Hobby south over Mayfield Park at 9am and a Common Whitethroat in riverside vegetation there too

https://ebird.org/checklist/S149239073

Whilst searching for singing male Black Redstarts I chanced upon some Lesser-black Backed Gull chicks. Several adults took to the air in order to protect the young. I attach three images of the young and one of an adult.

Singing Black Redstart at a traditional site on Wednesday morning.

A Jay moving along the Medlock behind First Street this lunchtime, was a new City Centre record for me.

In response to Steven's Greylag Goose...

There is one on the Irwell that I've only ever seen with Canada Geese about 3/4 mile upstream from the Cathedral. I first saw it shortly after I started observing the Irwell last May but I believe it's been present and generally hanging around with the Canada Geese for 2 or 3 years at least.

It's quite likely that your Greylag is the same bird, but in your photos it doesn't appear to have any uniquely identifying marks (for me to check next time I see it).

Hi all

Slightly belated news, I was walking past Manchester Cathedral for a work event yesterday at dusk (around 5:45pm) and heard an unfamiliar song / call coming from towards the Cathedral. I was walking down Victoria street.

After seeing there's a calling Pallas's Warbler in Nottingham I looked up the call on whim. The call I heard yesterday is an exact match for the call at the start of this link  Pallas's Leaf-Warbler - song / call / voice / sound. (british-birdsongs.uk) and the second call on Ebird (Pallas's Warbler - eBird).

1- Can someone confirm that the call at the start of the first link is Pallas? In which case I have no doubt that's what I heard.

2- If anyone's in the area it is worth looking for it! I can't get back for a few days.

Thanks

Tom

A pair of mallards with a single chick on the Rochdale canal stretch, just before Lock 92. 

Two immature Cormorants resting on the very tall lights on the central reservation of the Mancunian Way less than 100 metres west of the Chester Road roundabout. Whilst they're often on the river a little further up by Regent Road this is the first time I recall seeing them on these lights myself and they're just surrounded by concrete and traffic!

2 Ravens loitering around First Street this lunchtime.

One Kingfisher, two Grey Wagtails & 2 Redwing along the Medlock behind First Street this lunchtime.

24 Cormorants east in one flock fairly low over the city centre at just c8:15 this morning, circled over the New Cross/Ancoats area and then seems to go back west.

Kingfisher flew low down city rd E/Great jackson street from canal at 17:00

Likely Osprey circled high over Spinningfields at 11:45am this morning.

Though seen from the office window without binoculars 

43 Canada Goose goslings in a giant raft at Castlefield Wharf this lunchtime

2 Raven over First Street heading towards Ordsall this morning.

I think you need to leave it to find its own way I'm afraid.

Pair of Mistle Thrushes mating in Sackville Street Park this morning.

Juvenile Ring-necked parakeet on bird feeders Jutland Street M1 2WE. Trying to feed without much success. Been here 2 days. Anyone know who to contact about possible rescue?

Lunchtime walk around First Street found 1 Peregrine, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtails, 5 Goldfinch & 14 Blackbirds all along the Medlock.

One Kingfisher & two Grey Wagtails on the Medlock behind First Street this lunchtime

Lovely view of a speeding Peregrine past my office window over First Street today.

Kingfisher over Home on First Street this morning

The juvenile lesser black backed gull is still on the same pontoon, pecking at random bits of rubbish and peeping. It has now been there a week. 

Question to gull experts- is this normal for a fledgling to act like this? Or should it have moved on by now? Is it vulnerable?

The juvenile lesser black backed gull has been on the same spot on same pontoon for a few days now, photo attached from monday.

There appears to have been a much larger number of lesser black Backed gulls this year, all throughout the year, in the city centre. They make a lot of noise and Im Sure it makes people check theyre in a city and not at the beach. 

Whilst working around the Northern Quarter at c4pm today a hatch of flying ants had attracted the attention on 60 or so Black-headed Gulls which were clearly feeding on them but watching the birds two adult Mediterranean Gulls appeared in the flock! the birds drifted off SW seemingly following the ants which were drifting that way.

A little earlier around the small (and really rather stunning) basin in front of Society by the Bridgewater Hall, a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull was on one of the vegetated pontoons, whilst it’s parent watched from the roof of the building next to it (iPhone photo attached).

Great spotted woodpecker currently at Rozel Square. First record - calling from plane trees. Brings total to 51 species.

Great Spotted Woodpecker in large tree by the River Medlock where it runs parallel to Helmet Street. No bins so don't know if male or female

Two common buzzards within one minute of each other. The 2nd bird circled over the town centre for 5 minutes and was ignored by the male peregrine that was intent on catching prey and putting on a show.
Recently I found a kingfisher in a gutter (window hit) and a little grebe with signs of peregrine predation which I found near the town hall.

23 species from a brief walk round St John's Gardens this morning.



highlights probably 2 song thrush, 2 mistle thrush, 2 chaffinch (rare these days), a sparrowhawk and 3 peregrines over.