SECOS Sightings

WILDFOWL AT EHF/PHF	COUNT	WADERS AT EHF/PHF	COUNT
MALLARD	Regular no count	BLACK TAILED GODWIT	Regular max , 42 – 31st
TEAL	Regular max, 301 – 4th	DUNLIN	Regular max, 3 – 7th
PINTAIL	Regular max , 13 – 2nd	CURLEW	Regular max, 10 – 13th
SHOVELER	Regular max, 14 – 3rd	SNIPE	Regular max, 35 – 21st
WIGEON	Regular max, 629 – 3rd	REDSHANK	Regular max, 5 – 1st
GOOSANDER	Regular max, 15 – 24th	LITTLE RINGED PLOVER	Regular max, 2 – 19th
SHELDUCK	Regular max, 70 – 7th	RUFF	Regular max, 13 – 1st
GREYLAG GOOSE	3 – 31st	OYSTERCATCHER	Regular
GW TEAL	Singles regular	RINGED PLOVER	2 – 1st, 1 – 12th
		AVOCET	2 – 16th

Elsewhere up to 3 Ruddy Duck regular on RF. A Pochard was at WLF on the 8th, 50 Whooper Swans
were over Crewe on the 16th, A Barnacle Goose was at FFF on the 22nd and 2 pairs of Mandarin were at MGT on the 31st.  A Jack Snipe was at RF on the 29th

RAPTORS AND OWLS	COUNT
SPARROWHAWK	Regular at EHF. Elsewhere records from FF, Rode Pool and Crewe
KESTREL	Records from EHF, MGT, Crewe and Haslington By pass.
BUZZARD	Common throughout the SECOS area, 12 together over EHF on the 31st.
PEREGRINE	Only a single record of one at EHF on the 29th.
BARN OWL	A single record from Coppenhall Moss

GULLS	COUNT
MEDITTARANEAN GULL	Records of singles on several dates throughout the month
COMMON GULL	Regular at EHF/PHF building up to a remarkable 420 on the 23rd
ICELAND GULL	The regular 1st winter bird at EHF/PHF/MGT throughout the month
CASPIAN GULL	A single at EHF/PHF regular
YL GULL	Singles regular at EHF/PHF, 2 on the 25th.

Other Sightings

The first Sandmartin at AWP-11th, & one at EHF – 18th. A Chiff Chaff at EHF – 18th & a Wheatear – 21st. A Swallow at RF – 22nd & a Blackcap – 29th. 5 Wheatear at MGT – 31st Kingfishers recorded at EHF, Wychwood Park and FFF. A pair of Stonechat at MGT – 2nd & 2 Willow Tits were regular at FF feeding station. Ravens were recorded over EHF – 5th & 13th. A Little Egret was at Rode Pool 8 -11th. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were recorded at Haslington and Green Lane Wistaston. Water Rails were regular at FF. 25 Field Fare were at EHF – 25th and Yellowhammers were recorded at MGT – 24th and FFF – 31st

 

WILDFOWL AT EHF/PHF	COUNT	WADERS AT EHF/PHF	COUNT
MALLARD	Regular, no count	BLACK TAILED GODWIT	Regular max , 10 - 26th
TEAL	Regular max, 265 – 3rd	LAPWING	Regular max, 1000 –12th
PINTAIL	Regular max , 34 – 14th	CURLEW	Regular max, 43 – 12th
SHOVELER	Regular max, 17 –26th	SNIPE	Regular max 31 – 25th
WIGEON	Regular max,380 – 12th	REDSHANK	Regular max – 5 – 11th
GADWALL	2 – 11th & 4 – 14th	RUFF	Regular max, 11 – 8th
GOOSANDER	Regular max, 16 – 8th
LITTLE GREBE	Regular - 2
SHELDUCK	Regular max, 78 – 18th
TUFTED DUCK	Regular, 4 – 8th  & 3 – 11th
POCHARD	2 – 3rd and singles 11th & 13th
GREEN-WINGED TEAL	Singles 27th -29th

  Elsewhere 2 Goosander were on the River Dane at Byley on the 9^th, 2 Ruddy Duck and a female Mandarin were at RF on the 10^th and 3 Gadwall were at FF on the 23^rd. A Green Sandpiper was at Stowford on the 6^th and an Oystercatcher was at WLF on the 20^th.

  

RAPTORS AND OWLS	COUNT
SPARROWHAWK	Regular at EHF. Records from Crewe where 2 were hunting the Starling roost & Rode Pool.
KESTREL	Records from Rode Pool, Swettenham, Leighton &  Weston.
BUZZARD	Regular in the SECOS area and 4 at EHF on the 27th
PEREGRINE	One on the tower at Leighton Hospital and the usual one on the pylons at PHF
MERLIN	A male was at EHF on the 29th
TAWNY OWL	One calling at Wistaston on the 21st.
LITTLE OWL	One in Clay Lane on the 8th and one in Groby Road on the 12th
BARN OWL	One seen at Pyms Lane/Middlewich Rd Junction on the 2nd and 1 found dead on the Haslington by pass – 9th

GULLS	COUNT
B H GULL	Regular at EHF, 1800 on the 9th
MEDITERRANEAN GULL	Probably up to 4 different birds on several dates throughout the month at EHF/PHF
Y L GULL	One at PHF on 21st and at EHF on the 29th
ICELAND GULL	A 1st Winter  regular at EHF/PHF
GLAUCOUS GULL	One 1st winter at EHF on the 17th
RINGED BILL GULL	An adult at PHF on the 23rd and at RF on the 27th
CASPIAN GULL	One at EHF/PHF 22nd-24th.

OTHER SIGHTINGS

Over wintering Water Rail were recorded at FF – regular- and WLF.  2 Willow Tits regular at the FF feeders.  Kingfishers were recorded at WLF and Congleton.  50 Linnets and 15 Tree Sparrows were at EHF on the 6^th.  The Starling roost in Crewe now holds around 50,000 birds and 38 Magpies were in a roost at FF.  Ravens were recorded at Byley, Doddington and MGT.  Overwintering Blackcaps were in Crewe and Sandbach gardens.  Yellowhammers were recorded at MGT and Stowford.  A Stonechat was at Stowford, a Dipper at Congleton, a Woodcock at Wheelock and a Green Woodpecker at Sweteenham.

 

WILDFOWL AT EHF/PHF	COUNT	WADERS AT EHF/PHF	COUNT
MALLARD	Regular max, 125 – 28th	BLACK TAILED GODWIT	Regular max , 51 - 27th
TEAL	Regular max, 211 – 27th	LAPWING	Regular max, 1200 –27th
PINTAIL	Regular max , 18 – 29th	CURLEW	Regular max, 57 – 6th
SHOVELER	Regular max, 21 –29th	SNIPE	Regular max 16 – 15th
WIGEON	Regular max,702 – 22nd	REDSHANK	Regular max – 7 – 19th
GADWALL	1 – 4th & 4 – 18th	RUFF	Regular max, 12 – 15th
GOOSANDER	Regular max, 12 –21st	GOLDEN PLOVER	Regular max, 24 – 23rd
BARNACLE GOOSE	A single – 1st
LITTLE GREBE	Singles regular
SHELDUCK	Regular, 42 –27th
POCHARD	2 –30th & 31st

Elsewhere 35 Pinkfeet were over MGT on the 23^rd, 20 Goldeneye were at Doddington Pool on the 9^th and 13 Goosander were on Rode Pool on the 22^nd. A Woodcock was at FF on the 1^st, A Jack Snipe was at MGT on the 1^st and a Green Sandpiper was at FFF on the 22^nd.

   

GULLS	COUNT
B H GULL	Regular at EHF/PHF.
COMMON GULL	Regular at EHF/PHF 4 on the 23rd
GBB GULL	An unusually large number have been recorded at EHF/PHF during the month with a max of 74 on the 6th.

    OTHER SIGHTINGS
Over wintering Blackcaps were recorded at Sandbach and Shavington. Stonechat – one at Doddington on the 21st and a pair at MGT on the 1st. Water Rail – records from FF, WLF and GF. Willow Tit regular at the FF feeding station. Brambling – up to 30 still in the large finch flock at Doddington and a single in a Haslington garden. 30 RL Partridge and 6 Grey’s were recorded at Doddington. Up to 20 Tree Sparrows regular at the EHF feeding station. 100 Skylark, 30 Yellowhammer, 30 Chaffinch and 6 Reed Bunting were on stubble at Weston. A Kingfisher was at WLF on the 1^st and 16 Meadow Pipit were at WLF on the 20th.

RAPTORS AND OWLS	COUNT
SPARROWHAWK	Regular at EHF. Elsewhere records from FF and Rode Pool.
KESTREL	Records from Warmingham, EHF, Weston and CF.
BUZZARD	Regular in the SECOS area
PEREGRINE	Records from EHF and CF where two were seen displaying.
MERLIN	One at EHF on the 1st and again on the 31st when it was seen to take a Starling
TAWNY OWL	One at Warmingham on the 22nd, two at FF on the 1st.
LITTLE OWL	Records from Haslington, CF and Clay Lane
BARN OWL	Regular at MGT and Groby Road
S E OWL	One at MGT on the 6th was an excellent record for this site.

  

WILDFOWL AT EHF/PHF	COUNT	WADERS AT EHF/PHF	COUNT
MALLARD	Regular max, 50 – 9th	BLACK TAILED GODWIT	Regular max , 9 - 6th
TEAL	Regular max, 415- 14th	LAPWING	Regular max, 2000 – 5th
PINTAIL	Regular max , 16 – 23rd	CURLEW	Regular max, 58 – 25th
SHOVELER	Regular max , 30 – 23rd	SNIPE	Regular max, 38 – 9th
WIGEON	Regular max, 850 – 16th	REDSHANK	Regular max, 4 – 30th
GOOSANDER	Regular max, 11 – 27th	RUFF	Regular max, 12– 26th
BARNACLE GOOSE	Single – 9th	GOLDEN PLOVER	10 – 26th
G C GREBE	Single – 11th
LITTLE GREBE	Regular max, 2 – 11th
SHELDUCK	Regular max, 34 – 23rd

Elsewhere 200 Pinkfeet were over Crewe on the 17^th and 14 Great Crested Grebe were at WF on the 15^th.  A Jacksnipe was at MGT on the 1^st.

   

RAPTORS AND OWLS	COUNT
SPARROWHAWK	Regular in the Flashes area.
KESTREL	Records from CBP, MGT, EHF, Wybunbury, Weston and Woolstanwood.
BUZZARD	Regular throughout the SECOS area
PEREGRINE	Regular in the Flashes area.  Elsewhere, records from Doddington and Basford.
TAWNY OWL	Records from CF, FF and CBP
LITTLE OWL	Recorded at both ends of Clay Lane.

GULLS	COUNT	GULLS	COUNT
GBB GULL	Regular max, 60 – 5th	COMMON GULL	Regular max, 15– 23rd
ICELAND GULL	1 1st winter – 4th, 12th, 13th & 23rd	RINGED BILL GULL	1 Adult winter 19th & 20th
BH GULL	Regular max, 1,900 – 23rd	HERRING GULL	Regular, 335 – 16th
MEDITERRANEAN GULL	1 Adult winter 14th & 17th and 1 3rd winter – 25th

 

The good run of interesting Gulls continued at EHF/PHF with a first winter Iceland Gull, 2 Med Gulls, a Ringed – Billed Gull and a YL   Gull.  

OTHER SIGHTINGS

Willow Tit – 2 regular at the FFF feeding station,  Tree Sparrow – up to 35 at the EHF feeding station.  Kingfishers were recorded at CBP, MGT, FF and FFF.  A Blackcap was in a Sandbach Garden.  A pair of Stonechat were on MGT.  Water Rails were recorded at EHF and FF.  92 Skylark, 32 Yellowhammers and 7 Reed Buntings were on stubble at Basford.  Up to 25 Brambling were amongst a mixed finch flock of around 600 at Doddington.  27 Siskin were at CBP, 30 Stockdove were at EHF and a possible Desert Wheatear was on private premises at Gresty.  The Starling roost near Crewe Railway Station continues to expand with an estimated 30,000 birds now using the roost.