HABITAT OBSERVATIONS: Wetland surrounded by extensive reedbeds, scrubland and mature woodland.
Word on the birding grapevine is that maybe a pair of Egyptian Geese have touched down on the Flash, another opportunity to build on and get outside. Although they’re not considered a rarity these days, they’re always a welcome sight — a species that has been appearing in small numbers at Pennington Flash for the past five or six years, with a few choosing to settle in and stay through the summer.
Their presence is hard to miss — not just visually, but vocally, females produce a loud, harsh, trumpeting quack or cackle, while males make a quieter, breathy hiss or whistle. Their loud, rolling call often carries across the water, a bold contrast to the softer sounds of the landscape. For many people, that sudden burst of noise becomes part of the moment: a reminder to pause, look up, and reconnect with the living world around us.
In their own way, they invite us to slow down, breathe, and appreciate the wild energy woven into even the most familiar places.
They didn’t arrive in the UK naturally; they were introduced around 400 years ago in the 17th century as ornamental birds. Today they’re well established across Southern and Central England, especially in East Anglia and London, it is included on the BTO British Bird List (Category C1) an introduced species considered naturalised. They are slowly moving northwards, in winter they can be seen as far north as Shetland however usually in smaller numbers.
Even so, they’ve become a familiar and much‑loved presence in many parks and lakes. Their population has grown steadily, with an estimated 1,850 breeding pairs and winter numbers rising to around 5,600 birds. The Egyptian Goose is not a true waterfowl bird like a Canada Goose it is a type of Shelduck. Canada Geese are significantly larger less colourful, Egyptian Geese smaller, more colourful and a distinctive brown eye patch.
Photo & Video:
Egyptian Goose
Egyptian Goose
Egyptian Goose
Egyptian Geese, the one nearest the water was the male as it made the quieter hissing sound
Other Birds:
From Horrocks Hide - Blackheaded Gull, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Graylag Geese, Canada Geese, Pied Wagtail, Wood Pigeon From Pengy Hide - Gadwall, Black-headed Gull
From Tom Edmondson Hide - Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan and Cuckoo - heard but not seen.
On the Flash - Canada Geese, Coot, Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese, Mallard, Swift
Welcome to A Birding Blog — my personal field notes from across my local patch.
After moving house, my birding shifted from a small suburban garden to the rich wetlands and reclaimed industrial landscapes of Bickershaw Country Park, Pennington Flash, and the Wigan Flashes.
This blog — and my YouTube channel — are more than species lists. They’re part of how I manage my health and wellbeing. Like many people, I’m still navigating the quiet, lingering effects Covid left on mental health and confidence. Some days, anxiety makes even stepping outside feel like a mountain.
Birding is my therapy. It gives me purpose, fresh air, gentle movement, and low‑pressure conversations. It’s also where my mental health meets my faith. Time by the water or under the trees offers a quiet space to pray, reflect, and reconnect with God’s creation.
You won’t find frantic twitching here. Instead, this blog is a mindful celebration of the joy found in our common species — a record of rebuilding confidence, strengthening faith, and finding peace in creation, one bird at a time.
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