Awesome!

Great sighting for the patch Henry!!!

The Black-Headed and Common Gull flock on the fields will be checked even closer over the coming weeks!!!

23/02/2010 - It continues to be a good winter on the patch and today encapsulated that, although I get the feeling spring is knocking on the door now! A MEDITERRANEAN GULL (adult winter) kindly alerted me to its prescence by calling as it went over eastwards towards Newall Green with a small group of Black-headed Gulls in the chilly easterley breeze. It showed the slightly different jizz to Black-headed Gulls thanks to the more paddle shaped wing and ghostly appearance giving it the impression of being part gull, part miniature egret! This is a first record for the patch of this species. Rounding off the walk there were:

9 Lapwings (probably spring migrants)
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
2 Grey Herons
3 Pied Wagtails
8 Fieldfares
2 Redwings
3 Song Thrushes
2 Mistle Thrushes
2 Treecreepers (one in the garden)
10 Lesser Redpolls

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 23rd of February 2010 03:25:10 PM

22/02/2010 - Back to normal today, some stuff seen in bitingly cold winds included:

1 Grey Wagtail
3 Pied Wagtails
1 Treecreeper (in Bluebell Wood)
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
2 Mistle Thrush
1 Fieldfare
20+ Redwings
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel

4 Siskin were seen overhead on the Newall Green side ths morning and together with a pair of Collared Dove were local patch ticks.

Otherwise the usual species but notably again good numbers of Bullfinch which is good to see.

The female Goosander was a nice suprise!!!

21/02/2010 - A female type Goosander flew over this morning going east. A new species for the patch and not one I expected at all but after recent reports from unusual locations in the county they must be moving around quite a lot.
The sighting came on the back of another duck flyover which looked like something interesting but me and Phil Owen couldn't quite secure the id on that one. Otherwise all was normal with 6 Lesser Redpolls on the garden feeders and pairs of flyover Mallards.

If the Green Sand. is still around anywhere locally phil i'm a happy person!
A short wander late on this afternoon showed up a Reed Bunting, 6 Lesser Redpolls, 2 Stock Doves, 9 Pied Wagtails and c20 Magpies going to roost in the Newall Green fields near Piggy Wood.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Saturday 20th of February 2010 06:07:50 PM

Henry, I hope the Green Sand has gone over to my side of the patch in Newall Green!!!

Nothing else worthy of note there yesterday although the Meadow Pipit was a patch tick together with the Male Pheasant at Piggy Wood.

19/02/2010 - Wandering the fields with Phil Owen this sunny afternoon we saw the Green Sandpiper again, in flight. It was lost to view but probably ditched down nearby in the sheep fields north of Shay Lane. Also around were:

1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (part of a good sized feeding flock today)
c40 Common Gulls
c80 Black-headed Gulls
1 Meadow Pipit (around the Newall Green ridge)
10 Pied Wagtails
1 Treecreeper
2 Coal Tits
c30 Greenfinches
6 Lesser Redpolls (back in my garden)



-- Edited by Henry Cook on Friday 19th of February 2010 04:45:42 PM

They flew over the Davenport Green fields Phil, they also turned up later on the feeders in my garden.

Where were the Redpolls Henry??

17/02/2010 - A murky walk this afternoon but lots of birds about:

120+ Greenfinches (at the bottom of Buttery House Lane)
1 Cormorant (flew over)
10 Mallards
2 Buzzards
2 Stock Doves
5 Bullfinches
2 Lesser Redpolls

Hi Mark. Sent you a Private Message.
Henry.

Henry
If you ever get the tim I'd like a 'trawl' around there with you.
Regards
Mark

14/02/2010 - Red-legged Partridge still present in the fields north of Shay Lane although elusive and a Pied Wagtail around the feet of sheep and turnip drops.

13/02/2010 - A solid scout around the whole patch with Phil Owen this morning started off with a Pheasant and a couple of Jackdaws over the fields out to Newall Green. The local Buzzard was spotted, being chased off by Carrion Crows as ever, and several Song Thrushes, GSW's and Nuthatches were around the woods of Brooks Drive. When we started wandering around the fields north of Shay Lane things picked up when Phil spotted bird of the year so far. A small wader doing House Martin impressions wheeled around the sky looking for somewhere to land. A white rump stuck out and dark 'greenish', pointed wings held below the horizontal were all indentification points to it being a GREEN SANDPIPER! A first for the patch, and many thanks to Phil for originally spotting it. I'm sure i'd have missed it if your switched on eyes had not been there! It landed in one of the small brooks at a field edge. If anyone wants specific directions please pm me.
Soon after a Red-legged Partridge was flushed from a hedgerow, our luck still in it seemed, as this is a barely annual bird locally.
A great morning all in all! Thanks.

Very gripping Jason, a species i've not recorded locally before! Good find!

Phil / Henry

Not sure who covers this bit, if at all but .... there was a Mute Swan in fields to the left of Roaring Gate Lane just before the Whitecarr Lane junction. Unfortunately this was about a month ago. Probably of no use but just thought i would share !

cheers
jason

10/02/2010 - With the month of February progressing quickly more signs of breeding interest amongst the birds were observed today in sunny but chill-factored winds. 2 Buzzards spun around in circles in a display flight this morning in the fields towards Newall Green, making quite a racket as they drifted off. 2 Pairs of Woodpigeons were courting in my garden and inspecting a nest tree used in previous years. All of this was to a backdrop of song from Song Thrushes, Woodpigeons, Coal Tit, Great Tits, Robin, Nuthatch, Dunnocks, Chaffinches and Greenfinches. Also seen today locally were:

3 Reed Buntings (in a Marl Pit, representing probably the total local population!)
1 Moorhen
2 Mallards (back on Piggy Wood pools)
2 Mistle Thrushes
4+ Song Thrushes
2 GSW
18+ Long-tailed Tits
2 Goldcrests
16 Bullfinches (some around Newall Green ridge and my garden)

Walk round this afternoon with Henry Cook 3.15pm - 5.15pm

2 Raven (a first sighting for Newall Green!!)
2 Goldcrest
Bullfinch (2 M, 1 F) + other singles seen
Sparrowhawk
Cormorant (flew over)
Chaffinch
Over 100 Greenfinches overhead towards roosting site
Pied Wagtail
Buzzard
House Sparrow

On way back at around 5pm noticed a large Magpie roost in one of the Hedgerows.

As I am covering the area North of Shay Lane, I have decided to start a new post for this area so not to confuse it with the patch that Henry Cook is covering.

A walk round the area 1.30pm-3pm:-

Blue Tit
Great Tit
LT Tit
Coal Tit
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Bullfinch (nice to see plenty about)
Treecreeper (in Piggy Wood)
Great-Spotted Woodpecker
Jay
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Buzzard
Song Thrush
Mallard (2 on pond in Piggy Wood)
Black-Headed Gull
Common Gull
Blackbird
Robin
Dunnock
Wren
Woodpigeon

Can't wait for Spring and the Warblers to arrive as this is great habitat for them!!!!

I too have witnessed this behaviour on two occasions the latter of which was during the recent snow in a friends garden, there were several blue tits and great tits sat motionless and as i watched i became aware that this really is a motionless life and death match and whichever of the smaller birds moves first is the one the hawk will go for! In this case a poor blue tit who thought he could out fly the sprawk and alas was hit with the force of a juggenaut and taken into the next door garden.

Incredible stuff Pete. So much goes on in the microcosm of the garden.

Henry - I saw recently a series of photos can't remember if it was a magazine or a website.

Basically a sparrow hawk attacks a Great Spotted Woodpecker in this guys garden.

The woodpecker manages to escape initially but 5 minutes later the hawk is back. The hawk is on top of a post and the woodpecker is just underneath the hawk on the same post.

The woodpecker then has to remain completely motionless one slight move and it will be eaten. It remains perfectly still for about 10 minutes with this chap watching and photographing from his living room.

The sparrow hawk eventually flies off as then does the woodpecker feeling probably quite relieved. Its probably instinct with these smaller birds but incredible all the same.

Whilst garden watching in the rain this afternoon I was privileged to witness some cool behviour from the regular, resident species of the area.
I spotted a Coal Tit sat absolutely motionless in a large elder bush, it's gaze seemingly transfixed on something in the large ash tree nearby. I wondered if there was something wrong with this diminuitive bird so gave the window a tap to see if it responded. It didn't move a feather and its badger striped head stayed fixed in position. The feeders were clear of birds and most birds had cleared off out of the garden. This left me fearing one of the local predators had just passed through. After several minutes I spotted what was taking so much of the Coal Tits concentration; a small male Sparrowhawk perched up in the tree partially obscured from view behind a branch. The Sprawk efficiently took off from the tree to the response of several alarm calls from the smaller birds hidden away in the undergrowth. It rounded the back of the garden hedge and alighted on the garden fence mere meters from the window I was looking out of, brilliant views of this usually so secretive bird. Not far from it the Coal Tit had swung around and was again staring at it with concentration I could only dream to possess! I missed the Sprawk leave. A Goldcrest flitting through the bushes several minutes later signalled the rest of the garden passerines to feel safe enough to move around. The Bullfinches did the sensible thing and fled the garden en masse for the safety of hedgerows elsewhere.
So often views of the local Sprawk are fleeting and so to see it hunt around the space of the garden and it's potential preys response was captivating. Birds, they're great!
Thanks. Henry.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 2nd of February 2010 09:17:17 PM

Met up with Henry earlier and decided on covering the Newall Green side of Clay Lane as my local patch as this was the place I used to bird as a kid.

Nothing exciting but the snow seems to have done a good job of moving the birds on. Looking forward to Spring however.

The following were noted in very cold conditions 1.40pm-3.20pm

Buzzard
Kestrel
Great-Spotted Woodpecker
Bullfinch
Wren
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Long-Tailed Tit
Woodpigeon
Feral Pigeon
Robin
Wren
BH Gull
Common Gull
Redwing (Plenty on the move)
Starling
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Jay






-- Edited by Phil Owen on Monday 1st of February 2010 03:54:52 PM

31/01/2010 - Daily walks over the last couple of weeks have been a bit quiet, bar the decent numbers of finches around. Snowfall this morning however seems to have forced another clearout though! Stuff seen today on the Big Garden Birdwatch and a shufty around the patch included:

1 Linnet (just about turns up once a year locally)
1 Siskin
4 Lesser Redpolls
1 Goldcrest
1 Kestrel
2 Stock Doves
9 bullfinches
6 Black-headed Gulls

18th continued...

I did a bit of a local patch day list attempt today which ended up being curtailed by rain but with 47 species logged it was more successful than I was hoping. Considering Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Cormorant, Raven, Mallard, Moorhen and Tawny Owl were all absent, 50 is 'doable', which isn't bad considering the poor state of the farmland. Over the winter the sheep have been so overstocked they've ring barked most young trees and the grass is like a mudbath. My dog enjoys this latter fact more than me! A Partridge sp was also flushed, possibly Grey, but good enough views to be sure were not obtained. Highlights of a top days local patching included:

the Yellowhammer (hope it sets up camp!)
1 Woodcock
25+ Stock Doves (another record count locally after only colonising a few years back - pairs were flying around all over the place plus a flock of 9 flew over and 14 fed in with Woodpigeons)
1 Reed Bunting
2 Meadow Pipits
7 Skylarks
120+ Redwings
30+ Fieldfares
7 Pied Wagtails
1 Kestrel
2 Canada Geese (overhead)
3 Grey Herons
5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
4 Herring Gulls
2 Common Gulls
7 Black-headed Gulls
2 Treecreepers (1 in the garden)
2 Goldcrests
2 Lesser Redpolls
1 Siskin

Thanks. Henry.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Monday 18th of January 2010 04:42:46 PM

18/01/2010 - Out all morning on the patch and reaped the rewards with a single female YELLOWHAMMER, a first for the area. It was calling and flighty but eventually showed well in the grassy fields from Davenport Green going towards Newall Green. The exact location is at the red circle on the link - Map Link

17/01/2010 - Increase in activity continues in the last couple of days with:

2 Reed Buntings (good to see them back in the area)
1 Skylark (overhead)
1 Treecreeper
17 Siskins
10 Lesser Redpolls
20+ Goldfinch
20+ Greenfinch
2 Goldcrests (in the garden, glad they've survived the tough weather)
1 Kestrel
17 Magpies (to roost)
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Black-headed Gull
14 Common Gulls
2 Herring Gulls

14/01/2010 - The thaw continued a pace today and on the walk around the local area patches of open ground were a joy to see. The 7 Fieldfares, 10+ Redwings and c60 finches feeding on these snow-free zones seemed to Agree.
2 Snipes were spotted feeding along a hedgerow probing their bills into the soil for food. Desperate times hopefully coming to an end for many species soon. 3 Ravens passed through checking for carrion although they didn't find any today. 11 Redpolls still in the garden and the fact that the flock size changes daily gives hope that new birds are passing through all the time. Time for a Mealy soon!

13/01/2010 - It was a good day in the garden, with higher than usual numbers of birds making use of the feeders. The threat of another cold snap had lots of tits, finches and others huddled around the nuts and seed all day long. Stuff seen included:

1 Sparrowhawk (chased by 8 Goldfinches as it glided over the garden, don't think i've seen this brave behaviour before involving sparrowhawk and finch!)
1 Kestrel (not on the feeders but hunting the airspace over the garden at one point)
10 Lesser Redpolls
2 Siskins (first this winter, briefly present)
20+ Goldfinches
9 Bullfinches (4m,5f)
4 Long-tailed Tits
3 Coal Tits
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
4 Common Gulls (heading to the Rostherne roost)
1 Herring Gull

10/01/2010 - A large flock of mainly Greenfinches brightened up the hedgerows north of Shay Lane this afternoon. No Bramblings in amongst the 90+ throng, but 2 Bullfinches, 12 Goldfinches and 10+ Chaffinches were also present. They were feeding on ash seeds and what seemed to be oak buds. The only other noticable sight was plenty of roving gulls, looking for any open area free of snow it seemed. 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 10+ Herring Gulls and 50+ Black-headed Gulls moved slowly towards Rostherne in the hour before dark.
Still 5 Lesser Redpolls, 6 Bullfinches, 4 Fieldfares, 1 Goldcrest and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the garden, but i'm still waiting for this cold weather to turn up something unusual on the feeders.
Henry.

08/01/2010 - Garden watching again today, as the ice is keeping me housebound. Some good stuff around and the highlight was the gull passage heading towards the Rostherne roost between 3.30-4.10pm. There must be thousands of birds roosting at Rostherne right now as many of the traditional roosts become frozen out. Stuff seen included:

3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (all gulls flying SW)
6 Herring Gulls
2 Common Gulls
300+ Black-headed Gulls
5 Lapwings
2 Snipes
1 Cormorant (actually in garden airspace!)
1 Grey Heron
1 Buzzard
2 Goldcrests
5 Redwings
2 Lesser Redpolls
6 Bullfinches
16 Chaffinches
5 Goldfinches
4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers

06/01/2010 - 180+ Pink-footed Geese flew over going east this morning, probably the same ones Vaughan saw in Hale.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Wednesday 6th of January 2010 01:24:26 PM

05/01/2010 - First time I can remember the local area being so audibly quiet, today. Many thanks to the snow, the airport rumbles have ceased and the few birds that remain could be heard much easier. 2 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 5 Herring Gulls, 8 Bullfinches and 6 Long-tailed Tits were present in the area but very little else right now. Set in such a temporarily wonderful landscape each bird has taken on a special light. It's fascinating watching the effectively glowing Bullfinches whirring around the garden to and fro the feeders.
Henry.

p.s. this afternoon a Grey Heron was seen feeding ridiculously close to a busy road. It was stood in a roadside ditch which is the only bit of unfrozen water locally. Also after dark 2 Robins were visiting the feeders in the glow of strong light pollution and our security light. This cold weather is starting to force some really unusual behaviour.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Tuesday 5th of January 2010 05:44:56 PM

04/01/2010 - Freezing cold this morning, -10 degrees overnight. Most decent sightings consisted of birds flying over and fleeing the cold wastes. Stuff seen included:

6 Fieldfares
9 Stock Doves (equal to the local record)
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Kestrel
8 Bullfinches (4m, 4f)
1 Lesser Redpoll
24 Magpies

21/12/2009 - Some more cold weather movement today.

2 Lapwings (heading south-east)
2 Common Gulls
3 Black-headed Gulls
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Redwing
6 Bullfinches

8 Redpolls still on the feeders today with 5 Bullfinches and 5 Goldfinches, but still no Siskins yet and lowish numbers of most other species. Once more find the food source I think i'll be filling the feeders up twice a day.

Agree henry - I had a single redpoll last week but have had no siskens so far - usally t'other way round

17/12/2009 - 15 Lesser Redpolls appeared in the garden this morning signalling a definite cold weather movement. It is unusual for these to turn up before the Siskins around here.

11/12/2009 - A slightly chillier serenity pervaded the air today (once you block out the incessant aircraft noise!). Generally very quiet with very few birds around although there was some quality in the form of a Jack Snipe in one of the Marl Pits. Other stuff seen included:

2 Common Snipes
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
58 Redwings (feeding but alas no Naumanns)
1 Buzzard

Obviously not around you though Henry, like I say they are fairly localised.

Thanks for the info Ian. More numerous in winter than I thought.

Meadow Pipits are fairly common throughout the county over winter Henry though occasionally localised and obviously in smaller numbers than say, on passage. My usual sites of Pennington and Astley/Chat Moss still have birds present, with flocks of 20 or so on the mosses atleast. There is also a decent flock around High Rid Reservoir when I've been around there recently. Occasionally I get them around my house and have had ones and twos over or in the fields at the back in the past few days.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 10th of December 2009 04:16:56 PM

10/12/2009 - Much improved weather on the patch today, in fact it was serene. I could have spent all day wandering the fields. Best bird considering the time of year was a fly-over Meadow Pipit. This is only the second time i've recorded this species in December on the patch. Does this species overwinter regularly anywhere in the county out of interest?
Quite a bit else about including a Kezza, Bullfinches, Pied Wags, Lesser Black-backed, Herring, Common and Black-headed Gulls.

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Thursday 10th of December 2009 12:28:21 PM

07/12/2009 - blustery southerly winds and drizzle in the face, not the nicest of walks ever but quite a few birds around in feeding flocks on the water-logged fields north of Shay Lane, including:

4 Common Gulls (1.1w, 3ad w's)
1 Herring Gull (1w)
66 Black-headed Gulls
2 Fieldfares
c30 Redwings
100+ Starlings
27 Woodpigeons

Birds seen around the garden and local environs today have included 1 Sparrowhawk (m), 1 Tawny Owl, 7 Goldfinches, 4 Bullfinches, 9 Redwings, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Song Thrush and 2 Pied Wagtails.

Thanks Henry
I live in Heald Green so a jolly jaunt on the cards!
Regards

Most of the sightings come from the Shay Lane area Mark. Also Ringway Golf Course, Brooks Drive which runs for Hale Barns to Timperley and beyond, the sheep fields north of Shay Lane and the fields east of there towards Newall Green.
Thanks. Henry.