Old Moor - Saturday 8th March

Weather forecasters seemed to have it wrong this morning as it was grey and cold with a strong wind, however this afternoon it brightened up and reached a very spring like 13c so perhaps they were right after all. Highlight this morning was my first Chiffchaff of the year, a singing male on Green Lane. A/the Peregrine was sat on a post on the Wader scrape and the Mediterranean Gull was still strutting about on Island 1. Still 10 Goldeneye on the Main Marsh with 3 males. Full List:- Grey Heron 1, Mute Swan 6, Canada Goose 41, Grey Lag Goose 5, Cormorant 17, Great Crested Grebe 5, Little Grebe 16, Mallard 14, Teal 34, Wigeon 131, Gadwall 54, Shoveler 32, Tufted Duck 81, Pochard 15, Goldeneye 10, Goosander 7, Coot 194, Moorhen 17, Lapwing 9, Redshank 1, Oystercatcher 6, Black Headed Gull 1015, Mediterranean Gull 1, Common Gull 1, LBB Gull 3, Peregrine 1, Kestrel 1, Chiffchaff 1.

Visited Reedbeds late on and was rewarded with 2 Booming Bitterns, the usual male in his usual place and another male booming from the Reservoir direction but difficult to pinpoint exactly. Also Water Rail heard, Barn Owl, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and a Tawny Owl calling.

Other birds seen today at Old Moor, several sightings of Bittern on the Reedbeds, female Pintail on Mere and female Brambling on the feeders. Also a Great Crested Grebe flew high straight through this morning.

This evening on Bolton Ings 1400 Black Headed Gulls were roosting as well as 45 Tufted Duck and 35 Pochard.