Bolton Ings and Manvers Lake - 4th February

Had an early morning visit onto Bolton Ings and Manvers Lake yesterday before the snow came, very cold, -7c and with Bolton 90% frozen made the birds a bit easier to count unlike Old Moor. Highlights being the Little Egret feeding in the dyke near the Goldie Fields, superb views of a pair of Sparrowhawks displaying and 289 Coots (my highest count since December 09). Other sightings being Grey Heron 2, Little Egret 1, Mute Swan 7, Grey Lag Goose 24, Canada Goose 7, Mallard 10, Teal 6, Gadwall 17, Tufted Duck 10, Pochard 5, Goosander 10, Coot 289, Moorhen 5, Snipe 1, Black Headed Gull 56, Common Gull 11, Sparrowhawk 2, Kestrel 1, Green Woodpecker 1. I then had a walk to Manvers Lake as there is usually a fair amount of open water during cold weather. Got there just before 2 boats went out and flushed all the diving ducks towards Old Moor, sightings being Grey Heron 1, Mute Swan 4, Canada Goose 38, Great Crested Grebe 4, Mallard 43, Tufted Duck 44, Pochard 15, Goldeneye 2, Coot 25, Moorhen 11, Black Headed Gull 210, Common Gull 42 and finally Green Woodpecker 1.