Ducks, 1 Goldeneye, 6 Moorhens,
12 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Oystercatcher flying across, 1 Kingfisher.
Not much around the woodland, just the usual species.
12 Redwings in a field off Embankment Road.

Broadhead Valley :-
Nothing along the top track but as I got to the bottom fields I spotted a mixed flock on one. 32 Starlings, 3 Fieldfares, 1 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush.
Along the bottom track birds included a Grey Heron, a Buzzard flying over, 8 Stock Doves, a Meadow Pipit, a Song Thrush, 2 Blackbirds, 18 Magpies, & 6 Carrion Crows.

9.25am to 12.05pm. Lots of ice on Little Wayoh but main reservoir ice free.

2 Great Crested Grebes
5 Cormorants
45 Mallards
17 Teal
13 Tufted Ducks
1m Goldeneye
2m + 1f Goosanders
64 Black-headed Gulls
3 Moorhens
5 Coots
1 Buzzard chased across the reservoir by a Carrion Crow
1m Sparrowhawk flying low & fast along the edge of the reservoir
1 Tawny Owl heard
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
+ the usual species