Owl searching tonight on Irlam Moss revealed a Tawny Owl fly out of Dixons Wood over Cutnook Lane and towards f12 at 10.10pm

Visited Irlam moss area today for first time, I used the map of area from this site to find my way around. Sightings included;
plenty of whitethroat, including a newly fledged bird,
a little owl
Great spotted woodpecker
tree sparrows
yellowhammers
kestrel
a flock of about 25 mistle thrush
blackcap
Raven
heard quail in fields 62 & 63, one seemed to be very close unless they can throw their voices. didnt see any butjust hearing them was a first for me.

Also an impressive array of insects and wildflowers caught my eye. Will definitely go again soon, perhaps with someone a bit more knowledgeable about the area as I spent a lot of time looking for places to park and driving up roads to nowhere.

4.00-5.00pm Irlam Moss
Rather quiet birdwise but lots of traffic using the moss as a rat-run to avoid the blocked A57 so not particularly pleasant.

1 Quail singing in f17
3 Willow Tits along Twelve Yards Rd
2 Grey Partridge running along Twelve Yards Rd
2 Buzzard

Met Dave Steel who'd just had a Hobby over Croxten. I wasn't as lucky though!

A great hour on Irlam Moss this evening 9.00-10.00pm

5-6 Quail singing tonight - but still no views !!
3 - f63 (1 close to road and 2 distant)
1-2 -f18
1 - f17

2 cracking owl close encounters!
1 Little Owl on the compound fence next to f62 - allowed me to within 10 feet by staying in the car
1 Tawny Owl along Twelve Yards Rd near Woodbarn Farm - landed on the step of a telegraph pole in my headlight beam. Again I was able to approach to within 10 feet in my car. It was completely unfazed by my presence and I was able to watch it for 5 mins. My best Tawny Owl view for years!

Also, on Astley Rd between f62 & f63 I came across a baby Song Thrush sitting in the middle of the road. The parent came to it briefly but it just sat there looking lost. It seemed too young to be out of the nest. It did flap its way to the side of the road but then came back. I decided to move it to cover for fear of it being run over. But it came back again! I then had to move it again. This time a bit deeper into cover. This time it left a little 'present' on my hand !! I'm not too convinced for it's survival unfortunatlely.

A great couple of hours along Astley road this evening.

The 5 Corn buntings that I mentioned in my previous post and the good views of the Quail having a dust bath about 40m down the track between fields 21 & 22 were a good surprise

Also seen;
Field 21
2 RL Partridge
Yellowhammer
2 Buzzard over
1 Kestrel over
Field 22
550+ Swallows and House Martins perched on the wires and many more flying about
2 Yellow wagtails over
Field 24
5 Grey partridge including 3 young
2 RL partridge
5 Yellow wagtails including 3 young
2 Whitethroat
3 Goldfinch
2 Yellowhammers
Greenfinch
Field 63
2 Quail heard
Sparrowhawk over
2 Tree sparrows
Goldfinch

I also had great close views of 2 Little Owls hunting on Astley road. They will come very near to your car but if you get out they will fly up into the trees

Around 4pm today, Quail(s) still calling from field 63 and around 6 Yellow Wagtails in field 20 included juveniles.

5 Corn buntings sat on wires across entrance to Annabels farm Irlam moss and RL partridge and Quail having dust bath on the track now

2 sessions spent at Irlam Moss with Rob Bell yesterday evening 8.15pm - 9.45pm and this morning 10am - 12.30pm.

After hours of waiting we got brief but good views of the Quail, with one in flight over f62 and another 2 in f63. In total I think there were 5 singing, but it was hard to be sure. Definitely worth persevering and a lifer for both of us

Also seen were-
3 Buzzard
2 Peregrine (Having a bit of a scrap mid-flight)
Kestrel (hunting from the telegraph poles at the back of f18)
Yellowhammer
Lots of Whitethroat
Chiffchaff
Meadow Pipit
Grey Partridge
Pheasant
Mistle Thrush
Loads of Swifts and Swallows and a few House Martins
House and Tree Sparrows
Great, Blue and Long-Tailed Tits
Greenfinch and Goldfinch

Originally posted by Brian Kirkwood today:

Evening walk revealed the following,

Five family parties of Whitethroat.
Three Willow warblers.
Seven Mistle thrush.
Many Wood pigeon.
Fifty plus Swallows, mainly young.
Ten plus House martin.
Six Swift.
One Little owl.
One Kestrel.
One family party of Grey partridge being harassed by a male Stoat.

Regards Brian.

-- Edited by brian kirkwood on Saturday 23rd of July 2011 11:36:09 AM

Thu 21st 10am - 11am -

4 Willow Tit between fields 59 and 60 near Birch Farm. Also one F Yellowhammer.
Good numbers of Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Blackcap.

Sightings from the small fishing pond between Rindle Road and Astley Road
yesterday 11am - 4pm

Raven heard
35+ Lesser Blacked Backed Gulls North West then later c.10 South East
Sand martins, swallows, swifts and house martins all drinking from the pond
Mixed tit flock through

I went around Astley moss early on this morning but I only saw 5 Yellowhammers and 2 Tree sparrows.
I went again after visiting Pennington and the rain finally stopped for 20 minutes. Birds seen from the top of the feeding track;
2 Yellowhammers
2 Willow tits
Stock dove
Buzzard
Kestrel
GS Woodpecker
Curlew
Heron
and 4 Hares boxing in field 69

Great hour spent at Irlam Moss this evening, 8.00- 9.00-ish

Finally got a halfway decent view of the Quails...2 flying low over the corn field at the back of field 62(I think this is the right number...just off Astley Road) Several Quail calling, I'd estimate 6 birds.
At least 5 Yellow Wagtail in and around the crops...corn and potatoes..inc 2 adult males.
Juv Blackcap being fed by adult female, family of Whitethroat 2 adults 2 juv.
Cuckoo showing well in carrot (I think) field at back of 62...flew up at my approach but I'm pretty sure it was a juv bird, very unsteady flight;Couldn't see any white on neck but was v brown.
Little Owl on road, flew up into roadside trees and peered into my car from about 2 feet away!
Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Linnets,Swallows,Swifts.

sorry for late post, last night still 2 quail calling occasionally just south of olive mount farm 1 from each side of road, large gathering of swallow, both martins and swifts also in area but even all those hungry mouths didnt stop loads of things biting me!

lots of juvenile kestrel round mosses incl at least 2 broods along moss lane, family of 3 showing very well sat on road for several minutes.

A Green sandpiper flew up from the drying up ponds on Astley moss this afternoon.

Also seen;
5 Buzzards
3 Goldfinch
3 Yellowhammers
Heron
Grey partridge
3 Whitethroat
Reed bunting

I remember an old guy back in the late sixties telling me he remembered Marsh Harriers nesting on marshland under what is now the closed landfill site at Boothstown.

Who knows, perhaps one day they may return.

Female Marsh Harrier again this morning on Chat Moss, around fields 10/11.

Info thanks to Andy Little

5th July 7.40pm - 8.45pm

A walk around Astley Road this evening in pleasant weather.

Only 1 Quail heard this evening at the back of field 62 where a Kestrel hunted.

Curlew was heard near Olive Mount Farm. Two or three Yellowhammers were also heard.

An African Grey Parrot flew from the direction of Four Winds Farm to trees in Olive Mount Farm. Site tick! A driver leaving Four Winds Farm was informed.

A few 'Clegs' were about so it is worth bring spray if visiting the area.

I was walking on Rindle Road near Olive Mount Farm last Thursday,and the Curlew became very upset at my presence,and kept flying around in front of me and producing alarm calls.
I looked in the field from whence it had come and saw a Curlew chick walking about;I made a quiet departure from the site!

Mon 4th July 8.30-9.45pm
Gorgeous evening and stunning sunset

2-3 Quail singing in f63
2 more Quail singing in f17 - including 1 at Twelve Yds Rd/Astley Rd junction
All frustratingly seemed close to road but as usual out of sight!

Also at the road junction 1 young Little Owl sat in the middle of Astley Rd before flying into a nearby tree!
1 Singing Corn Bunting in f19 - just able to see it.
c.6 (could be more) Yellow Wagtails in f19 - seems to be a least 2 pairs and at least a couple of young. 1 male came within 10 feet collecting food oblivious to me! This field has potatos in it and I've noticed over the years Yellow Wags love to breed in potato fields on the moss.
1 Curlew noisely flying around Olive Mount Farm.
1 male Kestrel
2 Buzzard

Still at least 6 Quail in fields by Olive Mount Farm,at least 2 on east side of track and at least 4 on west side.
Also a Corn Bunting singing briefly
and a couple of Yellow Wagtails in field

Agreed Dave, been a few times myself (Zest), damn fine indeed

While sat having a curry at Zest beside the A580 yesterday evening a family group of 4 Kestrels were flying around the fields opposite, also seen out of the window were 2 Buzzards, 3 Tree sparrows and a Jay.

The curry was excellent too

Single Hobby soaring for a good 10 minutes over the A580 area by Morleys Hall before heading off north this afternoon too.

Up to seven Buzzards (all adults) in the air at any one time this afternoon over the Morleys Hall/Moss Lane area (viewed from my garden!).

2 vocal Ravens were circling over Moss Lane for a while just after mid-day, giving a soaring Buzzard a hard time
also down there Yellow Wagtail, Tree Sparrow, singing Reed Bunting, Goldcrest and fledged Coal Tits

Good afternoon exploring the mosses - 4 singing Quail, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Grey Heron, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Pheasant, Red-legged Partridge, juv Blue Tits, Yellowhammer

Still at least 5 calling Quail in field next to Olive Mount Farm at midday also
4 Yellow Wags in the cereal fields
and a singing Corn Bunting

Hobby over field 67 at 10.05am this morning.

Another quick hour 7-8

yellowhammer
whitethroats
Pale lookin Kestrel
Whimbrel over
Highlight was a young Tawny owl, no bins needed stared at each other for what felt like a lifetime. First for me, absolutely superb.
Cheers Jay

Yellow Wagtail over Barton Moss Farm at 12.45pm

Astley moss this morning

2 Canada geese with 5 young at the fishing pond
Along the feeding track,
7 Yellowhammers
2 Reed buntings
1 Bullfinch
3 Great tits
2 Whitethroat
2 Willow tits in Rindle hedges

A Sparrowhawk was chased by a GS Woodpecker through Rindle wood.
Kestrel, Buzzard and Heron over

A Stoat chased a young Rabbit down the track

Ok Melanie
Hope you had a nice day and had a bit better luck than me.
Cheers Jay

Jason Dulhanty wrote:

---

Quick hour 7 till 8

6 to 8 Birders ,who seemed to be on a Daytrip.
Cheers Jay

---

l was one of the day-trippers

Quick hour 7 till 8
Lapwings
2 Partridge
Pheasant
Treecreeper at feeding station
Kestrel
Also 6 to 8 Birders ,who seemed to be on a Daytrip.
Cheers Jay

5.30-8pm this evening

Chat moss
2 Quail calling in f63 and 2 more in f62
Yellow wagtail over f62
3 Buzzards in the distance over f63

2 Yellow wagtails in the pig pen including one bird perched on top of a sleeping pig.
Cuckoo calling near Boag farm and 4 young Tree sparrows along the track next to the farm.

Astley moss
2 Buzzards
Sparrowhawk
Curlew calling
Young Blackcaps x3, Great tits x5, Whitethroat x2 and x3, GS Woodpecker x1 and two harassed Blue tit parents with 9 fledglings all sat together in a small bush

Great views of Swallows with a couple of House martins and Sand martins around Rindle woods.

Single Quail calling from field 60 on Chat Moss at around 2pm, from near to Birch Farm.

5.30 am to 12.00 pm
Marsh Harrier f (63)
Kestrel
cuckoo (flying to and from Mount Olive Farm)
2 stockdove
4 jackdaws
2 Quail (singing)
Mistle thrush
4 yellow wag (62)
4 quail (singing)
2 Grey Legged Partridge
lots whitethroat
longtail tits
1 Tame hare

Quails not seen but heard on regular basis possibly more than 4 in Field 62 Very frustrating as birds seemed so close to Road except field 63 where they seemed to be on far side. Very pleasant morning with nice people, had a Quail of a time!!

eee it were right good that were, came back down 12 yards lane and had a female yellow wag sitting on the wires while stuffing insects into the mouth of a juvenile too. plus one grey partridge right at the end of 12 yards lane before crossing the motorway.

also male yellow wag sitting on the fence by the side of field 62 with female flitting about behind it and a family of at least 5 white throats, there's times i need 2 heads, the whitethroat family in front of me and a quail calling behind me was one of them.
aanother fence sitter was a red legged partridge shortly before the afore mentioned incident with the marsh harrier.


also met pat and her husband while quail listening

-- Edited by jason fisher on Monday 6th of June 2011 07:53:04 PM

-- Edited by jason fisher on Monday 6th of June 2011 08:05:31 PM

Ian McKerchar wrote:

---

Astley Moss is indeed a LWT site Paul. However, that's not where the Quail currently are as it's north of the Railway on Astley Moss and the Quail (and fields 62/63) are on Chat Moss which is south of the railway

---

Cheers Ian for your reply.

Yeah, when I went & saw/heard them I reported it in as Chat Moss as the area that I saw them in, and as everyone keeps saying, is an area I've always known as Chat Moss :) That's why I asked about the LWT thing, I genuinly didn't know it was LWT but also wondered if the boundaries had altered from those I used to know!!

Paul

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 6th of June 2011 07:06:33 PM

Up to four quail calling this evening 17:00 to 18:00 - good to meet Jason there who'd had two quick flight views but I didn't get to see one. What was of interest was a Marsh Harrier [missing some primaries and tail feathers] hunting what appeared to be partridge in the far corner of F62 - hopefully photos to follow but it must be 200m plus from the road.

-- Edited by Pete Welch on Monday 6th of June 2011 07:24:51 PM

While we are on this subject (pagers), why do the information services continue to get the location of the Quails wrong. Fields 62 & 63 are not on "Astley Moss LWT" as keeps appearing on the pagers. The area they are in is in fact called CHAT MOSS, a totally different area of the mosses (even though "Chat Moss" is the name of the mosses taken as a whole)..

Astley Moss is indeed a LWT site Paul. However, that's not where the Quail currently are as it's north of the Railway on Astley Moss and the Quail (and fields 62/63) are on Chat Moss which is south of the railway

My message actually says:

"03:Gtr.Man 2.Quails (both males) singing still Astley Moss LWT close to road: 1.in Field 62 +1.in Field.63 +Marsh Harrier still"

Cut & paste from web & exactly as per pager.

I read it as the 63 refers to the field number rather than the number of Marsh Harriers. But another point, is it true it's a LWT site?

Cheers
Paul

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 6th of June 2011 04:11:05 PM

well done the RBA they have just put out 63 marsh harriers on Astley moss .

Ian McKerchar wrote:

---

It's always a possibility Rob but given the recent UK influx of Quail plus the fact that these two fields have almost annually been the species favourites in early June especially, I'd still favour wild birds.

---

Someone brought up their concerns with me on the phone about relaesed/escaped birds but I, like Ian, mentioned the current national influx. The fact that Quail have arrived countrywide in classic Quail habitat at the exact same time as the Greater Manchester ones seems to point strongly to the fact that these are genuine wild passage birds :)

Paul

Late report from Sunday-
7-8.30pm
Owing to my horribly inept navigation skills I never made it to f62/63, so no Quail for me.
Still, a pleasant evening cycle along Astley Road produced two ticks for the year-
Corn Bunting singing from a fencepost just after the motorway (f23?)
2 Grey Partridge flew low across the track
Also seen-
Hundreds of swallows
Goldfinches
Yellowhammer
Meadow Pipit
Fantastic views of a Peregrine flying over Liverpool Road on the cycle back.

Hope to head back for the Quail, once I've learned to read a map

Three quail calling in f62 around 1530 this pm.

FAO Rob and Ian.
Local stopped and asked about them. Said they were Common Quail and likely to be wild. He was interested because he'd bred Bobwhites before. Made no mention of breeding in the area. Come to think of it he may well have been a keeper. Small station wagon with covered plastic buckets (of seed?) in the back.

Four ravens (adult and three juvs) present in the pig field on Little Woolden Moss around 6.00pm.

Ian McKerchar wrote:

---

All's well that ends well Joe

Let me know directly if you have any other problems.

---

Ian, I have many problems, but sadly too few of them are birding related