An almost perfect visit to Wymott Ponds

Discussion of sightings in and around the Chorley area.

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1swallow
Raven
Posts: 602
Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:41 am

An almost perfect visit to Wymott Ponds

Post by 1swallow »

Fantastic local patch birding this morning.

I arrived onsite around 8 and began walking up Ridley Lane towards the fishing ponds. The usual 2 Reed Warblers were singing away in the reed bed but no Sedge Warbler today. On the main fishing pond an adult Coot was attending to it’s noisy youngster. Not much else other than a pair of Canada Geese with a gosling.

Suddenly to my right in the scrub by the prison a Cetti’s Warbler exploded into life announcing itself with an almost ear piercing burst of song. It repeated this a few times. I saw the bird with my naked eye but it was far too quick for me to get onto it with my bins. The Cetti’s then flew across into the scrubland surrounding the main fishing pond and sang again. I continued along the rough track by the prison passing sky- dancing singing Whitethroats until I reached Pump House Lane.

Off Pump House Lane a Linnet was singing and also a singing Yellowhammer. As I came to the permanent pond walking the track off Pump House again a kingfisher flew over my head carrying a rather large fish and carried on high out of sight to an unknown destination. Must be travelling some distance. The pond must have a plentiful supply of fish.

The pond was devoid of birds, just a single Coot, some dozing Mallards and a pair of Canada Geese with 3 goslings in the nearby farmland.

Backtracking I continued towards Ridley Lane. A kettle of 5 Buzzards were taking advantage of the thermals above the Riding Stables.

As I stepped onto Ridley Lane the Cetti’s Warbler sang loudly several times about 100 metres from the corner. The bird then flew again(glimpsed by my naked eye) before it flew back towards the fishing ponds.

Stopping off at the field with the big hedge over the railway line there was a flock of 5 Yellowhammers busily feeding on the edge of the field, took me to 57 species for the morning. I was getting greedy now and wanted to get 60 species under my belt so I walked right next to the big hedge to see if there was a Tree Sparrow knocking around. Sure enough there was.

I continued along Ridley Lane picking up a second singing Treecreeper and another Goldcrest en route to the metalled gated woodland. Nearing the woodland entrance I had another sighting of a Kingfisher flashing by over my head. Here I observed 1 Orange-Tip and 1 Small Tortoiseshell.

There were plenty of singing Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, a singing Stock Dove and other typical woodland species behind the metalled gates.

The remaining part of my walk I traversed the public footpath over the old Ulnes Walton landfill site hill, then turned right taking the footpath behind the Whimbrel field that connects you back to Ridley Lane. A close by singing Skylark rose up from the field fluttering skywards taking me to 59. Also by the footpath was 1 Red Admiral, 3 Small Whites, 1 Tortoiseshell and a Peacock butterfly. I had an additional 4 Small Whites and 2 Peacock butterfly off Ridley Lane.

Much searching of the skies was done before I locked on to a hovering Kestrel making 60, or so I thought! Not until I reached Ridley Lane did it dawn on me that that Barnacle Goose was an escape so I still haven’t cracked 60 in one visit this spring. I got told of a nesting pair of Nuthatches off Ridley Lane the other day and I know exactly where they are. I’ve not visited the site yet. Wish I had!
Peter Scholes
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