2 teal, 2 goosanders and 1 goldeneye on the lodges, 3 goldeneyes AMR; Pair of kestrels copulating; 2 bubbling curlews, 5+ oystercatchers and one or two lapwings; around 10 pied wagtails and a few meadow pipits at the res (no wheatears/chiffchaffs in this area)
A few other odds and sods over the past week:
Sand Martin - 1 around the colony Townsend Fold yesterday (26/3)
Chiffchaff - present daily in small numbers along the river, maximum 8 between Groundwork and Irwell Vale (23/3). Only odd ones away from the river (1 Helmshore 21/3, 1 Hurst Lane 22/3, 2 Shuttleworth/Bamford Road 27/3)
Wheatear - 2 Grane 26/3, 2 quarries west of Cowpe Lowe 27/3
Great Crested Grebe - 4 Clowbridge 22/3
Coot - min 3 now at HTL (no little grebes so far)
Goosanders now getting a bit thin on the ground along the river but a pair yesterday below Irwell Vale. The peregrines appear to have deserted Hardman's despite a lot of territorial behaviour this spring
Have been checking AMR area daily agree with your sightings, been this afternoon and can add, four Wheatear near the south pump house and 8 Skylark on south bank.
