The Great Outdoors: Photography, Birds & Bats (Bickershaw Country Park, Pennington Flash & Wigan Flashes) Camping, Astronomy, Aircraft and Amateur Radio.
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Friday, 12 October 2012
Monday, 10 September 2012
Pennington Flash - Leigh 9th Sept 2012
TRIP: Pennington Flash
DATE: 9/9/2012
START: 13.15 FINISH: 18:15
This was a first for us and what a venue it proved to be. Lots of hides all within easy reach of each other on good pathways. Each hide had something special, the Bunting Hide was perfect for finches, tits etc whilst the Horrocks was great for waders, gulls and greenshank. It was the Greenshank that took us to Pennington after seeing it listed in the MCR Bird Forum - County Listings.
We added a few to our new bird checklist which is slowly growing. Another highlight was the Kingfisher, it doesn't matter how many times we see these it is always a pleasure to watch. Such handsome fellows. It was a great day we will certainly be back here on a regular basis.
New!
Greenshank x1, From hide no.2 it walked down the left hand side of the island to just in front of the hide.
Greenfinch x 6 (Bunting Hide)
Willow Tit x1 (Bunting Hide: Red/White bands on left leg, Red/Grey on right)
Others
Kingfisher x1
Bullfinch x2 male and female
Chaffinch x1
Blue Tit x 4
Great Tit x 4
Little Grebe x2
Usual
Mallards x many
Lapwing c20
Canada Geese x4
Black Headed Gulls x many
Magpies c12
Coots c15
Grey heron x3 (1 actively fishing)
Mute Swan c26
Moorhen, 2 x parents and 5 x juveniles
Images:
DATE: 9/9/2012
START: 13.15 FINISH: 18:15
This was a first for us and what a venue it proved to be. Lots of hides all within easy reach of each other on good pathways. Each hide had something special, the Bunting Hide was perfect for finches, tits etc whilst the Horrocks was great for waders, gulls and greenshank. It was the Greenshank that took us to Pennington after seeing it listed in the MCR Bird Forum - County Listings.
We added a few to our new bird checklist which is slowly growing. Another highlight was the Kingfisher, it doesn't matter how many times we see these it is always a pleasure to watch. Such handsome fellows. It was a great day we will certainly be back here on a regular basis.
New!
Greenshank x1, From hide no.2 it walked down the left hand side of the island to just in front of the hide.
Greenfinch x 6 (Bunting Hide)
Willow Tit x1 (Bunting Hide: Red/White bands on left leg, Red/Grey on right)
Others
Kingfisher x1
Bullfinch x2 male and female
Chaffinch x1
Blue Tit x 4
Great Tit x 4
Little Grebe x2
Usual
Mallards x many
Lapwing c20
Canada Geese x4
Black Headed Gulls x many
Magpies c12
Coots c15
Grey heron x3 (1 actively fishing)
Mute Swan c26
Moorhen, 2 x parents and 5 x juveniles
Images:
 |
| Greenshank |
 |
| Greenshank |
 |
| Greenshank |
 |
| Greenfinch |
 |
| Willow Tit |
 |
| Lapwing |
 |
| Mute Swan |
 |
| Grey Heron |
 |
| Kingfisher |
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Broad Ees Dole (Sale WP) 4th Sept 2012
TRIP: SWP - Borad Ees Dole
DATE: 4/9/2012
START: 18.00 FINISH 20.00
Sale Water Park is very close to me and easily accesible. It links in to the Mersey Valley, a system of nature reserves across Urmston, Stretford, Sale. Chorlton and including 2 water parks.
At Sale WP there is a small hide made of concrete so it keeps the weather out. This looks over a small area of water called Broad Ees Dole. The Dole is home to many Canada Geese along with many others.
New
Black Headed Gull c35
House Sparrow x7
Others
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Mallards
Canada Geese
Pictures:
DATE: 4/9/2012
START: 18.00 FINISH 20.00
Sale Water Park is very close to me and easily accesible. It links in to the Mersey Valley, a system of nature reserves across Urmston, Stretford, Sale. Chorlton and including 2 water parks.
At Sale WP there is a small hide made of concrete so it keeps the weather out. This looks over a small area of water called Broad Ees Dole. The Dole is home to many Canada Geese along with many others.
New
Black Headed Gull c35
House Sparrow x7
Others
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Mallards
Canada Geese
Pictures:
Cormorant
Canada Geese
Black Headed Gulls
Mute Swan
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Sale Water Park 3rd Sept 2012
TRIP: SWP (Nr Visitor Centre)
DATE: 3/9/2012
START: 18.00 FINISH 19.00
Walking around the WP you have many areas excellent for Birding, this time I stayed up near the vistor centre and cafe.
New
Goldfinch x1
Chaffinch x1
Black Headed Gull x1
Others
Blue Tit x2
Magpie x 5
Wood Pigeon x2
Great Tit x1
Trip Pictures;
DATE: 3/9/2012
START: 18.00 FINISH 19.00
Walking around the WP you have many areas excellent for Birding, this time I stayed up near the vistor centre and cafe.
New
Goldfinch x1
Chaffinch x1
Black Headed Gull x1
Others
Blue Tit x2
Magpie x 5
Wood Pigeon x2
Great Tit x1
Trip Pictures;
Blue Tit & Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Black Headed Gull
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Brockholes 29th Aug 2012
We intended to visit Leighton Moss whilst on the camping trip however as we didn't stay as long as we had hoped we decided to return to Brockholes as it was on our way home.
Besides the usual crew of:
Coots
Canada Geese
Mute Swam + Cygnets
Lapwings
Cormorants
Great Crested Grebe
Of course the Mallard
Magpie
Wood Pigeon
2 more to add to my list though;
A single Kingfisher ( I was too slow to get a picture)
Great Tit - there were many darting in and out of the bushes as you walked down the lane to the family hide.
Besides the usual crew of:
Coots
Canada Geese
Mute Swam + Cygnets
Lapwings
Cormorants
Great Crested Grebe
Magpie
Wood Pigeon
2 more to add to my list though;
A single Kingfisher ( I was too slow to get a picture)
Great Tit - there were many darting in and out of the bushes as you walked down the lane to the family hide.
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Ribble Valley - Camping Trip
Ribble Valley
Dale Hey Touring Park
Web Site: http://www.daleheyfarm.co.uk/wordpress/
Review:
Just outside the village of Ribchester, which has a couple of pubs serving evening meals and a great sandwich shop open from 8am.
The site was great and very quiet (mid week trip), we had a choice of pitches either on the main field or for the more adventureous small alcoves off the trails.
Toilets and showers - fantastic, showers free and very hot and clean.
It was intended for us to stay a couple of days but with the weather and the air bed not staying pumped up we decided to go home via Brockholes.
A great site, a good trip could have been longer :o)
Dale Hey Touring Park
Web Site: http://www.daleheyfarm.co.uk/wordpress/
Review:
Just outside the village of Ribchester, which has a couple of pubs serving evening meals and a great sandwich shop open from 8am.
The site was great and very quiet (mid week trip), we had a choice of pitches either on the main field or for the more adventureous small alcoves off the trails.
Toilets and showers - fantastic, showers free and very hot and clean.
It was intended for us to stay a couple of days but with the weather and the air bed not staying pumped up we decided to go home via Brockholes.
A great site, a good trip could have been longer :o)
Bird Watching
We could hear lots of birds seeing them was a bit of an issue, we did see plenty of swallows darting around and a bird of prey which I managed to get a picture:
Kestrel (Common)
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Sale WP 14th Aug 2012
Went by SWP and Broad Ees Dole on a bike ride yesterday evening approx 7pm.
On BED there was a new one for me a Little Grebe x1, diving in front of the first Island. Around near the cafe on the platform a Yellow Wagtail x1 fly by, lots of others in the trees by the cafe but unfortunately no time to sit and watch - maybe next time.
Also on the Ees there was the usual birds, Heron, Coots, Lapwings, Moorhen and Canada Geese flying in.
On BED there was a new one for me a Little Grebe x1, diving in front of the first Island. Around near the cafe on the platform a Yellow Wagtail x1 fly by, lots of others in the trees by the cafe but unfortunately no time to sit and watch - maybe next time.
Also on the Ees there was the usual birds, Heron, Coots, Lapwings, Moorhen and Canada Geese flying in.
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Brockholes Nature Reserve - 12th Aug 2012
Visit to Brockholes 12/8/2012
Brockholes is a new kind of nature reserve, an unreserved reserve owned and managed by The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.
There are many walks and several different hides and a brilliant visitors centre.
There are several lakes this one is the one that the visitors centre overlooks....
The hide is on the opposite side and this was going to be today's spotting location.
On the way to the hide we managed to get a few shots of catapillars and butterflies. I'll have to do a bit of research to see what their names are;
Meadow Brown
Cinnibar Caterpillar (Red/Black Moth) - It like Ragwort plants
Brockholes is a new kind of nature reserve, an unreserved reserve owned and managed by The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.
There are many walks and several different hides and a brilliant visitors centre.
A floating visitors centre with restraunt, shops and loo's
There are several lakes this one is the one that the visitors centre overlooks....
The hide is on the opposite side and this was going to be today's spotting location.
On the way to the hide we managed to get a few shots of catapillars and butterflies. I'll have to do a bit of research to see what their names are;
Meadow Brown
Cinnibar Caterpillar (Red/Black Moth) - It like Ragwort plants
BIRDS SPOTTED
Mallard (Many)
Canada Geese (Many)
Heron x3
Mute Swan and 6 Cygnets
Great Crested Grebe x2
Coots (Many)
Gulls - Black headed x3 Others (Gallacious?)
Wood Pigeon
Magpie
Gadwall (Many)
Buzzard (?)
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