Dave Riley and Ron Brumby had a good morning on No.1 Bed on the Saturday, catching 38 birds with 22 new, including 5 Bramblings and 2 new Willow Tits, a third Willow Tit, originally ringed last year was also caught. Sightings on the bed included 40 Lapwings, 1 Water Rail, 1 Meadow Pipit flying north, 1 Nuthatch and 53 Jackdaws flying south.

The No3 bed team caught 5 new birds including 2 Bullfinches, 2 Great Tits and a Greenfinch.

Sightings on the reserve included 500 teal on No2 bed, 3 Woodcock, 4 Snipe, 8 Brambling and 800 Starling.

The only ringing on the reserve during the week was on No1 bed when Dave Riley was there on the Friday, although 33 birds were caught, on eight were new although that included two Brambling.

Dave Bowman, Les Jones and friends had a good Saturday morning and counts of birds seen included:

Waxwing 1 (as per Kieran Foster on No3 bed), Dunlin 2, Golden Plover 103, Lapwing 600, Woodcock 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Peregrine 2, Brambling 22, Water Rail 1, Willow Tit 1, Goldeneye 5, Teal 305, Pochard 46, Song Thrush 8, Stock Dove 19, Sparrowhawk 1, Kestrel 1, Buzzard 4, Reed Bunting 1, Bullfinch 11, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Cormorant 6, Common Gull 1, Black-headed Gull 70, Herring Gull 5, Lesser Black-backed Gull 35, Jay 8, Greenfinch 42, Robin 17, Dunnock 3, Tufted Duck 81, Carrion Crow 9, Gadwall 43, Mallard 32, Chaffinch 70, Magpie 18, Wren 2, Great Crested Grebe 3, Feral Pigeon 35, Blue Tit 7, Canada Goose 23, Coot 18, Shoveler 5, Shelduck 12, Mute Swan 8, Jackdaw 32, Rook 16, Pheasant 7 and Blackbird 25.

On the 2nd, Dave Hackett had counts of over 600 Teal, included 500 on No.2 bed, 350 Tufted Duck, 500 Lapwing were on fields to the south of No.1 bed, 1 Woodcock on No.2 bed and 4 snipe on the Loop of No.4 bed.

During the week ringing took place on No1 bed on the Tuesday and Thursday, 40 birds were caught over the two days, with 19 new including four Bramblings. On No3 bed, 19 birds were caught on the Saturday with six new including a Great Spotted Woodpecker, highlight amongst the ringed birds caught was a British control Brambling.

Sightings during the week included two flocks of 20 Siskins on Butchersfield Tip, while a visit on the Saturday morning yielded the following totals:

No3 bed: a significant return of Black-headed Gulls to the No.3 bed breeding colony with 220 present, Brambling 9, Pochard 9, Tufted Duck 11, Shelduck 5, Canada Goose 19, Common Gull 2, Herring Gull 3, Lesser Black-backed Gull 4, Coot 11, Moorhen 5, Shoveler 12, Jay 3, Redpoll 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 4, Pied Wagtail 2, Willow Tit 3, Bullfinch 3, Greylag Goose 3, Snipe 1, Chaffinch 40, Greenfinch 35, Dunnock 3, Gadwall 7, Teal c.120, Tufted Duck 11, Cormorant 1, Robin 7, Blackbird 9.

No1 bed, Bollin Point, Butchersfield Tip and the Weir Pool: 28 Golden Plover, 200 Lapwing, 30 Siskin, Tufted Duck 125, Little Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 1, Grey Wagtail 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Cormorant 5, Robin 12, Song Thrush 3, Skylark 15, Moorhen 2, Starling 9, Sparrowhawk 1, Bullfinch 4, Chaffinch 40, Greenfinch, 25, Common Buzzard 9, Dunnock 2, Mallard 9, Goldeneye 3, Gadwall 4, Stock Dove 2, Pochard 82, Shelduck 5, Goldfinch 23, Black-headed Gull 250, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 and Willow Tit 1.

During the week ringing took place on No1 bed on 24th when 33 birds were caught, 12 new including five Brambling. A brief ringing session on No3 bed resulted in four new birds, one Chaffinch and three Greenfinches. Michael Miles was on No3 bed on Wednesday and caught 23 birds with new birds being 3 Great Tits, 1 Chaffinch and 1 Branbling.

Sightings in the week included two Black-necked Grebes on No3 bed, 19 Shelduck, 4 Wigeon, 30 Bramblings, 2 Green Woodpecker and 3 Snipe all on 20th, 2 Water Rails and 46 Fieldfares on 22nd. A visit on 23rd produced the following counts: No3 bed: 30 Bramblings under the Morgan Hide feeders, 110 Chaffinches around the North Meadow, 2 Wigeon, 3 Goldeneye and 51 Pochard on the Weir Pool, 70 Teal, 10 Reed Buntings, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 Shelduck, 69 Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 170 Black-headed Gulls, 12 Shoveler, 4 Greylag Geese, 5 Grey Herons, 16 Goldfinches and 6 Bullfinches. A Thrush count turned up: 30 Blackbirds, 52 Redwings and 4 Song Thrushes.

PM 25.February.2013 Visited as permit holders had reported sighting of a female Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) on No 3 bed. The bird was present at least to 1600hrs and seen by several permit holders. Apparently this only the second record for the Eyes, the previous being over 20 years ago.

A female Long-tailed Duck was reported today, presumably from No.3 bed?

Cheers David

A good morning, covering No.3 bed and completing another BTO Winter Thrush Survey on Nos.3 and 4 beds, with Dave Steel, Les Jones and Al Warford. Highlights were: 30 Bramblings under the Morgan Hide feeders, 110 Chaffinches around the North Meadow, 2 Wigeon, 3 Goldeneye and 51 Pochard on the Weir Pool, 70 Teal, 10 Reed Buntings, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 6 Shelduck, 69 Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 170 Black-headed Gulls, 12 Shoveler, 4 Greylag Geese, 5 Grey Herons, 16 Goldfinches and 6 Bullfinches. The Thrush count turned up: 30 Blackbirds, 52 Redwings and 4 Song Thrushes.

Photo of one of the Greylags in front of the Morgan Hide

Cheers David

On the day the contractor finished his work for this year, No.3 bed held plenty of wildfowl and other birds. Among them were: 80 Teal, 8 Shelduck, 21 Shoveler, too many Canada Geese(!), 95 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Common Gull, lots of Bramblings still under the Morgan Hide feeders, 2 Water Rails, 46 Fieldfares in the centre of the bed, plus 6 Meadow Pipits and 8 Pied Wagtails feeding on the freshly dug areas.

Cheers David

Pochard numbers continue to increase and 188 were present today including 138 on the Weir Pool. Other wildfowl totals were 85 Gadwall,294 Tufted Duck,670 Teal,82 Mallard, 19 Shelduck and 4 Wigeon. 30 Brambling were on the feeders together with 2 Willow Tits and the usual Chaffinches and Greenfinches. 2 Green Woodpeckers were heard calling on No.1 bed and 3 Snipe were flushed. There was no sign of the Black-necked Grebe seen on Monday.

A survey of the fields to the south of the canal opposite No.1 bed produced 600 Lapwing, 70 Golden Plover, 20 Meadow Pipits and a singing Skylark.

Two Black-necked Grebes were reported, by a permit holder, on No.3 bed today. Brian Martin confirmed that at least one was still present before dusk today.

Cheers David

Bramblings remain in numbers under the feeders to the east of the centre hide.

A very pleasant morning started with a significant returnof Black-headed Gulls to the No.3 bed breeding colony, a sure sign that spring isn’t very far away. We (Dave Steel, Brian Baird, Al Warford, Mike Baron, Greg Baker and I) then spent an hour or so viewing from the Morgan Hide accumulating the following totals: Black-headed Gulls 220, Brambling 9, Pochard 9, Tufted Duck 11, Shelduck 5, Canada Goose 19, Common Gull 2, Herring Gull 3, Lesser Black-backed Gull 4, Coot 11, Moorhen 5, Shoveler 12, Jay 3, Redpoll 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 4, Pied Wagtail 2, Willow Tit 3, Bullfinch 3, Greylag Goose 3, Snipe 1, Chaffinch 40, Greenfinch 35, Dunnock 3, Gadwall 7, Teal c.120, Tufted Duck 11, Cormorant 1, Robin 7, Blackbird 9. We then had a brief meeting with the contractor about the work which has now started on the west side of the lagoon and which is already having a positive impact. The work will finish in a week’s time, hopefully in time for us to get the water levels up for the return of the Black-necked Grebes (again, hopefully) in mid-March.

We then covered No.1 bed, Bollin Point, Butchersfield Tip and the Weir Pool, with the main sightings being: 28 Golden Plover, 200 Lapwing, 30 Siskin, Tufted Duck 125, Little Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe 1, Grey Wagtail 1, Meadow Pipit 1, Cormorant 5, Robin 12, Song Thrush 3, Skylark 15, Moorhen 2, Starling 9, Sparrowhawk 1, Bullfinch 4, Chaffinch 40, Greenfinch, 25, Common Buzzard 9, Dunnock 2, Mallard 9, Goldeneye 3, Gadwall 4, Stock Dove 2, Pochard 82, Shelduck 5, Goldfinch 23, Black-headed Gull 250, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 and Willow Tit 1.

Cheers David

After the snow and heavy rain mid-week there was definitely a hint of spring today with higher temperatures and even some sunshine. Singing Chaffinches were present in good numbers along the canal track, together with Dunnocks and a few Song Thrushes. A Honey Bee was seen on No.3 bed. The first Black-headed Gulls are returning to the breeding colony and about 60 were on the water. Wildfowl included 114 Pochard (the highest total so far this winter),270 Tufted Duck, 5 Great-crested Grebes, and a Greylag Goose was amongst the 62 Canada Geese on No.3 bed. Other sightings of interest were two flocks of 20 Siskins on Butchersfield Tip and 9 Common Gulls (most at Latchford Locks) Work on No.3 bed is now drawing to a close and water levels are beginning to rise, most notably on the south pool.

Another brilliant winter morning on Nos. 3,2,1 beds and Bollin Point, with the usual (and ever expanding) suspects. Early drizzle had stopped by 8.00 am and a calm, dry day followed. Highlights were: a Waxwing over No.3 bed (per K. Foster), 22 Brambling on the Morgan Hide feeders and 4,000 Starlings from the No.3 bed roost, 2 Dunlin, 103 Golden Plover and 600 Lapwings on the flooded fields to the east of Lymm Golf Course, a Woodcock and a Green Woodpecker at Bollin Point and the Tip and a pair of Peregrines which together chased a flock of Feral Pigeons right over our heads at the Viaduct. Totals included:

Waxwing 1 (KF) Dunlin 2 Golden Plover 103 Lapwing 600 Woodcock 1 Green Woodpecker 1 Peregrine 2 Brambling 22 Water Rail 1 Willow Tit 1 Goldeneye 5 Teal 305 Pochard 46 Song Thrush 8 Stock Dove 19 Sparrowhawk 1 Kestrel 1 Common Buzzard 4 Reed Bunting 1 Bullfinch 11 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Cormorant 6 Common Gull 1 Black-headed Gull 70 Herring Gull 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull 35 Jay 8 Greenfinch 42 Robin 17 Dunnock 3 Tufted Duck 81 Carrion Crow 9 Gadwall 43 Mallard 32 Chaffinch 70 Magpie 18 Wren 2 Great Crested Grebe 3 Feral Pigeon 35 Blue Tit 7 Canada Goose 23 Coot 18 Shoveler 5 Shelduck 12 Mute Swan 8 Jackdaw 32 Rook 16 Pheasant 7 Blackbird 25

Cheers David (along with Les J., Brian B., Alan W., Jane C. and Paul H.)

A sunny but breezy day. Over 600 Teal included 500 on No.2 bed and 350 Tufted Duck were present. 500 Lapwing were on fields to the south of No.1 bed. Other sightings included a Woodcock on No.2 bed and 4 snipe on the Loop of No.4 bed.

On a bright, clear morning, Dave Steel, Les Jones, Al Warford, Brian Baird and I started on No.3 bed and ended up on No.1. Highlights were: 3 Woodcocks, 800 Starlings from the No.3 bed roost, 120 Teal, 8 Bramblings, 2 Siskins, 1 Redpoll, 7 Bullfinches, 2 Willow Tits in song on No.3 bed, 9 Goldfinches, 4 Reed Buntings, 3 Skylarks, 8 Fieldfares, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Grey Wagtail. Also managed to connect with Kev Brown, at Kieran Foster’s ringing station, which was good. Later, met with the contractor, who should be starting work on the west side of the lagoon in two weeks time.

Cheers David