Today’s highlights at Walker Fold/Burnt Edge/Holden’s:
female type Redstart
Spotted Flycatcher
Tree Pipit
Green Woodpecker
1 Siskin
56 Willow Warbler
1 Whinchat
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Simon Warford said
Sat Aug 1 11:08 PM, 2020
This evening 5pm to 9.30pm.
1 Tree Pipit Burnt Edge
c450 Common Scoter over west in 3 flocks between 8.30pm and 9.30pm, 2 flocks to the north over Belmont and 1 flock (advanced warning from Simon Johnson) right over heading directly for the mast.
Two female Pied and a single Spotted Flycatcher at the bottom of Burnt Edge this morning.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Jul 24 2:03 PM, 2020
Highlight this morning was a female Pied Flycatcher along Georges Lane at Wilderswood, just where the stream goes under the road.
Five Raven flew east together over Wilderswood and later on another three flew east over Walker Fold.
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Jul 22 9:41 PM, 2020
Highlights from this morning from Scout Road:
782 Swift, 170 House Martin, 27 Sand Martin and 8 Swallow through south in small groups
9 Golden Plover W
1 Curlew W
1 Hobby chasing Swift
1 adult Mediterranean Gull south
1 Grey Wagtail S
3 Crossbill S
14 Stock Dove together in Gale Brook Plantation
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Jul 20 12:07 PM, 2020
Highlights from this morning across the moors:
Single Tree Pipit at Holden's Farm (grounded and on wires, not just flying over)
4 reeling Grasshopper Warblers around the area
28 Meadow Pipit in one feeding flock off Edge Lane and another 22 north of Holden's Farm
39 Goldfinch at Walker Fold (just beyond the car park) and a minimum of 220 in a single flock at Holden's Farm, maybe 80 of which subsequently flew off further SE along Coal Pit Road
26 Linnet and 6+ Lesser Redpoll also around Holden's Farm
8+ Crossbill in Walker Fold Wood, very possibly more though
14 Willow Warbler around Wilderswood along with 4 Chiffchaff and a further 17 Willow Warbler around Walker Fold and Burnt Edge
12 Stonechat around Burnt Edge, including 9 juveniles
Simon Warford said
Mon Jul 13 10:39 AM, 2020
Sightings from yesterday -
25+ Crossbills Gale Brook and 10+ Crossbills at Walker Fold Wood 4 adult Mediterranean Gulls singing Garden Warbler 2 newly fledged tail-less Blackcaps, fledged Willow Warblers 6+ Tree Sparrow 8+ Stonechat including 5+ Juvs 2 Whinchat 5 singing Grasshopper Warblers 2 Tawny Owls Many Siskins
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Jul 3 3:03 PM, 2020
Highlights from yesterday:
32 Mediterranean Gull north over Scout Road in the early morning (5 juvenile, 2 second years, 25 adults)
8 Crossbills SW over Scout Road 41 Siskin south 68 Swift 1 Cuckoo 2 Curlew south 17 adult Mediterranean Gulls Horrocks Fold Cow Sheds.
Simon Warford said
Wed Jun 24 8:25 PM, 2020
This morning with Andy Makin;
3 heard only Crossbill flocks over Scout Road, prior to 7am in blue sky were impossible to see it seemed. 20+ Crossbills around Walker Fold Wood still and 6 south over Deans Ditch 444 Swifts 2 Cuckoo singing 20+ Siskin
Simon Warford said
Tue Jun 23 6:47 PM, 2020
This morning, partly with Andy Makin, the Crossbill invasion continues..
Scout road-
30 Crossbills south in two flocks 5 Siskin 2 Tree Sparrow 2 Swift 5 Curlew on the move 1 Cuckoo 1 Grasshopper Warbler 12+ Mediterranean Gulls Horrocks Cow Sheds 133 Starling
Walker Fold-
9 Siskin 24 Crossbills
Lez Fairclough said
Mon Jun 22 9:09 PM, 2020
Georges Rd/Higher Meadows mid afternoon
Quite blustery so a bit light on activity.
Hovering Kestrels ever present & even a Buzzard was managing to do a good job at hovering until a couple of Gulls decided to move it on.
Family of 6 Mistle Thrushes flitting around the trees & a few juvenile Wrens near a mini waterfall.
The highlight though was a stunning male & female Stonechat with a single juvenile - I've never seen such a dark headed & beautifully marked
male as this before.
There is now a small outlet selling ice creams, pies drinks etc with outside seating right next to the old kennels on Georges Lane attracting plenty of custom.
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 22nd of June 2020 09:11:42 PM
3 Cuckoo 6 Curlew 1 Juvenile Tawny Owl 12 Mediterranean Gulls Horrocks Cow Sheds singing Garden Warbler singing Tree Pipit 6 Grasshoppper Warblers 13 Whitethroat, with several carrying food 13 Crossbills over Scout Road consisted of family parties of 4, 3, 5 and a single juvenile all south, also a female feeding with 2 juveniles at Burnt Edge and a female with 3 juvs at Walker Fold Wood, also a single male perched on top of a Larch 15+ Tree Sparrow, including at least 5 juveniles from 2 pairs. 35 Siskin south 278 Swift south
1pm yesterday Monday 27th April 2020. The trees below Holdens Farm. The cuckoo was calling loudly.
Unfortunately I did not get close enough to see it.
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Mar 21 4:32 PM, 2020
Other sightings from this morning:
11 Curlew N
119 Fieldfare SE
11 Redwing SE
335 Meadow Pipit N
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Mar 21 9:37 AM, 2020
60+ Whooper Swan at height north over Scout Road at 8:30 this morning.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Mar 21 8:39 AM, 2020
Highlights from Higher Meadows yesterday morning:
Merlin
4 male Wheatear
mixed flock of 100+ Siskin and Lesser Redpoll north
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Fri Mar 20 4:39 PM, 2020
Yesterday morning's visible migration highlights from Higher Meadows included:
465 Meadow Pipit N
17 Fieldfare NE
1 Curlew NE
40 Lesser Redpoll N
3 Siskin N
4 Crossbill N
2 Wheatear
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Mar 18 9:56 AM, 2020
Sightings from yesterday included:
5 Red-throated Diver flew north over Higher Meadows/Georges Lane at considerable height
15 Pink-footed Geese N
5 Curlew N
4 Crossbill S
56 Fieldfare SE
Sightings for the 16th:
15 Curlew N
380 Meadow Pipit N
15 Lesser Redpoll N
12 Siskin N
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Lez Fairclough said
Mon Mar 16 9:19 PM, 2020
1pm to 2pm - in what's left of Gale Brook Pine Plantation !!! - with yet further sad & thoughtless evidence of pine tree deforestation in what was recently a thriving area for birdlife - an hour spent here & only managed to see a handful of the usual Tit's, a couple of singing Chaffinch & a single Pheasant.
2pm to 4pm - Burnt Edge & Holden's farm - 2 Raven, 4 Stonechat, flushed Woodcock, Skylark, Long Tailed Tit, Buzzard & many Meadow Pipit's.
Jon Bowen said
Sat Mar 7 7:55 PM, 2020
Nice mixed flock of Siskin (6) and Lesser Redpoll (8) in Wilderswood at noon today along with Goldfinch. Goldcrest also seen in a mixed Tit flock
Ian McKerchar said
Sat Mar 7 6:25 PM, 2020
Late news for yesterday from Scout Road when 36 Curlew moves through north in flocks of 19, 15 and two singles.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Simon Warford said
Thu Mar 5 7:37 PM, 2020
3 Short-eared Owls still present Burnt Edge area this evening also 2 singing Stonechats.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Mar 2 8:01 PM, 2020
Sightings from this morning from Scout Road included:
21 Curlew N
27 Redwing N
6 Fieldfare E
2 Crossbill S
Info thanks to Andy Makin
John Williams said
Mon Mar 2 7:55 PM, 2020
11.30-15.00
Georges Lane : 1 Goldcrest, 2 Buzzards and 4 Ravens.
Late pm today, 1 short-eared owl and two ravens at Burnt Edge
Jon Bowen said
Sun Jan 26 9:47 PM, 2020
Two Short-Eared Owls from Burnt Edge looking towards Two Lads late pm
Simon Johnson said
Sat Jan 25 9:23 PM, 2020
Late pm
Short Eared Owl Red Grouse Woodcock
John Williams said
Fri Jan 24 10:47 PM, 2020
12.00-16.15
(The fog/mist cleared just after I arrived, exactly as the Met office promised).
Not a lot bird wise along Georges Lane, just a flock of around a dozen Chaffinches by Wilderswood.
A couple of Wrens seen was the highlight of a walk passed the former kennels to the county border and back.
A Sparrowhawk flew fast and very low across Matchmoor Lane.
Burnt Edge : 1 Kestrel and 6 Ravens, the corvids were highly vocal and as they sat on fence posts alongside the path,
the birds allowed me to approach to within a few feet of them.
4m Bullfinches and 1 Goldcrest were in the plantation, which also held plenty of Winter Gnats, so ample food any insect eaters.
Walkerfold : 1 Song Thrush singing from the top of a tall larch, 1m+1f Bullfinches and a flock of 10 Coal Tits.
Lez Fairclough said
Mon Jan 6 10:52 PM, 2020
14:15 to 16:30 :- Burnt Edge/Holden's Farm circuit - wet & windy with hardly any sightings apart from
2M & 2F Pheasant
1F Merlin
1 Heron
2 Raven
& Tawny Owl heard
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 6th of January 2020 10:53:30 PM
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 6th of January 2020 10:53:59 PM
Simon Warford said
Tue Dec 31 6:39 PM, 2019
Late pm. 1 Short-eared Owl Burnt Edge also 7 Woodcock over at dusk.
8 Pink-footed Geese high west at dusk.
20 Fieldfare in field on Edge Lane.
Simon Warford said
Mon Dec 30 1:19 PM, 2019
No sign of any Snow Buntings for me around the mast area and Smithill's Moor this morning up to 12.30pm, though I did flush 25 Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe and 1 Woodcock from Smithill's Moor.
Around the mast area were 2 Stonechat and 3 Red Grouse.
Edge Lane, 2 Tree Sparrow, 2 Stonechat, 6 Snipe.
Neil Southworth said
Sun Dec 29 11:08 PM, 2019
Report on Twitter of Snow Bunting on Winter Hill this afternoon on the Bolton side near the main mast.
Burnt Edge/Holdens circuit this morning:
3 Tree Pipit
1 Whinchat
3 Swift
28 Willow Warbler
Mast Road and Winter Hill summit area:
66 Wheatear
2 Whinchat
300+ Meadow Pipit feeding on abundant crane flies
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Wander around Burnt Edge area yesterday evening produced:
3+ Spotted Flycatchers in top edge of Walker Food Wood, in the plantation by Burnt Edge Lane
3 Tree Pipits (1 over, 2 showing well by Holdens Plantation)
1 Wheatear
11 Willow Warblers
10+ Siskin
Thanks to the couple of other birders present who pointed me in the right direction for the Spotted Flycatchers.
This mornings moors total:
Greenshank over south
7 Tree Pipit
5 Whinchat
36 Wheatear
38 Willow Warbler
Juvenile Green woodpecker by Holdens Farm
Info thanks to Andy Makin
This morning's totals around Burnt Edge/Coal Pit Road included:
1 Tree Pipit
2 Whinchat
2 Spotted flycatcher
32 Willow Warbler
8 Whitethroat
Also, 2 Whinchat and 8 Wheatear along Mast Road
Info thanks to Andy Makin and Phil Rhodes
This morning’s highlights:
22 Tree Pipits down around Holdens Farm (only 2 of which were merely flying over), which seemed to have moved off later when the sun came out.
A single Whinchat at Gilligants Farm
40 Willow Warbler around Holdens/Burnt Edge
2 Hobby hunting Smithills Moor
Info thanks to Andy Makin
This morning:
A Quail called briefly at 10am in juncas at Higher Meadows, below the kennels.
Up to 6 Tree Pipits were in trees at the bottom of Burnt Edge
25 Willow Warbler were around Sugar Loaf plantation and 2 Crossbill weer also around there
2 Grasshopper Warbler were at Burnt Edge
1 Wheatear
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Walker Fold Woods 2pm to 4pm
On the walk down to the woods from the car park surprised to see a Ring-Necked Parakeet fly straight in front of me - a first for me in this area.
In the woods on the pine trees plenty of Siskin, Long Tailed Tits, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, a single Great Spotted Woodpecker
but no sign of the elusive Crossbills of which I'm still waiting to add as a lifer!
Also in the area Common Whitethroat with juicy green caterpillar, Willow Tit, Reed Bunting, Dunnock & the usual Titmice.
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 3rd of August 2020 11:29:41 PM
Today’s highlights at Walker Fold/Burnt Edge/Holden’s:
female type Redstart
Spotted Flycatcher
Tree Pipit
Green Woodpecker
1 Siskin
56 Willow Warbler
1 Whinchat
Info thanks to Andy Makin
1 Tree Pipit Burnt Edge
c450 Common Scoter over west in 3 flocks between 8.30pm and 9.30pm, 2 flocks to the north over Belmont and 1 flock (advanced warning from Simon Johnson) right over heading directly for the mast.
Poor videograb below.
Burnt Edge circuit today:
1 Pied Flycatcher
1 Tree Pipit at Holdens Farm
31 Willow Warbler
3 Whitethroat
1 singing Grasshopper Warbler
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Two female Pied and a single Spotted Flycatcher at the bottom of Burnt Edge this morning.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Highlight this morning was a female Pied Flycatcher along Georges Lane at Wilderswood, just where the stream goes under the road.
Five Raven flew east together over Wilderswood and later on another three flew east over Walker Fold.
Highlights from this morning from Scout Road:
782 Swift, 170 House Martin, 27 Sand Martin and 8 Swallow through south in small groups
9 Golden Plover W
1 Curlew W
1 Hobby chasing Swift
1 adult Mediterranean Gull south
1 Grey Wagtail S
3 Crossbill S
14 Stock Dove together in Gale Brook Plantation
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Highlights from this morning across the moors:
Single Tree Pipit at Holden's Farm (grounded and on wires, not just flying over)
4 reeling Grasshopper Warblers around the area
28 Meadow Pipit in one feeding flock off Edge Lane and another 22 north of Holden's Farm
39 Goldfinch at Walker Fold (just beyond the car park) and a minimum of 220 in a single flock at Holden's Farm, maybe 80 of which subsequently flew off further SE along Coal Pit Road
26 Linnet and 6+ Lesser Redpoll also around Holden's Farm
8+ Crossbill in Walker Fold Wood, very possibly more though
14 Willow Warbler around Wilderswood along with 4 Chiffchaff and a further 17 Willow Warbler around Walker Fold and Burnt Edge
12 Stonechat around Burnt Edge, including 9 juveniles
25+ Crossbills Gale Brook and 10+ Crossbills at Walker Fold Wood
4 adult Mediterranean Gulls
singing Garden Warbler
2 newly fledged tail-less Blackcaps, fledged Willow Warblers
6+ Tree Sparrow
8+ Stonechat including 5+ Juvs
2 Whinchat
5 singing Grasshopper Warblers
2 Tawny Owls
Many Siskins
Highlights from yesterday:
32 Mediterranean Gull north over Scout Road in the early morning (5 juvenile, 2 second years, 25 adults)
13 Crossbill S (a single and a flock of 12)
10 Siskin S
Nesting Spotted Flycatcher
Male Wheatear with 2 recently fledged juveniles
Info thanks to Andy Makin
14-00 to 17-00 - Scout Rd / Coal Pit Rd / Colliers Row Rd
A day of juveniles including Goldcrests, Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Stonechat & Canada Geese.
Adults also seen -:
Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Lesser Redpoll, Female Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Tree Sparrow,
Reed Bunting, Skylark, Male Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, M & F Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Kestrel, Sparrow Hawk
and M & F Canada Geese (with the above mentioned juveniles) displaying very prominent white bands across their tails.
8 Crossbills SW over Scout Road
41 Siskin south
68 Swift
1 Cuckoo
2 Curlew south
17 adult Mediterranean Gulls Horrocks Fold Cow Sheds.
3 heard only Crossbill flocks over Scout Road, prior to 7am in blue sky were impossible to see it seemed.
20+ Crossbills around Walker Fold Wood still and 6 south over Deans Ditch
444 Swifts
2 Cuckoo singing
20+ Siskin
Scout road-
30 Crossbills south in two flocks
5 Siskin
2 Tree Sparrow
2 Swift
5 Curlew on the move
1 Cuckoo
1 Grasshopper Warbler
12+ Mediterranean Gulls Horrocks Cow Sheds
133 Starling
Walker Fold-
9 Siskin
24 Crossbills
Georges Rd/Higher Meadows mid afternoon
Quite blustery so a bit light on activity.
Hovering Kestrels ever present & even a Buzzard was managing to do a good job at hovering until a couple of Gulls decided to move it on.
Family of 6 Mistle Thrushes flitting around the trees & a few juvenile Wrens near a mini waterfall.
The highlight though was a stunning male & female Stonechat with a single juvenile - I've never seen such a dark headed & beautifully marked
male as this before.
There is now a small outlet selling ice creams, pies drinks etc with outside seating right next to the old kennels on Georges Lane attracting plenty of custom.
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 22nd of June 2020 09:11:42 PM
3 Cuckoo
6 Curlew
1 Juvenile Tawny Owl
12 Mediterranean Gulls Horrocks Cow Sheds
singing Garden Warbler
singing Tree Pipit
6 Grasshoppper Warblers
13 Whitethroat, with several carrying food
13 Crossbills over Scout Road consisted of family parties of 4, 3, 5 and a single juvenile all south, also a female feeding with 2 juveniles at Burnt Edge and a female with 3 juvs at Walker Fold Wood, also a single male perched on top of a Larch
15+ Tree Sparrow, including at least 5 juveniles from 2 pairs.
35 Siskin south
278 Swift south
Late news for yesterday included good numbers of Swift, with 922 S/SE over Dean Ditch in morning. Also 1 Crossbill S and 3 Cuckoo along Scout Rd.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Yesterday morning, 24 Crossbill flew NW over Higher Meadows.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Pair of Stonechat and male Reed Bunting - Matchmoor Lane
Male and juvenile Stonechat - Two Lads
A couple of recent walks thanks to rules relaxation.
Whitethroat and Stonechats seen on Coal Pit Lane
Leucistic Jackdaw near reservoir
Willow Warbler in woods near reservoir and south of Holden's Farm
Grey wagtail on bridge between Holden's and Burnt Edge
Cuckoo clearly heard from Burnt Edge but not seen
Lapwing seeing off Kestrel
Nice semi-birding walk with the missus mid afternoon around one of my much missed locations - Burnt Edge/Holdens Farm circuit
Cuckoo heard but not seen around copse near Holdens Farm, also plenty of Swallows & House Martins around the farm.
About 10 Stonechats
Numerous Meadow Pipits
A single Lesser Redpoll
Kestrel
Reed Bunting
Willow Warblers in song
Mistle Thrush
Plenty of Rooks feeding in fields off Matchmoor Lane
Originally posted today by Roy Hodkinson:
1pm yesterday Monday 27th April 2020. The trees below Holdens Farm. The cuckoo was calling loudly.
Unfortunately I did not get close enough to see it.
Other sightings from this morning:
11 Curlew N
119 Fieldfare SE
11 Redwing SE
335 Meadow Pipit N
Info thanks to Andy Makin
60+ Whooper Swan at height north over Scout Road at 8:30 this morning.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Highlights from Higher Meadows yesterday morning:
Merlin
4 male Wheatear
mixed flock of 100+ Siskin and Lesser Redpoll north
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Yesterday morning's visible migration highlights from Higher Meadows included:
465 Meadow Pipit N
17 Fieldfare NE
1 Curlew NE
40 Lesser Redpoll N
3 Siskin N
4 Crossbill N
2 Wheatear
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Sightings from yesterday included:
5 Red-throated Diver flew north over Higher Meadows/Georges Lane at considerable height
15 Pink-footed Geese N
5 Curlew N
4 Crossbill S
56 Fieldfare SE
Sightings for the 16th:
15 Curlew N
380 Meadow Pipit N
15 Lesser Redpoll N
12 Siskin N
Info thanks to Andy Makin
1pm to 2pm - in what's left of Gale Brook Pine Plantation !!! - with yet further sad & thoughtless evidence of pine tree deforestation in what was recently a thriving area for birdlife - an hour spent here & only managed to see a handful of the usual Tit's, a couple of singing Chaffinch & a single Pheasant.
2pm to 4pm - Burnt Edge & Holden's farm - 2 Raven, 4 Stonechat, flushed Woodcock, Skylark, Long Tailed Tit, Buzzard & many Meadow Pipit's.
Late news for yesterday from Scout Road when 36 Curlew moves through north in flocks of 19, 15 and two singles.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Sightings from this morning from Scout Road included:
21 Curlew N
27 Redwing N
6 Fieldfare E
2 Crossbill S
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Georges Lane : 1 Goldcrest, 2 Buzzards and 4 Ravens.
Burnt Edge : 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Ravens and 1 Reed Bunting.
Walker Fold : 2 Buzzards, plus a mixed flock of small birds (Mainly Coal Tits) moving through the tall larches which contained
at least 11 Siskins and 14 Goldfinches.
Despite having a good scan across the whole site I did'nt find a single Kestrel, usually there are at least 2 seen around the moor.
A large mixed flock of Rooks and Jackdaws were alongside Matchmoor Lane near the stables.
Excellent views of a Short Eared Owl this afternoon (3.15pm) along Burnt Edge, also a Raven.
This morning 7:30-8:30am off Georges Lane:
Male Hen Harrier hunting NE on the moor behind the old kennels
102 Siskin north
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Mid afternoon Mast Rd up to Transmitters & back
Dozen Stonechats along stone walls & hedges
6 Meadow Pipit around rocket shaped mast
& 2 cronking Raven's circling over Armstrong's Quarry
Short Eared Owl
Red Grouse
Woodcock
(The fog/mist cleared just after I arrived, exactly as the Met office promised).
Not a lot bird wise along Georges Lane, just a flock of around a dozen Chaffinches by Wilderswood.
A couple of Wrens seen was the highlight of a walk passed the former kennels to the county border and back.
A Sparrowhawk flew fast and very low across Matchmoor Lane.
Burnt Edge : 1 Kestrel and 6 Ravens, the corvids were highly vocal and as they sat on fence posts alongside the path,
the birds allowed me to approach to within a few feet of them.
4m Bullfinches and 1 Goldcrest were in the plantation, which also held plenty of Winter Gnats, so ample food any insect eaters.
Walkerfold : 1 Song Thrush singing from the top of a tall larch, 1m+1f Bullfinches and a flock of 10 Coal Tits.
14:15 to 16:30 :- Burnt Edge/Holden's Farm circuit - wet & windy with hardly any sightings apart from
2M & 2F Pheasant
1F Merlin
1 Heron
2 Raven
& Tawny Owl heard
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 6th of January 2020 10:53:30 PM
-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Monday 6th of January 2020 10:53:59 PM
8 Pink-footed Geese high west at dusk.
20 Fieldfare in field on Edge Lane.
Around the mast area were 2 Stonechat and 3 Red Grouse.
Edge Lane, 2 Tree Sparrow, 2 Stonechat, 6 Snipe.
Report on Twitter of Snow Bunting on Winter Hill this afternoon on the Bolton side near the main mast.