Weds 26th Aug 09 - Afternoon - Common Sandpiper

4:15 >4:30
Cloud, drizzly rain sometimes heavier bursts, SW wind.

Yet another brief visit (its getting too much of a habit).
No sign today of any Dunlin, in fact no sign of anything much, just a single Common Sandpiper on the ever devreasing wader pool and a couple of Little Egrets braving it out on the mud.

Tues 25th Aug 09 - Afternoon

5:15 > 5:30pm
Sunny, cloud building.

Very brief visit, single Dunlin on pool whilst two more were seen flying about then into the nearside margins of the deeper body of water out of sight, the single more than likely one of the pair but as Mondays pair (see below) were inseparable theres a chance there may be three on site.

Mon 24th Aug 09 - Afternoon - More Dunlin...

3:30 > 5:00pm
Windy, westerly, sunny spells, odd spit of rain.

As expected last weeks Dunlin has indeed left only to be replaced by two two other individuals on the wader pool. Certainly a different pair of birds much lighter in appearance and colouring suggesting both juveniles though having been watched at bin distance I may be wrong (but not wrong enough that ive missed a pair of Curlew Sandpipers ;)).

Also on same pool three Green Sandpipers, one Common Sandpiper and a Little Egret.
Around 30 or so Lapwing also dotted around the site and gven what has been about recently a dearth of gulls.

A Common Buzzard over was the only other real bird of interest.

Common Buzzard - Birdguides
Common Buzzard - BTO
Common Buzzard - RSPB
Common Buzzard - Avibirds
Common Buzzard - Wiki

Fri 21st Aug 09 - Morning - Dunlin makes eighth day.

6:30 > 6:45
Cloudy, sunny spells, calm.

Quick visit on the way to work as I can't get there at any time later today. The juvenile Dunlin, now here on its eighth day on the wader pool was the only bird of note. Sadly the second pool just north of this that is favoured by the Green Sandpipers at times and the collection of Greenshanks that have passed through in recent weeks has now completely dried up.

Thurs 20th Aug 09 - Evening - Wader trio...

Green Sandpiper - Aug 16th 09 - Manor Farm
5:00 > 5:30pm
Sunny, windy, very windy (SW).

The juvenile Dunlin remains for its seventh day since arriving last Friday however its looks like it might be ready to move. For the last week it has barely moved out of a twenty foot radius and has tended to run from danger which got me thinking perhaps it was carrying an injury. Fear not, this afternoon, even into the strong wind it was taking small flights around the wader pool. I would not put much money on it being there tomorrow.

Also in this area were singles of Common and Green Sandpiper.

Given the winds I took a walk along the ridge as this has been a fall location for the likes of Wheatear in previous years but apart from a couple of Green Woodpeckers which are always in the grasss in this area, no luck.

The 'back pool' south of the farm (see yesterday) buildings held nothing of interest today.

Green Woodpecker - Birdguides
Green Woodpecker - BTO
Green Woodpecker - RSPB
Green Woodpecker - Avibirds
Green Woodpecker - Wiki

Weds 19th Aug 09 - Evening - Common Gull

5:10 > 5:30pm
Hot, sunny.

Another brief visit.

Juvenile Dunlin still on wader pool, no sign of Common Greenshank.
Apart from twenty or so Lapwing the only other waders were two Common Sandpipers, one on the clay islands and another on the pond/pool south of the farm buildings as I walked home. Given the receding water down in the valley and the attraction for this pool by waders in years gone by it might be worth the odd look. I'll keep you posted.

Onto the gulls, not high in numbers but the usual assortment, that still look mostly the same to me despite investing in a copy of Helm, but I was clever enough to pick out at least a singleCommon Gull (or as someone calls them the 'gentler' Herring Gull) away from the fray this afternoon, who knows there maybe more.

And just as you leave the site by the road opposite the derelict land and scrub a few Common Blue butterflies were flitting about.

Common Gull - Birdguides
Common Gull - BTO
Common Gull - RSPB
Common Gull - Wiki
'Mew Gull' - Avibirds

Small Blue - Butterfly Conservation
Small Blue - UK Butterflies

Weds 19th Aug 09 - Early Morning - Mistle Thrush abound!

Little Egret - Manor Farm - Aug 16th 09
7:00 > 7:20am
Sunny, calm.

A brief visit on a bright summer's morning. No sign of yesterdays Ringed Plover - but given brevity of visit don't discount it. Still on the wader pool for their sixth day however are clearly visible are the juvenile Dunlin and the Common Greenshank. No sign of any of the more resident waders but two Little Egrets dozed out on the margins.

Along the road down to the farm buildings a flock of fifteen or so Mistle Thrush were lined up along the fencing.

Mistle thrush - Birdguides
Mistle Thrush - BTO
Mistle Thrush - RSPB
Mistle Thrush - Avibirds
Mistle thrush - Wiki

Tuesday 18th Aug 09 - Afternoon - Ringed Plover

5:00 > 5:30pm
Overcast, warm.

Another wader appears! A Ringed Plover, the first returnee since May, favouring the mud along the front of the last sizeable wader pool. Probably best viewable from the River Ouse side, unfortunately I didn't have time to venture that far. Took to the air on several occaisions but then settled back to earth, still there when I left at 5:30ish.

Also for the fifth day both the juvenile Dunlin and Common Greenshank are on the same pool with a single Common Sandpiper. No Greens seen on site today the only other waders the forty or so Lapwing dotted about the site

Just a single Common Tern today after yesterdays high count of twelve and where yesterday there was over 1000 gulls (see post below) just seven (thats seven) greeted me today. Later on a motley assortment of LBB and Herring Gull were lined up along the new shingle banking behind the old wader pit though.

Problem at the site again though is lack of water, tomorrows predicted hot day might well see another two of the smaller pools gone going on what was left today.

Pray for rain, lots of it or those nice people at Hanson leaving the tap running for a day or two.

Ringed Plover - Birdguides
Ringed Plover - BTO
Ringed Plover - RSPB
Ringed Plover - Avibirds
Ringed Plover - Wiki

Monday 17th Aug 09 - Afternoon - Gulltastic!

Gulltastic - just part of the gull flock today at Manor Farm.
3:30 > 4:30pm
Warm, sunny.

The first thing that struck me on arrival was the vast number of gulls out on the mud, see pic above for around half of what was out there. I've seen the same thing at first light but the gulls usually disperse as the day warms up but today in the heat of the day over 1000 birds were out on the mud with maybe a couple of hundred more in the newly dug pit at the back (north) of the site. And today maybe a fifth or more (200+) were Lesser Black Backed with a fair smattering of Herring Gulls, various ages present and being somewhat of a novice in gull identification anything might be out there and it might be worth one or more of the afficiandos taking a look to sort the wheat from the chaff.

The juvenile Dunlin was found quickly at the back of the last shallow wader pool despite the numbers around it but it wasn't until something spooked all the gulls skywards that the Greenshank was spotted left on its own in the very same pool, with the commotion over it found a vacant small 'island' and duly curled up and went to sleep. A pair of Green Sandpipers were also on site but frequenting the 'puddle' in Godwit Corner.

Common Tern numbers were up to 12 while around 80 Lapwing in a flock were flushed when all hell let loose with those gulls and headed east.

Herring Gull - Birdguides
Herring Gull - BTO
Herring Gull - RSPB
Herring Gull - Avibirds
Herring Gull - Wiki

MF Weekly Roundup - Mon 10th to Sun 16th Aug 09

Some notable new birds this week at Manor Farm, not only the third Greenshank in the last few weeks and the juvenile Dunlin which were both first seen on Friday (14th) and were still present as the week ended on Sunday (16th) but also the first Northern Wheatear of ‘Autumn’ migration, a juvenile on the ridge fencing on Tuesday (11th).

Of the more resident waders a maximum count of three of both Common and Green Sandpiper were seen during the week along with a max 70 Lapwing on Monday (10th).

Four Little Egrets on Sunday (16th) was the maximum I’ve seen at the site while the Common Tern trio were still in attendance on and off during the week.

On the gull front the highest count was on Sunday (16th) with around 600 out on the mud first thing. These were virtually all Black Headed Gulls though on Tuesday (11th) around a third (32) of the hundred or so birds viewable were Lesser Black Backed Gulls.

And finally two more common species but not often seen at the farm, on Friday (14th) a pair of Stock Dove on the mud and a single Sparrowhawk over.

Sunday 16th August - Morning - Dunlin & Greenshank still

Juvenile Dunlin - Manor Farm - Aug 16th 09

6:00 > 10:30am

Warm calm first thing then broken cloud with a SW brisk breeze at times before the sun won the day.

A beautiful summer morning, (remember them?) on arrival not only a multitude of gulls, virtually all Black Headed, out on the mud dozing but in the distance ballons taking off at the Northampton festival the flames added to the occaison.

The Greenshank and juvenile Dunlin remain on site for the third day, also an inlux of Common Sandpipers with three, possibly four now on site. Three Green Sandpipers were also present.

Four Little Egret's, a record for me at MF, were favoring a single pool while the Common Tern trio still flitted about.

The Kestrel still did his best to catch a Goldfinch, unsuccessfully, while the Bert and Ernie of the bird world, the two male Pheasants, forever with each other, of different races Bert (torquatus) and Ernie (colchicus) wandered aimlessly round the mud and even visited the wader pool for a while.

And todays 'new' butterfly was a Speckled Wood

Pheasant - Birdguides
Pheasant - BTO
Pheasant - Avibirds
Pheasant - RSPB
Pheasant - Wiki

Speckled Wood - Butterfly Conservation
Speckled Wood - UK Butterflies

Saturday 15th Aug 09 - SiNich visit

Greenshank - Manor Farm - Aug 16th 09

Unfortunately Simon could knot (geddit!) confirm or otherwise the three waders RAC had seen earlier in the day. However he had the following posted via NBBR at 14:40

"No sign of Roys earlier waders , 1 Common Sandpiper and 3 Green Sandpipers in the inlet , 1 GREENSHANK , 1 Little Egret and 1 DUNLIN on the main scrape. 3 Common Terns also."

Friday 14th Aug 09 - Afternoon - Dunlin

Greenshank resting alongside juvenile Dunlin in water - Manor Farm Aug 14th 09
2:30 > 4:00pm
Cloudy, cool at first, sun breaking through later, westerly breeze.

Well Friday definitely is Greenshank day at MF, for the third Friday in five weeks a Greenshank (all different birds) has arrived at MF. This bird favoured the last large shallow pool more than anywhere and was joined by a smaller unidentified wader during the afternoon. Due to the initial bad light it was hard to pick out what exactly it was only that it was a wader and it looked predominently brown. Later Si Nicholls & Rob Hill confirmed it as a juvenile Dunlin (see Si's message below).

Also on site two Green Sandpiper and a single Common Sandpiper again favouring the 'clay islands' whilst circa 20 Lapwing were dotted about the site.

Three Common Terns a Little Egret and a pair of Stock Dove out on the mud were the other birds of interest. A Sparrowhawk flew over as I left.

Later at 5 o'clock from SiNich via NBBR

"Thanks to a tip off from Chris G , Rob Hill and I are are currently enjoying GREENSHANK , Juv DUNLIN and 2 Green Sandpiper at Manor Farm , also 2 Little Egrets"

Dunlin - Birdguides
Dunlin - BTO
Dunlin - Avibirds
Dunlin - RSPB
Dunlin - Wiki

Wednesday 13th Aug 09 - Evening - Quiet...

6:00 > 6:15pm
Sun, warm, humid.

Very brief visit and only bird of note was a single Common Sandpiper on clay islands on the deep area of water.

Earlier in the day, RAC (Roy C) via NBBR
A wet wander around the soggy climes of MF this am.
1 Little Egret by inlet, later on main body of water.
2 tern, I assume common.
20+ Lapwing.
A couple of Wren calling.
1 Green Sandpiper.
c30 Goldfinch.
2 Common Sandpiper.
20+ Jackdaw.

Tuesday 11th Aug 09 - Afternoon - Wheatear returns!

Wheatear - Manor Farm - Spring 09
4:30 >5:15pm
Warm, sunny.

And here was me thinking that anything heading south that might stopover would only be attracted to the new 'magnetic' landscaped areas when lo and behold this evening a juvenile Wheatear turns up in an area where I have sighted a couple in the past way before the quarry workings took place. Follow the path behind the farms buildings along ridge as if heading for canal. On the fen posts by the area of rabbit workings. And oddly enough an area and a bird i'd discussed with someone from the Parks Trust just a few days back. Next week the lottery numbers.

Down on the working themselves, not a lot. No sign of any waders apart from the 40 or so Lapwing dotted about. Around 100 Gulls, with a hefty number of Lesser Black Backs included, 32 at least included in that number.

A couple of Common Terns still in the area was the only other real birds of note while the Kestrel still tries his best with the Goldfinch flocks.

** This morning on the canal bank just south of the site was a single Common Sandpiper.

On the butterfly front the sun brought out even larger numbers of Large Whites.

Wheatear - Birdguides
Wheatear - BTO
Wheatear - RSPB
Wheatear - Wiki

Large White - Butterfly Conservation
Large White - UK Butterflies

Monday 10th Aug - Afternoon - Usual suspects...

Little Egret - Manor Farm - Spring 09
4:30 > 5:00pm
Dull, cloudy, drizzle at times, westerly breeze.

A brief visit and the usual suspects on show. Three Green Sandpiper remain alongside circa 70 Lapwing. Gulls not as numerous as late and mostly out of view from the south side in the new deeper pit. but a few BHG's and a couple of LBB's out on the mud.
Three Common Terns flitting about as were a pair of Kestrel increasingly trying to catch the Goldfinch flocks without much luck. Cormorant over while a single Little Egret arrived late on.

On the wildfowl front the first ducks for a while in three Mallard. On the hill and behind the farm itself the Canada Goose flock looks to have thinned out.

Mallard - Birdguides
Mallard - BTO
Mallard - RSPB
Mallard - Wiki

Saturday 8th August 09 - Afternoon

Green Sandpipers - Manor Farm - Aug 09

Per NBBR - Rob Hill had three Green Sandpipers at Manor Farm.

Green Sandpiper - Birdguides
Green Sandpiper - BTO
Green Sandpiper - RSPB
Green Sandpiper - Wiki

Friday 7th Aug 09 - Afternoon - Gulls remain...

Gull flock - Manor Farm - Winter 08

2:30 > 4:00pm
Warm sunshire, humid.

A large amout of Gulls still remain, numbering over 1,000 on the mud alone as well as a few hundred more in the new deeper pit which were flushed from time to time. As always mostly Black Headed with at rough count 50 or so Lesser Black Backed and at least one single definite Herring Gull.

A few Common Terns were mixed in with the flock, maybe six or seven at most.

On the wader front three Green Sandpipers and a single Common Sandpiper were on the shallow pools.

Little Egret over.

On the butterfly front as well as the usual abundant Large Whites and increasing Painted Ladies the most noticable today was Peacock with a few fluttering aroung the back brook area.

Herring Gull - Birdguides
Herring Gull - BTO
Herring Gull - RSPB
Herring Gull - Wiki

Peacock - Butterfly Conservation
Peacock - UK Butterflies

Friday 7th Aug 09 - Early AM - Gulls!

Back soon? - Wheatear - Manor Farm - April 09

5:45 > 6:30am
Bright after heavy rains of day before.

A quick visit to MF at 5:45 didn't produce anything of great excitement, the usual handful of Green Sandpiper and a single Common Sandpiper what was noticable though was the huge number of gulls at the site, on the mud and surrounding fields numbers were well into four figures, the most by far i've ever seen here.

A flock of around 150 Lapwing over was also the highest of the summer.

The site however does look like it again has a lot of potential for migrants over the coming days as yesterdays deluge has created a network of new pools on what was the main body of water and the newly landscaped area of sand gravel and mud at the eastern end of this is something of a recreation of what was attrating in the likes of Wheatear, Yellow and White Wagtail earlier this year.

Interesting times ahead?

Lapwing - Birdguides
Lapwing - BTO
Lapwing - RSPB
Lapwing - Wiki

Tuesday 4th August - Afternoon - Cormorant

4:30 > 5:00pm
Cloudy, warm, muggy, odd spot of rain, SW wind.

A fairly quiet afternoon at MF. Two Green Sandpipers, one Common Sandpiper and 23 Lapwing around the small pools as were three Common Terns which suprisingly caught a fish or two in the deeper area.
Only a handful of gulls visiable these all being Black Headed Gulls but the traffic in and out the newly dug pit to the rear (north) of site suggested usual numbers were about. A Lesser Black Backed Gull that was floundering on the mud yesterday expired overnight and was making a meal for several crows.
On the hill around 80 Canada Geese were grazing including an odd looking individual that looks like a Canada/ANother hybrid, a Canada in all respects but yellow legs and beak. Also on the hill a Kestrel hunted in the lenghtening grass.
At waterside a Cormorant, the first I have seen this summer at the site, rested.
As I was leaving the rain got heavier and a passage of Housemartins, probably around 25 birds, passed through the site.

At the back of the farm buildings it was noticable that something in the damp woodchip was attricting a handful of Painted Lady butterfly.

Cormorant - Birdguides
Cormorant - BTO
Cormorant - RSPB
Cormorant - Wiki

Painted Lady - Butterfly Conservation
Painted Lady - UK Butterflies

Monday 3rd August - Afternoon - Goldfinch invasion...

Comma - Manor Farm - July 09
4:00 < 4:45pm
Cloudy, muggy.

Brief visit.
No sign of Greenshank but didn't have time to visit the inlet.
Three Green Sandpipers, one Common Sandpiper and three Lapwing were the only visible waders.
Gull flock up to around 150, majority Black Headed Gulls but the usual smattering of Lesser Black Backs including a colour ringed one, lengthy blue on left leg, small silver on right, if that means anything to you?
Litte Egret over.
Up to four Common Terns flitting about at any one time.
The high number of thistles, especially along the north bank of the site are attracting increasing numbers of Goldfinch, this afternoon there were at least five diferent 'charms' floating about including one with over one hundred birds.
On the butterfly front along with the usual abundance of Large Whites, and an increasing number of the smaller variities of white, Commas and Tortoiseshell and of course the odd Painted Lady, a few Red Admirals were catching the eye today that I hadn't really noticed here before.

Black Headed Gull - Birdguides
Black Headed Gull - BTO
Black Headed Gull - RSPB
Black Headed Gull - Wiki

Red Admiral - UK Butterflies

Sunday 2nd August - Morning - Greenshank Day Three

Common Sandpiper (1st Aug)

Robert Norris had the follower via NBBR:

"The Greenshank was still present this morning in the inlet.
Also at least 3 Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper and 3 Little Egret.
There was also Common Tern with 2 juveniles in tow."

Greenshank - Birdguides
Greenshank - BTO
Greenshank - RSPB
Greenshank - Wiki

Video - Manor Farm - Panorama

Saturday 1st August 09 - Morning - RAC visit.

Pic created with photo taken this morning. (Common Sandpiper)

Roy C was also on site today and posting the following on NBBR.

"A wet wander around MF this morn. Quite a nice day interspersed with light showers. Quite clement! wet underfoot though.

6 Swallow around the farm itself.
1 GREENSHANK at the inlet. Thanks for info Chris. Flighty it certainly was. I chased it back & forth.
2 Reed Warbler on river where it bends left. In reeds.
1 Kestrel
1 Tern, presumed Common
1 Kingfisher along river. My 1st of the year. Again ta for info Chris. Much appreciated.

Very wet feet and legs, but well worth it.
Roy"

Kingfisher - Birdguides
Kingfisher - BTO
Kingfisher - RSPB
Kingfisher - Wiki

Saturday 1st August 09 - Morning - Greenshank still...

6:00 > 11:00am
Calm, cloudy, sunn breaking through but then rain.

On arrival the main body of water (now mud) contain around 100 Canada Geese while the surrounding fields held the same number if not more of gulls mostly Black Headed but with a sprinkling of Lesser Black Backed. As things warmed up they exchanges places, geese in field, gulls down to workings mostly in newly dug pit at rear of original area, best viewed following Front Brook as it leaves the Ouse on far side of site.

The Greenshank was still in residence but flighty between the NW inlet and the last shallow pool in the main area. This pool also held a single Common Sandpiper, three Green Sandpipers and Little Egret. And the Kestrel was doing his best to catch the ever growing Goldfinch flock that frequents the thistled banking to the north of site.

Away from the water both Greater Spotted and Green Woodpeckers were very active especially in the trees at the bottom of central field.

Notable on the butterfly front apart from the amount of Large Whites was the number of Painted Lady started to drift through in small numbers.

And finally an oddity from a party of Terns present firt thing. This party of five was on the water resting when I arrived and I never really got that good a look at them as I was checking first to see if the Greenshank was still on site first. As the multitude of geese rose to go elswhere for the day they (the 5 terns)took off from the water out the corner of my eye heading south together in a tightish group so I guess they might be on passage. I was halfway up the hill, behind the farm buildings, well away from the water, when one peeled from the group, which was flying well away from me anyway, sent out alarm calls and dived within about three foot of me a couple of times than happily joined the others and went on its way. Strange to say the least and certainly nothing i'd experienced before.

Green Sandpiper - Birdguides
Green Sandpiper - BTO
Green Sandpiper - RSPB
Green Sandpiper - Wiki