Opted for a bike ride this morning so I could have a quick look along Barrow Lane, before returning home via Burtonwood.
Barrow Lane : 1 Buzzard hanging motionless in the sky, with hardly a single flap of it's wings, the bird
stayed above the same spot for at least 30 seconds, even that habitual hoverer the Kestrel would struggle to do that.
6 Skylarks, 3 in song flights, 25 Rooks, 2 Linnets and an adult Herring Gull.
A couple of tractors were working close to the hedgerows where I have previously found Corn Buntings, so far to much
disturbance for birdlife, apart for a couple of Pied Wagtails.
John Williams said
Thu May 30 3:43 PM, 2019
Barrow Lane (Lunchtime)
1 Corn Bunting, 2 Tree Sparrows, 3 Buzzards, 1 Song Thrush, 10 Linnets, 12+ Skylarks and 4 Reed Buntings.
5m+1f Blackbirds sitting on top of the rapeseed plants in the centre of the fields seemed unusual, as was the
sighting of the Song Thrush perched on top of a nearby manure heap.
3 species were noticeably absent altogether, Yellow Wagtail, Yellowhammer and Meadow Pipit.
John Williams said
Thu Jun 28 11:03 PM, 2018
Barrow Lane 18.30-20.00
1m Yellowhammer (On wires by Parkside Road), 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Corn Buntings, 12+ Skylarks,
2 Kestrels and 4 Linnets (Including a resplendent male).
Eric Finch said
Sun Apr 8 4:53 PM, 2018
Barrow Lane: Dropped in on the way to Pennington Flash - tonnes of skylarks and some distant yellowhammers singing, but particularly surprised to see a Yellow Wagtail, albeit fleetingly, as it took off and flew away from us. Nice site, nevertheless.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 8th of April 2018 05:17:20 PM
John Williams said
Sat Apr 22 2:49 PM, 2017
Barrow Lane ( 09.00-10.00)
3m Yellow Wagtails, 2 Corn Buntings, 6 Linnets, 2 Buzzards, 14 Lesser Black Backed Gulls, 1f Kestrel, 4 Swallows plus around a dozen Skylarks and Lapwings.
Scott robinson said
Fri Mar 31 4:39 PM, 2017
Corn Bunting heard singing in fields on Golbourne Road this afternoon along with Skylark and Yellowhammer.
dave broome said
Sat Dec 31 2:11 PM, 2016
Peregrine low over Hollins Park this afternoon, putting up c200 Lapwing by Alder Lane
JOHN TYMON said
Sat Aug 27 5:28 PM, 2016
Alder Lane flood just west of winwick opposite fiddle int bag pub.
1 Ruff
Phil Cunliffe said
Sun Jun 12 2:32 PM, 2016
I had an hour or so down and up Barrow Lane this morning. On arrival I saw plenty (sorry far too many to count) of swifts overhead plus a cacophony (if that's the right word) of skylarks in full voice, so many that the sound of the M6 was momentarily drowned out. Added to this was a good number of linnets and at least three yellow wagtails (my first ever so great tick for me) in the fields near Winwick Lane. I heard something that resembled a corn bunting near to the farm at the top of the lane but I just couldn't see where it came from but as I'm no expert I'm a bit unsure. The last two star birds I got were a yellowhammer on the overhead line near the main road, a kestrel over the fields and a lapwing flying into the fields on the opposite side of the main road. My first visit and now it's on my list of top places to go to.!
Jonathan Platt said
Mon May 30 10:11 PM, 2016
Barrow Lane 6.30-7.15am
Four Corn buntings. Singing male and probable female in bisecting hedge, singing male in bottom hedge, singing male by Oven Back Farm (couldn't see it).
Not sure how many Yellow wagtails. Two males scrapping on lane between rape and potatoes, two males and a female carrying food over beans. Half a dozen single birds seen in flight around site may have been duplicates.
Two singing Common whitethroats, two singing Reed buntings. Yellowhammers have never been common on the lane in recent years. There's currently a male singing occasionally from the copse in the NW corner by the M6.
John Williams said
Sat May 28 12:00 PM, 2016
Barrow Lane 09.00-10.00
No sign of Yellow Wagtails or Yellowhammers, lots of Skylarks though.
1 Corn Bunting on a nearby hedgerow, also 4 Linnets, 4 Reed Buntings, 4 Swallows, 2 Buzzards and 5 Lapwings.
John Williams said
Wed Apr 13 9:50 PM, 2016
At 8.40pm, in near total darkness, a large Buzzard flew low across the M6. It was low enough to have got hit had a high sided vehicle been passing, which luckily one was'nt.
Lawrence Hindley said
Fri Apr 8 3:07 PM, 2016
This morning at 6.00am at first light when just leaving Kenyon Hall Farm on my deliveries I saw a bird flying towards me with very stiff wing beats. My first thought was merlin but when seen from below it looked very like a Nightjar. The tail was very long, thin with a blunt end and the wings seemed to be far forward on the body and it had a small head. No beak was seen and it did not have its mouth open. No colour was seen as it was always in silhouette. I watched from the parked van for about 30 seconds as it flew round me. It landed on a barn and I got out of the van, it then took off again and called. I had not heard the single call before, only the churring in flight. I have seen Nightjar many times in Devon so it was my first thought. I have just checked the Xeno-campo database and confirmed that it was the single call of a Nightjar. I understand that it is very early for Nightjar but it showed well and after confirming the call I would be happy with the Identification.
I would be very interested in any early records in the North West. Obviously not in any recognised breeding habitat as I am sure this is not broadcast.
Just a brief note that the barn is in the private area of the farm so not accessible. The bird also flew off in the direction of Croft.
-- Edited by Lawrence Hindley on Friday 8th of April 2016 03:46:46 PM
dave broome said
Thu Dec 24 4:31 PM, 2015
A pre-roost flock of approx 120 Linnet were by B&Q this evening
dave broome said
Sun Oct 18 7:02 PM, 2015
At least 1000 Starling on wires this afternoon on south side of Hollins Lane by Alder Root Farm
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Aug 8 5:22 PM, 2015
Slightly off topic (of sorts) so my apologies but it has been brought to my attention that some are still claiming Barrow Lane is within Greater Manchester, which (unfortunately) it isn't. Barrow lane lies within the district of St. Helens so is within Merseyside but ornithologically comes under Cheshire and I'm keeping well out of that potential hot potato of confusing borders!
The GM boundary runs down south down the A579 Winwick Lane past Kenyon Hall Farm, then turns west c220 metres north of Barrow Lane and follows the hedge and field line north west back up towards the railway. The boundary is only 210 metres from Barrow Lane at its closest but no part of it falls within Greater Manchester. The boundary between the districts of St. Helens and Merseyside continues down the A579 south toward the motorway.
Ian McKerchar said
Sun Jul 19 10:29 AM, 2015
John Watson wrote:
Barrow Lane, y'day pm (Sat 18 July)
PS - isn't Barrow Lane just inside GM ?
-- Edited by John Watson on Sunday 19th of July 2015 08:21:36 AM
No, I'm afraid it isn't; be nice if it was though
John Watson said
Sun Jul 19 8:20 AM, 2015
Barrow Lane, y'day pm (Sat 18 July)
2 Corn Buntings (juv & ad carrying 2 caterpillars) on the lane itself 3 Yellow Wagtails (including ad male) 1 Yellowhammer ~6 Linnets 3 Stock Doves 1 Pied Wagtail sev Swifts, flying low many Swallows
PS - isn't Barrow Lane just inside GM ?
-- Edited by John Watson on Sunday 19th of July 2015 08:21:36 AM
Paul Richardson said
Fri Jul 10 9:48 PM, 2015
Jonathan Platt wrote:
I flushed a brood of six half-grown Grey partridge, plus parents, by the bollards yesterday morning. Oddly, there was a female pheasant with them, she may well have had youngsters with her that didn't flush. The ever-growing muck pile must be like a magnet to them!
There's been a brood of three Yellow wagtails hanging around for a couple of weeks now, last week there was another brood of five very young birds north of the bollards.
Thanks for this Jonathan - going back to Collins and web images, I conclude that my first little group of small birds were indeed juvenile Grey Partridge as they clearly had the reddish coloured tail feathers as they flew away. The young pheasant were less timid and tended to run between the corn stalks rather than flush up into the air.
Jonathan Platt said
Fri Jul 10 8:55 AM, 2015
Paul Richardson wrote:
Barrow Lane 14.00 - 15.00
Yellow Wagtail very active and juveniles vocal - hard to be certain of number due to mobility but definitely 2 males, probably 2 females and 3-4 juveniles Corn Bunting - 1 Linnet - 3 Skylark - 2 Swift - 4
Had a brief attack of flushed-small-gamebird excitement near the bollards, but the only definite ID's were on several juvenile Pheasant.
I flushed a brood of six half-grown Grey partridge, plus parents, by the bollards yesterday morning. Oddly, there was a female pheasant with them, she may well have had youngsters with her that didn't flush. The ever-growing muck pile must be like a magnet to them!
There's been a brood of three Yellow wagtails hanging around for a couple of weeks now, last week there was another brood of five very young birds north of the bollards.
Paul Richardson said
Thu Jul 9 11:37 PM, 2015
Barrow Lane 14.00 - 15.00
Yellow Wagtail very active and juveniles vocal - hard to be certain of number due to mobility but definitely 2 males, probably 2 females and 3-4 juveniles Corn Bunting - 1 Linnet - 3 Skylark - 2 Swift - 4
Had a brief attack of flushed-small-gamebird excitement near the bollards, but the only definite ID's were on several juvenile Pheasant.
Just in case anyone else picks this up - a friend was attacked by a bird of prey whilst out running on Watery Lane, Winwick and then found five or so other runners who reported issues this week - she thought she was being mugged when she was hit on the back of the head - only minor cuts to her scalp luckily but quite scary for her I think. She reported to the RSPB who couldn't help so I went for a look this evening and found a very vocal Common Buzzard - I had wondered if there was an escaped falconers bird but it looks like its just a territorial buzzard. I've said in five weeks or so I'm sure it will be less stressed whenever any chicks have fledged...
Mark Burgess said
Sun May 17 10:45 AM, 2015
Barrow Lane 7.15 - 8.15am
Single Quail flushed from the corner of the field to the right of the concrete bollards, As I entered the field to get a better view of a possible Corn Bunting sat on top of the Hawthorn edge that dissects the field the Quail flew up 3/4 metres in front of me and flew very low over the crop and banked and dropped back down into the crop some 50 metres ahead, A good 10 second view and 100% certain it was a Quail.
Also present Yellow Wagtail on top of the new compost heap to the left of the bollards Skylark 6
Jonathan Platt said
Wed May 13 10:27 AM, 2015
Barrow Lane
Three singing Corn buntings and at least six Yellow wagtails this morning. Singing Whitethroat in the bisecting hedge, a pair of Grey partridge on the lane and a calling Tree pipit flew over.
Jonathan Platt said
Wed May 6 8:38 AM, 2015
Barrow Lane
Some Yellow wagtail activity on Barrow Lane this morning, including three males chasing a female, a pair at the south end of the lane and several overflying birds. There is now a muck heap west of the bollards that will no doubt attract wagtails, the long wall of recycled vegetable matter along the north end of the lane isn't so attractive to birds. Also present were four singing Corn buntings.
Paul Richardson said
Mon Mar 30 5:17 PM, 2015
No Wheatear in evidence 10-11am today. Several Skylark heard or seen, and a couple of lapwing.
Massive "wall" of manure along the track should produce some insect life for the Wagtails eventually but it was too cold and windy today!
Pete Astles said
Wed Mar 25 8:42 PM, 2015
Male Wheatear today on barrow lane
Jonathan Platt said
Wed Feb 4 3:38 PM, 2015
Barrow Lane
67 Golden Plover on the winter wheat field behind Parkside Farm this afternoon, and a further 54 on a winter wheat field off Main Lane.
DavidBowman said
Thu Dec 25 1:41 PM, 2014
All partied out , woke to a sunny morning with Redwings, Fieldfares and Rooks in the Dawn Redwood at the bottom of the garden and loads of Tree Sparrows on the feeders. Prezzies opened, breakfast in bed and then a good long walk round the Winwick area and Highfield Moss with Em. Highlights were: a female Merlin( hunting the field behind the house and coming really close); 550 Fieldfares feeding on stubbles, 350 Skylarks and 120 Meadow Pipits feeding in brassica crops (all adjacent to Highfield Moss); 9 Grey Partridges, 2 Corn Buntings and 7 Yellowhammers (all along Barrow Lane). Then back home to bung Christmas dinner in the oven and chill. Happy Christmas to one and all
Cheers David
-- Edited by DavidBowman on Thursday 25th of December 2014 01:44:24 PM
Chris Harper said
Sun Nov 9 8:15 PM, 2014
With High Peak RSPB group from 9-10 just North of the village: 2 Corn Bunting 6 Grey Partridge Yellowhammer 2 Tree Sparrow 30 Skylark 2 Reed Bunting 50 Linnet 2 Common Buzzard
Lawrence Hindley said
Wed Nov 5 8:48 PM, 2014
A huge flock of Pink Footed Geese flew over Kenyon Hall Farm just before dusk (around 4.30pm). An estimate of 300- 500 in 5+ large V formations flying south. It was a spectacular sight.
Jonathan Platt said
Fri Oct 24 7:23 PM, 2014
Barrow Lane - 2.15-3.15pm
Something of a raptor-fest at Barrow Lane this afternoon! Firstly, a juvenile Merlin was sat in a field SW of Parkside Farm. Then, as I watched an approaching skein of Pinkfeet, another Merlin flew into my scope view. It planed down and landed on top of a distant oak, this time the bird was an adult male. I looked in the direction of the geese again and found a male Peregrine circling to the north of Parkside Farm. It eventually went into a shallow stoop and disappeared towards the old colliery. Add to this three Kestrels, five Buzzards and a very distant Sparrowhawk, five species of raptor in an hour.
Three skeins of Pinkfeet went over - 100, 100 and 70. Five Grey partridge were on arable to the west of the lane, and a flock of 50+ Linnets were over towards Parkside Road.
DavidBowman said
Sat Oct 18 3:10 PM, 2014
We started the day with a bit of Vis Miging from the motorway bridge to the north of Peel Hall, then spent the morning removing scrub from and strimming and raking the John Parr flower meadow. After that, it was a chilled lunch hour at Houghton Green Pool before a quick pint at the Plough. Birding highlights were Redwings moving over at c.400 per hour for the first couple of hours, slowing to a trickle by late morning. Other notable sightings around Peel Hall were a male Peregrine, 6 Grey Partridges, 9 Buzzards, 8 Stock Doves, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Kestrels, 61 Rooks, 60 Linnets, 30 Goldfinches, 1 Bullfinch and 130 Jackdaws. At the Pool, 6 Wigeon, 1 Little Grebe, 10 Lapwings, 7 Jays, 3 Kestrels, 40 Linnets, 3 Mistle Thrushes and 50 Black-headed Gulls were notable.
Cheers David (with David Spencer, Al Warford, Ste Dodd, Helen Allan, Diana Shepherd and George Dunbar)
DavidBowman said
Wed Oct 8 1:43 PM, 2014
Had a wander round Winwick this morning, starting with 9 Tree Sparrows among the House Sparrows in the garden, plus 2 Common Gulls among the score of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the field behind the house. A Sparrowhawk then came into the garden, spooking everything, So I set off for Houghton Green Pool, where the much reduced water levels meant that just 1 Redshank, 44 Mallards and 1 Coot were the on the water. Around the margins, however, masses of seed-bearing plants were attracting lots of passerines, with 115 Linnets, 42 Meadow Pipits and 11 Reed Buntings counted. Then, walking up Highfield Lane, 3 Yellowhammers, 135 Starlings, 5 Skylarks, 10 Linnets and 4 Swallows (still around the farm) were noted. Checking out a boggy copse, looking for Teal, instead produced an early Woodcock. Then homewards along Waterworks Lane to finish with 35 Skylarks, 2 Mistle Thrushes and 2 Redpolls. Then a nice cup of tea!
Cheers David
Jonathan Platt said
Thu Aug 28 10:45 AM, 2014
Single Golden plover on Barrow Lane, along with a flock of 50+ Linnets.
DavidBowman said
Mon Aug 25 10:43 AM, 2014
Just walked out of our back garden onto the stubble field at the rear, which is adjacent to Waterworks Lane. c.100 House Sparrows, 30 Tree Sparrows and 7 Yellowhammers were feeding actively on the stubbles, along with a few Woodpigoens, Starlings and Meadow Pipits. Overhead, a Peregrine and Buzzard were soaring and 4 Swifts and 30 Swallows were feeding at low level.
Cheers David
Jonathan Platt said
Fri Aug 8 12:08 PM, 2014
As I drove to work this morning a Wheatear flew on to the top of a lampost! In Croft, half way between The Plough and The General Elliot.
There have been few (perhaps 2-3 pairs) Yellow wagtails around since the weekend before last, when all the fields were sprayed. However, this evening there were seven males and a female on the Cheshire end of the lane, plus another male singing from the rape field, and several more birds heard or seen at the Parkside Road end. Last year there seemed to be a late influx of wagtails around this time which brought in the Black-headed wagtail and John Tymon's Blue-headed, so I'm unsure whether the birds I saw tonight are resident birds or new ones?
Ian McKerchar said
Mon May 19 8:45 PM, 2014
Originally posted by David Shallcross today:
Three Yellow Wagtails (flavissima), one male two females, on farmland off Winwick Road.
Jonathan Platt said
Wed May 14 8:33 AM, 2014
Barrow Lane - 5.45-6.45am
Four male Yellow wagtails around the layby at the Cheshire end of the lane, then a further two males by the other layby at the Merseyside end. Whilst watching these, two males were singing from the winter wheat fields either side of the lane. I also had several flyovers, so not sure how many birds were replicated. Three Corn buntings singing this morning too. There's a nice Swallow on territory at Oven Back Farm that has a lovely orange wash on it's breast, not as intense as transitiva type but a bonny bird nevertheless.
Jonathan Platt said
Mon May 12 9:10 PM, 2014
Barrow Lane- 7-8.00pm
At least six Yellow wagtails, possibly twice that many on the lane this evening - I actually counted fourteen but some may have been counted twice. Whether these birds are just passing through remains to be seen. Only one Corn bunting singing, by Oven Back Farm. This seems to be the only regularly singing male at the moment, though I did have four singing at widely dispersed areas one morning last week.
Martyn Jones said
Sun May 11 8:50 PM, 2014
At least 2, possibly 4 ( 2 seen twice) Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Greenfinches, several Swallows, House Sparrows, Stock Doves, Lapwings and Carrion Crows down Barrow Lane this afternoon. Oh yes, and a Corn Bunting heard singing.
-- Edited by Martyn Jones on Sunday 11th of May 2014 08:51:35 PM
JOHN TYMON said
Mon May 5 6:05 PM, 2014
PM Barrow Lane Yellow Wagtail- 3 (2m1f) Stock Dove -60 on the ploughed field Tree Sparrow-6 Common Buzzard-2 Grey Partridge-2
Damian Pendlebury said
Sun Apr 27 9:52 PM, 2014
I had a quick look down Barrow Lane on my way home from work...
Yellow wagtail 2 White wagtail 1 Corn bunting 1 heard Skylark 2 A small flock of linnet Stock dove 30+
PM- Barrow Lane Yellow wagtail-2 m(shame the rape is 3 weeks further on than last year,as if the yellow wagtails nest in the rape fields as last year,its likely the crop will be cut before the eggs even hatch. Corn Bunting -1 singing male Linnet-3 Kestrel-1 Buzzard-3
John O'Neill said
Fri Apr 25 12:06 AM, 2014
Barrow Lane
3 Yellow Wagtails showing very well in field close to road. 2 m 1 f.
Barrow Lane : 1 Buzzard hanging motionless in the sky, with hardly a single flap of it's wings, the bird
stayed above the same spot for at least 30 seconds, even that habitual hoverer the Kestrel would struggle to do that.
6 Skylarks, 3 in song flights, 25 Rooks, 2 Linnets and an adult Herring Gull.
A couple of tractors were working close to the hedgerows where I have previously found Corn Buntings, so far to much
disturbance for birdlife, apart for a couple of Pied Wagtails.
1 Corn Bunting, 2 Tree Sparrows, 3 Buzzards, 1 Song Thrush, 10 Linnets, 12+ Skylarks and 4 Reed Buntings.
5m+1f Blackbirds sitting on top of the rapeseed plants in the centre of the fields seemed unusual, as was the
sighting of the Song Thrush perched on top of a nearby manure heap.
3 species were noticeably absent altogether, Yellow Wagtail, Yellowhammer and Meadow Pipit.
1m Yellowhammer (On wires by Parkside Road), 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Corn Buntings, 12+ Skylarks,
2 Kestrels and 4 Linnets (Including a resplendent male).
Barrow Lane: Dropped in on the way to Pennington Flash - tonnes of skylarks and some distant yellowhammers singing, but particularly surprised to see a Yellow Wagtail, albeit fleetingly, as it took off and flew away from us. Nice site, nevertheless.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 8th of April 2018 05:17:20 PM
3m Yellow Wagtails, 2 Corn Buntings, 6 Linnets, 2 Buzzards, 14 Lesser Black Backed Gulls, 1f Kestrel, 4 Swallows plus around a dozen Skylarks and Lapwings.
Peregrine low over Hollins Park this afternoon, putting up c200 Lapwing by Alder Lane
Alder Lane flood just west of winwick opposite fiddle int bag pub.
1 Ruff
Four Corn buntings. Singing male and probable female in bisecting hedge, singing male in bottom hedge, singing male by Oven Back Farm (couldn't see it).
Not sure how many Yellow wagtails. Two males scrapping on lane between rape and potatoes, two males and a female carrying food over beans. Half a dozen single birds seen in flight around site may have been duplicates.
Two singing Common whitethroats, two singing Reed buntings. Yellowhammers have never been common on the lane in recent years. There's currently a male singing occasionally from the copse in the NW corner by the M6.
No sign of Yellow Wagtails or Yellowhammers, lots of Skylarks though.
1 Corn Bunting on a nearby hedgerow, also 4 Linnets, 4 Reed Buntings, 4 Swallows, 2 Buzzards and 5 Lapwings.
I would be very interested in any early records in the North West. Obviously not in any recognised breeding habitat as I am sure this is not broadcast. Just a brief note that the barn is in the private area of the farm so not accessible. The bird also flew off in the direction of Croft.
-- Edited by Lawrence Hindley on Friday 8th of April 2016 03:46:46 PM
A pre-roost flock of approx 120 Linnet were by B&Q this evening
The GM boundary runs down south down the A579 Winwick Lane past Kenyon Hall Farm, then turns west c220 metres north of Barrow Lane and follows the hedge and field line north west back up towards the railway. The boundary is only 210 metres from Barrow Lane at its closest but no part of it falls within Greater Manchester. The boundary between the districts of St. Helens and Merseyside continues down the A579 south toward the motorway.
No, I'm afraid it isn't; be nice if it was though
2 Corn Buntings (juv & ad carrying 2 caterpillars) on the lane itself
3 Yellow Wagtails (including ad male)
1 Yellowhammer
~6 Linnets
3 Stock Doves
1 Pied Wagtail
sev Swifts, flying low
many Swallows
PS - isn't Barrow Lane just inside GM ?
-- Edited by John Watson on Sunday 19th of July 2015 08:21:36 AM
Thanks for this Jonathan - going back to Collins and web images, I conclude that my first little group of small birds were indeed juvenile Grey Partridge as they clearly had the reddish coloured tail feathers as they flew away. The young pheasant were less timid and tended to run between the corn stalks rather than flush up into the air.
I flushed a brood of six half-grown Grey partridge, plus parents, by the bollards yesterday morning. Oddly, there was a female pheasant with them, she may well have had youngsters with her that didn't flush. The ever-growing muck pile must be like a magnet to them!
There's been a brood of three Yellow wagtails hanging around for a couple of weeks now, last week there was another brood of five very young birds north of the bollards.
Yellow Wagtail very active and juveniles vocal - hard to be certain of number due to mobility but definitely 2 males, probably 2 females and 3-4 juveniles
Corn Bunting - 1
Linnet - 3
Skylark - 2
Swift - 4
Had a brief attack of flushed-small-gamebird excitement near the bollards, but the only definite ID's were on several juvenile Pheasant.
Corn Bunting
Yellow Wagtail
Pied Wagtail 3
Linnet 15+
Skylark 5
Single Quail flushed from the corner of the field to the right of the concrete bollards, As I entered the field to get a better view of a possible Corn Bunting sat on top of the Hawthorn edge that dissects the field the Quail flew up 3/4 metres in front of me and flew very low over the crop and banked and dropped back down into the crop some 50 metres ahead, A good 10 second view and 100% certain it was a Quail.
Also present
Yellow Wagtail on top of the new compost heap to the left of the bollards
Skylark 6
Three singing Corn buntings and at least six Yellow wagtails this morning. Singing Whitethroat in the bisecting hedge, a pair of Grey partridge on the lane and a calling Tree pipit flew over.
Some Yellow wagtail activity on Barrow Lane this morning, including three males chasing a female, a pair at the south end of the lane and several overflying birds. There is now a muck heap west of the bollards that will no doubt attract wagtails, the long wall of recycled vegetable matter along the north end of the lane isn't so attractive to birds. Also present were four singing Corn buntings.
Massive "wall" of manure along the track should produce some insect life for the Wagtails eventually but it was too cold and windy today!
67 Golden Plover on the winter wheat field behind Parkside Farm this afternoon, and a further 54 on a winter wheat field off Main Lane.
Cheers David
-- Edited by DavidBowman on Thursday 25th of December 2014 01:44:24 PM
2 Corn Bunting
6 Grey Partridge
Yellowhammer
2 Tree Sparrow
30 Skylark
2 Reed Bunting
50 Linnet
2 Common Buzzard
Something of a raptor-fest at Barrow Lane this afternoon! Firstly, a juvenile Merlin was sat in a field SW of Parkside Farm. Then, as I watched an approaching skein of Pinkfeet, another Merlin flew into my scope view. It planed down and landed on top of a distant oak, this time the bird was an adult male. I looked in the direction of the geese again and found a male Peregrine circling to the north of Parkside Farm. It eventually went into a shallow stoop and disappeared towards the old colliery. Add to this three Kestrels, five Buzzards and a very distant Sparrowhawk, five species of raptor in an hour.
Three skeins of Pinkfeet went over - 100, 100 and 70. Five Grey partridge were on arable to the west of the lane, and a flock of 50+ Linnets were over towards Parkside Road.
Cheers David (with David Spencer, Al Warford, Ste Dodd, Helen Allan, Diana Shepherd and George Dunbar)
Cheers David
Cheers David
1x Corn Bunting
1x Yellowhammer
2x yellow Wagtail
1x Grey Partridge
1x Buzzard
2x Oystercatcher
4x Lapwing
4x Skylark
20x Starling
4x Mistle Thrush
1x Grey Heron
1x Common Whitethroat
There have been few (perhaps 2-3 pairs) Yellow wagtails around since the weekend before last, when all the fields were sprayed. However, this evening there were seven males and a female on the Cheshire end of the lane, plus another male singing from the rape field, and several more birds heard or seen at the Parkside Road end. Last year there seemed to be a late influx of wagtails around this time which brought in the Black-headed wagtail and John Tymon's Blue-headed, so I'm unsure whether the birds I saw tonight are resident birds or new ones?
Three Yellow Wagtails (flavissima), one male two females, on farmland off Winwick Road.
Four male Yellow wagtails around the layby at the Cheshire end of the lane, then a further two males by the other layby at the Merseyside end. Whilst watching these, two males were singing from the winter wheat fields either side of the lane. I also had several flyovers, so not sure how many birds were replicated. Three Corn buntings singing this morning too. There's a nice Swallow on territory at Oven Back Farm that has a lovely orange wash on it's breast, not as intense as transitiva type but a bonny bird nevertheless.
At least six Yellow wagtails, possibly twice that many on the lane this evening - I actually counted fourteen but some may have been counted twice. Whether these birds are just passing through remains to be seen. Only one Corn bunting singing, by Oven Back Farm. This seems to be the only regularly singing male at the moment, though I did have four singing at widely dispersed areas one morning last week.
-- Edited by Martyn Jones on Sunday 11th of May 2014 08:51:35 PM
Barrow Lane
Yellow Wagtail- 3 (2m1f)
Stock Dove -60 on the ploughed field
Tree Sparrow-6
Common Buzzard-2
Grey Partridge-2
Yellow wagtail 2
White wagtail 1
Corn bunting 1 heard
Skylark 2
A small flock of linnet
Stock dove 30+
3 yellow wagtail
6 linnet
2 corn bunting
1 yellowhammer
Male and female wheatear
2 lapwings
1 buzzard
4 skylark
2 pied wagtail
3 carrion crow
Yellow wagtail-2 m(shame the rape is 3 weeks further on than last year,as if the yellow wagtails nest in the rape fields as last year,its likely the crop will be cut before the eggs even hatch.
Corn Bunting -1 singing male
Linnet-3
Kestrel-1
Buzzard-3
3 Yellow Wagtails showing very well in field close to road. 2 m 1 f.