This morning's highlights:

1410 Pink-footed Geese in 9 skeins ESE and 1 skein of 40 SW

88 Meadow Pipits S

41 Swallows S

Female type Merlin S  

1 Wheatear dropped into one of mast compounds on Winter Hill for five minutes before flying of south

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Highlights for yesterday morning from Scout Road:

2 Whooper Swans NW (which briefly landed on Belmont Reservoir and apparently later went to Anglezarke Reservoir)

4 skeins of Pink-footed Geese SE numbering 584 birds

1 Yellow Wagtail S

3 Grey Wagtails S

5 Jays 5 high E

1 Chiffchaff S

1041 House Martins, 735 Swallows and 9 Sand Martins S

582 Meadow Pipits S

10 Snipe N

14 Golden Plovers N

73 Linnets S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning:

A distant Osprey circling north

200 Meadow Pipit S

2 Siskin S

2 skeins of Pink-footed Geese SE involving 30 birds

10 Buzzard

2 Sparrowhawk

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Yesterday morning included:

522 Pink-footed Geese over E/SE in 12 skeins

1 immature Marsh Harrier low close to Mast Road then flew off south

324 Meadow Pipits S

68 Swallows S, 50 N and 60 feeing over the moors

17 Linnet S

2 Wheatear

20 Crossbill NW in a single flock 

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Yesterday morning saw 6 skeins of Pink-footed Geese over SE totalling 300+ birds, 2 Greylag Geese east, 1 Merlin high SW, 202 Meadows Pipits south plus another 250 down on the top of the moors and 1 Golden Plover down on the moor.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Sightings for yesterday included:

A Black Redstart showing well on the county border wall east of the mast

16 Wheatear along Dean Ditch, 6 in the horse fields off the bottom of Mast Road and 10 along the Mast Road wall up to the mast.

2 Whinchat along Dean Ditch, 1 along Coal Pit Lane and another in the horse field off Mast Road

120+ Meadow Pipits on Smithills Moor and a further 40+ over south

2 Snipe over south

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning 2 Tree Pipits south, 4 Wheatears and a Whinchat on a muck pile on Lower Matchmoor Lane, a further 4 Wheatears on Fleet Moor and just 3 Sand Martins east.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Late news for 3rd September, Scout Road/Coal Pit Lane/Smithills Moor:

19 Tree Pipits south

49 Meadow Pipits south and 74 down on Smithills Moor

14 along Dean Ditch

1 Golden Plover overhead

1 Spotted Flycatcher in Roscoes Tenement Clough

30 Swallows and 10 House Martins south

Info thanks to Andy Makin

04/09

Around burnt edge:

1 Dunlin over, 3 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 4 Red Grouse (2 Juv), 2 Kestrel, 1 Buzzard, 6 Raven

Late news for yesterday when 26 Wheatears were around the moors with another 4 at High meadows and a single Spotted Flycatcher in Burnt Edge.

An Osprey flew low SE over Brownstones Quarry this morning.

This morning from the east side of Winter Hill:

24 Tree Pipits south, with a largest flock of 5 birds

570 Swallows, 745 House Martins and 8 Sand Martins S

2 Swifts SSE

1 Whiimbrel low S

Birds down in bracken near the watchpoint included 12 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Some highlights from this morning included 7 Tree Pipit south over Scout Road and also 1 at Holdens Farm, 300 House Martins and 110 Swallow south, also 21 Wheatear mainly on Dean Ditch and Smithills Moor.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Other birds around the moors yesterday included:

9 Tree Pipits over south and a further 5 down around Walker Fold

1 Wheatear

730 Swallows S

425 House Martins S

10 Sand Martins S

9 Swifts

1 Hobby low W

16 Snipe W

2 Spotted Flycatchers in Walker Fold along with 11 Chiffchaffs and 6 Whitethroats

Crossbill flock heard in Gale Brook Plantation but not seen

12 Stonechats in Burnt Edge and a further 4 along Scout Road

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Osprey circling over Scout Road at 12:35 gaining height and drifting off SE

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Yesterday from Scout Road up to 9am:

360 Swallows S

143 House Martins S

8 Sand Martins S

10 Tree Pipits S and a single bird down

1 Green Sandpiper SW with 2 Dunlins

1 Yellow Wagtail S

20 Siskins S

8 Chiffchaffs down

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Late news for yesterday when a Yellow Wagtail was in the horse field on the north side of Brownstones Quarry.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

The Burnt Edge circuit this morning produced 13 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and 2 Tree Pipits.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning around the moors:

12 Willow Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Whitethroats and 2 Blackcaps around the Burnt Edge circuit

10 Tree Pipits in a flock dropped into the top of Beech trees briefly before flying of calling SW

260 Swifts, 255 Swallows, 105 House and 1 Sand Martin over Dean Ditch

4 Wheatears along Deans Ditch

Osprey SE over Scout Road at 9:20am

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Highlights from first thing this morning up to 10am included:

Walker Fold:

2 Tree Pipits, both separate with one flying fairly high (calling) into Burnt Edge and the other high south

9 Willow Warblers

3 Chiffchaffs

Burnt Edge Moor:

2 Red Grouse at the very southern end close to Walker Fold on the steep side of the moor, one chasing the other, calling loudly, and heading towards the northern end of Burnt Edge/Adam Hill. Can't recall the last time I saw them so far south down the valley

3+ Whitethroats

7 Willow Warblers

2 Chiffchaffs

1 Blackcap

Holdens Farm:

3 Willow Warblers

31 Lapwings flying over east in a flock

22 Goldfinch

Matchmoor Lane:

144+ Meadow Pipits in two flocks, the larger of 110+ at the very eastern end of Matchmoor Lane (close to and just north of the junction with Edge Lane) and the other of 34 along roadside telephone wires closer to the western end of Matchmoor Lane

Wilderswood/Wildersmoor:

Single Whinchat on the moor

1 Chiffchaff

130+ Swallows feeding over the moor around Two Lads Hill

Higher Meadows (northern end of Georges Lane):

2+ Tree Pipits seen/heard a couple of times from the road in the area south of the Cafe

Osprey SE over Scout Road at 07:44 this morning. Whinchat and two Wheatear along Mast Road.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning up to 9:30am:

53 Willow Warblers along Walker Fold and in Burnt Edge Valley

4+ Tree Pipits, with three together at the northern end of Walker Fold (near the very bottom of Burnt Edge) and 1+ at Holdens Farm

1 Siskin NW over Walker Fold

2 Whinchats near Adam Hill

3 Ravens

16 Stonechats

2+ Red Grouse on Adam Hill

Highlights from this morning:

2 reeling Grasshopper Warblers in Burnt Edge

24 Sand Martins SW over Burnt Edge

6 Ravens, a pair in Burnt Edge and a separate four together on Smithills Moor

11+ Stonechats in Burnt Edge, at least three family parties involved 

2 Lesser Redpolls in Burnt Edge

2 Bullfinch in Walker Fold

17+ Willow Warblers along Walker Fold

4 Red Grouse together on Adam Hill (photo below)

Osprey west over Smithills Moor at 09:05 this morning.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Cuckoo still present this morning, first seen very early morning at Burnt Edge and then calling from Coal Pit Road side approximately an hour later.

This morning, 24 Wheatears along Mast Road, 3 Whinchats at Montcliffe and a Cuckoo at Burnt Edge.

 Info thanks to Andy Makin

The Male Green Woodpecker in Wilderswood this morning.

Male Green Woodpecker calling in top of trees to south of Georges Lane just past top of Factory Hill. 8.25am. Moved further down hillside by 9.30. 

A male Ring Ouzel flew around Gale Brook at 07:10 then flew off nigh north into Lancashire.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Late news for yesterday morning when 103 Whooper Swans flew over, with 73 east in 6 flocks and 30 flew west. Also, 3500 Pink-footed Geese SE, 80 NW and 246 Woodpigeon SW.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

A single Waxwing flew SE over the eastern end of Scout Road at 08:30 this morning followed at 08:50 by a further flock of six east.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning’s highlights from Higher Meadows:

Pink-footed Geese: 1304 SE in 11 skeins; 200 NW in 1 skein and 5195 N in 28 skeins

7350 Woodpigeons S in 42 flocks (with a largest flock of 2500)

34 Fieldfares N 1 flock and 584 S 3 flocks

Female type Snow Bunting NNE 

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Highlights from yesterday morning, mainly from Higger Meadows:

541 Pink-footed Geese in 6 skeins, one of c300 birds which dropped into fields between Blackrod and Haigh

250 Lapwing W

757 Woodpigeon S

7 Crossbill S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Green Woodpecker from this morning with Andy Makin

This morning's totals, mainly from the first couple of hours of light, included:

5456 Woodpigeons S

1102 Fieldfares SSE

105 Redwings S

1007 Pink-footed Geese over in 14 skeins with 230 W in 5 skeins and 777 SE in 9 skeins.

5 Crossbills SW (a single and four together)

1 male Green Woodpecker briefly along Matchmoor Lane 

Info thanks to Andy Makin

The eastern valley of Winter Hill this morning saw 5168 Fieldfares S/SW in 32 flocks, 6974 Woodpigeons S/SW, 4 Whooper Swans low W, 23 Brambling S some among Fieldfare flocks, 19 Crossbills S, 15 Siskin S, 90 Pink-footed Geese SW and 162 Redwings among the Fieldfares.

 Info thanks to Andy Makin

Highlights this morning included:

13,500 Woodpigeons over S

1275 Pink-footed Geese over with 5 skeins WNW and 3 SE

36 Crossbills, 3 Bramblings and 26 Siskins

1 Swallow N

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Late news for yesterday from both Higher Meadows and Scout Road:

657 Pink-footed Geese over SE in 5 skeins and a further 11,200 birds moving SE over Lancashire

1 Whooper Swan W over Horwich and 30+ E over the moors

104 Fieldfare

1 male Ring Ouzel briefly down at Higher Meadows

1 Crossbill S

53 Chaffinch S

36 Siskin S

6 Brambling S 

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Scout Road this morning, totally covered with mist from 09:15:

214 Woodpigeons S

269 Fieldfares S

61 Chaffinches S

2 Bramblings S

4 Crossbills S

10 Siskins S

13 Bullfinches S

13 Long-tailed Tits S which continued off into the distance.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning from Scout Road:

2630 Fieldfares S

1951 Woodpigeons S

516 Pink-footed Geese W in four skeins

72 Snipe S

2 Ring Ouzels S

71 Bramblings S

21 Crossbills S

61 Siskins S

106 Chaffinches S

20 Lesser Redpolls S

4 male Yellowhammers S

1 Swallow S

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Combined totals from today from Andy Makin, Dennis Atherton and Andy Pinches:

3 Whooper Swans SE

934 Pink-footed Geese SE in 8 skeins and 100 SW in 1 skein

7 Goosanders S

8392 Woodpigeons S/SE

994 Fieldfares S

134 Redwings SW

20 Song Thrushes NW in a single flock

1 House Martin SW

181 Chaffinches S

109 Crossbills in 10 flocks S, the largest flock consisting of 25 birds

39 Bramblings S including flocks of 20 and 17

35 Siskins S

34 Lesser Redpolsl S

32 Reed Buntings S

Single Jack Snipe low south over the Scout Road watchpoint 

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning:

3250 Fieldfare

933 Redwing

2328 Starling NW

208 Chaffinch mainly S

7 Crossbill

A pair of Red-breasted Merganser over south!

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning from Scout Road:

943 Woodpigeons S

333 Fieldfares NW and 629 Redwings mainly N

6 Brambling N with Redwings

28 Siskin S

50 Pink-footed Geese WSW

2 House Martin N

Info thanks to Andy Makin

Highlights today over the Scout Road watchpoint included:

Red Kite SW

Short-eared Owl E

20 Pink-footed Geese SW over watchpoint

1135 Woodpigeon SW

18 Stock Dove S

234 Fieldfare NW

35 Redwing S

306 Siskin S

43 Crossbill S in a number of flocks

4 Brambling, 57 Chaffinch, 69 Goldfinch, 26 Linnet and 11 Lesser Redpoll S 

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning:

590 Pink-footed Geese SE in 7 skeins

7 Whooper Swan S

20 Greylag Geese N

1 male Ring Ouzel S over Scout Road at 07:33

1 Green Woodpecker at Gale Brook

2 single Crossbills S and a flock of 9 SW

Late news for yesterday when a Wheatear was along Matchmoor Lane and 5 Whooper Swan flew SE

Info thanks to Andy Makin

This morning's moors highlights included:

80 Whooper Swans SE at 09:30 and another 5 NW

162 Pink-footed Geese in three skeins high SE, 6 bird W and a flock of 50+ SW

13 Greylag Geese N

43 Crossbills S and some adults briefly feeding at Gale Brook Plantation

12 Swallows and 5 House Martins S

136 Redwings and 5 Fieldfares S

134 Siskins, 63 Chaffinches, 38 Linnets and 25 Lesser Redpolls S

17 Reed Buntings S

3 single Great Spotted Woodpeckers high S

1 Chiffchaff

1 Wheatear S

4 Coal Tits high S

Info thank to Andy Makin