No news from yesterday, but whilst walking the down along the canal at 05.20 this morning prior to work I heard Redwings flying over and again Tawny Owl calling from the small wood area near the bottom entrance to Westport.
Some late news I'm just catching up on from Saturday (Brent Day) and also from Nick, Saturday 9th - 0720hrs to 1045hrs! saw plenty of migration overhead with ten Pied Wagtails, at least 16 Mipits over, one Brambling on the gas works and a possible six over later (quite a few small flocks of "silent, non-calling" finches over today), the first 21 Woodpigeon over of the autumn, two Redwing, a Lapwing, a Jackdaw, four Siskin, a Skylark and a Jay. Also two 1w Common Gulls thru, and a Brent Goose!
Back to today and I called down late afternoon from 17.30 - 18.30, very clear sky, slight east breeze felt cool.
Everything I saw was on the main lake except for 3 Mute Swans on the boating lake with the other 3 on the main plus a Goldcrest in the Tit flock on the top pool, my first of the Autumn, back to the main lake, 58 Tufted Ducks is a bit of a drop they really have been up and down over the last few months, were they are going to and from who knows!! 8 Great Crested Grebes, a pair of Pochard, the usual 3 'Mick Balls' (glad you took it in the fun it was intended Mick, pity a few other people couldn't be like that), a single adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and 3 Pied Wagtails along the grass verge and bank.
Monday, 11 October 2010
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Steve Seal's Photo's
As promised some photo's of today's Brent Goose at Westport Lake, thanks one again Steve.
09 October 2010
Nick Smith found the bird of the week if not the month this morning, first seen flying over at about 08.30 a Brent Goose then came into land at Westport on the main lake it's currently still present as I write this blog, a few thousand Brent's have recently arrived along the East coast and this has probably got separated from the flock, another single bird has also been found at Carsington Res in Derbys this morning.
I'm told this is the first Brent Goose at Westport for about 10 years, it spends most of it's time close to a Canada Goose on the edge of the boating ramp and near the old beach area, it was very wary and several times wanted to leave the water but wouldn't eventually it briefly went on the boating ramp and no rings where present and later it left the water near the beach area for a few minutes until some walkers passing pushed it back into the water again.
Photo's to follow shortly.
Also at Westport this morning, Nick also had a Brambling flying over.
Had a longer visit to Westport this afternoon from 15.00 - 16.55, weather was cloudy with sunny intervals with a pleasant 17c, quite a brisk easterly breeze.
A lone Tufted Duck was on the boating lake and another 60 on the main lake, the Brent Goose is still present at first it was down in the bottom left corner and later after a phone call from Nick saying someone else couldn't find it, I relocated it on the concrete feeding platform at the side of the boating ramp it then got back into the water and swam towards Ted Heath Rocks.
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I'm told this is the first Brent Goose at Westport for about 10 years, it spends most of it's time close to a Canada Goose on the edge of the boating ramp and near the old beach area, it was very wary and several times wanted to leave the water but wouldn't eventually it briefly went on the boating ramp and no rings where present and later it left the water near the beach area for a few minutes until some walkers passing pushed it back into the water again.
Photo's to follow shortly.
Also at Westport this morning, Nick also had a Brambling flying over.
Had a longer visit to Westport this afternoon from 15.00 - 16.55, weather was cloudy with sunny intervals with a pleasant 17c, quite a brisk easterly breeze.
A lone Tufted Duck was on the boating lake and another 60 on the main lake, the Brent Goose is still present at first it was down in the bottom left corner and later after a phone call from Nick saying someone else couldn't find it, I relocated it on the concrete feeding platform at the side of the boating ramp it then got back into the water and swam towards Ted Heath Rocks.
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Just a quick photo of the Brent Goose taken with my basic digital camera, some more to follow soon from the photographers!
At least 120+ Black-headed Gulls were between the two lakes and 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the main lake, the 3 'Mick Balls' as we now call them (sorry Mick no offence) are still present, one is possibly a 1st year male, just 6 Great Crested Grebes on the main lake, a single female Pochard was amongst the Tufted Ducks and 6 Mute Swans are split between the two lakes elsewhere a Little Grebe is still on the top pool in the nature reserve and a Kestrel flew over the old gas works, other than that it was very quiet with no Warblers seen or heard !
Friday, 8 October 2010
08 October 2010
Very quiet couple of days down at the 'pond', Mute Swan numbers remainstable at 6, Tufted Ducks continue to vary with 76 on the main lake today. also on here 3 Ruddy Duck, 2 Pochard and 'Sammy' Shoveler, a Chiffchaff was calling along the nature reserve side of the main lake and a Coal Tit on the canal side.
Yesterday Nick Smith had a Siskin flying over.
Yesterday Nick Smith had a Siskin flying over.
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
06 October 2010
Another bright sunny day but wet underfoot after heavy overnight rain, very little wind of note, temp 13c but felt warmer in the sun, visit from 07.50 - 10.00.
Mute Swans are back to 6 after the extra 2 that flew in last night have now disappeared again, Pied Wagtail numbers are still increasing slowly with 9 seen around the park today with 6 together near the car park, the male Shoveler was on the boating lake with a female Wigeon which later went onto the main lake, also on the main lake 57 Tufted Duck, just 6 Great Crested Grebes a pair of Pochard and a pair of Ruddy Duck, a Chiffchaff was singing along the nature reserve side of the main lake and another 3 were on the old sewage works, 6 Bullfinches were seen today with 2 by the top pool in the nature reserve, 2 on the gas works and 2 males on the sewage works, a single Willow Tit was in the nature reserve and 2 Redwings flew over the sewage works as did 2 Mistle Thrushes.
Mute Swans are back to 6 after the extra 2 that flew in last night have now disappeared again, Pied Wagtail numbers are still increasing slowly with 9 seen around the park today with 6 together near the car park, the male Shoveler was on the boating lake with a female Wigeon which later went onto the main lake, also on the main lake 57 Tufted Duck, just 6 Great Crested Grebes a pair of Pochard and a pair of Ruddy Duck, a Chiffchaff was singing along the nature reserve side of the main lake and another 3 were on the old sewage works, 6 Bullfinches were seen today with 2 by the top pool in the nature reserve, 2 on the gas works and 2 males on the sewage works, a single Willow Tit was in the nature reserve and 2 Redwings flew over the sewage works as did 2 Mistle Thrushes.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
05 October 2010
Called in Westport this afternoon for about an hour, weather was bright with slight cloud coverage, temp felt a bit cool as the sun dropped, breeze was light possibly from the south.
The two lakes were very quiet, Mute Swans have increased from 6 to 8 but couldn't see if the new ones were ringed or not, speaking of rings I noticed a Black-headed Gull on the post by the boating ramp with a metal ring but again couldn't get close enough to read it. Tufted Ducks were at 58, Great Crested Grebes 8, the 3 Ruddy Ducks are still present and 2 male Pochards so 1 of these is new in as well, while sat at the grass verge 8 Pied Wagtails flew over heading south, and that was about all I saw, I did meet up with Phil Jones who had been having a look along the stream in the nature reserve for Dipper after yesterdays unusual record of one at Berryhill, but no joy on that or much else sadly.
Oh well there's always tomorrow hey Nick!
Anybody any idea on this large Mushroom/Toadstool taken in the Nature Reserve at Westport close too a small marsh area, it's about 5-6'' across, cheers.
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The two lakes were very quiet, Mute Swans have increased from 6 to 8 but couldn't see if the new ones were ringed or not, speaking of rings I noticed a Black-headed Gull on the post by the boating ramp with a metal ring but again couldn't get close enough to read it. Tufted Ducks were at 58, Great Crested Grebes 8, the 3 Ruddy Ducks are still present and 2 male Pochards so 1 of these is new in as well, while sat at the grass verge 8 Pied Wagtails flew over heading south, and that was about all I saw, I did meet up with Phil Jones who had been having a look along the stream in the nature reserve for Dipper after yesterdays unusual record of one at Berryhill, but no joy on that or much else sadly.
Oh well there's always tomorrow hey Nick!
Anybody any idea on this large Mushroom/Toadstool taken in the Nature Reserve at Westport close too a small marsh area, it's about 5-6'' across, cheers.
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Monday, 4 October 2010
04 October 2010
After a busy period at work and getting use to long hours on my feet and then no Internet connection followed by a 2 day power cut in my street, I'M BACK.
Got a lot of catching up to do and apologies to all those who regularly read this blog I promise to try and keep back up to date in the future, I will start with today's news and then over the coming days try and add on previous weeks news.
It was a bright sunny start with very little cloud, breeze was moderate from the south, temp was 10c but felt a bit warmer in the sun, visit from 08.20 - 10.35.
Good numbers of Pied Wagtails were on the playing field and on the grass bank with 8 in total, a single Mistle Thrush was on the berries by the boating lake and car park, in total about 6 Meadow Pipits flew over while I was walking around, 6 Mute Swans were on both lakes, on the main lake, 3 Shovelers, 64 Tufted Duck, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Ruddy Ducks and a single male Pochard, a couple of Chiffchaffs were singing, one near the top pool and one on the old sewage works, a couple of Chaffinches flew over the old gas works and 2 Jays flew across here, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over high north, a single female Blackcap was feeding on berries on the sewage works, also on here 2 Bullfinches and 3 Rooks flew over which is a Westport year tick for me.
Below are a couple of pictures taken by Dave Kelsall of the female Common Scoter on the main lake a week last Sunday.
Got a lot of catching up to do and apologies to all those who regularly read this blog I promise to try and keep back up to date in the future, I will start with today's news and then over the coming days try and add on previous weeks news.
It was a bright sunny start with very little cloud, breeze was moderate from the south, temp was 10c but felt a bit warmer in the sun, visit from 08.20 - 10.35.
Good numbers of Pied Wagtails were on the playing field and on the grass bank with 8 in total, a single Mistle Thrush was on the berries by the boating lake and car park, in total about 6 Meadow Pipits flew over while I was walking around, 6 Mute Swans were on both lakes, on the main lake, 3 Shovelers, 64 Tufted Duck, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Ruddy Ducks and a single male Pochard, a couple of Chiffchaffs were singing, one near the top pool and one on the old sewage works, a couple of Chaffinches flew over the old gas works and 2 Jays flew across here, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over high north, a single female Blackcap was feeding on berries on the sewage works, also on here 2 Bullfinches and 3 Rooks flew over which is a Westport year tick for me.
Below are a couple of pictures taken by Dave Kelsall of the female Common Scoter on the main lake a week last Sunday.
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