September 9th.

1 Kingfisher,
Family parties (including begging juveniles) of both Greenfinch and Goldfinch.

September 10th.

9 Siskin,
6+ Goldcrest, including at least 1 juvenile,
1 Chiffchaff singing weakly,
Kingfisher in same spot as 9th.

On both days good numbers of both Swallow and House Martin present - estimated c70 House Martin and c50 Swallow on 9th. On both days birds were attempting to sit on telephone lines - to congregate and preen - but were regularly being "spooked" by the presence of Sparrowhawk(s).

Cheers,


Bill.

21st August.

1 Goosander, 1 Common Tern, 1 Green Woodpecker.
30+ Meadow Pipits, c25 Swallows - some still feeding young.
9 Linnets.

Bill.

19th August.

1 Common Tern this am.

Cheers,

Bill.

16th August.

1 immature Cormorant,
c110 Canada Geese,
c25 Goldfinch - almost all juveniles,
5 Stonechat.

Bill.

13th August.

A Pied Flycatcher was a surprise early this morning.

There were unusually large numbers of Coal Tits present - at least 8 - this was a conservative count. Also 5+ Goldcrest, including 2 juveniles.

Chiffchaff still singing and Green Woodpecker heard. A family party of Goldfinches. The young Moorhen is still with us!

A most extarordinary sighting was of 7 Kestrels hovering and hunting together on a relatively small area of moorland.

Cheers,

Bill.

Early August sightings.

4th - c50 House Martins, 1 Green Woodpecker (first of the year), a second family party of Blackcaps.

5th - c70 Black-headed Gulls and c20 Common Gulls.

6th - 2 Ravens flying over east. Kitcliffe Reservoir is currently being drained for repair works and unusually for here there are large areas of exposed mud - unfortunately no "exotic" waders yet - just an Oystercatcher and a Common Sandpiper today. Several Willow Warblers had recommenced singing.

7th - 1 Moorhen with 1 very small downy young.

Bill.

have sent private messages about this to bill and carol, and sending out the moorhen rescue squad asap.

keep birding>

Always very difficult to advise without seeing it. Paul H - one for your folk I think.

Bill Myerscough wrote:

---

Carol Albison wrote:

---

Spotted the young Moorhen with a poorly leg today so it is still hanging on, doesn't seem to be using its leg much but is looking a bit healthier than it did last time i spotted it which was on Tuesday night and it was walking and then swimming a little better. I first saw it with a dodgy looking leg on Sunday late afternoon and I think the injury was fairly fresh then because it looked like it had blood on its leg. Am I right in thinking that the best thing to do is wait, let nature take its course and hope that the leg heals as it is so many days since the injury or would there be any benefit to the bird in trying to catch it and take it to somewhere like 3 owls, advice would be welcome.

Carol

---

Hi Carol,

Bumped into your "better half" yesterday in the valley - bet you haven't been described in those terms before have you David? He mentioned to me that you had been doing your best to rescue this poorly bird. Many thanks for that. I would guess that if it has made an improvement of sorts, then it will be even harder to try and catch than it was earlier in the week? I can't pretend to be anything like an expert on these things but it might be best to ask the RSPCA if they would come out to try and rescue the bird - wouldn't want you to unexpectedly topple into Ogden Res. and run any of the health risks that that may involve!! Paul H and Judith S - regular contributors to this forum - and more expert on these matters than I am - will I'm sure point you in the right direction.

Best wishes,

Bill

---

Carol,

Have just been very reliably informed that the RSPCA will come out and attempt to catch the Moorhen - although they can be difficult to trap!

Hopefully, there will be a happy outcome on this one. Once again thanks for your efforts and concern.

Best wishes,

Bill.

Carol Albison wrote:

---

Spotted the young Moorhen with a poorly leg today so it is still hanging on, doesn't seem to be using its leg much but is looking a bit healthier than it did last time i spotted it which was on Tuesday night and it was walking and then swimming a little better. I first saw it with a dodgy looking leg on Sunday late afternoon and I think the injury was fairly fresh then because it looked like it had blood on its leg. Am I right in thinking that the best thing to do is wait, let nature take its course and hope that the leg heals as it is so many days since the injury or would there be any benefit to the bird in trying to catch it and take it to somewhere like 3 owls, advice would be welcome.

Carol

---

Hi Carol,

Bumped into your "better half" yesterday in the valley - bet you haven't been described in those terms before have you David? He mentioned to me that you had been doing your best to rescue this poorly bird. Many thanks for that. I would guess that if it has made an improvement of sorts, then it will be even harder to try and catch than it was earlier in the week? I can't pretend to be anything like an expert on these things but it might be best to ask the RSPCA if they would come out to try and rescue the bird - wouldn't want you to unexpectedly topple into Ogden Res. and run any of the health risks that that may involve!! Paul H and Judith S - regular contributors to this forum - and more expert on these matters than I am - will I'm sure point you in the right direction.

Best wishes,

Bill

Spotted the young Moorhen with a poorly leg today so it is still hanging on, doesn't seem to be using its leg much but is looking a bit healthier than it did last time i spotted it which was on Tuesday night and it was walking and then swimming a little better. I first saw it with a dodgy looking leg on Sunday late afternoon and I think the injury was fairly fresh then because it looked like it had blood on its leg. Am I right in thinking that the best thing to do is wait, let nature take its course and hope that the leg heals as it is so many days since the injury or would there be any benefit to the bird in trying to catch it and take it to somewhere like 3 owls, advice would be welcome.

Carol

25th July.

4 Whinchat! 3 juveniles foraging together in very close proximity was a really nice sight. A little later - 1 adult Whinchat, probably female. Almost certain this species has not bred here - so seems somewhat early for these birds to be on the move?

Also Goldfinch numbers are starting to build up in the upper valley - flocks of 7 and c20.

15 LBB Gulls and 4 Common Gulls.

Cheers,

Bill.

July.

21st - a family party of Bullfinches, 40+ House Martins, 30+ Sand Martins.

22nd - a flock of 14 Linnets.

23rd - 3 Crossbills.


Cheers,


Bill.

1st July.

A flock of c6 Siskins today.

Plus family groups of Coal Tit and Willow Warbler and a "caravan" of c20 Long Tailed Tits.


Cheers,

Bill.

"Sergeant"? Last week I was one of the wise men in the nativity play! Whatever next?

Good luck with the challenge, Bill. If anyone can pull this one off, I'm sure it's you. Will see what we can do about promotion (don't hold your breath)!

Cheers, Steve

Sergeant Suttill - mission accepted Sir! (You have to try and imagine the military salute!). It's a dangerous mission but one well worth the risk - I'll try and get behind "enemy" lines later this week and try to locate these elusive little blighters (should they still be about) - they will be tough opponents but I'm up to the challenge Sir. Should I succeed in pulling off this, some might say reckless and foolhardy mission, with no thought for my own safety - but for the good of the Queen , the country and the BTO!, then promotion and a series of glittering medals is the very least I expect!

On a more "serious" note - the last record at Piethorne this year for this species was exactly 3 months ago (29/3) - having said that a female Siskin unfortunately died when she flew into the window of a local house on 5th June 2006 - so it is not the first summer record here and there is always the possibility the odd pair might well have been missed. The challenge will certainly liven up the summer months.


Roger, over and out - Private Myerscough.

Bill - your mission (should you choose to accept it!) is to find out if they are breeding at Piethorne!

Steve

29th June.

Visit to the valley this morning having just returned from a weeks birdwatching holiday on Anglesey - seemed like the famine after the feast!!

Anyway, there were 2 Siskins in the valley this morning. Also 1 calling bird flew over my home (Chadderton) this morning. Siskins in June? - most odd!

Cheers,

Bill.

20th June.

Really enjoyed watching a family party of Blackcaps on a brief visit I made to the valley this morning. The party consisted of both adults and at least 2 wing-shivering, begging, vocal juveniles - which were seen constantly being fed by the male - who was doing a good job in finding plenty of insects to feed them with.

Also family gatherings, including juveniles, of both Magpie and Blackbird.

Cheers,

Bill.

15th June.

Had a vocal flock of Crossbills flying over at Piethorne this morning but I could not locate the birds in the sky - so I have no idea how many there were or which direction they were heading in! I have visited Dovestones 3 times in the last week and have spent considerable time watching this species there and have their flight calls indelibly etched on my brain at present!!

Also very small downy Coots have been seen by several observers in the valley in the last few days - first breeding record for this species here for at least 15 years!! Was watching this family party of 2 adults and 2 young in the shallow waters yesterday - there was a sudden commotion, agitated squeals from the adults and when things settled down again there was just one downy young remaining! There were no signs of any obvious predator (ie, Crow, Magpie, Cat or Heron) so I would hazard a guess that it might well have been taken by one of the famous (or should that be infamous!) Ogden Reservoir Pike?

Cheers,

Bill.




-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 14:04, 2008-06-15

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 14:19, 2008-06-15

Hi Carol,

Many thanks for your posting - no my count was all of adult birds - I haven't made too many visits to Piethorne during May - so your record of recently seen young is interesting. The downy young of both Coot & Moorhen are difficult to tell apart - I suppose the best "trick" is to look out to see what adults birds are close by - as the young tend not to stray too far away from their parents in their early days. If you are able to get a close enough look - the downy young of both are black with vivid red heads - however Coots do tend to have a fluffy looking yellowish "collar" of fine feathers, which is absent from the downy young of Moorhen.

Best wishes,

Bill.

Did your count of 5 Coots include chicks? I have seen some chicks that are either coot or moorhen but I'm not sure which cos I'm rubbish at this!!

2nd June.

1 female Common Scoter on Ogden Res. - unusual!

5 Coots - very unusual!!

6 other people birding in the valley in the 3 hours I was there - very, very unusual!!!

Nice to meet up with some "old faces" again and some new birders for the first time and to have some company and some chat - even if I didn't manage to get further than 20 yards from the car during my visit this afternoon!!!!


Cheers,


Bill.

29th May.

After several very quiet weeks a Spotted Flycatcher was seen this morning.

Would be nice to have some of the Ringed Plovers and Sanderlings that other G.M. birders are enjoying at their local sites - especially as these species have apparently never graced the valley with their presence before! Even the odd Redshank or Dunlin sighting would make for a little bit of excitement!! Had to "make do" with a few Lapwings and Common Sandpipers.

Read somewhere else on these postings (Watergrove I think) about spring coming late to these far-flung north-eastern outposts of G.M. - the hawthorn has only just struggled into flower here at Piethorne, whilst no doubt there are already berries on the bushes in the balmy, sub-tropical south-western areas of the region!!

Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins all noted today, with unusually good numbers of Swifts in the valley in the very windy weather on Tuesday 27th.


Cheers,


Bill.

Sunday 27 April, I spent about an hour standing in the rain watching about 25 swallows swooping around over the water filling up on the flies that have started hatching in the warmer weather, not a notable sighting by the standards of the forum but it made me a very happy bunny and was a ray of sunshine in a day that consisted mainly of repairing the car, also saw a couple of goldfinch, a pied wagtail and Mr Mallard Duck.

Bill - last year there were 19 I think, at Burnt Edge, but you seem to have got theirs this year!

22nd April.

Had a bit more time this p.m. for a more thorough visit. Quite incredibly, there are still 7 Ring Ouzels foraging in the valley - 2 males and 5 females. Thought this might be a record for the Greater Manchester area - but after a look through some old county bird reports this evening I found that there is a record of 10 (all females) at Burnt Edge on 21st April 2003.

1 Linnet - the first of the summer and c70 Fieldfare.

Cheers,

Bill.

21st April.

2 Swallows - first of the year for me here.
50+ Fieldfares - quite a large flock for so late?
2 Grey Partridge, 2 LBB Gulls, 4 Coot & 2 Ring Ouzels.

Bill.

20th April - 8.45 - 10.15am.

Had spare hour and a half before a family "do" today - thought I would wander up the valley, expecting to be frozen stiff with very little to report! The best visit for several months - came across a party of what I initially thought were 3 Ring Ouzels - 1 male and 2 females - tried to get as close as possible, without disturbing them. The land where they were foraging (with a Mistle Thrush and a male Blackbird) was gently undulating and eventually something put all the birds up and there were 6, probably 7 Ring Ouzels in flight together!! In a different part of the valley whilst going back to the car - a gorgeous looking male Ring Ouzel at the top of a hawthorn bush - which may or may not have been part of the same party? Would have liked to have spent more time looking but my Mum most inconsiderately has decided to have her birthday bash at lunchtime today!!

Also 4 Goosanders and 2 Wheatears.

Weather was cold, breezy and murky - probably the reason the Ring Ouzels are down in the valley?

Cheers,


Bill.

16th April.

First Common Sandpiper of the summer. Also - first Sand Martins (c5) and House Martins (c5) but no sign of any Swallows or Linnets yet!

c20 Fieldfare still about. Coots now in record-shattering numbers - four!!

Cheers,

Bill.

10th April.

The first Willow Warblers of the year - 3 singing birds. 2 singing Reed Buntings.
3 Coots were a most unusual record for here!


Bill.

I'm with you & the bullets, Bill

-Later!- Think I've sussed it, Bill. My sister mentioned seeing some activity recently involving 2 "Chinook-type" helicopters heading over towards Seaforth. You must have witnessed secret manoevers by the Greater Manchester Lunatic Fringe (all branches) as they trained for a pre-emptive strike against the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board next time there's a rarity at Seaforth.

-- Edited by Mike Chorley at 00:49, 2008-04-09

8th April - p.m.

Nothing of particular note on the bird front. The only flying objects of interest were two Helicoptera vietnamicus - 2 green, long-bodied, twin-propellered, military style helicopters which made several circuits over the valley and at times banked very steeply and at frighteningly low altitude - scaring the living daylights out of me and the assorted Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Curlews! At times it was reminiscent of the Vietnam war or of a scene from Apocalypse Now - but obviously without the rice-fields, napalm, relentless killing or Marlon Brando!

It crossed my mind they might be the perfect solution for the problems of dealing with off-roaders who are wrecking the moorland landscape. They seem perfect for tracking anyone on a quad or scrambling bike and strafing them with a hail of bullets - or I suppose maybe administering some slightly less severe form of punishment!


Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 16:36, 2008-04-08

1st April.

1 female Goldeneye, c25 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 1 Common Gull, 1 Treecreeper & 2 Reed Bunting.

2nd April.

2 Sparrowhawks, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Bullfinch, Nuthatch, Stock Dove, Grey Heron, c15 Meadow Pipit & 5 Goosanders.


Cheers,


Bill.

31st March.

First singing Chiffchaff of the year.

4 Kestrels seen in fairly close proximity was unusual at this time of the year. 1 Golden Plover calling. 3 Grey Partridge flushed.

A few winter visitors still hanging on! - 2 Goosanders, 7 Fieldfare and 1 Woodcock.

Cheers,


Bill.

bill, the 31 meadow pipits at white ash i counted this morning were heading north too now i think about it.

had nice views of a couple perched on barbed wire whilst all the rest were in the grass.

27th March.

In my best Julie Andrews voice - "the hills are alive with the sound of ............... Meadow Pipits!" - not quite what Rodgers and Hammerstein had in mind for one of their most memorable lyrics!

This species was everwhere in the valley this morning - not only were double figure numbers displaying but I stood for approx. half an hour near one of the reservoirs in the upper valley and counted 127 coming out of the mist in "dribs and drabs" and all heading north. The maximium flock count of birds on the move was only 15 and most parties were of just 6 to 8 birds. A look at todays posts from Dave Broome at Wigan and Paul Cliff at Birtle would suggest a day of movement for this species locally.

Also 4, possibly as many as 6 Oystercatcher, 8 Goosander, c25 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Stonechat, 6 Lesser Redpoll, a few Siskins flying about. A restless, nervy flock of c50 Fieldfare and c5 Redwing were counted.

A Carrion Crow was nest building and the first Reed Bunting song of the year was heard today. Pairs of - Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Goldcrest and also a pair of Bullfinches were seen munching on hawthorn buds.

Cheers,


Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 14:27, 2008-03-27

18th March.

First Wheatear of the year - a single male this morning. The earliest here for a few years - in the last 5 years the first returning birds have been recorded on 29/3/07, 31/3/06, 22/3/05, 22/3/04 and 30/3/03. Hope it manages to survive the arctic blast that is forecast for this easter weekend.

What else has returned lately? Oystercatchers from 3rd March, Lapwings from 14th, Skylarks from 3rd and there was a small influx of Meadow Pipits on 14th.

Finally, watched today as a male Pied Wagtail perched on the wing mirror of a car and twice flew directly into the mirror, wings all a flutter, no doubt with testosterone pumping through its body - presumably as it attempted to fight off its imagined rival. Anyway it gave up in the end - obviously thinking himself to be the victor!

Cheers,


Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough at 18:13, 2008-03-18

19/2.

Many more Goldcrest than "normal" in the valley early this a.m. At least 7+ in view at one time, with others heard and also known to be present. I would estimate easily into double figures - was a movement taking place due to the cold weather?

Also - 9 Cormorant, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Snipe.

Highlight though was the sighting of a male Bullfinch singing from the top of a birch tree. Song was quiet but forceful - if that makes sense! Having never heard and seen Bullfinch in song before - it made a beautiful sunny morning seem even better

Very small numbers of calling Skylarks have been passing over the valley since 6th Feb but as yet none recorded in the valley singing.

Finally, I received a report yesterday of 4 Whooper Swans seen in the upper valley on Rooden Reservoir on 15th February. That's twice now that they have turned up here in the last 4 months and I have missed them on both occasions!

Cheers,


Bill.

15/2. The valley has been really quiet for several weeks now - but today was a little better! The sighting of a flushed Woodcock was a nice way for me to start the morning - although I am sure that the Woodcock probably wasn't too pleased that I had disturbed its rest! Also about - an Oystercatcher could be heard calling several times - although I could not locate this bird - so whether it landed or just flew straight through is not known. This species is not usually recorded here until late Feb/early March. One of the farmers fields here has been spread with a load of manure/slurry - this has attracted large numbers of corvids - 70+ Carrion Crows and 50+ Jackdaws - amongst which were at least 3 Rooks - very scarce birds here!! Also - 2 pairs of Stonechats, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Fieldfare, 140+ Starlings & 5 Goosanders. Cheers, Bill.