I grew up birding sewage farms, after my dad first took me to Tyldesley Sewage Farm to look for Water Pipits at the age of 11-ish, always thanked my dad for that Tyldesley then became my local patch (along with Pennington) for many years until it became dis-used, a big shame because it was such a superb place.
Best thing was, that as kids of 7 and 8 year old, afew of us used to visit the sludge lagoons there and run across the dry crust on top (before I was a birder), the things you do as kids, thank god for health and safety
don't know if sewage farms are best on horrible, wet, muddy days or in the heat of summer with the stench and all the flies!! still they are pretty good for birds so we can't complain to much!!
Bit late I know, but I haven't been on the computer for a couple of days so here it is.........
Still atleast 1 Green Sandpiper at Hope Carr on the 18th of December with the Chiffchaff still knocking about, this time in bushes near the perimeter of the filter beds in the sewage farm-lovely! Lots of Pied Wags on the filter beds too, what a great day out sewage farms can be eh.