Early afternoon today:

4 Bullfinches, a pair and two single males both of which were singing

3 singing Goldcrests

A pair of Willow Tits

90+ Redwings in two flocks and 20+ Fieldfares feeding on Hawthorns along the southern edge of the area (just NW of St. Mary's RC High School) this mid-afternoon, also at least one Ring-necked Parakeet heard flying overhead while I was in tree cover.

Also 6 Goldcrests and two Bullfinches along a section of the southern edge of the site

Originally posted today by Alison Gordon:

2 May 2022 Two grasshopper warblers heard this afternoon

Mid afternoon visit 3pm to 4:30pm - Queensway, Higher Folds entrance to rear of Leigh Cemetery & back.

2 Jay; Kestrel hunting; Chaffinch; 2 small flocks of Goldfinch; 4 Long-Tailed Tits; 4 flushed Meadow Pipits;

30 Jackdaws heading to roost; a few singing Song Thrush & gangs of up to a dozen Magpies everywhere on the grassy areas - at

least 50 in total. 

A brief walk through the south-eastern section this morning produced a single Willow Tit, 7 Redwings, 26 Blackbirds and 11 Song Thrush.

This early afternoon:

Singing Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting in the southern marsh

Calling Willow Tit

Circling Sparrowhawk

Several Bullfinches heard but not seen

A few singing Chiffchaff and Blackcap

Two Reed Bunting territories, still with singing males, in the southern marsh today.

Early afternoon today, a Grasshopper Warbler was singing from the southern marsh as was a Sedge Warbler too.

8 singing Chiffchaff this afternoon, Willow Tit and Treecreeper both on territory and 4+ Bullfinch were the highlights.

Willow Tit singing again today, also a single Reed Bunting back on territory and a flock of 34 Goldfinch feeding high in what were probably hybrid Black Poplars on their very attractive red catkins (and I have very little idea about trees though).

Early afternoon walk produced highlights of:

18 Fieldfare over NE

15 Redwing in a flock in sub-song within the woods

2 Mediterranean Gulls circling over drifting very slowly off south

1 Sparrowhawk

3 Chiffchaff

Totally unexpected Kingfisher today, along a ditch in the centre of the site and allowing fairly close views!

Also around the site:

1 Lesser Redpoll over low north

8 Bullfinch around the area just north of Hadbutt Lane

40+ Redwing in a flock not far from Leigh Cemetery this morning, feeding in horse paddocks.

Early afternoon today:

1 Snipe 

11 Redwing

61 Magpie in a single field

2 Bullfinch

3 Buzzard

A pair of very vocal Willow Tits along the Northern edge were this early afternoon's highlight.

Also, still two Moorhens on the southern marsh, 26 Redwing in the woods and 18 Magpie in one field on the eastern edge of the site.

Flock of 7 Bullfinch feeding on weeds protruding through the snow along the south side of the site close to St. Mary’s High School just after midday.

A skein of Pink-footed Geese heard over west but no seen due to cloud cover.

Full circuit this early afternoon produced 2 Raven which flew over then were later feeding on a rough field on the site and 10 Bullfinch, including a flock of 4.

4 Bullfinch and 16 Long-tailed Tit (in a single flock) on a very short walk this early afternoon.

This early afternoon, 9 Bullfinch including a flock of 7 and 6 Goldcrest including a flock of 4.

This early afternoon around the site, fairly quiet but 6 Bullfinch, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Coal Tit were highlights.

Brief walk through late morning today included:

7+ Buzzards in the area, including five in the air and two sat in hedges/feeding in fields

2+ Willow Tit

2 Bullfinch

A walk through Collier's Wood this late morning/early afternoon was alive with birds, the highlights being:

An adult Mediterranean Gull flew low north over the western end of the area by Leigh Cemetery, beautifully backlit against the clear blue sky. It circled briefly over the Higher Folds area, then drifted off towards Atherton. Very unexpected!!

Now 2 singing Reed and Sedge Warbler in the marsh along the southern edge.

Three pairs of Bullfinch

Willow Tit calling

Still several Blackcap and a few Chiffchaff but no Willow Warblers.

Sedge Warbler still singing from the marsh and as were a few Chiffchaff this late morning. The pair of Bullfinch were still not far away too, with the male sunning himself as I walked by (very dodgy just iPhone shot attached)

The Moorhen now have at least two young on the small marsh along the southern edge.

Sedge Warbler still singing from the marsh today.

Unfortunately I always seem to neglect to post for this site, despite taking in even a 20 minute walk through it each day.

Still plenty of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap singing away but a Sedge Warbler there yesterday was fresh in and quite approachable too.

At least one Willow Tit seems to be on territory and there's always good numbers of Long-tailed Tits about too.

At least one pair of Bullfinch about and two male Reed Buntings proclaiming territory.

Also heard singing Treecreeper and Goldcrest from a couple of locations each.

I'm definitely missing lots due to not extending the walk to a wider area of the site, though that may change now so we'll see what comes of it.

Lured out for a 30 minute walk by my son around midday (no bins though) proved productive enough.

A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling in the rough field at the top of Clegg Lane

A single Willow Tit was in woodland at the top of South Lane (road)

A pair of Whitethroat were in the marsh and there were plenty of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff singing too.

Just under an hour's walk this very early morning over this area which is only a three minute walk from my house. Highlights on such a beautiful morning were:

16 Chiffchaff

3 Blackcap

2 singing Reed Bunting

2 Meadow Pipits in habitat

A pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker

Several Redwing

A single Sparrowhawk

2 singing Goldcrest

The total species seen was 32 but many commoner species I'd usually expect to see over there we avoiding me today.

13:00 to 15:15 - Colliers Wood from Higher Folds to Astley & back highlights

c.30 Redwing

c.20 Fieldfare

Approx. dozen  Long Tailed Tit

3 Mistle Thrush

2 Lesser Redpoll feeding with a charm of Goldfinch

& 1 Jay, Goldcrest & Buzzard.

3 Siskin south over Higher Folds late morning, 2 Goldcrest and 3 Grey Wagtail in gardens there