A Ring-necked Parakeet on the eastern half was a new bird for the site for me.
Craig Higson said
Sun Jan 8 3:50 PM, 2023
Very quiet this afternoon, I know early /mid afternoon isnt the best time for birding but this was just about the quietest I've known the place. Highlights - or should that be all I saw - single Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Willow Tits and a roving tit flock comprising mainly Long-tailed tits.
Craig Higson said
Sat Dec 24 5:04 PM, 2022
Two Red-legged Partridges in the hedge on the northern boundary and a single Buzzard the highlights of a quiet mid afternoon walk.
Craig Higson said
Fri Oct 21 5:34 PM, 2022
No winter thrushes yet. Best, and very unexpected bird was a fly over Little Egret!
Craig Higson said
Tue Apr 19 4:56 PM, 2022
Cetti's Warbler still present and the first Grasshopper Warblers are back on site with two new in since weekend. The first Willow Warblers were also present.
Craig Higson said
Fri Apr 15 3:22 PM, 2022
Two Little Ringer Plovers in the second Paddock on the western half were a bit of a surprise, although I did have a very late bird there a couple of years ago (I think it was anyway). A Cetti's Warbler was singing again from the same area as previous years.
Craig Higson said
Fri Mar 4 8:46 PM, 2022
Highlights today were a large (compared to recent years) flock of Siskin in the woods adjacent to the railway line. I would guesstimate around 30 birds however they were difficult to see and there were also a number of Goldfinches and Chaffinches mixed in so difficult to be accurate. A single Treecreeper and two Willow Tits were in the same area. A single Yellowhammer was on the western side. These always seem to appear briefly at this time of year but then vanish.
Craig Higson said
Sun Nov 7 10:59 PM, 2021
Fairly quiet again today. The large finch flock is still in the field on the northern boundary of the western half but sadly too far away for any counts. Another local birder has had better views and reckons there are nearly 450 birds in it of several species. I did manage to catch a small number of birds perched up in the hedgerow. Mainly Greenfinches but three male Bramblings were nice to see. The only other thing of note was a single Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Craig Higson said
Sun Oct 24 9:43 PM, 2021
I hadn't realised it was such a long time since I posted in here - shows what a quiet spring and autumn it has been on the site. Anyway, a female Brambling was the best bird today, joining the growing finch flock feeding on the sunflowers in the field on the northern boundary of the western half. This flock is growing daily but, as the sunflowers are still standing it is incredibly difficult to see the whole flock. I did however have a flock of Greenfinches in flight earlier in the week and counted approximately 70 in it. This was on top of several smaller mixed parties of Green and Goldfinches, Linnets and Reed Buntings.
Craig Higson said
Tue Apr 27 8:53 PM, 2021
The Cetti's Warbler and appears to have changed it favoured spot for what I would consider less suitable habitat and is now singing from the patch of rough ground between the L shaped hedge and Mortons Dairy. Two Grasshopper Warblers were back on territories as were at least three Whitethroats. I expect (hope) that numbers of both should increase soon.
Craig Higson said
Tue Apr 20 10:11 PM, 2021
Cetti's Warbler yet again today. Seems hardly credible that I twitched a Cetti's at Wigan Flashes 13 years ago and now they're comparatively widespread in GM. The first Whitethroat of the year was also present.
Craig Higson said
Sat Apr 17 3:19 PM, 2021
Cettis Warbler again in the area around the small pond opposite the paddocks. At least two Buzzards. Swallows seem to be trickling back as do the warblers with Willow Warbler by far the most numerous today.
Craig Higson said
Thu Apr 15 11:33 PM, 2021
Only bird of interest today was a single White Wagtail with a Pied in one of the horse paddocks.
Craig Higson said
Mon Apr 12 10:32 PM, 2021
Cetti's Warbler again this afternoon plus a Raven flyover.
Craig Higson said
Mon Apr 12 12:17 AM, 2021
A Cetti's Warbler was singing at the pond opposite the Paddocks this afternoon. Almost a year since I heard my first Cetti's on this site at exactly the same spot.
A single Swallow, and a number of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs proved that spring is definitely coming despite the overnight snow.
A couple of flyover Redpolls were presumably lessers.
Craig Higson said
Wed Apr 7 7:30 PM, 2021
From yesterday- a flock of 12 Sand Martins battling determinedly into a strong northerly headwind and hail/snow.
Slightly outside the normal recording area today, two Swallows were heading nw over the small pools along the footpath headed to Dover Lock on the east of the railway.
Craig Higson said
Sat Mar 20 7:49 PM, 2021
A total of 3 Buzzards, 2 Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Willow Tits, amongst the usual stuff today.
Ernest Sherman said
Tue Mar 9 11:16 AM, 2021
Very pleasant 2 hour walk through the bridge towards Dover Lock. Birds of note were :- Several Skylarks singing.. A few male Reed Buntings calling.. 1 Nuthatch.. 1 Chiffchaff... 1 female Sparrowhawk.. A Buzzard mewing in the woods near the bridge... 4 Gadwall.. And 2 Mute Swans.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 9th of March 2021 01:03:29 PM
Craig Higson said
Mon Mar 8 5:55 PM, 2021
Circa 70 Fieldfare and 50 Redwing in the recently ploughed field on the Northern boundary of the western half. Very difficult to count accurately as they constantly disappeared in the plough lines and frequently flew from one spot to the next, overlapping each other constantly.
Rob Thorpe said
Sun Feb 28 11:18 PM, 2021
Sunday 28 February 2021
A group of 6 Raven flew noisily north just after 2pm this afternoon, as I was running along the path adjacent to the railway.
Craig Higson said
Sun Feb 7 8:35 PM, 2021
A flock of 65 Fieldfares was in the hedge on the northern boundary this PM.
Craig Higson said
Fri Feb 5 11:49 PM, 2021
Very quiet. A large Magpie roost has been developing with over 30 birds present yesterday and today with more coming in after sunset.
Rob Thorpe said
Sat Nov 7 7:31 PM, 2020
Saturday 07 November 2020
Early afternoon on the eastern side: 6 Whooper Swan over west, with 2 Pink-footed Goose 3 Goosander over east
Also, last Saturday (31 Oct) a Woodcock flew from beside the main path at dusk.
Two Greylags flying over were the highlight of a very gloomy late afternoon/early evening walk.
Craig Higson said
Wed Oct 21 6:58 PM, 2020
Again out with the dog at lunchtime - very quiet but a very large flock of finches, probably 100-150 flew from the Mortons Dairy area, south towards the paddocks. Didn't have time to go and look for them, but based on the calls and gis of the birds going over it was largely Greenfinches with a supporting act of Chaffinches and Linnets and I'm sure I heard the odd Reed Bunting too. I would guess if the flock can be located there's a better than average chance of a Brambling or two and maybe something better!! I am presuming they are still feeding on the large field adjacent to the northern boundary of the site.
Craig Higson said
Mon Oct 19 6:23 PM, 2020
A brief dog walk at lunch time produced a very surprising Little Ringed Plover on the second horse paddock on the western side. Also a large flock of Greenfinches - minimum 65 birds were in the hedge on the northern boundary.
Rob Thorpe said
Sun Oct 11 1:14 PM, 2020
Sunday 11 October 2020
2 Stonechat (pair) in the marshy area at the bottom of Rose Farm horse paddock, around midday.
Rob Thorpe said
Tue Sep 29 7:33 PM, 2020
Tuesday 29 September 2020
Quick cycle around after work this evening: 8 Buzzard - all feeding on the ground, 6 on the east-side of the site, 2 on the west. c50 Lapwing in sown field in south-east corner (same field as 5 of the aforementioned Buzzards. 2 Swallow still around Lily Lane farm. 3 Chiffchaff. 4 Goldcrest. 1 Grey Wagtail. 1 Pied Wagtail 6 Linnet. 1 Jay. 2 Mute Swan over.
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Wednesday 30th of September 2020 09:44:31 AM
Craig Higson said
Tue Sep 22 10:57 PM, 2020
Only had time for a quick walk round the western half today. It was immediately noticeable that Chiffchaff numbers were well down, I only heard two or three all the way round.
By far the 'best' sighting today was the flock of over 40 Greenfinches which is by far the biggest I remember seeing on here. There were also considerable numbers of other finches and buntings around - Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Linnet, and Reed Buntings, but due to not having much time I couldn't spend any time counting them. Their presence is, I suspect due to the fact that the farmer cut the large rape field yesterday and they are feeding on the spilled seeds. If said farmer is true to form the filed will be ploughed by weekend so the flocks may not hang around, but he has planted a significant game crop of sunflowers around one edge of the field so I'm hoping this will hold a few birds at least for a while.
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Tuesday 22nd of September 2020 10:57:40 PM
Craig Higson said
Wed Aug 26 7:59 PM, 2020
A really enjoyable early evening walk around the western half felt very autumnal! Chiffchaff numbers had been holding steady at around a dozen on my last two or three visits but there must have been an influx recently - I know a few east coast sites have reported mini falls of willow warblers today, well this felt like a mini fall of Chiffchaffs. Well over 20 recorded around the western half, and that is almost certainly less than the true figure. at least 14 of that number were in two 'flocks' one of six Chiffchaffs feeding together in a small oak tree, the other 8 in a mixed tit flock with two Willow Warblers, a Willow Tit and a smattering of Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits. It did actually feel like an east coast migrant hotspot, sadly without any rarities.
All the other usual suspects.
Rob Thorpe said
Sun Jul 12 12:09 PM, 2020
Sunday 12 July 2020
Hundreds of Swift swarming over the field between the railway and the caravan storage, in the south-east corner of the site, late morning.
A Red-legged Partridge on Lily Lane Farm horse paddocks this evening. A site first for me. However, on checking through my old notes, the pair of Gadwall I had here on 20 May were not my first for the site.
Craig Higson said
Tue Jun 9 8:41 PM, 2020
A singing Cetti's Warbler on the western side was, I believe after consultation with the other site regular, the first record for Viridor. It was certainly a first for me. I also thought I had a Hobby but it was just a very slender winged Kestrel.
Rob Thorpe said
Wed May 20 6:27 PM, 2020
Wednesday 20 May 2020
A pair of Gadwall were flying around near the totem poles early this morning. Pretty sure this is a site first for me.
Rob Thorpe said
Sun Apr 26 10:21 AM, 2020
Sunday 26 April 2020
A Grasshopper Warbler, singing and showing relatively well this morning, on the East side, close to the railway bridge.
Rob Thorpe said
Tue Apr 14 10:36 AM, 2020
Tuesday 14 April 2020
A Common Whitethroat was on the east-side this morning.
Rob Thorpe said
Sat Mar 21 12:13 PM, 2020
Saturday 21 March 2020
Nuthatch again, early this morning, near the railway. Also at least 4 Chiffchaff and 2 Treecreeper nearby, and some very distant swans heading north, presumably Whoopers.
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Saturday 21st of March 2020 12:15:20 PM
Rob Thorpe said
Mon Mar 16 9:28 AM, 2020
Monday 16 March 2020
2 singing Chiffchaff on the east half of the site this morning.
Rob Thorpe said
Mon Mar 16 9:27 AM, 2020
Sunday 15 March 2020
A Nuthatch on the east of the site was a site-first for me. Also nearby were Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Siskin and my first bumblebee of the year.
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Monday 16th of March 2020 09:30:25 AM
Craig Higson said
Mon Oct 7 6:04 PM, 2019
Two Ravens were the best birds on a late afternoon stroll.
Craig Higson said
Tue May 7 11:08 PM, 2019
Had a look round both sides today. Plenty of Whitethroats around and Grasshopper Warblers have increased a bit. Willow Warbler numbers have dropped, possibly because they've stopped singing or, more likely they have moved on as nesting habitat isn't ideal for them here. A Willow Tit was heard on the eastern side. Other than that pretty quiet. There is still a distinct lack of Hirundines, with Swallow numbers well down on usual.
Craig Higson said
Tue Apr 23 9:03 PM, 2019
First time around the site for a few weeks. Lots of Willow Warblers in now and the first Blackcaps and Whitethroats have arrived. A few Grasshopper Warblers now in too. Hirundines are still a bit thin on the ground with only one or two or three Swallows around the stables and no House Martins yet.
Craig Higson said
Fri Mar 15 8:26 PM, 2019
A lunchtime walk with the dog on the western side in a very strong westerly (force 5/6 gusting 7 at times) produced not a lot. 13 Meadow Pipits and 9 Pied Wagtails in the paddocks and two Buzzards displaying the most exciting things !!!
Craig Higson said
Fri Mar 1 10:30 PM, 2019
Another late evening walk (need to get out of work earlier!) produced another flyover snipe and two more woodcock from different areas to previous. A few Skylarks were moving before dusk. Otherwise just the expected stuff.
Craig Higson said
Wed Feb 27 8:19 PM, 2019
Late evening walk with the dog on the eastern side:
Woodpigeon - several hundred passing over
Common Snipe - 1 over
Woodcock - 3 leaving various roost sites
Craig Higson said
Tue Feb 5 7:28 PM, 2019
dave broome wrote:
Approx 1500 Woodpigeon this morning around the part of the site between Riding Lane and the railway
I had over 700 roosting in the trees along the norther boundary on that side a couple of weeks ago. Not sure what the attraction is though. No rapeseed crops anywhere that I have noticed.
dave broome said
Tue Feb 5 5:21 PM, 2019
Approx 1500 Woodpigeon this morning around the part of the site between Riding Lane and the railway
Craig Higson said
Sat Jan 12 2:00 PM, 2019
A quick mooch after I'd been to Penninton didn't throw up much (not really a surprise given the wind) but there were approximately 130 Fieldfare plus 30 or so Redwing in the Northern boundary hedge. Two Yellowhammers near the stables were a nice year tick.
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Saturday 12th of January 2019 02:01:42 PM
Craig Higson said
Fri Nov 2 7:48 PM, 2018
A quick half hour blast around the site at lunchtime today was quite enjoyable with 25 species noted. Best bird(s) were undoubtedly the 5 Buzzards and a single Raven 'kettling' over the western side. A Yellowhammer was also near the stables - these birds always seem to re-appear in autumn after an almost complete disappearance in spring.
The site has been pretty good this autumn (comparatively speaking) with Hobby, Yellow Wagtail and the best bird of the Autumn the other week in the form of a Ring Ouzel. There are some healthy looking flocks of Goldfinches and quite a few mixed tit flocks plus plenty thrushes knocking about now the Redwings and Fieldfares have arrived. A flock of 61 Fieldfares last week was one of the biggest I have seen on here.
Steven Heywood said
Thu Oct 18 5:49 PM, 2018
My first visit to Viridor Wood (I'm trying to make sure to try at least one new local-ish site a month). The hawthorns by the Bolton Road entrance were heaving with finches and thrushes, including my first redwings of the Autumn and, a lifer, one ring ouzel. Possibly the same one already reported, a first-winter type, very dark with a smudgy pale lower throat and breast and a lot of white in the flight feathers. Strangely, in flight it reminded me much more of redwing than blackbird.
A buzzard was making itself heard well overhead, also a couple of dozen black-headed gulls hawking after insects disturbed by the farm workings. An immature male reed bunting was a nice surprise on one of the fields that are covered in spider webs.
The Cetti's Warbler and appears to have changed it favoured spot for what I would consider less suitable habitat and is now singing from the patch of rough ground between the L shaped hedge and Mortons Dairy. Two Grasshopper Warblers were back on territories as were at least three Whitethroats. I expect (hope) that numbers of both should increase soon.
Cetti's Warbler yet again today. Seems hardly credible that I twitched a Cetti's at Wigan Flashes 13 years ago and now they're comparatively widespread in GM. The first Whitethroat of the year was also present.
A single Swallow, and a number of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs proved that spring is definitely coming despite the overnight snow.
A couple of flyover Redpolls were presumably lessers.
Slightly outside the normal recording area today, two Swallows were heading nw over the small pools along the footpath headed to Dover Lock on the east of the railway.
A total of 3 Buzzards, 2 Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Willow Tits, amongst the usual stuff today.
Very pleasant 2 hour walk through the bridge towards Dover Lock. Birds of note were :- Several Skylarks singing.. A few male Reed Buntings calling.. 1 Nuthatch.. 1 Chiffchaff... 1 female Sparrowhawk.. A Buzzard mewing in the woods near the bridge... 4 Gadwall.. And 2 Mute Swans.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 9th of March 2021 01:03:29 PM
A group of 6 Raven flew noisily north just after 2pm this afternoon, as I was running along the path adjacent to the railway.
Saturday 07 November 2020
Early afternoon on the eastern side:
6 Whooper Swan over west, with 2 Pink-footed Goose
3 Goosander over east
Also, last Saturday (31 Oct) a Woodcock flew from beside the main path at dusk.
2 Stonechat (pair) in the marshy area at the bottom of Rose Farm horse paddock, around midday.
Quick cycle around after work this evening:
8 Buzzard - all feeding on the ground, 6 on the east-side of the site, 2 on the west.
c50 Lapwing in sown field in south-east corner (same field as 5 of the aforementioned Buzzards.
2 Swallow still around Lily Lane farm.
3 Chiffchaff.
4 Goldcrest.
1 Grey Wagtail.
1 Pied Wagtail
6 Linnet.
1 Jay.
2 Mute Swan over.
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Wednesday 30th of September 2020 09:44:31 AM
By far the 'best' sighting today was the flock of over 40 Greenfinches which is by far the biggest I remember seeing on here. There were also considerable numbers of other finches and buntings around - Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Linnet, and Reed Buntings, but due to not having much time I couldn't spend any time counting them. Their presence is, I suspect due to the fact that the farmer cut the large rape field yesterday and they are feeding on the spilled seeds. If said farmer is true to form the filed will be ploughed by weekend so the flocks may not hang around, but he has planted a significant game crop of sunflowers around one edge of the field so I'm hoping this will hold a few birds at least for a while.
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Tuesday 22nd of September 2020 10:57:40 PM
All the other usual suspects.
Hundreds of Swift swarming over the field between the railway and the caravan storage, in the south-east corner of the site, late morning.
A Red-legged Partridge on Lily Lane Farm horse paddocks this evening. A site first for me. However, on checking through my old notes, the pair of Gadwall I had here on 20 May were not my first for the site.
A pair of Gadwall were flying around near the totem poles early this morning. Pretty sure this is a site first for me.
A Grasshopper Warbler, singing and showing relatively well this morning, on the East side, close to the railway bridge.
A Common Whitethroat was on the east-side this morning.
Nuthatch again, early this morning, near the railway. Also at least 4 Chiffchaff and 2 Treecreeper nearby, and some very distant swans heading north, presumably Whoopers.
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Saturday 21st of March 2020 12:15:20 PM
2 singing Chiffchaff on the east half of the site this morning.
A Nuthatch on the east of the site was a site-first for me.
Also nearby were Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Siskin and my first bumblebee of the year.
-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Monday 16th of March 2020 09:30:25 AM
Woodpigeon - several hundred passing over
Common Snipe - 1 over
Woodcock - 3 leaving various roost sites
I had over 700 roosting in the trees along the norther boundary on that side a couple of weeks ago. Not sure what the attraction is though. No rapeseed crops anywhere that I have noticed.
-- Edited by Craig Higson on Saturday 12th of January 2019 02:01:42 PM
The site has been pretty good this autumn (comparatively speaking) with Hobby, Yellow Wagtail and the best bird of the Autumn the other week in the form of a Ring Ouzel. There are some healthy looking flocks of Goldfinches and quite a few mixed tit flocks plus plenty thrushes knocking about now the Redwings and Fieldfares have arrived. A flock of 61 Fieldfares last week was one of the biggest I have seen on here.
My first visit to Viridor Wood (I'm trying to make sure to try at least one new local-ish site a month). The hawthorns by the Bolton Road entrance were heaving with finches and thrushes, including my first redwings of the Autumn and, a lifer, one ring ouzel. Possibly the same one already reported, a first-winter type, very dark with a smudgy pale lower throat and breast and a lot of white in the flight feathers. Strangely, in flight it reminded me much more of redwing than blackbird.
A buzzard was making itself heard well overhead, also a couple of dozen black-headed gulls hawking after insects disturbed by the farm workings. An immature male reed bunting was a nice surprise on one of the fields that are covered in spider webs.