More bird sighting from October in the Greater Manchester area.
Highlights: A Ruddy Duck was at Elton Reservoir (1st-2nd). A Great White Egret was briefly at Pennington Flash (3rd).
Elton Reservoir: A Common Scoter was seen (20th-22nd). Up to 17 Whooper Swans flew over (11th-15th). A Late Yellow Wagtail was reported (2nd). A Black-tailed Godwit was seen (20th-31st). A Little Owl was a good sighting (31st).
Pennington Flash: A maximum of two Caspian Gulls were in the gull roost as well as a Yellow-legged Gull and a Mediterranean Gull. A Green Sandpiper was seen (15th). A Marsh Harrier flew through (22nd). Seven Whooper Swans dropped in (24th).
Mersey Valley: A Cetti’s Warbler at Sale WP was a site first. Up to 15 Mandarins were at Shell Pool. The high count of Ring-necked Parakeets was 60 over Stretford Meadows.
Other Sites: A Caspian Gull was again in Gorton (18th). Three Ring Ouzels were at Naden Reservoir (11th). Audenshaw Reservoir sightings included 10 Whooper Swans (13th), six Whooper Swans (23rd), a Yellow-legged Gull and up to two Rock Pipits. Passage on Horwich Moors included maxima of four Red-breasted Mergansers (21st), 20 Ring Ouzels, six Hen Harriers, two Marsh Harriers, a Hobby, four Merlin, 29 Whooper Swans, a Hawfinch, a Grey Plover, a Snow Bunting, 24 Bramblings, 15 Twite and 18 Crossbills. Manchester Mosslands sightings included a Hen Harrier through (26th), 18 Whooper Swans, a Hobby, a Merlin, two Marsh Harriers, two Green Sandpipers, Greenshank, and a Yellow Wagtail.
Dr Paul Brewster (01606 590491)