At least two Sand Martin seen flying above Holt Town tram stop this morning

From yesterday 04/01/21

Two Song Thrush heard singing when the tram door opened at Holt Town Tram stop.

11 Redwing south over Alan Turing Way this morning.

A Dipper was singing on the Medlock at Holt Town just after 5pm. Grey Wagtail also present.

A Peregrine flew towards the Etihad from Holt Town this morning

15 Redwing flew over Holt Town tram stop this morning.

A distant Mistle Thrush could be heard singing from Etihad Campus tram stop.

Three Dipper on the Medlock, viewed from the bridge at Merrill Street/Ashton New Road. One bird singing and all three flew downstream, seemingly in a territorial dispute.

Grey Wagtail and Moorhen also present.

6/8/16

Still at least 8 Sand Martin present around Holt Town tram stop area.
Lots of Black-headed Gulls appeared to be ant catching, one Common Gull and one Lesser Black-backed Gull also present

15 Sand Martin around the Holt Town colony
Sparrowhawk possibly with Sand Martin prey
2 Chiffchaff between Etihad and Holt Town tram stops, 3 Blackcap in the same area
Jay at Holt Town
Grey Wagtail on Medlock

Some sightings from the last couple of days of birds seen from the tram

Today

2 Swallow - Holt Town

19/04/16

5 Sand Martin - Holt Town
Goldcrest - by canal at Etihad Campus

Sightings from 10/04/16

Holt Town tram stop

9 Sand Martin in this area (6 on 2/4/16)
Chiffchaff singing near the road

This morning

Etihad area

Drake Goosander flew in and landed on canal behind tram stop

Upper Helena Street

8 Long-tailed Tit and 2 Blue Tit
Female Bullfinch
Juv Cormorant over

Two skeins of Pink-Footed Geese flew over the Etihad at 1353. Approx 140 birds in one group and 60 birds in the second. A lot of whiffling going on in both groups making them awkward to count.

At Holt Town tram stop, three Redwing were feeding on berries along with a Blackbird. Several Goldfinch were also present but weren't counted due to a heavy shower!

Still three Sand Martin around Holt Town tram stop. The male Kestrel was also perched at the side of the tram track.

Two Pied Wagtail around the Etihad.

Very little else though.

This morning

Jay at Upper Helena Street
At least two Chiffchaff in the area

Holt Town tram stop

Three Sand Martin
Male Kestrel

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Saturday 22nd of August 2015 09:28:25 PM

Jay foraging between Etihad and Holt Town tram stops

Grey Heron and pair of Mallard on Medlock

No sign of any Sand Martins at Holt Town today although six birds were present during the week along with two Swallows

6+ Sand Martins around Holt Town tram stop today.

Last week I counted 8 Sand Martin and 4 Swift were around the area for a while.

Also today Willow Warbler singing by the Canal at Upper Helena Street

A Sparrowhawk was soaring and was visible from the Etihad tram platform this afternoon.

Also a female Kestrel flew from just the other side of the canal at Asda towards the Etihad. Possibly the same bird I saw on Tuesday.

Female Kestrel being buffeted around and struggling to perch on lamp posts around the Etihad tram stop this afternoon.

This morning from Etihad tram stop

Peregrine flew over
Grey Wagtail flew over
A couple of Meadow Pipits flew over calling also

Late afternoon

Cormorant perched on lamp post in one of the Etihad car parks

Cormorant perched on lamp post by Asda this morning

Grey Heron on Medlock close to Holt Town tram stop

Kestrel hunting scrub by Seamark , Lord North Street, this afternoon

Upper Helena Street

Jay
Mistle Thrush (heard only)
Kestrel (juv)
Sparrowhawk (mobbed by 30 Starling)

Etihad

Charm of 10 Goldfinch
Best of all though 2 Wheatear flitting around the rooftops of the concessions in the City Square area

This afternoon

Linnet over one of the Etihad car parks
2 Grey Heron near Holt Town tram stop
Juv Chiffchaff

Early afternoon visit

9 Swift over high
6+ Sand Martin
Chiffchaff singing

Single Swift seen flying over Etihad Stadium this morning

A bit of shower dodging this afternoon

2 Swift near Holt Town tram stop
3 Sand Martin - possibly using a bridge as a nest site
Grey Heron flew from under a bridge on the Medlock
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Jay
Song Thrush
3 Blackbirds in territorial dispute
Great Tit carrying food

Think this is close enough a thread as it may just be outside the City Centre boundary.

Approx 1.30pm today... a Peregrine driving off a larger Bird of Prey (looked like a Buzzard from where I was) over Alan Turing Way in between the Cycling Velodrome and the Etihad Stadium. The probable buzzard then drifted out of sight behind the newish apartment blocks and the Peregrine went into stoop mode from above and made 2 dive bombs at it. By the time the traffic had started to move there was no sign of either bird.
Just wondered if anyone else saw anything in this area today.
Cheers

Just over the MP border in Monsall - Chiffchaff singing alongside railway line this afternoon.

Some late sightings from yesterday

Male Bullfinch and male Greenfinch in trees at Holt Town tram stop
Pair of Goosander on Medlock viewed from tram between Holt Town and Etihad tram stops

Kestrel hunting this evening on rough ground near Holt Town tram stop

General area

1 Cormorant on lamp post near Velopark tram stop this morning also 1 close to Etihad on lamp post. The second bird appeared to be an adult in breeding plumage

Holt Town tram stop

6 Woodpigeon
2 Goldfinch
4 Magpie

Upper Helena Street
1 Grey Wagtail on Medlock

A Kestrel was perched on ground adjacent to the Holt Town tram stop this evening, whilst this morning a Cormorant flew over near the Etihad tram stop.

Winter thrush survey of the general area including around the Etihad this morning

50 Redwing, good to see in this area
5 Blackbird
7 Black-headed Gull
Cormorant
Jay
Bullfinch near railway line
3-4 Long-tailed Tit

Holt Town
6 Redwing
1 Grey Wagtail over
Kestrel hovering close to one of the mills

Cormorant perched on lamp post by canal between Holt Town and Etihad Campus tram stops at first light this morning

Upper Helena Street
10 Long-tailed Tit
4 Bullfinch
3 Greenfinch
8 Goldfinch over
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Jay
3 Blackbird
2 Mistle Thrush and 10 Starling on gasometer

Male Kestrel at Holt Town Metrolink station and 2 Cormorant over

This morning

2 Grey Wagtail flew over Varley Street
2 Cormorant flying away from Victoria Mill following the line of the canal
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker on Bradford Road end of Varley Street

c70 Pink-footed Geese this morning in two skeins of c30 and c40 respectively south east over Miles Platting between 0750 and 0755. The first skein made no sound but the second was rather noisy.

Whilst I was watching the first skein I saw a flock of 20 Fieldfare which flew west. Two smaller birds with the flock were possibly finches of some description.

A female Sparrowhawk chased a Blackbird across Victoria Mill car park, the Blackbird escaped, and the hawk landed in a tree by the swimming baths

10th November.

The family party of Mute Swans (now 2 adults and 4 young - see earlier posts) were all back this morning near the original nest site and most were showing off their brand new shiny leg rings.

Cheers,

Bill.

29 Black-headed Gulls and a single Lesser Black-Backed Gull present on Varley Street this morning, mostly perched on lamp posts!

20+ Mallard on the canal this evening. At least 8 drakes present as viewed from the office this afternoon.

Also Grey Wagtail on the canal edge.

Blackbird eating Rowan berries in the grounds of Park View School, 2 Robins and a Dunnock also in the area

Single Common Gull on the grass verge of Oldham Road this lunchtime.

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Friday 1st of November 2013 09:17:34 PM

Some sightings so far this week

Today

Two flocks of Redwing flew towards the Etihad, one numbering 25 birds and the other at least 4, but I think I only caught the tail end of this group.

29/10/2013

5 Blackbirds and a Song Thrush flew towards an area of rough ground on Varley Street
Also 2 Blackbirds feeding in the grounds of Park View School

28/10/2013

1 Jay flew towards the swimming baths
30+ Starling on the Varley Street gasometer

25+ Goldfinch flew across Victoria Mill car park this evening towards the canal
Grey Wagtail over the car park
Also this morning 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls with 7 Black-headed Gulls on Varley Street

23 October am

15+ Pied Wagtails on corner of Varley Street and Bradford Road



-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Thursday 24th of October 2013 06:52:26 PM

Working today, but had a mooch in the area before and after work.

Jay flew across near Etihad tram stop
Cormorant flew over Victoria Mill
6+ Robin on Upper Helena Street
10+ Long-tailed Tit on Upper Helena Street
2 Grey Heron at Holt Town tram stop
15+ Pied Wagtail on Varley Street this morning
2 Linnet also flew over Upper Helena Street this morning
Moorhen on the Medlock


-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Saturday 19th of October 2013 06:10:58 PM