March 2012 Sightings

Details of the March sightings complied by Bryan Perkins from the Sandbach Flashes log book.

WILDFOWL AT EHF/PHF

COUNT

Mallard regular, no count
Teal regular, max 171 on 1st
Pintail regular, max 9  on 1st
Shoveler regular, max 19 on 19th
Wigeon regular, max 527 on 2nd
Gadwall regular, max 4 on 13th
Goosander regular, max 4
Shelduck regular, max 50 on 22nd
Tufted Duck 10 on 12th
Greylag Goose regular, max 10 on 19th
Pochard single on 15th
Mute Swan 30 on 2nd
WADERS AT EHF/PHF

COUNT

Black-tailed Godwit regular, max 24 on 30th
Lapwing regular, max 200 on 1st
Dunlin singles on 1st, 2nd and 23rd
Green Sandpiper regular, max 2
Curlew regular, max 12 on 3rd
Snipe regular, max 16 on 13th
Redshank regular, max 6 on 7th
Little Ringed Plover regular, max 4 on 30th
Ruff regular, max 9 on 16th
Oystercatcher regular, max 4 on 2nd
Golden Plover singles on 25th and 31st
Ringed Plover singles on 15th
elsewhere  
a Scaup was at Doddington throughout the month ~ 3 Whooper Swans were over Green Lane on 1st ~ 8 Gadwall and 2 Mandarin were at RF on 18th ~ a Jacksnipe was at MGT on 21st
RAPTORS and OWLS

COUNT

Sparrowhawk just two records, both from EHF
Kestrel again just one record of two birds at EHF on 30th
Buzzard regular in the SECOS area, 9 over EHF on 30th
Red Kite one was observed on 26th and again on 27th over EHF
Peregrine a single regular at EHF
Tawny Owl one at Doddington on 9th
Short Eared Owl up to 3 at Stowford around 27th
GULLS and TERNS

COUNT

YL Gull a single was at EHF on 31st
Mediterranean Gull an adult was at EHF on 17th
Iceland Gull up to 3 first winter birds and 1 adult regular at EHF / PHF / RF
Little Gull 2 at EHF on 17th
Kittiwake an adult regular at PHF on 18th
Common Gull 31 were at EHF on 16th
OTHER SIGHTINGS
migrants started to trickle in with a Green Sandpiper on the 14th ~ Chiff Chaff on 15th ~ Little Ringed Plover and Wheatear on 18th followed by Sand Martin on the 21st ~ Blackcap on 23rd ~ Swallow on 28th and House Martin on the 30th ~~ Stonechat and Water Rail were on MGT on the 8th ~ a Raven was over EHF on the 16th ~ 30 Linnets, 6 Skylarks and 12 Meadow Pipits were on MGT on the 21st ~ a Blackcap was singing in a Shavington garden on the 21st ~ a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Rode Pool on the 27th ~ over 100 Linnets were at EHF on the 24th ~ 60 Linnets, 20 Meadow Pipits and a Brambling were at CF on the 28th and 40 Fieldfare and 62 Stock Doves were at EHF on the 29th

February 2012 Sightings

Details of the February sightings complied by Bryan Perkins from the Sandbach Flashes log book.

WILDFOWL AT EHF/PHF

COUNT

Mallard regular, no count
Teal regular, 120 on 19th
Pintail regular, max 8  on 28th
Shoveler regular, max 11 on 19th
Wigeon regular, max 606 on 19th
Gadwall 4 on 25th
Goosander regular, max 14 on 17th
Barnacle Goose single on 3rd
Whooper Swan 2 on 12th
Shelduck regular, max 82 on 28th
Tufted Duck regular, max 10 on 11th
Pink Footed Goose 250 over on 8th
Greylag Goose 3 on 16th
Pochard Singles regular
WADERS AT EHF/PHF

COUNT

Black-tailed Godwit regular, max 11
Lapwing regular, max 2,000 on 15th
Dunlin regular, max 4 on 3rd
Curlew regular, max 45 on 20th
Snipe regular, max 21 on 19th
Redshank regular, max 5 on 27th
Ruff regular, max 7 on 25th
Oystercatcher single on 4th and 25th
Golden Plover 11 over on 15th
Sanderling 2 on 12th
elsewhere  
22 Tufted Duck were on CF on 16th ~ a Scaup was at Doddington throughout the month ~ a pair of Mandarin Duck were on the River Weaver at Nantwich on 25th and 32 Pochard were at Doddington on 25th ~ 2 Golden Plover were with 23 Lapwing on pasture at Oakhanger on 20th~ 6 Oystercatchers were at Doddington on 24th

 

RAPTORS and OWLS

COUNT

Sparrowhawk regular sightings from the Flashes
Kestrel only a single record of one at Maw Green on 4th
Buzzard regular in the SECOS area
Peregrine singles regular on the pylons at RF ~2 at single at EHF on 11th
GULLS and TERNS

COUNT

BH Gull large roost regular at EHF
Mediterranean Gull an adult was at EHF / PHF on 19th
GBB Gull regular at EHF / PHF, 54 on 11th
Iceland Gull At least 3 first winter birds and 2 adults at EHF / PHF / MGT throughout the month
Caspian Gull an adult regular at EHF / PHF
YL Gull 2 at EHF / PHF on 10th
OTHER SIGHTINGS
The Glossy Ibis remained at EHF until the 3rd ~ a Brambling was in Crabmill Lane on the 3rd ~ a Water Rail was at PHF on 7th ~ 54 Tree Sparrows, 31 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Coaltits were at the EHF feeders on 13th ~ 30 Linnets were at EHF on 13th and 11 Stockdoves on 14th ~  a Skylark was singing over MGT on 22nd ~ 8 Siskin were at EHF on 23rd ~ 20 Fieldfare were at EHF on the 28th  ~ a Little Egret was at Rode Pool on the 21st ~ a female Blackcap was again in a Shavington garden ~ 300 Fieldfare were at Hurleston on the 11th ~ 30 Skylark and 60 Linnet were at Oakhanger on 20th and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Rode Pool on the 28th