The Manx Shearwater at Stocks Reservoir, Lancs, UK.

18.06.03. - by Bill Aspin.

(including details of all known previous East Lancs records)

Found by John Metcalfe at 15.55hrs, the bird was twitched by up to 30 birders during late afternoon/evening and was still present, 21.30hrs at least.

The 'Manxie' appeared in excellent condition and gave some superb flight views including some fine displays of 'shearing'. On several occasions the bird flew directly over the heads of the assembled observers on the causeway as it tried to make some sense of it's newly found surroundings.

When on the water, it would dive to evade the unwanted attentions of the resident Black-headed Gulls which harassed it from time to time.  if it flew too close/over the island, the entire Gull colony would flush, as if mistaking the Manxie for a predator.

Above image - A pelagic, East Lancashire style!

John Metcalfe has searched previous Lancs Bird reports etc, for any previous inland spring occurrences of Manx Shearwater in Lancashire, of which there appears to be no records in at least the last 40 years.

Previous ELOC records of Manx Shearwater.

Including this latest bird, there have now been 6 documented records of this species in the East Lancashire Ornithologists' Club recording area. Typically, the previous 5 have all have occurred in September. Additional records outside the ELOC recording area but within the website recording area are marked with an asterisk.

I would be interested if anyone is aware of any pre-1974 records of this species in East Lancs, not necessarily within the ELOC recording area. - please email Bill Aspin.