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RSPB Middleton Lakes (1 Viewer)

SteveAtkinson

Well-known member
700+ Golden Plover JW and North Pit today, might have been more but difficult to count as they weren't all in the air together for very long. Also 3 Shelduck, 2 Stonechat, Meadow Pipit and a Cetti calling on the causeway.
Water levels weren't too bad considering the rain we had Saturday night into Sunday, but not much mud showing. Nick Martin reckons that work done by the landowner to the north of the reserve has helped the water levels to drop more quickly than in the past. Apparently he's agreed to do more of the same sort of work which may help further.

All the best
Steve
 
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Gruffalo

New member
Not sure what the first pool after the canal bridge is called but it held a female Scaup at about 14.30. I saw the flight of Golden Plover, Lapwimg and circa 150 Greylags at 15.00 - very impressive. Soggy underfoot but a good afternoon overall.
 

Phil Andrews

It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Not sure what the first pool after the canal bridge is called but it held a female Scaup at about 14.30. I saw the flight of Golden Plover, Lapwimg and circa 150 Greylags at 15.00 - very impressive. Soggy underfoot but a good afternoon overall.

Fisher's Mill Pool - I am sure someone will check it out tomorrow (2 Scaup today at Coton Lakes)
 

Periwinkle

Tame Valley Birder
Scaup is a major rarity at Middleton - I have only seen one and that was 14 years ago! It's probably the bird that has been seen at Otter Pool, KWP a few times.
 

geoffw1946

Well-known member
2 Whooper Swan flew low over the car park today at 10:20am heading east, also seen were 6 Shelduck, 8 Goldeneye, 4 Little Egret, 1 Water Rail on track between the two JWs screens, 1000+ Golden Plover, 10 Snipe, 4 Dunlin, 1 Common Gull and 4 Stonechat.
Highlights of the week have been :-
25/11, 1 Jack Snipe.
27/11, 1032 Golden Plover, 828 Lapwing and 2 Dunlin per FM. 40 Snipe and 3 Common Gull.
28/11, 35 Pochard and 2 Goosander Dosthill.
Geoff
 

Piccalilli

Steve Pick
Starling roost almost over with only 600 birds going into silt pool tonight. Same happened last year at the end of November but we haven't seen anywhere near the numbers this year.
 

geoffw1946

Well-known member
2 Redshank were new in this morning, also seen were 342 Golden Plover, 3 Chiffchaff and 4 Stonechat.
Highlights of the last two days were :-
1/12, 9 Shelduck, 9 Snipe and a Willow Tit.
2/12, 9 Shelduck, 500 Golden Plover and a Grey Wagtail.
Geoff
 

geoffw1946

Well-known member
This afternoon there was a drake Pintail and 3 female Goosander on NP and 520 Golden Plover on the JWs. A Tawny Owl was seen at dusk in Mill Plantation and a minimum of 12 Little Egret were roosting in the heronry.
Geoff
 

SteveAtkinson

Well-known member
The bridge arrived onto the Dosthill side of the site on Thursday but apparently they were unable to install it because the manufacturers have not made the disabled access ramps yet. Should be put into place in January but I guess no one is holding their breath!
Steve
 

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Sedgley Birder

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.... B
Thanks for the update.

Just out of interest, how much has it cost to construct/put this in to place, and where have the funds come from? It looks a bit like the Forth Bridge in Scotland, but not as expensive too maintain!

Gavin.:-O
 

SteveAtkinson

Well-known member
Thanks for the update.

Just out of interest, how much has it cost to construct/put this in to place, and where have the funds come from? It looks a bit like the Forth Bridge in Scotland, but not as expensive too maintain!

Gavin.:-O

From what I understand, Hansons are under an obligation to replace the bridge that they removed when they finished quarrying as it's on a public footpath. I believe that Hansons is paying for it not the RSPB.

Steve
 

Phil Andrews

It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
From what I understand, Hansons are under an obligation to replace the bridge that they removed when they finished quarrying as it's on a public footpath. I believe that Hansons is paying for it not the RSPB.

Steve

From memory this new bridge looks quite similar to the previous Bailey-esque bridge?
 

rollingthunder

Well-known member
A Bridge Too Far.....the saga continues

It's a pity that they just could'nt put the thing up and then make the disabled access? I would have thought that it would be able to be used 'normally', whatever that is in RSPB-speak, and then just make it accessible for wheelchairs etc much in the manner that existing structures are just simply adapted for other access. Or am i missing something? Perhaps it's either just too easy or not PC in case somebody complains?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30459117

Laurie:t:

Attached - follow the lead of the Dutch and make them a local migration route!
 

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Dick-E-Dipper

Well-known member
Laurie

It comes to the old question of cost.
Hansons would have to Hire/bring in heavy lifting gear TWICE, once for the Bridge and again for the Disabled Ramp.
The whole operation being carried out from the Dosthill side.
As you will appreciate, it will have to be a substantial crane to span the river.

Is anybody running a Raffle on the date of the Official opening (in 2015+)?

Richard
 

SteveAtkinson

Well-known member
Laurie

It comes to the old question of cost.
Hansons would have to Hire/bring in heavy lifting gear TWICE, once for the Bridge and again for the Disabled Ramp.
The whole operation being carried out from the Dosthill side.
As you will appreciate, it will have to be a substantial crane to span the river.

Is anybody running a Raffle on the date of the Official opening (in 2015+)?

Richard

Yeah, that's what I heard from one of the RSPB volunteers. Apparently the crane represents a huge cost, so they'll only do it once. Hansons were under the impression that all the bits of the bridge would be there on Thursday and are fuming that the manufacturers didn't reveal that they hadn't yet made the ramps until the last minute so they cancelled the crane.

Steve
 

rollingthunder

Well-known member
Cheers for the details - i guess the disabled bit is'nt just a couple of retro-fit jobs. It's a pity that it could'nt have been built in-situ using a much smaller on-site vehicle that they seemed to have had for a while then it would have been open much earlier and cheaper but there appeared to be issues with rights of way and all that.

People have waited long enough, a bit longer won't matter now and will mean much better access and less time-consuming travel for those concerned:t:

Laurie:t:
 

geoffw1946

Well-known member
I went over the Dosthill side today to have a look at the bridge, it seems quite sturdy and should last quite a while unless the large willow in the river upstream comes adrift.
The drake Red-crested Pochard was on Dosthill Lake, a drake Pintail and circa 100 Wigeon were on the NR and a pair of Goosander were on the river. Also seen were 8 Meadow Pipit and a Snipe but no Jack Snipe or Woodcock.
Geoff
 

Piccalilli

Steve Pick
Quiet up the reserve today but I suspect that the silence will soon be broken by the sound of dirt bikes when the bridge goes in. Highlight was 17 Little Egret into roost at the Heronry. Out on the pools were 4 Goldeneye, 8 Shelduck a single Herring Gull and 3 Stonechat between FM and JW.
 

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