28/08/2026 Morning Update

An excellent 6 hours with Ray Scally today. The first good bird of the day was a Wood Sandpiper that was present on the lagoon at dawn and still present when we left (although it did go missing for a bit mid-morning). The second record this year.

Wood Sandpiper - Jon Lowes

A Great White Egret then dropped in at 7.15 am but only stayed about 20 minutes. A rare bird at Middleton Moor, the last record was in 2024.

Great White Egret - top Ray Scally, bottom Jon Lowes

At 7.45am a very vocal Greenshank dropped in but departed SW at 8.15am.

Greenshank - Ray Scally

Ray then had a flock of 14 Pintail over going NW followed by Osprey low over the lagoon at 10.20am.

Pintail - Ray Scally

Osprey - Ray Scally

A Red Kite flew up from Black Harry Gate and passed low over the lagoon late morning.

Red Kite - Jon Lowes

Ducks on the lagoon included 1 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall with Shoveler numbers up to 12 and Teal up to 82.

Lingering / passage summer migrants included 3 Yellow Wagtails that dropped in together at 11.10am, 1 Redstart, 2 Reed Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, 9+ Chiffchaff, 1 Swift (per Steve Orridge), 20+ Swallows with the odd House Martin and Sand Martin still knocking about.

Redstart - Jon lowes

https://ebird.org/checklist/S387642609

https://ebird.org/checklist/S387637458

27/08/2026 From Andy Carmichael

1 Female Wigeon, 1 Snipe, 1 Red Kite, 1 Tree Pipit.

26/08/2026 Evening Visit

Fairly quiet. An adult Yellow-legged Gull came in with the gull roost. Still at least 7 Shovelers. 1 Reed Warbler lingering at the north end of the lagoon and a Tawny Owl was on fence posts by Longstone Moor as I was leaving then flew across the road towards the lagoon. 

26/09/2026 Afternoon Visit

NEW IN - As elsewhere locally and county wide there had been an overnight influx of duck species 3 Pintail on arrival at 1.30pm but left high at 2.15pm approx over Longstone, also 7 new Shoveler, the Red Kite didn't help as it quartered the lagoon low down flushing/ moving most of the waterfowl. Also 1 Curlew but had departed before I left. 2 Meadow Pipit on the shore line.

LINGERING MIGRANTS - The resident Dunlin seems to have departed. 

Nothing new or an increase in other species numbers, the Red Kite came down and quartered low displacing the waterfowl.

eBird Checklist - 26 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 25 species

Curlew - Ray Scally

Pintail - Ray Scally

25/08/2026 From Ken Hardy

1 Dunlin, 1 Whinchat, 4 Stonechat

25/08/2026 Morning Update

NEW IN - 1 Ringed Plover left high at 8.15am, increase in Teal numbers to 67.

LINGERING MIGRANTS - 1 Dunlin still. 

Nothing new or an increase in other species numbers, the Red Kite came down and landed on the shore which is a first, the Starling are starting to roost with at least 140 leaving early morning. Full lists as ebird links below.

eBird Checklist - 25 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 41 species

eBird Checklist - 25 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 24 species

eBird Checklist - 25 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 39 species

Ringed Plover & Dunlin - Ray Scally

Ringed Plover & Dunlin - Andy Butler

24/08/2026 Morning Update

The only obvious new bird this morning was a Hobby which crossed the lagoon at 08:30. There were over 100 Barn Swallows on the wires so I was hoping it might hang around to hunt but it went straight through. 

Checking for smaller birds I had a single Spotted Flycatcher, which was a moulting adult so looked a bit scruffy. Also flyover Tree Pipit and a nice male Common Redstart.

Spotted Flycatcher

On the lagoon the pair of Gadwall were back, or perhaps just out of the reeds so visible,  the Shoveler pair still present and the juvenile Dunlin which has been present for a week now.

23/08/2026 Morning Update

NEW IN - A earlier than usual start at 5.45am paid off with a brief GREEN SANDPIPER which stayed for about 5 minutes and vanished at dawn, I didn't see it go. Not long after a Ringed Plover and 1 Dunlin appeared on the shore line but left high at 6.35am, the resident Dunlin was still present. 3 Common Snipe came in at 7.30 approx and at 9.30am 4 YELLOW WAGTAIL flew in and stayed for about 10 minutes, the most I have seen here together. 1 Tree Pipit over.

LINGERING MIGRANTS - Chiffchaff out numbering Willow Warbler with only 1 of the latter seen, 1 Dunlin still. 2 Redstart were present at the main gate on Rosa Lane, probably resident birds.

The early morning paid off with at least 600 Lesser black backed Gulls leaving the roost and over 250 Black Headed Gull, there was also a Herring/ YLG but too dark to discern which, the roosting 175 Greylag Geese were present but left after dawn down Combs Dale. Resident duck numbers were steady with no increase in numbers, the Gadwall were not present but replaced with 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Shoveler, 41 Teal. The single young Shelduck was also present. Full counts on e-bird links below. Interesting to see the Starlings are starting to roost with at least 150 leaving early morning.

eBird Checklist - 23 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 44 species

eBird Checklist - 23 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 53 species (+1 other taxa)

Goldcrest (juv) - Ray Scally

Yellow Wagtail - Ray Scally

Yellow Wagtail - Ray Scally

22/08/2026 Morning Update

The only ‘new in’ bird today was a male Ruff. Present first thing but flew high west just after 7.30am.

Ruff - top Andy Butler, bottom Ray Scally

The Dunlin that has been around a few days was still on lagoon No.4. 

Dunlin - Jon Lowes

Shelduck were down from 3 to 1, so presumably the 2 locally bred birds have departed as they never seemed to stray far from each other. 

7 Little Grebes included 2 young.

Little Grebe - Ray Scally

Lingering / passage summer migrants included 1 Swift, 1 Sand Martin, 40 Swallows, 30 House Martins, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers, 10 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats, and 3 Tree Pipits.

Willow Warbler - Ray Scally

https://ebird.org/checklist/S385674822

https://ebird.org/checklist/S385689735

https://ebird.org/checklist/S385679641

21/08/2026 Morning Update

NEW IN - Nothing of note and very little movement generally.

LINGERING MIGRANTS - Chiffchaff out numbering Willow Warbler with only 1 of the latter heard, 1 Dunlin still.

Resident duck numbers were steady with no increase in numbers, 2 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 41 Teal. Gull numbers vary but remaining low with just into double figures, with the YELLOW-LEGGED GULL joining the LBBG and BH Gull briefly. 175 Greylag Geese at dawn but left shortly after, the 3 Shelduck juvs still present and flying. 1 Common Snipe, 12 Mistle Thrush and 4 Stonechat on Rosa Lane as I was leaving. Full counts on e-bird links below.

eBird Checklist - 21 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 54 species

eBird Checklist - 21 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 51 species

Yellow-legged Gull - Andy Butler

Common Snipe - Ray Scally

Chiffchaff - Ray Scally

20/08/2026 Afternoon Visit

 Greenshank.

A greenshank was feeding in front of the hide on this cool afternoon.

Intriguingly there were 3 immature shelduck on the lagoon today, so the usual two have been joined by a third.

Also of note were three swift repeatedly flying over the dam wall.

18/08/2026 Morning Update

Conditions looked promising this morning with overnight rain and low cloud then more rain early morning. 

Four Ringed Plover on arrival was a good sign then a juvenile Greenshank flew in calling at 06:45 but it only stayed for 15 minutes.

Greenshank - juvenile

Ringed Plover

A Dunlin feeding on the dam wall was very elusive and I think it's yesterday's bird.

Lots of hirundines with at least 90 Swallows feeding over the water.

17/08/2026 Morning Update

 A decent start to the morning with a Wheatear with 3 Stonechat on the gorse field then 3 Ringed Plover and a Dunlin on the lagoon. 

Overcast with low cloud it felt like there could be more birds moving but the Ringed Plover departed, followed by the Dunlin. Another Dunlin appeared but no sign of anything else.

Northern Wheatear

Dunlin

Still 3 Wigeon and a single Shoveler with Teal numbers up to 44. The Little Grebes youngsters showed,  one pair had two chicks and it looks like there is another pair with young.

Little Grebe

16/08/2026 Morning Update

 The first morning of any visible movement for some time.

NEW IN - 3 WIGEON were present on arrival, along with a WHEATEAR, both the first of the Autumn, at 6:40am a RINGED PLOVER called as it circled overhead but did not land nor was it seen, at 7:15am 2 DUNLIN came in and circled the lagoon a number of times but went high west.

LINGERING MIGRANTS - Yesterdays WHINCHAT was still present, the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER was still in the plantation, 1 TREE PIPIT, may have been a new migrant but they have been seen or heard most days.

Resident duck numbers were steady with no increase in numbers, there was no sign of the 2 Gadwall or Shoveler but may still be present in the reeds. Gull numbers vary but remaining low, with a COMMON GULL joining the LBBG and BH Gulls briefly.

Wigeon - Ray Scally

eBird Checklist - 16 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 45 species

eBird Checklist - 16 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 43 species

eBird Checklist - 16 Aug 2026 - Middleton Moor - 51 species

15/08/2026 Morning Update

Fairly quiet on the lagoon this morning, the highlights being a Snipe, 2 Gadwall and 2 new broods of Little Grebes.

Elsewhere, 1 Spotted Flycatcher was still in the plantation, the first Whinchat of the autumn was in the gorse field and 7 Stonechats were between there and Black Harry Gate. Plus a Red Kite.

Spotted Flycatcher - Ray Scally

Whinchat - Jon Lowes

Common Snipe - Jon Lowes

Little Grebe - Andy Butler

https://ebird.org/checklist/S383511583

https://ebird.org/checklist/S383493688

https://ebird.org/checklist/S383551324

14/08/2026 Morning Update

 This morning's highlights included;

• 2 Arctic Terns, an adult & a juvenile, dropped in at 7.15am but only stayed 5 minutes
• A probable 3rd summer Yellow-legged Gull
• 1 Red Kite
• 1 Peregrine
• A female type Yellow Wagtail
• 2 Tree Pipits

Arctic Tern - Andy Butler

Arctic Tern - Jon Lowes

Yellow Wagtail - Andy Butler

https://ebird.org/checklist/S383155552

https://ebird.org/checklist/S383164378

https://ebird.org/checklist/S383301562

10/08/2026 Evening Visit

 Early evening visit. Best was 2 Spotted Flycatchers by the north gate and a Common Gull with 173 Black-headed Gulls & 127 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

09/08/2026 Morning Update

 09.08.26 - Quieter then yesterday with far fewer passerines, highlight was a GREEN SANDPIPER which dropped in around 7.30, 2 Spotted Flycatcher were still showing in the plantation with 2 Tree Pipit.

Green Sandpiper

Tree Pipit

 Spotted Flycatcher

08/08/2026 Morning Update

 An uptick in migrant passerines this morning. Highlights included;

1 Peregrine

3 Garden Warbler

2 Spotted Flycatchers

5 Stonechat

1 Tree Pipit

1 Redpoll

1 Siskin

Spotted Flycatcher

Garden Warbler

Cormorant

Common Buzzard

Common Chiffchaff

Stonechat

https://ebird.org/checklist/S381114353

https://ebird.org/checklist/S381074760

02/08/2026 Morning Visit

Lots of small bird activity today, making it feel like autumn migration had begun in earnest. The highlights were 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 7 Stonechat and a Lesser Whitethroat. A single Dunlin and juvenile Little Ringed Plover were on the lagoon.

Full list on eBird https://ebird.org/checklist/S379084652

Spotted Flycatcher