A quick look over No.6 tank was productive in that it had c1000 Black-tailed Godwit, c400 Lapwing, a scarce Common Pochard and our very own Black-necked Grebe.
Observer and images: Paul Ralston.
A ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier was briefly on No.3 tank and seen by Arthur Harrison.
It wasn’t immediately obvious as I walked along the track that looks over No.6 tank after my day in work that the Black-necked Grebe was present, so I made my way along to my viewing spot and started to count some of the 1200 Black-tailed Godwit resting up from the rising tide out on the Mersey estuary.
A single Dunlin was small change for the 1000+ that have been here recently. A flock of c60 Common Redshank had with them 5 Ruff and c500 Northern Lapwing.
After satisfying myself that there was no other waders present I started to look through the Eurasian Teal that were scattered far and wide and was eventually rewarded with a fine Garganey that make or make not me the same bird seen previously.
Walking back I stopped off to look again for the Black-necked Grebe and this time it was sat out with 27 Tufted Duck, an eclipse drake Common Pochard and c20 Little Grebe providing a nice comparison with its slightly smaller cousins.
Common Darter, No.5 tank, Frodsham Marsh.
Painted Lady showing underwing.
There were plenty of Black-tailed Chaser, Common Darter and Migrant Hawker on the wing with still many ‘fresh’ Painted Lady Butterflies along my path back home.
Observer: WSM (images and videos).
A Long weekend off ahead and an early start to my marsh walk. The River Weaver was quiet with just the usual Canada Goose flocks being present and likewise Mallard, Common Shelduck and a few Eurasian Teal on the water. There were 2 Common Sandpiper with a few Common Redshank, a single Common Ringed Plover and 5 Black-tailed Godwit were with a flock of c40 Northern Lapwing at the junction of the Weaver estuary and Manchester Ship Canal.
A flock of c60 Common Swift were hawking above the ship canal and Marsh Farm with a smaller number of Barn Swallow and martins.
On the ‘Canal Pools’ were c40 Eurasian Coot, 5 Mute Swan, a pair of Little Grebe were noted. On one of the hidden scrapes were c20 Northern Shoveler, a few Eurasian Teal and Mallard.
Also seen were c30 Black-tailed Godwit feeding in the shallow water, while several Eurasian Skylark were flushed as I walked by. The ‘phalarope pool’ held 6 Gadwall and 2 Green Sandpiper. A charm of c200 European Goldfinch were being kept in the air by a Eurasian Sparrowhawk patrolling the areal.
No.6 tank had a flock of c800 Black-tailed Godwit, c200 Common Redshank which rose as one when a pair of Common Buzzard and another Eurasian Sparrowhawk passed over the tank.
Ducks included Eurasian Teal, more Mallard, Common Shelduck and Tufted Duck with a single drake Common Pochard. Little Grebe tallied 11 birds and the long staying Black-necked Grebe.
Willow warbler and Chiffchaff were feeding near the ramp track and a family group of 7 Mistle Thrush (an uncommon species for the marshes) were feeding in the pony paddock on Moorditch Lane and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew overhead.
Observer and images: Paul Ralston.
Walking out to No.6 tank this evening I was rewarded with c30 Common Swift again taking advantage of the midges above the track that separates No.5 from No.6 tank.
A couple of flocks containing c1000 Black-tailed Godwit including 11 juvenile birds were immediately obvious. The Common Redshank were feeding below he banks of the south side and numbered 34 with10 Common Ringed Plover, 23 Dunlin, a single Common and 2 Green Sandpiper. The flock of 5 juvenile Ruff fed with Eurasian Teal below my watch point.
The Black-necked Grebe was again in the eastern sector of the tank with 17 Little Grebe and 32 Tufted Duck. A small number of Northern Shoveler and family parties of Gadwall were rough riding the choppy waters.
A flock of 30 Raven flew south during my watch.
A few images from my walk along the Bridgewater canal from Runcorn to Manchester.
Observer: (video and images) WSM.
An after work jaunt down to No.6 tank for a couple of hours birding. On my arrival there were c100 Common Swift zipping low over the tree tops and giving their usual close views.
A flock of c500 Black-tailed Godwit had 21 Common Redshank, 12 Common Ringed and 2 Little Ringed Plover, 20 Common Snipe and 6 Ruff.
Ducks were scattered across a wide area on the water and included 10’s of juvenile Eurasian Teal.
Observer and images: WSM.
A few highlights from a brief visit to No.6 tank by Mark (Whipper) Gibson. The Black-necked Grebe was again at the eastern corner of the tank ad 20 Dunlin, 5 Common Ringed Plover and 15 Common Swift flying over.
Image by WSM.
The Black-necked Grebe was sat out in the middle of the tank with a group of Tufted Duck and Little Grebe. Ducks included an assortment with Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler, Mallard and Common Shelduck were all present, and no doubt the Garganey were amongst them but I didn’t manage to pick.
Several hundred Black-tailed Godwit were in the shallows with more birds dropping in to join them as I walked around the tank. There were Redshank feeding with the Northern Lapwing flock at the edge of the water as were 2 Ruff.
The mitigation pools held c80 Canada Goose a few Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Gadwall and c30 Black-tailed Godwit. A look over the ‘secluded pool’ which held 4 Little Grebe and a Mute Swan and a Barn Owl was flushed from its roost in a hawthorn bush and dropped in to the silver birches in the reed bed.
A ship on the Manchester Ship Canal dredger birth and was discharging its load into the sludge pipes which disgourged itself into the tank.
A few lingering Common Swift, Barn Swallow and martins were hawking over the path as I made my way around the track. One of the young Kestrel was surprised by me as it feed on a mouse on the southern ramp and flew off leaving what was left of its meal. A few Common Whitethroat and Chiffchaff were noted feeding in bushes along Lordship Lane.
Observer and images: Paul Ralston.
Highlights from my visit to No.6 tank revealed: Black-necked Grebe, 11 Little Grebe, Ringed Plover, c490 Canada Goose, c950 Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, 3 Ruff, 17 Common Redshank, 12 Common Swift and Yellow Wagtail.
Joe Chester.
