It's very difficult to tell Rob as reports of them are so irregular due to them being so difficult to see when they're on Chat Moss (even for the landowners). Currently, I don't think we have any proof (via dates) that they're all different birds and the Chat Moss pair have seemed to like to wander earlier in their stay.

Hopefully my vagueness will convey the fact that we just don't know . The sighting this morning was the first we have had since the 26th though

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 1st of August 2012 12:37:10 PM

Two Common Cranes continue to summer on Chat Moss and were once again on private land with absolutely no possible viewing or access this morning.

Numerous attempts to arrange access with the landowner have failed (he has perfectly understandable reasons for this) and regular attempts to see over the land from potential vantage points have proved it is not possible from any angle! The birds have also been seen at Risley Moss recently apparently and so sightings may still be possible from along Astley Road if the birds are in flight. Please do not attempt to access other parts of Chat Moss which have no public footpaths though. It is highly important to us that relationships between birders and landowners in these areas are kept amicable so your cooperation in being considerate when visiting the moss would be really appreciated.

News of their continued presence has been purposefully kept quiet over the past months due to the however unlikely it may seem possibility that they may have been up to something (which is not as unlikely as one initially might think ) but as it now appears that has not been the case there is no reason to continue to keep them quiet. Updates as to their presence during this time have also been reliant on local landowners informing us and so have been very irregular (but obviously much appreciated!).

Thanks to Judith Smith for her continued updates.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 1st of August 2012 11:32:47 AM

Hobby flushed from trees on the side of rindle road today at 4.30pm, possibly a juvenile.

Irlam Moss 9-10pm
Evening 'owling' walk on Irlam moss tonight revealed a very vocal Little Owl.
Also family group on 3 Buzzards - also very vocal

10.00-11.30am Irlam & Chat Mosses and Croxden

3 Buzzard together
1 Kestrel
1 Little Owl
pair Spotted Flycatchers at a traditional site
1 Tree Sparrow
lots of Swallows plus a few Swift, 1 Sand Martin and a few House Martins collecting mud from the edge of a puddle
1 singing Willow Warbler
a few Whitethroat

Croxden
1 male Peregrine over Croxden heading north
9 Canada Geese
1 Tufted Duck (f)
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Black headed Gull

ships in the night again Dave, must of been while i was hid in a ditch, probably walked right past me,

other than what Dave's already posted, i can just add 3 lesser redpol near the scrapes, a flock of linnets feeding in the field near the cottages, 1 hobby over the SSSI at 3.15, 1 Greenfinch near railway crossing, 2 whitethroats near cottages,

This afternoon around Chat and Irlam mosses

3 young Yellow wagtails with 3 adult birds near f19
2 Hobbys seen, one was chasing a Sand martin before flying out of sight.
3 Buzzards
Little owl

1900-20.00
Pied wagtail feeding young at Rindle road cottages.
singing yellowhammer
Hirundines galore
couple of tree sparrows
Hunting Kestrel
Single Partridge in short flight ( could'nt id it )
Cheers Jay

16.00-18.00

Circular walk from the former Rindle Road feeding station, as recommended

in site guide.

3 Yellowhammers and 3 Jays along hedgerows. 3-4 Reed Bunting males

chasing each other around the moss. Otherwise the the only other birds

on the moss where a few Woodpigeon and crows. Although good numbers

of butterflies and moths about, see other wildlife posting.

1.30 to 4.0 pm this afternoon with John Parkinson and, for the last 40 minutes, David Wells joining us.
All the time was spent down the Rindle Cottages path,
where it meets the old Mineral Line.

Sightings:

Buzzard....2
Sparrowhawk....1
Willow Warbler....2
Willow Tit....1
Blackcap(male)...1
Yellowhammer....1
Garden Warbler....1 or 2 Heard, but only 1 seen... only by John.
Blue Tit...2 families of Juvenile.
Long Tail Tit ...Small flock
Swift...1
House Martin...2

A very nice wooded area, pity about the Garden Warbler!

-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 7th of July 2012 07:20:19 PM

Wonderful sight of huge numbers of Swifts about earlier this morning with a massive 4000 estimated feeding over Botany Bay Woods and 1500 over fields just south of Boothstown (within half a mile of the Botany Bay Woods) at the same time.

1 Black tailed Godwit dropped into Croxden at 11.50am today.

A Hobby flew over the M62 between the mosses heading South as I was returning from the Wirral this afternoon at 4.55.

At least one Garden Warbler still singing beautifully along the old mineral line where the path from Rindle Road, past the cottages, meets it by the main railway line. There has been 2 present in this small area in the past couple of weeks and they have also been showing very well at times.

A singing Corn Bunting this afternoon near Olive Mount Farm,apparently the first singing bird of the year on Chat Moss,very sad when you think 5years ago there were singing males all over The Moss,including north of the railway

2 Hobbies over Bedford Moss this evening,
also HORSEFLIES ARE ABOUT

Rindle Road and the SSSI margin 20/6 07.30-10.00

5 Common Whitethroat including 2 juveniles
1 Chiffchaff singing
Willow Warblers 2 seen, several singing
2 Yellowhammer
2 Curlew feeding on field 69 (very little on there today)
3 Juvenile pheasant (and 2 adults)
2 Willow Tit on SSSI edge (one probably juvenile)

2 Common Buzzards over Rindle Road & Moss Lane
4 distant raptors circling together, most likely Kestrels - no hovering seen, but one came near enough for an ID picture. (Moss Lane)

1 adult and 1 juvenile finch in SSSI bare tree - probably Linnets. Not as red as they normally look on pictures, but less brown than females appear! If anybody can help me, I have an ID-able photo I could e-mail - thanks!

Oh, and a nice Brown Hare on one of the the horse fields

Paul.


PS The path by the SSSI is now pretty overgrown - if you go in the morning or when it's been wet, I recommend waterproof trousers!



-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Wednesday 20th of June 2012 02:02:59 PM

Rindle road area 12.00-13.45
All the usuals plus
A family of gs woodpeckers in Rindle woods ( very noisy kids )
2 Kestrels having a barney in the middle of Rindle road ( actually stopping traffic )
Cheers Jay

Late report from Sunday 17/06
Nice long walk around the Moss 11.30am - 2.30pm.

Really good day for raptors.

2 Peregrines (1m,1f) They exchanged prey mid-air and the female was huge compared to her mate.
2 Sparrowhawks - 1 large female kept returning to the same tree while hunting. Another was being mobbed by lots of small birds, including a couple of swallows.
3 Kestrels
4-5 Buzzards

1f Yellow Wagtail - (f16) along the dirt track, feeding with a couple of Pied Wagtails.
2-3 Yellowhammers seen and lots more singing.
Just the 1 Tree Sparrow
Lots of Swallows, Swifts and a few House Martins feeding over the fields.
Almost every movement in the bushes turned out to be a Whitethroat with 10-15 seen in 3 hours.
1 Sedge Warbler (heard only)
Lots of singing Willow Warblers, but didn't hear a single Chiffchaff.
At least 4 singing Skylarks.
2 Curlews over
4 Lapwings
2 Oystercatchers
Also nice to see a large flock of Greenfinch around the farm closest to the railway.

A very short visit to Irlam Moss this afternoon produced of interest a Yellow Wagtail on the fence of the small compound at the SE end field 63, a Whitethroat in the scrub beside that fence feeding young and a Hobby over.

PM mooch wi charlie owen
only thing of real note a adult spotted flycatcher in the centre of rindle wood

Irlam and Chat Mosses and Croxtens - late morning - mid afternoon

Plenty of birds present today

Good numbers of Whitethroat - at least 12 males, plus other non singing birds
Blackcap - 3 including 1 female
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
3+ Yellowhammer singing along 12 Yards Road
Reed Bunting singing on edge of mosses
2 Shelduck - Croxten
5 Tufted Duck - Croxten
3 Yellow Wagtail - fields 62 and 63
Lots of Lapwing and Black Headed Gulls on the flooded fields
Two sets of Blackbirds feeding young
Dozens of Swallows, 50+ Swift, 10 House Martin
60+ Starling - plenty of young birds
2 Jay
Song Thrush imitating both Curlew and Oystercatcher!
Plus the usuals

A Peregrine caused a commotion on Croxten when it disturbed all the Lapwings and Black Headed Gulls

-- Edited by Karen Foulkes on Sunday 10th of June 2012 10:57:58 PM

Evening sightings from the fishing pond next to Moss Bank Farm:

3 Curlew over - Single and then a pair mobbing a buzzard
2 Oystercatcher over
5 Lapwing
Kestrel
A male and female tufted duck tried to land on the pond but aborted when they saw me
Female mallard with 8 tiny ducklings.

A very wet Yellow Wagtail on Chat Moss briefly in tree adjacent to field 62 at 0900hrs.

1-2pm Tuesday5th June

Field 69

12 Mistle Thrush
1 Grey Partridge
Otherwise very quiet in and around Rindle Road and SSSI.

Mike Unsworth

5.30-11.45 am
A great walk around the mosses this morning, plenty of birds singing and good numbers of young birds seen including;
Robins
Blue, great and Coal tits
Green and Goldfinches
Kestrel
Jackdaws
Treecreepers
Yellowhammers
and two cracking young Willow tits

Other birds seen around Astley and Chat moss this morning
8 Buzzards
2 Sparrowhawks
2 Kestrels
5 Grey partridge
3 Linnets
Yellow wagtail
2 Pied wagtails
8 Yellowhammer
Jay
4 Tree sparrows
2 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
Plenty of Willow warblers
50+ Swifts hunting insects over the SSSI
5 House martins

nice pair of singing whitethroats along feeding station track. short glimpse of a hobby over the far tree line at the end of the track. heard but didnt see [ as usual] a grasshopper warbler, they are so damned elusive, i must have been 5 mtrs from it. the chap with the jag was there and he had seeded the feeding station which resulted in around 12 yellowhammers and about 6 mixed sex greenfinches, regards to all mike

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 4th of June 2012 05:48:27 PM

sssi
pretty quiet this aft -only things of note 6 common Buzzard

8 - 11am today.


Moss Lane ploughed fields -
2 Mistle Thrush
2 Oystercatchers


Rindle Horse Paddock -
2 Mistle Thrush
1 Grey Partridge
Female Linnet feeding youngster
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Bullfinch
Several Mallard


Rindle Road -
2 Lapwing
numerous Goldfinches
4 Common Whitethroat
3 Grey Herons over - flying about rather aimlessly!

Field 69 and feeding station area -
15 Mistle Thrush
6 Yellowhammer
1 Curlew over


SSSI -
a bit quiet today
1 Cuckoo calling from dead tree
several Willow Warblers
2 Yellowhammer
1 Common Buzzard over



-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Saturday 2nd of June 2012 01:36:30 PM

A quick hour of birding this evening from 7.30 to 8.30 on the SSSI.

Also seen were two Curlew in f69, a male Cuckoo singing from it's favourite dead tree, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and two Teal on the SSSI.

Quite a few Willow warblers around plus Yellowhammers and Blackcaps as well.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 1st of June 2012 09:13:55 PM

Wed 30th may
18.30
Back end of field 67 and 68 Possible Marsh Harrier to far to id (buzzard size) just was'nt hunting like a buzzard.
Also curlew over
All the usuals
Talking to a bloke doin a moth count near SSSI(and they call us mad)
Cheers Jay

Quite a wet walk round the SSSI this morning (5am-7:30am), not much on show. Saw a few bits and bobs including yellowhammer, meadow pipit and whitethroat. The main sighting was a pair of cuckoo on top of a dead tree. Wasn't close enough to sex them.

Another rewarding morning at this favourite site!
0730 - 11.00am

1st Horse paddock on right walking down Rindle Road:

3 Mistle Thrush
Numerous Goldfinches
1 Grey Partridge (GM lifetime tick!)


Field 69 newly ploughed and looking very dry, and feeder track:

3 Mistle Thrush
2 Pied Wagtail
2 Tree Sparrows
1 Common Buzzard on a post in far corner towards signal box, flew languidly off into the southern trees.


SSSI and around:

5 Common Whitethroat
4 Willow Warblers with others singing
1 Yellowhammer male - others singing
1 Reed Warbler (Lifetime tick for me!)
3 Reed Bunting males
1 Moorhen and 1 chick

1 (or maybe 2) Cuckoos (GM lifetime tick!) One was flying over southwards early in the day from Rindle Hedge far end. The other (possibly same one?) appeared on top branch of one of the dead trees on the SSSI margin, eyeballed me sternly as I took a rather distant photo, and flew off NW.

Lamppost on way back to Astley Green: 1 Kestrel.

No Hobby - but I really can't complain today!



Not a single other birder seen today. The paths are certainly all getting very overgrown around the SSSI, and you need thicker long trousers than I had on - was getting stung by nettles through me kecks!

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 30th of May 2012 02:32:55 PM

Your correct about the large number of Dragonflies around the mosses John. I've visited 5 times in the last week and have seen Hobbys hunting them each time.
There are also a lot of other large bugs flying about which bite so don't wear your shorts John

Dave Thacker wrote:

---

Mainly around Chat and Irlam moss 5.15- 8.50pm

No sound of any Quail yet as I checked most of the fields but I did see at least 11 Yellow wagtails.
Good numbers of Skylarks singing and there seemed to be a Whitethroat in every bush.
A Grey partridge seen with 8 tiny chicks at the edge of a field
Brief view of a Hobby over Astley road
No Spotted flycatchers found at any of the usual places.

Also seen
Kestrel
3 Sparrowhawks
5 Buzzards
4 Grey herons

---

The hobby was briefly over the sssi this afternoon,no daupt after the big hatch of dragonflies,which seem to be having the best spell for years at the pools,there were hundreds of 4 spot chasers and broad bodied chasers today,so plenty food for the hobby.
:)

Mainly around Chat and Irlam moss 5.15- 8.50pm

No sound of any Quail yet as I checked most of the fields but I did see at least 11 Yellow wagtails.
Good numbers of Skylarks singing and there seemed to be a Whitethroat in every bush.
A Grey partridge seen with 8 tiny chicks at the edge of a field
Brief view of a Hobby over Astley road
No Spotted flycatchers found at any of the usual places.

Also seen
Kestrel
3 Sparrowhawks
5 Buzzards
4 Grey herons

Around about 7 pm tonight a hobby was chasing swallows over the Boundary Road Estate in Irlam.

I then saw it again down Raspberry Lane at around 8 pm doing the same.

Early afternoon
Rindle road area
2xoystercatchers
1xkestrel
2xbuzzards
2xpied wagtails
various tits
2xspotted flycatcher (first for me)
2xmistle thrush
4xlapwings
1xwren
1xgarden warbler
1xwillow warbler
2xpheasants
1xgs woodpecker
2xbullfinch
Cheers Jay

Hats off to you Mr.Berrythats a cracker,248 I think, is the mythical 250 possible in one lifetime.

cheers geoff

A Red Kite over Astley Moss tonight heading initially s.w. then west before being lost to view over the railway line,a long overdue county tick

Again Like penny really quiet for the time of year,only thing of Note was a Male Gadwall on one of the small pools,No Hobby,No Cuckoo,No Whinchat,No yellow wagtail

late post for weds evening still at least 7 wheatear along moss lane also hundreds of swift over astley bedford moss area feeding low over trees.

Not a sighting but this evening the two Cranes that left our County a few weeks back and have been touring N England were seen heading NE from Whixall Moss in Shrops so may end up back on Chat Moss...

-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Wednesday 16th of May 2012 10:09:31 PM

0800 - 1100 this morning mostly in beautiful light.....


Rindle Road

Possibly 1 Cuckoo in flight? I thought at first it was a kestrel, but it seemed a bit stiff-winged. To fast for a picture.

3 Common Whitethroat (first this year for me!)
2 Goldfinch
1 Buzzard being mobbed by a crow
1 Kestrel



Field 69

8 Mistle Thrush
4 Yellowhammer
?4 Tree Sparrows
1 Lapwing

Around the Moss SSSI margins:

2 Treecreeper
7 Common Whitethroat
1 Willow Warbler seen, many singing
3 Yellowhammer
Sparrowhawk over, probably same one seen twice, once with a small creature in its grip.
3 Buzzards over
3 Reed Bunting males out in the moss perched and singing - a nice sight, more aesthetic really than on the bird feeders at Pennington!
6 very distant Lapwing

Sedge warbler(s) singing around the scrapes, but not glimpsed.
Female mallard with ducklings in one pool, very nervous.

It was a brilliant morning for me - most of those sightings may be very common to most of you, but they still excite me as a novice, and the whole area is so lonely and beautiful!

Paul



PS: Birder sightings:

An entire flock of birders from Heaton Moor in Stockport, stopped over briefly during migration to Pennington Flash to see Yellowhammers. Some of them saw some, methinks!

A lone birder with a big black dog and a light grey tele lens was glimpsed through bins in Rindle Wood. Sorry I didn't get to meet you.

-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Wednesday 16th of May 2012 04:51:59 PM

This evening,
Both the Hobbys mentioned in my previous post flew together over f63 with one soaring over the other then flying down at speed towards the other. They seem to be interacting with each other rather than hunting..

Also seen about the mosses

Field 69 Astley moss
2 Wheatear though very hard to find as they kept disappearing in the furrows.
2 Tree sparrows
3 Yellowhammers
4 Mistle thrush
4 Pied wagtails
Lapwing
Rook
7 Stock dove
22 Woodpigeon

Field 59 Chat moss had 4 Grey partridge
Field 18 had 2 Tree sparrows and a Buzzard over
Female Sparrowhawk over the Ringing pits
2 Whitethroat in trees beside field 5
2 Red legged Partridge in the small paddock opposite Barton grange farm in Irlam.

Two Hobbys over field 63 on Chat moss heading South now.

7.30pm this evening

Field 69
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Grey Partridge
2 Mistle Thrush
6 Tree Sparrow

Mike Unsworth

Just to add to Daves sightings for yesterday. A single Hobby was over the SSSI at 7 pm.

Gary

Field 69 at the moment, 2 Wheatear 2 Yellow wagtail 8 Pied wagtail Buzzard 2 Cuckoo calling

06.30 - 07.45 today, a chilly 6 degrees C to start but really pleasant when the sun got up a bit.

Spent most of the time observing the birds on and around the newly ploughed field 69.

Of interest, in varying numbers:- Grey Partridge, Common Whitethroat, Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Yellowhammer, Raven(over), Tree Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Buzzard (on post), Great spotted Woodpecker(over), Lapwing, Swallow and just one stunning Yellow Wagtail