21/04/2024 Manvers Lake, Rotherham

Garganey: Sunday morning and I'm back out watching birds, this time with Dawn an Autumn in tow. We headed over to Manvers Park where a drake garganey has taken up residence with a female mallard. 

 

This duck originates from the flooded fields and swamplands throughout Europe and Asia. A mid-sized duck that can be recognised by it's distinctive white stripe around its eye and the blue and white patches along its wings. 

A migratory duck, the breeding birds arrive from March and return from July. Small numbers of non-breeding birds visit on passage migration in spring and autumn. They seldom breed here in the UK.

The bird was showing sensationally well, and was fiercely mate guarding its female mallard, feeding alongs side her and staying close to her at all times. The local birders ares yang its a bird of 'unknown origin' this is birders speak for they think it's a domesticated escaped individual. 

The bird is way too friendly, I've seen dozens of garganey and they have all been very flighty, but no body really knows its the right time of year and there is currently a big passages of garganey occurring at the moment. 

Either way, it's such a good looking duck, and very enjoyable to spend a few hours with on a sunny Sunday. 

09/04/2022 Pennington Flash

Garganey: One bird I was hoping to see up close this year and one bird I've found really difficult to catch up with the year.  There has been a bit of a warm south-easterly wind which might have contributed to a remarkable large influx of garganey to our shores. 

I've dipped then at Leighton Moss and twice at Penny already this year and when I did catch up with a pair at BMW they were both super far away! Typical.  

I would have missed this bird too if it wasn't for Michael who stopped me to say at outside of the Bunting Hide,  he pointed me in the right direction back to the Teal Hide where this superb drake was.  

When I arrived the bird was roosting on the solitary island in the middle of the lake, perfectly camouflaged against the white shingle and mottle brown stony banks.  I waited a short while before one of the resident gulls spooked it and it came right in front of the hide to feed amongst the bright green Crassula. 

There were also five brambling showing very well at the bunting hide, it was just a shame there were ignorant selfish so called birders (minus the binoculars) who were having a good old fish-wives meeting! I'll have to go back and try again, hopefully without the noise they will come closer. 

 

29/03/2021 Pennington Flash

Garganey: Today we are riding the crest of an optimistic wave as lockdown restrictions are eased and folk are allowed to travel freely across the England.  Perhaps some folk are waiting for me to publish photos of the long staying mockingbird, but alas I've not seen it yet as I've been trying to header to the aforementioned restrictions.

Instead toady I stayed local once more and after work I headed out to enjoyed the last of fisrt spring warmth down at Penny to pick up a pair of garganey which were found a few days ago by Phil Rhodes. 

This cracking looking drake was accompanied by a female who were giving me the runaround, but relocated in Ramsdales Bay. Both birds were elusive to say the least as they seem to favour feeding behind one of the small islands on the scrape.  

Always a nice bird to connect with, the drakes are lovely looking things.  

19/04/2017 Elton Reservoir, Bury

Garganey: Elton Res is a place I rarely visit, the last time I was back in May 2014 when there was a showy Black Tern on the res.

The Manchester Bury & Bolton Reservoir, commonly called Elton Reservoir, is located near the A58 Bolton Road in Greater Manchester, about 3 km south west of the town of Bury and is a well watched by birders.

This time I was heading over straight from work in order to photograph the drake Garganey that has been showing superbly for the past couple of days.

However when I turn up the bird had become quite flighty, when I arrived the bird was on the canal getting before flying back over to the flooded field, due to a passing dog walker.

Despite the bird being flighty and with some field craft I was able to get close enough without unsettling it and got some nice images, albeit not as good as some images I have seen of the bird.

Still its not everyday you get close to a Garganey, typically they stay distant at p;laces such as Carr Lane Pools and Leighton Moss where I have seen them before.

Little Ringed Plover: While I sat and watched the bird on the edge of the flooded field I also saw a LRP drop in. This bird didn't stay long and after a quick feed flew off.

Little Gull: The Gargenay wasn't actually on Elton res but a small flooded field in the same area. Best accessed from Bury Road in Radcliffe then down on Within's Lane and walk up past Cocklestorm Paints. Here there is a canal towpath, and there are small floods on both sides of the canal.

Once I had my fill of the Garganey I moved on to Elton Res itself where I caught up with the Little Gull that has been on the res for a while now.

This was an adult bird with striking black under wings and white upper parts and tail.

The bird was showing incredibly well at the North end and was happily feeding on insects from the top of the water.

After watching the gull for about and hour I soon gave in to hunger and moved on. I followed the public right of way over the sheep fields and back towards Bury Road.

Wheatear: It was here I stopped a male Northern Whaetaer foraging around the sheep, a nice bird to pick up and end the day with.

26/03/2017 Carr Lane Pools, Cheshire

Garganey: Firstly let me point out the poor quality of these images, most have been taken through my old spotting scope with my Iphone, held by hand.

Secondly I would like to express my disappointment as when I arrived at Carr Lane this morning hoping for seconds on yesterday's Lapland Bunting there were folk walking along the hedge and in the field, hoping to flush the bird.


Unsurprisingly the Lapbunt has been much more illusive today unlike yesterday when it spent most of the day in the same area and showed quite well.

That aside after three recent attempts at seeing the drake Garganey, which has been on both Carr Lane Pools, and the newly named Ibis Pool, I was pleased to finally pick it up.

Water Pipit: I was told the Garganey was flushed from the Ibis Pool by a birder who was walking along the bank, near the bridge. I guess he did me a favour as the bird came on to Carr Lane Pools and was visible from Town Lane. However the bird was very settled and slept for most of the hour that I watched it.

Merlin: Two Water Pipits were also present, as well as this Merlin who was perched on the telegraph pole off Carr Lane.

A nice day out overall, with stunning blue skies, decent birds and friendly faces to say hi to.

29/08/2014 Pennington Flash

Garganey:  Finally connected with the female Garganey that has been frequenting Ramsdale scrape.

Green Sandpiper: I stayed and watched the Garganey feeding for about half an hour before clambering on one of the islands to have a sleep.

From there I moved on to Teal Hide and was treated to not only some excellent views of two green sands but there was a pair of Kingfisher who were very active and very showy.

Kingfisher: The pair were happily perching on the posts around teal bay.

This week as been awesome for Kingfisher at Penny one of the few birds that capture non-birders excitement and a bird I always like to see.

They are just beauties.

21/04/2014 Leighton Moss RSPB

Garganey: A great bank holiday Monday trip to Leighton Moss where it was nice to catch up with Kevin Kelly and good to hear memberships are doing well.  

Another highlight was catching up up with Leighton's pair of Garganey which were showing well from Grisedale Hid, even if they where sleeping the majority of the time we watched them.

09/05/2013 Druridge Pool, Northumberland

Garganey: We found this little gem of a nature reserve ran by Northumberland Wildlife Trust where we spotted two drake Garganey.

Isn't it funny sometimes, I have been to Frodsham Marsh, Burton Mere Wetlands and Conwy RSPB reserves in search of Garganey without any luck and I travel over 3 hours away to Northumberland and see two!







We got talking to a nice gent from Newcastle who came down for the Collard Fly then came here, he informed us this place has had a really good rarity list including Purple Heron, this is the website http://www.nwt.org.uk/reserves/druridge-pools check it out guys.