Unfortunately for me I'm currently working 12hrs days at work, which means leaving in the dark and returning home likewise, this of course means no Westport, well except when I'm walking the dog along the canal hope to hear an Owl or something.
Today at Westport, Jeff Jones had the Green Woodpecker between the top pool and the railway line at 09.40.
Bird or birds of the day came about 10mins later from Steve Seal when he had a flock of 20+ Waxwings flying over the lake calling, they went over the top end of the lake towards the housing estate by the gas works, these are new for the year list and buts the Westport list on 127 for the year.
While walking the dog in the dark this evening along the canal, a small flock of Geese flew over calling, probably Canada Geese, not heard any Redwings going over for a while now, so I guess the main migration push has now gone through.
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Sunday, 21 November 2010
21 November 2010
Nick Smith had a decent morning while some of us were busy working hard! The drake Goosander from yesterday was still present, moving between the boating and main lakes, also a nice female/immature Peregrine flew low over the gas works chasing a Feral Pigeon plus a fly over Rook and a Great Black-backed Gull, the latter is the 1st record since last January.
Slightly later in the morning and Jeff Jones had a Snipe, it flew around the lake three times before diving into the nature reserve, again the first record since last winter and yet another sign that winter is well and truly upon us.
I managed a walk around the 2 main lakes this afternoon after work for just over an hour, a pair of very nervous Shoveler were on the main lake briefly before flying off south, I'm sure that the male wasn't 'Sammy' as it was acting too nervous and edgy, totally different too his normal behaviour, just a single Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake with at least another 8+ on the main lake, a Willow Tit was calling along the edge of the nature reserve side of the main lake, 25 Pochards were on the main lake although earlier this morning Nick had nearly double that, the family of 3 Mute Swans are still sticking together and looking a bit lonely now the other 30+ have left, a single female Goldeneye is still present although it can be difficult too find at times as it's diving non stop, also on the main lake, the 1st year Little Grebe remains and a rather tame Grey Heron was fishing along the bank as people walked within feet of it.
Lastly and just for you Nick as I know you worry about my poor, poorly legs and feet with my tendonitis, I found the new bench you told me about at Westport, and it was very compy thanks!
New posh bench at Westport, sadly put looking at a big tree and not the lake, but knowing the council they will probably cut the tree down instead of moving the bench!
Slightly later in the morning and Jeff Jones had a Snipe, it flew around the lake three times before diving into the nature reserve, again the first record since last winter and yet another sign that winter is well and truly upon us.
I managed a walk around the 2 main lakes this afternoon after work for just over an hour, a pair of very nervous Shoveler were on the main lake briefly before flying off south, I'm sure that the male wasn't 'Sammy' as it was acting too nervous and edgy, totally different too his normal behaviour, just a single Great Crested Grebe on the boating lake with at least another 8+ on the main lake, a Willow Tit was calling along the edge of the nature reserve side of the main lake, 25 Pochards were on the main lake although earlier this morning Nick had nearly double that, the family of 3 Mute Swans are still sticking together and looking a bit lonely now the other 30+ have left, a single female Goldeneye is still present although it can be difficult too find at times as it's diving non stop, also on the main lake, the 1st year Little Grebe remains and a rather tame Grey Heron was fishing along the bank as people walked within feet of it.
Lastly and just for you Nick as I know you worry about my poor, poorly legs and feet with my tendonitis, I found the new bench you told me about at Westport, and it was very compy thanks!
New posh bench at Westport, sadly put looking at a big tree and not the lake, but knowing the council they will probably cut the tree down instead of moving the bench!
Friday, 19 November 2010
19 November 2010
Spent around 2 hours at Westport this mid morning, dry with a kight fog, and very little breeze, will have to be a short blog today as I'm running late for work!
Just a single Great Crested Grebe and the male Shoveler on the boating lake, on the main lake, the family of 3 Mute Swans, 31 Tufted Ducks. another 3 Great Crested Grebes, a single Little Grebe, 21 Pochard and singles of Common Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull.
In the nature reserve, a Kingfisher on the top pool, 2 Willow Tits, 2 Siskins, 3 Bullfinch, a single Grey Heron and the same or another on Jeffs Pool on the gas works also on the gas works and the sewage works, 1 Jay, 1 Sparrowhawk and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
Just a single Great Crested Grebe and the male Shoveler on the boating lake, on the main lake, the family of 3 Mute Swans, 31 Tufted Ducks. another 3 Great Crested Grebes, a single Little Grebe, 21 Pochard and singles of Common Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull.
In the nature reserve, a Kingfisher on the top pool, 2 Willow Tits, 2 Siskins, 3 Bullfinch, a single Grey Heron and the same or another on Jeffs Pool on the gas works also on the gas works and the sewage works, 1 Jay, 1 Sparrowhawk and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
17 November 2010
My first proper visit to Westport in ages and the bloody weather was awful, non stop heavy rain with a strong east/southeast wind, temp 7c but felt cooler with the wind and rain, visit from 08.10 - 09.50.
The boating lake was totally deserted and didn't bode well for the rest of the visit, on the main lake the family of 3 Mute Swans which later moved onto the pools in the nature reserve, I only managed to count 29 Tufted Ducks through the rain, although there were probably more the numbers of Tufted Ducks have been dropping off over recent weeks, the male Shoveler was also on the main lake with 20 Pochards and a single Goldeneye, among the Black-headed Gulls a single Common Gull and a Jackdaw was in the trees by the old toilet block, a single male Bullfinch was by the sidings with a further 3 on the old gas works, back to the main lake and only 3 Great Crested Grebes were seen with a single Little Grebe, lastly bird of the day which made the visit all worth while was a Woodcock in the nature reserve not far from the boardwalk bridge near the stream, the dog flushed it and it flew a short distance towards the small marsh area just over the boardwalk bridge, I had a look around this area but couldn't relocate it, a Westport tick for me and made a horrid visit all worth while.
Nick had told me last week that some work had been going on in the nature reserve area, the following pictures below show some of the works carried out.
The boating lake was totally deserted and didn't bode well for the rest of the visit, on the main lake the family of 3 Mute Swans which later moved onto the pools in the nature reserve, I only managed to count 29 Tufted Ducks through the rain, although there were probably more the numbers of Tufted Ducks have been dropping off over recent weeks, the male Shoveler was also on the main lake with 20 Pochards and a single Goldeneye, among the Black-headed Gulls a single Common Gull and a Jackdaw was in the trees by the old toilet block, a single male Bullfinch was by the sidings with a further 3 on the old gas works, back to the main lake and only 3 Great Crested Grebes were seen with a single Little Grebe, lastly bird of the day which made the visit all worth while was a Woodcock in the nature reserve not far from the boardwalk bridge near the stream, the dog flushed it and it flew a short distance towards the small marsh area just over the boardwalk bridge, I had a look around this area but couldn't relocate it, a Westport tick for me and made a horrid visit all worth while.
Nick had told me last week that some work had been going on in the nature reserve area, the following pictures below show some of the works carried out.
Top pool area
New fencing near the top bridge
Clearing of scrub by the boardwalk bridge.
Monday, 15 November 2010
15 November 2010
A quick look at the lakes this morning before going into work for overtime, just 20+ Tufted Ducks, 13 Pochards, , 5+ Great Crested Grebes and singles of Grey Heron and Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Below is the recent Nuthatch taken at Westport by Steve Seal.
Below is the recent Nuthatch taken at Westport by Steve Seal.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
13 November 2010
Not a good day to live in Stoke when your a Liverpool fan, oh well moving on, a couple of report s from yesterday first.
Steve Seal had a Nuthatch by the visitors centre, also 5 Mistle Thrushes and a female Goldeneye on the main lake, next report comes from Pete Lunt who had 8 Pochard as well as the Goldeneye a female Wigeon and the Shoveler, around the lake and nature reserve, Jay, Siskin, Goldfinch, 3 Willow Tits, 5 Bullfinch and a Coal Tit.
Today from Nick Smith, 4 female Goldeneye and a male Goosander flew over.
Steve Seal had a Nuthatch by the visitors centre, also 5 Mistle Thrushes and a female Goldeneye on the main lake, next report comes from Pete Lunt who had 8 Pochard as well as the Goldeneye a female Wigeon and the Shoveler, around the lake and nature reserve, Jay, Siskin, Goldfinch, 3 Willow Tits, 5 Bullfinch and a Coal Tit.
Today from Nick Smith, 4 female Goldeneye and a male Goosander flew over.
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
10 November 2010
Not much news received recently, I've been busy at work doing a bit of overtime, need the extra cash with Xmas around the corner.
Yesterday Dave Kelsall had 4 female and a male Goldeneye and an couple of Teal on the main lake, a interesting report came via Birdforum were a member had a Woodcock fly from near the bridge area were the Terrapins sun themselves, this is only the second ever record for Westport with the previous one being last January.
I've since found out there have actually been other records of Woodcock at Westport, how many I'm not sure, there is no mention of them in the Westport bird report although that only runs up to 2002, however that said it's still a very good record for Westport and it's a bird that should start to increase in numbers now as the nature reserve gets more mature over the coming years.
Yesterday Dave Kelsall had 4 female and a male Goldeneye and an couple of Teal on the main lake, a interesting report came via Birdforum were a member had a Woodcock fly from near the bridge area were the Terrapins sun themselves, this is only the second ever record for Westport with the previous one being last January.
I've since found out there have actually been other records of Woodcock at Westport, how many I'm not sure, there is no mention of them in the Westport bird report although that only runs up to 2002, however that said it's still a very good record for Westport and it's a bird that should start to increase in numbers now as the nature reserve gets more mature over the coming years.
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