09/12/2022 Daisy Hill WWTW, Westhoughton

Water Pipit: Daisy Hill waste water treatment works (WWTW) does not provide extensive wetland habitats suitable for interesting birds but it does provide areas of rough grass, scrub and hedgerows that are becoming increasingly rare in the wider area.

In recent years modern WWTW's can be valuable winter feeing area for a wide variety of birds as they come to feed around the filter beds. A returning bird that I am always pleased to see is the water pipit which I saw here last winter.

Despite making several visits this bird was found by local legend Phil Rhodes. 

Its a nice little place, and I've made a couple of visits since the bird was found and had a few snipe, grey wagtail, bullfinch, raven and tones of meadow pipit. 

22/01/2021 Daisyhill Sewage Treatment Works, Westhoughton

Water Pipit: A scarce bird these days across Greater Manchester it was a real treat to catch up with it after dipping a water pipit at the same place last year

Found by Phil Rhodes and the information passed on to me by Sam Harris before going onto Manchester birding forum. 

It is most likely that this bird has come from its breeding areas in the central European mountains such as the Alps to overwinter under the sunny skies of Bolton. 

Water pipits are famous for sending their time at sewage treatment facilities, feeding on the filter beds, but they also favour habitats that include, rivers, lakes and flooded gravel pits, lowland wet grasslands and coastal fresh and brackish lagoons. 

This stocky bird really stood out amongst the smaller meadow pipits, that were also more olive brown in color then the much grey, plaer water pipit.  

It seemed very settled and I watched it for about an hour before moving on.

To my delight it would regularly perch up on the water pipes that were slowly circling the filter beds, brining the bird closer to me as they spun around. 

31/10/2018 Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Water Pipit:  I don't often get myself across to BMW but its still a place I have fond memories of and enjoy going.


Its a place full of familiar faces and top birders.




The bird of the day by a long shot was this water pipit from Marsh Covert Hide, there were also reports of two bearded tits but I didn't have the time to look.

Still it was a nice afternoon out.

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.

25/01/2015 Neston Sewage Works

Water Pipit: Today I finally bagged one of my bogey birds, I can't tell you how many hours I have spent looking through the fence at Neston Sewage Plant.






I arrived around 11.20 and waited with two other local birders who where there 20 minutes before me. The three of us spent about 40 minutes searching and only finding Pied and Grey Wagtail foraging around the circular treatment systems.

I decided to stay and wait another hour after the locals left for Burton Mere, I am glad I did as not long after they left a Rock Pipit turned up with a single Water Pipit. Almost as soon as I picked the water pip up it flew off but landed on a fence within the plant. I watched it for a few minutes while it fed just to the left of the fence that it was perching on, until it flew up on to an old lamp post then off out of sight.