This morning:

35 Pink-footed Goose west.

2 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel and 4 Raven.

1 Green Woodpecker- again in a different location.

9 Stonechat.

Some movement of the commoner species again, with 35 Meadow Pipit, 15 Goldfinch, 20+ Swallow, 4 Linnet, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Reed Bunting.

Generally a quiet morning but still some interest:

1 Green Woodpecker again in a different location.

c50 Swallow and 10+ House Martin.

4 Stonechat.

1 Dipper.

1 possibly 2 Lesser Redpoll.

Highlights from this morning:

1 Green Woodpecker, again in an area that I have never recorded them before. Presumably another or the same wandering individual.

4 Kestrel, 2 Raven.

Some movement of the commoner species with 55+ Meadow Pipit, 15 each of Swallow and House Martin, and 9 Skylark.

1 Goldcrest.

11 Stonechat, and 1 Mistle Thrush.

Highlights from this morning:

1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and 2 Raven.

An impressive movement of House Martin, with the Red Brook valley being filled with birds. At least 100 were present, but could easily be double that! My highest count here by a long way. 10+ Swallow also.

Meadow Pipits also moving with 30+ birds and a single Skylark.

10 Stonechat and the star bird a Whinchat, my first of the year here.

Highlights from this morning:

1 Spotted Flycatcher, my first on the Moor this year! Also a Willow Warbler in the same tree.

Steady movement of Swallow (c50) and few House Martin south.

6 Stonechat.

I have just noticed that this is my first post for August, so a few of other records from earlier in the month:

Green Woodpecker on 14th in a place where I have never seen them previously, so presumably a wandering individual.

4 Mistle Thrush on 26th.

6 Buzzard, 5 Kestrel and 2 Sparrowhawk on 13th.

Lesser Redpoll on 4th.

Highlights from a morning circuit:

Green Woodpecker in the Red Brook Valley, my first anywhere this year! It seemed to be moving down the valley, so presumed to be moving through. Also Great Spotted Woodpecker.

3 Buzzard and 3 Kestrel.

Small movement of birds south with 25 Swift, 40 Swallow, 8 House Martin and 2 Sand Martin.

4 Stonechat.

1 Lesser Redpoll. 

Getting more difficult to find birds now that the singing has reduced, but still some  interest this morning:

4 Stock Dove.

Nuthatch, Goldcrest and a family party of Treecreeper, with the juveniles being fed by an adult.

Dipper and 2 Grey Wagtail.

Lesser Redpoll.

Highlights from a longer circuit embracing, Holcombe Moor, Bull Hill and Black Moss:

Singing Curlew in 4 locations, singing Snipe(probably just in Lancashire), pair Lapwing and 2 Golden Plover.

3 Kestrel.

3 Swift over the highest ground.

3 Stock Dove. 

At least 14 Stonechat, 1 Wheatear.

5 Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap and a reeling Grasshopper Warbler.

Still loads of singing Skylark and displaying Meadow Pipit.

Wednesday evening - from the Shoulder car park to Red Brook and back vis the tower. Highlights:

- Song Thrush
- Group of noisy Long Tailed Tits
- Kestrel
- Lots of Swallows and House Martins, but no Swifts
- Hobby hunting in the valley
- Wheatear
- Very distant Cuckoo and Curlew both heard but not seen

Was hoping to see a Ring Ouzel or two, but sadly a group on scrambler bikes at Red Brook decided that damaging the environment was more rewarding than observing it.

8am - 1pm 

Very meticulous slow walk around the full valley along Moorbottom Road with Gary Taylor. 

Not much bird life on the Tower side yet soon redeemed itself the further we walked! 

lots of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks singing

x3 Bullfinch

x5 Curlew 

x2 Stock Dove

X5 stonechat 

X10 Wheatear

X7 Ring Ouzel (Red Brook waterfall area) 

And the star bird of the day!  

X1 Female Cuckoo that flew out of the waterfall area and then along Moorbottom Road making its way slowly towards Edgworth. 

Highlights from a longer morning circuit:

2 Buzzard, 1 Raven.

3 Stock Dove.

My first returning Grasshopper Warbler.

1 Ring Ouzel.

5 Wheatear, but only 1 pair of Stonechat.

1 Dipper.

No sign or sound of Green Woodpecker this year, and I fear the species may be lost from the area.

15 Ring Ouzel at Red Brook, between the MoD white flag pole and the stream

Several Wheatear and Stonechat

-- Edited by Ian Latham on Saturday 13th of April 2024 09:19:30 AM

-- Edited by Ian Latham on Saturday 13th of April 2024 10:09:09 AM

-- Edited by Ian Latham on Saturday 13th of April 2024 11:05:56 AM

A longer morning circuit with some birds of interest:

6 Lapwing and my first returning Curlew.

3 Stock Dove.

2 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.

Patch tick in the form of a Mediterranean Gull flying NW over Redisher Wood.

My first Wheatear of the year with 3 birds together, 2 Stonechat.

1 Dipper.

My first returning Linnet. 

First post of the year, and the the main news is the first Skylarks of the year! At least 7 birds were singing on the higher ground.  Also 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Mistle Thrush  and 2 Stonechat.

Highlights from a morning circuit:

1 Kestrel, 2 Raven

1 Stock Dove

5 Nuthatch, 3 Goldcrest and 3 Treecreeper.

2 Stonechat 

1 Reed Bunting 

And the star bird, my first record for 2023 of a Brambling!

Highlights from my first visit since the school half term:

1 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel.

100 Fieldfare SW in 2 flocks.

4 Stonechat.

Decent sized mixed flock that included 4 Tit species, 2 Goldcrest and 2 Treecreeper.

Highlights from the same morning circuit as Wednesday:

2 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk and 3 Raven.

1 Mistle Thrush.

8 Stonechat.

1 Chiffchaff 

20+ Meadow Pipit and 2 Reed Bunting again on the east side.

Highlights from a morning circuit:

2 Canada Geese- unusual at this time of year.

2 Kestrel.

2 Stock Dove.

4 Ring Ouzel on the ground briefly, but flew off west.

1 Stonechat.

Flock of 15 Meadow Pipit, 12 Goldfinch, 2 Reed Bunting and 2 Pied Wagtail on the east side of the moor.

Highlights from this morning:

340 Pink-footed Geese east in 3 flocks between 9.25 and 10.00.

2 Kestrel, 4 Raven.

1 Green Woodpecker showed well for a change.

1 Stonechat, unusually on the east side of the Moor.

30+ Meadow Pipit.

4 Mistle Thrush on a short afternoon visit, my first for a good while.

My first morning circuit for a while and not without interest, with the highlights being:

1 Buzzard and 2 Kestrel.

1 Green Woodpecker.

12+ Swallow, 1 House Martin south.

Still good numbers of Meadow Pipit and a few Skylark.

11 Stonechat, including a group of 7 together.

3, perhaps 4 Spotted Flycatcher, my first record this year.

1 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff.

1 linnet and 1 Reed Bunting.

Flyover Siskin this morning.

Highlight from 3 visits this week on 20th, 21st and today:

1 Red Kite today circled for a few minutes over the Peel Tower area today, then headed steadily north. Only my 3rd record here. It had a missing central tail feather so the tail looked even more forked than usual! 2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Kestrel on 21st.

2 Raven on 21st.

1 Stock Dove on 21st.

1 Curlew on 20th.

3 Wheatear including 2 just fledged juveniles (first breeding record this year) and 3 Stonechat on 21st.

1 Garden Warbler today singing from different bushes so presumably an unmated male, my first record this year. Lots of Willow Warbler including my first family party of 5/6 birds.

1 Dipper and 4 Grey Wagtail on 20th.

Highlights from a morning circuit:

Mistle Thrush was the bird of the morning with at least 10, and probably 12/13 present in the Red Brook valley. At least 2 and possibly 3 family parties.

1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel.

4 Swift.

3 Stonechat and 3 Wheatear.

8 Linnet.

5:50pm 

Hobby hunting low on Moor Road chasing meadow pipits, then flew down towards Stubbins.

1 Green Woodpecker this morning, my first since 20 April. Otherwise rather quiet, but some other interest:

1 Stonechat and 2 Wheatear.

1 Mistle Thrush.

First decent post breeding flock of Starling, with 70+ birds.

Whitethroat feeding young.

9 Linnet and 2 Bullfinch.

Highlights from 2 visits this week, on Tuesday 25th and today:

4 Stock Dove.

Pair Curlew today.

First singing Grasshopper Warbler (Tues)

12 Wheatear (Tues) with presumed migrant groups east and west of the moor. 5 Today. 3 Stonechat.

The biggest surprise was a flock of 20 Fieldfare this morning that rested briefly on a tree before heading off South East.

1 Lesser Redpoll. (Tues)

Spent a couple of hours on Tuesday 18 April and another couple of hours today visiting all my known Ring Ouzel spots around the Moor. No luck until right at the end of my walk today when 2 females were seen high on the sides of the Red Brook valley. Also:

2 Curlew.

1 Green Woodpecker.

3 Stock Dove.

2 Mistle Thrush.

8 Wheatear including what appeared to be a migrant group of 5, and 3 Stonechat.

8 Linnet, with some singing and display noted.

X2 Ring Ouzels above Red brook waterfall,  Moorebottom rd, this morning. 

Info Courtesy of Gary Taylor 

An interesting morning circuit with several highlights including a patch tick!

2 Shoveler, the rather surprising patch tick, and 2 Teal.

1 Lapwing, 1 Curlew.

My record count of 72 Black-headed Gull, which were grounded and presumably on their way through.

1 Stock Dove.

1 Buzzard.

6 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest singing.

My first patch Swallow of the year.

Exuberant flock of 8 Lesser Redpoll, with much activity and calling. 2 Bullfinch. 

Highlights from this morning:

2 Teal, 2 Goosander.

10 Lapwing and pair of calling Curlew.

3 Stock Dove.

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

25+ Redwing.

1 Dipper.

3 Grey Wagtail and my first returning Pied Wagtail.

Modest highlights from a morning circuit:

2 Little Owl.

1 Stock Dove.

Very vocal Green Woodpecker.

2 Skylark and 1 Meadow Pipit.

3 Fieldfare.

Highlights from this morning:

2 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

1 Raven.

My first returning Skylark, although possibly a migrant?

10+ Fieldfare.

Nice flock of 40+ Siskin in Redisher Wood this morning.

A more interesting morning circuit today, with the highlights being:

1 Woodcock.

2 Stock Dove.

2 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

1 Raven.

3 each of Redwing, Fieldfare and Song Thrush, with a single Mistle Thrush.

20+ Siskin. 

A quiet morning circuit, with the limited highlights being 3 Stock Dove and 2 Little Owl. 

Jan 6th,

6 species of corvid, which is nice and one meadow pipit

Mike

Highlights from a late morning/early afternoon circuit:

2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and 1 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

4 Raven.

c30 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare.

Still 1 Stonechat and group of 6 Meadow Pipit on the higher ground.

12 Siskin and 5 Bullfinch.

Highlights from this morning:

2 Kestrel, 2 Little Owl, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Raven, 3 Fieldfare and 2 Stonechat. 

Excellent morning circuit with another patch tick in the form of a Woodcock! I have looked for this species many times in the damp boggy areas, but this bird flushed out of the undergrowth very close to a public footpath! Other birds of interest:

75 Pink Footed Geese over to SW and a record count of 50 Mallard!

5 Stock Dove.

1 Green Woodpecker showed well and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

4 Raven.

1 Little Owl.

Good numbers of Redwing around with a lone Fieldfare and 2 Song Thrush.

2 Dipper.

c20 Siskin and 1 Bullfinch.

Best from this morning:

1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel and 1 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

4 Raven.

3 Mistle Thrush and 3 Stonechat.

Highlights from a short morning circuit round Redisher Wood:

1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.

2 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

100+ Redwing over.

Nuthatch were vocal and active with at least 5 birds present.

10+ Siskin moving through with a few Chaffinch mixed in.

Afternoon saunter.

5 Ravens enjoying sheep carcass.

1 Buzzard.

2 reed bunting.

6 Stonechat.

Grey Wagtail on the brook.

15 +Swallows going home

Highlights from a morning circuit:

4 Kestrel, 1 Little Owl.

3 Raven.

Green Woodpeckers very vocal and active, with at least 3 birds present.

9 Mistle Thrush.

20+ Swallow , 1 House Martin.

2 singing Chiffchaff.

1 Spotted Flycatcher and 6 Stonechat. 

3 whinchat in the ferns at the red brook waterfall this afternoon (info courtesy of Gary Taylor)

Best from a short afternoon circuit:

2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Kestrel, 1 Little Owl.

1 Green Woodpecker.

9 Raven.

20 Swallow, 1 House Martin.

Highlights from a short morning circuit around Redisher Wood only:

3 Lapwing.

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

1 Spotted Flycatcher in large mixed tit flock.

1 Treecreeper.

1 Dipper and 1 Grey Wagtail.