The Edge 07/11/2017

Wombwell Ings - Just started walking through Broomhill Park when I met Keith Fisher. His answer to "Owt abaht?" was " Been down since first light and its been very quiet even on Doveside and from the hide".  As I made my way across the park a calling Greater Spotted Woodpecker gave its position away on top of the hawthorns., otherwise there were few birds to be seen. The occasional Blackbird and Wren provided the only interest in the hedge along the Bulling Dyke. Then the CB radio crackled into life. Keith Fisher put me onto a female Peregrine which gave an amazing  hunting display over the eastern end before settling on a  metal pylon with its prey. There was little change on the Ings with 2 Mute Swan over west, 7 Greylag, 127 Wigeon, 15 Teal, 10 Shoveler, 2 Mallard, 1 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel, c50 Lapwing, 8 Golden Plover, 28 BH Gull, 1 Common Gull, 1 female Stonechat, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail and 5 Linnet present. Walking off  I had 3 Skylark in the back field, 1 male Stonechat on the eastern end of the Ings and c10 Fieldfare, 5+ Redwing and 1 Song Thrush in Broomhill Park.
Broomhill Flash - Noted were 2+6y Mute Swan, 56 Teal, 20 Shoveler, 17 Mallard, 15 Gadwall, 14 Tufted Duck, 5 Pochard, 1 male Goosander, 1 Little Grebe, 11 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 9 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 117 Lapwing, 35 Golden Plover, 2 Dunlin, 1 Snipe and 48 BH Gull.
PWK had a good passage of winter thrushes with 300+ Fieldfare and 300+ Redwing.
TPT- Best was a Goldcrest in a flock of 12 Long Tailed Tit. Also 1 Jay.
Bolton Ings - Duck numbers can vary greatly on the eastern pool depending on human/ raptor disturbance on Old Moor( they fly over to the Ings ) and/or the wind conditions( they shelter in the reeds or under the near edge ). Today's count of 4 Tufted Duck contrasts with yesterday's total of 52 . On the open water were 2+1y Mute Swan, 13 Pochard, 10+ Mallard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 1 male Goosander, 1 male Goldeneye, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 172 Coot, 76 BH Gull and 24 Common Gull. Also present were 1 Buzzard and 1 Grey Wagtail.