NORTH WEST
CHESHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: A Ruddy Shelduck was at Parkgate Marsh RSPB (4th). A juvenile Kumlien’s Gull was around Sandbach Flashes (11th), and another juvenile was at Wimbolds Trafford (22nd), where a first-winter Caspian Gull was also present. A Cattle Egret was at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB (18th). WOOLSTON EYES: Ringing on No1 bed gave Goldfinch, Water Rail, Blackbird, Reed Bunting, Sparrowhawk and Bullfinch. Records included 70 Tufted Ducks, four Water Rails, two Jack Snipe, a Chiffchaff, Cetti’s Warbler, Kingfisher, Peregrine, 12 Snipe, 50 Fieldfares, two Ravens, 22 Sky Larks, two Rooks, a Great Black-backed Gull, Bittern and 1,500 Starlings. No3 bed ringing team had Teal, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen and Willow Tit. Records included 49 Bramblings, four Goldeneyes, 21 Bullfinches, four Snipe, 120 Greenfinches, a Cetti’s Warbler, Water Rail, two Pintails, 10 Shelducks, 60 Chaffinches, a Barn Owl, Raven, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Chiffchaff, Oystercatcher, 25 Fieldfares, 10 Redwings, 80 Pochards, 440 Black-headed Gulls, 60 Linnets and 33 Wigeon. Across the reserve, there were 70 Gadwall, 464 Teal, 122 Mallards, 24 Greylags, 93 Coots, 70 Shovelers, 663 Tufted Ducks and 10 Song Thrushes. Dave Steel
CUMBRIA
HIGHLIGHTS: Two Little Stints were at Port Carlisle (1st), with at least one remaining until the 18th. The same site also had 10 Scaup (2nd). Fourteen Snow Buntings were at the summit of Fairfield (2nd), with other sightings up to three at Silloth (2nd-12th), and two at Wolsty Banks NR (25th). Hawfinch sightings included two at Sizergh Castle (3rd-11th), one at Keswick (11th), 43 at Brown Robin CWT (21st) with 26 (26th), and as many as 20 at Latterbarrow CWT (22nd). Two Greenland White-fronted Geese flew over Lowther Park (9th). A Bittern was at Siddick Ponds NR (10th-18th), plus four Whooper Swans. A Great White Egret was at Kentmere Lake (18th). A Water Pipit was near Biggar Bank (19th). A ringtail Hen Harrier was at the airfield at Kirkbride (20th). Thirty Twite were at Grange-over-sands (23rd). A Spotted Redshank was at Haverigg (2nd). An adult Black Brant was in the Walney Channel (24th). A Hooded Crow was at Sandscale Haws (27th). The drake Smew remained around Derwent Water all month. A Scaup was at Walney Island (26th). A juvenile Iceland Gull was at Hallbankgate (6th-9th), and an adult was on Windermere for much of the month. Two Mealy Redpolls were at Grizedale Forest (24th).
GREATER MANCHESTER
HIGHLIGHTS: The Hooded Crow remained at Ashton-in-makerfield. A Smew was at Scotman’s Flash (17th-28th). The Red-breasted Merganser was at Sale and Chorlton WPS again (1st-7th), with others at Ogden Reservoir (3rd) and Audenshaw Reservoirs (19th). Two Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were at Dunham Massey CP. ELTON RESERVOIR: The Scaup lingered all month. A Jack Snipe was seen (8th). Two Little Egrets were present. A Brambling visited the feeders. The probable Mealy Redpoll was still reported. MERSEY VALLEY: A Jack Snipe was at Chorlton Ees (5th). Carrington Moss had a Green Sandpiper (8th) and Little Egret (5th). Ringed Plovers returned to the former Shell Chemicals site. Four Bramblings were on Shell NR (2nd). Ravens were seen regularly over Shell NR/ Carrington Moss. PENNINGTON FLASH: There was a Common Scoter (8th), Iceland Gull (2nd-26th), Caspian Gull (2nd-22nd), Yellow-legged Gull (1st-28th), four Kittiwakes (3rd), plus another (10th), five Mediterranean Gulls and three Little Egrets. OTHER SITES: A Short-eared Owl was on Horwich Moors (24th). Caspian Gulls were at Audenshaw Reservoirs (2nd-7th), Cutacre CP (4th) and Royton (9th-11th). Iceland Gulls were at Cutacre CP (10th-28th), Tyldesley (12th-15th), Gorton (13th) and Audenshaw Reservoirs (23rd-25th). A Caspian Gull was at Tyldesley (13th-14th). The Glaucous Gull remained at Hollingworth Lake, with 24 Whooper Swans there (23rd). A Mediterranean Gull was at Rumworth Lodge (12th and 21st), with two Ringed Plovers there (26th). A Hawfinch flew over Jumbles CP (4th). Two Ruddy Shelducks were at Orrell CP. Manchester Mosslands held 25 Bramblings, 11 Corn Buntings, two Merlins and two Woodcocks. Dr Paul Brewster (01606 590 491)
LANCASHIRE AND NORTH MERSEYSIDE
HIGHLIGHTS: An unseasonal Turtle Dove was at Preesall (from 10th). A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Ince Blundel (21st). A Green-winged Teal was at Crossens (3rd). Eight Great White Egrets were on Warton Marsh (2nd). Five Cattle Egrets were at Birkdale, with one at Churchtown, Stockport. EAST LANCASHIRE: A Scaup remained on Stocks Reservoir. A Common Scoter was at Barrow Lower Lodge, Clitheroe (from 11th). Twenty Snow Buntings were on Pendle Hill (12th). A Bittern was at Brockholes (13th-15th). Fishmoor Reservoir had a Glaucous Gull (16th) and Iceland Gull (18th). FYLDE REGION: Around 500 Whooper Swans were at Cockersands, with 92 on Warton Marsh and 79 on Lytham Moss. Seven Bewick’s Swans were on Lytham Moss and 10 in the Cockersands area. Some 6,000 Pinkfeet at Over Wyre had a Tundra Bean Goose, both races of Brent Goose and a Barnacle Goose among them. Some 4,000 Common Scoters were off Blackpool. Stanley Park, Blackpool had 66 Shovelers and 32 Gadwall. A Great White Egret was near Carr House, Green Common. Twenty Little Egrets were by Lytham Hall, with 12 on Lytham Moss. Black-tailed Godwits included 700 in the Lytham area, 1,000 on Newton Marsh, 500 at Pilling, 730 at Singleton, and 500 on Lytham Moss. St Anne’s Beach Marsh had 42 Snipe and a Jack Snipe (17th). A Red Kite was at Preesall (20th). Marsh Harriers were at Rawcliffe and Warton Marsh. Barn Owls hunted at Over Wyre. Six Ravens were at Pilling Lane Ends (16th) with one or two at several other sites. Four Water Pipits were at Burrows Marsh, Wyre. A Black Redstart was in a Bispham garden (20th-22nd). Twite included 59 at Knott End, 60 at Fluke Hall and 70 at Cockersands. Sixty Corn Buntings were east of Eagland Hill (5th), with 15 at Lytham Moss (11th). A Waxwing was at Lytham (3rd). Ten Bullfinches visited a garden at Savick, Preston. MARTON MERE: There were 200 Wigeon, 100 Teal, 74 Shovelers, 40 Tufted Ducks, five Pintails, two Pochards, two Shelducks, a Goldeneye and Bittern. SW LANCASHIRE-N MERSEYSIDE: Eleven Little Gulls were off Crosby (1st), with a Snow Bunting there all month. Two Short-eared Owls were at Lunt Meadows. A taiga Bean Goose was with Pinkfeet at Hightown. A Glaucous Gull was at Ainsdale (17th), with two Velvet Scoters there (18th). Seventy Twite were recorded at Southport Beach. Seven Bewick’s Swans were at Marshside. Three Little Stints are wintering on Crossens Inner Marsh. A Scaup was at Martin Mere WWT (4th) and later at Marshside. A Ruddy Shelduck near Hightown was of dubious origin. Maurice Jones
NORTH LANCASHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: The Chough remained at Heysham Head. An Iceland Gull was in Heysham Harbour throughout, with a Glaucous Gull (1st). Another Iceland Gull was off the Sandylands area of Morecambe (16th). The Velvet Scoter remained offshore. A Shag was seen intermittently off Heysham Harbour. An American Wigeon x Wigeon hybrid was at the Snab, Lune Valley (16th), with a Gadwall x Wigeon hybrid at Hare Tarn, Carnforth (from 23rd). Four Great White Egrets roosted at Leighton Moss. HEYSHAM OBSERVATORY: Wildfowl included 710 Eiders offshore, with a Shoveler (7th) and five Scaup (4th). The Goldeneye remained inshore. The two pale-bellied Brent Geese (to 16th) were joined by another (5th). There were three Mediterranean Gulls. Middleton held a Shoveler (1st), Green Woodpecker (20th) and Cetti’s Warbler (15th), and shared two Pochards with Glasson Marina. Birds in transit included seven Kittiwakes (12th), 19 Whooper Swans (25th) and 40 Sky Larks (18th). There were three Jack Snipe and a Green Sandpiper. The two wintering Stonechats remained. LEIGHTON MOSS: Four, possibly five Marsh Harriers were noted. A Bittern was seen intermittently. Maxima included 205 Gadwall and 91 Tufted Ducks. Fifteen Pochards on Silverdale Moss (25th-26th) was a significant record these days. Waders included a Curlew Sandpiper (20th-22nd), two Greenshanks and 16 Avocets. A flock of 120 Kittiwakes was off Jenny Brown’s Point (15th). OTHER SITES: Three Greenshanks were at the Snab (Lune Valley). The nearby Whooper Swan herd peaked at 35. Kevin Kelly and Pete Marsh